October 24, 2011

My dear dear family,

Man I just love this work.  This zone has  been known for its miracles  and it is sooo true!  Miracles really do happen here.  We witnessed a miracle just this last sunday, because we were able to baptize again!  YAAAA!  Having a baptism helps us out so much,  we just get  more excited to work.  Maybe there is a chance to baptize every week this transfer...That would be really cool and I think it would be something that this ward has never accomplished.  So we need to work hard this week.  Hopefully we will be able to baptize a sister we have been working with that really wants to get baptize.... but she needs to get married first. And getting people married here is hard because sometimes they do not have the money or they do not have their birth certificate.  Plus, unlike in the United states...we can't just have our bishop marry them,  but I am hoping we can do it.

Oh yeah.  Rosa is the lady that we baptized last week.  She is super funny. She is a lady we taught here and have been bringing to church and she has just LOVED it.  She told us that the time went by sooooo fast and was she was so excited to go the next week.  So we are super excited for her.  She has some really interesting stories for us.  She was really ready to be baptized. So we did that this last week.  We are sooo happy for her and for all the success the Lord gives us.  I know this is His work and this success is thanks to Him.  I love it!

This last week we got to know a Portuguese lady.  She didnt speak very well in spanish  but then told us that she speaks Portuguese.  I told her I had a brother that went to Brazil...but sadly he didn't teach me any Portuguese hahah. JK Bry. We wanted to teach her but sadly we cant find her. We are still going to look for her because she was really cool.  

I dont' know if I told you guys, but one of the Bishops in this stake gave us something so precious to us "gringos"....  ROOT BEER! Man!  And not just any root beer, but A & W root beer.  it was sooooooo cool! I realize how much I've missed it and Brys home made root beer too! haha (are you still making that Bry?)  I saved it for a long time because I was scared to open it! ha! But then I bought some vanilla ice cream and made a root beer float!  It was awesome! 

Sadly, we are not finding a whole lot of new people to teach.  We need to work even harder this week. I am excited to see what comes up! I am soo glad to hear from all you guys. O ya, i had to talk again this last Sunday and I was surprisingly  a lot more comfortable this time.  But that doesn't mean anything... when i get home, I will really scared to talk at my homecoming haha. Tell Greg HOLA! And please give him a big hug for me. Tell him he cant play rock band without me and the boys! hahaha. jk 

Thanks for everything i love you guys soooo much! I hope everyone is alright and "growing"!  Talk to you all next week!

Elder Sean Larson

 Just eating  some burgs

Open markets in the city 

This is an "afialador" a knife sharpener on the street

Pasta making factory

Our good friend!

October 17, 2011

Larson family,

What a cool week!  Really this was one really great week.  Not just because we got a lot of work done but we truly saw and witnessed a miracle! it was sooooo coool. Let me explain. We baptized a family last week, and as I mentioned, the dad was not ready to be baptized.  We were sad to see that. So, we kept passing by their house often to help the family and especially the dad.  Every time we finished a lesson, the mom, followed us to the door and always asked us to help her husband and keep passing by.  Of course, that is what we did.   He is influenced by his friends a lot. So we asked him if,  when he was ready to be baptized, would he quit drinking and he said that he would. We told him that we were going to work with him and set goals so that he can be baptized.  That Sunday he went to church with his family, and he got to see us confirm all his family!  (It was really cool by the way.)  I think he liked it a lot.  After, we had our Zone Leader, Elder Wagstaff, (my old comp) do an interview to see if he really did want to get baptized in the future.  That interview helped him a lot and he really felt the spirit because he came out saying he wanted to get baptized that same day.  :O Wow!  It was sooo cool.  We talked with the bishop to make sure that it was ok.  He said yes and we baptized him that day. After he got baptized the bishop invited him to share his testimony and Wow! He has seriously changed!  He has  a new view on things and is going to stop drinking and find a new job so he isn't tempted anymore.  Really! it was amazing! I love him. He  is a such a great example for me. This was a miracle of the Lord for sure. I am so grateful for everything He has done.  This is His work and His success. I love this work! I love being able  to help families have eternal blessings.  They changed our bishopric  last Sunday and we are excited for the new bishop. Sadly, they took away our mission leader who was really good but we will see what happens. I have to go now. I love you all soooo much! I love the Lord and I know that we are all blessed by obedience! Love,Elder Sean Larson

October 10, 2011

On top of a hill in our zone

          Familyyyyyyyy!

YESSSSS! It is possible in Santa Monica!!!! haha. As you may guess, we had a baptism this week! Whoooo! The family we have been working with was baptized on Sunday night.  Sadly, the Dad didnt get baptized.  He is still not ready but we do think he is loving it all. Their Aunt too came to Church too, so we will see if we can help her recieve these blessings too. They are all happy! Really!  The mom knows a lot and it was really cool because she was telling us how she received an answer from God about these things.  She even was telling us about how she was teaching another Christian all the things we taught her.  So that means that she already has a testimony about these things. She says  "it just makes sense....Before, we had the basic teachings and now you are helping us find out more and understand more of the truth."  It was really cool when she said that and we really felt the spirit! Of course, this is the Lords success and not ours.  He did all of this!!  We are just  tools in his hands and I am so grateful for that!  We are really happy and we want to work even harder!

Yes, we had transfers but as you know, I am with my same comp.   Because I'm training, we are together for at least 2 transfers.  So we will be together for this one... and the last 2, I dont know what will happen!?!?!?!  But I'm sure it will be cool.  

Mom go ahead and keep the shoes.  I actually can find a guy here that replaces the bottom of shoes so that will work.

We are now reading the Book of Mormon as a mission and I think I already told you that, but its harder now because I want to finish the New testament and Book of Mormon this week.  I am still working on it.  I am so glad to hear all the news there!  I can't wait to sees pictures of Charles when he arrives! (Charles or Charlie?) ha ha. I am so glad to see and hear how the family is growing! i love all of you guys sooooo much! love you all! and talk to you soon!

Elder Tron Larson (haha! I love that!)

A dog trying to get us from the other side of the fence

My comp inside a mall here

Pinata store

Some really big homes here

This is part of our area too

The Mondragon Family's Baptism! 

October 3, 2011

Fam,

Wow. So I got 5 mins. I am soo sorry, we just suck at timing things haha.  P day is always the most filled day.  Anyways. I will give a really really brief letter

Mom, answers for the questions

1. Ok just keep the shoes I guess. I can last in these.

2. Yes 2 10s and 1 9 1/2

3. Mac and cheese. Pics of Simon Dewy paintings, (if you have some more for me to give away to people) and candy.....and.....ya. haha!  Whatever!

Yes, I went to conference but only on Sunday. We worked on Saturday. It's alright... cuz I love it too. But the best part is we brought a family of 5 to the conference! cool!  The Mondragon family. Really they are awesome! I think they will get baptized.  They are  just a really humble and willing to listen and follow our Savior. They are great.  Prayers please for them!

I met a famous guitarist/singer that is older but still plays in concerts and he also plays classic rock in Spanish! So cool! I got his autograph. He plays for the "Hermanos Carrreon". Maybe you can find them on itunes or something.

Dad. I heard someone drive by in their bmw and listening to Rolling Stones and it made me think of you. Are you still listening to Sting and Andrea Boccelli in your sweet beamer? haha Just wanna know.

I am sorry I gotta go! I will do better next week! Bye!

Elder Tron :D