Jan. 31, 2020 -- Call the Doctor and Driving Blind

Hello hello everyone.

President told me this week that I will be needing to stay with the mission doctor for a while . . . because he's my new companion!

Let's jump back in time:

This week we had transfers, so on Monday night they called us up and told us to be at the terminal in San Miguel at 8 in the morning on Wednesday. Then on Tuesday night they called us again and told us to be at the terminal at 3:45 in the morning! So on Tuesday we bid farewell to the many wonderful members of the Jucuapa ward. I will really miss them and hope that everything goes well there. We got back to the house, and after planning and verifying the day with the zone leaders, I wanted to write a couple notes to members that I didn't see to tell them thanks. Then I packed up all my belongings which I didn't finish until about midnight. Then I took a shower (Bonus fact, when you shower in the middle of the night, there's water pressure! Maybe because nobody else is using the water.) And slept for like two hours so I could wake up and eat something before we left. One of the members in the ward came and picked us up at three in the morning and we were off. It was exciting, because his headlights didn't work! It was kind of like driving through Logan Canyon without any lights. Very interesting. We debated over the scripture about how a blind man can't lead another blind man and how that applied to us. In San Miguel we took another bus to get to the mission offices in centro at 7 in the morning.

In the mission offices were all the new missionaries that just arrived and those that were going to train. That was when the APs told me I was the doctor's new comp. I am pretty excited. This should be fun. So the mission doctor, the secretaries, and the APs have P-Day on Friday and not Monday, which is why I am writing today. But it is kind of fun to have things mixed up a little bit. Sometimes we have meetings with the secretaries, the APs, and the doctor, so I am there because I am the doctor's companion. Thus it was that I became secretary for their meetings, which makes me the secretaries' secretary. But I like the secretaries and APs and my comp a lot. They are all super cool and I'm excited.

So my new area is in centro, as opposed to oriente. Or city in the middle as opposed to more rural. Most of all this means one thing: no salsa negra for my pupusas. This is a minor tragedy because nobody in centro likes it and everyone in oriente does. I am in a nice place that is called Las Arboledas. It is in Soyapango, which is commonly considered one of the top 3 most dangerous cities in a country that is one of the most dangerous in the world! So that is very cool as well. But it is really not that bad. The gangs helpfully paint their symbols on the walls, so you never have to wonder which territory you're in! How nice. No, but I am really excited to be here. My new companion is Elder Bowman, from Arizona and slightly taller than me. I like him a lot.

It is also interesting here because there is a lot here close by. There is Papa John's, Wendy's McDonald's, and a bajillion other things to eat! It was like "What? We have more options than Don Pollo or Don Pollo?" And, best of all, there is a Walmart in my area! I think there are like 3 in the entire country, and it is within walking distance from my house. So we went there today and I bought Tostito's chips and queso along with some Nutella. Very excited. For P-Day we watched the new Lion King, because copyright laws are different here. It was good. We also cleaned the house a lot because it was pretty bad. We also get to write home on the nice computers in the air conditioned mission office, which is pretty great. We ate some pancakes and everything is going pretty good. I am still a little lost in my area. More urban and no dirt streets or cows. I am also realizing right now that I haven't seen a chicken in a while, which is surreal. Last week every day I would see women with baskets on their heads with their purse and live chickens and food or whatever. Pretty different. We had Burger King for dinner, which has never happened to me before. This is crazy. Not so isolated. But, more on all that next week.

For now, just a small thought that I liked. I heard someone say that you can't run with your companion before you walk with him. Success and miracles all start simple, with walking next to your comp and getting to know him. Another little thought is that there are so many people here that are very poor, but very happy. Happiness really depends on our attitude and our commitment to the gospel, not on our circumstances. Sometimes if we say we'll be happy once we graduate or have a house or get a better job or when the mission is over or something like that, we are really just choosing not to be happy. We have everything to be grateful for, especially because of the hope Christ offers us for free. Even if you live in a sheet metal shack. We are happiest when we are obedient.

Elder Harris

More pictures next week. For now, just a rabbit and a nice view.

Jan. 27, 2020

Welcome everyone to Abe's brief and only connection to the outside world! Let's get started...

This week I hit 204 pupusas! And this morning I did 70 consecutive pushups, so you know it has been a good week. 

