Week 41 YAY for Miracles!

This past week we have had MIRACLES. Specifically, people are progressing! C told us that she's been reading and praying and she feels calm and peace, but that she doesn't feel like God has told her the answer yet. We asked her if she thought maybe we were an answer to those prayers. She said that yes, she had thought about that, but she wasn't sure. So then later we had a lesson about how to recognize the Holy Ghost. We shared several scriptures that talk about what the Holy Ghost feels like, and she looked in her eyes like she really understood and like she was coming to a realization of the truth. It was super cool. AAAAND then at the end of the lesson, we asked her daughter to give the closing prayer. She looked at us kinda funny and looked away and looked uncomfortable, like she was going to tell us something but didn't want to say it. We both thought she was going to tell us she didn't want to listen anymore, but instead she blew us away and said, "One of those scriptures you read... I've felt like that before." IT WAS SO SWEET.

And then there's J! He's the sweetest! He came to the MoBat and took a tour, then a few days later he came and watched the Joseph Smith movie. Unfortunately he arrived late so he didn't finish. :( BUT. Then he came to the branch party on Friday! :D Haha then he invited us to come with him and his family to a party on Sunday. We did not go... but then Sunday night he texted us and asked if he could come to the MoBat to finish the movie! :D Whaaat? So he came and finished, and the Spirit was SO STRONG there. Then last night he texted us and asked if we were going to come teach his family that night. So of course we said yes (we were planning already on being in that neighborhood) and had a lesson about prophets. He said he's praying to know about Joseph Smith. It has just been incredible. We are so excited for him! :D We also had member in our lesson yesterday with F. We've been trying to get this member with us in a lesson with her for months, but she kept having to bail on the lesson. So yesterday it all worked out and it was awesome! :D Members are SO KEY to missionary work. :)

So, you know how some people let hardships turn them from God? Well, F's husband is one of them. He had 6 siblings, and they all died super young from some sickness. And so now he's atheist and doesn't want to hear anything. It kinda tears their family apart. They all have their own beliefs and it's so sad to see. They don't have a unified goal. They all go their own ways, doing their own things, not really united in purpose or anything. It makes me so sad! That's what the gospel does for us. It ties us together and helps us progress as a family. We can all help each other! Well. That's enough ranting.

Well. That's about it for now. Ooh I've been reading in the Bible about prophecies about the restoration, the Book of Mormon, what Christ established in terms of church organization, ordinances, etc. So many incredible scriptures! I LOVE Acts 8. I've heard so many times that after baptism you just automatically receive the Holy Ghost. WRONG. Read Acts 8. There are so many scriptures too that talk about the need for authority, healing with oil, the 12 apostles, quorums of 70, baptism for the dead, temples, etc. It's SO SWEET. :) I love it all! 

Love you all too!

Hermana Harris

Week 40 The Gospel Is sweet and simple!

This week we had some pretty sweet miracles. One awesome miracle: J. came to the Battalion! He's the son of a referral we got, and they're not too interested, but he is, and he read when we asked him to, and then he came to the Battalion! I already sent the pic, but it was so sweet I had to say it again. :) We've been so blessed by Heavenly Father with people to teach. I feel like half the time when we make plans for the next day, we never find anyone we planned to visit. But this week we've been able to teach those who we planned to teach! It's so awesome. :D

Awww there is this super sweet lady named C. She invited us over again for dinner. During our discussion we asked if she had read more from the Book of Mormon, and she told us she didn't know where it went, that she put it on the counter, and the next day it was gone. It's not surprising since she also told us her son keeps telling her to stop letting us come over. She defended us though, and told him she's old enough to decide who can come over, and that we're her friends. (This is the son that started his own church.) Oh man. She's so incredible!

We went to the Fireside on Sunday. It was absolutely incredible! We were disappointed because none of the investigators we invited were able to make it... but it was a wonderful experience. Plus I got to see Sister Salinas! :D OH And one of the Sisters that was in our district the last week at the MTC (during our VC training) is here in San Diego for her outbound! :D Her name is Sister Marmol and she's from Spain and she is the sweetest! Hopefully we'll see her every once in a while. :)

We talked to a lot of people this week that have conspiracy theories and all these crazy ideas about what's truth and it was frustrating but also made me SO GRATEFUL. I don't have to smoke anything to 'feel peace'.' I don't have to 'cleanse my pinecone(?) gland to use my third eye.' I'm not worried about secret groups out to get me. I know that if I just keep repenting, reading, praying, going to church, listening to the prophet, etc. then I'll be happy, successful, and some day be able to live with my Heavenly Father again. What a relief!

