Huge service week for Jeremy

So this week has been nuts. Long and short, tiring but amazingly reviving. Something of a conundrum I guess. It has consisted of milking cows, Elder Moon setting his first baptismal date, exchanges with priests and having super spiritual experiences with them, feeding pigs, feeding chickens, cleaning up the Trinity Evangelical church, crazy basketball, and teaching 2 different classes at church off the cuff. I'm grateful for the Presents that you sent. I'll tell ya its been a life saver.... That flannel shirt has been a Godsend for sure. I wore it to all of the service we did Friday and Saturday and it warm, thick so I didn't get cut up, and cozy. Life was good and you were inspired! Sister Gruber is awesome haha Her daughter is on a mission and she sent us to go visit her boyfriend. He listens to the same hardcore that I listen to so we had a great talk. Not to interested in the Gospel but hey, still a good guy, has good taste in music and he wants us to come back anytime. He listens to Christian Metalcore (The Chariot) so he's religious lol I've learned over the last few months how much I love to sing. I've made hardcore versions of a lot of the hymns and I've also made some of my own lyrics. I may want to dabble in a hardcore Christian group given the opportunity one day. Also going to learn how to play the piano and a few other things. I'll tell ya I was getting a bit bummed out about missing Jason's wedding. Seeing how tall Alex was and then just hearing how much is changing was getting me down earlier today (b-ball helped me get the lame feelings outta me a bit). But then I had the thought and the Holy Ghost reminded me of the blessings of sacrifice. I had wanted to just forget about my B-day because I didn't want to focus on it so I could just focus on helping Elder Moon become the best he can be; then later in the week I start thinking about myself and wanting to be with ya'll again and I recognized that I was being selfish. In many ways I am gaining more then I'm giving out here. I've started to understand who I am, how to be successful in the future and I'm gaining a closeness with the savior that isn't available any other time in my life. I get 2 years of crash course coming to know Christ and I was longing to do something else. Pretty lame on my end haha I was reading in Matt. 10 these verses and at first it felt harsh but I am coming to a better understanding of their meaning now. 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. I've loved reading more about the savior over the last few weeks. Its really opened my eyes to a new world. I love you very much and am so grateful for everything that you have done for me. I do miss you, but I know how much more I have to do out here. I love life right now, I've never been happier since I've decided to lose my life in the service of him. I still have a long way to go. I still have moments when I look back at my previous life and feel shame but I know that this is the only opportunity that I have to right the wrongs I've done and to come unto Christ. Tell Kate she should definitely enjoy a good year of college first, it will really help her with adjusting out here. It's been rough for my boy, but he's doing a lot better. We've seen a ton of miracles since he got here haha. I had no Idea Gordo was getting hitched also that's nuts! Tell him I wish him well and am so grateful for all that he has done for me. I sent a box with a bunch of stuff. A letter for kev and Jason's B-Day present. Tell Kevin and Jason I love them. Good luck with the wedding! I hope it goes great! Get some movies of it! I don't know if the car thing will work sadly unless I worked it out with the Pres, which is possible. I'm either 4 weeks before or after Bullcut so I dunno how we would work it unless I checked out in the middle of a transfer. Also tell Kev he better save those pokemon games, I'm gonna need to play all the ones I've missed. Well I love ya and hope that you have a safe week and a great time at the wedding Tell Jason and Jennica how happy I am for them and thank you again for the presents! I've got a picture with all of it I just need an adapter for my SD card, I'll get that this week. Love ya good luck with the week!

Zack doorbell ditches with Robert Downey Jr.??

