First area: Ellwangen, Germany

Here is the email we received from Tanner's Mission President:
 
Dear Family of Elder Larson-

We are delighted to tell you that Elder Larson arrived safely in Munich this morning!  He has been fed and trained, and is now in bed after a long day of orientation. 

We thought you might enjoy this picture from our meeting this evening. His new companion will be Elder Sorenson, and they will serve together in:

Ellwangen, Germany. 

 

Ellwangen.  This is picture we found on web.

We are thrilled that he is here and we are grateful for his preparation and enthusiasm.  He will be a wonderful missionary.  We love him already, and will do all we can to help him have a successful mission.  

Your son’s preparation day is on Mondays, and that is when he will be e-mailing you each week. 

Mom's note:  We were able to speak with him at the airport, and he sounded so humble and enthusiastic, and ready for his new adventure in Germany.

 

With his Mission President and wife in Munich, Germany.

Here is Elder Larson's last email from the MTC before heading out to Germany the next day.  It is his testimony of the gospel:

I welcome your prayers. I just know that Germany will be amazing. It will be. Because you are all here with me in spirit. Because every prayer you raise for me brings one more Angel to my side. One more helping hand. One more prompting. One more testimony. Every prayer you raise gives me strength from God. Gives me more love from Jesus Christ. Thank you. The language will come. So will the people. I will open my mouth, and it will be filled. God will be with me, because I will try my hardest to invite his presence. I will cry unto God, I will study, I will trust God. I will do what he commands, and he will bless his lost sheep through me and my companion. I read a prophecy from a prophet in the early days of the church the other day. I can't quote it directly (I can't find it) But it said something like this: "Germany will become one of the strongest stakes of zion. Thousands in Germany will flock to be baptized in Germany, and it will become one of the strongest in the church in these latter days. Thousands of Stakes will come to be, and innumerable souls will be brought to God through the missionary work there."

We are going to Germany. We will help this stone roll forth. The Gospel will be taught. People will hear it. People will know the truth thereof. I know God will help us if we do our best to help him. Angels are everywhere. I feel them. I hear their words. They truly minister to us, and bear us up. Thank you for your prayers. I will be in that choir in heaven. I will sing my praises to God. I sing with them every day. I will sing with my brother Jesus Christ. And I will finally be able to express to him my gratitude, for being the invisible hand that plucked me out of the fire, and grafted me back onto the Tree of Zion. I will cry at his feet, for the love he has given me. I cannot wait for that day. But before then I have work to do. I need to bring other people to him. I need to build up his kingdom. 

I love you mom. I love you family. I love you friends. I love Jesus Christ and God. And they love us. Far more than we can ever know. 

Thank you for the support. This will be my last email from the states. Next time, I'll be with the people in Germany. :)

List of Shenanigans:

-We received 33 new Germans into our Branch!! Wheew! Now we 60 people on one floor! Haha our transfers overlapped for some reason. They're all awesome.

-Elder Barker shoved 70 pieces of 5 gum into his mouth last night. It was the funniest and most disgusting thing I've ever seen. He was crying, drooling, and mumbling "I need more gum!!"

-Elder Deus drank the orange juice again... *sigh*

-The Armor of God is finished!!

-Our investigator committed to baptism. YES

-I've met 4 different Elder Larson/Larsens this week

-We've skyped 2 German members and taught them lessons!!

-Elder Barker accidentally kicked the 4 square ball really hard and it sailed up into the balcony, 3 stories above the Gym. He had to sit out for 5 minutes xD

-I sang for the senior missionary welcome devotional.

-5 weeks into the MTC we found out that Elder Hsu has had a smart phone with him the whole time. He had no idea it was against the rules.

Armor of God is complete.  :)