Video chat 3/23/20

We visited for a long time today. 

These pics are from the roof of his piso where the washing machine is. 

They really haven’t left for a week. 

They will need to go for groceries soon. 

The neighbors are pretty serious about remaining isolated.

Staying in can be hard, but we are all in this together! 

1 week down, possible 3 more to go.

So this has been a completely different week from the rest of my mission. Rather than the usual things we would be doing every day like going out in the streets talking to people, visiting and teaching lessons, we have been completely cut off from the outside world which leaves some room for other things. The transition has been pretty weird. However, right now the whole mission has kind of found it's groove with using facebook to share things, find people and even teach online. You'll also find some videos of me if you look hard enough. But it looks like this is going to be the way it is for a bit here.

And because of that I haven't had the opportunity to get more pictures albeit my camera is broken as well. But soon, I hope.

This time has actually given me the chance to read a lot more and it's been great. There is so much out there to learn. Something that I've been doing as well is making phone calls to members to get to know them, see how they're all doing and then inviting them to get ready to watch General Conference.

For those of you who don't know, General Conference is basically a time where various church leaders talk about different gospel related topics and typically many church members are gathered to watch it as well. However during this year due to the given circumstances, it will be entirely done online. But anyway, as we were invited at the last conference we are inviting again to all out members to read Joseph Smith's story (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1?lang=eng).

The conference is now less than two weeks away (I think) so it's perfect time to make up your homework if you haven't already. I loved re-reading it and I hope you have and will as well! 

This conference is something I'm really looking forward to.It will be focused on the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that's exactly what I talk to people about while I'm here every single day. So it should be good. I know that this message is true and I absolutely love it. If you might not be able to say the same, I'd like to invite you to read this story again and sincerely pray about it. And even if you're not there and you wonder if there is even a God, ask. That's all that's necessary. I promise you that if you do He will answer you. I have seen it in my life and in the lives of so many others here that I have helped. So wherever you are, take the next step. Learn more and never stop.

I  love you all, stay safe and cozy at home! And if you have any questions, I'd be glad to answer.

see ya,

Elder Larchar

Update 3/22/20

We did a little Come Follow Me study with Elder Larchar today. He and his companion are doing well, secluded in their apartment in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands. They will need to go to the grocery store soon. That’s basically the only thing people are allowed to leave their homes for, other than pharmacy. Officers are issuing tickets to people on the streets for other reasons. Looks like they will be able to go out April 14. Things are always changing.

Elder Larchar likes how much time he has to study- wishes he had this much time regularly- it makes him excited and ready to go out and share. The scriptures say that first we must obtain the truth, then we can teach it.

We will hopefully have an email from him tomorrow.

Everyone feel free to email or FB message him encouragement during this quarantine. Caleb.larchar@missionary.org

Pics - video chats and FB posts

We be chillin

Well, the flight was nice. Got a solid nap and as soon as I got out, it was just sunshine and palm trees and birds singing...

Not quite all that, but it is pretty nice out here in the islands. I've gotten to know the little city a bit and so far I love it. The only problem is that for the next 2 weeks I'll be stuck in the apartment. At least it's a nice view...

It was sad to leave Madrid, all the people I had met and the other missionaries, but it was pretty good timing. The apartment was a bit of a mess when I got there, but with all the time I've had there it's lookin real good now.

My new companion is Elder West. He's from Alberta Canada. It's been pretty good and the other elders on the island are two that I knew earlier in the mission. And they're coming to join us up north for these two weeks. 

Haven't done too much yet, but more news is on the way. 

Pics Real Madrid

Another transfer has come and gone

Hello everyone, it has been a good one over here in Madrid. Also pretty quick. This transfer went by pretty darn fast. And I'm now going to be leaving my first area. It's kinda sad to leave, like all the people, places, things and all. But it's also exciting. And what's even more exciting is that I'll be going to the Canary Islands!! To Santa Cruz, it's gonna be awesome! And I'll be leaving tomorrow so I'm sure I'll have plenty to write about next week.

This week, unfortunately our friend Daniel was unable to get baptized (his grandma wouldn't have been able to come) and so we had to move it back a week and now I'll sadly be gone before he does get baptized. But it was super awesome to get to know him and teach him. Just a little sad to have to go.

I was in charge of the area on I think Wednesday. And I think after my first 6 months, I'm pretty set. Still got a long way to go of course, but at least I kinda know what I'm doing now. So that was exchanges with Aranjuez and I also got to go with the Elders from B1. They're our Zone Leaders and one of them is going home in 2 transfers and so I might not be seeing him again before then. So it was nice to be able to spend the day with him. 

