July 21, 2020 -- 20 Hour Quarantine

The cicadas buzz in the trees as another week goes by in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

This week I was put in quarantine for the third time in my life. I was not really enthused. This week was going to be our first week back in church, so we went to a meeting with the ward leadership on how it was going to work. A couple days after the meeting we got news that church was cancelled because the first counselor that was in the meeting with us had the virus. This announcement led the mission leadership to put us in quarantine, "until further notice." That sounded like it was going to be terrible, but the next day we found out that the counselor had been exposed to someone that had the virus, but hadn't actually been confirmed as having it. We got let out again, so that was a relief. 

This week we went over to a giant pre-school that had been shut down because of the quarantine. I guess the owners just decided to sell the property and were donating all of the stuff inside. But it was a huge place. It probably had 16 classrooms and several other rooms. So we had a ton of missionaries (maybe 30?) go over the first day and box up everything and prep everything for shipping. Then the next day they brought in a huge semi-truck and a giant industrial dumpster and we tossed some things and loaded all the furniture, toys, supplies, and things into the semi to ship. It was a lot of fun, and the people that we did the service for are being taught by the missionaries now!

The work goes on. We enjoy every chance we get to have an appointment and leave the house. Elder Webber and I speed around on those bikes. The other day we overtook someone on a fancy road bike and had a nice conversation. We have been slowly increasing the number of people we have to teach. The other day we also taught our first english class because someone had requested one through Facebook! We were not great teachers because we had never done it before and didn't know if they already knew a lot or didn't know anything.

This week we suddenly looked out the window and said, "is it raining?" So it was. For about 10 minutes there was a light drizzle. Crazy. I will certainly be happy to see some good old Utah snow.

I forgot to even mention it last week, but I have officially been out for over a year! It feels a little like cheating since I was just at home like a month ago, so my celebration basically consisted of me realizing it at 6:00 that night and saying, "Huh, I've been out for a year today." That was as exciting as it got. Thinking about that, though, I realize how incredibly glad I am to have come on a mission. There are just so many spiritual experiences, special people, and incredible memories. It is kind of a different way of life, but it is so rewarding. It just feels good. I am very happy. It is interesting how no matter how much you grow, there is still so much room to improve. God doesn't let us get comfortable for too long, but I think that's a good thing. Keeps you stretching. I know more than anything that the gospel of Jesus Christ is really what makes us happy. We are in so much debt to God, but the more we give Him, the more he gives right back to us. It is so mind-blowing and beautiful that God - who has power to do ANYTHING and knows EVERYTHING - is our Father. He really loves us and wants what's best.

See you around,

Elder Harris

Also, pictured is a shed cicada skin, some sweet track spikes I got at Ross for $3, a spot-the-difference we made for a Facebook thing, the rain and a plastic spork.

July 14, 2020 -- SWAT Team

Welcome everybody to Las Vegas, where I sometimes find myself thinking, "It's only 102 today! Not bad!" This Sunday it was 115 while we were out biking. I think most days you could probably get into a hot-tub to cool down. Strange things. 

This week I had my first exchanges here, so I went and worked in another area. A member gave us a referral, so we went to contact them. Strangely enough it was my first ever real door contact. We never did them in El Salvador unless it wasto ask directions or something. But it went well and we were able to talk with the guy and get his phone number. He then asked if the elder I was with was my son. The other missionary was older than me too. I am unsure how to even write an analysis of this experience. 

We were waiting at the stop for the bus to come to go home from the exchange. The bus was there but wasn't ready to leave, so we were just outside talking. Three teenage punks walked past us and we didn't think much about it. They stepped into the bus and started giving the bus driver some trouble he asked them to exit the bus. He was sort of a bigger guy and was pretty firm with them, so they stepped out. Then one of the kids threw some trash at the bus, so the driver jumped out one of the kids tried to shove him and he pushed his hands off. Then one of the other kids pulled a gun on him! The bus driver yelled at them and was like, "Are you going to shoot me? Shoot me, then!" After a second they scattered and left. But that was crazy. The whole ride back the driver told us about all the run-ins he's had and he was a really cool guy. 

Also, my chair has five wheels, but one broke off. So every now and then I lean back, and lean back, and then I am still leaning back, and then follows some flailing arms and things and a close recovery. I haven't fallen out of the chair yet, but we'll see. 

