Climbing Furhornli

From May 23...

Hey All!

My week was incredible, if not also incredibly exhausting ;) I'm sitting in the office at the church after the longest, hardest hike of my life writing out some emails. We hiked a mountain called Fürhörnli, the highest peak in our area. It was so awesome, but it was unbelievably exhausting. My fear of heights has gotten worse as well. I made it to the top, but could not make it to the tippy top peak. It was a little too much for me, with the cliffs. It also ended up taking 7 and a half hours, something we definitely did not foresee. I'll have to send you pics later because they're on my camera, not my iPad, and i forgot the connected cord back home :( but it was a very humbling hike, and I was not conditioned for it XD. I had the chance to pray at the top in complete peace with nature. It was awesome.

As far as he goes.

Yeah we're getting ready for transfers. We have lots to do before transfers. It's crazy, we had interviews with President Kohler (he goes home in 3 weeks) on Wednesday, and he told me that Elder Bowman and I are leaving the area, because of Elder Bowman's visa problems! So the area must be whitewashed. That makes it super hard to prepare the area for the transition, but we'll get it done :) we got a whole checklist made for it, but it'll take the better part of this week... and the other thing that's crazy is that President Kohler said that it's very possible that Elder Bowman and I will go somewhere and whitewash together! We have no idea where, but we're preparing for it! It'll be insane! But it'll also be awesome!

I have mixed feelings about leaving Switzerland. It's a tough place, but I love it so much. I always grow so close to the members and they're like family. I got sad because on Sunday we had a bunch of members from Utah there visiting and President Embly and I were standing next to each other and they asked him how an American came to be branch president in Switzerland, and he threw his arm around my shoulders and was like: we're brothers, can't you tell?? It made me sad cause I
just love these people. I will really miss them. I also don't know how I feel about white washing another area. That's always a lot of stress, and I feel like I'm already at a pretty high level of stress as of late.

On the hike.

wow.

This week was pretty busy, with some great appointments. We had another appointment with Jaqueline, and it was so cool. We asked her what it meant for her to be baptized and she explained baptism in the most perfect way I've ever heard it explained by an investigator. She knows exactly what it's about. We had an appointment with this new investigator named Kuitim, and we talked a lot about families. If one thing is wrong in the world today, it is families. But it's really nice to find people who see it the way we do. We really connected over families and built a cool friendship with him. We have another appointment set up and we'll talk about that Book of Mormon.

A break.

 We also got a very special opportunity to go to the temple, because the ward went there. It was amazing, as always. The feeling of peace that enters your heart is incredible and indescribable. I just feel so at home. I always wish I could stay in the celestial room forever, and just read the scriptures. It was a particularity stressful day, and I was desperate to feel some peace. It came in the Temple, along with some much needed revelation.

This car was just sitting outside our apartment.

The famous and funny Bro. Ryser

We also got to go to Austria for food again! The most hilarious miracle happened too... we got stopped at the border on the way back to Switzerland! With our groceries! It was so stressful. The first thing he asked me at the window was: you guys have any meat in the car? I was like: aw crap. He asked me to open the trunk, and so we went back and opened with him. He found exactly 3 kilos of meat (the limit by law) and overlooked the rest! Not on purpose! He even lifted up a bag of frozen Schnitzel to look for more meat under it! It was one of the most hilarious miracles I've ever experienced. We probably had about 6 kilos of meat, which would have
been an expensive fine. He checked our passports and let us on our way. That was awesome. :)

One thing cool this week was I got to read a small book called: As a Man Thinketh. I explained my problems and struggles to Elder Bowman and he gave me that book to read. It was incredible, and brought so much to my perspective. It shed so much light on my stress. It's an awesome book. Not very big, but powerful. Sometimes it's easy to feel overwhelmed, because I always discover knew things I need to work on, and I'm never too good at working on things one thing at a time. Something else I have to work on. ;)

Me and Elder Bowman on a boat on shore.

As a whole, i am also very grateful for trials. We learn eternal principles through enduring in the Savior's way. In 2 Nephi 31:20, it lists some amazing things that I always kind of blew over before. It
talks about what it means to endure to the end. It talks about having a perfect brightness of hope. I believe strongly that pondering and praying intensly over the meaning of this phrase brings some great revelation to those who are struggling with their circumstances. It did for me.

Taco Mac.

Overall it sounds like you had a great week. :) thanks for telling everything you learn from Seminary. I still have many valuable lessons to learn, and I always learn a lot from you. Thank you for that, we're together.

Well I better go, Mom. Got some more emails to write and then we gotta do some work and then make some dinner. I'm exhausted XD. I love you so much. Thanks for being my greatest supporters. I feel the strength coming from your prayers.

Love you,
Elder Larson