Our stake president brought up a few interesting questions that I´d like to change a bit and share with you all. Take a minute and ask yourself the following.
Do you truly believe in the restored gospel? The fall, the dispensations, the apostasy, the restoration, the revelation, the atonement, the authority, the plan, the redemption, the Book of Mormon, prayer, do you believe in Christ?
What I like about these questions is the fact that they´re all connected. They all are important parts, if not essential, to Gods plan. If you believe in one, it really doesn´t make sense if you don´t believe in the other.
Now, I have some other questions. What is it that you do to show that you believe? Do you watch your actions? Do you watch what you say? Are you patient with others? What kind of person do you make yourself out to be? When was the last time you acted out?
My answer is that each and every one of us has had moments that we have failed in one of these categories. Because we are not perfect, there are moments that we just can´t do it all. However, there is someone that can help us. This is Jesus Christ.
Last week I mentioned his quality of love. However, that is just one of his many attributes.
The one I´d like to mention this week is Patience. It´s the attribute that best helps the mind. That helps us see and think more clearly. It´s also the one that is going to help us strengthen our relationships with those around us.
Dieter F Uchtdorf mentions this about patience,
There is an important concept here: patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!
This week I am asking you all to be a little more patient, To focus on something you personally struggle with. Take this week and fight it. Show that you´re a believer and that you can endure it well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This week I got pretty sick with a virus or something. I´m still getting injected and taking some pills, so a lot of the week was spent low key. However, we talked with Blanca and she asked me to baptize her! Also, we talked with Ivan and Maundry and their mom Leticia. Maundry got an ear infection this week so we will be having his baptism the next week. We hope that his family members will join him on the 17th of March.
That´s kind of what we got going on. Sorry for the small update, I will try and tell you more next week.
I love you!
I´ll be on later to answer questions. I have an activity.
MTC
Monday, February 26, 2018
Monday, February 19, 2018
E-mail (Dated: 2/19/18) THE LOVE OF CHRIST
I got to thinking this week. What does it mean to love? Love thy neighbor, Love thy Father and thy Mother. Show a gesture of kindness.
As all of you know, this week was Valentine's day. The day of Love. The day that we all choose to spread our love and to make all of those around us feel genuine happiness, and share a chocolate or rose with the one we love.
I love the hymn, "Love One Another"... it begins like this:
As I have loved you,
Love one another.
This new commandment:
Love one another.
By this shall men know
Ye are my disciples,
If ye have love
One to another.
It´s a song that teaches us to show love to all. It´s a song that teaches what Jesus taught. It´s his greatest attribute because it´s his motivation for why he chose to do everything, why he chose to suffer, to bring us peace. Why he did the will of the Father, why he didn´t fight, why he died, why he resurrected, and why we will live again. This is what he showed us, that we might show even just a sliver of that love to others
We don´t have to choose specific days of the year to love others, like days as Valentines. In fact, it should be a daily decision. Something that comes naturally. There is a chance that at first, it takes some work, but this life is meant for progress. But with a little more love, we can be a little more like Christ and live in a better world. A world made of Christ-like love.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
We were able to have a good week. I went on splits this week with a couple Elders.
Two of the people we were able to visit on these splits struck me with a yearning for the spirit to receive guidance. These two people suffer highly with addictions and with thoughts of loneliness and depression. We were able to share with them just a glimpse of the spirit of love that God offers to each and every one of his children.
One in particular that I talked with is named Mate. She mentioned how she wants to change, and how she has tried, but that it seems impossible. I was able to testify that she will. I was able to help her identify some goals and promised her that every day she feels the burdens of temptation that Christ will be there to lift her burden if she used his atonement. I also promised that the missionaries are there for that exact reason, to support her and to catch her in time of failure, not to judge, but to help.
We are here for that reason. To share the love of Christ and to remind others that they can be given forgiveness,
We were also able to visit Blanca. Her Mom is really excited for her baptism and is actually excited to get her the baptism dress. She just didn´t go to church this Sunday and neither did the Carlos and his family. We hope that we can make it all work out this week to visit them.
We are doing well and I hope you are all doing good as well. Love you all!
-Elder Harmon
As all of you know, this week was Valentine's day. The day of Love. The day that we all choose to spread our love and to make all of those around us feel genuine happiness, and share a chocolate or rose with the one we love.
I love the hymn, "Love One Another"... it begins like this:
As I have loved you,
Love one another.
This new commandment:
Love one another.
By this shall men know
Ye are my disciples,
If ye have love
One to another.
It´s a song that teaches us to show love to all. It´s a song that teaches what Jesus taught. It´s his greatest attribute because it´s his motivation for why he chose to do everything, why he chose to suffer, to bring us peace. Why he did the will of the Father, why he didn´t fight, why he died, why he resurrected, and why we will live again. This is what he showed us, that we might show even just a sliver of that love to others
We don´t have to choose specific days of the year to love others, like days as Valentines. In fact, it should be a daily decision. Something that comes naturally. There is a chance that at first, it takes some work, but this life is meant for progress. But with a little more love, we can be a little more like Christ and live in a better world. A world made of Christ-like love.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
We were able to have a good week. I went on splits this week with a couple Elders.
