Aug 25, 2014

Another weeek goone... whaaaaa

well, hey again! another solid week! I have basically no time to email this week, so I'm sorry about that ahead of time! this week we were able to see our progressing investigators quite a bit, and it's possible that we could have anywhere from 0 to 4 baptisms this saturday! please pray for michael, anthea, alex, and ariel! We spent a lot of time doing service, which is great, but sometimes it takes too much time out of proselyting. I ate loads of chinese food, like 4 nights this week, Elder Pogue is doing great, my foot is healed, we found some new people, church was brilliant, I still love Loughborough! 

that's about all I've got time for. haha I'm sorry! but please know that I'm happy. It's starting to hit me that there's an end to this mission thing, and I hate that! I can't imagine doing anything else. I feel like I've been doing this my whole life and whatever happened before my mission was just a dream! I know without a doubt that the book of mormon is true, and because of this knowledge, the hundreds of re promised blessings contained inside are also true. My favorite part of the gospel is the hope it brings. Incredible hope that is impossible to describe. I have felt it, and I hope you are feeling it! love you so much! 

P.S. my chinese name is 谢顶龙 

August 18th, 2014

Dear Family!

As you know, the Poguester and I are back together! absolutely unreal. When I heard the call from the assistants, I was sure that they were takin' the mick. but it's true! it's great! It honestly feels like we never stopped serving together. It's cool to see Elder Pogue almost a year after I last served with him, as his skills as a missionary have really improved, hopefully mine have as well. 

We have some sweet things going on in our area! Alex, Ariel, and Anthia are all preparing for baptism on the 30th of August, and they are all looking really solid, coming to church, and enjoying learning more about the restored gospel.  

We had an investigator, Caroline, who was 5 days away from her baptism during June. We all of the sudden just couldn't contact her. She mentioned that she was buying a house for her parents in Loughborough, and they would move in sometime during August. well, we still haven't been able to contact Caroline, but her parents and her grandma came to church yesterday! and they really enjoyed it! so we're exited to see what will come from that. They just walked into church out of curiousity. 

Michael Brooks, an investigator we've been working LOADS with, was one day away from his baptism this week, and we couldn't contact him. He agreed for us to stop by in the evening for us to let him know when the baptismal interview was, and he wouldn't come to the door or answer his phone. so that was a bummer, but we're certain hew ill come around in the future.  

We had the ward barbecue this week, all of the members were shocked to see that I'm still in the ward. I couldn't be happier than to stay in Loughborough. Definitely the best ward and as well the time I've grown the most as a missionary through different trials.  Hopefully I can finish my last transfer (we'll see, could be more) with a bang. President Rasmussen made a rule that zone leaders can only be zone leaders for 5 transfers, so this will also be my last! I'm exited for that to be honest. I cannot wait to have 100% of the time dedicated to finding and teaching. 

Barry was asked by the bishop to bear his testimony during sacrament meeting! It was incredible! He talked about how the book of mormon was so influential in his conversion, and he invited the congregation to read every day, he then testified of the sacrament, and of his baptism, and invited all of the non members to throw away all of their doubts and enjoy the blessings of being baptized immediately. It was so powerful! 

Ivy is back in Loughborough :) we picked her up at the train station and that was brilliant to see her again. 

oh.. I stepped on a nail this week. that sucked haha. It was way more the shock of a nail actually in my foot than it was the pain, but all is well! I went and got it checked out at the doctors and nothing is wrong, it was a clean nail. 

I love you all so much! I'm exited for everything that lies ahead in all of our lives! have a great week and remember that I love you! but more importantly, remember that our father in heaven loves you, and has a plan that sometimes makes no sense to us, but he is perfect in the way he always has a plan for us to be happy. take care! 

Elder Harris. 

Aug 11, 2014

Dear Family and loved ones!

I love all of you so much! I think that's the most important thing you can understand from any of my emails. I really do! I am grateful every day for the opportunity I have to serve the lord, and without you, my family, it wouldn't be possible.  

