Birthtism the Sequel!‏

Hello Family!

So! I think I ought to let you all know that the baptism happened last week! And it also fell on the birthday of he who performed the baptism! That's two of the three baptisms of my mission where there is an important coinciding birthday. I think that's how we'll start inviting people to be baptized on certain dates, where there's a birthday coming up.

The baptism went very well, and though it started late, two youth were baptized. I felt the Spirit testifying of the truthfulness of this work. We take people, even people who are content and satisfied, people who have their own religions and find strength and fortitude in God, and we show these people that there is even more than what they have known. It is beautiful and so real.

But yes! Diana Rodriguez was baptized by Ronald Rolòn and it went very smoothly. There were lots of rambunctious youth and after the baptism (and after the refreshments were done being eaten) what do they decide is the best thing to do? Why, obviously it's to mix raw ingredients (molasses, hot sauce, 100% cocoa powder, etc.) in a cup and start forcing people to drink it. I'm somehow reminded of several incidents that involved a certain older sisterof mine.......

That turned out to be kind of a bad idea, as I had been eating a lot of my own cookie dough that day, cookie dough which contained sour milk as an ingredient..... I feel better now, but I'll certainly never feel the same way about fried banana strips and Honduran stew (one of the Hermanas is from Honduras and made some food for the baptism)....

Actually, the food was delicious.

On the way down.

Never eat anything with small chunks of potatoes directly after anything that might potentially make you ill.

In other news!

I forgot my camera cord, so no pictures today.

This week held lots of good things. On Wednesday, there was a Fireside with an Area Seventy from down here. He asked that we bring all less active members and investigators possible, and our ward came out in force! It was awesome! We had Diana, and like 5 youth from the Asentamiento (poor part of town) there and it was a great experience. The following day, that same Seventy and his wife gave us a long Zone Training Meeting. He dropped cain on some of our habits and urged us to use the wonderful tools we have as missionaries. I really took what he said to heart. 

His wife really worked with us on how to pray. I realized the power and tool that is prayer and I absolutely love her suggestions. Good prayers have a unique quality of changing us, and our communication with God should be important to us. I've started to think about what I want to say and how I want to say it. I've started to pray harder and work more to acheive those prayers. God is faithful, and I know it.

Also, this Seventy is none other than Elder Wilhelm, whom I met back home because they are close friends of grandma and grandpa Harris! It's a very small world! I was really happy to meet them again.

That's all for this week! I love you all and wish you well! Know that you are in my prayers!

Love,

Elder Harris

Hobbits

If any of you remember, one of the remarkable qualities of hobbits is their feet. They have sturdy feet that can endure anything. They are also short and enjoy food. My companion, while being short and raving about the beauty of Peruvian food, is sadly not a hobbit. Because of some delicate foot problems, we had to go to a traumatologist on Wednesday to see about some insoles for his shoes. The doctor's office lies about an hour and fifteen minutes into the South Mission. The doctor wasn't there on Wednesday.

So! We went back on Friday. Both of these trips were after waking up sometime around four 'o' clock a.m. and began with me hanging out of the front door of a packed bus for the first few minutes. I mean that literally. So many people in one bus that the only way we can board is if I stick my toes on and hang out the door. Once you do get in, there ceases to be anything holy or consecrated about the principle of personal space. I think the wind carries it away when you're hanging out the door.

After the doctor's visit, we had to walk another twenty minutes and find out that the insoles cost 150$! That's money that the mission will cover, but it still sucks to take it from them.

This sounds like complaint, but it was actually pretty fun and I'm glad that I have the experience. We got to see the city! It's bustling and cool and we don't have anything similar in the North Mission, and it was fun to walk on those streets a little.

Other news:

I kinda took charge of a youth choir that we're putting together for a Ward Conference on the 18th of May, and it's coming along in an interesting way. I have never played a piano and sung an accompaniment part at the same time (let alone in Spanish), and it's really, really difficult. I have to have everyone stop sometimes to get a grip on what it is I am doing. We practice on Wednesdays and Fridays, and it's fun.

