My experience in New Rochelle has been a challenge.  My Portuguese is coming a little bit, but it is tough.  People here speak English, and if they do speak Portuguese, they still want to practice their English.  It is super tough.  I've decided to just start memorizing my Portuguese Preach My Gospel because until I can be immersed in the language, there is no way I can carry on a full conversation (I can carry one on in Gospel terms, though, which is good!)

            My ward is both Spanish and Portuguese.  Only five Portuguese members.  They are really awesome!  They feed us so much Brazilian food!  I am so fat!  Elder Heraldo took us to Catalana, a Brazilian buffet, for lunch and stuffed us.  There are these things called Cozinhas that are to die for!  You'll have to try them sometime! 

             We have been working with a family in the ward that has many problems, mostly caused by alcohol abuse.  This experience has brought me to my knees multiple times this past week to repent and strive to be better in serving those around me.  In the words of Hermano Rodriguez in the ward, which he told me last night at dinner, "If you want to be happy in life, be a Mormon."  He is from Guatemala and is one of the nicest, most humble individuals I have ever met.  Agency is given to all--we must choose how we utilize it.  I've come to realize that my agency has consequences that are both foreseeable and unforeseeable.  It has definitely made me more cautious this past week in all that I do and say.  

            One of the most exciting things this week was that the whole mission was cleared to use Facebook and online proselyting!  Even me, as a visa-waiter!  So, as of today we can start video chatting, facebooking, etc. with anyone in the world who wants to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This even includes friends and family that are less-active or not members--with the eventual goal of connecting them with the local missionaries in their area. After a meeting with Elder L. Tom Perry,   President Morgan told us that the internet is the greatest and last tool to be used to spread the gospel before the coming of the Savior.  Pretty powerful to think about it.  It made me ponder the invention of the internet a lot: there is so much filth on the internet...but there must be opposition in all things.  If this truly is the greatest tool for spreading the gospel in the last days--to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people (including China!)--then it only makes sense that opposition to an ever growing missionary work would increase.  It is such a miracle that all people throughout the world will be able to gain access to the gospel, no matter where they live.  It should be exciting--once I go to Brazil I won't be able to use it until 2015 but it will be some good practice the next few weeks, months, or years that I may be in New York. 

Cumpra o fe', com amor,

Elder Larkin

Hermana Calle's house

Making a cake for Hermana Calle's birthday. Elder Larkin's sister has taught him well :)

9/28/13

Transfer week!  Elder Poulsen and I thought for sure that we were staying together.  Unfortunately, we are not.  I’m pretty bummed because I’m going to miss the Bronx so much!  I’m going Portuguese!  I’m going upstate to the Brazilian communities.  But, we go to a Spanish ward:  I’m going to be so confused!

10/2/13

I am in New Rochelle, Westchester County!   I am in the Portuguese program now.  Esta louco!  I don’t remember Portuguese at all!  It is awesome, though, my three companions are Portuguese-speaking.  We live in a high-rise (25^thfloor)-it is like a five star hotel compared to the Bronx.  We are only speaking Portuguese-which is a struggle but I am learning so much.  We drive a car…my new area is the whole zone, as we go to where there are Portuguese speakers.

I get to use Facebook now to teach the gospel.  I am allowed to speak, chat and skype with anyone that is investigating or wanting to learn more about the gospel.  So sorry that doesn’t include members of the church, but it is still pretty neat.  The eventual goal is to connect friends and associates with the missionaries in their local areas.  So, don’t get weirded out when you see that I’m on Facebook…it will be a short-lived opportunity because once I get to Brazil, I will no longer be able to use it.  The New York NY North Mission is one of the few that has this privilege.  It should be exciting.

Elder Larkin's new area.

Elder Larkin and Elder Poulsen

Elder Larkin and Elder Leung

Elder Larkin and Elder Taylor

Some pictures of Elder Larkin's area...

 

Oi Minha Familia,

(9/20/13)  Today I taught my first real Portuguese lesson.  It was to a Brazilian man, about 70.  He doesn’t want to deal with religion but wanted to help us learn português.  It wasn’t a real lesson because he just vented about the world and how much he loves to smoke.  I learned a lot of new vocabulary…you name it, he said it.  He talked non-stop for 50 minutes! Ai!  When we tried to share a scripture, he just kicked us out saying he’ll talk about anything secular but not religious.  That was my preview of Brazil…I’m in for a treat. J  After that, we went to a Dominican barbeque.  So delicious!  I love Dominican food!

(9/23/13)  Today we had our yearly mission conference with Elder Carlson of the Seventy.  It was very enlightening and uplifting.  However, the highlight of the day was teaching a fourteen year old boy.  He is awesome!  Such an inspiration!  He met the missionaries as an 8-year-old but hasn’t seen them since.  He saw us, stopped us, and we taught the Restoration.  He brought out his Book of Mormon, which he had highlighted and explored the past couple of years.  Meeting him has really inspired me to try to show my gratitude more fully to my Father in Heaven for the Restoration of His truth.  I’ve never met a more sincere and genuine teenager and we are excited to see him grow and come closer to Christ.