Sometimes people just say funny things to the missionaries. I still get asked if I am married and have kids yet. Nope. I also was on an interchange with Elder Taggart (Yet another missionary from Texas. I have never worked with an American that wasn't from Texas. Or maybe once. Anyways, I like him a lot. He's solid.) Anyways, we were talking to this guy and mentioned that we do exercise every morning. This, combined with what he knew about things like the Word of Wisdom and law of chastity led to the following highly comical rant in broken english mixed with spanish:

"Yeah, it's because you guys are disciplined! Really disciplined! Always very, like, 'Sir, yes sir!' Your parents must be very strict. And you know why (speaking to his friend who was present)? It's because they've seen so many wars! All the Americans have a big cabinet or closet in their houses where they have lots of guns! A whole arsenal! I know because I lived there! And when something happens, they just run to their arsenal and suit up and are ready for anything! And they train their little kids to hunt! Not just from here to there (motioning some 40 feet away) but with precision from 400 or 500 meters! Boom! Just like that!"

Anyways, I was laughing very hard during that whole conversation. Us Americans. Woot woot!

Another funny thing was that one of our investigators told us that (although he didn't believe them) when he started meeting with us, one of his neighbors came over and said, "Hey! Be careful! Those missionaries that come over, they work for the FBI! They're just investigating you!" Kind of humorous. Another time we were trying to find someone's house, and we asked a guy in the street if he knew where someone lived. He said "Yeah, they're my neighbors, I'll show you." He took us over to the house and shouted, "Ana! Ana! Some guys are here looking for you - the SWAT from America!" Good times. 

Last P-day we went and played soccer with some Latino teenagers. Turns out I am not very good at soccer. But we went to this field that was by a bunch of farmland past lots of sheet metal houses. It was very pretty and a lot of fun. It reminded me a lot of the soccer scene in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It was a blast. 

We went and visited someone who was watching the Lord of the Rings in Spanish, so that was pretty cool to hear in the background. 

This week we visited Stiven Zaldivar, part of a less active family. He's a super cool 9 year old and we've been working super hard to visit them, get them to church, and help them know that he is prepared enough to be baptized. The baptism was scheduled for last Saturday, but when we went on Thursday, he said, "I don't want to get baptized on Saturday...because I want to get baptized tomorrow!" We were like, Ok, sweet and had everything planned, but they were doing more construction in the chapel and we couldn't use the pila, so his baptism will be this Saturday! This week is transfers, so we will see if I am still here. But I like the family a lot. They live way far off in the hills and have cows and corn and things. When we got there, one of their dogs bit a porcupine and they were pulling out all the needles. They also had an armadillo they caught, and I took a picture with it shortly before it was made into dinner. (Sorry, younger readers.)

We have also been visiting Miriam, an older lady whose kids and grandkids are members. She is totally like a pioneer woman. Her husband left her when she was 33, but she worked hard washing clothes and things to be able to raise her kids and send them all to school, even though she didn't know how to read. So that is already pretty amazing, but now she has some health problems and doesn't get around much, so we weren't sure if she would come to church. We talked with her family, who are a little less active, about bringing her so that she can be ready to be baptized. What a great surprise, when on Sunday morning, we got to church, and she was there all by herself even before us! She told us she woke up and got ready for church, and her family was all still asleep, so she thought, "Well! I promised the elders I would go to church!" and went by herself. A friend tried to stop and talk to her on the way, and she said, "No, sorry! I've got to go to church today!" Man, that sweet grandma is a powerful example. She is cool. And we are pretty confident she will get baptized in February. 

For a quick spiritual thought, I was thinking about how repentance is a lot like the dog that bit the porcupine that I mentioned. Sometimes we do something bad and regret it, but we avoid the only thing that can heal us! You often have to tie up a dog and hold it down to pull out the needles because they don't like it and resist it. But, if the needles don't come out, the dog usually dies because it can't eat. So anyways, sometimes repentance might sting for a minute, and it isn't always easy or comfortable, but in the end, it is the only way to heal and have peace and happiness again! Don't avoid it, it is critical for our spiritual survival.

Another thing I have realized as a missionary is that almost EVERYONE has some tough problems. People tell us a lot of things as missionaries, and even people that seem like they are fine and have everything set have lots of struggles. Wayward children, marriage problems, serious financial worries, death, sadness, feeling lonely or judged, and many more. It makes me wish I had been better at ministering before my mission. There are a lot of people out there who need some love, and you don't have to look very far. Help people out and just be nice.

See you all on the flip side.

Elder Harris

Jan. 20, 2020 -- Dabbling in Botany

Hello family and friends.

Today started out as every good day should, with a bucket shower and hand-washing clothes.

Recently they announced the new mission president that will be coming in July. George Payne is his name, so shout out to the Payne cousins!

This week I did some interesting math. I have a little pedometer for fun to count my steps. So far I pretty easily average 13,000 steps a day. If I keep that up, and considering a stride length of 23 inches that I measured, that multiplies to be 3,440 miles walked in total in the mission. Quite a bit. That also means that I've gone a little over 800 miles so far, if my estimation is on point. Also, if I keep walking like this I will have 9 million 500 thousand steps by the end. Quite a lot of walking.