Also, early yesterday morning we went over to the chapel to have interviews with President Rodarte. When we biked around back, we were surprised to see a lot of vehicles there, and then we realize it's the entire SWAT team preparing for a raid! They all waved and said, "Hi elders!" There were a ton of police cars, undercover trucks with their shells and backs full of gear and riot shields, and a giant military vehicle thing. It was metal plated and had a turret on top. We were scheduled first, so we were early and nobody else was there yet, but we waited outside just kind of watching for a few minutes. A little later two other pairs of missionaries showed up and we were all thinking that interviews could not possibly have been timed better. Then President pulled up in his car and jokingly yelled, "What did you do?" At this point they were all suited up with their bullet-proof vests, helmets, machine guns, and everything. There were probably 30 agents and as many cars. Then Elder Webber asked one of the agents if we would be allowed to take a picture. They said, "Totally!" and took it for us. They had all of us stand in front of the awesome assault thing. Then one of them said, "Wait, come over here!" And he pulled out a box and gave us all a poker chip with the Las Vegas Swat logo! Man, best day ever. Then we had our interviews, which were also great.

One sort of cool spiritual experience happened this week after our zone leaders were challenging everyone to think about putting baptismal dates. We thought that that sounded great but had no idea who we could invite, so we were kind of doubting. With being white-washed into a partial quarantine, we haven't had a ton of investigators. But then we were thinking that we should have more faith and trust that we can do it. So the next day, we made plans to invite one of the people we're teaching. And then! The lesson fell through. So that was too bad. Later we had a lesson with someone we had never met. It turned out to be a cool guy from ... El Salvador! We talked about the Book of Mormon, and then we felt like we should invite him to be baptized! We did and he accepted a date. So it certainly isn't set in stone and more like the start of the fight than the end, but it was so cool to see that when we really committed to invite someone that day, we found someone we didn't even expect! Faith is a cool thing.

See you all around.

Elder Harris

Pictured is the SWAT vehicle and poker chip, my company's birthday, celebrating first double-decker bus ride, and the return of planimal planet.

July 7, 2020 -- "Go save the world! Go, go go!"

"And this is the account of Abraham and his brethren, their journeyings in the land of Las Vegas, their sufferings in the land, their sorrows, and their afflictions, and their incomprehensible joy..."

Alma 28:8 (slightly modified)

I definitely stole that idea from my Mom, but I liked it. 

Good week this week. Did you know in Las Vegas there are 7-11 gas stations that blast classical music to keep away rougher crowds? Who knows if it works, but it's pretty sweet. They also don't have painted street lines but have these sort of colored bumps. Interesting.

Also, the world is EVEN SMALLER than I thought last week! We went to help a new member move in, and the elders quorum president is from Soyapango, El Salvador! I told him that I was there for a while and he said, "Oh, you must know so and so!" And that was the father of ANOTHER family I ate lunch with every day! He knew all about their giant dog and everything. And later he talked to him and the member remembered me because I played the harmonica. Then, get this, the elders quorum pres points to his first counselor and tells me he was mission companions with that guy! I've gone on missionary visits in Las Vegas with someone who was comps with someone who gave me food every day in El Salvador! It blows me away.

Another little moment was when we were biking along and a car was stuck right where the road turned into a parking lot. One guy was in the driver's seat, and another guy had just stopped to help and said, "Hey, do you guys want to help push?" I most definitely did. After, the guy said,  "You showed up just at the right minute!" Yes sir, that is what we do.

I also discovered a can of shaving cream in our apartment. I've always shaved with good old fashioned soap or with an electric razor, so I thought I'd try it out just for fun. I don't know if the quality of shave was increased, but it was a strangely delightful sort of cloud substance. So there's a good milestone.

UNLV is like 5 minutes away, so sometimes when we go running in the morning or are outside and have to make some calls we'll go there to explore a little. College campuses are always pretty and have lots of benches and things. We also have almost nightly hackey-sack sessions.

Las Vegas has some characters. We talked to one drunk guy with a knife on his neck and his hip, and he told us that he was also a professional mormon under Joseph Smith. There are plenty of people that just aren't that interested and some that are just kind of mean. Like the guy that rolled down his window and yelled, "You're going to $%*@!" as he drove past. But then there are lots of people that are just so so good and so prepared for the gospel it's crazy. Like the super cool lady I mentioned that we taught and then referred. We saw her again and talked, and she said, "You know, after you guys left, my daughter has been really into this baptism thing. She was like, 'Mom, is that something I can do?'" That was after one lesson! And we didn't even really talk about baptism! There are other people who are like that too. 

We were biking along and one young man unrolled his window and said, "Hey! Hey! Jesus loves you!" Another rougher looking guy that I doubt was a member was on the side of the road and yelled, "Go teach God's children! Go save the world! Go save the world! We're proud of you! Go, go go!" It was just this random guy! I love Vegas. And I love when God gives you these little reminders that there are good people out there. Also, it is over 100 every day! Woo-hoo!

