November 25, 2013

Hello Family!

How have you been? Well I know how you've been because of your emails so you don't need to answer that question.. :P I have been SUPER good! I wouldn't give up my mission for anything at this point! Well maybe not anything but most things. Worldly things is a good way to put it. I wouldn't give up my mission for any worldly things. :)

This week was a super good one! Except for last Monday... I don't know why but I was in a bad mood. I mean everything was fine, all except for the mood I was in. I was a little grumpy I think. And I did something really dumb. It is funny now that I look back at it but it was really dumb and I felt like a child when it happened. It all started after sports. I realized that I forgot that I needed to email President. We were at home and Elder Flake was about to get into the shower. I was changing too and I told him that we needed to get the computer key so i could email president. After a few minutes of him getting back into some clothes, we walked to the front office. It was about 4:45 and the office closes at 5. When I walked in, I explained my situation and told them it would only take me a few minutes to email him. They just said that I could use one of the computers in the office behind the counter. So I got on and started emailing as fast as I could. Elder Flake just started laughing for some reason. I couldn't figure out why but he was almost falling out of his seat cause something was so funny. When I asked him what was so funny, he just looked at my shirt. I looked down...... I forgot to put on a white shirt and tie over my garment top... I was SOOOOO embarrassed!!! I finished emailing as quick as I could and I ran back to the apartment. When I got back, I realized that no one who isn't a member of our church realized that it was my underwear. It looks just like a white undershirt. So even though no one else really knew, it was super embarrassing and made me kinda mad at myself. As we went out for the night, I told myself that I would be in a better mood and just forget that it happened. When we showed up to Ben and Amanda's, they were just rolling a cigarette as we showed up. It was their first one that day and we caught them in the act! They let us actually take their tobacco and told us that they would get off of smoking and off of weed before the 7th! When we were about to leave, Nevaeh asked if we could say a prayer first. How could we forget?! Aleeyah is 3 and she wanted to say it. So Elder Flake helped her out. As she prayed, this thought came into my head. "This is such a sincere prayer. I am sure that Heavenly Father is hearing this right now." I got a really warm feeling in my chest and a though popped into my head. "Can you imagine how many angels are here in this room right now?" I closed my eyes and I thought I could see the room filled with angels. It was a great experience and it really changed my perspective on prayers.

I got your package on Tuesday! I LOVED IT!!! It was my care-package for sure! I pulled everything out and immediately started going through the pictures. THANK YOU!!!! I love them all so much! I will send you guys a letter this week with my memory card in it. With the memory card you just sent back, it still has all the pictures on it that I sent to you. Did you get all of those pictures onto your computer? I haven't deleted them yet cause I want to make sure that they are all saved. :)

I met a General Authority this week! His name is Paul V Johnson. We has a half mission conference where he and his wife spoke. Before it started, all of us missionaries (remember it was only half the mission) lined up in a single file line all the way around the gym and he and his wife walked around and shook everyone’s hands! When they got to me, they asked me where I was from. I said "Lehi, Utah!" He responded with "Did you go to Lehi High?" She then perked up and was like "That’s the pioneers, right?" I nodded and said, "Yes it is." I then started saying "But that's not as bad as...." and she started saying "I'm a..." At the exact same time, we said "Beat-digger"... I was dissing on a General Authority's wife.... He laughed and said "Elder Harris, we will remember you." I felt SOOO bad!! I walked up to them after the meeting and apologized. She just laughed and said that it was okay! She knew that I was just joking and I didn't mean any harm by it. Man I was so nervous she would hold that against me. But the meeting was great! Here are some things that I picked up from the meeting.

"Love is the Key to missionary work."

"When I go home, I will be the member missionary that I wish I had here in my ward!"

"The Lord won't open the doors of peoples homes until we are ready to go inside."

"We didn't call ourselves to the work. The Lord did. And just as President Monson said, 'Whom the Lord calls, He qualifies.'"

"The Savior never focused on Himself. So as his representative, neither should I."

It was such a great conference! Speaking of conference, this week was also our Stake Conference. Saturday night was the adult session. They started off the meeting like normal, a hymn and a prayer. Then they were told they would sing the 2 verses of "Called to Serve" then there would be a bridge, then they would sing the 2 verses again standing. Little did they know that we had a surprise for them! In the gym, which is right behind the chapel, all of us missionaries were lined up. When they sang the word "King" at the end of the second verse, the curtains in the back opened up and we started to march forward. There are 44 of us missionaries in the Tucson Zone and all of us were lined up. We marched into the chapel in our 2 lines and sang the first verse of "Called to Serve". When we finished that verse, we were lined up all the way around the chapel. The adults in the stake stood up and we all sang the 2 verses of "Called to Serve" again in unison. There were so many people that were in tears and couldn't sing. It was FANTASTIC!! I love this stake so much! What an awesome experience for them and for us. I was thinking about the work and as we sang, I totally thought to myself that if the members and the missionaries worked together as well as we sing together, this work would be unstoppable!!

 It rained for 2 days straight!! It was so great! It was freezing though and so I wore my sweater that you guys sent me. :) We realized after trying to avoid puddles for about 5 minutes that we were gonna get soaked anyways. So we started riding right through the puddles! The drainage system here is terrible though and so the roads were starting to flood. One road, "Navajo" had a river running down the middle of it! We got our cameras out and started videotaping as we rode down the river! It was at least 3 or 4 inches deep. SO MUCH FUN!! I also learned that "Kai Te'e O Mate" (K-eye-a-tay-oh-ma-tay) in Tongan means "Eat poop and die." I haven't said it to anyone so don't worry about that! Just something I learned from one of the members. :)

I love this area so much! But this is week 5. So next week is week 6. That is the last p-day I will have in this area. I can't believe how fast everything is going! Not next Monday, but the Monday after that will be transfers. I think that that is the 9th. So don't expect an email till the10th or 11th. :)

I love Elder Flake! He is such a great missionary. We stayed up till about 12:30 last night just talking and going over memories together. He is a stud and I know that when I get home, we will still be friends!

I love you all so much! Have fun and be safe with your travels! Connor, good luck in your soccer games! I know that you will do great! Score a goal for me! Gavin, I am really trying to hit 185 but I just hit 150 this last week. If I don't hit 180 but the end of the transfer then I am sorry. I only have 30 minutes a day though to work out so give me a break! ;)

LOVE YOU!!!

~Elder Kyle William Harris