Holy Ghost Fire!

Every week. HOLY GHOST FIRE! HOLY GHOST FIRE! Just railing outside our apartment windows. Constantly. Only like once a week, so it's not bad, but it is a fun story. Gonna take a recording one day. 

Anyways, time is short, to the week!

Wednesday:

We had apartment inspections! Then we proceeded to wait for an investigator to show up for more than an hour to show us his place, then left, only to have him call us and tell us he was there, so we went back and had the most confusing lesson of my life. Information in one ear and out the other. Asked us if we sold medicine too. Totally confused. Then we had a lesson with Al and taught her about Modesty and Tithing.

Thursday:

I made pancakes, and then we saw Tn, who we taught about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, and it seems he is inquisitive! He didn't give us an empty promise, but said he'd see if he could come next week, since he was busy this week! Then we saw Je, and taught him about the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end, and then met with this guy Kn, who met us on the side of the road, and asked us to come see him later. Totally great, had a long powerful lesson with him, and I think he will really progress. Then we had PEC and closed for the day.

Friday: 

Made pancakes, and went to see Pr, where we talked about prayer and reading in the scriptures. Then we saw Mh and talked about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon as well. He says he knows Joseph Smith and Thomas S. Monson are prophets! So we'll see how it goes! His family all goes to one church, and he's reluctant to leave, so we'll see if we can meet with all of them. Then we rode bikes to a distant village and met with El for the second time, and taught him about the Restoration! I think he'll progress well as well!  Then while we were seeing Ma the Kn guy we were talking about showed up and helped us teach! Then we saw Be, and Kn translated for us! Good day!

Saturday:

Last training day! My son is fully grow2n! THen we grabbed pillows for the new missionaries(my area supplies the mission pillows) and then had our correlation meeting. Then we met with Je's friend Do, who is not serious, and then Od, who had a few questions, followed by Jt and her mom, who we started teaching the recent convert lessons, and then saw Ju and her Mom/Aunt who was genuinely interested! We'll see how it goes! Then we saw JJ,  and went over the word of wisdom.

Sunday: 

I gave a talk on Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching, and then had a classic sunday, and stayed after for meetings. Failed some appointments and actually ended up feeding the Branch Mission Leader's Chickens! Good day!

Monday: 

Had pizza today to celebrate Elder Harvey's training finishing! Good day!

I love you all! Managed time poorly today! 

This week the gospel just strikes my heart! It's so powerful and changes so many lives! So many people at home treat religion like some passive unnecessary article and forget the importance and prominence of Jesus Christ in their lives. Truly, He is the way, and He is life. Through Him, we can find the lives that we lose on His behalf. Better lives, more complete. I feel a little scattered mentally, but I hope you know what I mean!

Love you all!

Rock it!

Elder Harris

Jago. This Week I Love Jago.

The other day we went to KCity or a zone activity! Hour and a half there, hour and a half back, just to play football!(soccer). Totes cray. Not my original idea of fun, but it was everybody else's. We beat the KCity elders, which was good, but then our tro tro broke down, and we ended up being there for the entire day, so the zone leaders told us to email today as well as clean in preparation for apartment inspections tomorrow morning. Joyous accord. Found out in KCity though, they have nice quality "Beats by Dre" for just 50 bucks. Awesome. Bluetooth or cord, depending on your needs. I pray one day I'll go back and buy some. 

Jago. This week, I have decided that I love Jago. Sweetened and condensed milk. When mixed with a larger amount of water, it's almost milk. Much sweeter, oddly, but it's almost milk! I might continue to pursue this Jago mixture. Delicious.

French Toast. I decided that I really enjoy it. I've also cut back from 4 slices to 2 slices in the morning, in an attempt to cease the weight gain.  I don't even buy fan ice (almost vanilla ice cream) anymore. Big changes in my life. #uncomfortablechanges #gonnabebuff #prollygottadomorepushups

Anyways, to the week!

Monday (after last email): 

We went out and taught B the first lesson with B, who at first didn't have time to come, and then the spirit touched his heart and told him to come out with us! He's so great! Then we saw Ir and her family, and they want to continue to meet with us, and listened to some lesson three, and so forth! 

