Ethan & Elysia Larson Family: At Home and Abroad

Serbia, Romania, and Moldova

On the Other Side of the Pond

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim. 2:15

The pastors in Iasi (in NE Romania near the Moldovan border) are studying hard while thoroughly analyzing all of the text of 2 Timothy. Ethan is leading a team of four, including his colleague Dr. Yong. This class will be the final class of three years of curriculum culminating in a graduation ceremony Saturday. Today the leaders decided to combine all of the students into one room in a workshop style class in order to teach the lessons in analyzing and diagramming the text. This is very challenging for the students and the teachers because it is being translated from English teaching to Romanian for the listeners. The students have the curriculum book on 2 Timothy already translated into Romanian, which is very beneficial for their learning and their ability to teach others also. Please pray for these classes to bear much fruit as the teachers and students abide in Christ.

Ethan will travel to Moldova on Thursday to meet for a second time with church leaders desiring training in the Word. Please pray for those meetings.

Meanwhile, at Home…

After a day of no school for Martin Luther King, Jr. day, the children returned to school today. They all have head colds, so I am praying for their health and strength for their days. I headed to Moms in Prayer that meets to pray for students and teachers at the public charter school my older two children attend. In addition to praying for the kids, we spent some concerted time praying for Pastor Saeed and his wife, Naghmeh, today. Learn more about this U.S. prisoner in Iran at www.savesaeed.org

After prayer, I attended my final physical therapy session for my hip labral tear and impingement. This physical therapy has been a Godsend. I have grown so much stronger through these sessions. Though I will continue to have pain the rest of my life, we found that if I exercise it correctly, I have increased mobility and strength. My goal will now be to do my exercises at least 2-3 times per week. For now, I do not plan to have surgery. I have also been taking on a crazy hard challenge from my sister-in-law to do planks, pushups, squats, etc. every day for one month. The number increases every day. I am getting to the point where I am wondering if my weakness will outweigh my ambition. It will be any day now. I am also memorizing a chapter of the Bible as a challenge for our church. Though physical exercise is beneficial, godliness is worth SO much more. God is encouraging me so much through this time of memorization. I Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

Saturday we were blessed with a few opportunities to keep busy and enjoy ourselves. Our Minnesota Historical Society had an event in Pine City, MN at the NorthWest Company Fur Post. We were transported to the time of the Voyageurs and Ojibwe Indians! We also got to try snowshoeing, cutting ice in a river for fishing, curling on the river, and a game called Snow Snake.