Thursday, September 24, 2015

4 Weeks Down, 2 to go...ish

What a great week this was! So much has happened so I'm gonna get started right away! Last Friday, we went to the university again! Highlight of my day! First, we got called over by some girls like right off the bat. (surprise surprise) Unknowingly, we just walked on over there to say hey and whatnot. They asked us, "Who are you guys?" We explained to them we were missionaries of Jesus Christ. We asked if we could share a message with her and she said Yes! She said she didn't have a lot of time so she said to just speak in English so we could go as fast as possible. It went really good and we handed our a BoM and a pamphlet. We got her number and it was awesome! The next people we taught were just a big group of kids hanging out by some benches. (Older than us) They were looking at us from afar and were obviously talking about us probably like, "whats up with the gringos?" So I yelled, "Hey! Que pasa!?" and started to walk over there across the street. We started talking and joking around as we got to know them a little. And then we started our lesson. We passed out like 7-8 pamphlets and asked one of them to start reading the first paragraph. Surprisingly they just started to read paragraph after paragraph until we had read the whole pamphlet! We bore testimony and them passed out ALL of our copies of the BoM and bore testimony of that too! They were all super excited and receptive.

Sundays are again, the best! Me and Elder Francis gave a lesson about humility. We went for like an hour and people cried!! You know its a good lesson when people cry. MMMMHMMMM. Later we watched Elder Holland talk. He is the best speaker like ever. One quote, "I INSIST THAT YOU INSIST THAT YOU HAVE AT LEAST ONE CONVERT. AND THAT CONVERT IS YOU." I always feel stronger after he speaks. We also watched The Testaments. That movie is awesome.

This week the other Elders were going into the field so they were pulling pranks on us. Like. Every. Single. Night. They put alarm clocks somewhere in our room hidden and set them to 4:20 in the morning. ha. ha. ha. very funny. -_- They got into our room late at night because there are 3 keys to room 411. (our room) Its been passed down for like years so literally everyone who stays in room 411 gets messed with. We got them back though!. We put mattresses in the shower, and locked the door so they couldn't get in there to shower or to get the bed. We locked the bathroom door too and moved pictures and pillows and sheets around. It was really really funny. Elder Tarr was SOOOO mad. Also I used my pickpocket skills to lift the key from one guys pocket to room 420! We are gonna do the alarm clock thing too, along with one from Dad's playbook. Beef Bouillon Cubes in their shower-heads. They are gonna smell like beef ALL DAY.

On Tuesday I challenged my district to speak 100 percent in Spanish. Everyone agreed, it was even a district goal. But Every Single One gave up. I'm really disappointed but at least I did it.

OH! and I cut my own hair last night! It looks really good! I'm surprised because I've never done it before!

All I know is that the gospel is true. I know it with my whole being. I know I'm here for a reason I just have to find it. These people are really receptive to the gospel and that's a huge blessing. In fact, 40% of all people who just SEE the missionaries know that the church is true. And that's a worldwide statistic not just here. Love you guys! Some General Authority said, "Serving a full-time mission not only blesses you, but also EVERYONE who loves you." I don't know but that's pretty awesome!

Love y'all!
Elder Larkin










This pic was submitted by Elder Francis with the caption
"I don't think the barber here understood my broken Spanish"

1 comment:

  1. Hello Elder Bryson Larkin!
    I just want to say how much I enjoy your letters! It is exciting to hear how you are so enthused and excited about your mission and having such wonderful and even fun experiences! Your grandpa told me, yes, he is on a mission, but boys will still be boys! (Just so you don't break any mission rules!) Locking the mattresses and all in the showers---and beef bullion cubes?!!! You naughty elders! Always remember to ask yourself "What would Jesus do?" But I guess adding a little fun to mission life would probably be OK, as long as you don't over-do it!
    I am happy for you to be having such awesome experiences with the students at the college. Sharing the Gospel is really very soul-satisfying and increases your own testimony at the same time! We are still LDS 12-step Missionaries here in Ivins. It has been a very awesome experience also. I have really learned so much about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how it is important for all of us to be able progress and become like him and so we can eventually return to Heavenly Father's presence.
    We had a regional Conference a couple of weeks ago. Elder Russel M. Nelson spoke to us via satellite from BYU and it was awesome. He asked that we all read the Book of Mormon again and grandpa and I have been reading a couple of chapters each evening and discussing it. We are really enjoying it. Your grandpa fell off a ladder a month ago. He had been up on the roof working on the swamp cooler and coming down he somehow fell! He landed on the flat bed trailer that was next to the ladder. We think it knocked him out for a bit and when he came in the house right away we realized something was not right. He kept repeating himself and he didn't even remember he was even up on the roof! I took him to the emergency room and after a CT scan they determined he had a concussion and a brain bleed. He was kept overnight to make sure it didn't get worse. He has been taking it real easy ever since and a CT scan last week showed that the bleed had cleared but his brain is still a little bruised and he has to still be careful for a couple of months. He just mowed the back lawn this morning and now is taking a break. I sure love that man! I wouldn't know what to do without him and I sure hope he is here for a long long time yet.
    The Pope is here in the US right now and the media is all abuzz with that. He seems like an admirable man, but how much better if the world only knew and accepted Prophet Monson (and all the ones before him) and the Gospel in it's fullness---the world would be a much better and safer place!
    Well, Bryson, just wanted to tell you how much we love you and how pleased we are that you are serving your mission---what a wonderful thing you are doing! And yes, it blesses us as well--we enjoy so much hearing of your experiences and seeing your testimony grow! We love you Grandson and keep you in our prayers daily and nightly!
    Love always,
    Grandma Norene Mackley

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