Christmas Happened! Again!

It's actually a first for me on mission, but meh. Christmas was good! This week we had a lot of appointments that fell through for obvious Christmas reasons, and did a lot of contacting. We also had our branch Christmas party, and had a good time with it! I got some Christmas packages, and opened em! Happiness!

To the week!

Tuesday: 

We had our Christmas devotional, and had a good chunk of fun! We had a trivia, and read scriptures, and had some food, and made snowflakes and so forth! Then we got back to JCity, and managed to see Fa, who we taught about baptism.

Wednesday: 

We first met with President Kassah, and then went to market to get some of the things for the Christmas party. For lunch we had chicken and fried rice, and then we went out to teach. We taught Sa about the fall, talked with Ry about the scattered principles his questions brought up, and then visited EY and talked about the 10 commandments. Then we did some more planning with President Kassah.

Thursday: 

We contacted all day. All appointments failed, being Christmas Eve. We saw JJ, and talked about a few scriptures he'd read. Then we went to the chapel to help people with preparing the food for the Christmas party.

Friday: 

Christmas! Opened presents, planned the party with President Kassah, saw a couple of recent converts, had my phone call, and attended the party! It was essentially slaughtered by the infinite number of small children that came, but it was still good! I played the guitar for the program, and also spoke!

Saturday: 

We contacted in the morning time, had a vegetable stew that I made, and saw Sh to find out her plan. She wants to be baptized, but is having family conflictions. She came to church on Sunday, but we have no idea how long it will take for her to be baptized. Then we saw Mh, and tried to convince him to come to church, which seemed ambiguous, then had chapel cleaning, and saw Ge to teach her the remaining information before her baptism!

Sunday:
I spoke spontaneously on obedience, since a speaker failed to show, and then after the service, we had a baptism! Ge was baptized, which was amazing! And afterwards we were able to see Geo before we closed for weekly planning. Geo is great! Hoping he'll be baptized next month.

Monday: Just cleaned today, but it was good!

This week I've been thinking a lot about the sanctity of the Sabbath day. A lot of people here are church goers, but as soon as the service is over, the shops open back up again, and it becomes an average day. So often I think I would forget the purpose as well of this sacred day. It's a day to rest from our labors, and to turn away our own foot from doing our pleasure (Isaiah 58:12). I can promise anyone reading this today, that if you will keep the Sabbath day more fully, God will bless you and help you to truly see it as a delight!

I love you all!

Rock it!

Elder Harris

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Christmas Devotional

Christmas devotional with three zones.  Christmas songs, testimonies, snowflake service project, scripture stories, Christmas trivia game, videos of the birth and life of the Savior food, friends and snow!

Week in a Burrito.

I think I might try to make a burrito this week. I'll report back if it works. Just got the idea while thinking of a title. Not much this week, did a lot of fast offering stuff for branch presidency work, and then worked hard! Skipped a good chunk of the dinner hour most nights, it's good to be busy!

Week:

Monday: 

Evening time we taught Fa the first lesson, which she loved, and is especially happy we're not a "miracle church", and that we actually teach doctrines, and not just do "miracles" at church. She's been to so many churches, and is super happy to have found this one! We'll see how it goes!

Tuesday: 

We went to SCity for district council, and then saw Pe, and she was a wonderful member present to all of the people around. She translated, and even took the pictures to show the other lady there! So great! Then Rd popped up in the middle of a lesson, and it seemed he's relapsed into alcoholism again, and it might take a little while to talk to him sober again. Sad day. Then we had our branch presidency meeting, and closed for the night.

Wednesday:

We went to the hospital to give Pk a blessing, and then we helped Pe get her own place so she could come to church reliably, and then tried to teach Ry for a while, despite all of the interruptions, and eventually abandoned the attempt. Then we had a PEC in the meeting, and called it good! Good day. 

Thursday:

We went to NCity to see brother Ai's farm, and then he fed us and we shared a spiritual thought with him. Then we saw Hn for the first time in a while, and spent most of the time addressing his questions on kingdoms of glory, which has been cleared, I think. Then... we saw Ry, RH, and Fa, as well as our institute class, then had a quick meeting with President Kassah.

Friday: 

We saw people. Forgive me.