Two of the people we were able to visit on these splits struck me with a yearning for the spirit to receive guidance. These two people suffer highly with addictions and with thoughts of loneliness and depression. We were able to share with them just a glimpse of the spirit of love that God offers to each and every one of his children.
One in particular that I talked with is named Mate. She mentioned how she wants to change, and how she has tried, but that it seems impossible. I was able to testify that she will. I was able to help her identify some goals and promised her that every day she feels the burdens of temptation that Christ will be there to lift her burden if she used his atonement. I also promised that the missionaries are there for that exact reason, to support her and to catch her in time of failure, not to judge, but to help.
We are here for that reason. To share the love of Christ and to remind others that they can be given forgiveness,
We were also able to visit Blanca. Her Mom is really excited for her baptism and is actually excited to get her the baptism dress. She just didn´t go to church this Sunday and neither did the Carlos and his family. We hope that we can make it all work out this week to visit them.
We are doing well and I hope you are all doing good as well. Love you all!
-Elder Harmon
Monday, February 12, 2018
E-mail (Dated: 2/12/2018) WHO. HOW. WHY. DO WE LOVE
Why is it that we have had others go astray? Why is it that those once with us, have now chosen to go against us?
How do we find them? How do we change their hearts?
Why should we put in the effort? Why do we not give up on them?
These are questions that I want each of you to ask yourselves. Because we are losing many. Yes, we are gaining many, but what´s the point if they don´t stay with us?
My answer to the above questions;
Our brothers and sisters that have accepted this message are lost and they are going through things we could never imagine. When we should be getting to know them, we look to the congregation around us and say, ¨well one of them will talk to them.¨ But is that really what we should do, is that what Christ did? No, he went out looking for those that were lost, even just for the one.
Now, we have a lot of members that fall away. Maybe for work, or family related situations, but are we doing enough to guide them back in? Do we let them feel loved and important? This is the reason why many fall into other ideas and religions. It´s because they aren´t finding what they saw when they were entering the church.
How we find them is easy. Most of them we already know where they are. We also have a ward list, and a bishop that are there for this reason. How we change their hearts? Well, I think that will come in time. What we have to do is choose to care and to act. We have to love.
¨Why put in the effort´ could be the hardest part. For me, I like to think about my baptismal covenant. Each one of us makes a promise to God. Do you remember what it is? The question in the interview is, are you willing to take upon you the name of Christ. In 3 Nephi 27 it says;
3 Nephi 27
5 Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this name shall ye be called at the last day;
6 And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day.
7 Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake.
There is a part in the last verse that says that what we do we shall do it in his name. How wonderful is it that he allows us as members to have his authority to do things in his sacred name. With this, as members, we choose to follow his example.
We need to be like Christ which is to strive for:
Faith
Hope
Charity and Love
Virtue
Knowledge
Patience
Humility
Diligence
Obedience
When we have these, the person we are looking to help or bring back will have their change of heart.
My invitation is to find someone this week that others have neglected, or have chosen to go away. Find them, and bring them back to the fold.
---------------------------------
I promise that all my little invitations and themes have something to do with what happened to me during the week, or have special significance. I hope I don´t bore you.
This week we went to Blanca´s little laundromat to talk to her. We arrived with intentions to drop her as an investigator. We have just put a lot of time in her that has been great, but she hasn´t come to church frequently and hasn´t accepted baptism. But we arrived and her cousin (member) was there whom we had never met. She started talking to us and then bore a powerful testimony of her conversion and the church. Then she left, and almost immediately after Blanca asked us when we can set her baptism. We invited her to be baptized the 17 of March!
^^^^^^^^^^^^
(HE KNOWS)
We were also able to go visit Carlos Hernandez. He is a less active member, and his wife and his two sons aren´t members. We took the opportunity this week to talk with them and get to know them. Carlos is a member that is lonely. Not lonely in family, but lonely in the church. He has lived here 14 years and none of the members besides very few know him. Even less have gone to visit him or to help his family. However, this last Sunday, he got up at 6:30 in the morning to bring his family to church. Why? Because he loves God and knows this is his church. We also invited his family to baptism and their baptismal date will be the 24 of February. That is 3 more of God's children. I love this family. 6 months ago I entered their home with Elder Macias, then we lost contact. I never gave up´and I strove to find them. Thanks to my Father in Heaven for answering my prayers and to Carlos' willingness, we were able to find them again and enter their home.
It doesn´t matter how much time passes, we keep persisting. God is always with his children and sends his spirit to ease their hearts and minds.
It was a fantastic week and I am grateful for my mission.
I love you family and friends!
- Elder Harmon
How do we find them? How do we change their hearts?
Why should we put in the effort? Why do we not give up on them?
