July 30, 2008-Email from Sister Larsen

Sister Paige Larsen pointing to a map of her zone.

Sister Nelson-Sister Larsen's Trainer

"I’m becoming more confident, and more comfortable with normal missionary activities.

I’m becoming more dedicated then I was." ~Sister Larsen

July 28, 2008-Letter excerpts from Elder Larsen

...........Poison Ivy..............Poison Oak........Poison Sumac

Here, when they find out you’re LDS, they just leave, that moment, very abruptly. LOL. In Marion, where I’m assigned, there is only one ward of 150 or so active members, and 95% of them are converts. This area is exciting! My area spans 2 counties, Mitchell and McDowell. There are no big cities, all small towns (very small), but we are doing good work. We bike mostly where we live. It’s so far from town that we use all our miles getting there, and then we get on our bikes to ride around town, and this is a "full car" area. (Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!) Anyways, I love it. I’ll be able to do the Tour de France when I’m done. There are more hills than you can comprehend. I’m a little surprised when I don't see a hill, but I peddle up and down them all. It’s like living at scout camp. I swam through poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac today. Thankfully I’m not allergic apparently; LOL, but I might be next year. It comes and goes from what people say.

Feed the missionaries in Oceanside. I’d like to challenge you to go out with the missionaries, and use your conversion story to help others. Most of the few active members are converts, and their conversion stories help to bring people to Christ’s restored gospel. The story you have is more valuable then you know.

I am learning a lot out here, but this I do know, the more we testify the more the Lord will bless us with his Spirit, and with his Spirit there is nothing that we cannot do!

Send me some letters in the post. I need something to read when it’s not p-day. I can only read email on p-day. And send cookies! =]

July 23, 2008-Letter from Sister Larsen

I get to go the DC temple to day! :)

I learned how to pronounce Moroni 10:5 in Swahili from our investigator’s non-member aunt, which totally started a gospel conversation. Her aunt had been a missionary in Rwanda, so she knew her stuff. But she taught in French, so she didn’t have all her words. Roho Mtakatifu is the holy ghost/spirit.

Oh, and I sang the primary song, “We’ll Bring the World His Truth”, that army of Helaman song, in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday, my companion played the piano. I made sure I had the song memorized. The first week I got there I asked the music person if we could do that. I did that because one of my MTC teachers said that you can’t always get to know everyone in the ward (in that you need to gain the trust of the members of the ward) so try to get them to know you, and singing in sacrament meeting was one of his examples. We have close to 400 people at church on Sundays. It’s really transient; internships, government training, and school. There is no way I could get to know everyone. So I went waaaaaaaay out of my comfort zone for the good of the work. Man I was shaking after wards but I got through it without any major mess-ups. :)

July 21, 2008-Email from Elder Larsen

I’m in a super small town. Well, towns in my area that are only covered by my companion and me span two counties, McDowell and Mitchell. Look them up on a map or something. The funny thing about a small town is that it’s usually geographically larger. It’s just everything is spread out so we ride our bikes a lot. I’m getting in pretty good shape, especially after biking Spruce Pine. In that town there is only one hill that the entire town seems to be built on, but I rode it all in first gear. LOL

My bike is pretty terrific. I mean it ought to be if I spent $450 on it, and it is. When I get back, Ian and I are going to race. Oh yeah, remember how I said I was 160lbs. I’m still 160lbs., but I’m losing all the excess. So I guess it’s my new weight, and I’m taller. My last two companions were 5'6 and I was taller then both of them, so I’m now anywhere between 5'7 and 5'8. That’s pretty exciting, eh? Your brother’s a giant. I’m also getting pretty tan/burnt from being in the sun all day.

I’m loving it here, and to answer Paige’s question in the email, “Yes I do use my camelback a lot because I’m biking most everywhere. I don't drive ever. Only the senior companions do. That way they only insure half the missionaries. So I’ll drive when I’m about nine months out. My comp is from Arizona, and they passed some law there so his driver’s license expires in 2054. Wild, huh? Anyways, there is a terrible drought here, and peoples’ wells are drying up. So pray for rain.

July 16, 2008 – Letter from Sister Larsen

Where Sister Larsen is serving the weather is hot and humid. She writes, “I love my camelback water bottle. I bet Isaac really uses his camelback backpack since he’s on a bike.”

Where Sister Larsen is serving there are many people from around the world. She wrote, “My Stake is the one in the mission that has the little bit of Washington DC in it. So many people are here from around the world. People keep lists of the people they talk to, of what countries their from, and the list can be near a hundred. People are usually only here for a little bit, like for school or training for the government.”

Sister Larsen wrote, “I keep having to learn new ways to greet and hug people from other cultures. It’s nice when I know what I’m doing; otherwise it’s awkward.” Sister Larsen learned the custom for greeting people from Eritria. She writes, “In Eritria they hug gently and touch cheeks 3 times changing sides after each one.” Sister Larsen went on to explain that Eritria is a small country at war in Africa near the Middle East.

Paige posed this question, “Have you read, ‘Ask In Faith’ by Elder Bednar from last General Conference? Are you being missionaries? It is part of the baptismal covenant to stand as a witness at all times, in all places. Are you being an active witness?”

This link should take you to Elder Bednar’s talk from April 2008 General Conference:
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-851-31,00.html

July 16, 2008 – Email from Sister Larsen

In 1 Nephi 1:8, Nephi is describing a dream his father has had, and it describes God as being surrounded on numberless concourses of angels. He is usually described like this. We are taught that we were with him before we came to this earth. So in the margin I put 'surrounded by his children'. His children are always in his presence before we come to earth and he wants us to always be round him. He wants us to talk and be helped by him and Jesus Christ. We are 'his work and his glory'. All the energy he uses is for us. He is the greatest example of being a dad.

I’m working on being able to pronounce, or memorizing Moroni 10:5 in Swahili. We have a family from Rwanda that’s Seventh-day Adventist. Her grandfather was a Seventh-day Adventist Preacher. So religion is part of their family. If you have any tips on pronouncing Swahili, I would not be adverse to it. :)

My MTC district Sisters say I’ve changed the most, because I’m really coming out of my shell to them. I really do talk to more people now then any time in my life.

I've been doing well, no homesickness, never once, even in the MTC. I only ever really think about Isaac, and thinking I wish my release date was closer to his. Already knowing I'm going to dearly miss being on my mission.

Isaac Loves North Carolina

Elder Larsen writes, "I love it here, and I love the people. Oh, and I’m speaking Spanish even though I’m an English speaking missionary. The Spanish missionaries are too far away and never come down here so I’ve been working on my Spanish at lunch and on p-days. I now know enough to give a pass-a-long card, explain what the Book of Mormon is, and get a return appointment, but not enough to teach. So I mostly use Spanglish, which seems to endear me to them."