Weeks Flying By

So apparently most of the pics I tried to send failed to send (and the automated reply service emailed me that like 2 hours after email time... ugg). Getting pics onto the computer, and getting Gmail to successfully email them is a PAIN. Hopefully west campus has it better figured out. I bought a SD to USB adapter (because the computers refuse to mount my camera with cable) and it works on about 1 out of 10 computers. Ugg. Disgusted that they wont let me return it either... stupid, but anywho, onto news. If anybody asks for advice, just tell them to get a pile of low capacity SD's so they can mail the pics.

So it turns out that weeks fly by here. The days have been SOOOOO long, but once its sunday night, I can't tell you what happened what day, or how long I've been here.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGES!!! I love the Doritios (still have one bag) and cheetos, and those Kakis are the best for the sunday Temple walks. Also, thanks for the laundry scooop, letters, and other goodies. It was really nice. Mail here is SUCH a blessing. Also, I have some questions. Is there anything bad with using AntiBacterial Dial (the gold package one)? It turns out we need our own soap, but they don't sell the blue/white packaged dial soap at the book store. Also, my ankle has been swelling up a bit lately. The trainers at the therapy place say that it was probably a sprain, and it should stop swelling soon. If you decide to send annother package, blue dial, and a tiny ammount of dish soap (like a super tiny bottle) would be nice. But not needed at all. If i run out this week I'll just try the gold stuff at the book store

one cool thing that happened this week was TRC. We got to sit down with a member and talk in french for 20 min, and give a home teaching type lesson. We did it with two members (so like 40 minuites of teaching). It was super cool, and I was SO nervous before hand. I prayed and prayed that the spirit would be with me, and as we went in I calmed down and I actually followed 99% of what he said. I was able to talk confidently, and had only a few pauses or slip ups!!! Definitely the Holy Ghost. Then, on our second visit, the lesson really hit home with her. We talked about making scripture study better, and challenged her to improve her study. The spirit was super strong. Awesome

Another cool thing that happened was receiving mail from Aunt Leanne and family! She sent the COOLEST stamps. They are classic muscle cars, and really nice. Super thoughtfull of her. She sent blank paper and a nice letter too. I'll write her durring laundry today.

I got to see Jozzy last night! She leaves today, or left today, something like that. I also saw Josh Wilson from High school, bryton neild from high school and a few friends too. At choir I saw Jesse! He's on west campus, so I'll get to see him often when we move.  I'll mail more storries when I can sit down with my journal and remember what happened. Like seriously, though, these past two weeks are fuzzy. For now I'm gonna send one pic at a time. LOVE YOU!!!

Hey, also, it turns out that my timbuk2 bag is huge. Its a lot bigger than I thought it would be. Is there anyway to conveniently return it and swap it for a small? If not, not a problem, just if its easy to do than I'd be for it. I haven't used it yet and have not written on it at all

You're in ALASKA!!!  So cool!

I wasted lots of time trying to figure out how to get pics to work. to no avail, ish

SO, I wrote dad a med sized email, and I'll send some handwritten letters for you. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH

Thanks for the goodies, and for being AWSOME!! LOVEYOU

BTW I got to go to the temple! It was so nice. Didn't see the new film, but I felt like I was at home. love you!

With the Elders of the Zone

Elders Palombo and Randall

With Elder Erramouspe in Residence Area

With Elder Wilson at the Temple

With Elder Vincent at Choir

Bags and That and Cousin Matt

Losing Weight and Trading Ties

Hi mom! I wrote twice, I think. I found out we're not supposed to write letters at night durring personal time anymore (just a first week thing)  I can write letters on p day and email only though I can read snail mail all days of the week.

THAT PACKAGE MADE MY DAY! Thank you so much! I love the bottle though I haven't been able to wash it. Still tastes like new bottle. I don't think I can buy dish soap at the bookstore either. Maybe the smell will just leave after a while. Either way, its perfect. The doritos were the best! I haven't opened the green ones, but the purple ones are all but gone. Fun to share idaho spud bars too:) Also, the hacky sacks are SWEET! I can juggle them at night hahah. Getting the Kakis was SWEET! Thanks for that. They will not see use for 2 more months, so I can have fresh pants in Tahiti. Thanks for the stamps, books, and paper too!

