Beautiful Russia!

Beautiful Russia!


Our great friend, Roma made dinner for us!

Our great friend, Roma made dinner for us!

Elder Rasmussen is very excited to see real food!

Elder Rasmussen is very excited to see real food!


Companion and friend, Elder Jake Rasmussen

Companion and friend, Elder Jake Rasmussen


Trifecta's Last Time In Estonia

Trifecta's Last Time In Estonia

With my wonderful friend, Faik.

With my wonderful friend, Faik.

Sunrise, at One P.M.

Sunrise, at One P.M.

Petrozadovsk District

Petrozadovsk District

Lake at Petrozavodsk

Lake at Petrozavodsk


North Zone Conference Nov. 2011

North Zone Conference Nov. 2011

Thanksgiving Dinner 2011

Thanksgiving Dinner 2011

First Zone Conference with President Clark

First Zone Conference with President Clark

Neva River Fall 2011

Neva River Fall 2011

Visa trip, Oct 1st 2011

Visa trip, Oct 1st 2011

Oh my aching jaw...

Oh my aching jaw...

Hermitage Museum on P-day!

Hermitage Museum on P-day!

Me, Svetlana and Elder Loskutov

Me, Svetlana and Elder Loskutov

Birthday lunch with Kostya

Birthday lunch with Kostya

My friend, Grisha

My friend, Grisha

Service for Babushka

Service for Babushka

MTC Missionaries in Estonia

MTC Missionaries in Estonia

Waiting in Estonia...

Waiting in Estonia...


Visit from Elder Russell M. Nelson

Visit from Elder Russell M. Nelson

Elders Larsen and Anthony

Elders Larsen and Anthony

Our MTC teacher surprise visit!

Our MTC teacher surprise visit!


Podvodov family gave powerful talks!

Podvodov family gave powerful talks!
Pskov, Russia Branch


Vyborg Castle

Vyborg Castle

St Olaf's Castle Where We Do Service Work

St Olaf's Castle Where We Do Service Work

Beautiful Vyborg on the Sea of Finland

Beautiful Vyborg on the Sea of Finland

Vyborg

Vyborg

Misty day in Kaliningrad

Misty day in Kaliningrad

Kaliningrad District May 2010

Kaliningrad District May 2010

Russian MTC Group

Russian MTC Group

Russian MTC Zone at Provo Temple

Russian MTC Zone at Provo Temple

23 December 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Hello!!!

First I must say a MERRY CHRISTMAS to Dad, Mom, Cole, Meleea, Cody, Kallie, Millie, Forest, and even Gracie... ha ha.

Well, it's Christmas time!!! I think that I will be calling about 10 AM YOUR TIME or so... If I can we will earlier, but we don't know. On Christmas, Elder Gerard and I will be in St. Petersburg for a baptism, since Elder Gerard is District Leader. Nobel, one of the Africans is getting baptized!!! He is a stud. We were in Peter yesterday for his interview, and he passed with flying colors. Then later we had a lesson with him and his roommates, and they are all SO blessed!! What great people! They have a great spirit about them. Then David, another African said the closing prayer in Twi, one of the languages in Ghana. That's a CRAZY language. It is SO COOL! Nobel is SO ready to be baptized. All of them are, they just need to get the documents. Then we are heading straight back to Petergof because The branch is having a Christmas Party which we are trying to get some investigators to come to, but if they say no, then we will be calling earlier. Expect my call about 9 or 10 in the morning for the time range... As far as I know I'm not allowed to call Cody and that makes me sad... :( Elder Gerard and I are buying some international calling cards today, so it shouldn't cost you anything.  Can't wait!

We had a very nice Christmas Party on Tuesday! We had some training before, and then we had a great dinner of potatoes, vegetables, porkchops, and a fruit/jello dessert thing, all done by Sister Podvodova and Sister Luna.  It was really good! They are good cooks!  After we had a white elephant. I gave a rechargeable flashlight,  I received some Christmas lights to string in the apartment, and some chocolate. Then each district performed a musical number.  Our district sang Jingle Bells and We Wish you a Merry Christmas and we danced. I'm sure Sister Luna got a video and will send it to you. Ha ha! Sisters Bryshtel and Wise bought all the Elders in our district Christmas ties that play a song, and we wore them while being dressed up like Santa Clauses. It was really fun! We saw Elder Andersen too!! GOOD day! 

MOM! You sent way too much stuff! You didn't need to do that. Of course I will be sharing with everyone.  All the packages got here, including the one you sent for Sisters Luna/Bryshtel. They were both very surprised and pleased. Thank you for everything! THANK YOU... I worry that you spent too much on us here... :)  Thank you for all the candy and the warm clothes you sent! I might be giving the PJ's to someone else, because they are a bit short to be honest... maybe I've grown a little on my mission... Elder McCleary and Andersen are putting together a gift box for Nobel... maybe I'll give them to him.


That is absolutely terrible what happened to Kelsey's mom, and her whole family! 
Tell her that she is in my prayers and give her my love!. I wish I could talk to her and help, but the most I can do is send this email. I do know that Christ is always there for her to lean on if she will ask Him. ALWAYS.

Remember the Lord is in control. He loves all His Children. Remember that Jesus Christ came into the world to provide a way to save all of the children of God. He has all power, and He shows His power through service and love. He is our perfect example. He set up His church, and His doctrines. When people changed His doctrines, and there was total confusion about what the true teachings fo Christ were, He again established His chruch on earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and He still leads this church today, and forever. I'm glad to be a missionary during this Christmas to help my Lord continue the work that He did when He came into this world over 2,000 years ago.

Love you all! Stay strong! Remember the Savior! Peace be unto you! Be of Good Cheer!
Love
Blake!!!

16 December 2010

Be of Good Cheer!

Hello! I'm happy and doing well here in Petergof!

Well, what to say about this week?... It was kind of uneventful to tell you the truth... Except yesterday. We had a meeting with Sergei, but then he called and said that it wasn't going to work out today. So Elder Gerard and I called for a long time former investigators/ members who hadn't been to church in a while to see if we could meet, but we couldn't find any home. So we went out contacting for a little bit, when the Zone Leaders called and said that we had to be home because there was going to be a riot in St. Petersburg or something, and police we going to be involved. So we were just inside playing chess and studying the whole night, because we had already called practically everyone in the area books... We haven't heard anything about the "riot" or if it actually went through yet. It was still really quiet in Petergof.

Next week on the 21 will be a mission Christmas party.  North and South zone are going to all be together, and then center zone will be on 22. That means Elder Andersen will be coming down from K-grad. He's jealous that Elder Gerard and I get to serve together. Ha ha. :) It will be funny to see his reaction. Ah, we love Elder Andersen! Elder Gerard is a really good missionary. He speaks Russian well (or at least better than me!), works hard, is organized, and happy. Good companion!

Wow, that's crazy that Bishop Rose is now 1st Counsellor. ha ha. And my "Pa" is 2nd counsellor? (President Chidister was my Trek Pa). Tell them good luck for me! I know they will do well. Let me know who the new Bishopric is going to be too! Things sure are changing back home. I don't know if I'll recoginze anything when I get back. Kallie will be bigger, backyard is (more) done, friends will be married, new people in the ward.  It will be exciting to see.

So I don't know if I can call Cody either for Christmas... I was talking with Elder Andersen when I was on the split with him. He also has a twin on a mission in the Moscow West mission, who right now is in Kazikstan. Last year he asked President if it was okay to call him seperate than his family and he said no.  I think to be able to talk to Cody, the only way is to both of us call at the same time and have a 3 way connection on the phone and that may be impossible... Any other ideas?  We have one more P-day inbetween then, so let me know what is going on. Sad!

Scripture of the day: 3 Nephi 5:13. (Elder Gerard and I are trying to memorize one verse a day in Russian) :)

Tell everyone Hi for me!

Well, I gotta run. Thanks for your love and support from everyone back home. Your letters and emails mean a lot to me! Please tell everyone to write more! I know that God loves all His children, and that when we try to do what is right, with all our heart, God makes up the rest and we can accomplish miracles. It's important to  recogize the miracles in our lives everyday, because a day you don't recognize a miracles from God is the day your faith is weakened, and miracles cease only because of lack of faith.

Praying for you all, working hard, learing a lot. It's hard sometimes, but we can't know joy without pain, and we can't receive a result without putting something into it.

