Naranjal - Week 3

No pasa nada con negro

The highlight this week was the baptism of Nicanor Castrejòn. He is a man that the missionaries were working with before we got here, and we basically just showed up for the interview and the baptism. He is a really good person and he has a strong testimony.

I feel like there are more houses and more people in this area than in my other two areas. It's more dense. I feel like the people are a little more rushed here closer to central Lima. I feel like in Ventanilla there was more unity in the neighborhoods, the people knew each other better, but here few people know their neighbor. It's more of a closed door, closed window type of place. But there are a lot of people interested and curious to listen to us, most of them tell us that they don't have time. We have contacted a lot of people that have told us that they want to listen to us but literally leave to work at 5am and they get back at 11pm, 7 days a week. I'm not sure if they are lying or not haha, but it's kind of a crazy life. But I like it here, I really don't mind big cities.

Friday was a great day, and I think the thing that made it so great was our studies in the morning. We really had a great companionship study and it changed the feeling of the whole day. In our companionship study we were studying Chapter 2 of Preach My Gospel and as we were reading the part in Joseph Smith history about when he read Santiago 1:5, an impression came that was the solution to a doubt of one of our investigators. I know now exactly what we need to teach him to help him understand the gospel. It really helps to write things down while I'm studying, I haven't done it very much earlier in my mission, but I'm writing a lot more now and it helps me to stay focused and feel the spirit.

I know this gospel changes lives. We have to have faith and repent. Another way to say that is keep our testimony strong and live the commandments, and if we do we will have eternal peace and joy.

My companion Elder Huarsaya

Nicanor's baptism with our ward mission leader, Ederson

Naranjal - Week 2

FUEGO

My new companion is Elder Huarsaya from Arequipa, Peru. I'm really excited to have a Peruvian companion because he will be able to teach me el castellano puro. He has 6 months in the mission and I feel a lot of unity with him. This week we basically have been talking with people in the street trying to learn the area and figure out where people live. This week a lot of our appointments fell for our own fault because we delay a lot in finding where it is that the people live. I'm out of time but I wanted to tell you guys that I know the church is true. Thanks for everything

Elder Harris

Naranjal - Week 1

The Orange Tree Orchard in the Olive Trees

I had whats called ''emergency transfers.'' But it wasn't that big of an emergency. So the zone leaders called me Tuesday night that I had to bring my suitcases with all of my things to the mission conference with Elder Christiansen (presidency of the seventy) and Elder Godoy (area president) the following day, Wednesday. So we were kind of confused but we went anyway, and then when we got there we were explained that Elder Marsmaker (Bullhead City, Arizona) is going home to get knee surgery. And President Stauffer was planning on whitewashing Elder Marsmakers area, but he decided it would be better to put me there for a few days before transfers so that I wouldn't be completely lost. So since Wednesday I have been here with Elder Marsmaker, who can't walk very much because his knee is bad. I am in the area Naranjal 1, the zone Los Olivos. The ward is Naranjal and the stake is Los Olivos. It's Naranjal 1 because there are two companionships in the ward, and I'm actually with them right now because Elder Marsmaker went home yesterday, so I have to wait until tomorrow to get my new companion. But I'm technically not in Los Olivos. Because my area is a part of the district of San Martin de Porres.

So yeah i hope that made sense. The old companion of Elder Marsmaker is with Elder Viera in Los Alamos. But I really like my new area. I'm in Lima now. This is the real part of the city of Lima, and it's huge. There are so many houses, all made of bricks, and they all look the same. All of the streets look the same too. My area is all flat. There is only one hill I think. It's really different from Ventanilla. About half of my area has pavement and the other half is dust. It's not really dirt, it's not really sand, it's just dust. When we take steps it lifts up the dust, and our shoes are covered in it. It's awesome. I'm excited to get my companion tomorrow and start working. Thanks everyone.

Elder Harris

with Elder Marsmaker

Los Alamos - Week 17

La cosa más importante es la obra misional

My week has been excellent. There are a lot of exciting things happening in Los Alamos. This week we were able to find a lot of new people to teach and I know that we are going to see miracles happen with them.

One night this week during my personal prayer, I was asking for a lot of things, and I felt a sincere desire to have these things. I was asking the Lord to help me with my weaknesses. And a clear thought came to my mind about faith. That faith is powerful. And if I am able to increase my faith enough to better my weaknesses then it's going to happen. The Lord is going to stretch forth his hand, because he always works in the lives of his children according to the faith that they have. This experience changed me. 

It made me change the way I see my weaknesses. It made me change the way I see every negative thing that happens in this life. The solution is always faith. Have more faith.

A testimony of the restored gospel is the most important thing we can obtain in this life.

I love you all,

Elder Harris

La Zona Ventanilla