November 24, 2014

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!

Fall/ winter is here and there is no way but in to the cold!

So updates the baptism we had this weekend was a no go!!! :(

We had the interview on Wednesday night our Zone Leader conducted that. At the end he asked her if she wanted to be baptized and sadly and to the shock of a lot of people the answer was she didn't feel ready.

But fast forward to Friday night at the ward chili cook off. she told us she was being baptized we had to tell her she wasn't because she said she didn't want to be on Wednesday. telling a nine year old little girl she cant be baptized was one of the hardest things I have had to say on my mission. But we have since seen her twice and we have started addressing her concerns our ward mission leader has reset her baptism date. And instead of Elder Millett we are going to work with her dad to hopefully have him do it.

Well I really don't know what else to say or write. So ill say peace out!!!!!

Love

Elder Stephen Larson

November 17. 2014

What a POWERFUL week!!!! And what a week to come!!!!

 

Well this week we had a bit of a road trip. down to Lincoln and we got to meet Brent H. Nielson of the Seventy!!!!! Not of the area but of the seventy!!!! and he was also in the Philippines before be called to be in the California and Hawaii area..... And what a treat he got here this week snow and freezing weather. He was here from Wednesday to Sunday and then flow out. He was here because our stake president was being changed so I got to not only hear from him Thursday but also Saturday and Sunday as well it was so powerful.

 

We found out that our mission is having issues with awaking on time but other then that our mission is pretty obedient. we were also told where most of our finding and teaching is coming from and compression that to who is being baptized. Most of our baptisms are coming from referrals we get from members so that we should be working with members. Elder Nielson related a story to us about his times in the Philippines the story was about retaining members and strengthening those less active. Elder Nielson went to Elder Holland and asked for his permission to stop all finding efforts and to focus on retaining those already taught, Elder Holland said yes and in that year that they focused on retaining the baptized double the people they had the year before. It was because they were finding new people in the homes of where members used to live the found part member families and the find additional people in the house that weren't there before. So amazing!!!!

 

His wife Sister Nielson focused a lot on working together as a companionship embracing your comp no matter what. Even if he or she is super different from you. because if we were all the same this mission would not be a going experience to learn what we are doing that bug others and what bugs us but the lord has but every companionship together for a reason.

 

One other thing Elder Nielson said that kinda struck me was that often times Elders and Sisters are called to a mission president and his wife rather then an a mission area. 

 

He also told us that if we didn't get anything else out of the meeting in Lincoln that he and his wife loved us.

 

So I guess I should follow up with some old news now. My ankle is doin better not healed fully but I can walk and do a little bit of jumping on it so today we played volleyball. This is the greatest game ever invented!!!!!

 

We have not rode the bike yet or rode bikes lately it has been to cold to ride so we just walk when we don't have the car. 

 

So most of our work consists of LARCs. Less active, Recent converts. Much to Elder Milletts and my pleasure we have been assigned 75 home teaching names, most of them are people that no one knows or people that aren't really sure if they live there or not, so our other job is hunting.

 

For other finding ideas we have done a little bit of knocking and Elder Millett says he doesn't want to do any knocking I tried just walking up to doors and knocking but he kept walking and left me on the door step by myself so I will not be doing any knocking any point soon. 

 

Most of our teaching is through finding people on the ward list. (Unless the address is a FedEx building......) Random person living in a FedEx store lol.

 

We do have a baptism this weekend!!!!!! It is Haley Miles she is so excited. Her family is still struggling but it has been improving a lot. Except for thee bio mom. Boy howdy ill tell you what!!!!

 

So the whether is more crazy then in Utah..... just saying it can be sunny and its still only 20 degrees and that's not counting the wind chill.

 

Well its time for me to bounce!!!!!!

 

Love y'all 

 

Elder Stephen J Larson

 

Ps 

Thank you all for all your support and everything that you have done for me.

(Thank you Nebraska families)

 

 

 

 

November 10, 2014

Well this last week we just went crazy working and did alot of finding less-active members of our ward and we found a good number and had two come to church yesterday. So it was a pretty awesome week. The lady we taught the week before that taught us the restoration she did the same this week and taught us part of the plan of happeness. So we have told her to keep reading and pray about the truthfullness of what you are reading and what we are sharing.

 

So this past week on sunday i also twisted my ankle on saturday and got grounded to the house so saturday was not our most busy day. when i twisted my ankle the pain was so sharp i thought i was going to throw up. but i didnt!! elder millett and i will be trying a new way of biking this week we got a tandum bike!!!!!!!! (pictures will be taken)

 

this week we also have a mission tour...... Some kinda big deal i guess. We will be traveling to lincoln at 6:40 am and having Elder Brent H. Nielson and his wife speak to us. This will be pretty sweet minus the 6:40am van ride to lincoln. which means 5ammorning for us so we can get ready and go get the Elders we are in a car share with. Also i will be able to see half the mission i am sure that almost everyone from my mtc group will be there and also Elder Taylor(he is going home this transfer) but it will be a way sweet learning experiance.

