Called to Serve in the Peru Piura Mission

Monday, July 11, 2016

Last Transfer . . .


Well, I just got out of an interview with President Rasmussen... that’s why I’m emailing you so late.  I did get transferred.. I’m not in Chulucanas anymore.  Now I’m with Elder Buenning (St. George - Desert Hills) and we are the new traveling assistants.  Our new assignment is basically to help with supervising the work and do all that we can to help and train the other missionaries. I will be coming home with Elder Buenning since we’re from the same group.

Last week for the 4th of July, my comp and I celebrated with chicken that we bought and ate it on the top of our roof as we looked at the stars and chatted.  It was nice and a great way to relieve all the stress that we built up. 


On Tuesday we had interviews with Pres. Rasmussen.  It was an "obedience interview" and he made a list of questions that he asked to every missionary to see how obedient they actually were.  We started chatting and chatting, and I was waiting for him to ask me the questions, but he never did. He just looked at me and says "I know you’re doing what you’re supposed to." He thanked me and then said "can we end with a prayer?"  I was a little stunned but didn’t question it. Haha.

I also had a baptismal interview that day in Tambo Grande.  It was tough, the first baptism that I’ve rejected. He answered the questions perfectly, and his testimony of of the restored Gospel was powerful, but he just wasn’t ready to take the step to be baptized. He wasn’t fulfilling all of the commandments. It about ripped my heart out, but we set some goals together, and I know that one day he will enter into the waters of baptism.

I also got to see one of my buddies that returned home about 8 months ago. He just showed up randomly to a recent convert family we were visiting with his wife!

We’ve been helping a ton a less active RM. He returned from his mission about 6 years ago and hasn’t gone to church in a long time.  After talking about the restoration of the Gospel, he looked at us and said "I know Joseph Smith was called by God", he then expressed his feelings that he was ready to change.  That night he called the President of the branch and asked for a interview.  Everything went great, he went to the activity we had on Friday night and church on Sunday!!

Oh yeah, we had a super awesome activity on Friday night.. boys vs girls, we called it the competition of Adam and Eve, clever, right? :) We played all sorts of games, like dragontail, stomp your neighbors balloon, grapes in water, human knot, etc... a ton of people showed up and we were super pleased with it :) 

Saturday night we received the transfers.  They just told me that I was gonna have a special assignment.  As for my companion, he’s staying in Chulucanas and is gonna train a new missionary. I’m happy for him :) 

I felt absolutely devastated when I heard the news, I thought for sure that I would end my mission there because I had such little time left... but God has other plans for me.  Saying goodbye about tore me apart, I even cried if you can believe that.  We had about 8 dinners with members.  I truly grew to love them like my family.. as I laid down in my bed for the last time, I was happy. Extraordinary happy because I felt like I had given that area all I had, even if we didn’t have the most success in the world.  I will never forget that place.

I have millions and millions of pics, I’ll send you a few right now and I’ll show you the rest when I get home :) 

I love you guys. 

-Elder Harris














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