This week a kid asked me if I paint my arm hairs or if they come blonde. Kids also always love the 'growing and shrinking tie trick' where you put your thumb behind the end of it and have them blow and then pull the tie in, if that makes sense. Good times. Another guy asked us if we sleep in our church clothes too. Yessirree, you better believe it.

This week I heard the song from Into the Spiderverse, Sunflower, I believe. I always enjoy hearing a song I recognize in passing. Also, this week we were walking home at night and heard rustling in the bushes. We shine the flashlight over to see what I thought was a smallish cat. Nope! It's a mountain rat. Those things are big. Not Rodents of Unusual Size big, but pretty big. 

Speaking of the subject line, this week I found some interesting plants. The first was a big thing of bamboo. We always see it, but this week we found some on the side of the road and dragged it over to a house to have them machete it up for us. Now I've got a sweet bamboo staff. Feels like a Kung-Fu master. So that's legit. We also found a paste tree, which is a tree that grows these big crazy seed pods. You sort of break off the outside shell, then dump out the seeds, and what is left is a sort of spongey material people use to make, well, sponges and to scrub yourself with when you shower. So we took some home and made some shower sponges! That was kind of cool.

Hey, now to the big part of this week! We had the baptism of Damary! She is super cool. I wrote a little about her last week. I was able to do the baptism, which was a lot of fun. I was kind of nervous I'd mess it all up, but it went well. Although it was kind of funny, we got the chapel early to clean everything up, and they were doing construction to replace all the ceiling tiles! It was dusty and there was insulation and nails and things everywhere. Luckily the construction workers were nice and helped us clean everything up in time. Anyways, she will do super great in the church. It is super cool to be able to be a part of Heavenly Father's plan for people. 

One thing I have learned is a little bit of how to recognize the spirit. Sometimes I am sitting in the bus and keep getting the thought to talk to the person next to me. Sometimes I must admit I resist it a little and think, "No, they're on their phone and don't want to talk," or "I don't know what to say," or who knows what. But, without fail, every time I have gone out of the way to talk to someone like that, I feel really good after and am happy to have done it. It has always gone really well, although granted people here are just really friendly. Anyways, I think sometimes the spirit talks to us like that. Just with little thoughts to do something good that don't go away. 

I also loved something I read this week from Thomas S. Monson in the 1987 general conf. It just spoke to me and really strengthened my testimony of living prophets. It was like, "Hey! This is for me!" Anyways, he said, "To reach, to teach, to touch the precious souls whom our Father has prepared for His message is a monumental task. Success is rarely simple. Generally it is preceded by tears, trials, trust, and testimony." I just read that and my heart seemed to exclaim, "The church is true!" It was exactly what I needed to hear. Thank goodness for the prophet.

Anyways, I am enjoying the $1 haircut, 2 cent bag of water, quarter bus fare life! It is the best. Coming back to US prices is going to kill me.

See you all later!

Elder Harris

Pictured are the bamboo staff, corn seed removing machine, sponge plant thing, Elder Harris in the pila, and a couple other random pictures. Also in the pictures is a kitten sleeping on a dog. I could sell that to a calendar company for some big bucks. Also the baptism of Damary, and the high-tech missionary communication in El Salvador. It is only mine on Fridays and the rest of the time my comp has it. Having a phone again will be weird.

Jan. 13, 2020 -- Pancake Ice Cream

Hello hello hello,

Well, here we are on the 13th of January, 2020, and I officially have over 6 months on the mission. It is so surreal. Your whole life in primary and young mens you talk about eventually going on a mission, but it seems so far away. Then you get there, but it still doesn't feel real. Now it's already 25% over and I still feel like I'm just starting. Holy smokes, I don't understand how time works. 

Yes, I did try pancake flavored ice cream this week and enjoyed it. I still continue in my unofficial job as the most mediocre ward keyboardist in the entire church, fumbling through playing the top note (or sometimes the entire right hand if I am feeling daring!) on songs I have never played until the same day. Yeesh. It is humbling, haha.

I have once again developed a nice scab from smacking my head on the bathroom door frame too many times. I would be interested to know if I have grown at all or gained or lost weight, but there is nothing here to measure with. 

The drunks here always are best friends with every white person they see and shout things like, "Hey you Canadian man!" 

In some super good news this week, our investigator Damary is going to get baptized this Saturday and asked me to do the baptism, so I am super pumped. This will be the first that I actually perform. She is a super cool 17 year old girl. A little shy and super smart. She started working in the market for Hna. Irma, her aunt, where we eat lunch every day. We taught her a couple times a week there in the market. She lives in another city where there aren't missionaries or the church or anything, and she travels like an hour to go to church every Sunday. She is just super cool. We had to travel to her city, Nueva Granada, to get permission to baptize her from her parents. It went very well and they were very friendly. Her Mom said that one day she just came home and said she didn't want to drink coffee anymore, and she was like, "alright, if you want." We bought her a big thing of Nesquik to help. Good old Nesquik. Who knew it was a tool of the Gospel. Anyways, any extra prayers you can send her way this week to help her take this step would be super great!

