August 26, 2019 - Pasta Burrito (Week 24) - Susquehanna, PA

Happy Monday!

Yes, my pday is now on Monday. Whoot whoot!!

This week so many things happened. So on Tuesday I was able to spend 3 days with Hermana Filizola Ruiz. And those 3 days were so fun. Sister Hensley spent some time with Sister Tello so we went on an exchange kind of thing.

On Friday we had Zone Conference and the highlight was we got to go to Chick-fil-A!! And that Friday I finally got my dear Sister Hensley back. But guess what??? I also got to stay with Hermana Filizola Ruiz!

Yep, we are in a trio and it is pretty awesome. We are serving in Susquehannah and so we are proselyting but also at the site. We basically get the best of both worlds.

Well on Saturday a cute lady brought us pasta and we had also brought some tortillas to make quesadillas. And so Sister Hensley got pretty creative so she made some pasta burritos, and I will say that they weren't too horrible.

Well quick thought that I had, was that the priesthood truly is the power of God and Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were the ones who went to pray in a grove of trees. John the Baptist appeared to them and He restored the Aaronic Priesthood to them. And the best part is that he promised that it would never again leave the earth. Just think about how the priesthood has blessed and how it will bless you in the future. Those are so many blessings!!

Love you all and have the best week of your lives!

Sister Larsen

August 20, 2919 - BEAR HUNT (Week 23) - Susquehanna, PA

Hey y'all happy Tuesday!

This week was pretty slow at the site, so not many too things happened. But, first things first, I SAW A BEAR!!!!! Sister Hensley really wanted to see a bear and so her wishes finally came true and we got to see a bear yesterday! It was a very cute cuddly, but also big and aggressive black bear. But now I can check that off my site bucket list.

Well Saturday God for sure provided a tender mercy for me. Back in Woodstown 2 people that I was teaching were getting baptized and I got permission to go if I could find a ride. I said a little prayer and told Heavenly Father that I was going to put my trust into His hands and that whatever happened I would accept. That if I was able to go to the baptism, then that's where I needed to be. But if I was to stay at the site, then I needed to stay here for a specific purpose. Well, I really wanted to go to this baptism so I started to work on finding a ride. Someone messaged me and asked when and where the baptism was and I got so excited so I told them. I thought that I for sure had a ride, but then the bad news came. Two of our sisters were sick and so we would be short at the site and so they weren't able to take me.

Honestly at first I was pretty bitter, but then I remembered the promise I made with God that I would accept whatever His will was and that I was supposed to stay at the PRS for some reason. Well a while had passed by and nothing really had happened so I was like, "Okay God why am I here?". But then later a family walked in that Sister Hensley and I were able to take on tour. It was a family that had a 10 year old son named Cooper and a 15 year old daughter named Courtney. Well, Sister Hensley connected with Cooper right off the bat and I soon became best friends with Courtney. It was honestly the greatest tour I had ever been on during my short time here.

After our tour all of us Site Sisters sang "I am a Child of God" and it was so cute to see Cooper singing along and the big smiles on that family's faces. A family from our branch here in Susquehannah had also brought some dinner and so these two kids came and had spaghetti with us. Before they left their mom told us how that was a tiny miracle for them because they had been traveling all day and had only been surviving off of snacks. Although it was a very small things for us, it was a very big thing for them.

They left and Sister Hensley and I helped clean up when another sister told us that somebody was on the phone for us. We were a little confused but as soon as we answered the phone it was that sweet family that we had just taken on tour. Courtney asked me for my email and so I gave it to her and then two days later she emailed me and said this:

"Hey oh, can I just say how amazing you are and how fun you are. When I walked in the door and saw you there was a light about you that I liked. but what’s made things better is that moments before I walked in I was crying because I felt like Heavenly Father forgot about me and that I was just a waste of time to everyone and I also found out at the same time that my good friend isn’t going to make it and that I was going to lose her. I didn’t tell my mom and won’t because I can’t have her worry. Life hasn’t been the easiest for me but it’s like when I met you it went away and that it would be okay and I that I wasn’t a waste of time to anyone. You made a difference you really showed that Heavenly Father is always there and that he loves you. You are such amazing missionary and you can tell that you love the lord. I really do love you and appreciate you."

It's so amazing to see how God really does make everything work out and place people in our paths for a certain purpose. Things that may seem so random, are exactly what God has planned out. It's a true testimony to me to see how when putting trust in God, He truly does make life better and make things work out. I am so grateful to have a loving Heavenly Father who has His hand in every single detail. It literally may not seem like it, but even the smallest things He truly does.

I hope you all have a great week and that my story made sense. Love you!!

Sister Larsen

the bear invading our trash

we got caught in a downpour while delivering umbrellas to a tour down in the Smith home

our bear hunting adventures

our cute friend Cooper

a cute slug that decided to catch a ride on my boot

August 13, 2919 - REUNION!!! (Week 22) - Susquehanna, PA

Happy Tuesday!! I have finally made it to the Priesthood Restoration Site and I am loving it here so much! The highlight of the week was reuniting with Sister Reynolds! And I get to live with her so I am definitely living my best life! I have been here for about a week, and this first week has been so crazy!

The first day I got here, some of the sister had left with our car keys so all of my things were locked in a car for a whole 24 hours.

And then that next day I got proposed to! I won't tell the whole story, but just to clarify, I did say NO. haha Saturday was my fourth day and that was for sure so scary. I was still pretty new here and trying to still learn everything, but then a huge group of 50 people came. And guess who was part of that group, Hank Smith! And I had to take him on a tour, by myself. Man was that stressful.

After the whole thing was done, I honestly had no idea how I was able to answer all the questions and share everything I needed to. The scripture D&C 11:21 was so true to me that day. It says, " Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men."

There was no way that I was able to share all those things without the help from the Holy Ghost and from God. His grace is so real and He really does bring things to our remembrance. I had heard these things so many times from tagging along on so many tours, but I could never retain all of the information.

God is so real and I am so grateful that He makes weak things strong.

I have seen that be so true from these past 5 months. It is only through Him that we can do all things, and I know that to be true.

Also super cool fact I learned while being here: 70% of the Book of Mormon was translated from an ancient language here in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Today, it takes about 5 years to translate the Book of Mormon to any other language. How amazing is that! Joseph Smith truly was able to do all of these things by the gift and power of God.

I hope you all have an amazing week!

Sister Larsen

At the Priesthood Restoration Site

Sister Larsen & Hensley

Hank Smith with Sister Larsen & Hensley

Sister Larsen & Reynolds

August 5, 2019 - Peace Out Woodstown✌🏽😥(Week 21) - Woodstown, NJ

Happy Monday! I have survived another transfer and sadly I will be leaving Woodstown. 

This week was a good last week. Nothing super exciting happened but I love serving the Lord. I had truly come to know my Savior and I can say that He is my best friend! 

Its amazing to see the change that the gospel brings to other people. It brings me so much joy seeing other people being happy. And I get to be a part of that! 

Honestly, missions are hard, but these past 5 months I can say that its the happiest I've been. I love being a missionary. I love all the people I have met. I love my Savior. I love this church. 

I know that Jesus Christ lives. And I know that he loves each of us individually. He knows us by name. He knows each of our situations and he wants to help. Never turn away from Him, turn towards Him. 

I am so sad to leave Woodstown, but I cant wait to serve at the PRS and strengthen my testimony more of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I love you all and I cant wait for the many life changing moments ahead!

Sister Larsen