Appreciate all the letters and support on my mission!

Yellow!! It was great to talk to you on Saturday. Everything is a blur, as our day was pretty busy on Christmas. I feel like I talked about nothing with you guys... Ha ha. Hope you liked talking with me anyway... Code said that you think I have an accent?... I don't believe it. ha ha. Often here people ask Elder Gerard and I if we are from Estonia or the Baltics, and say our accents are alike like their accents.  They think that my face looks like someone from the Baltics too... I still think I look very American and sound very American.

Please tell Grandma, Grandpa, and Liz "Spa-si-bah" for the Christmas cards. They came on Monday and were both very nice. I really appriciate their support for me on my mission, along with my family's of course. I don't know if I told that Paige Andersen also sent me a card? Tell her thanks too! That was really nice of her. Still waiting on your card you sent?

On Tuesday we had a really good meeting with Sergei. We FINALLY taught him all of the first lesson, as he is the kind of guy that asks a lot of questions. That's a good thing though. That means he wants to find the truth and wants to understand what we are saying. He really liked when we read the story of Jospeh Smith, and how he read in James 1:5 that you can ask God directly if something is true, or if you lack wisdom, that if we ask with real intent, we can all find the truth. He said he believes that our message is true, but he isn't sure if it is the only true church on the earth. We told him that we both have received this knowledge, and felt the power of the Holy Ghost testify that it is true, and that he can too. He said that he will definitely ask God if it is true. We haven't been able to talk to him since that meeting, but it was a really good.

Today we have a meeting with Vladimir, a long time investigator who can't give up smoking/drinking. He has a good testimony and accepts everything, just needs help with his addiction. I admire people who are trying to give addictions up. I've never really realized how hard it was until I came on my mission and saw peolple struggle with that kind of thing. I never was around that stuff before my mission, and I realized how much of a blessing that was. We know Vladimir can do it, and we know that the Lord will help him.

Tomorrow and the day after we will be staying with the zone leaders, as New Years here gets pretty crazy. We aren't allowed to be on the streets, so it will be a day of studying, writing letters, etc.

Just barely got your letter and only have 10 minutes left to type. Don't worry mom, I'm staying warm as I can be. I'm usually hot from all the layers, except my legs. They usually are still pretty cold!! Thank you for the other package, and I know you like to do that for me, but really you don't need to send me lots of stuff. I'm okay.

Well. Gotta run. Tell Lee HHHHHHAAAAPPPPPYYYY BBBBBBIIIIIIRRRRTTTTHHDDDDDAAAAYYYY!!!! on New Years!!! Remember, you are all in my prayers, and that the Lord is always around. I love you all alot and miss you! We'll see each other again before you know it.

Love,
Blake
aka....
Elder Blake T. Larsen