Just a Couple Blondes in a Very Puerto Rican World

So this week was great, I feel like I always say this but it's because it's true!!! Hna Josie and I had two baptisms yesterday of people that we found at the beginning of the transfer! Delfin (which translated to English means Dolphin) has been a joy to teach!! He's 42 and actually studied to be a preacher. He has completely fallen in love with the gospel and the Book of Mormon and always has great insights about what he has learned from our lessons. Oh! And Omar was also baptized and his story is INCREDIBLE!  We actually found him on the 18th because he was an old investigator of the elders that use to be here. He had received all of the lessons and had come to church a couple times but then lost contact with the missionaries. The day we found him he told us that he had really want to be baptized in our church but had lost hope when the missionaries stopped passing by. He accepted our invitation to be baptized on the 26th with a lot of excitement and is now looking forward to getting involved in institute!

I just feel so blessed to be on a mission and I cannot image my life without this experience. The church is true!! I know people say that all the time but I really mean it!! There is no way that it couldn't be!!

I hope y'all have a great week and that you enjoy the rest of your Monday!!

Les amo!!

Hna Larsen

My exchange with Hermana Pichule

Baptism of Omar

Baptism of Omar

Baptism of Omar and Delfin

Baptism Delfin

Pictures from February 21, 2017

West Side Best Side

Last week we had transfers and I got moved to an area called Mayaguez to be with Hna. Josie!!! It's on the opposite side of the Island than all my other areas and I kind of feel like I'm in a completely different mission here! But on the bright side, I'm right by the coast and this side of the island is known for its amazing beaches... well I guess that doesn't really matter because I can't actually visit the beach but it's still fun to know.

It was really sad saying goodbye to my other comp, Hermana Anderson!  She and I got along really well. Last Monday we decided that we wanted to do something crazy before we split up so we decided to dye my hair white-blonde! I was already really blonde but from the mixture of metallic water and long days in the sun, it was starting to turn a little yellow. So yes, I am now very, very blonde.

Anyway, I now live in a house with 4 sisters, 3 of us are blonde and come from Utah and Hermana Guevara is our cute Latina. We all get along great which is good because the house is tiny! But I love them and I'm so excited to be a Sister Trainer Leader in the Mayaguez zone!

I hope you have a great week and that you stay warm in Utah!!

Hna Larsen

Here's some pics from my last couple days with Hna. Anderson and my adventure in Mayaguez

A picture speaks a thousand words.....right?

This week was another crazy week so I'll just give you the summary:

Hna. Anderson and I had an adventure planning the sister activity for our zone.

Hna. Luz made me an Hna larsen doll (it's super accurate!)

I went on exchanges with Hna. Rodriguez in Humacao.

We had an amazing baptism.

And we had our sister activity!

Here's the pics!!!

I Can do Awkward Things

I can do awkward things. I feel like that has been the theme of my entire mission! I think I'm just an awkward person in general and so I find social situation uncomfortable. However, this week seemed to take it to another level. 

So to start out, our investigator didn't get baptized this weekend.  So we went to go see  her on Wednesday and everything was fine but that night we got a call from here saying that she didn't want to get baptized. We were of course sad but then she told us her reasoning and it was a little uncomfortable. She didn't want to get baptized because  a Bruja (Witch) put a curse on her with Black Magic and the curse won't be broken until she's older.  This is really weighing heavily on her. We tried to explain to her that God is more powerful than any "witch" or the powers of Satan but she wouldn't listen to us. We finally decided to give her some space but we told her to pray about it. 

We invited her to church on Sunday and after the services she told us that she had received an answer and that she wants to be baptized on the the 28th!! I made her pinky promise me that she was sure about this decision and only God is more powerful than a pinky promise, right? We're really excited that she was able to make this decision and overcome the powers of her "curse".

This weekend we had intercambios with the sisters in Aguas Buenas and I was able to stay here in Guayama and work with Hna. Guevara who is one of the cutest people I've ever met. I think I learned more from her than she did from Me!

On Saturday we had the baptism of Luis and he looked so cute in his gigantic  baptism suit! His mom was also reactivated this weekend and I'm so thankful that I was able to help them return to the gospel and make some steps in the right direction!

Well I hope you all have a great week and always remember that you too can do awkward things!!

Luis' Baptism

Luis's Baptism

Luis' Baptism

Hna. Guevara

Intercambios with the sisters in Aguas Buenas

Peleando con una peluca y algunas cosas (Fighting with a wig and some things)

Wow, what a week! I probably start most of my emails like that but seriously, what a week! We had un MONTON  of miracles happen this week!!! 

To start off the week we had a zone meeting on Tuesday and Hna Anderson and I were in charge of teaching to subjects of acting in faith and what it means to be a successful missionary. I was soooo nervous but it's as soon as it was our turn to speak, all of the nerves went away and we were able to teach everything without too many mistakes! 

After the meeting we went to our investigator, and talked to her about moving her baptismal date to the 21st and she was all for it!! Her only reservation is that she cut her hair super short and she's been using a wig, waiting for  her hair to grow.... Yes, a wig. We explained that she didn't need to wear her wig and that she seriously looked better without it. At the end of the lesson she was all for having a baptism on the 21st.

On Wednesday we were teaching my recent convert, Joan, and her 13 son who originally had a date for the 21st. We had a fun interactive lesson at a park by their house and at the end I explained that Edward ( the son) had been taught all of the lessons and could be baptized on Saturday if they wanted. Joan looked at me and said "Pues no tenemos planes por este Sabado" (we don't have plans for this Saturday). And they then accepted to move the date to Saturday the 14th!!! We had to rush to get everything arranged but by the end of the day we had everything set up!

Thursday morning we got a call from our investigator saying that she didn't know if she wanted to get baptized anymore. We were so confused but we passed by later with a member. Her worry was still about her wig!! The member explained that she looked better without the wig and she gave her advice about relaxing and coloring her hair. 

Friday to Saturday we had intercambios and the baptismal interview of Edward... Well his interview was scheduled for Friday but Joan called me an hour before and told me that they were walking into a movie and wouldn't be able to make it....I started frantically coordinating with the district leader and we were able to move the interview to Saturday morning. Saturday morning came around anddddddd HE PASSED! We had a beautiful baptism and many of the youth in the ward participated. It was a great way to end such a crazy week!

Sorry for the novel! I love you guys and I hope you have a great week!!

Hna Larsen

What a Week!

This week has been A BLAST!! We had MLC on Wednesday and we went down to Old San Juan and had a scavenger hunt!! We were split up with our zone leaders and we had to take pictures of the things on our scavenger list. We later talked about the attributes of leaders and what makes someone a good or bad leader. I loved it and had a ton of fun!!

Hna Anderson and I are killing it!! We have made it our mission to baptize all of Guayama and I think we might end up doing it!! We have been able to set a bunch of new baptismal dates and find a lot of people with potential. For example, On Thursday while we were contacting we prayed that we could be lead to a middle-age, single woman, who didn't have a specific religion. Well as we were walking down a street someone from the other side yelled at us to come over and talk to her. We did and after talking and teaching a lesson on the restoration, we invited the lady to be baptized and she said yes!! She was in church on Sunday and she is REALLY REALLY excited for her baptismal date. BTW she is a middle-age, single woman, and didn't have a specific religion.... God is great.

Well have a great Monday and enjoy the cold!!

Scavenger Hunt Group

Headstones

San Juan

Tourists

Cruise Ship