"...You cannot bear all things now, but be of good cheer, I will lead you along..." - Jesus Christ (somewhere in doctrine and covenants seventy something)

Love!
Blake



13 December 2010

St. John 16:33

Howdy! Well this last week has been a little warmer than the weeks before, but only because it hasn't been straight snowing and blowing everywhere... And we live right by the water, so the wind from the ocean can just blow straight through your coat, no matter how big it is... I got a nice, good coat that goes down past my waist. It is warm, don't worry, Mom! Also the boots I brought are good too, in fact sometimes a little too hot... They are probably the biggest boots in the mission, and President makes fun of me for it. :) Ha ha! This past week was pretty good! I served two days in the city with Elder Christopher Andersen from Magna, UT. (There are 3 Andersen's here) He is our zone leader along with Elder McCleary. It was really good! Elder Andersen is a really good missionary, VERY happy and polite and laughs alot. We went and had a meeting with 3 African investigators (in English!)and with an African member. They are all from Ghana, and waiting to receive their documents so they can all get baptized. They understand the Gospel really well, and you can just feel the Spirit so strong when we were there! We talked about Faith in Christ, and it was probably one of the best if not the best lesson I've ever seen. They are all so excited to be baptized! Afterwords, one of them told us "You know, thanks for comin over all dees times an sharin da good word o' God to ma brudas. You guys don't see color, just soul, and we all ar' brudas in soul." (I love African accents. Wish I had one.) They are so right, we are all family in Soul... :) Great people! Me and Elder Gerard had a good meeting with a former investigator who has recently wanted to learn more again. He wants to get baptized, but has problems with giving up alcohol and drugs, and he doesn't want his repentance to be fake, but a true, full repentance where he will never do it again. He said he wants to get baptized, but he is not ready. He will meet with us often he said though. We talked about Christ overcomeing the world and that through Him, we can too. We shared with him St. John 16:33, which has become one of my favorite scriptures~ "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world, ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."  I love the book, Jesus the Christ by James Talmage. I've only a chapter and a half left and then I'm done with reading it. He does just an extensive study of the New Testament, comparing scriptures and showing the importance of the Book of Mormon and the true doctrine of Christ. I've read the Book of Mormon again twice so far on my mission, and I'm attempting to read it again, but this time only in Russian. The Book of Mormon is amazing!
ANYONE who will ask God with a real intent to know if this book is true, will receive without a doubt an overwhelming joy of emotions, telling not just the brain, but the SOUL, the heart, that it is true! And if it's true, Joseph Smith was a prophet, and if that is true, than our Church is run by God, proving that the scriptures are true, that God doesn't change, that He lead His church in ancient days, but also leads His church today, thus He is an Unchanging God, like the scriptures say. I can testify of this with all my heart and being, but when it all comes down to it, every person has to choose to find out for themselve and ask God. What better source to go to?! When we are sick, we ask a doctor, when we want to learn to cook, we ask a cook. When we want to find God, WE ASK GOD! Amazing the power of Prayer in our lives!!!! God talks directly with us through the Holy Ghost, and we can literally say that WE KNOW THE TRUTH because GOD has told us. 


Well, My time is up... I want to wish you all the best of luck. I would say "God be with you til we meet again", but I know that He is ALWAYS with us, WE just forget to be with Him. Remember faith brings miracles, miracles don't bring faith. Love you all! "Peace be unto thee!"

Merry Christmas!! 
Elder Blake T. Larsen Старейшина Блейк Т. Ларсен

02 December 2010

Branch Made Thanksgiving Dinner for Us!

Dear Everyone, Thanksgiving here in Russia was pretty good! We were able to eat with the branch, where they made chicken and salads and stuff. It was quite different than an American Thanksgiving, but it was still very good!! So nice of them! The branch shared there testimonies about why they are thankful to the Lord this year, and I felt the Spirit so strongly. The branch here is only about 20-25 active members, so the majority shared their testimony. I really like the branch in Petergof. Sister Aumister (the Branch President's wife, they are from Estonia) even knew how to make a pumpkin pie!!!! Awesome!! Elder Gerard is a stud, and speaks straight fluent Russian!! We noticed that we learned a lot more when we had Russian companions, so we are trying to only speak in English when absolutely necessary. Elder Gerard knows lots of words, and he is a great missionary! I'm glad, grateful to be serving with him right now. I don't want to hear anyone complain that it is cold unless they are living in Russia!!! It's so cold and humid here that your face just stings from the cold after a while, and I swear even my boogers are frozen!!! I bought a good coat, had to buy another scarf because I lost mine in the Metro, (maybe stolen) and bought a good hat. The only thing that I am still looking for are thermals. I'll keep looking. Don't worry Mom, we are eating well. I do have to say I have lost 15 lbs. since I came to Russia, though. I lost all the MTC weight and then some. We actually have a Mission Rule that we have to eat 5 vegetables a day, so we eat a lot of vegetables and fruits and stuff. I will do the math and figure out the time differences when I will be calling for Christmas. I want to call when K.B. is there. Tell our cute little monkey thank you for the monkey E-card. It made me laugh! Also tell Kelsey thanks for the pics. She sent me a few with just a quick note. Is that Liz? She looks different to me. Oh and thanks for the picture of Nate. That's last week in England? Here EVERYWHERE is frozen! I sent a letter to Cole the other day, so hope he gets it soon. I never hear from him. Dad? Pancakes!! That would be pretty cool! How long would that be? Well, the work here is hard because we don't really have any investigators who want to meet with us, and we contact alot in the freezing cold weather. We did have a good meeting with a man named Sergei in the next city over who is really interested in the message though, and is already reading the Book of Mormon and the Bible. He had been sick after that though, and haven't been able to meet with him again. Pray for Sergei and his wife! They are really cool people, and the Gospel would bless them so much! We're trying hard to find people, but sometimes you have to search a long time I guess. I know that this church is true and that God loves us. His power and mercy are incomprehensable, and His love is insurmountalbe. He is the God of the Living, and all who come to Him will live again, on this side of the veil and on the other side where people have gone through the ordained change we call death. He loves us ALL! I'm glad to be a part of sharing this love with the people of Russia, who I am coming to love with all my heart, even if they are a little rough around the edges at times. They have the same heart as anyone else if you can break the walls down they sometimes put up. That might not just be a Russian thing, I think that is everywhere around the world. Remember I love you all back home too though!
 Peace be unto you! From Russia with Love, Blake

25 November 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!

Alrighty. Well, I had to leave Vyborg, which was really hard! I really grew to love the people there, and I'm going to miss them a lot... I felt like I was saying goodbye to a second home in a way. But this transfer is going to be good here. :) I'm serving with Elder Gerard from the MTC Trifecta!!! Way excited!!! He's a stud. Also there are lots of parks, old castles, famous palaces like Peter's Palace and the Summer Palace. We are near the water seperating Finland and Russia too. I've only been here a day, but I already like it here... Maybe I'll like it as much as Vyborg... Maybe. ha ha. Nikolay is the Elder's Quorum President in Vyborg. He's a very nice guy, and a really strong member here in Russia. He and his wife just recently had a baby. It meant a lot to read what he said... Makes me miss Vyborg already! ha ha. Ha ha. -2 degrees? That's everyday right now here in Russia... I bought a scarf and gloves here already, when me and Elder Gerard were buying groceries, and after internet I will go and buy a coat. Winter is just starting! ha ha. Random side note, they play American Christmas songs in the store here. :) Snowing constantly here, and ice is everywhere. Tell Kallie to she's just so sweet, she's rotting her teeth! ha ha. (Bu-dum ching). Seriously though, not good to hear. Did you take her to Tom? Tell Lee sorry about the doctor appointment! That sounds horrible!!! I miss her too! I pray for her often, and I hope she gets feeling better soon! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our thanksgiving dinner will be sausage and bread and cheese. ha ha. The branch is actually celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow here, but me and Elder Gerard can't eat with them I think, due to the rule because so many missionaries had been getting sick... Rule still hasn't changed. We will find out though. I got a letter from Liz, a letter from Booth, and a letter from a Sister Hemelinina that I met in the MTC from Vyborg. Her mom isn't a member of the church and isn't really interested in joining, but she misses her daughter a lot and Elder Domansky and I made friends with her. Sister Hemelinina wrote to say thanks for just being friendly missionaries with her mom, and that she mentions us a lot in her emails. :) Cody in a new area? I see he has a new companion. When is he planning on calling for Christmas? We can call either the 24th, or the 25th here in Russia. Could you tell Karl to pass a long some info about how I'm doing to BP, or maybe you could? He emailed me and asked me how I'm doing. It's been forever since I've talked to him. Things aren't always easy on my mission, but the Lord blesses me a lot, and I'm happy! Since it's Thanksgiving, just wanted to say thanks to everyone at home and who have supported me. My family, friends, and even complete strangers have helped me on my mission.
I love you all! Love you! Be of good cheer! Love, Blake

18 November 2010

S*N*O*W*!

I woke up with that song in my head and looked out the window to S*N*-Y*E*G!!!!!!!!!! (That's SNOW!) It made me happy. I love snow!!!! Right now the weather is like what we usually have in January back in Utah. I will buy a new coat soon though for the winter... Just haven't had time to yet! Yesterday we were in Peter because Elder Domanskiy had a meeting for all the district leaders, and I was on a split with Elder Justin Jacob Way from Casper, Wyoming. He is a redheaded, cowboy version of B.P. I miss B.P.!(Even looks a little bit like him. Ha ha!) We went and tried to have a meeting with a guy in his area, but he dogged us, so we just contacted. Elder Way is a funny guy! LOVES to tell stories and has a story for everything.... So I heard you met Yana... She says she sees you comment on a lot of stuff and she "thinks you're a cute mom." She is a nice girl here in the branch who speaks almost perfect English. She helps the missionaries out a lot. I love it here but still miss home. Sometimes people can be gruff. Russian culture- don't say please or thank you or "will you", it's always, hurry up, speak up, give it to me, etc. (Welcome to Russia) VERY direct, demanding people, but they don't think anything of it because that's how they grew up... I hope I don't pick that up here though...Still they can be wonderful and I have great friends. I got your Thanksgiving card! Thank you so much! It feels like forever since I have seen something Holidayish. I know I'm going to miss Thanksgiving and Christmas this year back home! Russian Christmas is on January 6th (because the Russian Orthodox Church said so), but the Church here still celebrates it on December 25th. Please don't send me too stuff to Russia for Christmas, as it is expensive. I want you all back home to do something fun instead of worrying about sending stuff to me! I already have the greatest gift of the Spirit with me right now. My emails have been getting shorter because President wants us to include more in our letters to him, because missionaries aren't giving him enough information. My emails home are still 3 times longer than Cody's. ha ha! That's GREAT to hear about Dad with the (potential) job(s)! Also it's cool to hear that Code is district leader! Millie was hungry, wasn't she? ;) How are Lee and Cole and KB? I just wanted to say thank you and a hello to all the people who have helped me before my mission. Special hello to Sandy Mustell in Alaska! Oh rats, time is almost out dang it! Gotta run!! Love, Blake

12 November 2010

20th Anniversary.

