Sept. 21, 20202 -- Dabbling in Map-Making

Ready for some interesting statistics?

I recently learned something about the number of people baptized in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission. This year included COVID, virtual teaching, and an entire month where baptisms were not allowed to happen. Many people say and think, "Wow, how rough to be a missionary right now, nothing is happening!" That is where you might be wrong. With the virus, the number of people found to teach dropped significantly. However, up to this point, our mission has baptized more people than it did last year, which was full of 'normal' missionary work. This means that even though we generally found far fewer people, those we did find were more ready to hear the gospel. It is amazing how nothing can stop the work of God. Despite shutdowns, quarantines, limited contact, and fewer people to teach, more became converted to him!

We had transfers last week, and pretty much everything is the same! I get to continue training Elder Parker, which we are both really happy about. He's great. Our whole district is exactly the same except for one sister that went home, and a new one that came in from the good old online MTC. The only change is that we are moved from an English zone to a brand new Spanish zone, so now all our meetings and phone calls and everything is in Spanish, which I enjoy.

We had a delightful experience at the grocery store today. First, we were just walking on the side of the road in the parking lot and some truck is behind us driving slowly. He had the entire road open, and we were just walking on the curb. He must have been having a bad day, because he honks and angrily yells, "If you're going to cross then cross already!" Then, while we were in the store somebody seemed nice and was talking to us, but then totally started Bible bashing and going on and on about how the Bible says this and the Bible says that and how we offend God because our apostles don't have beards and wear tassels. That was actually the first time that that has happened to me. Perhaps not coincidence that right after that, as I opened up to my scriptures for personal study I read in 3 Nephi 12:10-12:

10 And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 And blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake;

12 For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.

That is of some comfort. Not a coincidence, I think.

You may remember how my little office chair has five wheels, but one is missing. All that is left is a plastic shard sharpened and positioned to torment your ankles. I have had several close calls before, but the other day during companion study was officially the first time I leaned back, found nothing, and fell out of my chair. I need a certificate of achievement or something.

Three weeks ago, our district hit our finding record. We tied it the next week, and this last week we topped it! We found half of our district's people, mostly due to this awesome family we came across. We got a referral who was found on Facebook through some missionaries in the West mission. We called and set up a time to come by. When we went over, we met the father, who told us that he knew when those other missionaries messaged him, it was inspired of God. He was just this awesome, sincere man. We told him how our message centers on the family and asked if his family would want to listen as well. His wife was at work, but all six of his kids came and joined! There was even this adorable little one-year old that just sat there and smiled the whole time. The spirit was just there and you could tell they were a very good, loving, family. It warms my heart. We shared the Book of Mormon and they all seemed very interested. After long days of dozens and dozens of phone calls and limited success, one little good thing like that makes up for everything. 

One last interesting thing that happened was that I got a call from one of the assistants to the president. He said, "We've heard there's been some talk of changing the area boundaries in your district." I said yes, thinking that he was about to confirm the rumored changes. Instead, he said, "President would like you to create a proposal for the new district boundaries." That was a large surprise. It felt like a pretty big responsibility, but with lots of prayer and studying, we wrote up and diagrammed a plan for new boundaries and turned it in. We will see what he thinks! He is guided by the Spirit and won't lead us astray, so whatever happens will be good. 

I suppose that is it for now.

Onward and forward,

Elder Harris

Sept. 15, 2020 -- Two Holy Crackers

We talked to one guy on the street the other day who was chewing on a bullet and called himself T-Bone. He was friendly and said he might enjoy checking out church. He asked us our names and looked back and forth from one of our tags to the other a couple times, and then seemed to settle on a decision. "I will call you my two crackers. Two holy crackers." And thus it was. Elder Harris here, one half of the two holy crackers. 

Tomorrow is transfer day and we anxiously await the news to know if we stay or go! They were supposed to call us last night, but we still haven't heard anything. I am happy with whatever happens, I just don't like the wait to know! We shall see. 

Dad, you will probably be thrilled to know that Elder Parker and I have both decided that every knuckle crack shall be paid for with 10 military pushups. We both have a little sticky note on our desk labeled 'Knuckle Punishment' where we put our tallies. Certainly makes you remember and give a little groan every time a knuckle crack sneaks out.

