Sunshine, Smiles, & Serendipity: February 2015

Dear Friends & Family,

Wow. I'm sitting here in the Langford Library wondering how 18 months of my life flew so fast. I honestly cannot believe that in 8 days, I will be home with all of you.

I guess to start I just want to say how thankful I am for this wonderful time that I have had to serve my Heavenly Father. It has been nothing but growth and progression for me spiritually, emotionally and mentally. I'm so amazed and so humbled that Heavenly Father has let me labor in some of the smaller portions of His vineyard during my time here in British Columbia. I feel very trusted to know that He let me be a part of so many wonderful people's conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The past year and a half has been incredible in many ways. I think the thing I am most grateful for is how much my own testimony has grown and to know that I am truly converted to my Savior now. I have a solid testimony of the Atonement and recognizing that the only way to true happiness and ultimately to eternal life is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and by us living it and repenting daily.

I am grateful The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ and how much I have come to know that it really is from God. No boy with a third grade education could have made that up and translated it in 30 days. I have read it so many times, every single day on my mission actually. And every time I read it and every time I pray about it, God answers me. It is true. It goes hand in hand with the Bible. Jesus Christ truly is our Savior and Redeemer and is the only way to return to live with our Heavenly Father again. I am so thankful for the Restoration of priesthood keys. That is the only way we can make and keep sacred covenants in this life to grow and progress.

I'm grateful for the miracles God has let me be a part of. I have been able to see six of my brothers and sisters, six children of God, enter into the waters of baptism. I am so thankful for all of them and for the parts that they played in not only my conversion, but confirming to me that God really is so aware of us individually and that He shows us miracles according to our faith. He is there for us always and I've been able to take part in the joy of seeing souls be converted to our Savior.

Last but not least, I am so thankful for my family and for all the support they have given me over these past 18 months. What a blessing they are in my life and I'm so thankful Heavenly Father put me into the amazing family that I am in to learn and grow and truly become the person Heavenly Father needs and wants me to become.

This has been the most precious time in my life and I am so thankful that I've been able to be an instrument in God's hands. I'm grateful that we are all called to serve. When we were baptized and made that covenant with Heavenly Father we made the commitment to be a missionary and share the gospel to bring "salvation to the souls of men". I'm definitely not done being a missionary yet and I am excited to continue to look for many opportunities to preach the gospel through word and deed after I am home. This I leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love always & forever, Sister Brittany Anne Larsen

P.S. anyone that wants to continue emailing me after I am home or wants blog updates my email is brittanylarsen2@hotmail.com and my blog is sunshinesmilesandserendipity.blogspot.com

P.P.S. my great friend Pat Smith shares awesome uplifting messages on his blog so ya'll should check that out too(: pgordsmith.blogspot.com

-pday adventures(:

-selfie with the crew

-love these sisters

-gorgeous sunset(:

-love Elder and Sister Nickels! will miss them lots.

It still kills me that C. came up out of the water when he got baptized and said those words. Nothing else was cool enough this week to make it to my email title. We talked to so many people. 185 QGC's (Quality Gospel Conversation's) to be exact, which in previous transfers i would have thought impossible for sooke. we found this new place to contact(: the most beautiful place ever too, so it's a win-win(: we also got ice cream last week. i seriously don't even know what else we did. oh, our heated title floor in our bathroom is currently on strike and we don't know how to fix it, so that's depressing #firstworldprobs other than that, it's been a really solid week, and i can't wait to see what this next week brings(: i love you all. sorry this email got first prize in the lame olympics.

love always, sister brittany anne larsen(: