It was a quick one

This week has gone by pretty fast, we had intercambios (I had another missionary with me for a day), we had Zone Conference, interviews with President Bussy, and just with all the work we had to do time flew by. 

We actually had 3 people show up to the church who want to learn more about the church. Doesn't happen very often, but it's like a dream come true rather than having to find people to tell about the church having them come to us. We also have been receiving a ton of references from other missionaries. Needless to say we have had plenty people to meet with. 

But other than that, we had some water problems in the church. We were just having one of our meetings on Sunday and all of a sudden we heard a clang. One of the vents in the ceiling had fallen and then came some ceiling tiles and yeah... good time. 

But we had a pretty cool family history workshop where we taught the importance of it and a little spiritual message and then there was a little tutorial given by our family history person. Then at the end there was a person who was really interested and we're going to start teaching them!

Something President talked to me about in our interview was the invitation of President Nelson at the last General Conference. He invited me to take some more time to study that specifically and it has been pretty good. It's such an amazing story and there are so many new resources from the church to help us learn more. Plus there are so many miracles that occurred to help the Restoration take place. I was actually studying some things on Sunday and we had a visit to some members that night and I just thought hey let's share some things about this with her. Then when we got there it was exactly what she was looking for basically.  She had this person she wanted to talk to about some of the truths that have been restored and we were able to help her realize that and set up a plan to make it happen. That wasn't a super good description, but it was super cool. 

And yeah, y'all should definitely take that invitation and do it! The Restoration is something amazing and something that so many people need to know about. There are so many cool stories as well. 

But that's about it, hope you all have a good week and I hope I'll have some pictures to share. 

Feb 3

Well my camera is still out of commission, so now I have to actually right something...🤣. But hope everything's going well for y'all. It is here in Madrid. I just (well almost a week ago), but I just got a new companion. His name is Elder Williams and it's been awesome. He has been here for a while and he's been tea hing me a lot. We have been getting to know people mostly for Elder Williams, but it also helps me for all of the people who I just don't remember their names :). But we also got a few new members in our district. Plus my new companion is the district leader which means lots of phone calls, but we also get to go on exchanges!

Well, something I was thinking about this week was from a General Conference talk I listened to. It is from two conferences ago by Elder D Todd Christopherson. He quoted someone else saying: 

“The facts about Jesus of Nazareth, and especially about his resurrection from the dead, are the foundation of the assurance that the world is not random. It is not ultimately a chaos; that when we do justice in the present we are not whistling in the dark, trying to shore up a building that will ultimately collapse, or to fix a car which is actually bound for the scrap-heap. When God raised Jesus from the dead, that was the microcosmic event in which the ultimate macrocosmic act of judgment was contained in a nutshell, [the] seed … of the ultimate hope. God declared, in the most powerful way imaginable, that Jesus of Nazareth really was the Messiah. … In the greatest irony of history, [Jesus] himself underwent cruel and unjust judgment, coming to the place which symbolized and drew together all the myriad cruelties and injustices of history, to bear that chaos, that darkness, that cruelty, that injustice, in himself, and to exhaust its power.”

We are not just here by chance. There is more purpose to this life. And this because Christ lives. Witnesses are abundant, scriptures, testimonies, feelings, and most of all the help we can get from the Savior. While that is his primary role, He is here to help us as well. He is willing to bear our struggles and help us develop into who we are meant to be. We can lean on Him and He will support us. Another quote is something along the lines of "the Savior sees the worst, darkest parts of our life and rather than recoiling in horror he says 'I can clean that if you want'". He has experienced it all, He has overcome the world and is more than willing to aid us in our effort.

Love you all, have a good one. 😊

Jan 13

We went to see some old stuff today, here it is...

This big ol castle we walked around in and out on the balconies and stuff. It was really neat. And some crazy intricate decorations. Plus the view. 

Also this aqueduct and the elders we were hanging out with today. 

And lastly, this family that we have been visiting a bunch. We go over and have a little family lesson and they're awesome. 

That's most of it, hope it sends right.

😁👍

Photos 1/27/20

Hello all!

Well, this week was pretty normal, but tomorrow, I get a new companion! Oh wait a second, that's not what I mean. I'm super excited, but also sad to lose Elder Hess.

