Monumento Week 2

Hola!!

Well this week was another great week! I am getting acostomed to the sector, and there is a lot of potential here! It is funny how dad mentioned he thought I would be similar to my companion...dead on! It is crazy how similar Elder Rackham and I are! By far I have grown closer to him in the first week than any other companion. We both think the same way. He is from Wisconsin, but his last year of high school he moved to Utah. He is one of 8 children, the third oldest! He will be attending BYU Provo, so I am sure we will be able to stay in contact after the mission.

Yesterday I experienced a miracle:) We have been in a pretty serious drought here in Santiago, and the lack of rain for the past few months has contributed to a lot of air pollution. The Area Presidency asked all the members to include a special petition for rain in their fast. Here in Chile, most people start their fast after lunch of Saturday and end it with lunch on Sunday. At 3:00, right after almost everyone had ended their fast, it started raining and didn´t stop for about 4 hours! I know the Lord answers prayers and blessed us according to our faith.

We are planning to have a baptism this Saturday for Hugo, a huge man who has been attending church for about a month. He is a really good guy.  He loves the way he feels in the church. He said he was a photographer for a wedding a few years ago, and couldn´t enter the temple. It bothered him, but made him curious. Now he understands why and has desired to go there some day!

Saturday Chile played in the finals of the Copa America against Argentina. We had a Zone Meeting that ended halfway through, and then we had to go directly to the pension for safety reasons. On the way to the pension, it was the weirdest thing ever...not a single person was in the street. Normally it is crowed everwhere. Lets just say they love soccer...They won and went crazy. I am glad we were in the apartment haha.

I know that the Lord lives and loves us. I have learned much from my new companion and I am excited to serve more with him. I love this work! Thanks for the love, letters and prayers!!!

Love,

Elder Harries

Monumento Week 1

    

                         Anibal 

    

Hola!!

Well I don´t really know where to begin...Today I left home exactly 11 months ago....and maybe by the subject you realized that I am in a new sector! I don´t know if I told you last week but this week was transfers. Everyone thought that Elder McDermott would leave, already having 4 transfers (6 months) in Las Naciones, but we were both shocked. I really enjoyed my time there with Elder McDermott! I learned much from him yet it will be fun to get a change of pace with Elder Rackham, from Wisconsin. 

We are Zone Leaders here in Maipu, I am about 5-10 minutes from my old sector by car. I am excited, and it appears that we have a good ward and sector with a lot of potential. Elder Rackham has 21 months in the mission and feels that he will finish his mission here. He is a great guy and very obedient. There are 8 children in his family, and he is a pretty confident, but humble missionary. I am excited to work and learn from him. I feel optomistic for the future.

Yesterday was possibly the best day of my mission! Anibal recieved the Aaronic Priesthood in church! He has accompanied us almost everyday the past week and set up a schedule for the other young men to get more involved. He is extremely excited to serve a mission! I am praying for him that he can continue with his enthusiasm and endure to the end!

To add to the excitement from Church and Anibal, we attended a musical presentation by the mission choir. We went with Anibal, his little brother and a friend of Anibal. It was incredible! The theme was The Living Christ. Let me just say that I felt the Spirit more powerfully than almost any other time in my life. There is so much talent in this mission. To add even more to the excitement, Omar and Cony were there with Lizardo my old mission leader!!!!!! I about fainted when I saw them! They are strong in the church and are attending every week and their little baby is healthy! I felt the strongest love and joy than ever before in my life. Cony wrote me a letter and expressed how she felt that if my mission were to end today, I had already accomplished my purpose because of the testimony that she has. I wept like a baby.

I know that this is the Lord´s work. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I am so excited to serve Him!

Love,

Elder Harries

Las Naciones Week 11

Hola!

Once again I want to express I happy Father´s Day to you dad! I thought about you and am so grateful for your example of love and service. 

Well this week was incredible! The baptism of Anibal went so well! We were able to visit him every day leading up to Saturday, and it is incredible how well he has progressed! He is very intelligent and after each reading assignment in the Book of Mormon he gives us an in-depth analysis and explication of what he read. He keeps on sharing with us his desires to serve a mission and share the word. After his confirmation he called us and asked to accompany us...he did so from 4 to 9 on Sunday and asked if he could again today from 6 to 9. We are so blessed to have met him. As a side note he also plays for the the Cadet team for "La U" one of the best soccer teams in the country. 

Needless to say it was a special week for Elder McDermott and me! I was so excited that Elder McDermott was able to baptize him! The first time he has baptized someone! It was a special day, but unfortunately few member came to the baptism. We called and invited many, and many said they would come, but I think they were all tired from the soccer game the night before...its Copa America time. Its crazy. we have to be in the pension at 8:30when they play the whole world shuts down!

I was studying in Preach My Gospel this morning and thinking about the reasons I am here serving a mission. It truly is because I have felt the Savior´s love in my own life. I realized that it is impossible to feel God´s love for us and not at the same time feel an increased love for all of His children. I know that He lives. He loves us! Have a great week and Happy Birthday Sydney!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Elder Harries

Las Naciones Week 10

Hola!

Well it sounds like things are going well for all at home! What a crazy week! Sounds like things are finally begining to settle down! We had a great week here in Las Naciones. I am really starting to feel at home here and get to know the people better. I really am starting to feel myself have a true love and interest in the well-being of these people. I love Chile, but even more, I love being a missionary here. I love being able to testify of Christ and His miraculous Atonement. It is real and it can change us!