Saturday:

Also saw people. Fa is amazing, but I think that Ry is becoming unstable, and I'm not sure if he'll continue to progress. Dang it! But, such is life.

Sunday:

I spoke in sacrament on the birth of Christ, taught the sunday school class on revelations, and then taught elders' quorum on having a Christ centered life. Good day. 

Monday: We cleaned!

Sorry for time! I luffs you all!

Elder Harris

Yola All!

Yola all! It seems we stayed in ACity all week this week. We were pseudo-office elders, which was fun, but it's good to be back in JCity! Here's our report, as well as last week, in brief, that I missed last week.

December 1 Week:

Tuesday: 

We saw Tn, who we taught about part of the plan of salvation. Then we saw Sa, and some of his friends, followed by Ma with Jf. Ma was sick, so it wasn't exactly the best lesson. Then we saw Gy and Fa, and taught them about the plan of salvation.

Wednesday: 

Saw Pe, and taught her about Christ's Church and the Apostasy as a recent convert, which helped her as a recent convert, to understand why a restoration was necessary. Then we saw Sh, an taught her about some commandments, and established a baptismal date for her, but it seems she might not be ready yet, since her parents have tied her strongly to her own church. Then we saw Mh, followed by Gy and Re, and concluding with Cr and Ar, who I pray will be able to leave behind her commitments to RC to follow her husband to church.

Thursday: 

First thing, our referral turned out to be a polygamist, so, kind of an awkward situation. Not allowed to teach them, after all. Then we saw JJ,  and Abigail's friend, Pr, the first time. She told Al to tell us not to come see her since she didn't wanna read the assignment. Of two pages in a pamphlet. Meh.

Friday: 

We saw Pr, and taught him about the word of wisdom, followed by Ca, who we taught about the plan of salvation, and obedience. Then we saw Ar, and Jt, who we talked about Christ's Church to, and eventually talked to Mn and some new investigators who might be solid one day, but they don't speak great English.

Saturday: 

We saw Bn, who was a contact, who had great promise, until he started going of on money and America, and just was not accepting to some... not doctrines, but just very worldly view about the Bible being given to the poor so that they'd stay there. Ugh. Then we saw Ry quickly, and talked to him about his desire to read the Book of Mormon, and followed up seeing Gy in the evening an talk about the last half of the plan of salvation.

Sunday:

LAST EMAIL

MONDAY: 

LAST EMAIL Also, went on splits with Elder Morris in the city. Weird stuff. I missed the bush the whole time. 

Tuesday: 

We went to the Office Elders' district council, and then went with them to the post office, and spent a couple hours getting packages for the other elders, and had lunch, and to conclude the day, President Heid told us to  go to the temple! Score! I'd missed the temple so much! 

Wedesday: 

Pretty much the whole day was spent acquiring SIM cards for the Christmas calls, and then organizing them.

Thursday: 

Zone conferences, we attended the one in the city, and helped a bit, but mostly got to attend, and had a good time listening to inspired leaders. Saw Elder Ojaide, and all of my MTCs! Then president said I could go to the temple again!

Friday: 

We had the appointment for Elder Harvey, and didn't really get a do a lot  aside from going to the temple again. Good day!

Saturday: 

We went home to JCity, and then saw Ricky, and taught him the whole story of the Book of Mormon, and established that Ge would be baptized next Sunday, and I pray that we can see her. Then we talked to Ar, and Jt, and then closed for the day!

Sunday: 

Went to church, and saw Ge! A guy who was invited by the Elders' Quoum President, who wants to come to church, and really likes it, and accepted a baptismal date for January! Totally the best! 

Monday: 

We played basketball and cleaned today! Good day!

I think this week I just saw the importance of the temple. The temple is truly the house of God, and the place that we can truly grow close to him. I would encourage any and all to visit, or to make time to go to the temple in the week, and feel the promised blessings from God!

I love you all!

Rockin' it!

Elder Harris

Totally Blew My Mind

So, I'm in ACity and the planner with most of last week's days is in JCity.

I'm in ACity because we came down to see a doctor for my companion's two month long headache, despite any form of treatment. So we took him in to the hospital today, with no avail for anything, no positive tests or anything, so it seems we will stay in ACity at the mission home for another night and wait to see when we'll be able to see a neurologist.