So, yes, I have seen Jocelyn and I gave Jonah his tie tack and temple magazine the day before I left. Classes are going ok. They are so long, and full of language. I think that's the hardest part here, other than learning to release stress without disc golf, and friends. Excersice is great here. Today I weight 10 pounds less than I did when I left.... Yeah, that was not what I expected. I have just been keeping up on my therapy stuff, and I eat a lot less here. Yesterday was fast sunday and WHOA! That was neat. We had a devotional with Jenny Oaks Baker (Elder Oaks daughter) and she played the violin. Also we had a HUGE mission conference where everyone from the MTC met in one meeting. It was sooo cool, and spiritual.

John Morgan Eramouspe has been a GREAT friend here. He left for Lyon today, and that was a mild bummer. I really like that guy. It was a tender mercy for me to have a friend just 4 doors down the hall from me during residence time.

It sounds like we will officially be moving to west campus in september. Not sure why, but they decided to move the french programs there. I hear the food isn't as good, but I just hope we'll get to go the the temple. We go on Monday mornings (it opens next weeek, so I'll get to go starting then). You should go. They changed the film, not sure if you heard about that, but I am super excited to see. My instructor, brother Asay said its awesome (what else would he say about the temple haha)

I'm gonna email dad now. I love you SO MUCH. YOU are the coolest mom ever, and the person most often on my mind. I miss you, but I will get to see you in 100 weeks. Good luck at the doctors, and HAVE FUN CRUISING!

Love, Brigham

[E-mail to Dad:]

I'll start highlighting. Oh, and I discovered that we're not supposed to write letters at night any more (just a first week thing) so I can only mail snail mail or gmail on mondays... oh well. At least I can read mail on nights

So, this week went pretty good. Suprise suprise, we went to San Francico. Yeah, that was crazy. I wrote about that in the snail mail letter so I wont spend to much time talking about it here. I am still figuring out how to send pictures, the networking here at the MTC is not so great.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGE!!! and for sending food other than cookies :) there is a 10+ pound box of cookies in our room alone..... I was so glad to get all that mail, and then all that mail again the next day! I love you tons.

I emailed mom first this week (she sent me an email titled EMAIL YOUR MOM!). You can compose a blog entry based on any combination of whats been sent. I am not too worried about redactions, but I will highlight stuff when its for sure.

The free box is awesome, and I am SO glad I brought so many ties. I trade them a lot, and have one from spain now. Everybody's gotta have a hobby.

I LOVE YOU SOO MUCH. I think you you and mom all the time. I miss you, but know that it's worth it.  Oh yeah, I saw the picture of president bishop! [My MTC Mission President -Dad]

My comps and I are going to try and find computers that will let us email pictures, so I will get back on in a few min and start doing that. I have 28 min of email left today.

LOVE YOU DAD!

Oh, and have a fun time with mom. If you get this while you're out and about good. I'll send some snail mail for Eulalia and Reese today.

LOVE YOU

[Elder Larsen's Bed]

[Companion Elder Palombo]

John Morgan's spanish companion who is also my friend :)

I think that's all the pics that are worth emailing so far. I love you! gonna help elder palombo figure out how to do it. about 1 in 6 computers will let you attach a jump drive. uggg,

[Note from Dad: So we're eager to see some pics and he sends one of his bed, and none of him :) ]

LOVE YOU
and thanks for the prayers

August 2 Snail Mail for Mom

Mail Goodies, Subway, and the Creepy Consulate

[What a treat--another mid-week letter! Click a page to zoom for reading. -Steve]

I"M AT THE MTC!!!

HI DAD!!! I"M AT THE MTC!!! and yes the brace would be lovely. We get to check email on P-Days, which are mondays. I also would like it if you could send some stamps, envelopes, looseleaf paper, and my big english PMG. It turns out that physical letters are prefered because I can focus on responding not just reading durring Email.