The work:

Well, we lost time and struggled to use time effectively, and the result is that we didn't actually get a whole lot done, but these things are happening:

Sebastian told us he doesn't want to know anything more about the church. It's because he's really struggling with a lot of personal things right now, like having recently been released from prison, and he doesn't want to expend the extra effort. I wasn't pleased by this, but I respected his decision and let him know that if he ever has any questions or wants help that we're here.

We found one interesting new person, but I'm reluctant to tell you guys about her until we've had more lessons and her family proves to be real, long-term investigators.

Diana Rodriguez officially made the decision to be baptized this Saturday! She's super happy about that decision as well. We have the baptism planned, and will be having a Family Home Evening tonight to get her mother's approval in handwriting. It's so awesome! She's going to be baptized this Saturday! In Elder Gallegos very first change he found someone, taught her, and taught her all the way up to her baptism just before the end of the change! It will be so wonderful.

As far as my personal progress goes, I've really gained a thirst to know Christ better, and to be near to Him. So, I've been reading a lot about His mortal ministry and His time among the Nephites. It's so wonderful. Today, for the first time, I was able to read a passsage of scripture and really feel the words of the Savior, His gentleness and love radiating from the pure doctrine He spake. I love my Savior and I do this because of Him. This is His word, His power. He is the vine, and I strive every day to be a branch of that vine. I know that I am weak, but in Christ I can be perfected, remembering always His atonement and His living, abounding work for me. I bear my witness that Jesus is The Christ, and I invite all to come unto Him.

In the church, sometimes our focus falls and we fail to realize the real meaning of what we do. Please, read through the sacramental prayers and note where we promise always to remember the Savior. Always remember the Savior. Keep Him in your mind. If you feel you must know Him better, search the scriptures, search the Father, the Spirit will speak to you in those instances and bear witness of the Messiah. I know these things are true, and I know that Christ has declared His way. It is now perfection, but it is to keep His commands, His ordinances, and to serve with all of our heart, might, mind and strength. Please, take note, and follow Him even as a few fisherman, a tax manager, some followers of a prophet, and the friends of these men did in Galilee. Come unto Him from the crowd as Nephi did and come before Him to kiss His feet and arise to receive His word. I know He is the Way and the Life of all those who would seek the Kingdom of Heaven. This is His kingdom upon the earth. 

I know it.

Elder Harris

Ndai Pori Easter Traditions!‏

Good Afternoon All!

I title this one in complete honesty. It has rained almost every day this week. And the streets have flooded a bit. It was crazy fun! However, it kinda scares me to think that we just barely began Fall and still have all of Winter.... Yeah, it's gonna be a rainy one.

In any case, this week was definitely interesting. I'll focus on the most relevant things:

Investigators:

Diana Rodriguez, who is progressing, was gone all week because it was Holy Week (which is mildly celebrated here). They went off to visit family. So, nothing really to report. The one lesson we did have went very well and she's still progressing towards baptism on the 3rd!

We haven't been able to find the other investigators either, so I'll have to tell you about the cool experiences we had!

Sebastián: We were on our way to a visit and found ourselves with quite a bit of time, so I talked to a guy who was planting plants in his garden and had what was his sister and mom working with him, and he was interested. He'd gotten to know a few of our beliefs, but wanted to know more in a genuine way. We taught him the entire message of the Restoration, and we taught really well, and he understood really well! He accepted a Book of Mormon, wanted to read it right then and there, and wanted to know when and where he could come to church. It was so awesome! We're going to see him tomorrow. 