Today we went and picked up my Residency Card. So now I'm all set and legal and stuff. Then we went over to the Real Madrid stadium. The tour was pretty sweet. They had a cool museum highlighting the history of the team and the sport in general. It was fun and made me miss it a little bit.

Then we finished off the day with a nice little bike ride though Retiro Park. It was the park I went to on my first day in Spain. So that was a nice little memory. It's pretty crazy to think about my whole time as a missionary. It's been an adventure. And I can't wait to see what happens for the rest of it.

Love you all, have a good one,

Elder Larchar

Quick update

Alrighty, well this week was long, but it felt pretty short. We had a bunch of lessons and we ate almost every day with members. It's been super awesome. We've also seen some super random stuff as well. Like a dude walk up to a wall right infront of us and scale it, a guy just takin a leak on a dumpster, and a man with a baby carrier except with a cat in it. But I'm loving it. Chances are I only have a few more weeks here and I'll be off to somewhere else. The Corona or whatever virus is also a thing. But so far so good. 

We also got a reference from Uruguay over Facebook. Turned out though that she had a fake name and Facebook, kinda interesting but she is so down to learn and has a whole family here. It has been pretty good with our friends, we are just trying to get them to progress. They're all pretty new. 

For a little message here we go...

There was a story I read in a talk by Elder Hinkley from a while ago. It was entitled 'Don't Drop the Ball'. It was pretty good. But I really liked an analogy he shared. He actually quoted it from someone else, it seems like that happens a lot but it was good. So it was a comparison between an eagle and a pig. How they both work equally hard all day to provide for their little families and care for their children and all that, but the difference is after all their day's work is over. And what they do with that time they have remaining. The eagle goes and soars high in the clear air far above the ground. When the pig on the other hand has a free moment, where do we find it going? We find that it goes to the muddiest part of the field it can find and it rolls around getting covered in all the dirt and filth. The difference between the two is not apparent in the way they work, how effective they are or even their effort. Their individual characters are seen in what they do in their time of recreation. The times where 'it doesn't really count' are the times most definitive.

Now this is kind of extreme. But there is definitely something to be learned. We can always improve our efforts to be better people and better followers of Christ. There is so much more joy in living in the way that Christ would. So take a look at where you are and see what things you could change to soar a little higher. 

Love you all,

Elder Larchar

Another good one

Well we started the week off real good this week. Right after pday ended we went over to our American members' home and had some good ol Cafe Rio that they made. It was super good and they gave us all the leftovers which included a ton of pulled pork so we've been just making all the meals we could think of with that stuff. The schedule has also been full of district leader things like calls, the leader meetings and baptismal interviews. 

On Thursday we went on intercambios and spent the day in Aranjuez. The me and the elder I was with went to out to a town called San Martin de la Vega. It was kinda out there and we had to take a train and then a bus to get there. But we hopped off the train and waited for 30 minutes to get on the bus. Then we were just riding and the bus stops. The man driving the bus comes back and asks us where we're going and then he says ok, but you need to get off. It turned out that we had gotten on the bus going the wrong direction. So we had to backtrack and then start going the right way to get there. But it was worth it. We got to knock on some doors which was unusual for this mission, but I liked it. We even found some people that they can go back later to teach. But then on the way home, we had the bus pass us as we were standing at the bus stop (this was the last bus of the night). So we had to take another one way out to hop on another train. But once we got to that town we had to walk to the other side where the station was. Easy enough right? Well we didn't have maps or data so we had to just get over there asking people and we eventually made it. But by the time we got back it was 10:30 and then we had a 15 min. walk to the apartment. So we took at the end 5 hours traveling and only about 4 in that town. So quite a crazy day. 

We had a pretty funny English class as well on Saturday. Our ward all went to the temple so we had no one there really. Except someone we met on the street a few weeks ago which surprised us and our friend Sandra. She is from Brazil and is trying to learn English for working at an airline. So it started out with just Adrian (street dude) and he was actually interested in the church and so we showed him around then he wanted to learn more about the Book of Mormon. So we started teaching him the Restoration and it was super cool. But then mid-lesson Sandra showed up so we had to kinda awkwardly end and start English. But then during the lesson they started getting a little heated. Not sure why, but it was pretty funny because they were still speaking in English and trying to roast each other, but overall it was alright and I think there friends... maybe/hopefully. But it was good for us because now we have another person to teach. 

That's probably all worth mentioning right now, but it was fun. And it's crazy how long I've been here. It doesn't feel like it's been much, but I might be leaving soon... It would still be cool, but this place sure is awesome. Hope all of you have a wonderful week!