10 Quattuordecillion Times Better than Last Week!

So this week was 10 quattuordecillion times better than last week! Heaps of miracles, and good times and the whole lot! We saw lots of miracles, and how the Lord has prepared the hearts of individuals in our area. One I would like to share happened this past Thursday.

We love the Elders in Queanbeyan!

Elder Cocker and I were walking to an appointment, when Elder Cocker saw a house that he felt prompted to knock. So, we did, neither of us knowing really what to say. The door was answered by a Fijian-Indian lady, Mrs. K____, and her two daughters. They were very kind to us, and we offered to do some service for them. They accepted graciously, and then she told us to come back in a half-hour to meet her husband. We did, and Mr. K____ was just as nice as his wife. They told us that when we came over to do service for them that they would have Fijian food for us etc. That was pretty cool.

Yesterday, we decided to stop by their house to let them know we have the stuff to do the service we will be doing, and to catch up a bit with them. Mr. K____ and his daughters were at the house, so we talked to him. And before we left we asked if we could share a message with him. Right after we asked he said he would love for us to share a message, and that we could come over anytime to share messages with him and his family. He said that if we wanted to come over at 10 or 11 pm, then we should send him a text and he would welcome us in! Not that we would do that anyways, but it was a nice thing to say.

To top it off, he expressed to us that we were an answer to his prayers! He had been praying to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for help with the service we will be providing, and with other things (I don't remember exactly what he said), and then two days later, we knocked on their door. He basically bore testimony to us about the power of prayer. So cool! I felt and know he felt the Spirit very strongly, and it was a real testimony-strengthening thing for me to be a part of. I can definitely see how the Lord prepared their hearts for us.

We plan to visit them as frequently as we can, because they are so receptive and want us to come share messages with them. It was such a cool experience! There have been other small miracles this week, but this one was the highlight for sure.

Elder Larsen in front of a random Creepy House.

Korean people are my favorite

We did see the three fisher guys [this week]! They are doing well. We went and saw one of them last Friday or so. And that was awesome! So we got to their house, and before we went inside, we decided that we wanted to make this visit an experience to remember. And it was!

We went inside and started talking and catching up with this guy and his super-cool Korean girlfriend. They fed us prawns and fresh crab, where I ate crab out of the shell for the first time in my life (cool beans), and the prawns were real prawns. Like, without the shell or the head or the legs taken off. Freshly cooked and chilled prawns. MMMmmmmmm. They insisted that we eat heaps of the prawns, and half a crab each! Man, that was good! After they shared their food, we continued to talk to them.

I've decided that Korean people are my favorite. They are so kind, and caring! And they laugh at everything! Even lame jokes their boyfriends' tell them.

Anyways, when we were about to leave, we asked if we could share a message with them. And they told us that they would love that! So we shared a quick message out of the bible about how God loves us and is the Father of our Spirits (Romans 8:16). And then the fisherguy started bearing testimony to us about how there has to be a greater purpose to life than just earning money and going to work. There has to be a God and a reason for everything that has happened and is happening. That was awesome! The Spirit was super strong and everything. And then, Elder Cocker asked if we could pray, which they agreed to whole-heartedly. So E. Cocker said the prayer, and the fisherguy said he was tearing up during the prayer. It is amazing to see how the Holy Ghost can touch even the most stubborn of hearts, and how the Lord prepares His people for the Good Word.

(Side note; the huge typhoon that hit the Philippines has been really big news here, I don't know how big of news it has been in the States, probably just as big.)

Cool bird!

Teaching Tongans

The Tongan dude has been doing well also. We didn't get to see him, but we called him. He is still reading the Book of Mormon and wants to discuss stuff that he has read with us sometime this week, which I am super pumped about.

Okay, so now about some of the members in our ward. There is one Tongan family in our ward that has a house full of teenagers. I am pretty sure there are 8+ teenagers that live at one house, plus parents. They are an awesome family, and we really have been working with them to try to get them excited about the gospel. One of the boys is really excited about the gospel, and wants to be active, and to help the missionaries as much as possible in as many ways as he can. One of the girls [is active and] has her mission call.  She is going to the Auckland New Zealand Mission, Mandarin Chinese speaking!. They are all so great! And they all really want to go to church, especially one of the boys and his older sister.

So, anyways, we visited them twice this past week, and saw ____ in the park a separate time. We had some really solid lessons with them, where we shared how we can overcome our weaknesses (Ether 12:27), and one about doing "small and simple things" (Alma 37:6) in order to get blessings from God. The coolest thing in my opinion is that the member boy told us that he wants to go with us for hours at a time every week to gain some experience, and we got permission to take him with us from the Assistants because he isn't 14 yet (although his birthday is next Sunday, and he will be turning 14 then). He is going to be an awesome missionary! Anyone who is preparing to serve a mission, do everything you can to help the missionaries, and ask the missionaries in your area if you can go with them to lessons. I promise they will be more than happy to take you with them.

We took a trip out of NSW... Naw, just the ACT, which is literally 3 minutes away!

Answers to Questions

Uke (Ukulele) lessons are going good! I am learning lots of cool stuff from E. Cocker! As far as drumsticks go, they don't have any marching sticks here in Australia... So if I had to, I could buy drumset sticks, but that wouldn't really be the same.. If you can't send the drumsticks, that's okay though.

Elder Cocker is a stud! I have learned lots from him! But I will have to share more next week. Maybe you can ask me the same question again so I don't forget?

Elder Cocker in front of the random Creepy House.

The pictures of Big EZ and JJ rock! Keep on wearing the Armor of God, boys! I love you all! Be good, and remember who you are!

Jarrad's younger brothers, Ezra and JJ, in their homemade armor.

Final Thoughts

[Thanks for the] good advice! Maybe Elder Cocker and I should dress up like cute little cub scouts... Or maybe you can just send JJ here! (Note: Jarrad's younger brother, JJ, is a cub scout and spent 3 hours this past week soliciting food donations for the homeless, with pretty good success.)

Thanks for the words of encouragement and the uplifting quotes. Much appreciated!

G'day,
Elder Larsen

More Pictures

P.S. The story behind the gnome pics: E. Cocker and I saw this house while GQing, and we decided to ask if we could take photos. Elder Cocker knocked, and when the lady opened the door, this is their conversation:

Lady: "Whatever you are selling, I don't want it."
E. Cocker: "We are missionaries."
Lady: "I don't want church either."
E. Cocker: "That's okay, we were just wondering if we could take a picture with your gnomes." :D

Elder Larsen in front of the famous Gnomes.

P.P.S. Elder Cocker taught me how to shear a coconut and drink the milk/eat the meat correctly.

"Put a lime in the coconut..."

Elder Cocker showing Elder Larsen how to shear and eat a coconut.

P.P.P.S. Elder Shafer is typing next to me, the guy you emailed, Dad. I don't know if it was him that we talked about how they wrote a ton back home based off of their blog, but if it is him, then I found out why. He types 10 million miles per hour! Super cool guy, though.

(Note: you can follow Elder Shafer's blog here:  http://elderkyleshafer.blogspot.com/)

P.P.P.P.S. I found out from the Assistants that if I stay in Queanbeyan (pronounced Quin [rhymes with pin] bee N [like saying the letter]) then I will get to drive a car! woot woot! the mission just got tons of new cars. And Elder Cocker and I got bikes yesterday which rock!

Perhaps Elder Larsen's new car will look like one of these...