This week was refreshingly normal after last with the exchanges and temple pday and just having another set of elders in our apartment. So it was nice. We got to visit some members for Elder Hess to say good bye to and ate with a bunch of them. It's super nice to have members from all over the place cuz you get to try so much good food. Our bishop on sunday got up and said a little thing about how missionaries have a time to come to our ward and serve with them and then it comes their time to leave... then he had Elder Hess go up and say some things, but it was so sad. And the members here love us it's gonna be super sad when I have to leave too. But I'm just living it up while I can. We had some major cleaning to do at home and Elder Hess has been packing so now we are ready to go. It'll be fun to work with another missionary and see what happens. 

Now for that little spiritual thought thing I promised...

It comes from 2 Corinthians chapter three, the first three verses:

"1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?

2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."

In these verses I love the allusion to the 10 commandments and how it displays them. I like the 3rd especially this verse talks about living above the law. Or at least that's how I see it. We shouldn't have to be tied down by do's and don'ts, we should get to the point where we are so committed to living the gospel of Jesus Christ and trying to live as he did that it is part of who we are. A talk I read this week entitled 'Today Is the Time' by Walter F. González. It talked about the idea of making righteous principles part of who we are. He said:

"Today is the time to prepare for when that type of quake comes. Today is the time to prepare—not during the crisis. What are we doing today to engraven in our souls the gospel principles that will uphold us in times of adversity? For example, what did Joseph who was sold into Egypt plant in his soul to reply, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

In response to these questions he posed he answered: 

"Eternal principles will take root in us as we take time not only to read the teachings of the prophets and the scriptures but also to ponder them in the spirit of prayer. Take the time to do what the Lord has directed us to do: “Treasure these things up in your hearts, and let the solemnities of eternity rest upon your minds” (D&C 43:34). In a world that increasingly demands more of our time, it is essential that we take time to ponder in our homes, so that we may understand divine doctrine and its principles. As the Savior said, “Go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon these things … that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow” (3 Nephi 17:3)."

I love how he uses the Savior's admonitions, to go and and not just think about it, but ponder it and treasure it up. And not just to treasure up what you have, but to expect more. It is a continuous progression which if we follow will bless us with the internal desire for good and the ability to do it. The Savior's teachings have the ability to change us if we let them. The way is simple, but very real. I'm so glad I have the opportunity to focus two years of my life on it. I love the Savior and I love his Gospel.

Have a good one. 😊

Elder Larchar

PUSH

This week was so cool! We did another mission wide call with a mand named Dan Peterson. He is a BYU professor and scholar of the Book of Mormon, needless to say it was amazing!!! We've been working with a member and soon he'll have the Melchizedek Priesthood so that's super exciting!! 

I dont have much time to write but my MTC teacher sent this story to all of us in the MTC. Life was never supposed to be easy, and of course it's not. Missionaries will tell you the mish is hard, but si is back home, we've got planned out days, consistent schedules and a lot of help from the lord. Back home I know life can be hectic. I also know God knows each of us and exactly how to help, so make sure ya push.

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room

filled with light and God appeared. The Lord told the man He

had work for him to do and showed him a large rock in front of

his cabin.

The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock

with all his might. So, this the man did, day after day.

For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders

set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving

rock, pushing with all of his might.

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out,

feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan),

decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary

mind:

"You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it

hasn't moved."

Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was

impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts

discouraged and disheartened the man.

Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your

time, giving just the minimum effort, and that will be good

enough. That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to

make it a matter of prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to

the Lord.

“Lord,” he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service,

putting all my strength to do that which you have asked.

Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by

half a millimeter.

What is wrong?

Why am I failing?”

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you

to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to

push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have

done.

Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it.

Your task was to push.

And now you come to Me with your strength spent,

thinking that you have failed.

Is that really so?

Look at yourself.

Your arms are strong and muscled,

your back sinewy and brown;

your hands are callused from constant pressure,

your legs have become massive and hard.

Through opposition you have grown much,

and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have.

True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be

obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My

wisdom. That you have done.

Now I, my friend, will move the rock."

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own

intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God

wants is just a simple obedience and faith in Him.

By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains,

but know that it is still God who moves mountains.

When everything seems to go wrong...just

P.U.S.H.!

When the job gets you down... just P.U.S.H.!

When people don't react the way you think

they should... just P.U.S.H.

When your money is "gone" and the bills are due... just P.U.S.H!

When people just don't understand you... just P.U.S.H.

P= Pray

U= Until

S= Something

H= Happens