So anyway. We met our new mission president, Pres. Rodarte. He is cool and still has three kids living at home. Last P-Day was awesome because we went to Sea-Quest, which is free for missionaries! We got to pet the sting-rays and star fish and a capybara. It was way cool. Someone thought we worked there and asked us where they could find duck food. Also three different people in Walmart today asked us where to find various products. Then this P-Day we went to the Spy Outlet! It was this cool little store owned by a member. It had like hidden cameras, secret compartments, and everything! He had all these swords and knives and switch-blades and survival things. There were like soda cans and shampoo bottles that were secret safes. So many cool things. He also taught us how to pick locks! I am now the proud owner of a lock-picking set (with a 50% missionary discount!).

Good times here on the mission. I testify that the Gospel is true. I think that sometimes missionary work and life has a lot of downs or discouraging times, but there are so many little mercies and blessings that God gives us just to brighten up our day. A little light illuminates a lot of dark. Life is good. Men are that we might have joy. Sorry if the emails get a little long sometimes. 

Elder Harris

Here we have a giant William Wallace sword, a soda can trick, a raptor statue, some UNLV pics, Seaquest, a giant beetle, and the recipe for happiness.

June 30, 2020 -- The Floodwaters of Vegas and the End of an Era

Hello once again!

Well, I think that Las Vegas doesn't feel as hot as El Salvador, but this week started out strong with an average of about 108°. People told me the wind in Vegas is hot, which I did not believe. It's true, though! My companion compared it to the devil opening his oven door. However, it is not too bad because in the states there is air conditioning! Our AC started making a terrible constant grinding noise, though, so we had to either sleep hot or not sleep. To our great relief, after about two days the noise stopped . . . and the leaking started. I used my knowledge of flooded basements to pull up all the carpet by the AC and we tried to let it dry for a couple days, but we don't have a fan or anything, so it is medium-dry. We're seeing if we can get it fixed. Meanwhile it just smells like wet carpet.

Elder Webber and I are slowly and steadily getting on our feet here. It is a little tough because our area used to cover part of a spanish ward and two english wards, but now it is just the part spanish ward. The previous elders almost only had investigators in the english wards, and that combined with being white-washed in makes things a little difficult. And where it is only part of the ward, most of the members like the bishop live outside our area, which means that if we want to get to know them, we have to travel a lot.

Despite the set-backs, it has been a lot of fun. I love getting outside and exploring Vegas. It really is a melting-pot. People from all over the world. Unfortunately drugs are incredibly common where marijuana is legal. But I love especially when we get to go outside and ride places on our bikes. There are some people that just kind of wave us off and don't want to talk, but there are so many other people that are just crazy nice. I love it when people drive by and honk. Once we were out walking by some apartments and a lady walks out the office and says, "Elders!" She was a member in the Samoan ward who worked there and flagged us down to give us each water, gatorade, and some nuts. It was very sweet. 

I love the members here that we have gotten to know. They are all so so nice. They are always giving us food and water. 

An era came to an end this week. I was going strong for 20 years without social media, but I had to make a mission Facebook. Facebook is terrifying, though. I signed up and didn't sync any contacts or anything, but immediately it suggested people you might know including other missionaries here and people I knew from high school, including Grant Knight, Adam Budge, and Chipper Talbot! So that just makes me shiver. Creepy Facebook. I am very suspicious.  

The other day we visited our first family of members in the ward, the first counselor and his family. They invited us in and we walk through the door . . . only to see a giant El Salvador flag! I was like, "No way!" Very first official visit and the family is from my home away from home! So I told them, and they were from cities I knew about! Super close to my area in Usulutan. But then it got even better because the grandma asks me if I knew President Garcia. He was my stake president! We ate lunch at his house EVERY DAY! Oh man, such a small world. And since then I've met even more people from El Salvador and people that served their missions there. That sure made me happy. 

One last story. So my bike got here (Which is a blast, by the way! I love biking to appointments so much. Thanks Pres. Carver for hooking me up.) We needed a couple tools to put it together, though, so we thought we would find a member who could help us out. We didn't know any members, so we called a random person. He said to come over in 15 minutes. We took the bike over, and there is this nice Samoan family. The dad fixes bikes on the side and had a bunch of bikes and tools everywhere, and had it put together perfectly in like two minutes! Then he even helped tune up my companion's bike. We could tell it was a less active family that probably had some struggles in life, but I they were so nice. Then the wife asked if we could give her husband a blessing of health, which we were happy to do. They told us if we ever need food to come over. I think our visit meant something to them. It is just interesting to me that we thought we were calling some random member, but it turned out to be the perfect family to visit. I think if we are just trying to do our best, the Lord really directs us in our life even more than we realize. I love this gospel.

Elder Harris

Here I have us doing an object lesson, the giant ferris wheel on the strip, a cool wall, bike day, our flooded apartment, and the previous elders massive empty water bottle collection.