MTC

MTC

Friday, May 4, 2018

Tracking Brandon's Flight








































Brandon is Coming Home :)

Today we anticipate Elder Harmon's return. Here is a message we sent out to family and friends 2 days ago.
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Hi Everyone,

We wanted to send out a quick note about Brandon and his status. A lot has transpired over the last 3 days. After fasting for Brandon this last week, the Lord has really opened hearts and inspired minds so that we can help Brandon with what he needs. We had a chance to speak with his mission president and his wife. We heard the tender mercy story of the inspiration they received during the time of the fast to send Brandon home for medical help. He has been quite close to the President and his wife. They have been very concerned about him due to his health. He has lost 30 lbs and the doctors do not know what to do. His president talked to us about his courage and his determination to fight even though the President feels like he should have come home 6 months ago. His mission president was relieved when this week, Brandon conceded and said, "Okay, I will go home."

Brandon has been so valiant. His grhas been been phenomenal. His love for the people is amazing. The mission president's wife talked to us about his beautiful mastery of the language and of his gentle heart that has won over the people of Mexico. They consider him their personal giant in more ways than one. They are going to miss him. His president told us that they know it will be very hard for him to come home because he loves his mission and he loves the people and does not want to go. While our heart aches that he is going through this experience, we understand that the Lord is in charge and that this is part of Brandon's journey.

We look forward to seeing him on Friday when he flies in. We will be working aggressively to get him the medical attention that he needs and are so grateful to each of you for your love and support. Our faith and prayers that have been looking for miracles on his mission will now turn to gratitude to have him home and that he can get the medical help to understand what is wrong and get him on the path to recovery. He has been out serving and giving everything he has. We look forward to now watching over and serving him.

In my last e-mail to him today, the words that resonate and are so tender to me are, "WELL DONE MY SON"

Please continue to keep him in your prayers that he can be properly diagnosed quickly, receive the medical attention that he needs, and that his spirit will be filled with joy and recognition for the good he has done, the courage he has demonstrated, and the sacrifice he has made to serve the Lord with everything he could possibly give.

We love you and thank you!




Monday, April 23, 2018

E-mail (Dated: 4/23/2018) ARE YOU PREPARED TO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES?

Are consequences a bad thing? As a kid I thought the word meant something bad in the near future was going to happen. It´s not. In fact it is the effect, result, or outcome of something that happened earlier. It can also be something good.

When you think about it, our fall into mortality to come to this earth was actually a consequence, but a good one. We have faced ¨consequences¨ from the beginning of time.
Throughout our lives we experience all sorts of these effects or outcomes from our decisions, and from the decisions of others. However, there is something very important, which is that sometimes we aren´t actually facing a consequence of an action or decision when a trial or tribulation passes. The fact is that sometimes they are just there. We through the fall of Adam will face mortal death, injury, heartache, and just about every other temporal effect of being mortal and on this earth.

As I have been out here on the mission I have been experiencing health problems. Enough to where I have been down in bed sick about once every two weeks. It was to have been solved after about 10 doctor visits already, but it seems to just be one of my trials. For some time I thought it may be a punishment or a consequence of something I had maybe done. Through much of my own personal prayer and reading of the scriptures, I have come to learn that it isn´t that. I am an imperfect person in an imperfect world just like everyone else and I am subject to not be perfect in this life.  I want to personally thank you all, for all the prayers and fasting. I have received enormous amounts of help. I am doing fine, I will be able to finish my mission, don´t you all go worrying. I´ll push it through strong. But I love you all immensely and thank you.

If there is something that I have learned, it is that a bit of a trial is no reason to throw in the towel. There is much work I can still do, and many that I still have to help. Something I have been able to notice is the wonderful consequences I have been able to see, like the blessing upon my family. Also, the amazing miracles I have been able to witness out here on my mission.

Might we all think a little more of the wonderful consequences that come from the actions we take, and might we all put a little more faith in our Savior Jesus Christ.

This last week we had some amazing luck with Dulce, she wants to be baptized and hear more. She has many doubts, but she said she has found answers through prayer and reading.

Laura is progressing and she is becoming better friends with those at church. She is also beginning to understand the plan of our Father.

Ramon is still attending and is beginning to pray out loud, that is a big step for him.

Now just look at these little consequences that I have been blessed to be a part of. All it took was an invitation, both literal and for the spirit to accompany us.

I hope you all had a great week. I love you all!

- Elder Harmon AKA SUPERMAN


Monday, April 9, 2018

E-mail (Dated: 4/9/18) THE DARKNESS IS TEMPTING, BUT THE LIGHT IS INFLUENTIAL

I have been thinking a lot in this last week about what it is that I can do better. As I thought about it, I came across the thought of PATIENCE.

