Week 5

We did not get pictures from Elijah this week because the computers were not working right.  We did get these two pictures from the Sister who cooks for the Elders and Sisters.  She contacted me on Facebook and here is our conversation (as translated by Aunt Tatiana):

Hello Sister, I am the cook of Elder Larson.  He comes here everyday and this is the photo of today.  He is working really hard with his companion and adapting little by little to everything.

We said: "Thank you for taking care of our son.  I always worry that he is eating.  He is so skinny and it warms my heart to know that you are cooking his food.  Thank you so much!"

Anna replied: "You're welcome.  It's my pleasure to cook for all the Elders and Sister missionaries of my ward.  He is adapting little by little and he has so much willingness to serve good on his mission."

We said: "Thank you again for taking care of our son when we can't.  We are so grateful he is serving a mission to the wonderful people in Costa Rica.  We think of him always!"

Anna said: "Thank you.  I'll take care of him like one of my own children, loving sister."

It made our day. 

This week Elijah said that he finished the Book of Mormon again.  He had his first two investigators come to church.  He said "We fasted for a day about finding a family and nothing happened.  So we were bummed out.  Then on Saturday, we run into this lady who we Bible bashed with and won. We then gave her the first lesson and after the lesson was over, I had an impression to share a scripture, 3 Nephi 11:14 and so I did.  She broke down bawling and her and her son begged us to come back tomorrow!!!!  

The dogs here just keep getting worse!  I HATE DOGS.  HATE THEM.  Many of my fellow elders have fell victim to their teeth!!!"

He said that people keep asking him what part of Mexico he is from because of his Spanish.  He then tells them that he is a Gringo and they can't believe that he isn't a Native Spanish speaker.  

Week 4 "This is a beautiful country!"

This was the best meal we have had so far.  Cod and rice and beans.

This is a beautiful country! I am in an area called Heredia, specifically San Francisco.  It is really poor.  It is poorer than the reservation and straight hood!  I love my companion!  He is from Kentucky and is a monster.  The people her are loving.  Everything is expensive here so we don't get that much, like snacks!  So the other day I was pretty down and all day I was praying specifically for a ginger ale.  ALL DAY.  Sounds dumb right?  I know!  But our last visit for the night was to this recent convert.  He looks at me halfway through the lesson and says "do you want a ginger ale!"  I started totally bawling!!!  We have an area called Milpa and it is sketchy, but me and comp know we are representatives of Jesus Christ so we walk straight through.  The only thing that we are scared of is the dogs!  They are the most vile disgusting creepy ferocious creatures you have ever seen.  More than once I have ran for my life this week!  Days are long, weeks are short.  Anyway, our mission president is a savage.  We didn't get P-Day today because he split our zone at 10 and we spent the first half of the day getting there and the second half coming home!  My companion told me that he sent a bunch of people home a long time ago because the Spirit told him they weren't worthy.  Savage!  We went to the temple which was very pretty.  The members here give us a lot of food.  Let me correct that statement, a lot of rice!  Hopefully we get a real investigator this week!!!  On the sour side of things, one of my buddies from the MTC who came out with me to this mission went home.  He couldn't handle it.  Poor guy.  He had a good heart!  Here in our mission being a trainer is a huge deal.  President calls them your fathers.  My companion is such a stud that they call him the grandfather.  He is an animal.

Week 3

This is our zone at the MTC

I was praying, not sleeping!

Me and my companions

My last haircut before I leave the United States.

The other day I was getting really nervous about leaving for Costa Rica and meeting my mission president.  I was talking to my Branch President about it and he asked me what my Mission President's name was.  I told him it was German Laboriel.  He asked me to repeat it.  All of the sudden he started jumping up and down.  He told me that he grew up with him, and that they often stay at each other's homes.

It is a small world, and Elijah is thankful for the tender mercies that Heavenly Father continues to send his way. 

Week 2 MTC

The story about the kid who gave up his rugby spot to go on a mission, well on my right is his little brother.

These Elders are leaving with Elijah next Tuesday for Costa Rica.

Me and My Boy Elder Lugo

Elder Lugo, my boy.  He is going to El Salvador.  He is like my best friend in the MTC.  Basically on Saturday we were walking and the fireworks were going off and I turned to him and said "This is how your mission is going to sound every night.  Ha ha. 

 We have a mock investigator that we teach every other day, and guess what?  Yeah he's a real investigator and we were teaching him and I had a feeling to share a story about Dad, and he started bawling.  Then I had a feeling to tell him about eternal families and told him he'd see his mom again and he sobbed for 5  minutes and he asked "What do I need to do to prepare?"  and I was all "Be baptized my Brother!"  It was awesome.