Privyet!!! (Hi!!!) Here I am on yet another wet and rainy day in Vyborg, sitting in the library. It doesn't feel like P-day already. Sunday was the 20th Year the Church has been in St. Petersburg, so the Vyborg branch was there for church. It was cool! Some of the first members of the church in Russia bore their tesimonies, as well as the President of the Helsinki Temple. It was also cool to see and hear how the church started here. Made me realized how young the church is here, about the time I was born was when it was started. Weird to think! Got your letter with info about Nate R. and Elder Andersen. I laughed really hard when I read his story! It's SO Russian! ha ha. Also finally got a letter from Nate Booth. It takes over a month to send letters, since he is on the complete opposite side of the world in Chile. Do you talk to his mom at all? I wish I could hear from him more... It's starting to get colder here, and today we looked at coats for me to buy. Coats here range from 2000 to 3500 rubles. The coat I brought here is definitely not going to be warm enough... I'm really excited for our investigators Igor and Elena! Igor is progressing really well, and I hope he will be ready for the baptismal date next week. Elena still needs to work things out with her living situations, as she is not married to the person she is living with, but she is a great lady and really understands the restoration of the Gospel and wants to be baptized. The man is not interested in learning the gospel... Please pray for them. To be completely honest, I've been a little home sick lately... I'm happy, just miss things at home. Russia isn't the same as home. People are a lot more gruff and direct here... Not to mention I don't perfectly speak there language, if at all adequately. I know the Lord is with me and I am happy though! Sorry to here about Code. Tell him that I'm rootin for him! He's in my prayers. I'll send him a little letter real quick after this. So the other day we went to the hospital because one of the members requested that we come and give his mom a blessing. First of all, must say that Russian hospitals are pretty clean, but pretty GHETTO. We came in and there were 6 beds in this tiny room, each with an elderly lady on them. The member asked everyone if it was okay if we gave his mom a blessing, and explained what we would do. Everyone said that we could, and that was fine. So I annointed and Elder Domanskiy blessed. Some visitors were there and wanted to watch. The spirit was there during the blessing and it was a cool experience. One of the ladies wasn't happy that we didn't cross ourselves, but we explained why we don't. Overall is was a good experience. Well... Gotta run. Sorry about the less eventful letter... I just don't want to write the same old thing everyweek. Any questions for me to answer about Russia? Gotta Run. Times up! Love, Blake

05 November 2010

Busy! Not much time this week.

From Russia with Love... Bond. James Bond.... Er... I mean Elder Blake Larsen. Hello! This has been a pretty good week! On Tuesday we were in Petersburg for Zone Conference and it was really good. President Podvodov talked about the importance of showing love and showing faith when you are teaching and contacting people. It was very good. It was also the first Zone Conference where I felt like I understood everything that President Podvodov said. :) My Russian is coming along slowly but surely! I even understood what Sister Podvodova said, and she talks really fast! ha ha. Elder Domankskiy and I are already seeing better success talking to people and during the few lessons we had by applying what we learned. In essence, it was a good Zone Conference. I got your letter and the Halloween card! Thanks a lot! I can't wait to see pictures you talked aout the back yard. I also got my first letter from Nate Reidhead in Grimsby, England. It sounds like he is having a blast, and his companion is from WB Ha ha! We have 2 really great investigators right now: Igor and Elena. Igor is from Latvia and works in Italian restaurant. He loves our church, and we set a baptismal date with him! I think I might have told you about him already. Elena is a woman who we taught the first lesson to last week, and today we watched the First Vision DVD at the branch with her (and that is why we are late sending emails). She totally accepted it, and she already has been reading the Book of Mormon and says that it is true. She is living with someone who she is not married to though, but she said she would talk to him about changing that. She has a 6 year old girl named Masha who reminds me of K.B. Very polite little girl who loves to draw. :) (Miss our K.B.!) Please keep them in your prayers! They are such great people. Today it was raining and the wind was blowing so hard that it broke my umbrella. I had to buy a new one today. Also we have to start using P-day time to contact, because President doesn't want us to contact in the dark, and we have a goal for each companionship to make 20 contacts a day. Sorry to hear everyone is sick at home. :( Wish I could help somehow, but the only thing I can do is keep you all in my prayers, which I will of course. That's MY MILLIE. She'll still be ready to run with me when I get home!... Get me back in shape. I'm slowly losing weight... Don't know why. Maybe I'm losing muscle or something... Or fat, but everyone says I'm too skinny so I don't know if it is that. Keep me informed on Elder Punderson. Knowing him, he will be up and back here before we know it! He is a really good guy, good missionary. Very good leader! Sister Bryshtel is now my sister? She was already my sister... That's why we call her Sister Bryshtel... Ha ha. Bu dum ching. She is really a really cool missionary. Strong testimony. Don't worry about sending me things for Christmas. I'm happy as I am right now. Use the money on something else. Send cards and pictures! I've had 2 ladies this week try to set me up with their daughters when they found out I was American... I don't even know what ot say to that...Yikes!!!!!! Tell Lee good luck with R.S. She will do great as secretary. I know there was more I wanted to write, but I forgot my planner where things were written at the office elders apartment... Sorry. Remember that I love you all and miss you tons. I will see you before you know it, but right now I am doing something great for the Lord... or I should say the Lord is doing something great through me. It's amazing the impact I see the Gospel of Jesus Christ has on others lives, and it's also so amazing to see how the Gospel keeps effecting me. Just when I think I know something, I learn that there is so much more to learn about the nature of God. We cannot fully comprehend it now, but we will someday. Thanks. Gotta run. Love you. Miss you! Love, Blake

28 October 2010

Many have wrong impression of who Mormons really are....

Hello! I think I always start my email with that... Oh well. So let's see... what's new here in Vyborg. This last Saturday we helped clean up all the leaves at the branch, along with sweep around the church and clean out the gutters and stuff with the branch for a ward project. They had salad and "sausages," but Russian sausages are nasty hot dogs... I tried one... Never again!! On Sunday, the branch had a day to help fellowship less active members of the ward that haven't been in a long time. Elder Domankskiy and I went with Evgeni Nadelev, who is soon going to be 18, so he is close to getting ready to serve a mission. He's a really good example to me. He is like most teenagers, or 20 year olds named Blake Larsen. He likes music and all the things I like usually, but he has a great testimony of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. I wish I could see him on a mission! On Tuesday after service at the castle and with Yawna, we had a meeting with a family in the ward who has a son who is 12, but didn't feel like he wanted to be baptized. We talked about baptism, what is means, and why we do it. We talked about how Jesus Christ who was perfect, was baptized by immersion and by one holding priesthood keys. He said he wants to get baptized, and we set a baptismal date with him! That makes 2 baptisms set for November 20th! Yesterday was an interesting day. We had a meeting set with an investigator who works at the castle. He finds the church very interesting and asks lots of questions, but I'm still not very sure how much of the message he accepts. He was pretty active in the Russian Orthodox church at one time. He is a really cool guy, though and has LOTS of wood carvings he has done at his house. They look like folk art. If I was a tourist and had money, I would buy one from him. We went to his house yesterday, but the wife said that he was drunk and sleeping... That was depressing. We got a meeting with a man that I met on the street when Elder Haggard was here... About 3 months ago. I contacted him on the street and he was pretty much the only person that talked with us that day. After that I hadn't heard from him until this last Sunday when he showed up to Church. He loved it! We had a meeting with him before English Club yesterday, and he really enjoyed our meeting too. He then stayed for English club. I'm really excited for to see how things work out with him. His name is Igor, and he works for an Italian restaurant here. Today we already had a meeting with another lady who we met on the street on Tuesday. We are really busy lately, so we even had a meeting on Preparation Day! That's a good thing though, right? She told us even when we were on the street that she is very interested in our church. We had a great meeting today, talking about Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and baptism after we showed her around the church here, showing her all the classrooms and the sacrament hall. She accepted everything very well, and said she will be there on Sunday. She's not sure how here husband will like her going to "the Mormon Church" though... We get that a lot here... People don't even know who we are, but they have heard "false things" about us and instead of seeing for themselves, they just assume that we are bad. I am really starting to realize just how much God is helping all of us here on Earth. He has always been helping us, and always will... We just forget that sometimes. God loves us very strongly. His whole heart is full of love towards us. We know this by his words, which we can find in the Scriptures, and from revelation from Latter-day Prophets and Apostles. Every word found in these things are words of love. We can see how strongly someone loves their family, their neighbor, their friends, their enemies, and their God through the words they say and do... "... for out of the abundance of thy heart the mouth speaketh." (Matthew 12:34) Do we truely love everyone? If yes, our actions and words will mirror out heart. I want everyone back home to know how much I love them and miss them, and I hope to better mirror my love through my actions and words. The more I serve the people of Russia, the more I love them, and the more I love them, the more I serve them. I've been taught this before, but I didn't understand exactly what that meant... I'm just starting to learn exactly what the scriptures mean when they say the will of God is one eternal round... Again... Words don't come to me when I want to explain the feeling..Like Ammon, "... I cannot explain the smallest part of which I feel." I hope we all can learn to feel this unexplainable love... even if just a part. I know we can't comprehend or even feel the fullness of joy that Christ gives in this life, but one day, we will. I know that things will be okay, no matter what the challenges we are facing in our lives. God is always there. Times about to end. Dang it. I want to say so much more. Just remember I love and miss you all, and so does our Heavenly Father! Love, Blake

26 October 2010

Viva la Vida!