Familia Rolón: Members, our Saturday lunch appointment, and the very member family that is helping us to fellowship Diana Rodriguez. Well, as part of training, I watch training videos with Elder Gallegos and we talk about what we learned and how we can apply it in our daily work. Saturday, we watched a video about working with members, and made plans to apply what we learned and try something I personally have never done before on my mission. We shared a part of the message of the Restoration with the family and then asked them how this Gospel and message has blessed their lives, and the head of the family (a single mother) responded very well. Then we talked about sharing these blessings with the mother of Diana Rodriguez and asked Sister Rolón how we might help her with that. We ended up getting together a plan, and then she told us about two other neighbors she'd like to invite to hear us, and we helped her and gave her the necessary things (pamphlets and a copy of The Family: A Proclamation to the World) to help them come. The Spirit was so strong there and I felt that the Lord blesses us when we do as He asks in the way He asks us to. I know that the Lord's way is the right way, every time, and this was just a little testimony of that.

Now, some less-spiritual things:

The title is pronounced "Die PO-ree" and it's a Guarani phrase that means that there is no or aren't any. And really, there are almost no traditions for Easter Sunday. They celebrate Holy Week more than anything, and a lot of people don't eat any meat on Holy Friday, but that means that the whole world makes homemade chipa (a Paraguayan cheese-bread), and we profited wildly from such an event. :)

Other facts:

During Holy Week, all channels only show movies about prophets or other Bible stories from both the Old and New Testaments. These movies are all American and were made back in the days of yore (probably the 50s or 60s). I gave in and watched the very end of Joseph of Egypt during lunch with a member. I feel so unclean!

Well, that's pretty much all for the week, I hope you are all doing well. The only other thing I have to say is that it's RAINY during the Fall time here.

I love you all!

Love,

Elder Harris

Keeping it Funky Fresh

So, Piro'y is a Guarani word for Freshness or coolness. That's the only reason why I titled this email that way.

But, this week was super awesome!!!

Tuesday:

Temple trip! Once a year (unless an convert goes through the temple), and it was just this Tuesday! I was so happy. I realized the significance of what we do there, because I saw parallels between it and EVERY single tiny aspect of what we do in the church. From the reports we give about our missionary work to the way we teach primary, our temple covenants and what we learn in the endowment influences everything about us. And it's brilliant. I urge everyone to go to the temple, feel the Spirit, and learn. Learn everything you can about everything you can while you are in that sacred site.

Wednesday:

We chopped of the branches of a big tree. In the pouring rain. We then tied a rope to it and five men with their might pulled that tree to the ground. I feel kind of like Hiccup's dad in How To Train Your Dragon when he speaks of the day he split a stone with his head. We are mighty!!! 

Not really, but it was fun and awesome, enjoy pictures.

Thursday:

We had a third lesson with Diana Rodriguez, an investigator who came to conference and showed a ton of progress, and we brought the Young Women's president and her son to the lesson with us because she's fifteen. The result?

She'd been attending seminary all week, reading in the Book of Mormon, andpraying. Had no doubts whatsoever and is firm in progressing towards her baptismal date on the 3rd of May!!! I loved that lesson so much. The Spirit was very strong as we talked of the first 5 Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The testimonies we heard of baptism were powerful. She came to church the following Sunday and it was a beatiful meeting. She cried a lot and I think it really went well.

We had another investigator in church, who is also a fifteen year-old girl. Her name is Angélica and she should be attending a Family Home Evening tonight with an active member family. 

Now don't go thinking that all of our work is with a bunch of teenaged girls!!! We work hard with folks of all genders and ages. Just thought I'd include that note.

Due to these among other things, we didn't have hardly any time to work this week, and due to some foot problems on my companion's part (flat arches), we'll be losing time this week as well, but I should be able to write next week with more stories and news of the progress of the Gospel in these parts. 

I hope you're all doing well and keeping strong. Enjoy some more pictures!

I love you all.

Sincerely,

Elder Harris

A Season of Conference, a Season of Change

Hello Dear and Beloved!

I want all of you to know that I love you individually and personally.

