Arriving home with one suitcase (He left with two and a carry-on, but soon learned that they became a hassel). Pleasantly surprised at the decorations.

Christian arriving at the SLC airport, tired after 12 hours in the air and not sleep, but in great spirits. You can tell by the smile on his face, he's happy to be home.

House Decorated for Arrival

It was raining, but we managed to keep most of the balloons up and the sign out of the weather.

SURPRISE!

Well! Surprise! Hi family and friends, this is Elder Christian Larsen writing. I'm home with honor! After a full 19 months the Lord saw fit to bring me home for medical purposes. I'm happy to be home among old friends and sad to leave the field, but everything is well. I know that this is the work of the Lord and that He lives and loves us. This is the truth!

I hope to catch up with everybody. Friends and family who may read this, give me a call or come by. I love all of you and am anxious to see you. So as they say in Portuguese, "Ate o proximo!"

Christian will be speaking in the West Bountiful 1st Ward June 28 at 1 pm. The address is 311 North 800 West, West Bountiful. Everyone is invited. Please come by and get reaquainted. If you're not able to be at the meeting and would like to visit with him, our address is 875 West 550 North. We'll be celebrating all day.

Temple Tour and Three Baptisms!

"Oi!

This was the week of the muti-zone conferences (week of 6/8). We had three conferences in the three different areas of the mission. I watched it here in Campinas because I stayed here and did divisions here while the assistants prepared the conferences. I divided with a bunch of wards here in Campinas. Saturday and Sunday we divided with the elders in Hortolandia. We live in divisions! I haven't been able to wash my clothes all week and now I'm out! Ah!

Oh ya, last Wednesday, I got to go to the temple to conduct a tour with Elder Nunes. There were families from Hortolandia and Jd Amanda and Rio Claro. I know the members and the family from Rio Claro. That was really cool. They remembered me too. I also got to see the Campinas Temple at night, which was beautiful. Today we went to the temple to do a session and I saw a member (Brother Quatel, who you were supposed to send crock pot receipes to) from Vinhedo and a couple from Piracicaba (the stake partiarch and his wife that live in the 8th ward) that are serving a mission in the temple. That was nice! I love the temple. But, all in all, I'm grateful that the president marked that session. It was for all the mission leaders, assistants, zone leaders, and their companions.

I got your package with the shoes and I'm wearing them now...I got another package full of candy and I'm eating it now.

Everything is going well here. We have from 1 to 3 baptisms in Jd Amanda tonight.

I love you all and know that this church is true.

Ate Mais!
Elder Christian Larsen

Brrrr, It's Cold!!!

"Oi!

That's really sad news about Patty Mortensen. I was not prepared for that. This weekend is Fast Sunday. My prayers will be with her.

This week has been a little less busy. We stayed a little closer to Campinas this week, in the Hortolandia zone (the cities of Hortolandia and Sumare). We worked in Jd Amanda (our area) and in Vila Flora with Elder Felipe and Elder Wagstaff. Elder Felipe was my district leader before I was transferred to Jd Amanda. The next day we went to Sumare and participated in their "pass along card/get references for the missionaries drive" and participated in their meeting with the ward mission leader. There is no better city in this mission than Sumare. The members there live and love the gospel and share it too. Sunday, we surprised the sisters in Rosolem by showing up at their sacrament meeting. I played the piano there and we had lunch with practically the whole ward. After, we went and taught an investigator that went to church, but could never be taught by the sisters because he only lives with men. That night we went back to the office and Elder Hillam and the other two assistants started working on the mission conference that is this week. Yesterday, I did a division with area Castelo here in Campinas and tomorrow will be our mission conference in Piracicaba.

It's getting pretty cold here, these past few days everyone has been dying! Someone told me last night that it got down to 8 Celcius or 46 Farenheit. Around 8 am today it was only 11 Celcius or about 52 Farenheit. It felt around 50 below zero! We're all wimps here in Brazil when it comes to the cold and I'm sure I'll freeze my butt off when I get home. So anyway, I survived last winter, somehow, but today I broke down and bought a sweater ( a nice, dressy, chique, sweater), but it was kind of expensive....sorry!