 

really not a whole lot and a ton to talk about. We do have a baptizm set for november 22. hopefully all will go well cause we are now starting to fight against the clock. we have two more lessons and an interview to get done before she can be be baptized.

 

coming from a devoriced family is hard but working with a devoriced family adds a whole new level of diffuculty to the whole thing. If I might ask could you awesome folks please Pray for Haley Miles, Brother Miles, Sister Miles, and Julie.

 

Long story short Haley is our baptizm on the 22. Brother and sister miles are her dad and stepmom, Julie is her birth mom. Dad and stepmom are going through some really rough and bumpy roads. Julie is not a church going person and she is not fighting against haley but she is not supporting her also. So just some prayers for this family would be fantastic. Also some prayers for Jo-Jo Young as she is reading and learning about the church that she can learn of the truthfulness of it. 

 

Well Elder Millett is walking around like a lion at the zoo in the cage. so i best be ending my Email.

 

Love you all i hope all is going well

 

Much love from

 

Elder Stephen J Larson

 

 

 

 

 

November 3, 2014

Well the fall is here you can feel it, you can see it, you can taste it, you can touch it............ Or stomp on all the cruchy leafs!!!!!!!!!

 

So late emails today decided to go play volleyball this morning but i am now paying for it, sore and tired have little energy. but o what a blast.

 

So this past week was a not a good week but we pulled through and taught a golden gator. she basically taught us the beging of the restoration.... we just agreed and then taught here why a restoration had to happen, about Joseph smith and what the book of mormon was and how it all fits together cant wait until Wednesday to go talk to her again. 

 

We found out yesterday in our moring meeting that we need to work a little faster with our 9 year old investagator her family is planning down to bellvue which is very sad cause that family is so awesome.

 

You know football is in full swing so teaching on saturdays is a bit tough even trying to teach the members or get in with the members the sure do love thier football here in the midwest!!! at least nebraska isnt lossing so then no one will talk to us after the games. I can say go huskers keep winning so people of nebraska will be happy and want to talk.

 

The last few weeks i have been giving out chapters of the book of mormon to read and its the same ones mosiah 23 & 24 i dont kniow why but it is the scripture that is stuck in my head the past little bit. 

 

Right now driving around is really sweet when we see bean fields or corn fields you can see big trucks driving through the fields and harvesting the crops.  Its pretty awesome to see.

 

Well i really dont know what to say any more besides all of you keep being awsome!!!!!

 

Love 

Elder Stephen J Larson

October 27, 2014... I forgot to post this from last week

Well planner number eight is about to find its way in to the suitcase for a long winters nap!!!! this week is transfers Elder Millett and I may finely have things more flowy with less bumps, hiccups and speed bumps. It took five weeks but we did it and the possibility of one us being transferred is a  possibility. I was in the eagle run for four transfers so I could very well be leaving and he has gotten some help that he was needing so its possible that he could be going as well but you know we could just stay together for one more then her well only have 12 weeks remaining.

 

The lord knows but not me.

 

So I guess over the last few weeks I have really began to question things. We have found people that believe we only need the Bible ( A Bible a Bible we have a Bible and have no need for more Bible)(sorry for the miss quote) and that  the BOM is just a book written by a man and that we worship "Joe Smith" that he takes the place of god and that we are not a Christian believing people. So I have been diving in to the bible a bit more then I would ever think about. the Bible is good yes. does it have the whole truth of Jesus Christ's teaching? no not really. Does it have some truths? Of course it has some truth as does every church and religion on the face of the earth! Joseph Smith leaned that many churches draw near unto the lord with there mouths but they are from him in their hearts. These people we have come in contact have help strengthen and make my testimony grow!!! That have brought to my attention that I don't know everything and what I do know its maybe not as solid as it could be so it makes me want to learn a bit more and be able to more fully testify! I know that what I'm out here preaching is the true word of god and that there is a prophet of god here on this earth today he speaks directly to the lord and he receives guidance from the lord on how to more better live our lives and how we can improve. I know that the atonement of Jesus Christ was provided for us all to use more fully in our lives to make mistakes. When we fall short (for me almost daily) I know that if I ask for forgiveness and try again tomorrow with the goal to improve and grow from those stumbling blocks. I know that this church is the one and only true church. As I have been reading the Book Of Mormon and looking for certain thing I have found myself more fully aware of the love that GOD and Jesus Christ have for me. This is but a part of my testimony that is within my heart and I just want to share this part with you at this time.

 

Thanks y'all fer all y'alls doin fer me!!!!!!!

(I'm starting to learn my language.... YAY)

 

Love 

Elder Stephen James Larson

 

Ps Keep on smiling and doing your very best because that's all we can do. and improve every day!!!!