Listen to the song "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay. Someone translated just the words for President Podvodov, and he liked it! New mission theme song!

21 October 2010

Adventures Continue.....

Hello! It's good to hear from you again... I can't believe that it is already P-day again. Time is going by way too fast. So let's see... What's new for this week... This last week I had a Visa Trip to Estonia and that was fun to say the least. This time the driver didn't go across the boarder with us, so it was just me, Elders Gerard, Andersen, Hill, and Sister Lane. The Estonian government didn't like the fact that we were all Americans with 2 passports and tried to tell us that we couldn't have both of them. We told them that we weren't doing anything against the law and if they had any questions, they could check all the dates in our visas and see if they were correct, and they could call the mission visa department with questions. Elder Gerard and Sister Lane seemed to be a little worried when this happened, Elder Andersen seemed normal, and me and Elder Hill were trying not to laugh to be honest. Elder Hill's dad is the mission president in Croatia, and he said that this was the "first time" someone had a problem with that. We told them to check the dates on our visas on the computer, and they did and everything was okay... so they had to let us through, but they didn't seem too happy. We just crossed the boarder and came right back. This story is probably more entertaining to me than anyone else just because it happened to me! I think I set a record of how many people can flip me off in a day while I was in St. Petersburg... The city is definitely a lot different than Vyborg. I'm glad that I serve in Vyborg! Monday through Wednesday the Zone Leaders were in our area and I was on a split with Elder White, while Elder Domanskiy was on a split with Elder McCleary, both are from Seattle. It was the first time I've ever really met Elder White, and he is a cool guy too. I haven't really met anyone I don't like here serving on a mission with me. Both the Zone Leaders loved Vyborg and want to serve there sometime. I've been lucky to serve in Vyborg and K-grad. So our investigator who has a baptismal date named Roma I don't think is going to work... After we set the baptismal date with him he ignores our calls, and while on our split, Elders Domanskiy and McCleary saw him down the street and he quickly hid himself when he saw them.... It makes me sad because Roma is a really cool kid. I don't know why he doesn't want to talk with us, but I still pray for him and wish the best for him... Elder Domanskiy and McCleary did however set a baptismal date with an investigator named Katia for this transfer! Missionaries had met with her before I came to Vyborg, but she hasn't been living here up until just recently and that was our first meeting with her. While they were on a meeting with her, Elder White and I met with Vladimir, and investigator we met through English Club. He is in his 50's and comes to English every week. He is very interested in the church, but is very scientific and can't understand why people believe in God because he doesn't see the evidence. We talked about faith and how we can't see everything, but we can see the outcome of them. For instance, we can't see gravity, but we all stay on the ground because of it, and science has done experiments to help show gravity exists. It's the same with faith in God. We can't physically see Him, but we can see His works all around us, and we can experiment on the words in the scriptures to see if they are true... He listened to us and said we had a good point, but he didn't seem ready to try, it seemed to me. He wouldn't let us try to give him a commitment. I hope this interest that is growing in him about the church will soon turn into a desire to experiment on the word of God. So today Elder Domanskiy asked me to only speak English in the apartment to help him learn. I agreed to do that of course! ha ha. My Russian is no where near perfect, but Elder Domanskiy has helped a lot with the Russian, and people are saying that my Russian improved a ton last transfer. Just remembered a story I never told you. A couple weeks ago one of the 8 year olds in the branch was getting baptized, so we had to go and fill the font. Elder Domanskiy forgot to turn off the silent alarm and the police came... 2 1/2 hours later. If you think that Mormons are bad at being late to things, wait until you meet a Russian Mormon... ha ha! I'm kidding of course!! I love Russia! Just made me laugh that it took so long. Thanks for the pictures of Code!!!! He looks WAY different to me! I started writing a letter last week to send home with a couple pictures, but I still haven't finished it. Hopefully I will send it today... How does my blog have people from Germany and Brazil and stuff on it?... I'm confused... I thought it was a Facebook blog... I've been praying for dad to find a new job. I hope it all works out soon (of course you know that already) I know that it will soon enough. Shoes are still okay... I switch them back and forth every now and then seeing that I brought two pairs, but I know they aren't going to last my whole mission. Soon I can wear my winter boots. It's getting really rainy here, and colder, but still not as bad as I thought it would be. I will have to buy a better coat for winter probably. I'll find out how much they are? Only bought a normal winter hat. The only Russian hats I could find were half fake leather and half fur... I want one that is just all fur. I will keep looking! Well, got to run. Know that I love you all back home and that I am happy to serve a mission!! I'm learning more than I thought I would, especially about myself, and my relationship with my Father in Heaven and elder brother. Still haven't found the words to describe the feelings I feel that come from this Gospel, but all I can say is that God lives, LOVES us more than we can understand right now, and that he provided the way to not only find strength, peace, solace, joy, on earth, but to continue onward into eternity and become His eternal Children. Love, Blake

17 October 2010

I Love the Vyborg Branch!

Hello again!... From Vyborg!!!! :D I didn't get transfered to the office like everyone thought I would... Elder Anthony did. :) ha ha. I'm still serving in Vyborg, and I'm still with Elder Domanskiy. It is good. :) Elder Domanskiy really helps me a lot with Russian, and is a really good missionary. I think my Russian is really improving. I LOVE the branch here, and am really happy I'm staying. I had all the youth write in my journal just in case I was leaving, and they all wrote such nice things in there. Their friendship is genuine, and you can see the light in their eyes. I look forward to seeing the youth here become the leaders of the Church and seeing it grow here. Yeeeahh. The Code-man in the Bronx!! I can't really compare, because I've never been there, but I think the Bronx would be kind of like downtown St. Petersburg... but bigger. He has nothing to worry about. He's got angels on his right hand and his left, and the Almighty God has gone before him, the God of Israel is behind him. The only thing he has to worry about is getting толстее (fatter). Блинь! (Dang!... literally translated means "Pancake!") Just kidding!!! Cody does look a lot different though. So we are a little worried about our baptismal date with Roma... before we set it with him he was meeting with us 2 a week or so... But then we were in for a week and this week he is not answering his phone when we call... He answered once and just quickly said "I'm busy this week and hung up..." We haven't given up hope yet, but we are a little worried about it. I got your birthday card/letters! Thanks a ton! I showed the card to Elder Wilde from St. George, because he is a big hunter... Made him want to go hunting. ha ha. Tell K.B. she is becoming a little artist. :) So this Saturday I have a visa trip again. This week end I will be companions with Elder Andersen!!!!! :) (He's going to K-grad too, so I will have to tell him to say hi to people from me and have him check on a couple people, like Youlia for example.) I don't know where we are going yet. We will see. The driver will be either Brother Nekiferov from Vyborg, or Igor... Both really cool guys, but only Igor speaks English. Tell Kelsey thanks for the pictures she sent for my birthday, and tell both Kelsey and Liz thanks for the letters. They both like you guys back home a ton. Kelsey told me about Meleea offering her a ticket to Brad Paisley, and she said she almost cried because it was so nice. Also tell congrats to Amanda Wignall, Kels told me she is engaged! Have you heard much from Karl about BP? I heard he lost a ton of weight, and he sent me a birthday email, and said he STILL hasn't gotten a letter from me?! GRRRRR. Still haven't bought anything for my birthday, but we are going to look for a Russian hat today. The youth knew it was my birthday and they all wished me a good one. Elder Andersen also called to wish me happy birthday, and the Luna's told me happy birthday when I was in the office. My birthday was good! Don't worry! I think one of my happiest birthdays... because I celebrated it with the Lord. One of my favorite scripture passages right now is Ephesians 3:14-21. I love the apostle Paul. He was one of the worst of sinners, but became a great disciple of the Lord. He tells the Ephesians why he does the work he does for the Lord... "that they may know the love of Christ, which passeth all understanding..." (or something like that... don't quite have it memorized..in English) I miss my dog!!!! The other day a golden retriever that is the same color as Millie was walking through the park with his owner and he stopped and stared at me and started chattering his teeth and twisting his head like Millie does. You should send Millie to Russia!!! I'm having the greatest time on my mission. I can't believe it has already been 8 months!!! Before I know it, I'll be back at home and won't know what to do. I WILL come back to Russia someday after my mission. I know this Church is true. I know that Heavenly Father loves everyone of His children, and He is just waiting for us to look for Him. He wants us to learn things on our own, and that's why he doesn't do everything for us. The gift of free agency is a great opportunity, and the one of the greatest gifts, lower only to His Love, which is Eternal Life. I know that Satan exists, and that he uses all manner of ways to destroy us. I know the Savior will help us overcome anything though, if we believe in Him. Gotta run. times' almost up Love, Blake