Last week I got a package. Thank you! Thanks for sending the conference Ensign and the Church News. To be honest, that's the stuff I enjoy most. Oh, and thanks a ton for the Motab CD! Everyone here, the secretaries, the assistants, and the other companionship in Jd Amanda are enjoying it.

You'll have to send me a picture of Tyler's (Allen...his piano student before the mission) new dog!

Oh ya! I was not prepared to hear that Blair (Woodward...a former member of the ward) is getting married in August! Holy cow! That's awesome that Nick (Woodward) is going on his mission. I can't believe as well that these kids are graduating this year. Ah, I'm about ready to faint! But, I am SUPER HAPPY that Chaz will go on splits with the missionaries! Give him a big hug for me, alright, and tell him how happy that made me!

This week is likely to be just as calm as the last, but next week I'm sure we'll be running everywhere. I love you and know that this church is true and God lives and Jesus is the Christ.

Ate mais!
Elder Christian Larsen

Full Week and the Kitchen Sink!

"Oi! Tudo Otimo!

Ok, this week has been super full. Let me start out with last Wednesday. After I emailed you, we went to the chapel and I practiced the piano and helped Elder Hillam learn how to play "All of Me" by Jon Schmidt. That night we caught the bus to Campinas and then to Piracicaba. YAY... I love Piracicaba! We slept over at Elder Rossi's house and we did a division with them the next day. Thursday I worked with Elder Gomes, Elder Rossi's companion. A year ago I worked in Piracicaba 8 and did a few divisions in that ward so I know the area. We passed by the chapel, where our ward met with their ward. The chapel has been completely remodeled and expanded. It's hardly recognizable.

About a year ago, just before I was transferred from Piracicaba, in a division in that area, I participated in a family night with a family that would be baptized that week. I was transferred and I heard from someone that they never got baptized. So Thursday, I had the strongest feeling that we should visit them. I had only been to their house once, but I could perfectly remember the way there. We went there and found out that the wife hadn't gone to church for a long time, and that the day before, some pastor confronted her about the church and gave her a big long list of doctrinal questions. We taught her and the spirit was really strong. That day we (all four of us) found 13 new investigators and marked 9 baptisms.

The next day we went to a small town outside of Piracicaba called Capivari. there we worked with Elder Griffiths and Elder Damasio. That was a good division. It wasn't too productive numberwise, but I think it was productive because those elders were very unconfident and timid and I think we left them better off.

Saturday we're planning on going back to Elder Rossi's ward, but Rio Claro 2 (ah! another one of me wards!!) called and told us that their 3 marked baptisms for that week were in jeopardy. We woke up early and caught the bus from Capivari to Piracicaba and then to Rio Claro. Elder Hillam interviewd the husband and I interviewed the wife. Turns out that the man never wanted to be baptized and nearly kicked Elder Hillam out of the house when he found out that we don't accept reincarnation. The woman passed the interview, but even with all I could do wouldn't be baptized without her husband. She was very afraid of him. While he and I interviewed this couple, Elder Correa and his companion taught their daughter who accepted baptism! From there we went to the third interview, but the investigator, an elderly woman fell in the shower the day before, broke her shoulder, will never again be able to move her arm and was hospitalized. The adversary was working overtime in that ward.

That same day we returned to Piracicaba and slept in the vacant house in the 4th ward. It's been vacant for a year and a few weeks ago, someone broke in and stole everything, even the kitchen sink! We only had one mattress and two blankets. I used the mattress and Elder Hillam used the blankets. We were there half to guard the house and half because we need to attend church in the 4th ward to see if they were capable of getting a companionship again. that ward was very excited and friendly. We didn't have lunch so we asked around and a couple eagerly volunteered. That lunch gave me diaherria! That night we went to the 8th ward sacrament meeting. I saw everyone that I love and knew a year ago! That was wonderful! Everyone is still excited and will move back to their old chapel this June after remodeling.

Monday we spent the whole day in the office. Tuesday we went back to Rio Claro to attend their district meeting and here we are today! Wow, it's been a full week.

I included a photo of Elders Hillam, Nunes, Hahne, Pacheco, and Rhodes and myself at a churrascaria today after the leadership meeting. It was delicious! (churrascaria = Rodizio Grill type restaurant).

This week won't be as full, but it will be just as good!

I love you all and know that this church is true!

Tchau!
Elder Christian Larsen