Another little spiritual experience that made me laugh was when we were out looking for some guy we had never met in a neighborhood we had never entered before. Here in the little cities of El Salvador, a direction is a good one if it has like a landmark and the color of the house, haha. We just had his name and the name of his neighborhood, so we just started asking people if they knew him. After walking and asking for about 25 minutes, we gave up and turned around. I said a little silent prayer and asked, "Father, please help us to be able to find this guy." I kid you not, 30 seconds after the prayer a lady in a bakery we had already asked for directions in shouted through the window, "Hey, did you guys find the person you were looking for yet? Because someone with that name lives 3 doors down on the corner by the cemetery." We hadn't even seen this lady before, she must have just overheard us asking someone else. I almost was a little startled and laughed at how quickly and exactly that prayer was answered. We found the house right away. I have gained a huge testimony of prayer out here. Especially that we can always pray for comfort and that God will always help us bear our burdens if we ask, even if he doesn't always take them away.

See you all around!

Pictures this week include a nice older guy we taught, me chilling with a little bird, the coolest nativity I have ever seen, and another random jacket that I foolishly decided to buy even though it is too hot to want to use it.

Elder Harris

Jan. 6, 2020 -- We've Got Company...

Alright, hello everybody!

Welcome to the week where Elder Harris is in charge of a lot of stuff and it's a little crazy. Let's get started.

This week was pretty normal until the night of New Year's Eve. The missionaries from El Triunfo (a little town about 20 minutes away that is part of our ward) called us and a crazy guy was looking to cause them trouble, so they had to come and stay with us. This ended up being kind of fun. They came over in the night and we stayed up until midnight to welcome in the new year. We talked and laughed a lot and then we all lounged around on our beds with a speaker in the middle listening to the 12-step addiction recovery stories that the church has. It was pretty good. At midnight I proudly carried out the Allred tradition of banging pots and pans. It was pretty great. So anyways, it is fun to have four missionaries in the house, but a little stressful for me, because I am the only one out of all of us that knows the area since my companion is new as well. This means that every day I pretty much have to plan two full days of visits to do divisions, and it is a little crazy. They are still here and don't know when they will have permission to go to their area. So as far as planning, I am pulling my hair out, but the work has been good. We were able to bring 6 investigators to church this week and we have more baptismal dates on the calendar than anyone in the zone, so we will see what we can do to help some of them carry through to the end. 

After New Year's Eve, the day itself was a lot of fun too. In the morning, Hna. Irma who we buy lunch from wanted us to come over to bless her stand in the market and then her house. We went over and she asked me to bless her market stall, and I felt good about how it went. Then we went to her house and blessed it and gave her husband a blessing, and he was very emotional and called us his angels. Then Hna. Irma gave us each some pupusas and some fancy cologne, which was very kind. We started off the day very well and felt like we were on the Lord's errand. Then we went to Hno. Morales' house for lunch, and on the way up, our neighbor, who is not a member, bought us all snow-cones. Then at Hno. Morales house we ate lots of fruit and Guatemalan tamales and banana bread and all sorts of good stuff. It was just a lot of fun.

Today for P-day we went to a used clothing store that is kind of like Ross. I bought a super cool jacket, and, best of all, it was on sale for 40 cents! Wow. What a great jacket. I am still in shock. I don't even think I will ever need a jacket here because it is super hot, but you can't beat that deal. I also saw a dog that was pure white and super puffy, so it just looked like a big marshmallow.

This week we went to find someone who lived off in the outskirts and we took a shortcut through the jungle past a giant sinkhole and a huge jungle tree. It was pretty cool. 

Anyways, things are going very well. I am enjoying the missionary life. I liked a quote I was reading in the start of Come, Follow Me for this year by Ezra Taft Benson. He talked about the power of the Book of Mormon and then said that when we start to hunger and thirst after the word of God in the Book of Mormon, we will find life in greater abundance. I liked that a lot. First of all, because I have really grown to love the Book of Mormon out here and know with all my heart that it is true. But I also love the fact that God does ask lots of sacrifices of us, but in a strange paradox, the more we sacrifice for God, the more he makes of us, the more he blesses us, and the more we are. What a beautiful promise. 

Pictured is my 40 cent jacket, the sinkhole, the giant jungle tree, and the district in a pickup and with snow cones.

Elder Harris