The other night we had some phone calls to make, but we were tired of being in the house. Instead, we jumped over our little porch railing and brought our folding chairs out into the corner of the apartment parking lot. The sun had gone down, so it felt pretty cool. We would make our calls and wave at the cars as they pulled in. Probably looked a little strange to have us there in our folding chairs, but it was fun. Anyways, as we went down our list, we decided off a whim to give a try calling a man that we spoke with once on the phone, but we had gone to his house several times, and he never was there for our appointments. When we called though, he answered! He picked up, and we talked a little. He then told us how he had been feeling pretty down and depressed. He had had some problems with work and seemed to be feeling pretty lonely and friendless. He said that right then was when we called, and he saw it as a sign that God really knew him and was looking out for him. 

It so often blows me away how oftentimes when we are just trying to be good, God guides us to impact people in very specific ways. It reminds me of a little story from the MTC. My whole 6 weeks in the MTC we waited and waited every devotional to have an apostle come. We all thought it would have been so cool, but it never did happen. Then, 4 days after I left, David A. Bednar himself came to the MTC. I was sad to miss it, but I heard that one thing he said was to be less worried about receiving giant spiritual promptings. He said instead, to just be "good boys and girls." If we are just sincerely trying to be good, to help, and serve, God will direct us and will not let us go astray. That openness is what He needs to answer others' prayers and take us where we need to be. And we don't even realize it all the time!

Yesterday was a great day of service. We started off the morning helping package and organize food at a food pantry. It was a lot of fun. It feels really strange, now, though, to wear jeans anywhere. While we were there, we got a call from some other missionaries about someone that moved from their area to ours, and needed help moving in! We bustled on over. We carried all their stuff into their apartment, which included a couch, several chairs and dressers, and mattresses and things. We had to take everything up in an elevator, and there were some elderly folks sitting in the public room nearby. It was really funny as they would chat amongst themselves about the things we brought in. When we had a mattress, they were like, "It's too big! It'll never fit. Much too long." We did just fine, but it was funny. Moving furniture is some of my favorite service. Makes me want to start a moving company. 

When I went on exchanges with some other Elders, they had three bikes between the four of them. And they had one working brake between all 6. I whipped out some tools and they are at least now at about 50% braking capacity. It is fun to be able to know how to adjust brakes and stuff. All these crazy missionaries though go and buy their bikes at Walmart, because they are really cheap. But Walmart also only sells kids bikes! They are so small. I was pedaling on one and my knees hit my wrists. And then they break down and nobody likes biking. Very very grateful to Pres. Carver for helping me get a phenomenal bike. Those other missionaries are always so jealous. 

Anyway, we keep on keeping on! See you all later.

Elder Harris

Pictures include our parking lot call session and my awesome canteen tie from the family! They are the best.

Sept. 8, 2020 -- "Come out with your hands up!"

Well today was odd. We went outside and it was 80 degrees! That's 30 degrees colder than it was yesterday. It feels so cool and nice. I can't even remember the last time I felt like that. 

You know that you're in Las Vegas when you go to Smith's for groceries and there is a room full of slot machines. Good old Las Vegas.

The other day we were just biking along (as pretty much every story I have starts) and enjoying the nice day, when we hear a megaphone on the other side of an apartment building we were next to: "Come out. Come out with your hands up. We just want to talk to you." Certainly not living in a quiet little boring town. This week I also called 911 for the first time in my life! We were doing our studies in front of the window, when the car right outside starts having its alarm go off. We looked outside, and said, "Holy smokes!" (haha, no pun intended) The whole inside of the car was full of smoke and gas rolling around. We called the apartment complex, and they told us to just call the fire department. I must admit, I was a little nervous. It seems like on movies it is always so intense and has lots of panicked yelling and stuff. But they were so calm that it just sounded like scheduling a doctor's appointment. Anyway, within probably 3 or 4 minutes, a firetruck came. They opened the car and I guess it turned out that there were just some pressurized cans of some sort of auto spray that burst in the heat and started leaking pressurized gas everywhere. False alarm. But the firefighters were all super cool. They were all just these awesome looking muscled out guys. They talked with us for a minute and let us get a picture! Almost made me want to be a firefighter.

