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

03 October 2011

Happy Birthday to the Twins!

I turned 21 before Code! Ha ha!


Well, Today is my Birthday and I'm finally an adult of 21... What doest that mean? Nothing really, since I don't drink or smoke or do any of that crazy stuff, but at least I can say I'm an adult now, right?  


On Friday I got "an early Birthday Present" from a stranger in the metro... I got a nice tasty knuckle sandwich. I had my Visa Trip on Saturday, so I was on a split with Elder Andersen heading to the AP's house at night, and we were also with Elders Wilde and Clark. Elder Andersen saw this African man and we started talking with him and rode on the same bus with him. Really nice and cool guy. He is a doctor! Anyway, so while we were talking with him, this young guy just comes up and gets up in Elder Andersen's face and says "Get out of here" and threatens him. He then goes and sits down. I started talking with the African guy and I was the closest one to this young punk who threatened Elder Andersen. He started making fun of us and saying things like "you better be scared." and stuff. This happens a lot, but usually no one does anything so we ignored him. The African man suggested that we just get out on the next stop and ride a different train. But right before we come to the next stop, this punk runs over from the side and rocks me square in the jaw, upwards toward my cheek. I saw spots and Elder Wilde was behind me and supported me from falling while Elder Andersen pushed the guy out of the wagon. While Elder Andersen pushed him out of the wagon, he dropped his phone and didn't notice. He then tried to hit Elder Clark through the wagon door, but missed. I was the only one that noticed that he dropped his phone and I picked up the pieces and turned it on and found out his home phone number and that his name was Yuri. We called Gennady from our Visa Department and told him what happened, and he said in Russia to get a cell phone you have to give your passport, so if we bring that phone into him, he can find out who this guy is... 

I was really kind of mad when it all happened, but something held me back from doing something about it. I am really grateful for my friends that I made here though! The other missionaries that were with me were ready to do anything to help, and everyone who heard about it has shown support and said stuff like " You can't do that to my friend!" 

My jaw is okay. It didn't swell up and I don't think that anything is broken, it's just really achy and stiff. I really feel sorry for the guy that punched me... The next day I was thinking about how he was filled with so much hate against us, not even knowing who we are or what we are doing and I read in 1 John 4:7-9. We just want to help people find out what love is.

Estonia was fun as usual, and my next visa trip will be my final one for my mission. We actually had a few people in Estonia ask us about the Gospel, and we were able to do some missionary work there. Weather here is getting colder. It's cloudy and windy all the time now. You can feel winter coming. Today for P-day we are going to get Elder Ash some winter clothes, and I'm going to see what souvenirs I can start buying. Haven't bought any yet. Maybe go out to lunch too. 

The work in this area is going really slow... There are not a lot of people and the branch doesn't really help much to be honest... But we are slowly seeing success more and more. We have made contact with lots of less actives that haven't been heard from in a long time, and we have a really cool investigator but since she is a girl it's hard to find another male to meet with us, which is also hard considering we are working in the sister's old area, and our area books are filled with almost only girls... We are having fun serving in this district though and slowly and surely seeing more and more success.

Just barely President Clark called to wish me a Happy Birthday and said he knows that this branch is full of "goofies" but he says just keep doing what we are doing and we will see success. He also wanted to check to see how my jaw is. He said that they will talk with the police today about the telephone tooWell, I need to run. Sorry my emails don't have much detail... When I try to do a lot of detail, I end up only talking about one topic. Seems like it today.

I love you all! I'm happy to be on my mission and to feel the love of our Heavenly Father so strong and also to be able to share this with other people, offer it and let them take it.

Love you a lot! Keep Smiling, and Be of Good Cheer!
Blake!


*Tammy had an opportunity to stay up and email Blake to say Happy Birthday, so I was online when his email came in~  On Mon, Oct 3, 2011 Tammy Larsen wrote:

Still hurts me more than you, and and that is saying a lot! 


Blake's email reply~ I know. Thanks. :) That's what Moms do! But really I am okay. I promise. If Apostles and Prophets could go through what they did, and Christ could accomplish the Atonement and go through the death and persecution He did, then I can at least take a fist to the face... It hurts more to think about how sad that guy's life probably is.

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