Love you all!!

--Hermana Harris

Week 39 The Lord does answer prayers... specifically!

If you want to talk to God, pray! 

Transfers...I guess the subject is a bit of a misnomer since... well we're not getting transferred! Phew! That makes 3 transfers with Sister Salinas and 3 with Sister Contreras. :D Pretty lucky! I wonder if I'll have all my compas for 3 transfers. I feel like it just might happen dat way. :) Sister Mendez and Hall are gone... but Sister Romero is staying in Sweetwater, so Logan Heights is prolly closing one of theirs, so we'll be getting one of them. Don't know who yet! ...but we might get Sister Amendola! :D THAT WOULD BE AMAZING. I'll let ya know next week. :)

We had the best day ever yesterday. We ended up having 3/4 of the lessons we planned for. That NEVER happens! We found everyone! The Lord just put them where they needed to be so we could teach them. It was incredible. I love having specific prayers! We prayed that these people would be there so we could teach them, and they were! I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. But it was really sweet. :)

We finally contacted a referral we've had for a long time. We had gone by to see her a bunch of times but she was never home. But the other day she was, and her husband was too, and we taught them but they didn't take a Book of Mormon. So then yesterday we went to teach them, and their son was there with them. We taught them all and then at the end the son accepted a Book of Mormon and said he'd read it. Yes! The Spirit was so strong in the lesson. :) It was wonderful! :D

Oh man. Our branch had an activity on Saturday - Carne Asada in the park. from 8-1. We got there around noonish. It was the most delish ward party thing I've ever been to. :D And the really cool thing is we got to spend a lot of time talking to one of our investigators. So many barriers are breaking down. Yesterday in one of our lessons we really got to know another of our investigators better. She shared with us what she's going through. It's absolutely amazing the strength that people have when they're founded on the Savior. I love learning from these people!

Basically it's going pretty well. We're making progress, and learning lots and lots.

Oh wait. Cool experience. So we were contacting a referral, but she wasn't there because apparently she moved like 4 months ago. Which is weird cuz we just got the referral a week ago. But in any case, as we were leaving my companion asked her if she knew anyone who spoke Spanish, so she pointed to the apartment on the end of the row, so off we went. When we got there, this absolutely gorgeous woman in her 40s opened the door. She was poised and elegant, and just radiated power and strength, but you could see that she was incredibly upset about something. Like, rocked to the core. She looked like her eyes were seeing off into the distance, and she looked like she had been crying. As we talked to her, she told us that her heart and mind and everything was closed right then, but that she might be open later. We continued talking, and I shared an experience with her, and I was almost in tears and I think she felt it and it was so intense. As we left, we overheard her neighbor asking what happened, and she said something about "He's in jail." So basically Heavenly Father sent us to her right when she needed us most. It was way cool.

Well, there ya go! I love you all! Keep on being incredible examples, and keep on asking Heavenly Father how you can improve every day, and ask yourself what you can do to strengthen your relationship with your Heavenly Father today. :) Love ya!

Week 38 The glass is still halfway full!

Ok so the longer email hasn't happened yet. Well, Sister Mendez is leaving in a week. D: I'm going to miss her so much! She's an incredible missionary and a fabulous friend and stinkin' hilarious. XD

Sister Wells is one of our new Mandarin sisters. :) She's the sweetest!! :D (Plus she tells me that I look like Belle from Beauty and the Beast. XD That's always nice. Sister Romero tells me I look like Lumiere. The candlestick. Aww. How sweet.... XD )

Over a month ago we contacted a referral and taught her the Restoration. When we shared the First Vision, she literally laughed at us. It was kinda discouraging. And we didn't think it went over too well. We decided to go back and visit her again anyway, about a month later, and her daughter told us that she has been talking about us a lot. :D I guess the Spirit has been working on her! So we taught her the Plan of Salvation and she was hung up at first on the fact that the bible says there are only two roads, the straight and narrow, and the other way, so how are there 3 degrees of glory, but we shared 1 Cor 15 and she just said, "Oh. No sabia" and accepted it. She also promised she'll read the Book of Mormon. She's so much more open than that first day. It's amazing. :)

Hermanas Wells and Contreras with Elder Affleck

We made the blueberry pie. But the recipe didn't say to dissolve the corn starch in water before mixing it in, so I didn't know if I had to or not, and I was running out of time, and I didn't want to make it too watery, and so I just put the cornstarch right in the boiling pot and it just turned into giant white lumps and it was a really sad moment for me. But now I know to never ever ever do that again, so that's the good news. XD The pie tasted fine. Just has lumps. People keep asking what they are. I'm tempted to say "It's some Mexican fruit one of our members gave us. I thought I'd just throw it in to make it look cool." But that would be dishonest. So instead I just get embarrassed and say I messed up. XD Oh well. Someday I'll learn to make food. Someday.

