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

Las Naciones Week 6

Happy Mother's Day!

Hola

Well not much new from yesterday....except that we are going to have a baptism tomorrow! haha yes a baptism!!! I know that God is a god of miracles and wants to grant the righteous desires of our hearts!

After Skype we went to go drop off a pot that we used for lunch at a members home. She was visibly distraught and we asked what was wrong. She told us that she had a lot of sadness and asked for a blessing of comfort. We went in with her and her "husband"(they aren´t married) who is not a member. She, Viviana, is a returned missionary and has been living with Hugo for many years after they both had separated from their spouses and found eachother.

Hugo has been meeting with the missionaries and attending church since Elder Palacios was in this sector(i dont know if I told you Elder Palacios started his mission in this sector). He wants to be baptized but they cant because they aren`t married and thus not living the law of chastity. We helped them get some lawyers and start the process to get divorced and married, but because of Chilean law we expected about 7 months for it to finish. 

Well we sent in and she just basically started balling because in church today there was a talk about the law of Chastity. She said that she felt so much guilt and pain that it was unbearable and had to leave and sit in a room. We shared Alma 36 about the pain and grief that Alma the younger felt, and that it was a natural part in the process of repentance and served to bring her to Christ and motivated her to change. Then I gave her a blessing and we left.

Long story short she called me that night and said that Hugo wants to be baptized as soon as possible, because Hugo leaves for work for a week on tuesday night and they are going to live separated until their marriage! Hugo loves Elder Palacios and he leaves a week from today, and want Elder Palacios to baptize him!! So Tuesday morning we are going to have a baptism. I am kind of uneasy about it because that means he wont get confirmed for about 12 days...a lot of time, but the Zone Leaders said it was fine, and I also don`t want to hinder the faith that they are showing. I know that God lives and that Jesus is the Christ. What a joy to be a missionary and humbly watch God work miracles in the lives of others!!!!!

Love,

Elder Harries

Las Naciones Week 5

Hola!!!!

I cant wait to skype you all too!!! Hope that we can get it all to work. This week was a good one and I hope to make this email longer than the last. I know you want details, so here is my best attempt;)

On Tuesday we had the pleasure of going to the temple!!!!!  I ran into President and Hermana Doll there and we talked for a bit! They are really great and reminded me of Grandpa and Grandma Barnes who used to be there:) It was so incredilbe! I cannot even explain the pure peace and joy that I felt there, and I recieved so much "animo" to get back to work. I loved more than anything how neat, clean, and quiet it is...something that at times lacks in Chile. It makes me sad that more people dont attend, and that so many people have no idea what they are missing. It made me want to work extra hard to get people to the temple. One of the biggest challenges for a missionary is to help one expand their vision and see the big picture. Once they can understand the doctrine of the Plan of Salvation, the motives to act, and the action naturally takes place.

I have been waking up thirty minutes early for this whole change, so that I can get a longer personal study. In addition to studying Preach my Gospel everyday I made the goal to read the Book of Mormon 3 times, DyC and New Testament once before next general conference. I love the Scriptures!! Each day I find new truths that expand my mind and make me want to learn more. I love it!!! It is really neat as a missionary to see that each day what you study is directly aplicable to the need of someone we teach that day. I can´t tell how many times that has happened.

We had a couple attend church this week with their daughter named Jose and Mirena. They enjoyed it and were impressed by the testimony meeting. We are excited to help them progress to baptism, please say an extra prayer for them!!

This week I felt the Spirit very strongly in all of my lessons. I have been praying with a lot more conviction, and applying DYC 103:36, advice from President (also advice from Shanel:)). Prayer is such a powerful tool, and at times we take it for granted. I know that when we express our heart´s desires and ask for the Spirit we recieve the righteous desires on Gods time, but we must ask!!! I love you all and I cant wait to see you in less than a week!!! 

"Accepting Gods will also means accepting His timing" Elder Nelson..i think!

Love,

Elder Harries

Las Naciones Week 4

Hola!!!

Thanks for all the emails!!! I want to start off by saying I cannot believe how old Sydney looks!! Wow...I still remember the freshman sydney haha. I love you all and it seems like all are busy and excited as the school year is coming to a close!! I cannot believe how fast time passes!! I dont like it haha. I apologize in advance as this email will be short...sorry mom:(((

This week was a really great week! We had one of the travelling asistants come with us for a few days. He i finishing his mission and this was one of his sectors and I am pretty sure he wanted to come say goodbye to everyone haha. It was really awesome because he knew everyone and I learned so much from him. He had such a calm demeanor, but was goofy and fun at the same time. He knew the Book of Mormon very well and when he shared a passage it was always perfectly fit for the need of the person. It made me want to improve my teaching skills. 

I have been focussing a lot lately on the importance of the Spirit in conversion and teaching. PMG Chapter 4. I love what it says in DYC 50:13-22. To have the spirit and revelation we must be worthy AND ask. I have been trying to focus on those two, but at the same time use my own agency to "do much good" I have also realized the importance of charityt/love and not judging those who we teach. We must view them with the potential they have and not as the now are. I know that this type of love comes through prayer and fasting and it is something I am trying to develop. 

I had an interview with President on thursday! It was really great! He is such a good and powerful man, very goal oriented and focused. He knows what he wants and he knows how to get it....hard smart work. He has such a big heart and makes me want to be more like the Savior. 

I have such a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know it is the word of God and that these are the last days. I know that if we study the scriptures diligently we will get the Spirit and will see miracles. I love you all!!

"Diligence doesn`t start until you are tired"-rm from our ward

Love,

Elder Harries 

Las Naciones Week 3

Hola!

¿Cómo estàn? Thanks for the emails! I love hearing from you and all that is going on at home! It truly is crazy how time passes so quickly! It sounds like everyone is sure busy and preparing for the summer vacation that is around the corner! Can´t believe we will talk in three weeks!!

This week was very exciting...sickness hit the pension and my companion got sick and laid in bed the whole morning on Friday. I took time to study and write some letters haha..it was pretty lame. I started to get some headaches like him, but lucklily it didn´t seem to affect me too bad and we didn`t have to lose too much work time. We ate some "guatita" or cow stomach the day before and he didn´t know what it was until after I told him...maybe that was part of it I don´t know haha.

We found some really prepared investigators this week. One is named Manuel. He has 21 years. He has been reading and praying and wants to do what is right. We felt impressed to teach him the Plan of Salvation, because he didn´t really understand the need for Jesus Christ. We left the pamphlet with him and the next day we went back to meet with him. He had read it all and said. "I want to go the to the Celestial Kingdom" It was pretty special. We then taught the Restoration and shared the Book of Mormon. He read all the testimonies and into 1 Nephi and said that after praying he felt something really powerful and good, the Holy Ghost. He compared himself to Joseph Smith at first, because he was scared, but then he understood that it was an answer. He is very excited to be baptized! However he couldn`t attend church last minute because he had to go visit his Grandma who got sick. We were pretty disappointed, but we aren`t giving up on him.

We had some others who wanted to attend church but last minute didn´t show up either. It is really frustrating at times. I really feel like I am doing all that I can. I know that I must respect the agency of others and do all that is in my power. I have been focussing a lot on "an eye single to the glory of God." I am trying not to let my pride and desires for others approval to be my motivation. I truly desire the happiness and peace of others and it breaks my heart when they don`t accept what I know so dearly to be true. I can`t imagine how the savior felt.

I love the mission I love serving and I love being happy and healthy! Life is a great opportunity to grow! I know that the Lord is in control and that when we are patient and have faith, great things happen! 

Love you all,

Elder Harries