January 29, 2014

Hello Everyone,

Sooooo...

This week was just dandy.

To begin with, my companion, elder Parks, had a birthday on Saturday, so I did what any good companion would do. I bought us matching red loofahs. Holla! haha. His mom sent him two matching ties for us to wear on Sunday. So we looked pretty snazzy. Also she sent him like a whole freaking red velvet cake, which was awesome, and of which gave me a bit of a stomach ache. #worthit

On Sunday, we took care of all our Sunday Zone leader duties right away in the morning, which left us with an entire 3 1/2 hour block after lunch with nothing to do.. So we went and studied. 

HA

That's a lie.

We went back to our apartment and took like a 3 hour nap. It was probably the best Sunday I've had here so far haha.

Straight from lunch to dinner.

No wonder I'm getting fat.

Also on Sunday there was a devotional...

yeah that was cool.

Monday we perfected the B.O.S.S. baptism door approach. Baptize On Second Sunday = BOSS. Elder Parks and I totally nailed it, and I'm pretty sure that we'll be able to use it a lot on actual investigators. Also, on Monday four of the six elders in our district had to go get Visas. Elder Miles and Elder Ellis went to Boise, and ended up staying till Wednesday. Side note, they randomly met Mitt Romney in the SLC airport haha. Elder Tippetts had to get his Visa in Salt Lake City, but didn't have anyone in our district to go with, so Elder Steffenson went with him. I guess he wasn't supposed to bring a friend because there wasn't enough tickets, and the travel leader had to buy her own ticket, but the MTC reimbursed her I'm pretty sure so it should be alright. All the bus drivers were confused because there were only supposed to be 20 missionaries haha. 

Tuesday was P-day Eve, which is always a good day. We only have one teacher and then we have devo that night, so the day goes by really fast. 

Then we have today. We woke up and tried to get our laundry done really fast in time to catch the bus to the temple, but then ended up missing the bus. Then we ended up missing the next bus. Luckily we made the third, but didn't really have time to do much there since we were over an hour late. It was still pretty cool though.

After the temple we went to this cheese steak place out at Brighams landing, which is a strip mall by the West Campus of the MTC. Mm mm gewd.

This guy came up to us on our walk back and told us to stop in at subzero, which is some kind of ice cream place, and talk to a guy that had just came from Costa Rica to learn about subzero. I guess he's planning on opening a bunch of them in Costa Rica. So we went in and talked for a bit. I toooootally put my hand in liquid nitrogen. It was sick. 

So I head out to Mexico on Monday! Soooo if any of y'all want to send me anything.. make sure it's here by Friday night. Because they don't deliver mail on weekends.

Also, packages and letters take a while to get to Mexico, and half the time won't make it to me. But to increase the chances of me receiving your mail, put stickers of the virgin Mary on it. Everybody in Mexico is religious, and will feel bad if they steal a package with the virgin Mary on it. She's kind of like the Patron of Mexico. 

Well I'm learning a lot, and i'm so excited to go to Mexico! 

Enjoy the bathroom selfy pic with one of the districts that left recently

Love

Elder Harrison

January 23, 2014

Hey!

So this past week has been kind of long a dreary, but I’m surviving and still having a good time here at the ole' CCM.

So to start off, Elder Parks and I got made Zone Leaders here. It's pretty cool being a ZL. I've had the opportunity to counsel a few of the newer missionaries and so far I've really enjoyed the opportunity. I love teaching other missionaries about things because it helps me see what I need to learn more of. If you know something well, you should be able to summarize it. 

On Sunday night we had a new Zone Leader training meeting up at the Wyview chapel and we saw an Elder completely snap. But before that, let’s get a little background info on this crazy guy.

