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.