I love you so much! BTW I love being a missionary here at the MoBat. It's the best. :) I love the other sisters here. It's such an incredible experience. I can't imagine having it any other way.

This is the last week of this transfer. I'll tell you next week what happens! :O

--Hermana Harris

Breaking Bread Week 37

So this week our RS President sent out a dinner calendar and had the members sign up. So yesterday we actually ended up getting fed THREE TIMES. That's like... how many times I got fed in total my first entire transfer. And those weren't set appointments but just when we got there they fed us. I feel like a fat kid. So many tortillas. XD 

We had a SWEET lesson with this lady on Sunday. We brought a member with us and this lady is so receptive. She has a lot of questions and is really searching for truth. :) It's incredible!

We also had a lesson with a 21 year old yesterday. We were trying to find her mom that we met on Sunday but she wasn't there. The girl was super closed for the first minute we talked with her but then all of a sudden she opened up and was super nice and eventually even started telling us about how she's having a hard time because she doesn't feel like she can talk to her siblings or her mom about spiritual things because they're just not very close and so she has no one to talk to about that. :( It really made me grateful for how the gospel has brought my family together, and that I can talk to my siblings and parents about the gospel and it's just normal. Anyway, she basically told us that she wants friends! :) Singles ward, anyone???

We had MTEs this week. That means a three hour training meeting and then a full day in the area, talking to soooo many people and seeing so many miracles. We had some pretty incredible experiences. We were finally able to gain the confidence of a less active enough for her to tell us the real reason for why she doesn't want to go to church anymore. We met a lot of people and just had an incredible day. :) Oh man. 

A sweet investigator! I think those a flautas...mmm!

We also had a lunch appointment, but we had already eaten with her once this month... and there's this rule that we can only eat with a member once a month unless there's an investigator there or something. So we were trying to get an investigator to come with us but none of them could come, so I was praying that we could find someone to come...and when we called before coming over she said that there were these two nonmember girls there with her daughter. 

So we came and chatted with them and they were super cool and then we ate and then their dad came and we had a Restoration lesson with him and he really listened. Like, really listened. It was super sweet because he's from Tijuana and he actually lived next to missionaries then, and they got along super well, but they never taught him. So...it was sweet. :)

I think that's about it for now. I love you all! :D

--Hermana Harris

The lighthouse! Set on a hill!

On the way to Coronado Island

A squishy surrey tour. 

Where's the camera?

Sweet is the peace the Gospel brings! Week 36

So this week we're only emailing for 1 hour so I don't really have much time left but I'll give you some basics:

-We were heading off to contact someone and there was this little girl that started talking to us. She told us her mom was home, which was random, so we asked which house was hers. So she pointed to it and we figured, well, why not? So we went and knocked and had a sweet lesson with her about prayers and how they're not some recitation but a personal conversation between he and her Father. She prayed at the end and it was so incredibly powerful. She was looked super happy and was just glowing. It was incredible. :)

-Yesterday Sister Contreras and I took a Spanish tour with these two people from Mexico City and 4 people from Spain. At the end, the lady from Mexico City was SO EXCITED. She wouldn't stop saying 'Thank you SO MUCH. Seriously. Thank you. You have no idea how much I loved that. It was a beautiful story. Mil gracias." etc. Eventually she even said "I'm just so full of joy and happiness and LOVE. Thank you!" It was super sweet. :)

BIG HUG!

-We met this cool guy named K. He used to serve in the army but he left for a while. He's planning on going back. It was just really neat to get to know him. He said he's saved someone's life once, but the other times he was unsuccessful. He acts like a tough guy at first but he's an incredibly caring and loving individual. By the end of our discussion I wanted to adopt him as my uncle. He was so sweet! It just always amazes me how incredible all these people are. I love getting to know my brothers and sisters. :)

-WE HAD OUR FIRST INVESTIGATOR ATTEND CHURCH WITH US!! :D Well, last week C. came to a class, but this week T. came with us to Sacrament Meeting, and stayed for the first class! Afterwards he said he really liked it, and that it was different than he expected. He's such a good kid, he just really needs some good friends. (He's he 17 year old that told us that he sees himself in jail in 5 years.) C. came too but only to the first class, then she had to go.