Tuesday:

Pancakes for breakfast, and then led the recitation in district council, had jolloff for lunch, and then saw Pr, followed by Hn, who took a good lesson on dispensations and prophets! Super solid and I hope he'll be able to keep some more serious commitments in the future! He does live a fair distance from the church though. Then we saw Ry, and taught lesson one, in which he and I shared about 20-30 minutes on historical evidences of the apostasy, which was flipping awesome. Educated investigators blow my mind, and I pray that he will have a desire to change as well as to learn. Then we saw Cr's family with JJ and taught them about the correct mode of baptism, which his wife was reluctant to accept. We'll continue to see and work on her. Then we saw Ba after our branch presidency meeting, and it turns out that while she was waiting for us, she'd started teaching her friends from the gospel principles manual about baptism! Totally solid! We corrected her on a couple points and added some good supplementary information and called it good. 

Wednesday: 

Made pancakes, went to market, and then had jollloff for lunch. Then we went to see SA for the first time in forever, and are currently seeing if he will want to keep commitments again. It seems like he as really reached a humble part of his life. Then we contacted this guy named DA, who had questions about tithing, and took everything ridiculously well! Super solid investigator from first talking to him, and I have great hopes for him. Then we saw Jt, who attempted to give us a couple of referrals, and then we taught her the Word of Wisdom. So good! Just willing to live and learn! Then we saw Gy and his friend Pr, and taught them Lesson 1 as recent convert lesson, very basically. Then we stayed at the chapel for tithing settlements, and closed the day.

Thursday: 

Toast for breakfast, followed by seeing Pe, grabbing her baptismal information, and then running over the baptismal interview questions with her. There was a powerful spirit as she talked about how important repentance was. Then we saw Fr, our investigator Ly's mom, who doesn't seem very interested. Then we saw Cr and Jt and finished up teaching the lessons to them. Totally amazing people. Then we peeled cassava with Al, and I went and taught the institute class on Isaac and Jacob.

Friday: 

Toast for breakfast, and then went on exchanges with Elder Ajayi. We saw Ta and talked about the Word of Wisdom, followed by Titing withPA, who had questions from his reading in the Book of Mormon. Then we had lunch, and then we saw Eh and essenstially dropped her. That always hurts, but we can't waste time if they won't put anything in it. THen we saw Be and finished up recent convert lesson one, with Elder Ajayi speaking pigeon, and me... almost... speaking pigeon. Mostly just choppy English for me, haha. Then we saw Dl again, and found out he can't read! So sincere though! He had his little daughter read the pamphlet for him! He feels like the whole world is cut off from him since he can't read. Just about to bawl here, forgive me! Then we had all of our baptismal interviews and exchanged back!

Saturday: 

French toast for breakfast, and then went to a meeting in KCity for branch presidencies, where we talked about tithing settlements, families and so forth. Then we went out and saw a few people in the evening. 

Sunday: 

Meetings, gave a talk in sacrament, taught a class, tried to see a few people and failed, not much for the day.

Monday: 

We went to KCity and... you know the story.

I thought a lot this week about keeping a positive head and mental attitude! So often square shoulders can endure more of the trials that happen in this life! If we face them, ready to endure, God will be able to support us even more, just as he supported Ammon when he was bound by aggressive Lamanites! Great results!

Love you all!

Rock it!

Elder Harris

At the baptism of Cr, Jt and Pe.

Going into an apartment.

Me pounding fufu for an investigator.  Fufu is a swallow made of plantain and cassava. Pounded as shown, haha  Plantain is like... banana... thing... an cassava is like a potato... tuber... stringy... thing...

I'm Faat :'(

Everyone... I think I'm getting fat. My belly, according to my companion, has gotten like 5 or 6 pounds bigger. If this continues, when I go home, little children will poke my big belly and laugh at my immobility. I will be incapacitated by my size, and unable to ever find pride in myself.  I will change, and be strong! I'mma come home fairly ripped, just you wait! My 80 pushups a day will evolve into greater lengths! I'll jump rope like Bruce Lee, and Rocky! Just you wait... My belly... it shames me... forgive me all...