This week was full of miracles. One of the biggest miracles in our lives have been the woman's England Cricket team. They all live in one house, and  a recent convert in Loughborough lives in a tiny split off room from the rest of the house. He became really good friends with all of them, and he invited us over to meet them! they are seriously some of the coolest people I've ever met. We're grateful for members who are willing to open their mouths and share the gospel! At this stage they aren't investigating very seriously, but each time we go over there they ask us so many questions about the church, and we think a couple of them are keen to learn, and in the future we know they will have good ideas about latter-day saints. 

Anthea is one of our miracles. This is the Chinese girl who was street c ontacted by Barry, and then by David, both recent converts, who were both on seperate occasions prompted to talk to. She has now come to church 4 times and she is on a date for the 30th, however, we are thinking of moving it back to the 16th.  Alex and Ariel are 2 more of our miracles, they are progressing sooooooo well! they love church and they love the temple. 

One of the most incredible happenings of this week was that 6 of the recent converts in Loughborough attended the London temple. WOW. How great was our joy! As all of these people live very far away from home, there is a good chance I won't ever see a lot of them ever again. I'm so looking forward to our reuniting in the kingdom of our Heavenly Father! 

This week is transfers. I don't want to leave loughborough. ever. I'll keep you updated on what happens with that. 

This week my testimony of Joseph Smith was strengthened so much. and to put it in modern terms.. he was just an absolute boss. No one was more unasdhamed of the gospel than he was, and I love to hear of his testimony. I love the final versus of D&C 128, that I was able to read this morning. It was one of those times when I finished my personal study, I never wanted that spirit that I was feeling toleave.As I ponder how incredible it is that this really  is the restored gospel, each time I am in awe that this is actually true! and how is it possible that it makes me happier than ANYTHING. Today is one of those days that I just want everyone to know that a young uneducated boy saw God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. In fact, I might just keep telling people that this week :) we'll see, I'll let ya know how it goes. 

Know I am happy, safe, and trying my hardest. I love you all! 

August 4, 2014

It's August. that's unreal! 

This week was brilliant, the zone is doing fantastic and Elder Costigan and I have been blessed with some great miracles as well. It is probably the last week of Elder Costigan and I serving together. we've been together 4 months, and he has become one of my brothers!! I will miss serving with him, and I hope that I'll be able to have more companions that are as diligent and have as much desire to get things done as he does. 

Our most progressing investigator is Anthia. She is the refferral from Barry and David. We taught her loads this week, she accepted a date for the 30th of August. we're looking forward to some baptisms in August and we'd like to ask you to pray for Anthia, Henry, Alex, Ariel, Michael, Sean, and Mark, who are preparing to make covenants during this month.  

It always hits me during sacrament meeting how amazing it is to be a member of the church.  I can't get over how much it doesn't make sense in my mind why doing missionary work/ living the gospel makes us happy, and it's incredible what perfect sense it makes to my heart that when we do these simple things we feel indescribable joy.  I learned this week that there is never really a need to worry when we're trying our best.  Elder Costigan and I were talking, and we realized that so many times in both of our missions, it seems like there is no possible way that something is going to work out. and it does. Usually not the way we want it to, but the end, there is always something great that happens as long as we're trying our best. sometimes we first need to have loads of disappointments.  so.. as Bobby Mcferrin says, "don't worry, be happy!" 

This week I was able to visit stamford on exchange. Easily the most difficult proselyting area I've ever worked in, and easily the most beautiful. the whole time I was there I was just absolutely amazed of the town. the country side and the architecture. the bit that was most incredible was the walk to Burleigh house, the house used in Pride and Prejudice. it was a fantastic day and although most people we talked to ignored us/rejected us, I'll never forget that day! 

I had a dream that I was called to serve in the Lindon 1st ward haha when I received the call from my mission president in the dream, I started crying. anyways I love you all so much! hope you have a great week! talk to you soon.