Hello Everyone! Merry belated Christmas! Happy New Year!
This week was amazing for many reasons. On Wednesday, we visited our family, the E family, and we set the parents along with 2 of the kids with a date for January 14th! The parents Mae and Jim are working on word of wisdom right now which is turning out to be a bit of a challenge but I think they will quit. Thursday, two members in the ward picked the family and us up to go to the Independence Visitor Center. As soon as we walked into the VC, the kids were in heaven as they were running around looking at the table of Book of Mormon's in all these different languages or as they looked at different videos for kids. It was so much fun to watch all 5 kids light up around different kiosks. We went through this presentation called God's Plan for His Families which was perfect for their family. The video is about a family working through trials, reading together, living the gospel and in the end a marriage of the daughter. Both Jim and Mae were emotional at the end, describing their love for their family to work together. I stood in the back of the room as Sister Jones finished with her remarks as my heart was so full of love for this family and a peaceful feeling came over me knowing that they are going to be an eternal family. What a blessing it is to be around their family because they have literally shown me the gospel in action. The prophets are not wasting their breath on family home evening, reading scriptures with your children or your spouse and especially the importance of prayer.
I was on exchanges yesterday with Sister Crapo, coolest sister eva, and we visited the E family for awhile. We had some struggles with getting the kids to pay attention, no big surprise though because I know ages 8 to 11 I had those same problems haha. Eventually we all were sitting in a circle in their little apartment, as we showed them pictures of a child in a baptismal font, receiving the holy ghost and a picture of Jesus Christ. All the kids are so excited for baptism and the oldest kid JD, who I just adore, is 12 years old and is Mae's brother talked about how the priesthood is a responsibility and a privilege. I was blown away! JD has such a big heart and a love for others. His mom died 4 years ago and has been raised by Mae ever since then. He has been through so much, just like Mae and yet they are still so positive...they are examples to me in so many ways. Mae and Jim have been worried about reading the Book of Mormon with their kids because they didn't think they would understand since they have a hard enough time with it. We got out the Book of Mormons, gave another one to little Ashely (age 10) because she loves to read and all the kids were so attentive as we read 1 Nephi 1: 18-20. JD was helping the other kids with reading, some of the girls were asking questions and everyone was totally enveloped in reading even if they didn't understand completely what was being read. I took a moment to zoom out of the situation, I saw Amber (age 11) sitting next to JD following along, Ashely reading out loud with a big smile on her face as she sat next to their neighbor friend Brittany, Jimmy (age 8) was sprawled out on the floor in front of us playing with his shoe and Mae was following along with a smile on her face as her daughter read. It was a moment that I will never forget.
Christmas Day was absolutely amazing. The E family was invited over to a members home on Christmas Eve and another member helped out with bringing them all to church Christmas day. We all sat on the same row, poor Jim had to run after their youngest Jacob (age 4) because he was probably on a sugar high and ready to just play around. I was so grateful that they ALL came to church together though because they had been splitting up their times, they hadn't all come together before. What an amazing Christmas gift, seeing this amazing family all at church together. Later that day we went to our bishops house for a brunch, worked at the jail for 3 hours and then Skyped our families! I just LOVE my family SOOOO much and was very happy to SEE them and talk to them. Talking to my mom/family was so fun, I saw my lil nieces and nephews that aren't so little anymore! It was good to talk to my dad/family/everyone afterwards even if it was a bit chaotic, I saw many people that I didn't think I would see! I love Christmas surprises like those :)
Yesterday on exchanges with Sister Crapo, we had some good experiences. We stopped by a less actives home, Marshall who was baptized last year in August but stopped coming to church around February. Sister Crapo told him right away that he needed to change his attitude, pray for the strength to overcome challenges and we tried our best to lift his spirits. Before we left, she pulled out a picture of Christ and put it by the light switch were we were standing. I looked to my right and remembered this Hooters calendar on the wall, I said "what is this Marshall?" in a sarcastic/serious way. I laughed and took the tack that was holding it up there way too good and pulled it out of the wall! Took the picture of Christ and tacked it to the wall and said, there ya go Marshall! Haha. He got all mumbled in his words and laughed about as he tried to tell me it was a joke at first but that he had a "friend" in the calendar haha. Needless to say, I folded it up, put it under my arm, waited til he said the closing prayer, shook his hand and walked out with it! Haha. Sister Crapo laughed so hard as soon as we walked out cause she couldn't believe it! It was a glorious experience to say the least.
I want to say thank you all for the wonderful Christmas presents I received this year!! My mission Christmas exceeded any expectations I had :) May you all have a wonderful New Years and please pray for the E family to be prepared for baptism on January 14th. I know that the power of prayer is real and if you all help us in praying for them, esp Mae and Jim to live the word of wisdom then miracles can happen. You can be apart of that miracle :) Much love to all of you and know you are in my prayers and my thoughts!!
Love,
Sistaaaaa Larson
Ps. Sorry its a long one this week! It was just one of those eventful weeks I guess :)
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