And in Him they shall find pasture

We had some internet connection challenges, but we were super blessed to skype with Elder Larsen!  Here are some questions and answers from our skype session.

It's Ezra's birthday?!!

Sharing his testimony.

Q: How did you like the basketball hoop?
A: Man, everyone in the flat loves it.  We just set it up this morning.  It's difficult in the flat, because the roof is too short.  So it's difficult to make it in, but the added challenge makes it more fun.  It's awesome, an awesome Christmas!  Merry Christmas to yous!

Q: How was it to have Christmas in the summer?
A: So weird.  Super weird.  It is different.  It's like, it feels like August.  It's like the middle of the summer.  I don't even know how to describe it, because it doesn't feel like Christmas today, other than the Christmas lights and everything.  It's just a different kind of Christmas.

Q: Do they sing "White Christmas" in Australia?
A: The missionaries do.  They sing it all the time.  Especially as they are in walking areas and don't have cars with "aircon".  Oh yeah, "aircon" is air conditioner.  At first I thought it was "a-con".  "Turn on your a-con" "Why would I want to do that?  We aren't allowed to listen to a-con!"...

Q: How is your flat?  Do you have air conditioning in your flat?
A: We do.  Unlike last summer we have air conditioning in our flat.  So we are super lucky.

Q: So how is Elder Wu?  Has he been a member all his life?
A: He is the man!  He is so funny.  He is awesome.  His parents were converted in Hong Kong.  He has six siblings.  Just one sister, the oldest.  So he's the last to serve his mission.  He has a brother that served in Greece, some in America.  I can't remember the places.  He's good.  Fun to be around.  He came from Wollongong area, which was same zone I was in when I was in Dapto.  He's kind of dodged me my whole mission, or I dodged him.  He goes home in four months.

Q: What does Bankstown smell like?  What's a unique smell in your current area?
A: Well, not counting my flat?  Our flat is on the third level.  Our balcony overlooks the garbage, so when we go out there it smells like garbage.  That's a unique smell of Bankstown.  Another unique smell is the Middle Eastern food.  It's my favorite.  We call them "shish kabobs" in America.  Those are fake.  They are not real.  The real ones you can get here from the Middle Eastern people.  They are so good.  The people sell them from small shops, like the size of a master bedroom.  They have these massive, one meter tall skewers that are full of meat.

Q: What's the scariest thing you have seen in Australia?
A: When I first got here to Bankstown there were lots and lots of Islamic people, lots of Muslims.  Some of them are very aggressive with their beliefs.  In America there is a very biased feeling about them, so it was kind of scary when I first got to this area.  But it has been really cool to get to know the culture and understand the religion better.  The media and America portrays the religion very poorly.  Interestingly, they believe in similar things. For example, they believe in a more "modern" prophet.  A lot of the main difference is that they don't believe in Christ as a "savior".  I've gotten to know a lot of Islamic people and been exposed to that culture in ways that I would not have if I had not come here to Australia.  They are nice people.

Q: Are your clothes holding up?  Shoes, pants, shirts?
A: Actually, everything but my slip on shoes.  I don't know if you remember the picture I sent of Elder Bryce and I on the trip when we went into the City.  We got soaked.  My slip on shoes got really wet, they are destroyed.  We were literally in the water for like one hour and a half.  But the other shoes are holding up.

Q: Can you share a recent miracle?
A: We had a cool one the other day.  Elder Wu and I were walking through an area we work in called Bellmore.  Bellmore is full of Islamic people.  The night before in planning we were wanting to to find someone solid to teach.  We were walking around the street and there was a Tongan family off the side of their house.  We stopped and said hi and they were super nice and came over and started talking to us, especially their 16 year old son.  They are a Seventh Day Adventist, but invited the "Faifekau", or missionaries, in to come teach them something.  Their son, W*tson, was very keen.  It was super cool how the Lord put us in their path.  W*tson should be coming to Church on Sunday.  Nothing too spectacular, but it is cool how the Lord blessed us because of our faith.

Q: Who is your favorite sister?
A: Sister Back!

Q: Do you have any free time?  What do you do on your free time?
A: Not very much.  Some times I read a book.  Sometimes I play basketball.  Sometimes I call my girlfriends.  Hahaha.

Q: Can you tell us about a recent prayer that the Lord answered?
A: Summer has been really hot.  So Elder Bartholomew and I prayed that we would be able to endure the heat.  Lo and behold the weather improved, so that was easy.  There was actually one of the people here that we visited who said the only thing they pray for is for good weather, because that is the only thing that God would answer their prayers for.  Haha.

Q: Do any of your companions say "Elder Larsen is a good cook"?
A: Nah.  Maybe they would say "He makes good toast or good sandwiches."

Q: What's a typical dinner you cook when you are feeding yourselves?
A: With Elder Wu it's noodles.  But he cooks like authentic Chinese noodles.  It's really good.

Q: Can you share a scripture with the family before you go?
A: I started reading the Book of Mormon again recently.  I was excited to get a new hard copy of the Book of Mormon from Elders Lamb and Bryce.  I've been studying for several purposes: to find the names and symbols of Christ, Atonement.  I was reading in 1 Nephi 22, the last chapter.  Something that struck me was verse 25.  Speaking of Jesus Christ and how he blesses us it reads: "And he gathereth his children from the four quarters of the earth; and he numbereth his sheep, and they know him; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep, and in him they shall find pasture."  So this scripture has a bit of an analogy and compares us to sheep of Christ's flock.  What really touched me was the last line: "and in him they shall find pasture."  In Christ we shall find nourishment and a place to live.  I really like that we can know that Christ will always have place for us.  We will always find a place to rest our heads in times of trials to overcome our weaknesses.  I want you guys to know that I have a testimony of Jesus Christ.  I have an ever-increasing testimony of Him.  When I first came out on my mission I don't think that I had a complete understanding of the Atonement and all it could do, but as I've focused on it I've realized how great it is.