Elder Parker and I have been doing better than I probably ever have before at just talking to everyone. We literally talk with almost everyone we see. The scene is almost always us biking along until we pass someone walking (either side of the road) or in the driveway. Then we kind of keep pedaling for a second and give each other, "the look". We ask, "should we turn around?" But then we never actually answer the question because those bikes just seem to turn themselves around and we are already heading back. Those bikes must be very connected to the Holy Ghost, because we just find ourselves riding over to people with no idea what to say or why we are doing it. I have definitely seen fulfilment of the promise that, "ye shall have given unto you in the very hour what ye shall say." I think before, I always assumed that this would be a sort of marvelous revelatory experience where I would say something I had never thought of or something that immediately quenches any doubt. However, I think it is just as powerful, but more subtle and simple. Usually we just go over to talk because we want to talk and haven't been able to plan anything, but something comes out that helps us connect with people and start good conversations. I think that really almost everyone we contact is very friendly and opens up a lot. Somehow the Holy Ghost helps us overcome that little awkward barrier of "we are two strangers that have never seen each other, but now I am going to jump off my bike and talk to you for no reason". It is so subtle, but it just works out.

One such time I saw someone down a back alley--and they were wearing an El Salvador soccer jersey! I don't think anyone that hasn't lived in central America would recognize it (just black with some blue trim and a white 'ES'), so I knew I had to talk to him. It was a little funny and he was very surprised that I recognized it. Who knows if anything will come of it, but we got his phone number.

Another fun one was someone late one night that walked out of a gas station and yelled, "Hi, Elders!" We sped over, and met a member who just seemed to be having a hard moment. He said he had moved to Vegas a year or so ago and was just having a hard time feeling at home. We talked for a minute and then offered to say a prayer with him. He was very grateful and said, "Every time I am in a bad spot and am feeling down, I always see the missionaries, and it lifts me up again!" One thing I have learned more than anything else here in Las Vegas is just how if we are on the Lord's errand, he guides us to be where we need to be when we need to be there without us even realizing. There are so many chance interactions we have that we would miss if we were even a minute earlier or later. God loves all his children, and he uses us normal folks to help bless them.

My main man from El Salvador is getting so close to baptism. We taught him tithing, and he stood up, went to his room, and came back with a handful of money and said, "I am ready to pay my tithing right now." He has such strong faith. That was so awesome. He has changed his life so much since we have been with him. All he needs is to be able to say "I know that the Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith was a prophet." Right now he wants to study a little more, but he is so so close and has the purest heart out there. He finally has started reading the Book of Mormon every day, and is making so many awesome changes. 

There is no greater work to be a part of than this, and you don't have to be a missionary to be a part of it! Nothing makes you happier.

Elder Harris

Sept. 1, 2020 -- Presidential Mandate

All is well for us here in the city of sin. Lately we have loved turning on a general conference or BYU talk right after our exercise time to listen to in the morning while we get ready, and when we are winding down at the end of the day, we love jamming out to some Hymns at Home (Check it out on the Gospel Music app. If you turn off the lyrics, it is some mighty fine background/study music.)

The other day we stopped and talked to a guy in front of Cliff's Barber shop. It turns out, he was the owner! He said that he used to love hooking up the missionaries and they would come for months and months, but then somewhere the chain broke. He was so happy we came by and said to come next time for a haircut. We went in today, and it was the coolest little barbershop ever. Just these two old, bearded guys that are crazy good. One showed me his barber certificate, which was from 1968. They've been cutting hair for over 50 years! The barber shop was all old-west and was filled with the swinging saloon doors, guns and rifles, outlaw posters, bear traps, wooden furniture, animal skins, and a stuffed bear. They had old Lone Ranger episodes playing the whole time (which we avoided watching, but it still added to the fun atmosphere.)

You may remember last week's story about finding a young couple with the member husband and the non-member wife that moved here for school when we went out to look for the moon. They called us the other day and had just gotten a couch for their apartment and were wondering if we could help move it. We were so happy they trusted us enough to think of us when they needed help. They had a couch with one of the pull-out beds, so it was probably like 200 pounds--and they lived on the third floor. We did a little crazy maneuvering and hoisting to make it around all 6 stair turns and through their door, but it was a lot of fun.

Last week I got to go on exchanges with a Hawaiian elder that is straight out of the home MTC and played football at Princeton. He is super cool and was fun to be with. We had ridden to UNLV on our bikes to do some studies, and then we had to ride like half a mile back. Just on that half-mile stretch of road, we talked with 3 people that practically flagged us down and we got their phone numbers! It was super fun. One of them was a wiry red-haired kid on a skateboard that just graduated high-school and has some member friends. We talked with him and then had a lesson with him and the YSA sisters. He went to church that Sunday, which was super cool!