Today blew my mind though. We went to a hospital, that was actually like, first world. Air conditioners, inside lobbies, televisions in waiting rooms, it literally blew my mind and made me a little uncomfortable. Then the Sanders took us to the beach, where the Christiansborg Zone was having their activity, which also blew my mind. Then they took us to KFC. Guys. KFC.  I had a chicken burger. Not rice. With fries. Not shi toh. And then they took us to Shopwrite, which is like Walmart. It exists here, no lie. Mind officially blown for the month. I felt really uncomfortable around all of the white people in the nice part of ACity, and all of the nice things, private cars. I just felt like I needed to be back among the concrete brick buildings of JCity. No ewe language here either. And it looks like I'll be in JCity for another 3 months! 9 months in JCity baby! Totes cray!

Forgive my lack of time this week, at the mission home squeezing for time, and I hope it can be good enough here. I'll include all of this week in next week's letter, but I'll send some pictures for this week, I'll see yall later! 

Elder Harris

With the B's!

Duuuuuucks!

This week was great! I forgot my planner today, so I don't think I'll have as organized a week to tell you about, but it'll have to be good enough. This week, I was with our recent convert Cr, when we found out he raises ducks! Awesome sauce, just had to take a picture with them I'm sure. Also, we managed to buy a ton of oreos through the Sanders, so my happiness is full.

To the week!

Monday: 

After emailing last week, we went to the hospital to visit Pk, who was in for an inspection.

Tuesday:

First day out at 10:00 in my mission. Totally crazy, and awesome. We first saw Jt and Gy and tried to communicate the restoration and the apostasy to them, but I've recently realized how difficult it is for people to understand that not just any church is good for God. Then we went to see Cr, and managed to talk about the nature of God, and shared a weird dream with us. Awesome stuff. Then we saw Hn, and found out his father is a pastor, which might be an inhibitor in the future, but we'll continue to see him for a while yet to see if something can come out of it. Then we rode our bikes to ACity and saw Ell, and checked for his purposes. Super strong spirit there, and I think he might get more serious soon. Finally we saw Ma and talked about lesson 2 and the plan of salvation. 

Wednesday: 

Soakings for breakfast. Gary milk and sugar. Yes. Then we went all the way to ACity to see EY, who is recovering from a stroke, and had a great time! He's just the most solid member ever! He apparently brought the branch president at SCity. Gave us some great referrals. Stinks that they're super far away though.  Then we ended up losing some appointments for the day, but it still ended up well. Then we saw Kn and followed him home, and my heart reaches out to the guy. He feels so confused about religion and the like. But I know that the Gospel is the solution to his problems! He just needs to find his way out of his pianist position so he can come to church.

Thursday: 

Felt a little demoralized, lots of falling through appointments, and time spent in different places. We had zone training, which took forever, and then went to SCity to pick up my package (which contained chocolate milk powder! Yeesss) and then managed to have our class after a bunch of attempts at appointments. 

Friday: 

Soakings for breakfast again, this time I spiced it up with cinnamon. Totally amazing. First we saw Tn and taught him about life after death, which he took very well, especially as he's seeing if the Book of Mormon is true. Found out watche is actually spelled waakye. Totes cray. Then we saw Gy and Ps, and taught them the basics of word of wisdom, and ended up seeing JJ and talking about the word of wisdom again. Then we saw Cr and Ar, and it seems like she actually might progress! Totally amazing!

Saturday: 

French toast for breakfast, and saw Pe, and taught her about the Godhead and prophets, and also taught her that God hears her prayers. She's felt as if He's been angry at her or something since her husband left her, but we let her now that he truly hears her and cares for her. Then we saw El after lunch, and talked about some commandments from God, and decided that he's like the most solid convert of my life. I love this guy. Then we taught Ba and watched the restoration video with her, which was great, and she ended saying she knew Joseph was a prophet! Good day! Then we saw some ladies by Gy  and Jt, and they seemed really solid! Wanting to know doctrine and not just miracles, in their minds.

Sunday: 

I taught Sunday school, and after church we saw Ca, and talked about the blessings the Gospel could bring to her life, and I think she might be able to progress very well! The spirit was strong!

Sorry for time! I love you all!

Rockin' it!

Elder Harris

Previous Zone Conference

I bought me a rasta hat!

 A picture with Sister T, my African Mom.

A real Tro Tro.