Open House Madness!

Good morning everyone!


Thanks for all the emails! It sounds like everyone is doing really great and that things are still changing. As time is flying by I am starting to get nervous to come home because I feel like there has been a constant change since I left. Not that change is bad, it is just different, and I am excited for all of your adventures.


Dad, Congrats again!!! I am so proud of you! Yesterday we talked about being an honest person in all aspects of our lives and I used you as an example of someone that can go far and can create a reputation for being a trust worthy person. You are truly one of America's Best! That is crazy about the mine being that hot, and I thought it was hot here! I hope that you can always remember your college that gave the Indians a place to go to the bath room and some snacks as they were protesting. That story always makes me smile.


Mom, I am so happy that you got my package. I think that there are now more papers then days but I guess you can figure out how many days you can take out 2 when you really need it. I am glad that the first few days of radiation have gone pretty well. It seems like they are taking really good care of you! That is so crazy that Jenny is already coming this week. I feel like I just found out yesterday that she would be coming.


Brynn, Dang that is a bummer about that one kid but hey things will work out just the way that they should. Don't get discouraged. I hear you have a ton of flowers and work right now. Also Congrats on the 19 miles!!! That is pretty big! When I think about running that much my stomach turns over!


Chase and Ashley, I am glad that you got settled okay and that your ward was pretty welcoming. That is always a good feeling when people notice that you are new and welcome you with a smile. You never know how the members are going to react and you just say a little prayer that they will feel comfortable. I am jealous that you got to go to Kirkland and the Sacred Grove. I have really had the desire to go there since I have been out here. It is so close and we just don't take advantage of it. Keep me updated on what's going on.


So we are one week into the open house with one more week to go. Total so far we have had about 5,000 people that have been through the temple. Many of them have been members but a lot of them have brought their friends. There was a bus that came from Odessa for a day and also from Harkov and Donyetsk. Sister Movchanyuk (My trainer) is here and she will be here until the end of August. It was good to see her, but also weird because she is still Sister Movchanyuk to me.


We have spent most of this past week at the temple again. We usually have 4 sisters there all the time and we trade off but we have been there almost everyday. During the week it is a little slower but Saturday it was pure organized madness. There were 1,700 just Saturday alone. We were able to meet a lot of really interesting people and a lot of people we saw for the second time because they brought their friends and family. We haven't really been able to teach anyone that has been yet but one woman came to church yesterday and really loved it. She couldn't hear a lot but what she did hear she loved. I also have been learning a little Russian Sign Language. We have a family in our ward that is deaf and so we have all been trying to learn so that we can talk to them a little. I was so grateful for the little bit that I have learned because yesterday a group of deaf people came and I was able to talk with them a little. I didn't understand a lot of it but they were very patient with me and we wrote a lot of the time. They were just happy that we were willing to try and talk with them. I hope that we can get in touch with them soon. All of the contact information that we get goes first to the office and then we receive the information in order to contact them if they said that they wanted to be contacted. I am excited to start talking to those people that are ready.


This week has also been really hot here. It has been mostly in the 40's which I know is really really hot. I know in the sun one day someone told me it was 47 but that just seems unreal. I was happy when we were in the air conditioned room in the chapel. I heard that this week it should stay in the 30's and get cooler from here on out. I hope that it does, because most places here don't have air conditioning.


So this next week will be more temple and lucky us we get to look for a new apartment again. We are having some problems with our apartment now and so we have to move. It is not fun looking for apartments while on a mission because first of all it is stressful and second of all we are not natives and so we have all kinds of laws that we have to follow. I don't want to move but it is very necessary. Don't Post This... We got fleas!!! I don't really know how it happened but some how our apartment has been infested with fleas. We had them fumigated this past week and we are now trying to move because I guess our apartment breaks all kinds of rules. We live by the elevator so they think that a few jumped off a dog and into our apartment as we were walking in. It has been pretty bad the last few weeks and I have been covered in bug bites. It was pretty funny through all of it because my companion would always pray for our "friends" to die! Two nights ago we slept for the first night without getting eaten alive and we said, "Sister I can really feel that we are alone, isn't it great?" Then she prayed and thanked Heavenly Father for killing our "friends." I laughed so hard! She is so funny! So yeah that is the biggest reason why we are moving.


Well I should probably get going. Today is not officially our P-day because we were working at the temple but I love you all and I am so happy that all is well. Good luck with everything this week and give Jenny a hug hello for me and wish her luck on her first day of school. I love and miss you so much.


Love,
Sister Larsen


My all time favorite scripture is Eccl. 3: 1-8, 11. But my favorite Missionary scripture is Moroni 7:33. I don't know which one they are asking for so I guess you can pick.