The Worth of a Soul

Dear friends and family,

Wonderful lessons, wonderful people, wonderful conferences, wonderful weather, wonderful news.... I just love being a missionary!!

Hello Great Bend!

As promised, an update on our investigator, Mary-- Our lesson went so well! We were able to teach her about the Restoration with Sister Edwards from our branch. She had  plenty of questions, but the lesson went so well that when we invited Mary to come to the site for a tour to even better understand the priesthood, Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon she decided she wanted to come the very next day! And she did! She absolutely loved the film and kept referring back to it as we talked and said it was very moving. She loved that she lives in a place where she can come to a place to learn both historically and spiritually. Having the site has been such a blessing! Mary told us that on any other day she would have come to the site just interested in the history, but this time she came spiritually ready to learn. And she knows she felt the Spirit! In the Smith home we invited her to baptism and she accepted our invitation, however she said she still has lots of questions and would need some time before rushing into any major decisions. But more good things to come!

With Sis. Martinez

I was also able to meet Jennifer, who the sisters had met just a few weeks ago. She is a super sweet mom, with 3 young kids. The sisters had taught her, and her 11 year old daughter the Plan of Salvation, which they really loved, so we taught the Restoration to Jennifer. We got to know her a little more and found that she likes reading from the Book of Mormon and learning about the gospel. Church isn't something that has been a part of her life for quite a while, but she wants to be a good mom and raise her children right. We also invited her to baptism and she said yes! So with another lesson tonight, we will talk more about the importance of following Jesus Christ's example and living the gospel!

A definite highlight from the week was our day trip down to Broomall for another mission Conference, this time with Elder Valeri Cordón of the seventy. He is a fairly new general authority, but now one of my absolute favorites!! It was such an awesome conference!! He talked about two things that Dallin H. Oaks has said was most important in missionary work-- understanding who we are and what we have been called to do. We talked about Moses' experience in discovering who he was. He had to go before Egypt to ask Pharaoh to free the Israelites. With his experience of the burning bush, and seeing all of God's creations, his perspective was widened and He realized that there was no comparison to God, the ultimate super power. He also knew that he was a son of God... and suddenly Egypt didn't seem so big! Like Moses we can conquer our "Egypts" as children of God and have access to His divine help and strength. How can we fail with the Lord on our side?

Elder Cordón also talked about our callings as missionaries. Much like Elder Robbins had mentioned when we talked with him a few weeks ago, Elder Cordón said that our mission is our "mini life." If we are negative now, if we can't work hard now, if we can't love others now, this time we have gives good indication of how we will probably be for the rest of our lives. So if we can learn to be positive now, if we can be obedient now, if we love others now, that is the kind of person we will be. But by grace, our life can be changed in this "mini life," if we give all we have, look to the Savior and understand that the Lord is more concerned about where we are headed, rather than where we are. 

We are children of God, and have the potential to become like Him. Some people don't know their potential, others do, and I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to help others recognize their potential and watch them learn, grow and change. Here is a message from a woman I was able to take on tour this past summer, along with her nonmember husband, John, and their 2 children: "Hello! Sister Larsen!  It is true❤. John was baptized on Oct 14th a Friday and then the following weekend he baptized the twins on Oct 22nd Sat. I have been full of so much joy!  I know that John was ready before the trip, but visiting the sites and going to the Philadelphia Temple Open House helped put things into motion. It was an amazing experience...." It was definitely a happy heart moment, hearing that this family was now coming closer to God and closer together. 

 Miracles happen! And often happen through small and simple means. Hurrah for Israel!

Love,

Sister Larsen

Lunch at Benihana after our mission conference

The "brain" of the Visitor's Center

A very windy day!