Okay, this week has been really, really crazy! Training is difficult! I'm so not ready to be a dad!

In the mission, one's trainee is often called his "kid" and that missionary's trainer is his "dad," and there's a reason for that. The missionary who trains you will have an effect on you that will last for your entire mission. I still find myself doing things (good and bad) that I inherited from my trainer. So, I keep finding myself in a lot of the same awkward gray areas that a father might find himself in. All I can say is that I have a ways to go before I want to have to really face that challenge. 

A long ways.

Anyways! This is Piro'y! It means freshness or coolness in Guaraní. It's a lie.

There are three pairs of missionaries in this WARD. Yeah, it's a ward. With a really awesome bishop and all the garnishings. 

We inherited the area that's the biggest, but most deserted. I never plan on transversing my area all in one day, because a large part of it are fields and empty places, and we either have to take a bus or walk places. The emptier parts of my area consist of two long, paralell roads that run up the area. The roads that run all the way along those two take like fifteen minutes to walk end-to-end, so that's pretty big. Exploring in there, we were able to find a number of people, and even a new investigator.

Also, in this area, there is an "Asentamiento," AKA the poorest possible locations near marshes or lakes where the government gives loads of free land to poor folk. What does it compare to? Basically, a more spread out version of my last area. I didn't realize it at the time, but my last area was incredibly poor. I love it still, and never felt really in danger, but now that I've seen what "normal" Paraguay is like, I've realized that my first area wasn't really it.

What is normal Paraguay like you ask? BEAUTIFUL.

Red earth. Green everywhere. Incredibly diverse wildlife and plantlife. Hills and beautiful views. The sky is farther away here, but that means you can see more of it at a time and sunsets and sunrises can get pretty epic. I love this place so much and I can get distracted just walking around. I've been pressing and taping flowers during my time in the field, but this place has too many!

Houses are also nicer, with whole families and very accepting hearts. This is a brilliant place and it was inspired for me to come here.

Elder Gallegos: Coming from Guanta, but having spent months each year in the Peruvian section of the rainforest, he's actually really well acquanted with this place. He says it's just like the jungle there. I was kinda disappointed by that, because it's always fun to show cool stuff about the country to the new guys.

Anyways, he studied Industrial Engineering in a University not too far from home and was able to reactivate in the faith and leave on the mission. He's taught me a number of things about living on one's own and he cooks bachelor dishes like mad. Mind you, they are Peruvian bachelor dishes (Arroz con Leche, Tortilla Peruana, French Fries with Fried Egg, etc.), but they're good and we like showing each other random foods from each other's countries. We talk about the differences and similarities of our countries a ton. Peru is a cool place, and I definitely want to visit.

He's kinda quiet, though he converses easily if you get him interested. He gets a little nervous when the pressure is on, but learns very quickly and we're starting to get some good harmony in our teaching. I'm too dominating in lessons still, but we're working things out.

The people are amazing! We have the stake Patriarch in our Ward, and they feed us on Thursdays, and his son Ariel is recently out of work, so he's been going and doing visits with us like crazy. So we see them quite a bit, and that man is so special. Patriarchs have a very special spirit about them. It's amazing.

We get lunch every day! Except Mondays and Tuesdays, but I'm serious! These members feed us! It's fantastic! They also have an excitement about the work that we need to start using a little better. I'm struggling to find more efficient ways of planning lessons so that we can get members out with us each day, but every once in a while we get something golden.

So far, we have some really good possibilities as far as investigators go, but nothing's super solid, so I don't want to mention things quite yet. You guys will probably hear a lot about Samuel though. Samuel is a 17 year-old who was baptized a few weeks back and he's going through a really rough time at home. Our goal is basically to be a role model for him and guide him to do what is right in his life. He is a really good guy and has a good heart, but sometimes either peer pressures or a desire to rebel make him do less-gospel friendly things (like getting his ear pierced! That punk!)