10 October 2010

Be Humble and Trust in the Lord

Hi! I'm back in Vyborg! This past week was a crazy week serving in the office. Mainly doing stuff like translating newsletter for Sister Luna, answering the phone, burning conference cd's, bringing in mail and shipments of Liahona's (we finally go the Liahona for LAST conference), etc. Lots of language study for words I didnt know. ha ha. I was with Elder Shraeder, from Iowa. He's REALLY smart with computers and I see why he is serving in the office. He's a really nice guy. Reminds me of Cody! I had two meetings at night this week with Elder Shraeder, one with a guy named Piyoter, who is a Baptist investigating the church, and one with Sister Sentenina who is the smiliest old lady's I have ever met. She loved a picture I have of me and Millie, where it looks like Millie is smiling and wanted a copy. Tell Dad thanks for his letter. I'm jealous of him hunting! And I loved the words of encouragement. Letters are my favorite here!! I read a couple of really cool articles while I was in the office this week. Have you ever read the King Follet Sermon of Joseph Smith Jr.? Very cool! I advise you to read it! Joseph Smith talked about our potential to become like God, the nature of God, how we are literally His children, etc. One of my favourite talks ever. (Ensign, October 1994) Also read a really good talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks called "Strengths Can Lead to Our Downfall" ( I think...) I loved it because it talked about the importance of humility, and how Satan uses every aspect of our lives to try to work against us, both our strengths and our weaknesses, and that is why it is so important to be humble and trust in the Lord to help us. He talks about how people who maybe are over-zealous in one area of the church, and forget other doctrines of the church. It was given to students at BYU, but it was good to read as a missionary, because I think we sometimes have the same problem. Sometimes we get caught up on testifying and forget to listen to others, etc. Sorry... Don't really know what to report on this week... Transfers next week should be interesting. I don't want to leave Vyborg... I love the youth here! I admire them a lot and I know they are going to be amazing leaders of the church here someday, along with amazing missionaries. Vyborg is also a really beautiful place here in the fall. I know this church is true and that I am doing the right thing right now on my mission. I know the Lord has gone before me, and that he will bring others behind me to do the work here in Russia, and that even though maybe I don't see a lot of baptisms or mighty changes of heart, that I am planting seeds and helping to nourture and grow people's testimonies. I know that I have angels on my right hand and my left helping me always, and that we all have help from God in our lives, both members and non-members. God is no respector of persons and we should be the same. Love everyone that is around you! I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. Love Blake!!!!

30 September 2010

Disclaimer!

It is so sad that I must put a disclaimer on my own blog but a radical bible group keeps linking me to them. I am in NO way affiliated with any group other that the mission that I am serving for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. No other ministries are allowed to link me to them. Please remove me from your said groups.

Elder Larsen's Experience~ Visit from his Maternal Grandparents in Heaven.

Hello again! This has been a very good week. Probably one of my happiest weeks. I've got a story to tell, which started this week off good. So last Friday I was sitting in our kitchen eating lunch while Elder Domanksy was taking a nap (he's been achy and tired lately) and I was having a hard day. Just was frustrated with the language and didn't feel like things were going like they should. I was feeling like things aren't working out. I was listening to "Mercy River" and started thinking about the words and trying to imagine this river and where it would be for me. I started to imagine that it was in the Spirit World, and there were a lot of people sitting along the river. I tried to imagine Christ by this river, and then suddenly I got an overwhelming feeling like two people were sitting next to me, one on each side. I couldn't see them, but I knew they were there... and I knew who they were. Grandma and Grandpa Clifford. Grandpa to my right and Grandma to my left. They both had an arm on my shoulder. I had the feeling that everything will be okay, and that the Lord will bless me. He knows that I am doing all that I can, and felt my frustrations, so He sent them to comfort me. I got a huge feeling that they are serving a mission right now in the spirit world. I also got the feeling that Uncle Bob wanted to come too, but he was busy "at the river." I left to go get a kleenex, and they left too, but the peace I felt has remained with me since that happened. Sunday an older couple from Finland came to our branch. They both spoke perfect English also, but they didn't know any Russian. I had to translate for them during church, and amazingly had no problem doing it. Brother Nadelev (the branch mission leader and former branch president) said that he is very impressed with my Russian this transfer. It has improved so much more than it had when i was with Elder Haggard. Brother Nadelev is one of my favorite people in this mission. On Tuesday we had a meeting with Roma and talked about baptism and asked him if he wanted to get baptized. He said yes, but I need to get ready. So we set the date for October 31, and are going to meet with him so he can prepare for this. I'm so excited for him! Roma is really cool! He reminds me of a Russian version of Nate Booth. This last week we did a lot of service for ward members helping them to get ready for the cold. We cut firewood for members who live out basically in the forest and don't have a heater, helped an older couple in their garden, etc. On Monday zone leaders are coming for splits, so mail is coming. :) hope to hear from you through letters. :) Remember attittude is everything! To have temperance means that you are in control of your thoughts and actions, and you do those things that the Lord would have you do. Lately I've been intrigued with how the Lord is unchanging and what that means for us. We were sent here to this earth in a perfect state, and we only fell from that perfect state because we chose to change, to sin. Repentance brings us back and undoes that change, that sin that we did as if we never changed. I find it interesting that we tell our loved ones "Don't change." That's exactly what God said when He sent us to earth. "Don't change. I love you just the way you are." Gotta run. I love you all very dearly and wish I could see you, but this experience I would never change for the world! Love, Blake.

24 September 2010

Thankful for the Scriptures.

Yeah! You got my letter! Has Cody sent you any letters with pictures? I want to see pictures of Cody on his mission!!!!!! CODY!! I don't believe that I am almost 20... I'm old. Ha ha. Everyone here thinks that i am older than 20 though. Multiple people have said that I look 25, and one person thought I was 30! This mission is aging me I guess. Ha ha. They don't believe that the pictures that I have of me are the same person. Ha ha. They all think Mom is Russian, and when they ask what her name is and I say her name they laugh because it's a Russian name. Most people also think that Liz is my sister-sorry Liz! Cody is my younger brother, Cole is my uncle, and Dad is my..... grandpa... Ha ha!!!!! (Sorry dad :) ) So I don't know why but a lot of people we talk to on the street think that I am from Finland.... I got your other package!!! President Govarilov (our branch president here) was in St. Petersburg and brought it back to Vyborg for me. Thank you for the food and sweater and hygeine supplies. I won't have to buy some them for a while or go to the optician to get solution for a while either. Thanks also for Cody's shirt!!! It made me smile to see it!! Already ate the Big Hunk of course! Had a nice guy stop and talk to us the other day and when he heard that I was from America, he said, "you have a pure American face" and hugged me... I think he might have been a little drunk, but I didn't smell any alcohol... It made us laugh! Question. Can you figure out Chris Haacke's address for me? I don't know how to write him... He's in Mexico on a mission... I need to ask Elder Nick Andersen about the baptismal font..... So this last week we had lots of meetings inside with members and at the branch with investigators, but we also had lots of people ditch us. We had a really good meeting with Roma about the Book of Mormon and prayer. He is the kind of guy that needs 80% proof before he will try anything, but we answered all his questions and he said he will try. He also said that he finds our church VERY interesting. Which reminds me. We street contacted a lady yesterday and she said she didn't want anything to do with churches because of .... and started listing off a bunch of things churches do or have. Each time we said, "we don't do that" or "we don't believe in that". She said. REALLY? This must be a real church then, and took our pamphlet. It makes me wonder how many people won't listen to us because they have the wrong idea about church and what we do. I too am thankful for the scriptures! I read them before my mission, but never appreciated them like I do now! They have all the answers. I've been reading the Bible and have realized just how much the Book of Mormon supports it and how important the Book of Mormon is in bringing to light and helping establishing the truth. Love you all very much, and hope you all are of good cheer!! Love, Blake

16 September 2010

Do the work and God will do the rest.

Hello again. It is good to hear from home as always. :) Things in Vyborg are picking up. We now have 3 real investigators! Marina (the sister missionary's mom), Roma, and Poulina. We met Roma on the street and invited him to English club. He brought his friend Poulina and we had a lesson with them yesterday. Poulina really liked it, and Roma asked a lot of good questions, which is a good sign. We are cutting P-day a little short today to meet with Marina and her husband. Things are going pretty good! The Russian is still pretty hard, but I'm learning. It's hard when Elder Domansky and I don't know how to convey something to each other, because we are companions and need to work together. I'm learning a lot though! I only see English now when I read the scriptures or other materials I have, P-day, letters, dictionary, English club, etc. This week I tried a Russian drink called Kefire. Russians love it so I tried it. It pretty much is water and sour cream... X( Not good at all.... Yuck!! I got your letter, one of the packages, and Liz's postcard this week!! I think I will have to wait at least another couple weeks to get the other package. The only reason why I got these this week was Brother Semionov ( I told you about him I think. He's a doctor, speaks perfect English, translate for Prophet/Apostles when they come, etc) brought them from Peter. I must say that I never thought instant oatmeal and peanut butter would make me so happy!!!! :) Question though... how can I use the muffin mixes without a muffin pan?... I don't want to try without a pan and have them not turn out... That is terrible what happened with the Elliots! Dad, I hope you get the job! I'll continue to keep you in my prayers and I know the Lord will bless us. Sorry your dinner party didn't turn out as planned, Mom. At least the Smith's stayed to talk. Ask Ryan the next time you see him, some of the names of the people he knows here and where they live. I'd be interested to talk to them if I can! I've found a few people who know Larson Alder's nephew, Andrew. I loved the story about Kallie at the cemetery! That is a really cool story!! Just shows how much closer little children are to the Spirit. I hope I can become more like K.B. ha ha. My favorite scriptures right now are Alma 56:46-47. It's about the 2,000 stripling warriors. Here are parts of them~ "...behold, our God is with us, and He will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth... they had been taught by their mothers [and fathers] if they did not doubt, God would deliver them..." Just need to have faith! That's it. And God will do the rest... Faith isn't just believing though. Faith is action! Do the work, and the Lord will do the rest. Miss you!!!!! Remember what love truly is. Love is reasoning, faith, kindness. Love is unconditional and unchanging. Love is God. Love, Blake

