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

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