Esquina Blanca Week 16

Hola!!!!

¿Como están? Thanks for the emails and updates! It is always so fun to hear how you are all doing! I have had a great week and can´t believe how fast it has gone by! Thanks for being so supportive and loving over skype! That was so fun to see you all and it felt really natural speaking to you. After the call, I got really excited to get back to work and help those in my area! I love missionary work and know that there is nothing more important than sharing the gospel!

I love seeing the change that comes in others lives through obedience to the principles of the Gospel. Claudio and Mariela, our converts here are doing very well with their family history! Claudio loves it and was called as the family history consultant. He already has back to his great grandparents with pictures and stories. Mariela was called as the secretary to the Young Womens and the ward loves her and her treats! Osvaldo is the Sunday School class president and makes sure everyone get to class each week. If you don´t come...rojo!! haha. Luis loves participating with the High Priests on Thursday night and will soon get a calling/assignment in church. Vicente has lots of fun in the primary and is preparing to receive the Aaronic Priesthood. I know that the gift of the Holy Ghost is real and that when we truly receive it, it changes our life.

This week we had zone conferences! It was a lot of work, and I know that it was well spent. There are many great missionaries here!! The theme of the conferences was centered on improving our teaching, especially through the use of the Book of Mormon. I love hearing President´s testimony of the Book of Mormon. He said he was a young man who had just graduated from the top military school in Brazil, and was working in a successful job. He had an interview with his bishop, and expressed his lack of testimony. He had always participated in church since a young boy, but relied heavily on the testimony of his parents. Now older, and unable to do so, he was unsure of his desire to continue in the church. His bishop challenged him to read the book of mormon with the desire to know if it was true, and if it was to dedicate his whole life to the Gospel. He said that he got to Alma 14, and then knew for a certainty. 

I know that the Book of Mormon is true and changes lives. But we must read with real intent, or a desire to act. I know that we must continue studying to remain in the path toward Eternal Life. The more that I read it, I realize its not a book stories or history...it is a manual on how to receive the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ in our life! I know it is true!

I love you all and wish you a great week and Sunday tomorrow!!!

Love,

Elder Harries