12 September 2010

Missionary Mom

Hello again this week! :D This transfer is going good already! I'm excited for this next transfer. Elder Domansky is a really good guy. He barely speaks any English (almost nothing) but he is very patient and helps me with my Russian alot. I think that I have learned more Russian just this last week than I did all of last transfer. He is also very funny. Just some of his mannerisms remind me of Cody, and other times he reminds me of Mr. Bean. People seem to want to talk to us on the street more when they see that there is a Russian like them with me. A lot of the time people won't talk to us giving the excuse "You're just trying to get us to go to your American faith" but they can't really say that with a Russian with you. He eats hot dogs for breakfast is the only bad thing... Yuck. It's very interesting serving with a Russian companion to say the least but happy for it. So I can now make Russian bleeni without even thinking about it. ha ha. (Pretty much a crepe). MMMMMM! POOR BEN! I'm so sorry for Kels. Tell her I feel terrible the next time you see her. Sounds like Liz and Kels have been there often. Tell them hi for me and get me there address at USU for me before they leave! I miss them alot too! Tell them I got their letters, but I never got Liz's postcard she told me about...yet. :( Igor said you said hi, Mom. He came up with President to inspect our apartment and then gave us a ride to the castle for service. He is a nice guy! He always has a big smile and really likes all the missionaries. Thankful for members like him. Last week I sent home some pictures and letter! Not very many pictures can fit in the envelope without becoming too heavy, so I might have to just give some pictures to Sister Luna for "the newsletter". Ha ha, I love Sister Luna! Yeah, Cody told me too that he gained a little. I usually cook seperate than my companions. (That's how Russian missionaries like to do it. I'm losing weight again actually. I eat lots of vegetables and fruits. Elder Domansky thinks I'm strange because I don't like hot dogs.... by the way they are even more gross in Russia than they are in America. I'm back down to 175. I'm running again in the morning with Elder Domansky and I also ran when I was with Elder Anthony. Feels good to run, but I'm out of shape! Cool story for the week!!~ I met a sister missionary in the MTC from Vyborg named Dasha Hemelinina, who is serving right now in Moscow, and her mom is not a member of the church. She sent the branch a letter saying for the missionaries to deliver it to her to introduce her to them. When we got over there, she was ecstatic to see us and we talked to her about what her daughter is doing in Moscow. We also taught her the 1st lesson and she wants us to come meet with us again!! She misses her daughter a lot and I dare say watches for the emails more intently than you do mom... Ha ha!! She wants to find out why her daughter is doing this, and why it is so important to her. Her daughter has testified to her and told her to meet with the missionaries. Really nice lady. She sells cologne and stuff and asked me to translate the stuff she has in English. I actually could do some of it! She just calls me Larsen and loved the fact that I knew her daughter in the MTC. I really hope things work out with this lady. I am filled with so much joy from this Gospel!! I can't even describe it. I can't wait to experience that joy that comes from helping someone repent and enter into the gospel through baptism. Whoops gotta run! Love you miss you, but I am oh so happy to be here!!!! Love, Blake

02 September 2010

Off to Testify!

Hello! I'm still serving in Vyborg, but I have a new companion... First Russian companion!!! It's not Elder Leue... We do have an Elder with that name though... Either President thinks that I speak well enough to have a Russian companion, or he thinks that I need a Russian companion to teach me... Ha ha. Joking! Either way this transfer I think will help my Russian a lot. His name is Elder Domansky. He has been the Branch President in a city outside of St. Petersburg for the last 8 months called Sestroretsk, so he is excited to come to Vyborg. Elder Haggard is going to be Branch President there now. Cool! Not a lot of changes this transfer happened, though. Most companionships stayed the same. I got letters!!!! Yay! That is one reason why I love transfers!!! Two from Mom, one from dad, two from Liz, one from Michelle, one from Kels, one from Keri, and one from Nate Reidhead... I felt like a kid a Christmas! ha ha. Sister Luna says hi, Mom... ha ha. As of right now I am in Sestroretsk because Elder Domansky needs to train Elder Haggard as Branch President. We will return to Vyborg sometime by the end of the week. It's a cool place. Lot smaller than St. Petersburg, but bigger than Vyborg. I'll be with Elder Anthony while Elder Haggard is being trained by Elder Domansky. :) Elder Anthony is a cool guy! So I don't know why, but I have lost about 12 lbs this last transfer... My body can't decide if it wants to gain or loose weight and bounces all over the place... But what else is new, right? ha ha. We had a meeting with a guy who is Lutheran, but is very interested in genealogy work and came to the church for English club and the genealogy library. We met with the ward genealogy specialist, and the meeting went really well. We hope his interest in the church will spark as we meet with him. Other than that, not a lot of investigators are will meet with us. They set up an appointment and won't show or won't be home... Sunday was a very cool and history day here in Russia. The Kiev temple was dedicated and now the first temple exists in the former Soviet Union!!! I got to experience the Hosanna Shout and dedication of the temple in Russian, which was a very cool experience!! Felt the spirit so strongly! I did get to try on Finnish armour at the castle during our service work! Today Elder Domansky wanted to print off some pictures, so if I can print some pictures of I will send some this week. Sorry I haven't sent home letters in a while. Haven't had a lot of time lately. We've been meeting with lots of members who are trying to help us with missionary work, and teaching them how they can invite their friends and such. Sounds like things are about the same at home. Any other news from Cody other than that email you showed me? I want to see some pictures of Cody from while he is on his mission! I haven't seen any yet. Do you have any on the computer that you could send me? Thank you very much for the pictures of Kallie, Millie, and us at Provo Canyon. Good memories. Made me smile. So is everyone at school now since Amanda and her mom stayed over? I still think it is funny you are meeting so many moms from the mission. Ha ha. I love this Gospel! I'm very happy to be here serving among the Russian people. Lately I've just felt a sense of peace and joy when I read the scriptures, testify to people, read up lifting books, etc. It's amazing how much JOY can come into your heart when you let Christ in! I really love the books "Jesus the Christ" and "Our Search for Happiness." I wish I had read them before my mission. There is a story in Our Search for Happiness about Elder Ballard's grandfather and his testimony about Jesus Christ. If you haven't read it, I would advise you to do so... Love you all!! Thank you, everyone, for being a great support to me during my life so I could come and serve on a mission. Mom and Dad, thank you for raising me in the Gospel! Miss you alot and can't wait to see all of you back home again... But this is where I'm meant to be, and I'm loving it here too. Russia is starting to feel like a second home. Everywhere feels like home when you are doing the work of the Savior! Sometimes you feel like your surrounded by loved ones when you don't know anyone around you... I don't know how to describe what I'm trying to say... I hope you all get the picture. Gotta go. Thanks again! :) Love, Blake

28 August 2010

Vyborg members fasting for the missionaries!

Hello! Great to hear from you again! First of all just want to say... DON'T worry about me at all. I'm perfectly fine. :) Yes... sometimes I get frustrated, but that's missionary work. Key word WORK. But this work over all brings me happiness. Like Joseph F. Smith said "The spirit that shirks responsibility shirks labor. Idleness and pleasure take the place of industry and strenuous effort... Time will vindicate the laws of God and the truth that individual happiness is found in duty, and not in pleasure and freedom from care." Christ never said that it would be easy, but that it is possible. I've got Him on my side all the time, and I'm happy! Glad that my letters got there for Meleea and Cole. :) I expect to here from them soon... well as soon as I can considering time it takes to get here and then waiting for transfers, zone conference, or splits with the ZL's. Did you receive any of my other letters?... Do Kelsey and Liz just live at our house now?! Ha ha ha. Tell them "Privyet" the next time you see them from Elder Blake :) I'm really sorry about Ben! He was too young to get hurt like that. I hope Kelsey is okay too... Tell her she is in my prayers. Say hi to Amanda Wignall for me when she comes... Still think it's funny how small the world is... ha ha. I about laughed my head off thinking of Millie falling over like a statue... Ha ha ha!! I miss my dog!!! She isn't getting fat is she? So this last week was not such an eventful week as they have been. We met with a lot of members this week because the members are taking turns fasting for the missionary work here in Vyborg. We taught them about what it means to fast and the blessings that come from it. One of the families we visited lives in the next town over called Gavarilava. Where one of the deacons lives. He really likes the missionaries. This town is in the middle of no where and I don't think they have a lot of youth there, so he appriciated me playing chess with him after our lesson with his family about the importance of scripture study. His name is Misha, and I have a feeling that he will make a good missionary some day. They youth are amazing here. The youth here help to bring a lot of happiness to Russia, and they bring a lot of happiness to the missionary. They help us a lot by inviting their friends to family home evening, coming with us to less actives, etc. They really have to step it up being surrounded everywhere you go with drugs, porn, alcohol, and corruption. Yawna, (the girl in the wheelchair) her grandfather died this last week and we had to help move his stuff out of the apartment this week for service. It was a sad day, but we talked to her about the Plan of Salvation, and even though she has some mental disabilities, she said, "I know that." (By the way, I saw Elder Wignall's address in the grandfather's room when we were clearing things out for them.) When we went to the castle this week for service, they didn't have anything for us to do, and we ended up talking with one of the janitors there named Mihail for about an hour. During Soviet times, he was a captain in the army, and he saw a lot of horrible stuff. Now he is a janitor and just wants things to be better, but he turns to alcohol for his support. I felt the Savior's love for him while he was talking and just wanted him so bad to listen to us about why we were here as missionaries. We tried to get him to come to church and meet with us, but he didn't think that it would help and wouldn't agree... I think times like that I feel just a little what the Savior and Heavenly Father feels... So our hot water has been turned off for the past month and I don't even remember what it feels like to take a hot shower... ha ha. I'm starting to like cold showers to be honest... They wake you up in the morning faster than anything else! ha ha! Yesterday we had a huge storm and the roads had rivers of water. I bought a new umbrella because mine broke. (took off 500 more rubles from my card ~ about 18 dollars I think?) We were about ready to build an ark! Elder Haggard and I walked down the street in the rain with our umbrellas singing "There is Sunshine in My Soul Today." Made us laugh! So I got an email from Nate Reidhead's mom giving me his England address. She wants you to email her! Whoops! Look at the time. Gotta run. I love you all alot and miss you tons! Wish I could say more but dont have time. Hope this email is long enough for you! ha ha. "Walk with God" Love, Blake

