August 17, 2020 - Where did the time go????? (Week 74) - Susquehanna, PA

Hello everyone!! 

Can you believe that in just a short 48 hours I will be back in the grand ole state of Utah??? Yeah, me neither. 18 months kind of seems like a long time, but this past year and a half went by in the blink of an eye. 

This week was an amazing last week here in the mission field. On Tuesday the sweet Dowlings invited us over for a movie night and they made us orange julius'. The senior couples here take really good care of us. 

Wednesday morning we got to help Elder Dowling dispose of some tree branches. We got them out of the woods and loaded them into his truck to haul away. Thankfully no one got any ticks.

Sister Staheli and I taught a zumba class on Thursday morning which was super fun. Dancing is my favorite! And then on Friday morning we got to pick some blueberries again!! This time it was very very hot instead of overcast and rainy. But it was a really fun time. 

On Saturday we did some zumba again, but then we got ice cream. It was definitely worth it. We had a movie night with the other sisters that night too and it was like our last hurrah. 

Although it was a good week, it wasn't easy. This week was a week full of lasts. My last movie night, my last chinese food friday, my last blueberry picking in Montrose, my last Sunday dinner, my last time at the river, and my last tour. Even though there may have been a lot of lasts, there are very many firsts that lie ahead. I have loved this past chapter of my life, but I am also excited to walk through the door to this next chapter. 

I have learned so many things on my mission, it has been so life changing and I would go through all of it again if it means that I can become the person I am today. The good and the bad were all worth it. These have truly been the best 18 months for my life!

See you soon!

Till then, stay sober and stay chaste! 

- Sister Larsen

Sister Staheli and I

Movie night at the Dowlings

Tree branches from the woods

Sister Gold and I after placing her SECOND Book of Mormon

post zumba

Blueberry picking

I PET A BABY DONKEY

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream

Susquehanna river

more river

GREGORY!! Cutest kid in Susquehanna

THE greatest companion ever!!

August 10, 2020 - Lost in the Woods (Week 73) - Susquehanna, PA

Hello everyone! 

Honestly, I don't have much motivation to write a lot so this is going to be a short one. But what's new? 

Well, let me tell ya! Monday night we got a storm warning and we were instructed to stay inside until 4:00. It was a really good rainy day and we did a lot of studying on the porch. One of the senior couples also had us over for dinner that night and we played chicken foot. 

On Thursday night our power went out at 11:30. You may be saying that we were supposed to be asleep. Yes, but when the a/c shut off, that thing was loud!! The power wouldn't turn on until Friday afternoon. That morning however we got the opportunity to pick blueberries at a recent converts blueberry farm. It was a little rainy, but it was perfect weather for blueberry picking. As a group we picked 73 pounds of blueberries! 

Yesterday Sister Gold and I had the brave opportunity to save an old lady that fell into the creek. She went into the woods and decided to wander off the path which resulted in her falling in the creek and not being able to get out of it. She was calling for her husband and he was having trouble finding her so Sister Gold and I took the brave opportunity to machete our way through the woods and save this lady from the creek. We helped her out and they went on their way.  

If anyone wants a tour feel free to message me and let me know. This is my last week!!! 

Stay sober & stay chaste!

- Sister Larsen

Sister Brown, Sister Gold, and I with a cucumber from Emma's garden

Blueberry Picking

More Blueberries!!

cute slugs I held

Sister Staheli and I taking a rest (we worked pretty hard that day)

mi amiga

we watched a sweet lady release some homing pigeons

even more blueberries

Sister Brown and I 

August 3, 2020 - EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!(Week 72) - Susquehanna, PA

Hi friends!

I feel like so many things happened this week, but at the same time I don't feel like too much happened. Sister Gold and I took some really good tours at the beginning of the week which is always super fun. Everytime we take these virtual tours, it is a huge testimony to me that the spirit truly doesn't have any bounds. We can be calling somebody across the world and they can still feel the spirit testify the truthfulness of the events that took place here. 

Tuesday President and Sister Spallino came down and they brought their handy dandy pizza oven with them. They made us some real good Italian pizza! 

On Saturday we had some visitors come to do some filming and all of us sisters actually got to be a part of it! If you have ever heard of "Don't Miss This", Emily Freeman and David Butler came to film some Come Follow Me stuff for next year. Jason Deere from Nashville Tribute Band came as well and so we got to sing his song "Emma" for their video. You can say that I'm basically a movie star, but I definitely should've taken singing lessons as a child haha. 

Hope you have a wonderful week! See you soon!

Stay sober & stay chaste!

- Sister Larsen

Emily Freeman and David Butler

us sisters with Emily Freeman, David Butler, Jason Deere, and Rebecca Bean from the fighting preacher hehe

my favorite buddies (Staheli and Don)

before we gained 10 pounds from eating so much pizza

Sister Brown and I got matching dresses

President Spallino in his element

we weeded our garden