July 28, 2020 -- This week

Another week in the desert. Yesterday we did some service for a super cool member family that has 7 kids. The oldest is on a break before being reassigned as a missionary. We helped cement in some cement blocks to extend a wall and stuccoed a big chunk of the wall smooth. It was a lot of fun. As we went to pull away on our bikes afterwards I thought that this was the perfect moment to put the newfound skill Elder Webber and I have been working on to the test . . . wheelies! As we roll down the street I pop the front tire into the air for one, two, three seconds! I'm leaning pretty far back and am feeling pretty confident but then everything skids out from under me and I am lying in the street. I was completely fine and just jumped back up, but then the whole family and some random guy in his truck that had just pulled around the corner are all like, "Elder, are you okay?" So now I will not be remembered as 'The Cool Elder Who Did a Wheelie,' but 'The Goofy Missionary Who Crashed His Bike on the Flat Road in Front of Our House." Pride cometh before the fall, haha.

We called an older gentleman the other day and asked if he had met with the missionaries before. When he replied in the affirmative, my companion asked if they were elders or sisters. The old man said, "No, no, I remember them as being pretty young guys."

Not too long ago we were biking and saw a Hispanic man selling snow-cones. We stopped (more to talk to him than to actually buy a snow-cone) and asked how much they were. He said, "For you guys, $2. Or if you don't have it, don't worry about it. We thanked him and had our money ready and asked what flavor was best. While he whipped up some snow-cones we asked where he was from and you guessed it . . . El Salvador! He was from Soyapango, which is one of the cities I lived in. We went to pay him, but he wouldn't take it and just pointed up and said, "You guys preach of Jesus Christ. It is an honor." We got his phone number and he said he would love to have us over sometime.

We also were biking along and someone yelled, "Elderes!" We went back, and a Hispanic man introduced us to his family that was just getting into their car. His mom, wife, and one year old daughter were all there. His Mom told us that he was less-active and his wife was not a member. They had been meeting with the missionaries before, but had just moved and lost contact. They wanted to keep learning more but only had an english missionary's phone number, so they called but couldn't understand anything. They just didn't know how to find spanish missionaries again. And then! There we were. We passed right at the exact moment as we went from one lesson to another and they happened to be getting into their car. We were able to get them in contact with the missionaries in their area. They said we just fell right out of heaven into their path. Very cool.

Another cool experience happened in a lesson. We were teaching a lady whose son had recently joined the church. As we explained the Book of Mormon and read a little of the introduction, it was clear she had some doubts. We just had kind of a hard time helping her really connect and feel the spirit. Then my companion suddenly opened up the scriptures and read Alma 37:37 with her. I was a little confused because it wasn't in the plan and seemed kind of random. As we finished, though, she bookmarked it and carefully closed the book. She then teared up and told us how she had had a hard time believing the Book of Mormon, but that as we read that, she felt something special in her heart. That was a huge testament to me of the power of the Book of Mormon. Open it up.

So, missionary work isn't easy. Lots of hard experiences, letdowns, and disappointments. However, I know that this is God's work. He is aware of it. He guides it. He is a God of miracles, and He has a plan for all of us.

Elder Harris

Pictured is our service project from last week, a poorly taken picture of a truck with an incredible lift kit, and some vegan hamburger buns! Actually moldy ones that we found on top of the fridge. Yum.