Hey everybody!! 

I hope everyone is doing really well! Hard to believe July is coming to an end. School here in Mesa, Arizona, begins August 7th (SO early)   So it's already back to school in the stores and the kids are starting to get ready for it. Every July the Maricopa North Stake has a "My Relief Society Closet Exchange" activity right before school starts. The whole stake goes through their closets and donates things they don't wear that are still in good condition. The relief society goes through them to make sure they are still good, sorts them, and a month later they set up the cultural center like a store where everything is sorted in sizes, genders, etc. Well it was this past Saturday morning! We had a couple investigators that went, so we went too! And I found a couple of things for myself that I actually quite like. I wore this white button up shirt with black polka dots yesterday. I wish I had taken a picture for everyone to see because it's super cute... and was free! haha those are the best huh?? 

This morning Hermana Falcon and I went across to the East side of Mesa because there is a member that cuts all the sister missionaries hair! And I was definitely in need of a hair cut (hadn't done it since the MTC... eek!) It feels fresh and nice.

Last night we had a Spanish Mission President's Fireside. The beginning of this month President came out with a new rule that you absolutely cannot go unless you have an investigator there. The rule used to be that you can't go unless you have an investigator OR you have a part in the program. But in the past there were WAY too many missionaries there because they would have big musical numbers. With this new rule it really had us focused on making sure we had investigators there... and it helped everyone do the same. It was awesome. We had five investigators there, and the chapel was FILLED with nonmembers. There were a decent number of missionaries there, but because all of them had investigators there, they were focused on them and there was weren't  packs of missionaries being loud and irreverent. So it was really awesome. I sang in a quartet, Joseph Smith's first prayer to the tune of Come Thou Font. It was also fun because there were some members from my last area there that I got to say "Hi" to.

Saturday afternoon we were working in the Visitors' Center. We were assigned to the art exhibit so I was in there talking to some guests when Sister Falcon came in and said, grab your camera and come to the front greet!!! So I did! I saw my first reallll dust storm. Apparently they are called huboobs. At first the wind was just picking up, and then it started getting kind of dusty out there. Everyone came in from outside, and congregated in the front where the huge glass windows are. It was actually really cool to be there and be able to have a cool view of the storm (maybe not the safest thing now that I think about it... haha). Then everything just turned brown. For like 20 minutes. I got some cool pictures and hopefully I can figure out how to email them today--it's been way too long since I've sent pictures! It was a fun experience though because everyone is always talking about the huboob from last Summer! 

Earlier last week we were trying to contact some former investigators in hopes of have new people to teach. We knocked on the door of a house in search of a Maria. But a different lady answered the door. She looked pretty hard. Lots of piercings, lots of tattoos. We asked her how long she had been living there, and asked if we could send missionaries to talk to her. She told us that she was actually a member. And is looking to go back to church, but is afraid and doesn't know exactly how to go back. It was so amazing to see how God works. I know we went there for a reason. We didn't find Maria, but we found Stephanie, who is a daughter of God. God works in many different ways. 

We had a lot of disappointments in our area this week. It's really easy to get frustrated and ask what we're doing wrong and why things aren't working out. Of course there are always things that we can improve on, and we're working on it. But people have their agency. And we're here to invite them to follow Jesus Christ, make changes in their life, and make covenants with our Heavenly Father. If they reject us, it's heartbreaking, but we still are doing what we are supposed to. And God is blessing us in different ways. We received two referrals this week for people that are really prepared. So we are excited to begin teaching them.

I love you all and am so grateful for all the support and prayers. My testimony is growing each day. I know Jesus Christ lives and that he loves each and everyone of us. Life isn't easy, but we each have incredible potential. Never lose sight of the end goal. 

Love y'all (can't start losing my roots now can I? :] ),

Hermana Larson