Dec 9th Letter Home

Hey fam!!

 

So, basically nothing this week really worked out, which was really weird because that hasn't really happened before on  my mission! It all started on Monday, when President called me to train again, I enjoyed training Elder Pogue, but I really don't want to be seperated from Elder DeBeikes, so I will pick up my second child on wednesday, but both of us were really bummed for most of monday because of that news.  Later we taught Luke, and found out that he has word of wisdom issues that we had  NO IDEA about, he said that he didn't tell us out of respect, but he smokes and drinks. We were so shocked. However, He only smokes 2-3 cigarettes a day, so we just had to postpone his baptism. It was sad that he wasn't able to be baptized on saturday, but I'm confident that he will when he gets back from Romania. He will be in Romania until january 3. so His new baptismal date is the 11th of January. It's alright though!

 

Tuesday and wednesday Elder Debeikes was way sick so we sat in the flat all day--- so boring!! I was going nuts haha the first time on my mission I actually wished we could watch films or play x-box or something like that haha which reminds me! I spoke with a member this week and we have made arrangements for skyping on Christmas,, which is so soon! how is it possible that it's already Christmas!! which also makes me wonder, what would you guys like from England for me to send you guys for Christmas??? a member in our ward works for fed-ex, and it will be extremely cheap to send whatever to you guys, so just let me know!

 

we got a couple new chinese investigators.  GUYS, I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BLACK OR ASIAN. I love the chinese so much, they are amazing. They never flog (when potential investigators don't show up to appointments that you set up), and they love learnin about god. 

 

Frank and Joan are 2 of my favorite people ever. just 2 extremely old English homies.  They love Church, and haven't missed since we invited them to come a few weeks ago, they keep every commitment we extend to them. However, Joan, being in her 70's, is TERRIFIED of water, so she's not exited about the thought of baptism. I'm confident that we will baptize in the following transfer, unfortunately it won't be with Elder DeBeikes, but He will have bigger and better things to move on to!

 

How are things going with Spence and Kasey? Mike and Josh dating anyone? Meg?? when are we getting some neices and nephews up in here?? love you guys! que tenga un buen semana!!

 

Elder Harris.De

Dec 2, 2013

Once again, not a lot of time this week! I'm sorry!

We had a good week though, and had a really cool miracle!

On Monday our ward mission leader took us to T.G.I. fridays, I totally felt like I was back home, it was the first time I've been to a sit down restaurant with a waiter and everything since I've been on my mission, and it was AMAZING haha our ward mission leader is amazing! a 23-year old return missionary who served in scotland/ireland, and he understands missionary work like no one I've met before. 

Tuesday we spent a lot of times visiting less actives, and had a good lesson with Luke, at this point on Tuesday he was still golden..(keep reading)

Wednesday we taught a guy called Albert for the first time, a massive chinese guy who is amazing. He said the most heartfelt prayer and after he said, "wow I feel so much hope!" it was super cool and he is pretty golden.  Gifty is frustrating to teach, but I love her sooo much! she 100% knows this is exactly what she needs to do, but just won't come to church. She is so close. closer than anyone I've taught on my mission, and we're not sure at the moment what else she needs to come closer to Christ. We would love your prayers for Gifty! the sweetest woman from Ghana. 

Thursday Luke came to Institute with the YSA and loved it. It was an amazing lesson on Mosiah 14-16, Abinadi being awesome and testifying of the atonement. The spirit was really strong. Abinadi might be my new favorite person. He truly understood the plan of salvation, especially that through the atonement, it didn't matter whether they killed him or not, as long as he was declaring god's word, he would be saved.

Friday we picked up 2 new Chinese investigators who also said some sweet prayers. hearing a chinese person pray for the first time has maybe been my favorite part of the mission so far. We're so lucky we've had the knowledge our whole lives that we can talk to god, and that he does answer our prayers because he loves us so much.