So as a zone, we have a secret way to mix all the drinks in the Cafeteria that make it into a rainbow drink. Like all the colors of the rainbow in a cup and they don't mix. It's pretty cool. Well this elder saw my drink, and went a bit nuts. He started getting all excited and trying to figure out what it was. I said it was a zone secret, and he tried to get it out of me and I wouldn't tell him. So instead, I saw his skinny little arm cross my vision, and start touching my cup. Like he had his elbow in my mashed potatoes! And he kept pointing at the colors and asking what it was and wouldn't leave. So we told him that it came out in a rainbow on the other side of the drink fountain; which was a lie. But was still funny. He went prancing over to the other side to check, but was disappointed when he realized that everything is the same of that side as on the other. So I thought he had given up. However, three minutes later I see his skinny mash covered elbow shoot across my food tray and grab my rainbow drink. He then proceeded to declare that he would be able to smell it, and put his nose right in the cup. It touched the liquid. It came out dripping with rainbow drinky goodness.

I decided I didn't want it anymore.

So there's the preface to the crazy guy.

Now let’s fast forward to the new ZL meeting. He walks in late with his comp and sits right next to us. The teacher directing the meeting was talking about being a mission president in Argentina. For anyone that knows Jackson Ostler, it was his old mission president. Any who, the teacher was talking about how good the fruit is in Argentina. He was in the midst of talking about the street fruit stands, when the crazy elder raised his hand with a question. He first stated that he didn't want to be rude, but he wanted to know how fruit stands were important at all to us being trained as zone leaders and sister training leaders. The teacher said he was just telling stories while he waited for everyone to arrive.

Five minutes later the crazy guy had yet another question. The question started off like this. 

Crazy Guy: "So as I’ve been sitting here, I noticed a few really cute sisters walk in. I'm assuming that since they're here that they're sister missionaries. I'm a missionary so I won't do anything, but If I wasn't then who knows? I might go for something." Ok totes awks suspended. 

CG: "So my question is, how will you know when everyone gets here?" 

Teacher: "I won't, I'll just have to hope that everyone is here when I start." 

CG: "So do you think that if you listened to the spirit, that it would tell you? Do you think that maybe If you had the spirit with you, that It would be telling you to start this meeting instead of me having to tell you for it?"

Sooo.... that was a really uncomfortable thing to have happen during a zone meeting haha. The teacher started the meeting, and started talking about how we need to love the new incoming missionaries because they'll probably be nervous and stuff. Right then, crazy guy lifts his hand. 

CG: "so I promised my companion that I wouldn't speak again but.."

Teacher: "well you broke your promise! You broke your promise."

CG: "I did, but I just wanted to say that, everything that you just said, everything that just came out of your mouth, was just like me, and my district, and we just wanted to know, like what did the presidency say this morning, because I know there was a meeting, and it was important, but like, what happened yesterday?" His question made no sense.

The teacher just looked at him and said we'd get to that, just sit quietly and listen. At this point, crazy guy's comp is quietly whispering for him to shut up. I look back at our training manual, and I see the same skinny, now clean of mash, elbow flit into view. His hand grabs my book and I hear a voice tell me to bring it over closer to him so that he and his comp can see. 

Elder Harrison was starting to get annoyed.

The teacher started off on a tangent saying how the Hermanas always wear shoes that hurt their feet. Crazy guy decided that he had more to say.

CG raises hand

Teacher looks at him, and tells him to hold his comments

CG raises hand again.

Teacher tells him to sit quietly

CG decides he can't hold it in anymore

CG: "so does this apply to elders too? or does this even matter?"

Teacher: "Elder, that was not appropriate, and you need to be silent or I'm going to tell you to leave." Ha. Awkward.

So he starts whispering to his comp, who keeps telling him to shut it, and telling him that he didn't need to be here because he already knew it all, and he was here because he needed to show his example with everyone, and he was going to bear his testimony and blah blah blah. The dude was rambling. He then decided to look at me, and say quite loudly, that he could tell I had the spirit and I needed to get up and do what it was telling me to do right now. I was confused. He continued whispering and it kept getting louder. To the point when a Hermana turned around and told him, very politely, to please be quite so she could listen. He didn't like that. He started saying something sassy back when an awesome Hermana in the row in front of us turned around, and told him to be quite. In a very forceful way. He really didn't like that. He stands up, and freaking starts waving his arms around and yelling about how he wanted to be an example and just needed to share his example with everyone. The teacher tells his comp to take him out, which he stands up and starts pushing him out. The crazy guy resisting every push. Yelling about his example. But the best part, was right as his comp was giving him the final shove out the door, he throws both arms up in the air, and shouts "I JUST WANNA PREACH THE GOSPEL!!" lolz too funny.

