Elder Kade Larsen

Elder Larsen just wrote and wanted to settle our worries.  He is so much better this week.  He says the week before was horrible but that by last Tuesday most of the ill effects went away and he felt totally better two or three days later.  "Man was it great to feel good again.  I felt like I was sick for a year or so.  Obviously not, but that's what it felt like." 

In Tunja, Holy Week is a big deal. In other areas of Colombia they have reenactments of the crucifixion but not in Tunja, thank goodness.  Kade's cousin, Jade, is a missionary in Mexico and they had to be in early every day and weren't able to leave the house on Friday. They do have a lot of traditions that they do in Tunja.  He said that the Klu Klux Klan  is there in Tunja.  They wear the same stuff that they did in the states.  He hardly dared take a picture but I think they were in a parade there.  He was going to send pictures of something and must have forgotten.  He said in the parades each group has a part of the crucifixion so they have things like a cross or a casket. 

In Colombia, the unspiritual part of Easter is nonexistent.  They do not have anything to do with Easter eggs or the Easter bunny.  He said the speakers in church did speak about Easter and the events having to do with Christ.

He said, "Satan's presence is everywhere and sometimes he really makes me mad!"  They are still working with some really good investigators.

The first week with his new companion went really well.  Elder Larsen said when he met with the Mission President a few weeks ago the President was really impressed with his Spanish.  He said the president even said, "Wow, gift of tongues Elder!"  He said the President must have had a lot of faith in his Spanish because after that he sent him a Costinian as a companion.  He said the only Spanish he can't understand is his companions. haha  With time it is getting better. He said that he uses other words that he has never heard in his life.  That is just how Spanish is, different area of the country they use different words.  Because it was Holy Week it was very hard to meet with people.  Many people left town to visit family.  They visited with a lot of members, which was good so that the new elder to the area could meet them.  They were able to teach investigators a little bit but not as much as they wanted.

Kade is jealous of his cousin serving in Mexico because he gets to eat chips and salsa almost every day.  He said they found out there was a store that had peanut butter.  They went there and he was "so excited to have peanut butter once again in my life." But, the store had ran out and won't have any for at least a week.  

Kade also found out this week that his favorite teacher, Laura Stoker, from Colombia Basin College passed away.  He said, "She is one of my favorite people from Washington and was willing to help me with anything I would need to get started in this career."  He appreciates friends keeping in touch with him to let him know things like that.