Those were a lot of outward changes, but may I remind you all about CONFERENCE!

It was so brilliant. We were doing a fast to get more out of it, and I really did get a ton out of it. It was so uplifitng and strengthening. One of the things that impacted me the most was an idea stated a few times that we must listen and come with the disposition and desire to change. Listen to God's servants in this day with a desire to change your heart.

Here on the mission, I learn more and more every day how love and devotion to God are the most important things and the foundations of gospel life. Our love for the Saviour is what drives us to live righteously, to make covenants, to serve others, etc. My love for the Saviour is expressed by my obedience to His commandments and promises I've made to Him. In the end, love is that force that drives us to bring ourselves closer to and serve the object of our love. If we truly love our God, we will do His will, knowing that by doing so, we make ourselves One with Him, which is as close as you can get, and by doing so, we serve Him in a more perfect way than we could ever imagine. Let us be humble and desire to do the will of God. His word and His work were made for our success. Jesus Christ didn't suffer, die, resurrect, or creat the world, nor will He end the world for the sake of a few. He has done and will do all things for you individually that you may be saved. The Plan of Happiness is that, happiness. Any other alternative outcome makes that plan null or useless. Let us make us of the plan! Let us fulfill the role of our existence! I testify that doing so means living the Gospel and following the Saviour. "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him."

I invite us all once again to do so.

In the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Love,

Elder Harris

P.S. here's a picture of the area and myself and Elder Gallegos

Big Changes!

Some Pics of Goodbyes

Here are goodbye pictures! I said goodbye to all of these wonderful people of Zeballos Cué. All of the thumbs up is because it's just what people do here and it's kinda contagious......

1st pic:  Andreza Moreira, a recent convert who can't actually read. We went to her EVERY week to read from the Book of Mormon with her. A lot of times, we were almost falling asleep because it was just after lunch, but we never actually slept at her house! We persevered!

2nd pic: Hugo Rivas and his family. This man is a wonder. He's worked from nothing and still lives in a destitute area, but his kids go to a really good school and he's sacrificing for their future. He would come out on visits with us frequently and brought many into the fold. He's so wonderful.

3rd pic: Virgenio Caballero and Pablina Amarilla. Investigators who were awesome! He's the one who moved houses to live the law of chastity! They were so cool, but Hna. Pablina was sick that night, so she looks a little under the weather. They are so getting baptized! Must happen!

More Goodbyes!

Here are some more!

1st Pic: Some chamacoco youth! The one on the left is Juan Daniel (Dani) Vierci, and the other is Isabelino. Isabelino read his scriptures WITHOUT FAIL and they were there for sacrament meeting just about every Sunday.

2nd Pic: Gonzalo, Ester, y Fernandito. They were reactivating and I was giving Gonzalo piano lessons just before I left. They were super cool and I loved sharing the gospel with them. He's only 18, she's 17, and they're already expecting a second addition to the family! Crazy how things happen sometimes....

More!

More!

1st Pic: This is the Flia. Caballero. The Hna. Caballero reactivated while I was here, and I got to help out with that (she was an angel in my little choir of angels for the Christmas Pageant). They were so cool and would come out with us to do visits all the time. I loved being with them and they LOVED us to death. I think they loved all missionaries, but we really enjoyed our time together with them.

2nd Pic: Flia. Ramos. They reactivated with us as well, and it was so brilliant. She quit smoking in December and is now Primary President!!!! They love the scriptures and will be brilliant member-missionaries.

3rd Pic: Flia. Rodriguez. The Branch President and his family. We ate lunch there two times a week for pretty much my whole time there and they were cool. I'll miss them.

As many may have guessed by all the goodbye pictures, I left Zeballos Cué A! Not only that, but they moved me to open an area. Somewhere that used to be two areas, and now they're making it three areas. A magical land called Piro'y, in a city called Capiatá, just over an hour outside of Asunción. It's awesome.