19 August 2010

Great F.H.E. this week!

Hello!!! Sounds like a party back home... Ha ha ha! What did Kelsey and Liz do when they tried the bread... Ha ha ha. That's kind of weird to think my friends have been at my house more than I have the last 6 months... You've only gotten two letters?... That's weird. I've sent the same amount of letters to all three of you... Must have gotten lost in the mail... Bleen. Well crazy week this last week. On Saturday we were at the church with one of the families of the church here when it started raining really hard and two people came running in. One of them was an older man named Boris that had investigated the church years ago and just remembered how nice the church was, so he came running in. The other was a lady that was completely drunk off wine and was crazy. She said she wanted help to quit drinking, then she said she wanted to kiss Elder Haggard... Then she tried to bow down to us and grab our hands. She was the most drunk lady I've ever seen! Needless to say we had Brother Dmitriov call a Taxi while we lead her out of the church with the help of Boris. We started talking to him and invited him to family home evening. He is a really nice guy and came to it the next day! The youth and ward mission leader really helped to fellowship him, and the youth all brought friends to FHE! It was amazing to see the branch here help out so much. That is rare for Russia... We pet a camel!!! The circus is in town here in Vyborg, and a teenager was leading a camel around! I got a picture. Ha ha. Never thought that I would see that in Russia. This last week we had splits with the Zone Leaders, Elders McCleary and Nielson. They are great guys. I think I already told you about them... They brought letters!!! I heard from Grandma and Grandpa, Cody, Nate Booth, Steph, and Richmond!!! They were all dated a month or longer ago... But still great to get them. Something about a handwritten letter is better than one on the computer. I want to know how it took just as long to get a letter from Chiloe, Chile, where Booth is right now, than it took to get a letter from New York... Oh well. I"m not going to complain. ha ha! Cool that you heard from Melanie Gerard and Igor! Igor is a really nice, funny guy! His son just went to the MTC. I gave that Called to Serve CD to Elder Hasbiullian in the MTC... Sorry! Thanks for sending me the CD's though. Elder Andersen has a cord that connects his camera to the computer... Or maybe he sent home his memory card? He's already sent home a bunch of stuff... Haha. I expect to hear from Kallie Brooke soon :) I don't think I need any dress shirts or things like that. Clothes are expensive here. I don't know why... Jeans that you could buy in America for 15 or so are like 60 dollars here... Well, my time is about up. Tell a big thank you to everyone back home!!! I never realized how great I had it back home with my wonderful friends and family until I was taken away from them. Phillippians 1:2-5 is how I would describe you all back home! I'm meeting so many people here and making some great friends... I swear I knew some of the people I meet here before this life. I truly am working among my friends right now. Oops, gotta jet. Lates! Blake

13 August 2010

Disclaimer!

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Proverbs 25:25

It's P-day again in Vyborg! Great to hear the bad pain is so much better, Dad!!! See, I told you that you had nothing to worry about. :) I wish I could have watched... You know me. ha ha! Did you tell the anesthesiologist that you just have a healthy heart and not to worry? ha ha. What did Millie girl do to the deer? I could see her just going outside and trying to make friends with it or something. What about Forest? I miss my dogs! I show pictures of Millie and Forest to people here and they all love them! Labs aren't common here, but German shephards are everywhere, along with those dogs that looks like there face is flat... not my favorite dog... The girl in the wheel chair that i told you about has a dog that comes with us. it looks like a mop without the handle. ha ha. His name is Simion and he is always REALLY excited to see the missionaries! Still cannot imagine the backyard with grass!! Steph is engaged?... Wow. I called it! I told her I give it a year after she started school and she'd be married! Ha ha. I hope she is still the same happy and nice Steph that I know! I haven't heard from her at all...... Tell her congrats for me! We've been pretty busy. Since I last sent home an email, we met with the Branch President and organized a Branch mission plan to help members participate in missionary work. We then had a day of just contacting, because all 4 of our meetings we had set up fell through... That's Russia for you... ha ha. On Monday one of the ward member's family friends went missing! She is a lady with alzheimers and she went walking through this little woods on the outside of the city. Elder Haggard and I joined the search party for a couple hours while we didn't have a meeting set up. We had a prayer and a brief lesson with everyone that God knows where she is and he will help us. We helped search through the woods while we could (which is alot like Ephraim, Dad, but more pine trees and ferns and stuff and not on a mountain.. Russia has some beautiful wildlife) and we found out later that night that they found her safe and well. The family are members, but they really appreciated the help and it helped us to show people that we are here to help. For service this week we helped hang paintings at the castle for a photo/art show they are having about the castle. It took a long time, so didn't get to see the armour, but that is okay. I'm here to serve, not to try on armour. ha ha Someone might try to scare me from inside it anyways!! ;) Yesterday we had English club were only two people showed up. Elder Haggard worked with one and I worked with the other. the person I was working with didn't speak a lick of english, so it was hard to teach him. It was really good practice for my Russian though. The Russian is coming. I know it is. I can see the improvement, no matter how slow. I just thought it would be quicker! We have investigators, but they don't really meet with us much. They always are working or something whenever we call... But there are a couple who have been away from Vyborg for the summer too that would meet with us if they were here. Summer is a hard time to do missionary work in Russia because everyone goes to there little shack they have out in the country called a "dacha." They garden and get away from the city during the summer. It is not allowed for us to go to dacha's due to how far away they are and also due to the fires! So our mission has a theme song! ha ha. I want you guys to listen to the song "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay. Someone translated just the words for President Podvodov, and he liked it! I knew that song and when I started thinking about the words it made me laugh. I thought of something that you could send me. With my cd's in the left closet of what was my room (if you haven't moved them yet) is a stack of cd's that I got from Seagull book while I worked there. Could you send them to me? I rely on whatever my compaion has for music and want some of my own. I'm so glad to be on my mission! Things get hard... Sometimes frustrating. Sometimes you wonder if you are really good enough to do this work for the Lord? Sometimes you wonder if anyone wants to listen to you!! Sometimes you wonder why it is so hard and why we are rejected on the streets so much? But I've realized that Christ was rejected more than he was accepted... That He never said it would be easy, but that it would be worth it. He said that is would be possible. He promises the miracles come after the trial of your faith, and that through weaknesses, He works. I'm learning so much about myself and about my Lord. I have to agree with my friend, Ryan Smith who just so happened to serve in my same mission when he was 19. "I never said that it was the best two years of my life, but it was the best two years for my life." I've already started to learn that. Well, my time is about over. Need to end really quick. Love you all!! Miss you lots!! Remember what it says in Proverbs 25:25~ "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." Love, Blake

07 August 2010

Humbling week in Vyborg.

