The Elders were exacuated to Lehigh Church house during Tropical Storm Fay.
Rain in Elder Larson's backyard.
Our behind our apartment after a rainstorm.
Elder Larson signing a song from the Primary Children's Songbook
An unwelcome matOctober 30, 2008
More Pictures from Florida
The Elders were exacuated to Lehigh Church house during Tropical Storm Fay.Rain in Elder Larson's backyard. Our behind our apartment after a rainstorm. Elder Larson signing a song from the Primary Children's SongbookAn unwelcome mat
Pictures that Elder Don Larson sent.
Pharnod (A young man that Elder Don has been teaching who wants to be baptized
but his father hasn't given permission.)
Elder Don Larson with MerciDieu (Pharnod's brother) who doing a card trick.
The Language Zone at my first ZDM.
Three-fourths of the Haitian district (the trainers w/o their suits)(L to R) Elder Hofer (district leader) Elder Welch, me, Elder Hall, Elder Valentine, Elder Harris
Elder Hall and me on my first full day in Florida.
Elder Hall and me on my first full day in Florida.October 27, 2008
Email Oct. 27, 2008
Dear Family,
Bonjou! Well I'll start off with the most exciting news I have, we found out about transfers on Saturday. I will be staying here in Ft. Myers and my companion will be Elder Valentine. Elder Hall is going to Immokalee. Elder Valentine is a great missionary, he's from Alaska, he has been out for about two months longer than Elder Hall and is very excited to come to Ft. Myers and have all of our awesome investigators handed to him. We should have a great transfer.
This week was great. I saw a lot of good things happen and a few things that were rough as well. My favorite 63 year old Haitian lady, Mary Fadeal, is done with tobacco for good. I learned a lot watching her struggle with it and seeing how determined she was to follow God's commandments. I also saw the first signs of problems from our "golden" family. But we have so many awesome investigators right now, it's just a matter of keeping them going and making sure they are prepared for their baptismal dates.
All in all, life is going great, the weather here is starting to get cold, well not really cold, more of an absence of heat. This morning was so nice.Well, I don't have too much more to say, so I'll leave you at that. I hope everything is going great at home. I always love hearing from you! Pase yon bon semenn,
Love,
Elder Larson
Bonjou! Well I'll start off with the most exciting news I have, we found out about transfers on Saturday. I will be staying here in Ft. Myers and my companion will be Elder Valentine. Elder Hall is going to Immokalee. Elder Valentine is a great missionary, he's from Alaska, he has been out for about two months longer than Elder Hall and is very excited to come to Ft. Myers and have all of our awesome investigators handed to him. We should have a great transfer.
This week was great. I saw a lot of good things happen and a few things that were rough as well. My favorite 63 year old Haitian lady, Mary Fadeal, is done with tobacco for good. I learned a lot watching her struggle with it and seeing how determined she was to follow God's commandments. I also saw the first signs of problems from our "golden" family. But we have so many awesome investigators right now, it's just a matter of keeping them going and making sure they are prepared for their baptismal dates.
All in all, life is going great, the weather here is starting to get cold, well not really cold, more of an absence of heat. This morning was so nice.Well, I don't have too much more to say, so I'll leave you at that. I hope everything is going great at home. I always love hearing from you! Pase yon bon semenn,
Love,
Elder Larson
October 20, 2008
E-mail of Oct. 20, 2008
Dear Family,
This past week has been a great one. Right now we are having way more success than we deserve. Our teaching pool is full of awesome people. We are teaching four Haitian families. Two of them aren't so much families, more like just the kids. But, in any case they are all still awesome. In all, from those four families, we are teaching 15 people who are of baptism age. Seven of them have baptism dates right now and are all really solid. They are all so prepared and so golden that they make our other investigators seem a little slow. Other than those families, we still are planning on having a baptism this weekend as long as we feel our investigator has really quit tobacco. I really hope she can, she has worked so hard to be baptized it would be hard to see her wait any longer.The work is going great, and so naturally I'm doing great too. I can't wait to hear from you again next week.
Love,
Elder Larson
This past week has been a great one. Right now we are having way more success than we deserve. Our teaching pool is full of awesome people. We are teaching four Haitian families. Two of them aren't so much families, more like just the kids. But, in any case they are all still awesome. In all, from those four families, we are teaching 15 people who are of baptism age. Seven of them have baptism dates right now and are all really solid. They are all so prepared and so golden that they make our other investigators seem a little slow. Other than those families, we still are planning on having a baptism this weekend as long as we feel our investigator has really quit tobacco. I really hope she can, she has worked so hard to be baptized it would be hard to see her wait any longer.The work is going great, and so naturally I'm doing great too. I can't wait to hear from you again next week.
Love,
Elder Larson
October 13, 2008
Columbus Day E-mail (Oct. 13, 2008)
Mom,
Thanks for your e-mail. It was PACKED with information. I'm surprised my new nephew isn't named Ike, but naming him after me was probably a better call anyway. Where is Jordan Johnson going to? I guess Central America. It's good to hear BYU and SJH are both still undefeated. I'm guessing USU hasn't won a game or else that would be the news of the week.
