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