Transfers!!!

My word sounds like you guys had a good week... I wish I could’ve been there with you guys.... I love cruises. Be grateful for that snow, I’m currently sweating my head off in this internet lab on a computer that was built in the 1940s... 

As for transfers.............................. yes, I got transferred.  I’m opening a new area........ again. Haha! I’m in a place called San Bernardo.. it’s an interesting place :) I’m staying with my companion, Elder Urpeque.  We’re starting our 3rd transfer together, and I’m actually really happy about it. I love him, he’s been one of my favorite companions... 

President talked to me and told me he wanted to keep us together because he doesn’t want to fix anything that’s not broken. I thought it was a clever idea :)

Anyways, we just barely got here a couple house ago, and were lovin' it already.  WERE GONNA GO HAM HERE!

Monday I  bought a new camera... finally.  It’s really nice and it was pretty cheap as well!  Later that day, I went on divisions with Elder Wilson from Boise, Idaho.. I learned a lot from him about contacting. Haha! Interesting, right?  I learned that it should be more as a conversation, not a presentation. 

We entered one house, and we watched the video of Joseph Smith and the First Vision... the spirit was beaming and this girl straight up said "I want to get baptized"!  We were like WOAHHH WHAT??? So we put down a date and everything... really happy for her :) We also bought a hamburger and some maracuya juice for 3 soles and called it a day. :)

Tuesday was carnival..... aka the biggest water balloon fight in all history... not kidding.  Everyone and their dog was outside throwing water balloons at each other... crazy Peruvians :) 

We also had a broadcast conference for all the missionaries in the world on that day. The subject was "teach repentance, baptize converts".  I learned a lot on how I need to improve and I’m willing to make that sacrifice :)

Later in the day we had a great lesson with the Garavito family.  We talked to them about being a light to the world... that they were blessed enough to have the Gospel in their lives, so they should let that light SHINE! I told her that I saw that light in her eyes, and I felt an impression to tell her that her daughter needed to recognize that light though her.  I don’t know why I said it, it just came out. Her eyes starting watering up, and tears began to fall as the spirit settled deep into the room.  She began to tell us a story on how her 26 yr old daughter isn’t a member and that a couple months back, the Bishop told her that the would be converted to the Gospel through the light in her. She told to us that the Bishop and I used the exact same words, it almost freaked her out. Haha! She recognized it as an answer from God. How blessed do I feel to be used as an instrument in Gods hands.

Okay… sorry my message was so short today, the computer was super slow.. and it’s impossible to type cause the letters are broken. 

I hope you have a great week , love youuu!!

-Elder Harris

The Spirit Truly Does Protect Us

What up.

I hope you guys are enjoying the Bahamas today. ha. I kinda hate you guys... I still remember that time we went on a cruise to Jamaica and Haiti and all those fun places.... it was one of the best weeks ever.  We will have to plan another cruise when I get home :)  Or maybe a trip to Hawaii :)

This week was great. Last Monday we went to Ecuador (obviously didn’t cross the border) but we had a good time. We actually had a cool experience up there... there were 2 people doing witchcraft on the street because that’s big here. One of them was blindfolded and the other had a voodoo doll and apparently they were predicting the future and doing all sorts of cool tricks. It interested me, I mean, I love magic. But it didn’t feel right......... as the show continued, it got more and more creepy and people started to do some pretty weird things.  Impressions of the spirit were pounding in my head, "Elder Harris, you need to leave now. Leave. Leave. Leave."  It was hard because it was so interesting, but I followed the spirit and looked at the other Elders and told them "hey guys we shouldn’t be here. Let’s go."  Come to find out that we all had the same impressions...... the spirit truly does protect us.

We also got some bad news..... Our golden investigators Julio and Johana are leaving.... they’re going to Sechura (about 7 hours from here) to work. They aren’t coming back for a couple months.  It hurt a bit because they were progressing so fast, but we got their information transferred to Sechura so that the missionaries over there can keep visiting them. I’m gonna miss them..............

Tuesday we woke up early and helped Genesis (a member) level out her piece of land in Narnia... it was fun, but A TON of work. good thing my parents taught me how to shovel dirt. ha...... ha. We filled some buckets, ate some bananas, and drank cebada.... what else could you ask for? 

As we were coming back, our neighbors smashed us with water balloons because its Carnival this month and everyone and their dog throws water balloons. It’s a good thing that the Puyango sun dries you in 5 minutes.

