Welcomed with Love

Hey family!!

Happy Birthday MAMA!!!

Mama, I hope you have the best 30th birthday ever!! Another day older and wiser just makes you another day to a better mother, which we all know is almost impossible to do!! Mama, I hope you have an amazing day and that Dad can spoil you to death for me! I am so grateful for this day that the most amazing woman in the world was born! Mama you really are my hero, you are just like the women in the times of Nephi. 1 Nephi 17:2:

“And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings.”

Mama you have been strong for us in so many times that we were weak. I am so grateful for the testimony that you have and the way you have helped grow mine since birth!!

This week was an adventure for the most part. We had another week driving to and from doctors’ offices. But this time, it was for me and not my companion. Sigh... but everything is all good, I promise but my stomach is trying to bring its way ou.t Hahaha! So I'm on meds to get me better so by next week, I will hope to be as good as new!!  :)

My miracle this week came Friday. We were in Guayabal visiting our less-actives and I was prompted to visit a sister that is a little crazy. Her name is Micdalia. She really is super sweet but she needs a lot help building her testimony. She was an active member for a while just because she liked the people; not because she felt the doctrine was true. She has been through everything even the temple without the testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet.

She recently has been through back surgery and has only been to church once in about 4 months because of her recovery. She really has not felt the love and support from the members during this time. When we came to see her, she really just lite up to us. She was so happy to just see that a member, even if it was the missionaries cared about her. We came to find out that her mother that is living taking care of her. Her mother has been making comments to her that not even the missionaries have been visiting her and that no one in her church even cares about her! My heart just broke to hear for the lack of love from members can affect someone so much.

We spent a good hour in her house laughing and making her feel better. We left her with a message about no matter what the world does, the church is always the hospital of sinners and you can't lose faith on the account of another. We have to stay strong for our Father in Heaven, not for a friend. To our surprise, who walks in to sacrament and sits in the back? Micdalia!. We almost went running to her to get her to sit next to us. It was great to see the smile on her face as the members welcomed her back with love and warm hugs! It is moments like this that make the Spirit’s impressions not only a part of my life but makes it a desire to always have the spirit with me!

My Ponderize verse is D&C 38:4

"I am the same which have taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom; and verily, I say, even as many as have believed in my name, for I am Christ, and in mine own name, by the virtue of the blood which I have spilt, have I pleaded before the Father for them."

I want to focus more on the peoples needs not mine own just like Christ did. After suffering for all of our sins and bleeding from every pore, he healed the soldier's ear. In this time of sickness for me, the only way I can forget and get better is pleading for them, not myself.

News for the mission, we have a seventy coming this week: Elder Christensen and Elder Cornish, our area president. We are having a whole mission conference this Saturday! So I am super pumped for that!

I love you all and hope you all have a great week! 

Con Amor Siempre,

Hermana Harris 

Other Faiths

Hey family!!

My week was a little… well, let’s just say it was different. First of all, my companion and I were on fire this week! Literally contacting like pros, walking a ton but teaching more! It was really what we both needed to get that kick in the butt. It was full of miracles and blessings!

I have been seriously overly impressed with my companion this week. Really, I have truly found a forever friend in her! We have found how to work perfectly together!

That sounds all normal, right? My different part all goes along the line of it’s the week of the Virgin here in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Mary. So people go house to house doing rosaries. Now that isn't super strange here because it is super catholic country. The difference is that they carry a little doll on a stand. Was quite a sight to see! Sadly, I didn't have my camera! So on the lines of that, we were with one of our investigators. She lives behind her mother’s house. Her mother had one of the rosary stops at her house. We got to see it all. We, also, got roped into helping with the refreshments afterwards too. Got to love service!

But really that has been one of the great blessings of my mission. I have learned so much about other religions. I have learned what they believe, why they are the way they are, and how to show them the truth. Every time that I get to know someone that is serious in another faith, I love to ask them questions of how they were converted, how they found their church, and how their faith increases. It is amazing that God really does testify of any truth. He tries to bring faith in Jesus Christ to all. Sometimes it might seem like it’s not completely the right idea but the start of a belief is the footstep into true conversion. I love that Puerto Rico is a county of faith. The population is full of believers. It’s a blessing that we don’t need to develop faith in them; we only need to increase the faith they have. I have to say I truly love my mission! I love the people here in Puerto Rico. I love my companions that I have learned so much from. I love all the amazing things I have learned that can apply to the rest of my life. I know for a fact that I am not the same girl that left Great Falls 15 months ago. I owe it all to our lovely Father above and his son, Jesus Christ. I know my Savior lives and loves each one of you. I know he really is involved with every aspect of our lives. We just have to let him in. I know that God answers prayers. He is always there waiting for us to reach out and call him. I know that we are the true church of Christ. Learning about so many other religions just strengthens my own testimony each day. I know that we truly have the fullness of the gospel on the earth! I love my family, miss them terribly, and pray for you all each day! Please keep reading your scriptures and praying to your Heavenly Father I know that he will help you all in your lives!!

Ponderize: My scripture for the week is Alma 32:15-16!! “Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble”. Whats your verse??