Then he snapped and tried to attack his comp in the hallway. Afterwards, our district walked by a window of the chapel and saw the crazy guy like trying to escape, and a bunch of elders come in and shove him against the wall haha. He got sent to a psych ward. Probably one of the funniest things I've witnessed in my life haha.

In other news, James Olsen is here in the MTC with me, we get to play volleyball together like yesterday. 

Well my comp keeps looking at me and I think that means he wants to leave soooo..

Luvs you all

Elder Harrison

January 15, 2014

Hey y'all,

Soooo this week has kinda been the bomb. 

Another group of elders left this last monday, and it was sad to see them go, but every week I end up getting a sick tie from someone, so I guess that makes it worth it right? One of them, an Elder Buchholz (pronounced Beu-holts) Ended up not being able to receive his Visa so he got reassigned to Oakland Cali until he's able to get it. His district left early on monday morning but he didn't leave until Wednesday morning, so I got to be in a tripanionship with him. He was a really solid guy. About 5'7, from seattle, and had like the longest hair that i've ever seen a missionary have haha. We got to tri teach four investigators with him, and he really brought in the spirit in a great way. He was a really good teacher too, and his spanish was a bit better than mine so it was nice to have someone that was better than me at spanish that could teach. Because when it's just my comp and I we just kinda look at each other when we run out of things to say haha. But we're getting better. At first I thought that it would kinda suck having a tri, but it actually ended up being like the best thing ever. We were able to blast our investigators with three testimonies instead of only two, and that allowed to spirit to get our point across better than it would have without it. He left early this morning and it was a bummer to see him go, but I know he'll be a great missionary and he'll defintely find success in Cali. The lord needs him there before he gets to go to Argentina I guess!

Today I got to go to the temple with some of da peeps from our zone. Let me tell yallz, when in doubt go to the temple. I feel like in the church sometimes we like to think that the church is the big deal and the Temple is just a side show, when really the whole point of the church is to get people to the temple to make sacred covenants with Heavenly Father, which will eventually, through our righteousness, allow us to become like him. I declare that the Temple is in fact the big deal, and everything else in our lives should be the side show. 

Anywho, I got to go to the temple, and I loved it. I learn more of God and of myself every time that I go there, which is a good reason for me to keep on going! I got to participate in sealings today, and I got to see what the end result of my mission will be. It was so sacred that I can't even write some of the things that I felt there, but I do know for sure that what I am doing is right, and will enable others to be with their families forever. That is the greatest gift I can give to anyone.

Well the weeks are all basically the same here. Studied, took some pics, ate some nasty MTC food, gained some weight, got some knowledge, and felt the spirit.

I've felt myself come closer to the Lord here. I'm definitely not the same person that I was when I first got here. I know that this mission is not for me. It's for those who need to hear my testimony and those who want to change. But even more importantly, it's for the Lord. 

I love you all and I hope you all have a great week :)

Love Elder Harrison

January 12, 2014 pictures

Elders Hanging out

My tongue is bluer than your tongue 

Elder Filikitonga(sp) and Elder Ellis

Elder, Elder Harrison and Elder Dursteler(sp)

January 8, 2014

Heeeeeeey!

I've had a super great past few weeks here at the MTC. The spirit is strong everyday, and I learn and understand more Spanish everyday as well. I understand basically everything that's said to me. 

So the MTC is fun and all, but the food totally sucks. I think it has biologically changed my body. My stomach feels weird all the time. Also, they feed us three massive meals like everyday, and then we sit in classrooms for three hours until the next meal. So the food just like sits there. Since being here I have now gained a total of 25 pounds! haha, I've only been here for like three weeks. Unlimited donuts errmeal!