Later in the day, we visited Mariana and watched the video "What’s Most Important?" She told us that her daughters were the most important thing for her and that she was worried about the path that they are taking in their life. We shared the scripture about the 2000 stripling warriors and how they were so powerful because their mothers had taught them. It made me think about you , mom, and how much you’ve taught me... I truly am immensely grateful for you and the example you’ve been to me and to all of your kids... I love you, mom :)

Wednesday we visited a friend of ours, Martin and his daughters. It was raining all night and it was super sad, their house was a straight mud pit. Thick, thick, mud and there was no way to escape it... heat, humidity, and mosquitos. It made me think, could this really get any worse for them? How would I react if my family and I lived in this situation? The example of this man, absolutely blew my mind.  When he had every right to be down, and to be angry, he wasn’t. He is an amazing man, I desire to be like him one day.

Alright, I gotta go.  Thanks for everything, hope you guys are enjoying the Bahamas.

Send pics when you get home. Love  youuu!!!

-Elder Harris

Rice Hackin' Master

This week was swag.

Last Monday we went to a beach called Zorritos and it was super fun. We played soccer and enjoyed the sound of the waves... what else could you ask for? :)  There was a huge group of fisherman so we went over there and helped them for a bit... wow! It was quite the experience. haha.

Later that night, we had a good experience.  We entered into the house of a less active member named Acash. We got talking for about 15 minutes and usually we start to share something... right?  We’re missionaries.. that’s what we do. We share messages about the Gospel but my companion Elder Urpeque closes it down and asks them if we can close with a prayer and come back another day.  I didn’t say anything but I was a little shocked. As we left, I was a little confused on why we didn’t share something and I asked him what happened!?! He told me he felt the impression to close it down.  I just shook my head and said okay.  As we continued down the road, we knocked on a door and we found a women named Lisbeth.  We entered her house and we shared the Restoration with her.... she had a ton of questions and even invited us to come back.  A great investigator!

As the night was coming to an end, I appreciated Elder Urpeque for following the direction of the spirit cause if we would have stayed in the house with Alex, we never would have found Lisbeth.  Amazing how God works sometimes....... 

Tuesday we had lessons ALL DAY with families.... the bad part, we live in northern Peru and in northern Peru, NO ONE IS MARRIED.  "We can’t hear the voice of the world and the voice of the spirit at the same time."

Wednesday we had a lesson with Hyner Socola.  His uncle recently passed away and he asked us where exactly he was.... we shared with him the plan of salvation and it was super special.  I also set my new mosquito clap record: 10 in one clap. Beat it.

Thursday we helped an investigator named Brayan Ancajima in his rice field. it was super, super fun. :)  The rice is already grown so it was our job to pick it up. they gave me a scythe and I went nuts. first day on the job and I’m already a rice hackin’ master. took some pics, ate some goat, and came home. :)  

Later in the day we had a lesson with a less active member named Alex.  as the lesson was progressing, we asked him what he desires?  Eternal life he responded.... we asked if he felt like he would achieve it as of now? he said "no", and his head went low. we expressed the love that our Father in Heaven has for him, and our desire that we have to help him reach the Celestial Kingdom.  We told him that we would be with him every step of the day, if we were willing to put his effort in.  He expressed to us that never in his life had a question impacted him like that.... and that he finally felt ready to return to the church.  The look on his mom’s face was priceless. She has been a member for more than 40 years and has been praying and praying for her son to return to the church..... the spirit was piercing.

I cannot describe what it feels like to be a missionary..... its another level. Being separated from the world. I want to feel like this forever.

Saturday we had a baptism for Beatriz.  It was an amazing day...we went there early in the morning to fill up the font and i guess it filled up faster than we thought cause when we came back the whole church was flooded! Hahaha! Yeah, good one.  Good thing it had all day to dry up. :)

The baptism started at 7 PM.  Her son Maison had the opportunity to baptize her.  Maison was less active in the church for a couple years but returned to the church, and last Saturday baptized his mom.  As they were standing in the font together... the spirit was so strong. Everyone was absolutely silent.  It took the poor guy a couple tries to get it, but he finally got it done :) 

it was such a great week.  I never want to stop being a missionary.

Thanks for all the love and support.

Loveee youuuu!

Enjoy the snow.

-Elder Harris