Hey everyone!
It sounds like we all had very eventful weekends! I am so so happy that everything went well with the race and that you had fun! I was wondering if anyone would want to try that again next year?? It sounds like a pretty amazing opportunity. Thanks for the letters! I know that you were all pretty beat and I was so happy to hear from you. I also loved the pictures!
Mom, Way to go! I loved the quote from the song that you said. It made me think of a lot of things, a lot of dreams that I have had and the challenges that are placed before us, butt if we can make it in New York we can make it anywhere. Sometimes the hardest things in life prepare us for something even harder that would have been impossible without our preparation and previous experiences. I am so thankful for your strength and persistence in all things. You amaze me! By the way, my friend wrote me this week and told me that you were sitting next to the Primary General Presidency on the plane. His mom is Jean Stevens and she said that she got to talk to you! You are famous! ha
Dad, I am in awe of your dedication! You are always on the run and I swear you never get too tired to work hard or play hard. You really do live by that motto. I loved the words that you quoted too. I have been thinking a lot about our earth life and how short it is, and how we can't blame the world or others for the situations that we are in but look at them as opportunities for a new start or a new adventure. I will go into this more later but I just wanted to thank you for your thoughts and words! You are the best.
Brynn, Way to go! I think you are awesome! I can't even imagine the pain you were experiencing but I hope that we can all experience it next year? I have been thinking a lot too about fulfilling my dream of living in New York for a summer.... Maybe we could find a wedding planning company and get some internships. Dad probably won't be happy to hear that but hey our time is short right? ha. How did the rest of your week go? Mom said that she bought tickets again to plays? Did you have to tell Pa that everything's gonna be ok?
Chase and Ashley, Dad sent some pictures and you guys look great! I am pretty sure that school is starting to wind down for Ash. I hope that everything goes well. I actually had a dream about you guys and Ashley and Brynn were helping me get ready for school. They were helping me with my style issues and I was terrified to go back. It was a funny dream and Brynn and Ash kept telling me that I looked so cute in a red and yellow stripped calf-length skirt and a denim vest. It was bad but funny. Dad also said that you had some Ukrainians in your mission? What were their names? Were they missionaries?
Okay so here is the week! Irina got baptized!!!!! It was a really great baptism and we had one of the greatest turnouts I have ever seen! There were so many members and everyone came up to her and congratulated her. Many members brought flowers and bore amazing testimonies. Her baptism was really good. There were a lot of investigators that had a great experience. On Sunday she was given the Holy Ghost by the Bishop and he did an amazing job. I just sat and cried the entire time. His prayer was so sincere and I think that everyone there felt the Holy Ghost so strongly! Zhenya, her daughter didn't get baptized because she didn't feel ready but she had a good experience at church yesterday. We are continuing to meet with her and we will see what she decides. It is all her decision and I am really happy that she is taking it seriously. She is only 14 but she has been reading the Book of Mormon every day and praying. She is such a great girl, I think she is just afraid of being different. We are meeting with them tonight to do a family home evening and to teach them a little
We met with that couple this last week and we found out that they don't live in our area. They are really great and we taught them about the Word of Wisdom and Plan of Salvation. When we talked about coffee and tea they said that they would go home and immediately throw everything away. They are really great. They were out of town but I am excited to meet with them again this week. We have to pass them though.. But Sister Walker will be taking over and she will do a great job.
So this week I was really studying a lot about our lives here and our roles here. I have really come to know that everything that happens to us really is our choice. Even if it is something bad. We chose to come here when we lived with our Heavenly Father and we voiced our opinion. We said that we wanted to come down to this earth in this time, with these problems. We said that we would do the best we could to chose the Lord. I believe with all of my heart that we are where we are suppose to be. Some of our trials may be harder then others, maybe they may seem impossible, but like it is written in 1 Nephi "The Lord gives no commandments unto the children of men save He should prepare a way for them, to accomplish the thing that He has given them." The Lord knows we can do what He asks, if we couldn't He wouldn't have asked. He doesn't set us up for failure. We set ourselves up for failure when we loose faith in him and in ourselves. I read a quote that I love! "He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure." and another one that I have taken as the motto for the end of my mission, "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." If we want to do something then we need to do it because no one can change our lives if we don't have the desire and the intent to do something. I am so thankful that we have the choice. Our Heavenly Father loves us and trusts us enough to give us the choice to return to him and to make something out of our lives. The Lord gives us opportunities through the world and presents us with choices that can change our lives if we choose wisely. Well I am going to get off my soap box now. ha
Well I should probably get going. I hope that all is well with you! I am glad that you had fun running and I hope that you have a great rest of your trip. I love you all so much and I hope that you have an amazing week.
Love you all,
Sister Larsen
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