Well, it's been a busy week here in Vyborg. Since last P-day we've done lots of stuff. A member's grandmother died, and he asked us to go to the morgue with him to help him put the body in the back of the "hearse" (van) for the funeral, because they didn't have anyone else to do it. It was a humbling experience. They had a little Orthodox ceremony there for the rest of his family who aren't members. We told the people there that talked to us that we were there for them if they need it, and we know that they can see her again someday. We then took a girl named Yawna for a walk. Yawna lives on the 5th floor of an old apartment building. She was born without feet and some mental problems. Her parents are divorced, and her mom is a huge alcoholic and was plastered when we got there. No elevator so we have to carry her chair up and down 5 flights of stairs. She is a really cool girl. She is happy and knows that God loves her! She doesn't have to be baptized due to her mental disabilites, and she is a good example to me. Lately when I think that I have it hard learning this language or trying to talk to people, I just think that other people like Yawna have more problems then me. We took her for a short walk, then brought her to a family friend until her mom was sober... I really don't get why drinking is Russia's favorite pastime... We did some service work at the Vyborg Castle, which is where you find St. Olaf's Tower. We helped move some displays and did some raking for them. They then let us go to the top of St. Olaf's Tower and look around before we left. From there you can see Finland! I took a picture of Finland of course. Next week they said I can put on a suit of armor. :) It's a really cool tower and they've done a good job restoring it and turning it into a museum. I'll figure out a way to send pictures. I then learned how to use a sythe this week. There is a man here named John who moved here from America because his wife is Russian. His wife speaks English, but John has only been here 10 months and doesn't speak much Russian yet. Their kids speak both Russian and English, and to be honest, I was a bit jealous of that. Ha ha. They dont really use lawnmowers here in Russia, they just use weed wackers or if you can't afford that, a sythe. I learned how to use a sythe and "mowed" their backyard for them. Yesterday we went contacting and had my first experience running away from a mad dog. We turned around the corner and there was this mean, wild dog that started snarling and snapping as us. I wasn't as surprised with that as I was when Elder Haggard pushed me and knocked me down because he was so frantic to get away from the dog!! I was laughing for quite a while to be honest. He was TERRRIFIED!!! Ha ha ha!!! Trying not to crack up right now while I'm typing! He, he, he! The member who translates for the Prophet lives in our branch here, and we met with him this week. He said that even though I don't know alot of Russian yet, I speak well and almost without an accent. That made me feel better because somedays I just don't think I understand any of this language!!! He is a really smart guy. He is a doctor (but even they don't make a lot in Russia) and he knows both English and Russian fluently and he's translated pretty much everything the church has in Russian. Now is is working on translating the book "Jesus the Christ." As far as investigators are concerned, we have quite a few who are meeting with us, but this last week they all ditched us. It's perfectly normal in Russia to not show up to a meeting or come an hour late... gotta love it... Oh well. We try and the Lord helps us each day, even if it is helping us to laugh! :) Last night was a flash storm. I loved it. :) Some green Grass? I want to see the backyard now!!!! That is soooo cool! Send a picture when you can! Tell the "tough Norwegian" aka dad, that he has nothing to worry about with the surgery. :) Ha ha. He'll be fine, I know he will. Actually lots of people as me when we are on the street and they are nice enough to talk to us and ask us our names, if I am from Norway. I say no, from America, but my ancestors were. How did the transformer catch on fire? Are Richmond and Christina okay? Who is the new family in the ward? Has the ward changed a lot since I left? How's everyone at home? Things going better with work, etc? Heard from Code lately? What's new with him? Having fun teaching the crazies? Have you heard from any of my friends? It feels like I haven't been home in a long time... I wonder why... I want to hear ALL about home. I'm a stranger to home now. Love you all!! Miss you tons!!! Working hard. Learning alot. Be of Good Cheer!!! BLAKE

30 July 2010

Email chat with mom in the middle of the night!

Well it's been a long week since I last talked to you due to Estonia, Zone Conference, and Elder Haggard's visa trip. Lot's to say, so I'll try to type fast. I'm talking to you at the same time that I do this! Vyborg is a mini city. It has really cool old buildings and used to be owned by Finland. Old Finnish castles and stuff here. :) We plan to go see some, and I found out we do service at one. :) Estonia was kinda quiet. I'm writing you a letter as we speak about this last week. Elder Haggard is really nice! He is so cool!! What's new at home? KB there? Estonia wasn't as complicated as I thought it was going to be. We pretty much to walked across this bridge next to some old Russian castles, took some pictures in Estonia, and walked back. It was about a 3 hour ride there, spent an hour in Estonia, and walked back. Estonia looks alot like Kaliningrad, more European looking than Russia. We had zone conference on Monday and then stayed until Thursday in St. Pete's because of Elder Haggard's visa trip. I was on a split with Elder Adam McCleary from Seattle and really got along with him as well!! He ran on the same races in track as me and he reminds me alot of Briton Page. I hope I can serve with him sometime. He was Elder Andersen's trainer, and Elder Andersen loved him too. I ate a half a watermelon by myself yesterday. Elder McCleary ate the other half. Ha ha! That was GOOD. :) I hope I get to serve someday in the city. I decided I like the city and metroes and stuff! Elder Haggard laughed that you tried to add him on facebook. he he he! Things to send in the package that I want lately- Mainly stuff to munch on. Dried Mangoes Trail Mix (Elder Pundersen wants "Doritoes Tacoes at Midnight" Chips. He told me to say that Ha ha!!) Big Hunks!!!!! Maybe contact solution if possible. It's kinda hard to find here. Maybe some drink mixes (GAtorade or something?) peanut butter? OH forgot to tell you. I pulled off another 1000 rubles off my account to get a backpack. That is a total of 1500 rubles, or about 50 dollars? Sorry this letter isn't as long, but it was cool that we got to talk while doing this. Love you all so much and miss you alot! Love, Blake

22 July 2010

Hello from VYBORG!

Hello from Vyborg!!! Today is my first day in my new area: Vyborg. It is about a 30 min metro ride plus a 2 hour bus ride from St. Pete's. It's a city right next to a big river. Lots of shady parks and green trees. I'm exicted to serve here! The only thing was last night the sun didn't really ever go down that much... Oh well. What can you do? There is sunshine in my soul today! Ha ha. I can't really say much more about it though see that I haven't even been here a day. When I left K-grad, I flew with Elder Anthony. We didn't even know when our flight was until about 2, and we had to fly out at 8:50 at night. The airplane didn't take off on time, so it didn't leave until 9:40. Add in the time zone change that we had when we got to St. Petersburg, and we didn't arrive until about 1:30 in the morning. Fun stuff. :) I've already had to travel after midnight twice on my mission. Seriously, though, we were laughing pretty hard! I'm going to miss K-grad a lot, but i know I'll like it here in Vyborg too. For family home evening the memebers in K-grad bought me and Elder Anthony little keychain amber things, which Kaliningrad is famous for. They played games and invited a bunch of people from the English club and our investigators came!! Elder Poulson is staying there with Elder Anthony's companion, so I can still hear how they are doing during zone conference and stuff. Will miss him & K-grad. Who knows, maybe I'll go back there someday? To be honest, I feel like I'm slowing down a little bit and so I'm trying to give myself that added boost to get going again. The Russian is still pretty hard, and we work alot, so I think that is why I'm tired. My new companion, Elder Haggard seems like a really happy, optimistic, hardworking guy too, so I think that he will pick me up a little bit. Things are hard, but they are getting better. They always do! Just trust in the Lord all that you can and He takes care of the rest. That's one thing that I've definitley learned my strongly here in Russia. In other news, I will be heading back to St. Petersburg today, because tomorrow I have to go to Estonia to renew my visa. Just call me "Elder Blake the World Traveler Larsen." I'm excited as I get to go with Elders Gerard and Andersen!!!!!! I've heard that Estonia is really cool. Next week Elder Haggard (my new companion from California) has his visa trip, and we also have zone conference, so we won't really be spending time in our area for the first week again. We'll still be doing missionary work though. :) My P-day next week might be on a different day than thursday, because of this. Just so you know, so you don't worry if you don't get a letter on Thursday. I have sent home letters, I promise!!! I just barely got letters from Nate and Liz yesterday marked the very begging of June, even the Dear Elders, so it takes a while to get mail no matter what. I actually think the Dear Elders aren't any faster at all then normal letter because I think they print them off somewhere else and send them in a pouch or something. I hear it takes longer to get from Russia to USA than from USA to Russia. I'm printing off some photos today and sending them home so hopefully you'll be getting them in a month or so... ;) I tried to connect my camera to the computer here, but I wouldn't read my camera. Sorry. Sounds like the medical issues of the family are getting taken care of. Tell dad that I will be waiting to hear about his knee and tell him good luck from me. NO I didn't put them up to it. It was totally there decision. The girls like you, mom. What can I say? (They also like your cake too...;)) What did they say to you? How are they doing? I've barely heard from them, and when I do it's old news. ha ha. Old news is a ton better than no news though, so I'm not complaining. Tell Liz, yes I got the Dear Elders, but they still took a long time. That's crazy that you saw Brae's mom! I knew she worked at a Doctor's office, but didn't think we'd ever see her. Tell her to tell Brae hi if you can somehow. ha ha Have you heard more about Ian Stats? I hope he didn't have to go home because of his injury. I always have so much to say, but not enough time to write. I hope I gave you some good stuff for my blog though. Sister Luna tempted me with a peek when I was at the office, but I thought if I looked that I wouldn't be able to stop, so I didn't. ha ha! I'm very curious who and what is on there. Lastly, I just want to tell you all back home, my testimony. I know without a doubt, 110% that this church is true! That Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the World and that only through Him can we receive the joy only Eternal Life and Salvation can bring. I know that life is hard, that we all have trials, that we all make mistakes, but I also know that no matter how big the burden, if you trust in God, he will make the burdens light on you back like he did with the people of Alma. I know that Heavenly Father is polishing us and perfecting us with the roughness of our trials, and the power of the living waters that He has, and that He knocks away the rough edges until we become smoother in His hand. I know that we can be instruments in God's hands and do great things while we are here on this earth, but without the Master, the tool cannot do anything. It just becomes dirty, dull, and stationary. I know that the Lord never forgets us, we only forget Him. Words cannot describe the Joy the Gospel of the Lord, Savior Jesus Christ brings! I don't know where I would be without it. Like it says in my favorite scripture Alma 26:16 ~ "Therefore let us glory yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea we will rejoice, for our Joy is full; yea we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long suffering-towards the children of men? Behold I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel." Love you all!! Miss you more than you know, but loving that I'm serving the Lord. Love, Blake