(9/24/13)  I had some interesting experiences while doing the APF today (Area Proselyting Focus.)  The funniest was talking with a lady of about 65.  She was interested in every aspect of missionary life.  She asked what area of the city we lived in.  We explained that we live in Hunts Point.  You should have seen her face.  She responded, “Oh, Honey, you live in Hunts Point?  Give me that book!  Anyone who comes to New York to share a message and lives in Hunts Point must know it’s true!  I’m going to read this book!”  And then she went on to tell us to “stay safe,” a phrase I heard about 15 times today from strangers…I even had someone offer me a can of pepper spray.  Don’t worry, Mom!!!  Everyone in the South Bronx loves us; even if they don’t want to listen, they say “hello.”  I wouldn’t trade this area for any other part of the mission.  I love it!  We found 5 new investigators tonight and taught five lessons.  This is truly the Lord’s work and I am so glad to be a part of it.

Com amor de todo minha coração,

Elder Mac

Friday 9/13/13

 

Today was pretty fun.  Elder Pousen and I “ball-contacted.”  There are basketball courts everywhere in the Bronx.  We were walking in Mott Haven and saw two twenty-year old, super athletic kids playing basketball.  We thought, why not ask if they want to hear a message?  We offered and they said no.  So, instead of walking away, we asked if they wanted to play a quick 2-on-2.  They laughed because “white  kids can’t play ball.”  But, I think they were quite shocked -- we went up 10-0.  Well, the game got close, I was driving down, did a spin/pop move, and drained a 10-footer.  The two guys looked amazed and one yelled, “Wow, preachers can ball!”  Poulsen and I just started laughing.  We lost 21-19, but let me just say that playing basketball in dress shoes hurts so much.  But, it was super fun.  Afterwards, they allowed us to share a message and give a Book of Mormon.  (Just for imagery, you should have seen this court -- rusty old hoop with metal-holed backboard, uneven floor -- like a rundown prison court, but it was awesome.)

 

The gospel is true!  The Atonement changes lives.  There is so much joy when serving others and seeing them progress.  Jesus is the Christ, and He will bring so much happiness, if we will let Him.

 

Here are some more pictures Dave has sent...

 

 Elder Poulsen helping Dave keep up on his Portuegse.

 

Dave trying to look smart by wearing Elder Poulsen's glasses.

“What the sun in the heavenly blue is to the earth struggling to get free from winter’s grip, so the gospel of Jesus Christ is to the sorrowing souls yearning for something higher and better than mankind has yet found on earth…” (Papa Dade)

          Yesterday, we went to a member’s funeral in Harlem.  Her dying wish was to have the missionaries sing at her funeral.  She is the only member in her family (she was 72.)  Sister Barner’s children are not LDS -- you could tell they had no knowledge of life after death.  To them, their relationship with their mother was complete and terminated.  How grateful I am for a knowledge and conviction of the Plan of Salvation.  The gospel of Christ is so true and this truly is the only way those “yearning for something higher” can reconcile themselves with their Redeemer.  The plan of redemption is God’s plan from the beginning.

 

          An Elder shared the poem, Invictus, with me.  I love this poem when thinking about obedience and agency.  Christ’s Atonement stands paramount but He love us so much that we may captain our souls.  He will not force; He will not coerce.  He offers an eternally outstretched hand but we must act and then rely on His grace.  This past week, I’ve come to realize how much our Redeemer loves us, that He allows us to choose.  

It has been a great week.

Love,

Mac

Hey Minha Familia,

So, this has been a crazy week!  The Bronx is so fun!  Every day is unique.  

This past week I had the opportunity to go on to splits.  Elder Poulsen is the District Leader so I have to go on splits quite often.  I splitted with Elder Zazueta who is a Spanish Speaking Elder but he also speaks Portuguese.  This was awesome--I've been able to maintain a lot of Portuguese.  We taught a lesson in Spanish but the lady said she could understand Portuguese and encouraged me to speak in Portuguese--it was very helpful.  I still have so much to learn.  

I looked up my visa status (the first dot, shocker...)  That is not a bad thing, though.  I love it in the Bronx and wouldn't mind staying a little longer.  I am learning so much from Elder Poulsen.  He is one of the best missionaries.

On Thursday night we needed to go drop off a DVD (Finding Faith in Christ) to a recent convert in the Mott Haven area.  This is a really sketchy neighborhood but we haven't ever had a problem.  We were about to go into one of the project buildings where she lives when a man stopped us on the street. He wanted to know why two 'white kids' were in Mott Haven.  We explained we are representatives of Jesus Christ and are sharing a message about Him.  He responded, "You've got a lot of heart to be in these parts...Your message must really mean something to you."  

My experiences this week reminded me of a powerful quote by Papa Dade, "Man is a spiritual being, a soul, and at some period of his life everyone is possessed with an irresistible desire to know his relationship to the Infinite...There is something within him which urges him to rise above himself, to control his environment, to master the body and all things physical and live in a higher and more beautiful world."

This quote, to me, describes the Bronx.  So many people are looking for the truth, they just "know not where to find it."  I love this gospel and have a perfect knowledge that everyone--whether in this life or the next--will have the opportunity to begin to know his relationship to the Infinite.  This knowledge, in my opinion, is not a set knowledge but an eternal progressing knowledge in which we build line upon line, precept upon precept.

Thank you for all the letters and prayers.  I couldn't do it without you.  

Com amor,

Mac