I have some other big news. Unsuspectingly, a kind of short Peruvian man of 22 years of age stepped off of a plane a few days ago, with all the hopes of a missionary who set foot for the first time into the mission field. That missionary's name is Elder Gallegos. He is my firstborn son.

That's right! I'm training a brand new missionary! I'm so excited and he's so awesome! He's from Guanta, Ayacucho, Perú, and he's super cool. Super smart, he studied Industrial Engineering for two years before the mission.

I have like no time, but I'll say this, this area is brilliant, the members are kind, it's way wealthier, way bigger, and the houses are way more spread out than in Zeballos Cué. I love it already. We have a lunch appointment every day!!! Yes!!!!

Lots of work to be done too! This place is exploding with missionary work and this is a brilliantly strong ward with an amazing Bishop. Thank you all for your prayers! Enjoy a picture of Elder Gallegos!

And then one of the six missionaries of Barrio Piro'y! (plus our ward mission leader and a recent convert named Samuel AKA Samu).

Have a wonderful week everyone! I'll tell y'all a little more next week. ;)

The Last Week Of Change 5‏

Hello Folks!

Well, I dunno if all of you noticed, but this change, change number 5, was a pretty eventful one with a lot of ups and downs. But, all in all, it's been a beautiful change in which I've met wonderful people and helped acheive wonderful things. We have worked with many in efforts to help them reactivate and have searched hard for investigators. We have found some and are expecting their baptism in the following change. But, it ends this Thursday.

It would end Wednesday, but some worker's union is on strike, and so we're doing it Thurs. because public transit will be down for all of Wed.

But, you may be asking yourselves, "What happens to my beloved Elder this upcoming change? Will he be thrown out into the violent wilderness of the Chaco in one of four or five far off areas? Will he be fighting drug lords in the grand city of Pedro Juan Caballero? Will he stay in the same area for a sixth change (which would indeed be quite a long time)?"

Well, I don't know.

They haven't finished making changes, which is a bit unusual, and so I'll let you know next week. But, anything could happen. What are your bets? Do I go to a far off place that takes an 18 hour bus ride? Will I train a new Elder? Will I keep being District Leader? What say ye?

So, I just thought I'd write a little about the work.

Pablina was missing in action for more than a week..... I'm really worried now. Normally, when you have an investigator who's keeping their commitments and going to church and other such things, you see them like three times a week, so not seeing them once has been stressful.

We were found by a totally random person!

He's a man who has been a faithful member for a good chunk of his life. The missionary who baptized him had a father who was the governor of Utah, so shortly after his baptism, this man got to go to Utah.

He went through the temple, and was going to be sealed to his wife when tragedy struck. She cut things off with him and moved to Ciudad del Este, the only other city in Paraguay the size of Asunción. But, in the last year, he's found a new wife, is supporting his youngest children who live in another part of town, and now wants to start coming back to church. The miraculous thing is that his wife was baptized about thirteen years back by Elders who were apparently somewhat apostate and he really wants to bring her and her children back into the church. So, we're going to their house tonight to do an FHE and make tacos!!! FYI, no one knows what Mexican food is here, but the other Elder who baptized this member was Mexican, and apparently they made tacos tons like twenty years back, so we'll see how tonight goes. ;)

I love you all, you're so wonderful. Remember that there is always hope, In the darkest of situations, we can be assured that there is a dawn awaiting us because God is faithful. He will always deliver and we can always depend upon Him. The trick, then, is to be faithful in our dependence upon Him, rather than excusing our sins and sinful habits. Lets be strong!

Pte. Uchtdorf has a great quote that I've only read in Spanish, but it's something like, "let's not wait to be given permission to become the person we have always wanted to be." It's true. Lets not wait! Begin the path now and you will surprise yourself with how far you come.

Have a wonderful day.

Elder Harris.

That's all, Folks! 

Some pics!

More of our daily pictures. I hope you enjoy. :)