Review

Hello All,

I'm writing this first thing today to make sure that everything gets updated from all that I lacked last time. So, lets start with last week and work into this one.

The week before this most recent one was a big rush of things like I'd indicated. So many things happened and I couldn't even process everything that was going on. But, I can say that it brings such great joy to see and hear of those whom I have helped continuing in their progress and fighting hard to not only have Eternal Life themselves, but also that the Gospel has caused them to leave their own minds and serve those around them. The temple will be such a beautiful blessing next week. Though I haven't been able to visit Victor, Elder Monzón and Elder Aldaraca tell me that he's bought a white shirt and shoes and everything so that he can pass the sacrament tomorrow. It's going to be amazing to see him administer in a Priesthood Ordinance after so many years of a dormant Priesthood.

Changes were good. We received a really good group of new missionaries, and I actually knew one of them before the mission! It was so weird, because I didn't recognize him. His name is Elder Ryan Llewelyn, and he recognized me first thing. He asked if I remembered working with him when I was landscaping and saving up some money for the mission, and I couldn't believe that he was called to the very same mission! Super cool. I hope he's doing well.

Elder Milton is doing amazingly. I could be booted out of this office on like Wednesday and he'd be handling himself great already. He's also a great missionary and reminds me to be humble and lean not unto mine own understanding. We've been working well together and I hope that he can enjoy his time here with me, and feel prepared for his time hereon out.

We made some really good plans of things to do last week and ways to work with members and have progress in the area that have shaped out in various ways, but have also been challenged in others. The office always puts up barriers. But last Saturday was a baptism of a child in the Ward, which we capitalized on and were able to contact a nonmember friend of the family who actually accepted our visit yesterday in his house. It was awesome to see some fruits come from all of the member work that we've been doing. Today we have a big Ward activity with a lot of hot dogs and a lot of games, so we'll be working a lot to set that up and try and get some good references in a few hours.

This week was quite a bit of office work. There are two Hermanas that have been living like forty minutes outside of their area because of a sticky housing situation and because we had to open up the area that will belong to our part-time proselyting mission nurse who'll arrive on the twenty-sixth of this month. So, in the meantime, Elder MIlton and I have been fully in charge of finding this new house, and it just so happens to be in pretty much the most expensive part of the mission, with a very limited area because it must have easy access to the Temple where the Chapel is located and easy access to the mission office because that'll be the work location of the new Nurse. 

But, we've been praying hard every time we go out, and it really looks like Heaven has sent us some good blessings. I hope that what we've found will turn out, because these Sisters really need a new place already.

On Sunday I officially made the very last success video of my office career. I took up the responsibility of, for one last time, putting together all of the pictures of all the success events (i.e. baptisms, reactivations, temple trips, converts who finish the Book of Mormon for the first time, etc) and setting it to music with inspirational words and scriptures. I don't know why, but that was always one of my favorite contributions to the office, and so I felt a little sentimental about doing it one last time.

But this week hasn't been the best for getting out and doing missionary work... Which is frustrating. I don't know if I've expressed well enough in all of these emails the deep, profound desires I have to be an excellent missionary, but even more than that, to do the work and bring about miracles in the lives of many. It's something for which I always seek and wish constantly to be more consecrated. 

I want to thank everyone for their support, and especially the Spiritual things that they share and the personal progress that you share with me as well. I've come to realize that it's not the candy or the letters that say how much anyone misses me that bring me joy and make me feel someone's love out here. I think I've really felt love most from the moments when you have encouraged me to be more dedicated, to be firmer in the work and stand stronger and closer to Christ. I think of a song that we listen to out here in the mission of a mother who is praying for her son. She doesn't just pray that he'll be safe and that he'll bear difficulties well; she prays for him every day to be an amazing missionary, to change lives, to bring about good and to have the Spirit. So many of you have given me that encouragement and that support and I feel your prayers behind me. I'm so grateful to all of you and I hope that you may feel my support from here.

I know that this work is real, that God is just and loving, and that He will fight for our best no matter what. I also know that He will do that through us, so I would invite everyone to never give up, on themselves, nor on those they know. Miracles are wrought every day and our eternal salvation is grown by our daily care.

I love you all.

Elder Harris