oh by the way how are things going with the wedding? and with all the people moving? is everything going smoothly? i hope all is well. it will be weird to hear that nobody is in the house am i right? the Larsen household is always crowded. oh my two recent converts are going to Utah for the slc temple around Christmas hope your home so you can see them, they want to come to your place. On Mon, Oct 28, 2013 at 11:12 AM, Zachary Larsen wrote: wow that is a crazy schedule my good father! holloween is going to be great! im carving a pumpkin and going to put it on my head and my trench coat and be the headless horseman! :) guess what I got from a member its a easy company medic paratrooper helmet dated back to WWII that he restored! im so excited! I also got a pic with Robert downy JR. ill send one through email and the rest are on my camera we had dinner with his family :) super awesome! he also took us doorbell ditching its called "booing" people with candy and info to go boo other people its fun so we went doorbell ditching in pross clothes :) we had our baptism and we have 2 more this weekend :) today we are extending the baptism invite to a family of three so im so excited things are going so well! thanks for sending the pics :) I needed them. I don't have pics at all my baptisms just most :) well I have had a great week! transfers are next week so ill email on Tuesday! i think not 100% sure but my going home date is august 28th and jeremys is sep 14th but ill talk to the mish pres on changing my date closer to his or he could ask his pres to change his i dunno. how is kate doing in the play? how is steph doing as a home teacher? when is the house up for sale and do you for sure have perrys old house or just hoping to get it? as you clean my room you may notice a couple holes in the wall ;) oops haha. uuhh anyway i have really enjoyed this week with all that's been going on. when we confirmed Sylvia a member of the church yesterday her husband came to church who has never been to any church ever and the talks were perfect for him so im really hoping things turn out well for him. i love everything here so hop e all is well at home! love you bye!

Jeremy gets caught out in the tide..and a ZL retreat

Popaa, this week has been a crazy one! I am very appreciative of all the support you have been to me. My new companion is Elder Moon. He's a great kid, I love the guy. He graduated high school this last year so he's still pretty young but he's been a huge help to in keeping going. He's been a bit home sick, but I'm trying my best to love him and keep him going. He'll bust through it and he'll be a future leader of this mission I'm sure of it. Sounds like on your end things have been absolutely crazy. Lots of allergic reactions, and a party for Kayla and Jennica! How's the wedding turning out for Jason and Jennica? everything chili kittens? (new term) I did get the flexril and I appreciate it very much. Thanks for that and thank you for the B-day wishes. I'm keeping my B-Day on he lowdown in the ward and trying with my comp so that we can focus as much as possible and so I can focus. I want to party but we did a little something today that was just as good. We were able to go out to the coast. It was crazy. We went to a place called Oceanside. It was beautiful. I'll include pics next week. I got out to a rock in the ocean while the tide was out then bam! the tide was back. I was stuck on this rock about 100ft out into the ocean and the water came in halfway up my legs and got me pretty wet when the water first hit the rock. We got it all on video so its all good and will be funny to watch in the future. Last week before we were paired up with our kids was crazy. I was kickin it most of the week with the other ZL's in the area then when we went to Newberg Wednesday before we got our companions we all slept at the same place and partied haha It was one of the funniest few days of my mission but I definitely am grateful all of us our semi-separated. It was Elder Raulston (Raulsty Jams) my last comp, Elder Andy's or Chet Whang Jackson (I knew him from Springfield), Elder Thompson (Dale), and Elder Worsencroft (Keifer you Suck!)(I knew him from Springfield and other places). Its the crew I've been with for the last 7 months and we are all ZL's so that has been fun. Unfortunately all of them are going home in two transfers. My comp Elder Shipley (Shirly or Shippster) is a new AP, there are 4 of them now. I've made some good friends out here both missionaries and investigators. Its been a crazy week but I'm glad the Lord has given me more to do. Its causing me to stretch and try and be better and to do better. I look forward to these next 6 weeks. At church we had a guy come in and say that he wants to be baptized. He was from Utah, he received a prompting to move here. On top of that he's already taken the lessons and he just wants to get dunked. Its going to be great for my comp. So many miracles have happened since he's been here I'm just glad to be a part of it all. The work is pushing on, miracles are happening all around us and Winn-Dixy Wednesday is right around the corner. (i've been throwing in a bunch of inside jokes, all have been made within the last week haha) My life is the mission now, I am so happy to be here, I'm sad that its on the downhill but I'm grateful for every second I have to be here. If you could shoot Elder Moon a pick me up Email that would be great! I love ya padre. Tell everyone that I love them and I hope they are well. Adios Buckaroo Elder Larsen Sr.

