Monumento Week 16

Hola!!!

Quote of the week: "Great women and men are always more anxious to serve than to have dominion" Spencer W. Kimball

Thanks as always for the very detailed and personal emails! I apologizes (as always) for my vague and impersonal letter. I will try to make this one better:)

We had a great week together filled with many divisions and lessons. I can´t believe that Elder Mertz and I are already 3 weeks (half-way) through the change! We get along very well and enjoy each other´s company. He is a very very good guy. He just does whats right and doesn´t make a lot of waves. I admire him a lot and am grateful to have him as a companion, I learn from him constantly. He and Shanel share the gift of pulling out very profound and hardly noticeable insights from the scriptures, Our companionship studies are always a revelatory experience.

Fortunatley we had a great attendance this past Sunday. I attached a photo of our Gospel Principles class. The Rojas family all went again, and the mom, and two daughter will be baptized this Saturday! It has truly been an unforgettable and divinely directed experience teaching them. The whole ward has gotten involved in helping them integrate into the ward. I am happy for the decision they are taking to unite themselves with the Restored Gospel.

We continue teaching and visiting many people. I am not sure if you remember Rolando and his Mother (the ones who invited us to their house for lunch on the 18th of Sept). They are progressing well and ¨Rolando is still struggling with the Word of Wisdom. Please include them in  your prayers so that we can help him overcome his addictions.

President and Hermana Barreiros decided to change things up for interviews. Many missionaries are having a hard time keeping their pensions clean, and some pensions are just really old and bad; they decided to do interviews in our pensions! It was so strange to have them come and visit us! We had the pension all clean for them with some brownies waiting to meet them:) It was a great experience and I had a wonderful interview with President. He is a great man!!!

We went to the temple this preparation day!!! Such an awesome day!!!! I love the temple!!!!!

I love you all. I know that God lives and is our Father. He loves us and wants us to obey His commandments. It is the only way to be truly happy!!!! Take care!!!!

Con amor,

Elder Harries

Monumento Week 15

Hola!!!

Quote of the week, "No venimos a la tierra para descansar y dormir."

We didn´t come to Earth to rest and sleep" -Presidente Barreiros

Well we had a great week!! I am so excited after hearing so many inspiring and uplifting talks. I know that these men are called of God, with imperfections sure, but they have His authority to direct the church. Unfortunately the 7 investigators who were going to attend had car problems, sicknesses, and an old lady that had to be taken care of for the weekend. I was really frustrated, but I know that it just means that they are so close to finding the truth! 

It will be hard to summarize my 15 pages of notes in a short email, so maybe I´ll just share one theme that I loved. I made a list of questions before the conference, all of which were thoroughly answered! My first question was "How can I better learn to recognize and heed the Spirit?" Well...my question was definitely answered! I cannot believe how well Presidente Eyring explained it! I loved his talk and how he explained that we have a right to the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, not just in spurts. I also loved Elder Christofferson´s talk as I felt it was directed to every Chilean I have ever met who refused to listen to us haha.

I realize now that I am incapable of drafting a coherent summary. Sorry. I want to bear my testimony that I know that this is the Lord´s church. I know that He directs it and that if we do not live the simple truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ we will never be happy. I love you all and hope to have more time next week!

Love,

Elder Harries

Monumento Week 14

A double rainbow from the bus 

My companion Elder Mertz

Hola!!

Quote of the Week "Estamos aquí para compartir algo que no es de este mundo--el Evangelio" 

"We are here to share something that is not of this world--the Gospel"

-Elder Matthews

So nice to hear from you all again! I love my family and am so blessed to have you all in my life! I cannot wait for general conference this weekend and I know that we are going to have a spiritual feast! I love the talks and I study them all the time. It is incredible how simple their teachings are, yet how profound and deep when studied in greater detail. I know that there is a prophet of God on the Earth today, and we are striving to get as many people as possible to go hear him!

I used the pronoun we, I guess I should tell you about my new companion! He is Elder Mertz, from Springville, Utah. He is one group ahead of me, but this is his first time as a zone leader. Previously he worked it the mission office and is an incredible missionary! We were together in my first zone, and we became pretty good friends. I actually told him that he was going to come be my companion and it came true! He is very humble, obediente and a bit quiet, but when he teaches he holds nothing back. I have learned so much from him and I can´t wait to see what we do together.

We had a miracle this week. Well lots as usual, but one pretty big one. We have been teaching a partially deaf family for about two weeks. The parents are deaf, but their daughters translate. Well they came to church, and lo and behold one of the few members in our ward speaks sign language (we found out in ward council two nights before...ward council is so important)!! She is a special needs teacher! The dad and her had actually met before. Unfortunately the lady had to leave before the sacrament meeting, and we asked ourselves what to do...and then I remember Hermana Barreiros telling a story about deaf people in her ward who sat next to someone who typed what was said. They could read the message. Another miracle..the bishop decided to bring his laptop to church that day! I sat in between them both and typed what was said and they could recieve the message! I must admit, I might have added a few of my own words, but they loved it and want to come back to general conference next week!!!

God lives. He loves us and this is His church. His son Jesus Christ is our Savior. For these two short years I am His representative and I testify that He lives. Have a great week!!!

Love,

Elder Harries