Miracles have not ceased!

Dear Family and Friends,

I've had another totally awesome week here in Norman and I'm so excited for this next week!

Monday afternoon our zone leaders asked us if we had any appointments later in the evening. We had one scheduled at 7 with one of our recent converts so we let them know. Turns out President Mansell was looking for someone to go out teaching with after he got done with some baptismal interviews. So we got to go teaching with President and it was such a cool experience! He loves teaching and we were able to learn a lot from his example and from the feedback he gave us.  After the lesson, he wanted to take us out to eat so we locked up our bikes by the recent convert's house and went and got some food. It was really fun to get to hang out and chill with President. By the time we got done eating it was past 9:30, our regular curfew, so we went back to the recent converts house and tried to fit our bikes in the back of his Ford Explorer. The rear hatch wasn't able to close so we drove back to our apartment with it hanging open. It was pretty great :)

Tuesday after Elder Vincent was done packing, we did some biking and then got fed by some members which was good.

Wednesday was transfers. I got to see a lot of my past companions and other missionary friends so that was definitely a blast! My new companion is Elder Kilmer. He's from Orange County, California and he's a Marshallese Missionary. He been out for about 5 months now. I love him already and we're having a lot fun together :) 

Thursday we had planning and language study that took up the first half of the day. In the evening our appointment fell through so we did lots of biking and talking to people :)

Friday was great! After district meeting we taught one of our recent converts about temples and families. Then we had a lesson with one of our newer investigators named Carrie. She's a single mom who has a 10 year old and a 1 year old. She's pretty interested and has some really good questions. After that we went and taught Danny and his family. His wife is named Elizabeth and the kids are named McKayla and Raven. We read the story of Ammon with them and the spirit was really strong. Danny and McKayla want to be baptized on August 6th and Elizabeth and Raven will likely follow soon after. So excited for them, teaching prepared people is simply the best :) After that we met one of our recent converts at the institute building on campus. We met with the sister missionaries from the YSA ward as well and kind of passed our recent convert over to them since she's graduated from high school now. We didn't know, but there was a stake/regional dance going on that night for the youth so seeing that brought back some memories and made me feel really out of place. Some of the youth were pretty excited to see missionaries at a dance though so that was funny ;)

Saturday was a good day. We got lots of biking and talking to people done even if no one was really interested. 

Sunday we had Danny and his family, and Carrie and her son at church!! It was so amazing and definitely an answer to prayer. By far the most investigators I've had a church since I've been here in Norman. Obedience brings blessings and exact obedience brings miracles!

Something I really liked this past week as I was reading 1 Nephi 2 is the comparison between Nephi, and Laman and Lemuel.

Laman and Lemuel:

11 Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart.
 12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.
 13 Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father.

Nephi:

 16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.

19 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.

Laman and Lemuel were doubters. They were lazy, unbelieving, and murmurers, and as a result they received no answers.

Nephi was a seeker of truth. He exercised faith and diligently and humbly sought light from God. As a result, he received an answer.

I really love Sheri Dew's devotional titled, "Will you engage in the Wrestle?" Questions are good and a vital part of gospel learning. There's a difference between being doubtful and seeking for answers. So when we have doubts and questions in the gospel, let us follow the example of Nephi and be humble seekers of truth!

Well, I hope y'all have a wonderful week. Thanks for your love and support!

Love, Elder Larsen

D&C 6:23

1. Me, Elder Davis (my mission brother), and Elder Yamane. I meant to take more pictures but didn't get around to it.. sorry mom...