Monday, November 24, 2014

Questions of the Soul

We had a training by Elder Kopiscke and Elder Parker, both members of the seventy, on Thursday and it was amazing! Elder Kopiscke started by inviting all of us to write down questions that we wanted to be answered. Questions that came from deep inside and that weighed down our minds. I think all of us have questions like these, or at least we should. So every missionary wrote down there own personal questions. And then Elder Kopiscke began to teach according to our needs. He answered questions and everything he talked about was supported by the scriptures. By the end of the meeting, Everyone's questions had been answered! For Elder Taufa and I, this meeting was life changing. We had had many long discussions and talks about things in the mission and how to do missionary work. And our prayers and questions were answered!
 
Elder Kopiscke then asked us to do this same thing with our investigators as we invite them to church. He promised us that if they write down sincre, honest questions, and then go to sacrament metting with true intent, they will recieve answers. I invite you all to do the same.
 
What is something that is deep in your heart? It can be anything. One missionary asked how we knew we were forgiven from sin, another how to not lose investigators. That night we had a meeting with members as well and someone asked what to do if there children were going astray. Whatever your question is I know that it will be answered if you pay attention and listen with the spirit, for he is the true teacher.
 
I have seen a lot of miracles in just these past few days. I know that this gospel is true.
 
Elder Harmon

Monday, November 10, 2014

Life In The GAM

This past week has been really good. Of course there were some downs, but a lot of good things happened. There were times where I literally felt like we were being guided everywhere we went. We had a lot of opportunities to share our message of the restoration and invite people to read the Book of Mormon. There was on specific lesson we had with a family that had attended church. The mother of the family basically told us, thanks but no thanks. She was really nice about it but she said that she didn't really feel anything drawing her to our church and that she thought 3 hours was too long. We didn't really know what to do, there were kids running around, and I could see that we were going to lose this family. So, I turned to my companion and told him that we had to teach the Restoration. The kids went outside, one of them laid down and went to sleep, and the spirit came into the room. Elder Taufa and I taught the restoration better then we have ever taught it and we both know it's because we weren't the ones teaching. The spirit taught through us and we could feel it as we testified that as she reads the Book of Mormon she will feel that feeling she is looking for. My spanish seemed to roll off my tongue with ease and both Elder Taufa and I were really excited when we got to the car.
 
One thing that I have learned out here is that we are really nothing without God. I have felt the weakest and stupidest I've ever felt in my life during my mission. I've not known what to say and I've felt like a failure many times. But, when I am speaking the words that God would have me say and when I am putting my trust in him, then I'm strengthened. Then I can speak and think and act clearly and confidently. So Elder Tuafa and I are doing are best to put our trust in the Him and to be instruments in his hands.
 
Ok, quick story. Elder Taufa makes fun of me because I don't like bugs very much. There was a really weird big spider and he made me kill it. But yesterday we were planning and he went to the bathroom and started yelling, "Freek!" a bunch of times. So I went to see what was up and there was a huge cockroach in his bath tube. This thing was the biggest one I've seen yet. It was like 4 inches long and it was pure black. He killed it but this morning he wouldn't take a shower in his bathroom. haha, I thought it was pretty funny. Cockroaches are as real as the Book of Mormon is True!
 
Elder Harmon

 

Monday, November 3, 2014

Pictures

I hope this works. these computers aren't very good.

Novemeber!

November is finally here. We went out to see some people on Wednesday, and as we were droping off a member that we had been working with I realized that we had gone more miles then we had planned. So I checked how far it was to get home and found that we could make it home with 1 mile left to spare. Because with cars in the mission you can only drive a certain number of miles each month. So we are super excited for this new month and for some more miles.
 
This past week we felt kinda like we were swiming against the current. We were working super hard but we didn't feel like we were getting anywhere. We knocked a lot of doors and called a lot of people and nothing seemed to be happening.
 
Mosiah 23 Reads:
 
21) Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith. 

22) Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people.

This verse is talking about a rightous people. They are the people that were baptized by Alma who fled from wicked King Noah. These people were doing things right, they were keeping the commandmands and doing there best. But it says that nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to try their patience and their faith. If things aren't working out even though you are doing your best, don't lose faith! A promise is given that "whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day." So, let us put our trust in the Lord.

This is what me and Elder Taufa are doing. We were filling down. Elder Taufa's cousin had to go home, he was in the same mission as us, because of medical purposes. And it was hard for Elder Taufa. But we put our trust in the Lord and miracles are happening! Last week we felt like we had nothing to do, and now we feel like we have so much to do.

Ok, I have to tell you about Kelly Sanchez. Her boyfriend is a member and they have a little boy (about 1 year old). They come to church and she has been taught basically all she needs to be taught to be baptized and she wants to be baptized. The problem is that she can't be baptized unless she is married. According to Elder Taufa, she wanted to get married, but her boyfriend, Lester, didn't. Then he decided he wanted to get married and she didn't want to any more. Well we had a lesson last week and it was rough. There was a lot of tension in the home. They are living with Lester's parents and Lester's mother, in the middle of the lesson said, "I used to like Kelly, but know I don't like her." Kelly got up and left the room and we didn't see her again until sunday. We weren't sure what to do about the whole situation. So we decided to go see her last night. We ended up going on splits and I went with a member, Hermano Hernandez (who is super awesome!). He is a very real and straight forward guy, and he brought his wife with him. We started with a prayer and I shared a scripture and my testimony. Then, he turned to a scripture about obedience to the commandments and went right into how we won't be blessed unless we keep the commandments. The spirit was strong and both Kelly and Lester expressed that they wanted to keep the commandments and that they wanted to be married.

It was so amazing to me to see the difference from one lesson to the other. In the first lesson there was tension and hate. But, the scriptures, testimonys, and truth brought about a change of heart. I don't think I will ever forget the smiles on their faces as they decided to make this change in their lives and live the commandments.

This Gospel is True, and the book is blue!!

Elder Harmon