Thanksgiving

Olá tudo mundo! 

We had a fantastic week this week. We've been getting to know the members of our branch better and they're starting to get really excited about missionary work, which is awesome. Our branch president asked Elder Aloiso and I to speak at sacrament meeting this week, which was super fun! I always enjoy rubbing shoulders with the members and getting to know them better. There's always good people wherever you go!

As you all know, this week was thanksgiving! The members were super kind and brought us lots and lots of food. One dinner turned into about 3 or 4 dinners hahaha. We were super grateful for their kindness. This Thanksgiving I was grateful for good people. I have a lot of very good people in my corner, such as friends back at home, members in my current branch, my family, the list goes on. I am so grateful for all of your support. It really does mean a lot!

This week we found a lot of new, solid people to begin teaching, which is exciting. In all honesty, the work was a little slower when I showed up, but it's starting to pick up slowly but surely!

Thank you for all that you all do! I always love hearing from you guys, let me know how your Thanksgiving went!

Amo vocês! 

Elder Larkin

Pics: my comps and Thanksgiving dinner!

Covington

Olá gente! Como vocês estão?!

This week was definitely a roller coaster! So I told you all that I was going to be transferred to Wytheville, but that didn't end up being the case. The night before the transfer, President Newman decided to transfer me to Covington instead. Honestly, I'm super glad that I'm in Covington! My new companions are AMAZING guys. Their names are Elders Morrison and Aloisio, and I'm super grateful that I have the chance to serve with them. 

I absolutely loved President Nelson's broadcast on Friday. It's so true, the cure to everything going on isn't going to be found in a vaccine, it's going to be in a change of attitude/point of view, an attitude of gratitude! I'm a firm believer that when we are grateful for our trials, they are so much easier to bear.

I'm excited to be here in Covington and I can't wait to see things we'll accomplish! I love you guys and I hope you all have a great week!

Elder Larkin 

Pic: my new companions!!

Transfers

Olá todos!

This was a fantastic week! Elder Bassett did a mission tour and it was phenomenal. He provided some training and different things to focus on as we're going about the work in new/different ways. The pandemic is forcing us to work more with the members, which is exciting. Our investigators are feeling more welcome, the members are more involved, just a better deal all around. It's a high standard of missionary work and I'm all for it.

I also got some exciting news, I'm getting transferred to Wytheville, Virginia! It'll be a good change of scenery, but I'm going to miss this ward. I've been able to develop some really great relationships in the ward and it was pretty tough saying goodbye to some of them on Sunday. We had an amazing Bishop, I don't think I'll ever find a ward quite like it. But, my parents favorite quote comes to mind, "Change is joy." I'm excited for the change and I can't wait to see what things lay in store in Wytheville.

During the mission tour Elder Bassett shared a story about President Ballard. Back in 2018 President Ballard's wife passed away. They were married for many, many years and everyone was speculating that this loss would be especially tough for him. A little back story, President Ballard's grandfather is Joseph Fielding Smith, son of Hyrum Smith and Mary Fielding Smith. When Hyrum Smith was martyred alongside Joseph Smith, he left behind Mary to take care of 11 year old Joseph Fielding and some other younger children. They faced the prospect of crossing the plains, which Mary did. She crossed the plains with her very young children and faced all the dangers along the way. So, when President Ballard showed up and delivered a general conference talk days after his wife's death and showed up to his regular meetings, Elder Holland asked why didn't he just go home, why didn't he just take the week off? President Ballard's reply, "In this family, we mount up and head west."

What a powerful statement. No matter the odds that we face, may we all do it with such determination. We all have our trials, some very difficult to bear. But we're also expected to get through them, and we will, through reliance on the Savior and His atonement. 

I love you all! Let me know how y'all are doing, I love getting your emails!

Elder Larkin

Pics:

Mission tour (Elder and Sister Bassett met with us from Church Headquarters), saying good bye to Bishop Polk and his family, and our last district meeting!

Facebook Finding, Stake Conference, & Food Pantry Service

Olá todos!!

This week was amazing! There was a lot going on, sorry if this email is a little longer haha.

We've been able to find a couple new people and start teaching them. One of them was Noah, and he has an interesting story. I messaged him on Facebook a few weeks back and we've gone back and forth here and there. We finally got to have a lesson with him and it went super well. The thing is that he's only comfortable with us teaching him over video chat, so we haven't been able to actually meet in person yet, which is strange. As long as he understands the concepts that's what matters I guess!

We were also able to meet up with our new friend Yolanda! She has a crazy story. I'm not sure if I've talked about her before, but a few years back she met with the missionaries in New York and came very close to baptism, but wound up moving to WV. We were finally able to get in contact with her and put her on baptismal date for December 12th! We're so excited for her, she is very clearly prepared to receive the Gospel.

This Sunday we had Stake Confernce and Sister Newman (President Newman's wife) gave us a shout out in front of the entire stake. It was very nice to receive a little recognition. Not out of selfish desires, but to know that someone appreciates the work we're doing is exciting.

We were also able to move 18,000 lbs of food for the food pantry on Friday. Yes, it was A LOT of food. It was kind of unbelievable. It was all on big trucks, and it was my job to organize the pallets and make sure the food got off of the trucks and inside. Thank goodness for Grandpa Jennings' instruction over the summer, I'm sure all the Pastors were impressed haha.

I love you all and I want you to know how much Jesus Christ loves you all as well. He knows when you're feeling lonely, lost, or confused, because he descended below it all. He loves you and His arm is always outstretched, it's our job to take it. No one is ever too far gone, you simply have to reach out to Him.

Thank you all for the support, I really appreciate it. I always love to hear from you guys!

Elder Larkin

Pics:

We took a hike down the gorge to the river this morning. We've had beautiful weather recently, we'll take it while we can get it!

Another Week

Olá todos!

I hope y'all had a good week! Not much has changed here, we had some pretty awesome lessons with some of our investigators. 

We had an amazing meeting with Jordan. She told us that she believes the Book of Mormon is true and bore her testimony of it. She told us the great impact it has had on her life in such a short amount of time. It was astounding. It's been amazing to watch her conversion process and see her testimony grow. We haven't been able to get her to church yet, but it's pretty much a no brainer at this point. I'm sure that will change this week. It would help a ton if y'all would keep her in her prayers.

I also got to meet a pretty amazing lady named Terry this last week at the food pantry. The week before she was wearing a T shirt with a reference to Philippians 4:13 and I told her I liked it. So, she told me it was Pastor appreciation week at her church and she was going to get a shirt like it for her Pastor, and she wanted to get me one as well. So I gave her my shirt size and didn't think much more of it. The following week, she came and found me and had a shirt! That gave us some time to talk and we actually got to have a follow up meeting with her. It was a miracle. 

I love you all! Have a good week!

Elder Larkin

Pics:

1. With one of our investigators named Justin. He is a Baptist pastor, knows the Bible like the back of his hand, and wants to go to church with us the week of Thanksgiving. He and his wife are super kind and we teach them every week. 

2. With Terry from the Food pantry. She also is super kind. I get to see her every week, we've become fast friends.