February 3, 2015

Hello and good morning!!! January has come and gone and that means the transfer has as well... I can't believe that 7 weeks went by so fast! Yes, 7 not 6 (We had a 5 week transfer so that transfers wouldn't land on Christmas and then a 7 week one this transfer to put us back on track). I have pretty much loved every minute of it too! I wish that I could just go back in like a dream or something and go through all the good times but I'm afraid that I wouldn't wake up for like a week because pretty much every day was a good day! But that's the way that it is supposed to be, right? :) The reason that I wish I could go back is because I am leaving the area. That means I won't be able to drive past the "Las Palomas" apartments and remember the drunk guy who was talking about beating us up but then hugged us cause he liked us so much! You know how random things remind you of random times? We have a lot of those together... I am leaving the area... Goodbyes are always the hardest part of the mission. The only constants in the mission is the Spirit and change. But luckily, knowing about the Plan of Salvation, it isn't goodbye for forever! The song from "The Road to Eldorado" just came into my mind where they sing "Friends never say goodbye" and it's true! Just "See you later!" :)

Sierra Vista Zone! (Top Left to Right) Sister Walter, Sister Goodwin, ME, Elder Deyarmond, Elder Mitchell, Elder Wise, Elder Farnworth. (Middle Left to Right) Elder Day, Elder Gosper. (Bottom Left to Right) Elder Coesens, Elder Erekson, Elder Christenson

Our area was Sierra Vista 1st ward. But it is now Sierra Vista 1st and 4th wards! They combined our area and Elder Deyarmond is getting a super stellar missionary named Elder Mitchell. He has been out for about 6 months now and has been serving in the 4th ward for a transfer too. It will be a great experience for Elder D. to take over the area and be with such an awesome companion! In mission lingo, I'm his father and Elder Mitchell is his mother (because he is Elder D.'s second companion) and so Elder Deyarmond has pretty much the coolest parents in the entire mission! (I'm so humble aren't I?) ;)

Elder Deyarmond.... I don't even know what to say about this one...

N.E.R.D.'s = Never Ending Radical Dudes!

I will be heading out to Sahuarita, Arizona. It is like super south Tucson. My new address is

Elder Kyle Harris

HC70 Box 4610

Sahuarita, AZ 85629

I don't have an address for the place I'm actually living yet but I will try to get it by next week! I will be with Elder Gudmundson. Elder Good is from Idaho Falls and has been out for about 16 months I think, maybe 17. He is a super awesome missionary and loves to joke and laugh a lot! He's a very strong missionary because he works out a lot too which is VERY good for me because I need to bulk up before I get home so that I can still tease Gavin and Connor without them smoking me! ;) The other thing about transfers that's different with me is I am no longer a District Leader. They decided I wasn't very good at giving trainings but I gave like 1 good one a month. So they asked me to be in a position where I only have to give 1 training a month instead of 4! Okay, maybe that's not the reason why but it wouldn't surprise me! No I'm not not a District Leader anymore because I am a Zone Leader now. That still sounds weird... Zone Leader Elder Harris. Please no one call me that... I already have a big enough head and it doesn't need to be filled with anymore hot air! My new zone covers from basically the top of Sahuarita to the border! One of the areas that one set of missionaries covers is over 4500 square miles!! I don't know how the get to the other side of the area but I would guess that they don't go out there a lot. Also, about 2/3 of the zone are Spanish Missionaries! This is great for me because I have been wanting to learn Spanish for most of my mission but it gets hard when there is no one around you to speak Spanish to so I can't practice. But that won't be the case anymore! I was also given the idea to read the pamphlets that we give out to people in Spanish because it's more modernized than what you find in the Book of Mormon. So we'll see what happens in the next few months!

My other goal is to read the Doctrine and Covenants before the end of my mission. I have been doing the D&C Challenge where I read one section a day but these last few days I've kinda slacked off because of other lessons to plan and study for and also to make sure that I had enough time to say goodbye to everyone. I probably spent too much time saying "goodbye's" and not enough time packing before the night of transfers. Needless to say, it was a long night of me packing and deciding what to keep and what not to keep. I got rid of about 5 shirts that were really stained up. For some reason, the under-arm of my shirts have been turning slightly yellowish. Kinda gross right? Turns out, it is from the tin in anti-antiperspirants not from my diet! Actually I have been doing really well with not eating as much. I saw Elder Flake on Friday and the first thing he said to me was "Dude, you are skinny! But you look good!" Woot!! :)

Along with becoming a Zone Leader means going to more meetings. But it's totally cool because it's like a big Zone Meeting except everyone wants to actually be there! We started off with some announcements and changes and did an update on each of the Zones and how they were doing with hitting their zone goals that were set. I didn't even know our zone had any goals except for a certain number of baptisms. Turns out there were more! So then I asked how we can make sure that our zone goals for our zone don't end up like New Year's Resolutions that end up in the cupboard above the fridge where no one ever goes? We discussed some ways and came up with some ideas. We also had some trainings on the doctrine of baptism, finding tools, and talking with everyone. Sister Passey, our mission presidents wife, gave the training on the doctrine of baptism and the way that she did it was amazing! I wish that I could have video taped it so that I could do it exactly like she did. The Spirit was so strong the whole meeting and everyone learned from each other! And it's pretty crazy the Spirit was there the whole time cause the meeting lasted from 9 am to 5 pm... It was long but very good. :) I also got your package this week. Thank you my family for that! I loved it all! :) And that new Nashville Tribute CD is awesome! I love it so much!! :)

Dad, thank you for the pictures! I have been able to see them all every time you send them so just keep doing what your doing and I'll be able to see them every time! :)

I am going to send this email because we are in the Family History Center and some people need to use the computer for family history work, not just a weekly email. But I will get onto another computer when it opens up and send some pictures that I promised to send you! I love you all so much!! Thank you for being so amazing and for all of the prayers in my companions and my behalf!

~Elder Kyle Harris