I often think of the temptations that we often have as humans to yell out, to argue, to offend. Which is darkness.

Normally these type of temptations lead to anger, and to feelings of hurt, and loss of respect.
We have them though, which means we have to learn to control them and replace them with light.

LIGHT - make (something) start burning; ignite.
LIGHT - provide with light or lighting; illuminate.

I found these two definitions of light, although there are many more these are those I´d like to use.

We have a duty as members and as children of God to use the light which we have been given and to provide this light for those around us. This we can do through kind words, through service, maybe even a smile, and definitely through the gospel.

As I have gone throughout my life I will admit, I have fallen into temptations, to be honest, I do it daily. However, also about every day I have the opportunity to share light.

What I have seen that normally makes the difference is how much patience we have one with another.

Might we all work to have a little more patience and bring in the light and put out the darkness that seems to trap so many of us.
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This week we had some luck and some hard things.
Thursday, we went by someone that we found in our area book. This is probably the 300th person that we visited in about three weeks with no luck. However, she answered us and accepted us to come back and visit. Which we did and she let us in. We taught the restoration and she has accepted to read the Book of Mormon and also to have us come back, which we will do this Thursday.

Also, we passed by with Ramon. He is an older gentleman and he has been an investigator for about 35 years, his wife is a member. We have found out that the other missionaries haven´t taught him super well and were very forceful in their teaching and commitments. We decided to start over and help him understand and to be able to obtain a testimony. He agreed and he also agreed to a baptism date for the 28th of April. He reminds me a lot of Francisco! I hope we can get through to him.

However, Cristina, Mari, and Ayde told us they don´t want anything anymore. But they would like that we visit them and still teach them, but they want to stay Catholics. That was difficult. It took a lot to be able to stay happy and to be able to say that it´s okay and that we would be happy to just come pass by and visit from here and there.

This week we experienced miracles and also rejections. That is mission work for you.

But the important thing is to keep on going with light and to have patience, especially for those that do not understand the wonderful plan that we have been given.

I love you all!

Have a great week!
-Elder Harmon





Monday, April 2, 2018

E-mail (Dated: 4/2/18) THE GOSPEL - SCAVENGER HUNT

WOW. Weren´t we blessed with such a wonderful and peaceful general conference? We also got some surprising news, didn´t we? What a blessing it is that we have to listen to a living prophet and leaders.

I would like to relate back to a few major points that we learned. I want to do it by relating back to an Easter Sunday that I had about 6 years ago.

I was with my Dads side of the family, which if any of you know his family is quite large. We had gone up to a cabin to a large property. A couple of my uncles and aunts had decided to bring us a little joy during our time there by putting together an Easter egg hunt. They had gone out to spread out the eggs, some out in the open and some hidden from the eye, and some that took a bit to get to. Some eggs had great prizes or money, others had little or nothing at all. They then put us all into separate groups, starting from youngest to oldest.They then set us out to search for these eggs. Each group taking out their intended part. However, in the last group which I had been in, it took a bit more effort. With plenty of eggs still out there to search for I began to search. However, I found points that I just couldn't find any more eggs, or that some seemed just out of my reach. However, in those moments my aunts and uncles were there to help me. Why? Because they did it out of love.

I would like to make an analogy. In this story, I would like to say that my father's large family is us, all of Gods children. My aunts and uncles are God and Christ and angels. The property is the earth. The game is Gods plan. The eggs are the experiences and opportunities of life. The groups are the different generations, each having their part to play. The search is the search for the gospel. The hard tasks are the challenges of life. The questions are the prayers, and the answers are revelations from our Father in Heaven. All of this, because of the love that our Father in Heaven has for each of us.
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We had many messages from our leadership in the church about love. I hope you all know just how much I love you. How much you mean to me and how much you mean to our God, who is our loving Heavenly Father.

This week we didn´t have much activity. However, we had an amazing lesson with two girls. One named Cristina and the other Ayde. We taught them the wonderful message of the Plan of Salvation. They were so happy to hear that there is a plan, that there is a reason for hardships, that there is a way to safety. We have another lesson with them in about an hour.

I hope we can all be investigators while we are learning of the gospel. To have questions, search for results. To hear a message and to take it in and to love it, and be excited about it. BECAUSE IT IS A MESSAGE TO BE EXCITED ABOUT.

Family, I love you, I pray for you, and I hope you all have an amazing week. Remember to reach out with open arms to those you love, and let them know.