-We went to talk to an investigator and afterwards saw this other guy outside smoking. My initial instinct was to get away asap cuz I hate that smell but instead we stopped and talked to him. He's angry at organized religion because he says it's caused so many wars and deaths. We just talked to him and had a good convo and at the end prayed with him, and after the prayer he looked so different. He thanked us for the prayer, but it was way more than just words. When he said it he was looking me straight in the eyes and I could feel that something had touched his heart. It was an unforgettable moment.

Well, I love you all! Have a fabulous week! :D

--Hermana Harris

PS>>>Journals are so important! We talk about that in the tour. There are actually almost 80 surviving journals from the men of the Battalion. That's why we can even have the museum - because they took the time to write down those precious experiences that helped their faith grow. :)

Week 35 Feeling my Heavenly Father's Love!

I've been trying to talk to people more because Elder Ballard told us that we can do more than we are doing. It's definitely true. There are so many people I've just walked right past. But I'm getting better. I even talked to this guy in the laundry place this morning who was shaving his face in the sink. He had a few tattoos and owns a shopping cart. His name is D. Anyway, it's been really neat because I just feel this love for Heavenly Fathers' children. As I talk to them I feel His love for them and I just feel like I'm surrounded by friends. I love it!

 1 Are you teaching anyone? If so who and how and what!

2 Are you working with ward members / less actives? How is that going? 

3 Any near fatalities on the San Diego craziness roads or is it pretty calm and relaxing to drive these days?

4 Do you email the mission president every week? If so what do you say?

5 Do you have a planner or are you keeping a journal (I really hope you are writing every day!)?  

1 We are teaching. XD Lots of people! We try to teach everyone we talk to. On Saturday we had exchanges, so I went with Sister Frampton to my area and my companion went with Sister Hall to Barrio 20. We had so many awesome experiences, but one that is super exciting to me is we finally met this family that the previous missionaries in Sweetwater were teaching for a while but dropped because the mom wasn't going to church. Well when we met them on saturday, the mom wasn't there but the daughter was, and she said her little brother won't let her read the BoM because he wants to finish first. XD He's been reading and praying and loves it. How amazing is that?? :D So we gave them another one and we're going back to teach them soon. :) So exciting! I love teaching families! :D

2. Ward members? Well there was a sister who went on a mission but had a medical problem so she just came back a few days ago and she came out with us and is amazing. She was with us when we met the above mentioned family. ^_^ Not so many less actives in our designated area, and the one we really want to work with will only meet with us on Saturday mornings and so when we have battalion then we can't even meet with her. And then she'll bail on us the other times. It's rough. >_>

3. No near fatalities. I've gotten used to driving here. There are still crazy drivers and people who switch lanes suddenly and pull in front of us w/o signaling and do stupid things but we're fine. :)

4. Yeah, we email him every week. I say basically what I say to you all, maybe a little more, maybe a little less. Just depends.

5. Yes, we have planners. :D I stinkin' love them and want to 'be that guy' who can't stop using them. They're awesome. and my journal is slacking. I write in it every....once in a while...... Well I wrote in it last night for a second. Funny you should ask, though, because this week one of our goals as a companionship is to write in our journals every day, even if it's just one sentence. So I'll be working on that. :) 

So here's a cool story. Today we're getting two mandarin Sisters. :D :D :D For the Battalion! Also, I don't remember if I already said this or not, but they opened an Arabic area and a Mong area in our mission. By the end of next transfer, we'll almost have our 250 complement of missionaries, and that's not including our senior couples. With them it'll be over 300. How incredible is that? :D I love it. ^_^

Mom I'm so excited for you and your pioneer trek stuff. You're being a member of the Mormon Battalion! :D There were about 80 women and children that came along. They all suffered so much. We were reading about them this morning from this book they have us read and it was talking about how from December 19-21 the Mormon Battalion marched 45 miles, without any water. They were on the verge of death when they finally reached Pima something-or-other and the Pima Indians helped them out. I can't even imagine. The point is that I'm proud of you. :)

Romans 8 is an incredible chapter! :) I memorized two verses from there when I was in seminary but I've since forgotten them.

--Hermana Harris