Monumento Week 13

Hola!

Quote of the week:"No entiendo las otras personas--caminen solo para caminar. No entienden su propósito en la vida!" Ximena

"I don´t get other people--they just walk around to walk. They don´t understando their purpose in life."

This week was hard to say goodbye to Elder Rackham, but I am happy for him at the same time. We were so close and understood each other so well that it feels like a part of me just left. I love the guy, in a platonic not romantic sense obviously. However, it will be good to get to know another companion and learn new things. I am excited and tomorrow I will know who my companion is. I will fill you all in next week:)

So as you must have figured out, there was an earthquake here in Chile. Well actually theres been a lot lately, but apart from the big one on Wednesday, they have been quite minor. In the area I am in there has been no damage, but I heard that in the north there was quite a bit of destruction.

This Friday was the 18th, or national Independence day! It  was fun and we were able spend time with lots of great investigators. Two of them invited us to a cookout in their backyard. Her husband was a dentist and died about ten years ago. He aparently was loaded and bought the backyards of everyone of his neigbors. He had two pools, a gym, a real well, and a mini dentist office for when he was on vacation. It was really neat and they are so excited to come to church. They went last week, but couldn´t come this week because their cousin died.

I want to publicly thank Brad Bascom (through becky Erickson) for his genius idea of doing a survey instead of the traditional tracting aproach. Usually the 18th is a very hard day to have lessons and find people because no one wants to take time from their family or party and listen. Elder Rackham and I decided that we wanted to find ten new investigators (unheard of on a regular day, let alone the 18th) and we were talking about what we could do to reach the goal in companionship study, and I remembered the survey idea. We decided to give it a try with a notebook and pen( to make it look official)....It worked! We found 11 new investigators!!! Here are the questions we formed:

1. Do you believe in God?

2. What role does prayer play in your life?

3. What does the word repentance mean to you?

4. How can you protect your family from evil influences?

5. How can you know what God expects of you?

We would then offer to share a prayer and small message in their home

It was so powerful to see people who would normally not even talk to us, decide to take a two minute survey, and then feel the Spirit and let us in!

I know that this work is true and brings true happiness into our life! I know that Jesus Christ lives and loves us! I love you all and you are in my prayers!!!!!

Love,

Elder Harries