-Elder Harmon







Monday, March 26, 2018

E-mail (Dated: 3/26/2018) HE WILL TAKE YOU HIGHER

I got a quick question for you all. Are you happy? If not, how can I help you change that? When we were given life, and the blessings of this life it was to find joy.
For us to be filled with happiness and to overcome the challenges of life. That does not mean that there are no trials. In fact, I feel grateful for the trials I have faced. Without them, I don´t think I would know what it means to feel relieved or to understand what happiness really is.

Right now I want you to take a minute. Look who is around you. Do you love them? Now, think about what you´re doing. Who are you doing it for? Most of you will answer yes to the first question. The second, I am imagining that many answered that they are doing it for someone else.

Now, take a second and think about your favorite memory, or your favorite activity. Do you have something? I would hope so.

As a missionary, I have the opportunity every day to wake up and to serve my lost brothers and sisters. I get to put on a name tag that says I am a representative of Jesus Christ. Then I normally take a minute and ask myself, why am I going to go out today with a smile? Why do I do it?

It´s a simple answer. I have been grown up with a message that has brought peace to an aching heart. A message that has given my life meaning. I do it to bring happiness to others. To be able to help a hurting soul. For the blessing of my own family, and my future family. I smile because it´s a message about the joy of this life and the one to come.

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This week I had us working in our Area Book. I put down about 10 to 15 names a day of people that we were going to visit. We easily visited over 60 and we also contacted. It was a difficult thing. Because most of the people we contacted didn´t give us their time or weren´t home. It was a tough week emotionally as well. My companion and I haven´t gotten along too well and it was very hard on me. I actually got to the point of calling my President. He came and talked with me. I told about the week I had, and about the relationship with my companion. He came with his heart open and inspired words and he brought me peace.

I took that moment to think about my happiness. I have realized that sometimes the mind can work hard on us.

However, when we put away the natural reaction that we have to worry and to be discouraged we start to see the blessings and amazing people we have in this life. I have been able to overcome this week's challenges of rejection and lack of unity and to be able to find happiness.

I challenge you all, that this week you can be a little happier and remember that all is not lost, and that I love you and that our God and Savior love you!

Have a great week.

-Elder Harmon

Monday, March 19, 2018

E-mail (Dated: 3/19/18) WILL I SEE MY LOVED ONES AGAIN? YES!

I´ve left one beloved area and am now entering into the next. I have gotten to know so many wonderful people and I have been able to witness so many changes of the heart. I feel very content at this moment. I feel I have had plenty of great and marvelous moments in my 7 1/2 months in Cimatario. Thes feelings of gratitude have made it a whole lot easier to move to a new area though part of my heart will always remain there.

On Saturday evening I received news that I would be leaving and be taken to Celaya and receive Elder Wheelwright from Idaho. I will continue my leadership position at District leader.

As I said goodbye to those that I have learned to know and to love, I had many of them ask me, will we see you again?

Then last week, I received a sweet message from my mom that my aunt Claudia who I cherish and love had passed away. Then I asked myself, will I see her again?

As I took a minute to stop and to think about these two experiences I made this analogy. As a missionary, our job is to teach others that we are spirit brothers and sisters and that it is Gods great plan that we can return to live with him. THAT WE WILL ALL MEET AGAIN.

So my answer to both of these scenarios of leaving others or being left behind is a shouted cry of love and belief, YES! Because I believe in this restored gospel. I believe that families are eternal and I believe that we will rise. How? Is what one might ask. The answer is BECAUSE HE HAS RISEN.
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My time is Cimatario has ended, but I am off to my next challenge. I accept it with an open heart and with feet ready to start walking, and with a testimony steadfast in the Lord and in my Father and his plan.

I was able to baptize Blanca, and the service was amazing. She was excitingly nervous. The talks, ordinance, testimonies and the combination of it all were spectacular. She was so happy and just very humble and grateful to be there. What was amazing is that her family all came and almost all are not members except for two of her cousins, which she, nor we knew that were members. They afterward were able to bear a strong, fullhearted testimony of the changes the gospel has brought to their lives. All I can say it that it was amazing. Blanca was probably the hardest person for me to say goodbye to, but like I have been saying. We will all return to see each other again, whether in this life or in the next.

Remember that changes and difficulties in this life are not meant to hurt us, nor to make things unbearable. They are to mold us and to help us move forward and progress.

I love you all and hope you had a great week. This week try and think of something that is hard for you. Then think of how you can learn from it, and push onward.

- Elder Brandon Harmon

Also, I heard the area is pretty dangerous, so prayers! But I´m not worried! But love you!