One last email. For better or for worse, I suppose.
There, we were, the final week. We were volunteered to go and package food at a charity, so we packaged several pallets of hot dog meals and toiletries. At the very end, they had some expired food we could choose from to take with us. As we opened the boxes, a glorious, golden, buttery light came out -- yes, there were boxes and boxes of Ritz crackers! So, we took about 30 cracker sleeves home with us. It was destined to be a good week.
One day several weeks ago we were out biking on a 116 degree day and a nice man pulled over and tried to offer us money to get water. We politely declined, but he insisted on at least letting us eat some of the wings and the bottle of fruit juice he had. We got his phone number and set up a time to come by. He is really nice and loves nothing more than raising mango plants. He wants to be closer to God, and we invited him to be baptized. He said yes!
Later that same day we had a visit with the young lady we're teaching that is best friends with a grandma in our ward. We went to the member family's house for the visit. As we talked about faith, repentance, and baptism, she told us a little more about her family situation. We knew her family is really Catholic, and she told us that she actually was a nun for a little while! She also was like the equivalent of a young women's camp director for the Catholic church. One of her biggest worries as long as we'd known her was what her family would think about her getting baptized. She told us that she told her mom that she wanted to be baptized, and her mom was really loving and supportive. It was definitely a huge miracle. We asked her a little about what has gotten her attention most about the church, and she told us that she loves seeing how united and happy families in the church generally are. She really wants the same for her own family. She is so ready for the gospel. The next day she went to church for the first time! She's gone to a baptism, a ward party, and a relief society activity too and just loved it. She also texted me this week to say she got off work to go to church again. Then she said, "You know what keeps happening to me? Every time I pray, I end up crying." I asked her if she was feeling sad or happy or what, and she said, "I feel like part of me is healing." Is there anything cooler to be a part of than playing some miniscule role in helping someone feel that way?
That Sunday was super cool. We had been having some struggles to get people to church this transfer, but the last two weeks we had 5 people both weeks! The guy with the mango plants and the lady who used to be a nun both came, along with the couple from our English class that came last week. This week they brought their granddaughter, too! We also had a miracle where we called someone one last time before giving up on them on Sunday morning. We had tried every possible way to contact him for two and a half weeks, but Sunday morning he picked up, and said he would come to church! And he did! It was a really happy Sunday.
It was even better because that night we had our last meal with a member. It was an awesome Italian family, and you know what they gave us? Well, actually it was like a 5 course meal, but one of the courses was pupusas! Got to end how we started.
We visited someone on Sunday night, and after our visit he asked what our plans were for the rest of the day. We said, "just visiting more people. That's what we do all day." He seemed a little surprised and said, as if realizing it for the first time "you are missionaries." Yes, we are. We then saddled our bikes and rode off into the gently setting sun as tabernacle choir music played softly out of the sky -- just kidding! That would be a romantic ending! But no, it was the Fourth of July! The Fourth of July in one of the most 'hood' parts of North Las Vegas is like a war zone. EVERYONE was outside letting off giant fireworks. There were explosions everywhere and all the streets were full of smoke so thick you couldn't see more than a block or two down. We were talking to someone outside as their neighbor's lawn burst into flames. Despite the giant explosions, we were able to find some families we had been trying to contact outside and set up some lessons.
We biked our way home on streets empty of cars but full of people (and explosives). We live with another set of missionaries, and one of them was also going home, so for our last night in our area, we made a bunch of late-night milkshakes. It was pretty delicious.
The next day we got dropped off at the mission office, where I found out that my cousin Olivia Allred (who would be arriving mere hours after I left) would be going to the same ward I was leaving! Super excited about that. I also saw my old Canadian companion, Elder Stewart! The assistants are always really busy, so they asked the two of us to take charge of some things. Just like the old days. Similar feelings to the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep in the Lord of the Rings, when Théoden and Aragorn decide to ride out in what may be their final glory:
"When dawn comes, I will bid men sound Helm's horn, and I will ride forth. Will you ride with me then, son of Arathorn? Maybe we shall cleave a road, or make such an end as will be worth a song -- if any be left to sing of us hereafter."
And thus it was. We hitched up the trailer to the truck and loaded the van full of missionaries and shuttled them over to the mission president's house -- one last time. Then, we found ourselves suddenly on the other side of the coin, where we actually had to enter the final meal.
Early the next morning, we flew off, entering some new and mysterious chapter of life.
And so we reach an end of this journal of the adventures of Elder Abraham Harris. In closing, I hope that perhaps some of these stories may have had an effect like that described by Nephi: "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God, for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." (2 Nephi 25:23) I know as a missionary, I have learned much about the nature of happiness. It comes from living a life of meaning, and that comes from following Jesus Christ. We cannot give him a crumb without getting a loaf in return. God lives and goes to ALL lengths to give His children the chance to hear His gospel. I am honored to have been a small part of something big.
'Til we meet,
Elder Abraham Harris