4 more baptisms in Wilton!

thats an awesome sports turn out :) i like it! yea golfing was fun! well its been a very eventful week! needless to say i now know how to fix sprinkler lines and sprinklers and drip lines :) it was a huge project with my favorite manly family! they are the kearsings! he is a swat sniper and elk grove plice and she is a firefighter! i love them! anyway i have really started to notice things out here on my mission. i have always had a hard tiem nopticing when i feel the spirit but now i have started to just notice when i dont have the spirit with me. i have really been focusing on how not to feel like that haha! i figure if i cant really notice when i feel the spirit ill just avoide not feeling it haha :) there are some things where i just get super mad or want to say a snide comment like my usual self and aggrivate people but when i do that i certainly feel different and not as helped haha! well all our baptismal interviews went well and we will have 4 baptisms 2 this weekend and 2 the next. as for baptism pics i need the ones i sent home, from my tongan baptism on. i sent them all home so i really really hope you saved it...... things are great here in wilton! elder black and i really get a long and we have fun while teaching! we are really focusing on stress, lots of our new aged missionaries are so stressed its crazy so i have really studied hwo to help others and hwo to help them from their stress and get them to focus on the purpose of a missionary. we have one in particular in my district that has just stopped going out and working for a couple days and i have been on exchanges and team ups with him and sat down and talk and it looks like he is doing better but i dunno how good i am at being serious with people, when your talking about personal stress and stuff you have to be serious and i try to be but its different haha. i love being a DL in wilton, i know i have to leave wilton probably next transfer but i dont want to. i have really grown attatched to this ward. i feel like i have family down here haha! i love you all and i wanted to say something else but i forgot :( anyway i love you all and your so great! i hope everything is going great and i hope to hear from jason soon he said he had a letter alst christmas and its coming up again and i still haev not heard from him :( love you bye!

Stress times in Salem mission

I do remember a sister Rose, crazy that she remembers me hahaha So my brain is totally mush.... This has been one of the most stressful days of the mission. Everything about it has been absolutely insane I don't even know where to begin. First off... Moving??? Do your thing my man, just remember the Hot Tub, I haven't forgotten. I'm going to need a solid 2 years of relaxing in a hot tub to get rid of the stress I'm building up. Also for Jason I'm super excited for them to get that ball rolling I can't wait to see how things go for them. I hope they know how much I love them and how excited I am for them. I can't believe that Kayla is a year old... That absolutely blows my mind. To think its been a year just throws me through a loop. So I'm in the process of replacing shirts still. I have 3 that fit me and just got a 4th. I'm sending home a bunch of them soon as I can get it out. I hope you have been recording all the amazing things that Katie has been doing I can't wait to see how much she has grown. As for out here I'm just going nuts. This is a great opportunity for growth, but at the same time I am definitely feeling pretty overwhelmed. I don't even know where to start with life in the mish. Kevin is right when it comes to the lack of leadership. He doesn't trust anyone other then a select few so what he'll probably doing is over the next 6 months all the zone leaders will be training over and over again. Basically he is just waiting for missionaries to step up or disappear. Things are crazy in the mission and we are having trouble being united and doing what is right because its right. Its just been stressful. Lots of crazy experiences and lots of babysitting. I'm really tired and I wish I could get more info out to you. I love ya and I'll try and get ya more info as I know more. Love ya!!\ Elder Larsen Sr.

Jeremy...Lone ZL AND trainer!!

Hey padre! So I've got some crazy news with a request. I need to send a box with a bunch of stuff home to you but it is going to cost a bit. It has white shirts that are to big and my suit that is to big along with Jason's bday present and a letter to Kevin. Also transfers are Monday and some crazy stuff is going down. So Elder Raulston is going to be transferred to the largest stake/zone in the mission. He's going to be training a brand new missionary on top of being a lone Zone Leader. I'm staying here and I'll be training a brand new missionary and I'll be a lone Zone Leader over the second largest zone in the mission. I'll tell ya, I was starting to feel better but the stress level is at a pretty solid high again hahaha I'm not even sure if I'm solid as a ZL now and I'll be alone and its my first time training on top of it.. This is going to be intense. I also just got my license and I'm driving now. With Raulston leaving I'm going to need to buy a GPS. I have the largest area in the zone and the largest geographical zone (next to bend) and I have no idea where things are yet..... If you have the ability to help me out I would appreciate it, if not I understand I've cost ya quite a bit. On top of this we set a family for date Christmas (our white christmas thing is really taking off...) Also if you feel like the vision could be helpful for the family ward show the WML there, I think its Dale Johnson. I could totally be wrong but I dunno. Its really been helpful to this Mission in giving all of us a combined goal to work towards. We also simplified the Missionary process and I'll send you a copy of that to show to Bro. Johnson. Regardless of all the hooplaa, things in this mission are crazy. Every Zone Leader is going to be solo and training because the President doesn't trust enough other missionaries to train a new group so we are all training and the other Zone Leaders that will be released will be training and DL's at the same time. I could use some extra prayer. I'm pretty nervous. I love you and hope you get this soon. I'll be trying to get a few things tonight. Also Ipods are allowed in the mission now so for my Bday if you could send that out for me with some hymns and motab on it I would appreciate that. if you have some good talks or some fun talks throw em on. NO classical or anything that is not MOTAB, EFY, or HYMNS. Love ya padre,