I hope you all have a fabulous week and I love you all!!

Con Amor Siempre,

Hermana Harris

Reactivation and Exchanges

Hey family!!

It was another week of crazy blessings. To start off, we have been teaching this lady named Hayde. She is a little lost soul. She has had a lot, i mean a lot, of problems in her life. She has been seeing spirits or shadows for the past few years. Which for me, is the first sign that she needed help from someone with the authority of God. We needed some priesthood miracles! It has been amazing to just see her progress through teaching her! She has smiled more, let more joy into her life, and left a little more of the crazy to the calle (street). I have seen her desire grow and grow. If God thinks that she is ready, then we are going to try to prepare for her baptism at the end of this month. Keep her in your prayers if you can! :)

One amazing thing that happened this week is that we had a reactivation!! Her name is Lucy.  We have been working with her and her granddaughter for a couple of weeks to get them back to church. It was amazing to see her face when she was greeted and loved by every member. Especially when they expressed how much they loved and missed her. The amazing thing that we are trying to do now is get her son-in-law and daughter to bring their family to church. They aren't members but practically know everything because one of their daughters was baptized. Hopefully, she will be the next one we get to come back to church!

My companion cooked enchiladas this week! Monday, we spent the day in our favorite member’s house, Wanda! We decided that we were going to help her for once, apart from cleaning her dishes, and cooking for her. So I have learned that enchiladas in Honduras are like hard shell tacos. Hahaha! She fries corn tortillas and has all the good taco stuff on top of them. Then like traditional Mexican enchiladas, she covers them in sauce. And can I say it tasted like heaven!!! :) Hahahaha! As always, we eat a ton of rice and beans with pork chops. Then some more rice, beans and pork chops. But, I have now learned how to cook it all so I hope you all are ready to eat like a Boricua (Puerto Rican) when I get there!!!

We have had exchanges with the Sister trainers with week. I was with our new Sister trainer. She is very intense and spiritual. I really learned a lot from her on how to call upon the Spirit while we are walking in the street.  I truly gained a greater love for my companion during the exchange, which I know is part of the idea. We really have gained quite a connection when we teach and how we act with one another! I love this girl and can't wait to see where she goes in her mission. I did learn to focus more on not only being a robot missionary but missionaries need to bring themselves into the lessons. I feel like some forget that personality and love is what draws the people to you so you can draw them to Christ. My companion is a spunky chick and she brings such love to the investigators that we leave with them knowing and feeling the love that the Savior has for them!!

I hope you all have a great week! My new Ponderize scripture is 2 Nephi 28:30:

“For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept‍ upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth‍ I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.”

Whats your verse?!?

Con Amor Siempre,

Hermana Harris

General Conference 2015

Hey family!!!

Can I just say wow!?! WOW! Wasn’t conference amazing or what? I hope you all had the chance to watch the sessions and make a goal to apply the things that were said to your life!! Before I start how my week went, I would like to make a goal with each one of you! I hope you all heard the talk Ponderize... I would like to make a goal as a family to start this. Can we, as a family, focus on one scripture each week? I want to hear your stories, I want to know how it affected you, and I want to know what in your behavior or everyday activities changed because the scripture you personally focused on that week. I would love if each week you all could write me what your scripture is and what you learned. So out of the 7 of you, please make it a new goal to write a little letter every week to me so I can know how you all are doing and how the gospel and the scriptures are changing you. Thank you so much and I can't wait to hear all your stories!

For me this week, I am starting my first week of Ponderizing with 2 Nephi 25:26:

“And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”

 What is your verse?? ;)

I learned so much from conference this week!! I loved the influence they had on being strong in the doctrine and beliefs, keeping the Sabbath day holy, tribute to the prophets and apostles that have passed, motherhood and women!! Conference was so powerful!

One of the talks I absolutely loved was Elder Holland's talk. I just want give a huge thank you to an amazing mother that not only bore me in childbirth and carried me for 9 months but has carried me for me for 21 years. She is so amazing and she really has been a huge strength and a powerhouse to us four children. Thank you mama! We all love you so much. We are blessed to feel your spirit and have the opportunity to hang onto your testimony, along with daddy's, until we formed our own. I know that you both dedicated the past 26 years to each one of us. I know that it was not an easy burden to bear. We all had our ups and downs but you both always showed your love! Mama, thank you for being the most amazing woman in the world. Thank you for carrying me to where I am today and helping me be a little bit more like you. Mama, I hope you know that each one of us girls only can hope and inspire to be half the woman and mother that you are!! I love you mama! And I love you too daddy!! Thank you for being the father that has led and guided me all of my life! I can say that I definitely have the best parents in the world!

As for my week, we were in Bayamon and in Ponce this week driving like crazy to get my companion to the doctor’s office and get her foot checked out. Please keep her in your prayers along with President Monson! He looked super weak at Conference! My companion is now on meds to help her get a little bit better. We will find out the results of the lab work this week!

I love you all greatly and hope you all have a great week!! Jaren, congrats on taking the

Test. I’m praying that everything works out perfectly!! Ama a todos y espero que todos tienen un incredible semana!!

Con Amor Siempre,

Hermana Harris