Gday, mates!
This has been one action-packed, fun-filled week of vacationing! Just kidding! It is so beautiful here in Shellharbour, though. I am serving in the Dapto Ward but we don't even live in Dapto.
I don't remember if I told you last week, but we are two minutes from the beach. Gaaaahhhh! Everything is soooo greeeeeen here too! It reminds me a lot of New Zealand. I love it!
Where to start, where to start... Well I guess I will start by answering your questions. Elder Cocker's new companion is Elder Webb. I don't know where he is from or too much about him. He is younger in the mission than me, I think. Maybe he came in a transfer after? Or maybe a transfer before? I don't know. He shares a flat with Elder Taylor, who was in my zone in the MTC. So hopefully he enjoys himself there.
Keep Elder B and his family in your prayers
Like I said last week, my comp is Elder Balenaveikau (Elder B), from Fiji. He has been serving for 10 months. This is his second area, the second transfer that he has been here, so we are both fairly new to the area. We both love it here! Elder B enjoys Rugby, and would like to go to BYU and play for their Rugby club. That would be sweet! Elder B is very good at bearing sincere testimony, which is one thing I admire about him. We just got a call from President Lew the other day, who told Elder B about a death in the family, so please keep him and his family in your prayers.
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| Elder B and I. |
Elder Tito was sooooo surprised (that Dad taught his mom on his mission in NZ)! And happy! He expressed multiple times "Man, here's the fruits of your dad's labors (pointing to himself)!" He also bore his testimony and mentioned that yesterday at church. Tender Mercies! He asked me a lot about what happened to you, Dad, and our family after the mission. I am sure he would like to get you and his parents in contact again. (He is currently in Sydney with Elder Olsen at a Mission Leadership Conference or I would ask him).
I need to hurry! I am getting kicked off the computer! (Note: Jarrad writes emails from public libraries, and is subject to time limits and queues)
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| Dapto flat! We are right next to the beach, and man! Is it beaaaauuutiful! I will have to take more pictures of the area. It is reeeeeaaally green. |
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| My best friend! :) He's the size of a tarantula. We think he is a funnel web spider. Look it up! |
Our driver lost control and hit a guard rail
We had district meeting this Friday, the first one that I trained at. It was different! I thought it was going to be scary. But it went well! The drive to district meeting was when we had the accident. We were driving in this place called Macquarie Pass, on our way to Mittagong (we switch off every week where we have DTM) and this place is crazzzzzyyy! It is soo dangerous. Basically our driver (a zone leader, no names mentioned) lost control and hit a guard rail. But we are all okay!
(Parent Note: after looking at this Macquarie Pass on the map, Elder Larsen's mother is quite concerned about the multiple hairpin turns. Be safe out there Elder Larsen - precious cargo!)
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| This has a fun story behind it... Don't worry! I wasn't driving..... |
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| I was in the car, though. No one was hurt! |
Sorry! I love you guys! Talk to the T______ Family if you need any spy information about the happs here. :)
Gday!
Elder Larsen
Letter to Mission President
Dear President Lew,
This week has been pretty hectic, as it always is! But it has been good! I am learning the area better, and becoming more able to participate in planning now that I know the people that we are working with. Which is good!
Blessings of faithful missionary service!
We have had a few small miracles this week! Our teaching pool has been growing. We have found some of the former investigators who are still willing to hear the message that we have to share. One of the less-active part-member families that we visited this week came to church for the first time in 2 or 3 years. That was cool! And I found out last Tuesday about how my dad taught Elder Tito's mom when he was a missionary in New Zealand 25 years ago. That was very miraculous! My dad was very happy when he found out. Blessings from faithful missionary service!
Being a District Leader is different
Being a District Leader is different. But it isn't scary anymore. It is a bit more responsibility of course, but I do feel that with the help of the Lord I can pull through and accomplish whatever it is I need to accomplish. The scariest part was the first training that I gave. But I found it was a lot easier than I expected. And I benefited a great deal from the things that I learned while preparing for our DTM (District Training Meeting). I hope to be able to lead the missionaries in my District as best as I can, and that I can learn from them too!
Trying to figure out what has been missing from my missionary work
Reading the Book of Mormon has brought many answers to prayers. Even just this morning I received personal revelation concerning one of the questions that I have been having. I was reading in Alma 22 about the conversion of Lamoni's father. I really enjoyed this chapter, because it exemplified a number of the principles from Preach My Gospel that I have been studying. I really like in verses 15 and 16 where Aaron answers King Lamoni's father's questions concerning how he can be happy. He essentially said that if the king (or anyone) has faith and repents, accessing the Atonement of Christ, then we can all be happy in this life and in the life to come. This was an answer to prayer because I have been trying to figure out what has been missing from my missionary work. I learned that I need to focus more on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. That is central to our purpose as missionaries! That was reaffirmed when I read in PMG Chapter 1. The second page talks about how we help people achieve the only sustainable form of happiness through the Atonement. Wow! That was cool!
Conference with Elder Nelson
One of the things that I really enjoyed from the Conference with Elder Nelson was how he described the story of Gideon's army in Judges 7. How the Lord relies on the strength of few to accomplish the great, to prove that it was by his power that his people were delivered. I will definitely remember that.
I will also remember the experience that I had in shaking his hand. That was incredible. I will always remember the light that I saw in his eyes, the feeling of being x-rayed. A choice experience.
Thank you for all that you do, President. Thinking about it, you have a really big responsibility, presiding over all of the missionaries in this mission. And I am sure it is difficult at times. If there is anything that I can do to ease the burden, I am willing to help! For now, I will do the best I can with my district and companion.
Hope you and Sister Lew have a great week!
Elder Larsen
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| Elder Cocker's Great-Great-Great Grandpa or something. This is legit, no joke. He told me. From the same tribe and everything! Kiowa! It was in a members home here in Dapto. |
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| The doorsteps of some house we knocked. Thought it was cool, so I took a picture. |
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