To the week:

Tuesday:

District Council! Had coco porridge on the way, and played the piano, hymn 142! Then I gave the instruction on using time wisely, how our time on mission is sacred and limited. For the day also, it seems our original appointments all either fell through or were dodged. It seems the poeple we saw were all spontaneous! Good day! We saw Pr, and talked about how his parents were stopping him from being baptized, and about the importance of the priesthood, and this guy Dl (more on him later) came in on the lesson. Then we saw Rd, and when we retaught lesson 5, it seemed he pretty much remembered everything. What a stud! So proud of this guy! Such a powerful spirit!

Then we saw An a referral sister of a member in SCity, and we taught her the basics of lesson 1 with her friend Tn.  Both are around 11 years old. We talked to this guy by the mango tree in lowcost as well, his name was Ry, and he's super educated, and actually went to school and worked in Holland and Netherlands. Saw him a couple of days later. He remembered the missionaries who opened the area. Finally we saw Be, and taught her lesson 5 and gave her a gospel art book. It was a really powerful moment. She was so happy to receive her Gospel Art Book, and realized it was the closest thing to scripture she had. She can't read English, so these pictures of Jesus Christ and prophets in the Book of Mormon and Old Testament are her ability to study. It really hit me powerfully that day.

Wednesday: 

Had toast, went to the market, and ate Banku for lunch. Then we saw Gl for the first time in a long time, it seems like he went to school in ACity, and he was happy to find us again to study with us. After reviewing with him he said he would join the church eventually! I pray it goes well. Then we saw Jt and taught the first half of lesson two, followed by Pk, who got glasses at the eyeglass clinic, so he can finally read the book of mormon! He even got angry at some people denying the existence of God and just opened up the Book of Mormon and had them read, haha. Then we saw Mh for the first time, and we talked about how he wanted to go to our church, but he doesn't want to split his family, since they are all going to a different church. Then we finished the day by working on some records that we fell behind on.

Thursday: 

Made french toast, tryin' to get more protein in my diet, haha. Found a bunch of cockroaches all of a sudden, as well a swarm of ants out back. Litterally hundreds of them that cleared up after it rained. Then we went to the chapel to have a quick meeting with President Kassah. Then we saw Pe and finished lesson 5 and tithing, followed by another meeting with Dl. Then we saw Ry, our tree guy, who was just astounded by the fact that the Book of Mormon contained more stories of Jesus! We'll meet with him later this week. Then we wandered around to find Hn, who called us after reading the pamphlet, who had good, sincere questions, which was great! He also understood really well. Then Ba and Ob, and we taught them about the one true church and things like that. They said they would be able to come to church next week! Then we saw Pl and Ly, and taught them lesson three and the law of chastity after they ran through the rain home from school, haha. Finally we had institute, and taught about Am and Ic.

Friday: 

Had french toast, the Bodines came by with sandwiches, had correlation, and then failed a few appointments before lunch. Then we saw Jt, and talked about lesson 2, and JJ reviewed tithing, and failed a few more appointments. 

Saturday: 

Toast for breakfast, and then we went out and saw Gl again, and we taught him lesson two, which he took fairly well. Then we saw My and encouraged her to study the scriptures and come to know for hereself a knowledge of the truth. I think she has realized it is something she really wants to do now.  Then we had lunch, and saw Aa with Rl, who bore a powerful witness of the restored church and Jesus Christ. Je and El followed that, Je invited his friend to our lesson(love this guy) and we taught him, and think that he might be interested in the future. Then we saw Ir and her family, who had dozens of questions. They committed to be baptized, but Ir said she couldn't come because her church was having a program on sunday. Sigh. 

Sunday: 

We watched conference in church, and the Branch President was gone, so I was essentially in charge. It's pretty stressful, making sure everything happens and stuff like that. Totes cray. Then we had essentially a painful bible bash with a guy who would just not listen before we planned. Totally sad.

Time is short today! Forgive me! Perhaps I wll just share how important it is to be the small and simple thing that the Lord will use to do His work! In Helman 5, my favorite character in the Book of Mormon is Aminidab, who is only mentioned for a few verses, but by his testimony rather than the testimony of these grand prophets were all of his contemporaries converted! We each affect the lives of so many people around us we can't even know!

