The Best of Birthdays!!!

Hi Family!                                                                                    May 1, 2017

 

Thank you all for your letters and birthday wishes! My birthday was incredible and I even got a kiss on the cheek from an older lady in the Ward who didn't know that that was not okay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also my companion sent a text secretly to the other Elders saying it was my birthday so I was sung to several times throughout the day.

Plus we had amazing food, candy, and cake!!!

 

Thanks to family for sending the awesome birthday package!!







And a special thanks to friends from my Stake who were able to coordinate with my family and deliver my birthday package. It was great to see Hillary and Bryce, who both previously served their missions in this area, and came back for a visit.    

 

It couldn't have been a better birthday and I feel very blessed!!

 

The big news of this week is that yesterday we had another Stake Conference and they announced that the family groups are now becoming branches! So instead of being awkwardly part of the Ward, but not at the same time La Alianza is now its own separate branch! I am both excited and worried by the change but we are excited to work hard with the new leaders to make this branch grow!

 

Also, Cristina is doing really good! She went to church yesterday, is reading the Book of Mormon and will be interviewed to receive a calling in the branch this week!

 

It has gotten pretty cold here in Tarija and I only have one sweater that fits me well so just know that probably all photos from here on out will be of me wearing a gray sweater.

 

Our only investigator with a baptismal date right now is Raul Sancias, who went to the priesthood session of general conference a few weeks back. We visited him this week and read with him in the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 2. He understood so well the plan of salvation and really loved what we read. We then talked about baptism and he accepted a baptismal date for the 20th of may. We invited him to church and he said "I have never really gone to church but if thats what it takes to get baptized then I guess I´ll have to go!" He went to church yesterday which was a huge blessing!

 

Saturday we had another lesson with the three young men...it went well and they have so much potential. They weren't ready to accept baptism but committed to read the Book of Mormon this week.

 

Saturday night we had a lesson with Eduardo, a college student who we have been teaching recently. It was a great lesson, but we always teach him in the park because his grandma is super Catholic and won't let us into their house. Normally the park is a great place to teach, but on Saturday we were visited by 3 different drunk men during the lesson. The first asked if we could help us find his uncle in Argentina, the second said some mean words I won´t repeat, and the third sat and listened attentively and even participated in the closing prayer. We aren´t going to teach lessons in the park on Saturday night anymore.

 

This week I have been reading the Book of Mormon a lot and I challenge all of you to read every day! So much happiness comes into my life each day as I read and I can really feel Heavenly Father communicating with me through the Spirit. This book was written for us and it is too incredible not to read! I love the Book of Mormon and promise you will see the hand of the lord in your lives if you read each day.

 

One of my favorite verses I read this week was 3 Nephi 5:20: "I have reason to bless my God and my Savior Jesus Christ...because they have blessed me and my people with knowledge unto the salvation of our souls." How truly blessed we are to know this gospel!

 

Love you all and hope you have a great week!

 

Elder Harris