Remembering that goofy, joker smile wearing, crazy friend! by Talyn Munn

What John meant, means and has done for me!
John Larson is, what everyone close to him knows, a great, loving and generous hero. Like everyone in life, he had his flaws. Unlike most people though, he overcame them with great passion and determination. John was a inspiration to some many people that he came in contact with, and I am no different. Sadly I was not able to meet John until later in my teenage years. So I was late to the party as some say, but I did arrive non the less. I have tons and tons of stories about "the gang", the wegde, Potato Lake, dates, dances, the almost throw down at McDonald's and Cortez park (thanks Becky) but none of them can compare to the talk that was shared between John and I alone one night that will touch me more in my life than the rest. It's no secret that I was always a little different than the rest. I've made choices in my life that I regret and some that I don't but the one thing that I can say for sure, my friends never judge me for who I am, especially John. When I was 17 and was thinking about what to do after high school, mission, school or work, just your basic stuff that a teenager would think about. I was having a hard time with deciding wither i should go on a mission or not. I knew that I wasn't worthy to go, but that aside, it was a matter of faith for me. I was having a issue with teaching something that I didn't know that I believed in. So John must of known that there was something weighing heavy on my mind, he pulled me aside one night after mutual and we went into the wash/park thing by our building and started to talk. He said something to me that will never leave me: "Dude, I cant tell you what to do, I know what I want and what I believe in and that is enough for me. You need to find your own way and if that leads to a mission, awesome, but if it doesn't that doesn't make you a bad person, you still have a good heart and it is always in the right place and you will always be good with me. I will never judge you or look down on you, you will always be my friend no matter what. I will always be here for you to talk or whatever. So my brain is fried with all this serious talk....." I do have to say that this was one a few times that John was serious. Something that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I miss you, love you and will seen you later on my Brother!!!!!!!!