September 28, 2015--------Already Second Cambio

Hola Familia y Amigos!

This week was full of joys and disappointments.  The Guizado family was excited for their baptism, but, unfortunately, there wasn’t water in the chapel so we weren’t able to hold it.  We did everything we could to find water, we ever considered having the baptism in a river or swimming pool, but nothing worked out.  After a lot of prayers we came to the conclusion that we should postpone the baptism.  Because of General Conference this next weekend they have to wait 2 more weeks to receive this ordinance.  We know that this is God’s will, because we received a confirmation, but Satan tried to use this to discourage us.  It is interesting the way the adversary works.  He seems to take something good then distorts it.  As we learn to recognize this, it becomes easier to withstand temptation and turn to God when we have negative thoughts and feelings.

We’ve been learning a lot about the importance of daily family prayer and scripture study as well as Family Home Evening.  Every time we teach a family who is struggling we ask if they’re doing these things and without fail the answer is no.  On the other hand, those families who are thriving are those who are striving to read and pray together. My invitation for this week is to read and ponder The Family:  A Proclamation to the World. for family home evening tonight in preparation for General Conference.

I finally made it to 3 Nephi where Christ visits the Americas.  I swear it gets better every time I read it.  Everything seemed so much more real than before.  I was especially touched by the compassion that Christ showed his brothers and sisters.  I love the part where he blesses the children.  I may have shed a tear or two when I read the phrase, “He wept.” In Preach My Gospel, speaking of God it says, “He weeps when we suffer and rejoices when we do what is right.”  That’s pretty amazing to think about.  It’s impossible to comprehend the love that our Heavenly Father has for us.  Alls I knows is that it’s a whole lot.

I am SUPER excited for General Conference this weekend and I’m really hoping I’ll understand the talks in Spanish.  The work is coming along and the church is getting truer... haha I love you all!  Have a great week!

Con amor,

Hermana Harris


This is the Guizado family in their home with President Quispe from the Branch.  They cook all of their food over fire.  It makes the flavor so much better! 


Last P-day we went to the top of a mountain and ate mote con queso with the Guizado family.  Mote con queso is eaten just about every day here.  It's giant corn with nasty cheese that is warm.  haha  I'm learning to love it though.  Eliza asked how the cows look here.  So here's a picture of a cow...  

September 21, 2015----Hello Again

Hey everybody!

This week my companion and I learned a little about the power of prayer.  We’ve been praying for specific things and we’ve received specific answers.  I know that the Lord listens to our prayers and is so excited to bless us but we need to ask in faith with real intent, that is, really intend to accept the Lord’s will and timing. 

The family Guisado that we’ve been teaching is getting baptized this Saturday!  The Lord has truly prepared their hearts to receive the gospel.  The dad used to smoke, but decided to stop when he had kids.  Also the parents randomly decided to get married about 2 years ago, which is kinda rare here.  Their oldest son passed away a few years ago and they are excited to go to the temple in the future.  Every lesson we teach seems to ring true to them, because the Lord has prepared their hearts for baptism long before we began teaching them.

My companion and I have been talking a lot about the gathering of Israel in preparation for the Second Coming of Christ.  I honestly don’t know very much about Israel nor do I fully understand the significance of this gathering, but something inside me is drawn to this concept.  I have a firm testimony that we are preparing the world for the second coming and as missionaries and members of the church we have the great role of gathering scattered Israel into the fold of God.

I read a talk from Presidente Harbertson yesterday about our Apostolic Responsibility.  I was touched by the story of Boyd K. Packer who held a little Peruvian boy on his lap during a Sacrament meeting here.  He said, “A voice from the dust, perhaps from the dust of those small dirty feet, whispered to me that this was a child of the covenant, of the lineage of the prophets.”  Then later he testifies that “the day of the children of Laman and Lemuel and Nephi has come.”  How cool is that??  What an awesome responsibility we have to find the descendants of the Book of Mormon. 

The scripture I put on my missionary plaque is in 3 Nephi 5 which talks about the gathering of Israel.  I love the promise which says, “And then shall they know their Redeemer who is Jesus Christ the son of God.”  Sometimes when I feel tired and I don’t want to work, I think of this scripture.  There are people here who don’t know their Redeemer and as His representatives we have the Apostolic responsibility to find those who are kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.  How great is our calling!

Sending my love from Peru,

Hermana Harris

       

September 14, 2015--Oh, Peru...

Hola Familia y Amigos!

So the other day our pensionista looked at me and said, “You have white hair.”  I was like, “I thought I had brown hair.”  The she said, “No, look.”  Then she pulled a gray hair out of my head…WHAT?  She found two more too.  I’m too young to have gray hair.  My parents don’t even have gray hair yet.  What is happening to me??

Ok this week was awesome!  This is what happened:  About a month ago we contacted a woman named Marisol.  We made an appointment to stop by that week, but when we went she wasn’t home.  We went back a few days later and, again, nobody was home.  As these weeks passed by I couldn’t get the name Marisol out of my head.  I knew we had to go back.  Finally this week we stopped by and she was home!  She said, “I have been waiting and waiting for you to come.”  She said she had been reading the pamphlet we gave her and it said beautiful things and she wanted to learn more.  She called her husband and kids in from the field and we taught all 7 of them.  It was so special!  They came to church yesterday and it was the best thing in the world!  We’ve been praying so much for this family.

Their family is insanely poor and the parents don’t have much education nor religious background.  They can hardly read and we have to explain things very simply, but they are super humble and have so much faith.  As I thought about this, I remembered the story of Joseph Smith.  He could barely read, but through his faith and the power of God, he translated the Book of Mormon.  What a miracle!

The Lord works by small and simple means to carry out his purposes.  D&C 1:23 says, “The fullness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the earth.”  I know that this is true, because I feel very much weak right now.  But I have great confidence in the Lord.  He has a plan and His plan is perfect.  How blessed are we to have a knowledge of our Savior and to be found among those who have the fullness of His Gospel.

Love ya'll tons and tons!

Con amor,

Hermana Harris

 We went on a little hike and played some games as we ate food and looked out over the city of Andahuaylas. It's quite the view!