Love you all!

Rockin' it!

Elder Harris

Exchanges in ACity

I Need to Start Thinking of My Titles During the Week.

I need to start thinking of my titles during the week. Nothing much to say either. No initial rant coming to mind, so I feel a little boring. Forgive me.

To the week:

Wednesday: 

We had district council, which was great, and (first I ate toast) I played the piano for district council. Hymns 60 and 266, almost flawlessly. I feel like a boss. Then, Elder Smith gave the instruction about engines. Engines. He went through everything super fast and left everyone super confused (obviously not me, bwahaha) and talked about how we need to make sure our investigators understand, and not just blow through everything without checking about it. 

After council, we taught Sister Theresa, who asked us a bunch of questions, as usual, and we went through lesson 3 for her recent convert lessons. She really has such a powerful testimony and presence. Then we failed a few appointments, and managed to see B at the end of the day, who asked questions like, get ready, "Was Mary still a virgin after she gave birth do Jesus?" It was an interesting conversation. Afterward we had Priesthood Executive Committee Meeting, with recent converts Bd and E to join as, as the new Sunday School and Elders' Quorum Presidents. My converts are doing awesome. 

Thursday:

I jazzed it up, and didn't have just toast. I had french toast. Key word, french. Awesome sauce. Then we failed appointments all morning, and went to see J, who brought a friend to his lesson on the Gospel of Christ! The friend, C,  said he would like to fellowship with us, but he's got his name written for something at Global Evangelical. Not quite sure what that means, so we'll figure it out. Then we saw Cr and his family and taught them the first halves of lesson two and the law of chastity. It's great when people are already doing good things, so they readily accept more good things! Then we saw Cy and Bt,  and taught Cy the first half of lesson 2, which she accepted readily. Then we saw JJ because no one showed up to institute and just taught him about the Holy Ghost. Then we sang hymns at the chapel with our recent converts and a couple of investigators, which was pretty nice.

Friday: 

Toast. Same old same old. Then we went out and saw Al, and taught her about the organizations in the church and also she asked about women and the priesthood, and answered her own question, which is nice. Then we saw Tn, a former investigator at the time the church wasn't in JCity, who may continue to progress now that it is! We'll see for him. Just did how to begin teaching, and left him thinking about the great apostasy. Hopefully it will go well for him! Then we saw Pr and I, and talked about the Book of Mormon, and answered some questions about singing and clapping, as well as tithes. Then we saw Bd and E, who we visited lesson 5 with, and I just love them. Super solid converts. Then we saw EA, who has not been reading at all, and has stopped progressing. Super sad. 

Saturday: 

We went to a funeral in the morning time. Super different. Screaming pastor, really loud stuff, kinda like a weird party/church service. Odd. Afterwards, Brother Ai fed us some kenke and pepe, with the most horrifying fried fish of my life. Imagine a small fish. Now throw it in vegetable oil and fry it until it is rock hard. Now feed it to me, inner organs and all. Then we shared a message with his family about receiving comfort in Christ. Then we went to MCity to see Ma, who has been reading all the way to Alma! I pray we will be able to bring her to church! Then we saw P, who has, I think, finally grown her sincere desire and will do well! Then we saw Cr and finished lesson 2. 

Sunday: 

We managed to have 10 investigators at Sacrament! Totally crazy! Ie and Pr came, and Pr shared his testimony and said he wanted to join the church when his parents would let him when he's older. Then we saw El's wife after church, who I pray will progress, and then her daughter Pl as well as La, who will be baptized later this month.

I've been thinking a lot this week about doing our best to manage time. Time is a limited resource that God has given us to use, and I wonder if we always make the best of it? Do we choose the best things before the better? Do I choose to use all the time I am given? Time is how we show things and people that we love them. How much time do we give to God? 

I love you so much!

In the words of my sister:

The church is true

The book is blue.

Rockin it

Elder Harris

By the temple, when we went to Accra for the eye glass clinic.

Playing pingpong in Scity.

With Sister D at her her Chop Bar.