11.29.10

Thanks for the pics of the pies.... it made me remember how bad my own cooking ability is. :) it seems like you guys got dumped on with snow, well if you look at the bright side then the ski season will be longer this year. beaver should almost be able to open up. :) Well this week was pretty good, nothing exciting happened. we've gotten into the habit of going to the park in town and playing something on mondays. today we played basketball, i thought i was kinda in shape.... but i'm not. i got so tired and worn out. i should start running every morning again. that would be a good thing. so my thanksgiving was awesome, it was so good that i forgot about it until friday. then i remembered, but by that time it was over, so i didn't miss much. i'm gonna buy a chicken today so maybe that'll be my thanksgiving dinner. We have two baptisms coming up, one might be pushed back for a polygamy interview but i think it'll go through almost on time. they're planned for a week from saturday. Well everybody, i love you tons and i hope you have a great week.
love ya
Elder Larsen

11.22.10

Thanks for the pics, you guys all look good.  mom, you have some very prego daughters.  Earlier this week we were able to help one of our investigators with his chickens.  we left early friday morning and headed up to his home above arusha.  it takes about 1.5 hours to walk up there.  and then we had to eat something first, that's like a tradition here, you always have to eat something, even if you don't want to.  so we drank some milk.  then we went to work with the chickens, there was about 100 of them.  we had to catch and vaccinate each one individually.  it was pretty fun, i haven't been able to do much with animals since i came out, but it was fun and enjoyable.  after we finished with the chickens we taught him the plan of salvation and set a baptismal date for dec 11.  I love this guy, he is an older gentleman, a retired veterinarian, and he is humble and has lots of soul searching questions.  he says he likes the church because he can ask a question and get an answer.  apparently that isn't possible in any other church.  who would have thought that Christ's true church helps us all to learn and progress?  its amazing isn't it?  i love being able to learn and find answers to questions.  
today we played some soccer in the park.  it was fun, as always there was kids hanging around waiting to play with somebody that had a ball so we formed a couple teams and had a good time.  
if i remember right then thanksgiving is this week, so enjoy!  i get sick everytime i think about pies and other good food.  haha next year i'll be there!  But remember to be grateful, just like pres Monson counseled us to be in his talk.  gratitude is a great way to show love and appreciation.   I know i'm so grateful for all that i've received in my life.  if it wasn't for all the good people who have helped me on my way then i know i wouldn't be in tanzania right now, sharing the joy that the gospel can bring.  I love you all and i hope that you all doing well. take care and be careful on them cold snowy roads!
love ya
Elder Larsen

11.15.10

Well I didn't get moved, Elder Ndhlovu and I will be staying together for a third transfer.  Elder Frost and Jackson are also staying together, so all of Arusha stayed the same.  Those two had a baptism on Saturday and then after that we finally started to watch General Conference. We watched the sat morning session on saturday and the sunday morning session on sunday.  hopefully soon we'll get to see the other sessions.  Elder Harris who just finished his two years had his family come and pick him up. He took them down here to Arusha and they went on safari's and stuff.  but saturday night they invited us to dinner at their hotel, wow, talk about good food. I haven't ate that good for a long time.  I think i'll count that as my thanksgiving diner, cuz i don't see another meal like that in the near future.  While we were watching general conference, right at the beginning, the power went out.  So we started singing "onward chistian soldiers" and before the song finished, the power came back.  I leaned over and whispered to my companion " a song of the righteous is a prayer unto me "  haha he just laughed.  but it's true, we needed the power so it returned.  John, the kid i baptized two weeks ago passed the sacrament this week.  I was so excited and happy for him.  He was all dressed up with his white shirt and tie and he did a great job. He kinda reminds me about connor and mason, only, john is quiet and shy and .... well, connor and mason aren't, last time i checked.  :)
So where did you get this wild boar that you ate?  I didn't know that was on the hunting list this year? 
Today we played a little basketball with some kids in the park.  it was four Elders on eleven kids.  needless to say that we got worn out really quick, but we still won. :) 
This week Elder Ndhlovu hits his year mark.  I think we're gonna buy a couple chickens and burn one of his shirts to celebrate.  It should be a good day, i'm excited for him. 
Well not sure what else to write about, so enjoy the snow and i hope that you all have a great week.  I love you and pray for you. 
Love
Elder Larsen

11.08.10

Well this last week went pretty good.  It was the last week of the transfer so tonight we find out transfer news.  Last week we went on exchanges and I went to be with Elder Frost.  but unfortunately he was sick as a dog so i got a lot of reading done while he went from his bed to the toilet.  It wasn't the funnest exchange i've had, but i sure did learn a lot.  Yesterday at church we found out that the branch finally got their copies of General Conference, so if i don't get transferred then we'll be watching them this saturday and sunday.   I'm excited for it.  I've heard about a few of the different talks so i'll be happy to watch and listen.  But if i get transferred somewhere where they have already watched it then i'm not gonna be to happy.  If thats the case then i'll have to borrow the disks and watch it on my pday or something.  So lately I've been thinking about how we worship a God of the fourth watch.  I don't know if i can explain it very well, but pretty much the help that we receive comes at the last minute, or in the last watch of the night.  Just like when Christ came to his disciples in the fourth watch of the night, it was the last one.  He could have came earlier but he didn't, their patience was exercised to the fullest and then he provided the help that was needed.  Its the same with us, as we are patient and long suffering and we hold out to the end and then just about when we're gonna give up, he comes.  So if your at the end of your rope then hold on a little longer and He will come.  When our faith is exercised to the fullest possible, further than we thought we possible, that's when we grow and change into the disciple that he wants us to be.  That is when we reap the blessings that we've sown.
Well have a great week
Love ya
Elder Larsen  

11.01.10

This week was great!  We had a baptism on Saturday.  We had originally planned on the father doing the baptism, but Saturday afternoon, we were informed that John (our member-to-be) had changed his mind and now he wanted me to baptize him.  So with out a change of clothes I changed into white and baptized the feller.  It was awesome, it seems like that happens a lot where i get  wet at the last minute and i don't have a change of        clothes.  But i'm not complaining, it was a great exper-   ience  and I enjoyed it.  I've enjoyed teaching this kid    from the beginning. We also got the confirmation taken care of in sacrament, and right after sacrament, he was ordain to the office of a priest. so now he can help with  the sacrament.  I think that makes about 3 young men in the branch.  Nothing else exciting really happened this week, just work like normal, oh we did go on exchanges with the other Arusha Elders.  I was with Elder Jackson he's from Zim.  He is a funny guy and i really enjoyed  serving with him for a day.  I think we're gonna do exchanges again this week and then i'll be with Elder Frost, not sure yet, but i think it'll happen.  Haha thats funny    that Landen missed his plane, if I did that when i go       home then it might be like 2 or 3 days before i get on another one. Transfers are next week, not sure what will   happen, but it's pretty likely that i might get moved.  We shall see what happens.  Well, i should probably get     going so i love you all and i hope that all is well.  Remember to keep the Lord bound in all that you do and the  promised blessings will be yours.

Love

Elder Larsen