I wrote a letter that should arrive today, or like last friday. Don't be worried about me. I realized I might sound distressed when I wrote that message, Thurday was hard. So far It's all been better, and time is beging to fly. Yesterday we got to go to the Provo temple to walk on the grounds and take pictures but I forgot my camera, so next sunday I will take some.

The spirit is SOOO strong here. Everyday I have like 10 tender mercies, where Heavenly father helps me feel his love. I'll try to explain but Im not sure how effective It will be:

Our class is in all french, and from day 1 we've been teaching a "investigator" in french. It's been tough, but my French is starting to come back. My companions are elder Franco, and elder Palombo. Elder Palombo is the only one in our district who hasnt had french, so we've been trying as hard as we can to include him and help him learn.

Sunday was the most incredible day ever, but it started out TERRRIBLE. I had a bad dream, and lost like 2 hours of sleep. So when I woke up at 6:20 i was super nervous and panicky. I prayed for help and I got it throughout the day. We went to early sacrament meeting, and my president, President Mangum (branch pres.) talked about the empowering aspect of the atonement. It helped me calm down, and remember that the Lord's got my back. After sacrament, we had interviews with our branch presidency. I got to talk to pres mangum, and the spirit helped me calm down again. I felt so calm talking to him, and knew that he loved us as his missionaries. Felt like I was talking to you. I left the room feeling high self esteem, which helped me not barf breakfast (:P). SPEAKING OF WHICH!!! they have powerade at everymeal. I live on blue powerade.

After breakfast my branch had preisthood meeting. That boosted me too. I felt the spirit witness about almost everything that was said. I have felt the spirit testify before, but not about every detail. It is the COOOLEST thing ever. In preisthood, brother Howes gave a super awesome lesson about enduring to the end, and how WE need to aply it so we can help others to. Durring classes on thursday, the same thing happened with Frere Assay. He told us about teaching to meet investigators needs, and every time he would give advice, I felt the spirt say it was true. not like a little good fuzzy thing either, it was like a full on semi of love from god (odd sentece I know).

It turns out my whole district likes choir, YAY! I got to go to Choir with 2000+ missionaries, right after dinner and before the devotional. That was soooo good. It helped me calm down even more, and was super fun. I love being able to sing with 200 other basses. Sounds like General conference missionary choir. After practice, we all got to get seated for the devotional given by brother and sister lant (primary president that was just released). That was fun, and again, helped me feel better about my imperfections, and about my purpose as a missionary.

Then, last thing of all, I got to watch a recording of President bednar's christmas MTC devotional (2years ago) called the Character of Christ. I can't explain that in enough detail via email, so you should see if its viewable online. SOOO AMAZING. Durring it, elder bednar encourages people to only write notes of what the spirit promts them to while listening to a speaker, instead of transcribing a meeting. I tried it durring his devotional, and WOW, that was a miracle. I felt like I should write a phrase, then after doing so, I could look down at what I wrote and feel the spirit saying YES. Then everytime I'd ask, should I write that, I would feel YES! It was predictable like a science expirament. It was like nothing I've ever felt. The spirit was effectively communicating what I should do, and what Elder Bednar was saying was true. Truly a miracle for me.

By the end of sunday, I felt better than I did like 2 weeks ago, and FULL of confidence, love and pure excitement. I just wanted to grab one of my companions and say ELDER THIS IS SOOO COOOL!!!! Sunday was an answer to my prayes.

I AM SOOOOOO GLAD to be here. I love it. The food is ok, there are nice elders and mean elders, (and only nice sisters for some reason) but the only thing that matters is that God loves me, and is blessing me for comming here out of selflessness. (and on the bright side I get to hear all the chimes from the BYU bell tower yay!)

Thanks for the prayers. I have felt so much love the past 72 hours.

Mom, I love you, and Dad, and Eulalia, and Cherise (who texted my email! I love you too :) ) and Zeph and James.

First Letter from the MTC

[Elder Larsen's first letter was a snail mail note that he wrote on his second night.  I have scanned it--click each page to read. -Dad]