We get to play Volleyball everyday at 11:30, and i'm not gonna lie. I'm not too bad ha. By the end of my six weeks here I'm gonna be so good! We recently got our gym combined with another zone, so we play with these two hermanas that just kick our butts all day. They both played in high school and one threw Javelin for BYU and another played volleyball for a school in Alaska. Randomly the one that threw for BYU was super good friends with Dennis Christensen, who's mi mejor amigo, and the other one dated a guy from the Tri cities, hence proving my idea that everyone is somehow linked to the tri-cities.

Also, to add to that theory, my teacher Hermano Avila, had an uncle in my ward back in Richland. That dude made some bomb crepes.

So we just had one of our districts head out for Monterrey Mexico. They got assigned to the west side, which has like... Everything that america has, and people are super rich over there. Whereas my side, the east side, is like ghetto city. Woot! haha ;)

Anyways, they just left, and so our apartment was like a sick guys party because my entire district is Elders. So we basically just sick there and laugh and stink up the room all day. TMI? But guess what the new district we just got was? yep! all hermanas. :( Guy party ruined. They actually have a bigger district than we do too sooo.... Kinda lame. Also, our classrooms are rooms in an apartment complex that the church recently bought. So I promise we don't have Hermanas living with us haha.

So this past week I've had some really great experiences. I've been wanting to learn how to become a powerful missionary. Not just a good teacher, or a good missionary, but a powerful missionary. One that can nuke a room with the spirit. So I asked my teacher about the action aspect of faith, and he had us read a bit of the story in Ether of the brother of Jared receiving instruction from the Lord to build a boat, but that didn't really answer my question. We had a substitute teacher come and teach us after that, during the middle class block. (we have three class blocks a day, morning, after lunch, and after dinner, all 3 hours long) His name was Hermano Wolfe. We talked about being representatives about Jesus Christ and how when we teach people, they should be able to close their eyes and think that it is Jesus teaching them. It was a concept that I hadn't really thought of before. It changed my perspective on missionary work. He then gave us an assignment to pray to our Heavenly Father that night and ask for confirmation of the things that I already know to be true, and to just kinda sit there and pray and listen for a while. It was an incredible experience and I'm better because of it. 

After this experience, we had an awesome lesson on faith from my main teacher HMO Avila. That guy is so freaking smart! He let us see his notes and they singed my eyebrows a bit because they were so glorious and amazing. He taught us the difference between priesthood authority and priesthood power. The authority being the ability to give blessings and perform ordinances, and the power being a force that is available to anyone that has access to the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost bring the Power of the Priesthood to those who need it, so women and men are equally able to access it, which is really the more important part of the priesthood anyways.

Then he gave us this crazy lesson on how to use the power of the priesthood and control the elements and command people to be healed and all this other crazy stuff.

Mind. Blown.

For a how to guide on being the avatar. Check my notes.

Any who, Gospel is true, the church is lead by a real Prophet, and I am overly stoked to be a missionary! :D

Also, feel free to send me letters... Cause I like letters. and if you write me letters I'll be able to write more personal messages and I just really like letters. 

So send me those. :)

Please.

I beg you.

We didn't get mail for like three days straight last week.

Kay luvz you all bye

Elder Harrison

January 2, 2014

Hey Everyone,

Hey Thanks! Yeah I got dads package, but it just had my charger for my razor and the notes from Nichole and Brynn that I left in my car in it. One of our teachers is actually from Mexico and he says everyone is nice and the water is actually clean there haha. So no worries! Thank you for the prayers! I feel them lift me up every day. Uh as another favor, could you possibly send me some stamps and letters? They're expensive at the CCM bookstore. Ooh and we're dying over here for music. My Spanish continues to improve daily. I can actually speak pretty well. But when I teach I realized that I have been relying on my Spanish to teach and not the spirit, so we tried teaching a lesson without caring about the Spanish and we totally nailed it. Mom, I’m not going to lie to ya, being a missionary is pretty dang hard, but I trust in heavenly father and I know that he'll help me through! :) I hope you all had great new years! We all went to bed early but i'll try to send some pics of it for when we were awake it was a truly glorious time. I can't wait for Mexico! I ship out Feb 3 to Monterrey. It'll be nice to be warm again.

Well I don't know much of what else to say! I hope you have a good week!

Luvz

Elder Harrison