While I was with Elder Falatea, we also had what was really one of the most spirit-filled lessons of my whole mission. We were right outside our apartment complex to pick up dinner, when a car pulled up and unrolled the window. It was a guy we talked to from last week (the guy whose friend tried to enlist us in solar sales) and his member friend. He said, "Hey, sorry I haven't answered your texts yet. I have been working, but do you have time right now that we could have a lesson?" We were amazed and more than happy. He was still moving into his apartment and couldn't have the lesson there, so we suggested the church instead! We decided to meet there in half an hour. We ate our dinner in 15 minutes and ran to the church. His member friend brought him over, and we gave him a tour of the church. We had spoken to this guy once for like 20 seconds before, and here we were in the church with a member present too! Everything went so well. We showed him the chapel, and he thought it was super cool that the speakers are normal members. He also loved the idea of testimony meeting. We walked past the gym, and people were inside playing basketball. After we walked past someone jumped out and said, "You guys want to jump in?" We didn't, but the guy we were teaching thought it was awesome how friendly everyone was. Then we sat down in a classroom and taught the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. The spirit was so strong as we all testified. We did especially well asking questions, connecting, and listening, I think. He said that he had been interested in the church ever since he had seen us in his apartment complex and seen that we do missionary work all day every day. He had lots of sincere questions and was so open to learning. He loved that our name is "The Church of Jesus Christ." He said, "If there really are living prophets on the earth, it would have to come from a church like this that sends out people like you. You sacrifice so much." He said he knew that if he read the Book of Mormon, God would direct him. He then went to church that Sunday with his friend! Unfortunately for me in the english ward, but that was one of the coolest lessons I've had.

We taught another super cool lady on video call. She was Elder Parker's MTC teacher's cousin! His teacher referred her to us, and we were able to connect so well and share the gospel with her. She asked us questions like, "Is it okay to change religions? Like if I am Catholic and want to change to a different religion?" We assured her that God would direct her and that that wouldn't be a problem, haha. Very sweet lady and so ready for the gospel. At the end of our first appointment, she asked, "Is it okay if you guys keep reading the Bible with me?" It was an easy yes, and she asked if we could the next day! The next day we also included the YSA sisters in the call, and she told them, "After I first met with Abraham and Bryant (she only knew our Facebook names, haha) I just felt like, a peace. I felt like a burden was off my shoulders and I felt happy. That's why I wanted to meet with you again!" We were so happy. It amazes me that the spirit can even be felt so strongly over a videocall. 

So, last week we found all those great english speakers! Now we need some spanish folks again for our area!

This week we also got a super exciting special directive. The zone leaders called us and said that some missionaries in our district had been having a hard time and feeling somewhat depressed because they just couldn't find anyone to teach. They had even called President to ask for a blessing. Then it got exciting. The zone leaders said that President talked with them, and together they decided to send Elder Parker and I into the other missionaries area just to thrash around and stir things up a little and to (cautiously and with great common sense) street contact everyone we could to find them some new folks to teach. We were very excited, because usually here, we can street contact if we happen to come across someone in route to an appointment, but that's about it. Now we got to take several hours in an unfamiliar area and preach the gospel! We felt like a special task force. So off we went, working hard and praying harder! We talked with everyone we saw. After about an hour and a half, we had gotten phone numbers from 6 super cool people as we biked around the neighborhoods! It was a little intimidating just to go up to people working on something in their garage or crossing the street and contact them in english, because I hadn't ever done it before, but it was so fun. We found some crazy cool people. 3 were spanish for those missionaries, and 3 were english for some other companionships. It might not sound like the most fun experience, but we just felt so free being sent to wander wherever and talk to everyone. It was awesome.

I also finished the Book of Mormon for the first time in Spanish! I have gotten about halfway two or three times but started over for things like Come Follow Me and some other stuff. However, there was a challenge in the mission to read the whole Book of Mormon in 65 days (the amount of time it took Jospeh Smith to translate it) marking every reference to God and Christ and the doctrine of Christ. It was a lot of hard work to finish so fast. I don't know if I'd do it again (I prefer to go slow and dig out all the little treasures you can find), but it was an experience I will always remember. I know there is no way Joseph Smith could have made up the Book of Mormon in 65 days. It would be ridiculously impossible. He is a prophet of God. Now I need to find someone to give my copy to! It is all marked up and ready to go.

I guess I'll let you off the hook on the short novel I wrote this week. There are so many fun experiences out on the mission. Can't even write it all.

Shall we not go on in so great a cause?

Elder Harris

Pictured are me on exchanges with the other district elders, some Transformers robots, some pupusas, a Hudson Hornet (Cars movie), and my BoM.