Zack gets investigators on the golf course!

well hey now i thought you said you were not moving till we got home :) i kinda gave up controlling the home thing i cant haha :) anyway that's awesome everyone is getting jobs and moving and stuff. where is kevin going off to? congrats to Amanda and everyone else! go kate in choir! she is going to make it big and give honor to our name :) she will be one of those Mormon messages that s like i was famous and everyone loved me and to everyones surprise iw en ton a mission instead of continuing my career :) i miss PF changes i also miss café rio they don't have it here! as for jobs and places to live ya its nice to have it all lined uop but ill make a choice when i get home and think about it here, that's all a part of goal setting right? we went golfing for 6 hours and counted it as proselyting. we went with some members our ward mission leader 3 non members and 2 lass active members and we set up appointments with all of them so thatwas exciting! i did ok at it too, we are making a golf course on our property because it inspired us to want to get better :) we are doing a lot of good stuff out here and i hope i never leave! we have 4 baptisms and we picked up 5 new investigators so we are working on finding them a house and teaching them :) we have some members that will prolly house our invs :) that's how wilton works they adopt and house all out investigators its nice :) thanks for the bag its great i love it and thanks for the sim card hope you like my pics that im sending :) we also set up party lights in our apartment and we party to the piano guys :) its great we like to have fun! i miss yall and Jeremy! i am stoked up our cruise to Tahiti maybe ill speak tongan with someone down there. :) if i can even speak it by then im trying to keep it but in English work its tough! oh also i need ALL my baptism pics sent to my via email except for my very first baptism. the mission wants them because i been lazy and not sending them in and they are mad at me and said leaders lead by example send your pics in :( bummer deal they can pull that card on me. anyway hope things are well! conference was great uchtdorfs talk at priesthood was amazing! and i loved hollands talk! i love conference anwya! your amazing love you bye!

Zack gets job offers??

yea im not that into country but I do like my the avette brothers quite a bit! I still want to hear me some red :) sounds like another busy week! how great was conference?! I loved it! as soon as I heard the sentence sin even if legalized by man is still sin in gods eyes I said TAKE THAT CALIFORNIA AND COLORADO! that was fun :) anyway we had a cool miracle for conference we spent a different session with our investigators or less active members and one of our investigators that was having some issue for baptism right after the session ended looked at us and said ok elders when can I be baptized im ready! so we have two baptisms set for oct 26 and 2 baptisms set for November 2ed! we are very excited and trying our best to work our hardest stay humble and continue to pray for strength! the mission is fun but trunky thoughts have started to flood my mind every now and then because im starting to get offers for jobs and other things that are in my thoughts so working on that! im learning more about wrestling cattle and roping and im learning a lot about leadership! I had some issues in my district with apostasy but I was able to talk with them in a loving way and correct the issues im hoping thigns get better but im still working on it with them. everyone wants me to stay here forever so I think it will be hard when or if I eventually leave. some of the members want me to come back right after my mission and live with them haha! at least I know my ward relations is good check! haha! well things are great! I aint got yer package yet but im anticipating it! im excited to hear from ya and glad all is going well! we have a great zone here with some great goals for the months to come and with that im excited to be a part of it as long as I can! I love you all and if I can do anything for you please let me know! love you muchly! bye!

Jeremys Zones "White Christmas" vision goes viral to the whole region!!!!