Alright, now I've got that out I can share what's happened to me this week. For starters, I saw my first baptism on Saturday. Her name is Evelyne Charles and we've probably known her longer than I have been on my mission. My companion performed the baptism and I was able to perform the confirmation on Sunday in church. It was such a huge relief to finally take her off of our list of investigators. It was a little bit of a bitter sweet moment though. We had the baptism on Saturday morning so that her husband could come. But for one reason or another he just decided he wasn't coming. She was pretty sad. To make it worse there were hardly any members there either. Even our Branch President couldn't make it. But we are still teaching her sister who lives with her so we should be able to still see her and make sure she gets all of her new member lessons.In other news, we have also begun teaching two really solid Haitian families. It's pretty rare for a Haitian family to be even close to solid so its pretty sweet and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to teach them. Last night we set dates with four of the people in one family for Nov. 8. It was our first lesson with most of them and it was probably the best lesson I've had so far. We are also still teaching a woman named Mary Fadeal. She is ready for baptism once she can quit chewing tobacco. I think I told you about the lesson we had with her when we first taught the Word of Wisdom and she got up right after the lesson and dumped out all her coffee. She has obviously had a harder time quiting tobacco, but she has gone from five times a day down to one, and she had a stretch where she went three days in a row. Her desire and commitment to live all of God's commandments has really been an example to me. She is an awesome lady!That is the good news coming from Fort Myers this week. Things have been really good. I hope every thing is going great back home. Keep on doing what your doing and I can't wait to hear from you again!
Love,
Elder Larson
P.S. I almost forgot. Today is a pretty cool day. In case you didn't know Christopher Columbus landed in Haiti near present-day Cap-Haitian. The Native Americans living there saw this white man who came from the East and mistook him for Jesus Christ. I don't know how true that story is but Haitians love it! When you tell them that story they can't help but fall in love with the Book of Mormon.
Thanks for your e-mail. It was PACKED with information. I'm surprised my new nephew isn't named Ike, but naming him after me was probably a better call anyway. Where is Jordan Johnson going to? I guess Central America. It's good to hear BYU and SJH are both still undefeated. I'm guessing USU hasn't won a game or else that would be the news of the week.
Alright, now I've got that out I can share what's happened to me this week. For starters, I saw my first baptism on Saturday. Her name is Evelyne Charles and we've probably known her longer than I have been on my mission. My companion performed the baptism and I was able to perform the confirmation on Sunday in church. It was such a huge relief to finally take her off of our list of investigators. It was a little bit of a bitter sweet moment though. We had the baptism on Saturday morning so that her husband could come. But for one reason or another he just decided he wasn't coming. She was pretty sad. To make it worse there were hardly any members there either. Even our Branch President couldn't make it. But we are still teaching her sister who lives with her so we should be able to still see her and make sure she gets all of her new member lessons.In other news, we have also begun teaching two really solid Haitian families. It's pretty rare for a Haitian family to be even close to solid so its pretty sweet and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to teach them. Last night we set dates with four of the people in one family for Nov. 8. It was our first lesson with most of them and it was probably the best lesson I've had so far. We are also still teaching a woman named Mary Fadeal. She is ready for baptism once she can quit chewing tobacco. I think I told you about the lesson we had with her when we first taught the Word of Wisdom and she got up right after the lesson and dumped out all her coffee. She has obviously had a harder time quiting tobacco, but she has gone from five times a day down to one, and she had a stretch where she went three days in a row. Her desire and commitment to live all of God's commandments has really been an example to me. She is an awesome lady!That is the good news coming from Fort Myers this week. Things have been really good. I hope every thing is going great back home. Keep on doing what your doing and I can't wait to hear from you again!
Love,
Elder Larson
P.S. I almost forgot. Today is a pretty cool day. In case you didn't know Christopher Columbus landed in Haiti near present-day Cap-Haitian. The Native Americans living there saw this white man who came from the East and mistook him for Jesus Christ. I don't know how true that story is but Haitians love it! When you tell them that story they can't help but fall in love with the Book of Mormon.
October 6, 2008
E-mail of Oct. 6, 2008
Dear Family,
Conference was awesome! We were able to listen to all five sessions at the church. There were so many good things said, and how about those new temples? That was one of the most exciting parts for me. I wondered if the one in Argentina is in Brian's mission. All in all, there were so many good things said, I just wish more of the branch would have come. I'm sure most of them were not able to watch or listen at home and there weren't too many people at the church.All in all, the work is going pretty well. We just started teaching a family who is way cool. The three youngest kids have been to church a few times with their cousin who is a strong member. I'm just hoping we don't run into another situation with their parents like we did with Pharnod's dad. We think their father may be a pastor for another church, so we'll have to see about that. Its exciting though.Well, it sounds like things are going pretty good at home. That's good to hear about BYU and SJHS. I had a second camera card already and I stole a bunch of pictures from my companions camera I am planning on printing off some pictures soon, hopefully today. I'll get you some quick. How's the new fridge and lawnmower treating you? How is school going? What was your favorite talk from conference? I hope everything is going well for you and your health is improving. You are always in my prayers. M renmen nou e m sonje nou.
Love,
Elder Larson
Conference was awesome! We were able to listen to all five sessions at the church. There were so many good things said, and how about those new temples? That was one of the most exciting parts for me. I wondered if the one in Argentina is in Brian's mission. All in all, there were so many good things said, I just wish more of the branch would have come. I'm sure most of them were not able to watch or listen at home and there weren't too many people at the church.All in all, the work is going pretty well. We just started teaching a family who is way cool. The three youngest kids have been to church a few times with their cousin who is a strong member. I'm just hoping we don't run into another situation with their parents like we did with Pharnod's dad. We think their father may be a pastor for another church, so we'll have to see about that. Its exciting though.Well, it sounds like things are going pretty good at home. That's good to hear about BYU and SJHS. I had a second camera card already and I stole a bunch of pictures from my companions camera I am planning on printing off some pictures soon, hopefully today. I'll get you some quick. How's the new fridge and lawnmower treating you? How is school going? What was your favorite talk from conference? I hope everything is going well for you and your health is improving. You are always in my prayers. M renmen nou e m sonje nou.
Love,
Elder Larson
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