Saturday we met with luke.. more background about Luke, his dad is a Preacher for the Pentacostal Church in Romania, and Luke had called his dad the day before, to let him know that he was converting LDS, and his dad was extremely upset, to the point to where he might be disowned if he joins the church.  We shared Alma Chapters 20, and 22. (King Lamoni and his father) and basically emphasized that through Luke living the gospel, his father will see that he has improved as a young man and a servant of god.. He told us that he could not be baptized on the 7th of December, and I was prompted to ask, "Luke, would Jesus Christ want you to be baptized?" and he said, "That would be the question to ask." and I was prompted to ask him to pray with us, right then and there if he needed to. so Elder Debeikes, Luke and I knelt down and first Elder DeBeikes offered a prayer at Luke's request, and then Luke started praying in Romanian. after the prayer we knelt in silence for about a minute or two, to where Luke said, " If I pass my baptismal interview, I will get baptized on the 7th." I cannot explain how strong the spirit was. Easily stronger than I have ever felt in my life. Throughout the rest of my life I'm sure I will have doubts about some concept of the church, but I will never be ever to deny the feeling of the holy ghost that was with us on Saturday, the 30th of November 2013. and that this gospel is the way for us to be happy. We NEED your guys prayers for Luke to stay strong this week, as he will be getting so much grief from his family for making this decision. I'm so proud of him, and this has been one of the most special experiences of my life teaching him. dare i say it.. more special than the state championship week. Never thought anything could compare haha but this honestly does. I love being a missionary! I love you guys so much! have an awesome week.

As for the Christmas package goes.. just go for it! haha I'm not picky, and I will make sure that I treat myself this Christmas, for you guys!

Elder Harris.

P.S. burrrrrrrrrr

Another superb week!

Another superb week!

 

I am a little bit rushed today, so it might not be as detailed of an update. On Monday we had a really fun P-day at the city center, and when it was time to go back, my bike tire's we're completely ripped, and so we had to walk the bikes all the way to the flat, which made it so we couldn't really do any work all night which was a bummer. We spend most of the week fixing our bikes but we've finally got it sorted and it's running better than ever now!

 

On Tuesday I went on an exchange with Elder Balzen, he is a very shy missionary. One of the most shy people I've met in my whole life, and you have to make him speak! However, I was amazed to see how enthusiastic and outgoing he was as we were street contacting and teaching lessons, he truly put aside the fact that he doesn't like talking, because he knows that to be effective he needs to. So when we are with non-members, he is an excellent teacher and finder, and the second it's just a big group of missionaries he just goes back to his comfortable shell. I really look up to him for conquering his fear of talking to people when he needs to, because I know it  can be a really real fear.

 

On Wednesday we had an excellent lesson with Gifty. She is going to be baptized on the 14th of December. The spirit was so strong in the lesson, especially when Gifty realized for the first time the need to be baptized again. (baptized catholic)

 

On Thursday two of our investigators went and did family history at the Family History Center, and while they did theirs, I decided I might as well look at ours. Everyone in the room was AMAZED when they saw that we can trace family back to the 1100's. I felt the spirit so strong as I saw the names of my ancestors that come from places in England, the country I have been called to serve in. The spirit of Elijah is so real! A lady asked me how my mom was able to go back so far, and I couldn't believe when I remembered that mom had a dream about Francis Moran, who was a rubber manufacturer or something in the brooklyn port, who told her where to find his name. Amazing testimony builder to me of family history work, and we are going to start implementing it a lot with our teaching and finding. Our investigators Frank and Joan loved it!

 

On Friday we met with Luke and Aramaide, who are both committed to baptism, Luke on the 7th now, and Aramaide on the 14th.  Luke is so solid. most real investigator I've had on my mission. He is so intelligent and such an honest seeker of truth. He has promised us that by the 1st of December, he will have made enough time out of his day every day to finish the entire book of mormon. I cannot wait for his baptism. 

 

Michael, Luke, Frank and Joan came to church and it was the primary program, and they all liked it. Luke scheduled an interview with the bishop to ask him how he can prepare best for his baptism.  After church we gave out food to the homeless, and sang in the ward choir for the christmas concert that is in a week. The mayor of coventry will be there and apparentely it's a really big deal, I guess we'll see! Yesterday after we finished giving out food, Elder Debeikes and I had to cycle through the city center, and the whole city was there because it was the annual turning on of the christmas lights! It made me all of you guys so much, and this holiday season won't be the same without you guys, but it will be amazing for so many other reasons.

 

Gordon B. Hinkley's voice just comforts me so much. If I'm ever discouraged I love to hear his voice, because I can hear the savior speaking through the mouthpeice of a living prophet. It is similar with Thomas S. Monson, but nothing quite compares to Gordon B. Hinkley for me. Perhaps it was because he was the first prophet I can remember, the one that I can remember praying for when I was little (Gordon B HINCKEY) and the one that I would feel the spirit so strongly as I was a child. I loved to watch the way the older children and mom and dad would watch him as he was addressing us when we would watch General Conference before 2008. Here is a great mormon message that he gives.

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=911029449001 

 

I love you guys so much. Have an amazing Thanksgiving! and a wonderful week. give every person in our home my love, and I hope you guys will be able to feel my prayers and thoughts for you as you are enjoying your week :)

 

Take Care!

 

Elder Harris.