05.30.11

Mom,
eesh, this last week was crazy with traveling to Eldoret and back.  We left Thursday morning and our Leadership Training was that afternoon.  It was a great meeting, I gave a training about how to improve our DDM's.  That night the B's took us out to a fabulous Chinese restaurant, i haven't had such good food in a while.  Sister B even made us a big chocolate cake, talk about good!  Friday morning we were suppose to return to Kisumu, but the transportation was on lock-down.  apparently the government was trying to improve the quality of vehicles on the road.  but what really happened was all the matatus and buses went and parked outside of town and took the day off.  so we were kinda trapped in Eldoret.  It worked out great though, cuz President Kogo (District President and counselor to Pres. B)  planned a big dinner for all the missionaries that night.  All the Sisters were there and then us and the Eldoret Elders.  Saturday morning we were able to find a little van headed to Kisumu so we jumped in and returned.  Well that was the excitement for the week. This week we have a huge baptismal service planned.  i think the count is up to 9 people getting baptized.  One sister, Agneta, is a referral from the B's.  She works at the local hotel where the couple's stay. Ever since she was introduced to the church in April she's been coming and we've been teaching her.  She's awesome and really prepared by the Lord.  President and Sister B were in town yesterday to visit with the Jorgensen's and Sister B called me this morning, she was so excited cuz she was able to talk with Agneta.  They visited last night and again this morning before they left. 
Oh i got one of the packages, the one with ranch dressing in it.  and i also got a birthday card from kim and cindy.  Thanks a ton, you guys are awesome. 
So I just thought for a second and this is what i can come up with.  I could share about all the wives and children I've been offered, but i lost count.....  so the thing that sticks out in my mind the most as i've reflected on the past few months is just about how i've been able to watch as people progress towards baptism.  as someone allows the spirit to teach them something and then to see that person act on what they've been taught.  that is the greatest joy that i've had in the mission field.  it could be a small change or it could be something big, but being there and helping someone to change their life for the better is a feeling that is hard to match.  Like Agneta for example, we had a powerful lesson on the word of wisdom, we committed her to stop drinking tea and she stopped, just like that, cold turkey.  seeing someone exercise faith on something that you testify of and the spirit has borne witness of, is just cool.  When i'm able to see the hand of the Lord in someone else's life then i'm able to see more clearly His hand in my own life.  I guess another thing that i've experienced a lot of is dealing with companions and working towards unity.  That isn't always easy.  Developing Christlike attributes has been the best way to improve the quality of a relationship between companions and myself.  It's a good thing that they're written down in preach my gospel or else it would've been harder to choose which one to work on :)  so pick one and work on it, see the difference that it makes in not only your actions but in your relationships with others.  Well i'm drawing a blank for anything else, but look through my past emails, i'm sure there are some more experiences in there, 21 months of emails should add up to something, right? I love you guys, take care and have a great week.
Elder Larsen