It was a great week for Anibal! He participated a lot in the youth activities and also in a "Noche de Hogar" for the single adults. He is very outgoing and friendly, and has progressed more rapidly than any investigator I have ever met! He is literally a miracle and will be baptized this Saturday! Please keep him in your prayers this week!!!! It was very powerful after our lesson on Friday when he told me, "I was talking to some of the kids in the church, and they mentioned the mission. I want to serve one." I love this work. The joy that comes from helping someone come unto Christ is so sweet. As Ammon, I know that I am nothing, but that if we strive our best, we can become instruments in the Lord´s hands (Alma 26:12).

We went to Cerro San Cristobal today as a Zone. It is a hill in the middle of the city. I took a bunch of pictures, but again, the computer won´t allow me to upload them. I hope to send some next week. It was a lot of fun!

I would be amis if I didn´t recognize you Dad! Have a great father´s day! I love you and truly admire your dedication to the Lord. You have been my example in everything since I was a little boy, and continue to be. I am so grateful for the love and lessons you have taught me. I cannot express how proud I am to be your son! Thanks for everything!

I studdied this talk a lot this week:

 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/free-forever-to-act-for-themselves?lang=eng

 I love how clear it is. When we truly understand these principles, our vision of life and decisions completely changes! I Invite you to study it along with Alma 42:22-25. I love you all and will miss you dearly this week!!!!

Love,

Elder Harries

Las Naciones Week 9

Hola!

Time is flying here in Las Naciones! I love here. We had a change in bishops this week. It will be nice to have fresh blood and new ideas to help with the work here. Our last bishop was only 25 years old when he was called. He did a great job. The new bishop is more organized and I hope that we can have some success, and regular meetings with the ward council. It should be fun to see how things work out!

We had a great Sunday! Patricia and her friend who she lives with, Marisol, attended church! They enjoyed it and she has progressed very rapidly. She shared some pretty personal problems that are keeping her from being able to be baptized, but she has felt the Spirit very strongly and she has goals to overcome these difficulties.

We also had a young man named Anibal attend church this week! He turns 18 this Friday. After church he turned to my companion and said that he wants to be baptized. We have the service planned for the 20th. He is a reference from some members that we have been visiting. We have been working very hard to include the members and verify a lot with the assignment we have given them. It is working well and i have learned so much.

I had a division on Thursday with Elder Richey, my Zone Leader. He is Nathan Harries. He played basketball on the same high shool team as haws and all them...I think Lone peak. He taught me so much by example and is very humble and extremely focussed in the work. It was a joy to be with him and learn from his example. 

We had a Zone Conference on Saturday. It was very inspiring. I felt the Spirit strongly the entire conference, and at the end they showed this video about a footbal team, and basically never giving up and reaching our potential. I remember seeing it once before, it was really good. I will try to find it on lds.org and send it to you.

I love you all and know that the power of love is real. As we seek to truly understand and empathize with people, we know how to help them. I love this work! I love my Savior! I know He lives.

Love,

Elder Harries

Las Naciones Week 8

Hola!

Thanks for the emails! I am very sad with the passing of Elder Perry. I will miss him and his talks. Sounds like Regan is home and gave a great homecoming talk! It is crazy to think about how quickly the time passes. I completed 10 months on Saturday. It is sure important to make the most of the time we do have and focus on following the Spirit. I know that it is very important that we have unity in a companionship...that is the first key to success...the second is unity with the ward. I love this verse from Moses 7:18-

And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness;

Elder McDermott and I have been striving to be united and work together with the ward.

We found an investigator named Patricia this week who is very prepared. She recently stopped working, and moved here to live with her family, one of which is an inactive member. We found her while looking for people on the member list. She loved the Plan of Salvation, and said "I want to go to your church." Unfortunately she was travelling for the weekend, but will attend church this coming Sunday. We had two investigators, Juan and Joaho, attend church. They are progressing pretty slowly, but there is still hope for them:) Keep them in your prayers please.

I know the Lord´s promise in Moroni 10:3-5 is true. If we truly desire to know, we can and will. The key is humility and a desire to act according to the truth. The Book of Mormon is true. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. Jesus Christ lives!

Love,

Elder Harries

Las Naciones Week 7

Hola!!!!

I apologize in advance for how short this email is....We had a great week and Hugo was confirmed. We had the biggest miracle finding him a place to stay...a member just moved out of his house to study in Peru. They offered the room for Hugo! I know that God blesses those who keep His commandments and take a leap of faith!

I have seen the Lord´s hand direct and watch over His children so many times every day. I know that He lives! Thanks for all the love and for your examples of goodness!!

I wrote a poem this week that is based on Ether 12:27 about using grace to change weaknesses into strengths...hope dad, shanel or nathan can translate the spanish for you...

Ether 12:27

And if men come unto me I will show unto them theirweakness. I give unto men weakness that they may behumble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humblethemselves before me; for if they humble themselvesbefore me, and have faith in me, then will I make weakthings become strong unto them.

Changed by Grace

Who I was is not who I am.

Who I am is not who i´ll be. 

The changes I´ve made by His hand

Have opened my eyes that I may see.

He´s taught me when, what, how and why 

Esta vida hay que vivir.

He´s changed my heart and heard my cry--

Opened my ears that I may hear.

But all the time I trip and fall-- 

Each day, each hour, one more mistake.

En ser perfecto yo soy mal

But with his Grace a change I make.

Esfuerzo por ser mi mejor

To be who he would have me be.

Y gracias a Su gran Amor

From my weakness he sets me free.

At times the mountains seem so high

Que nadie las puede subir.

But with the Master as my guide

A los cielos puedo ir.

Ser perfecto es mi deseo

But for right now my best will do.

Con fe en Él sé que puedo

Dejar el mal por rectitud.

Cada día hay que vencer

The weaknesses that leave a scar.

Confio en Él y so poder--

Solo Él me puede sanar.

"Venid a mi" nos invitó--

A Él siempre yo iré.

Aunque perfecto no soy yo,

Por Su gracia yo cambié.

Love,

Elder Harries