On Mon, Oct 7, 2013 at 10:52 AM, Jeremy Larsen wrote: Okay so a lot has happened this last week. I'll start off with what happened at our MLC. Elder Raulston and I have been working on the "White Christmas" vision for the last 3 weeks. This vision was supposed to help our Zone have something a bit shorter term to work towards. With this vision being in place we are already seeing miracles in our Zone. I'll talk more about those after. We presented our vision to President Samuelian at interviews on Tuesday and he loved it. The next day at MLC we were asked to present this to all of the ZL's and Sister Trainer Leaders. We talked about the many ways we received revelation from God through prayer and through his servants. The council then voted on weather we were going to implement this into the entire mission with our Zone being the torch bearer of the whole gig.Unanimously we decided a "White Christmas" was the Lords vision not only for our zone but for the entire mission. Elder Raulston and I then worked on a rough draft for what the vision of a White Christmas would look like for a stake and a ward group rather then missionaries. We presented it to our stake president and his council and they are taking the bull by the horns and running with it. Our mission president took the vision to Elder Hansen of the 70 and he is now backing it and talking to the stake presidents about this. So its not only a mission vision anymore, its the vision of the mission and each stake within the mission. By the beginning of November each stake and zone in the mission will be working towards a version of "White Christmas". Probably the coolest thing about all of this is that at General Conference Elder Ballard challenged everyone to invite someone to take the missionary discussions, by..... Christmas! We all agreed that this vision was the will of the Lord for this mission at MLC, but to hear Elder Ballard's invitation was a confirmation. Its been cool to see how sanctification has brought me and my companion, who had to go through the same stuff out here as I did, into line with the spirit of revelation. So Elder Raulston and I are continuing to head this vision for the Mission as a whole. President is putting President Wilder's name on the project for all the other Stake Presidents so that it has more pull then as if it came from Missionaries. That's chill in my eyes though, I had no idea this would go as far as it has. I'm just pumped to know that I'm operating in one way or another through the spirit. Another cool thing that happened this week was we set 2 dates. While Raulsty Jams as been here he has been trying to get into contact with this PM family and they never have been able to. She called us up the other day and we went over and set up a date for her to become active in the church and for her kids to be baptized.... Guess when? CHRISTMAS!! Gonna be so sick! This gal and her family are incredible, they have been struggling for the last few years with a lot of stuff, she just went through a divorce on top of everything else. Her ex was the one not letting her go to church though so she's happy that he is gone. Its gonna be fun working with them. Their names are the Iversons, pray for them when you can. If you could also pray for the Fraser family that would be greatly appreciated. They are another PM family that we are working closely with. They are thinking about baptism. On top of all of this, it was GC weekend.. All in all, one of the greatest weeks of the mish. My comp and I are rockin it, Life is gravy. I love all of you and am so glad that I have all of you to support me. I am doing my best "Rise Up", and I pray that all of are doing the best you can to rise as well! As for the trip to Tahiti, I'm pumped, do your thing with it and I'll just go along for the ride. I will probably lose to the Nephews at soccer when I see them... I've gotta see the sketch's kev does! I'm trying to get a letter out to him.. Well I love ya, I pray for all of you every day. One of my favorite things from this conference was probably from Bonnie Oscarson, I can't quote it but it was a big answer to my prayers. I have been wondering what my next step was now that I've taken steps to become truly converted and have become clean of my big baddies. I've compared it to how Peter and the other apostles felt after Christ died. Well we've retained a remission of our sins and our salvation has been worked out... lets go fishing.... I didn't want to be the one who decided to go fishing... What she said in essence was: once we have ourselves have come to the Atonement and become converted our role is to help others come to the Atonement so that they may have the opportunity to partake of its blessings. Its what I've been attempting to do over the last year but the way she said it really stuck out to me. Overcoming my past was a huge roadblock that I've been working on and now that I accomplished that I feel like I lost some motivation. I'd put so much time and energy into it, when I finished I felt accomplished but the lack of direction was a killer. It just made me think of Alexander the Great, he conquered quite a bit in his time; but no matter the accomplishment the only thing he desired was another challenge, something more to conquer. That's where I was at, then conference hahaha answered all my prayers and life is good. Well I'll actually end now. I love you all and thank you again for all your support.!! Elder Larsen Sr.