These are questions that I want each of you to ask yourselves. Because we are losing many. Yes, we are gaining many, but what´s the point if they don´t stay with us?
My answer to the above questions;
Our brothers and sisters that have accepted this message are lost and they are going through things we could never imagine. When we should be getting to know them, we look to the congregation around us and say, ¨well one of them will talk to them.¨ But is that really what we should do, is that what Christ did? No, he went out looking for those that were lost, even just for the one.
Now, we have a lot of members that fall away. Maybe for work, or family related situations, but are we doing enough to guide them back in? Do we let them feel loved and important? This is the reason why many fall into other ideas and religions. It´s because they aren´t finding what they saw when they were entering the church.
How we find them is easy. Most of them we already know where they are. We also have a ward list, and a bishop that are there for this reason. How we change their hearts? Well, I think that will come in time. What we have to do is choose to care and to act. We have to love.
¨Why put in the effort´ could be the hardest part. For me, I like to think about my baptismal covenant. Each one of us makes a promise to God. Do you remember what it is? The question in the interview is, are you willing to take upon you the name of Christ. In 3 Nephi 27 it says;
3 Nephi 27
5 Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this name shall ye be called at the last day;
6 And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day.
7 Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake.
There is a part in the last verse that says that what we do we shall do it in his name. How wonderful is it that he allows us as members to have his authority to do things in his sacred name. With this, as members, we choose to follow his example.
We need to be like Christ which is to strive for:
Faith
Hope
Charity and Love
Virtue
Knowledge
Patience
Humility
Diligence
Obedience
When we have these, the person we are looking to help or bring back will have their change of heart.
My invitation is to find someone this week that others have neglected, or have chosen to go away. Find them, and bring them back to the fold.
---------------------------------
I promise that all my little invitations and themes have something to do with what happened to me during the week, or have special significance. I hope I don´t bore you.
This week we went to Blanca´s little laundromat to talk to her. We arrived with intentions to drop her as an investigator. We have just put a lot of time in her that has been great, but she hasn´t come to church frequently and hasn´t accepted baptism. But we arrived and her cousin (member) was there whom we had never met. She started talking to us and then bore a powerful testimony of her conversion and the church. Then she left, and almost immediately after Blanca asked us when we can set her baptism. We invited her to be baptized the 17 of March!
^^^^^^^^^^^^
(HE KNOWS)
We were also able to go visit Carlos Hernandez. He is a less active member, and his wife and his two sons aren´t members. We took the opportunity this week to talk with them and get to know them. Carlos is a member that is lonely. Not lonely in family, but lonely in the church. He has lived here 14 years and none of the members besides very few know him. Even less have gone to visit him or to help his family. However, this last Sunday, he got up at 6:30 in the morning to bring his family to church. Why? Because he loves God and knows this is his church. We also invited his family to baptism and their baptismal date will be the 24 of February. That is 3 more of God's children. I love this family. 6 months ago I entered their home with Elder Macias, then we lost contact. I never gave up´and I strove to find them. Thanks to my Father in Heaven for answering my prayers and to Carlos' willingness, we were able to find them again and enter their home.
It doesn´t matter how much time passes, we keep persisting. God is always with his children and sends his spirit to ease their hearts and minds.
It was a fantastic week and I am grateful for my mission.
I love you family and friends!
- Elder Harmon
Monday, February 5, 2018
E-mail (Dated: 2/5/2018) ARE YOU WALKING THROUGH FIERY DARTS?
Are you hurting? Do you feel lost? Do you want to give up? If you answered yes to any one of these, my answer is it´s okay I have too. This life if meant to go through these experiences, it can be full of trails, mistakes, confusion. But what´s important is to realize the reason why. I´d like to share a scripture;
Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
Like I mentioned above, this life is an experience. We are here to learn. However, to find or to know of the good, we will have to go through the bad. Now, I´m not saying that we should start throwing ourselves in the darkness or into the pits of despair to be able to gain this knowledge. What I am saying is that it will happen, the times that we will have to stand firm and hold on. We NEED to be prepared. Now the question is, ARE YOU WILLING? Because a willingness with an open heart is necessary. I´d like to share two other scriptures;
D&C 3:2
2 - For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.
D&C 3:4
4 - For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him.
There is a course, there is a plan, and there is right and wrong. The path cannot be changed. We must decide if we want to follow him and choose not to question him, because he has given us more than what we need to progress. What we need to do is to choose him. Last scripture;
D&C 3: 6-8
6 - And behold, how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and have gone on in the persuasions of men.
7 - For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of God and despise his words—
8 - Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble.
There is a blessing when we choose him and that is his extended hand. I like to relate us as humans as trees. We are constantly being pushed and pulled in this life. We must draw our roots firm into the ground which is our Savior, we must also nourish our trees by using richness of this gospel which is the water.
May I invite you all to partake of the water, which is God’s word, which has been restored by those called of God, I promise you that as you absorb it you will strengthen yourself and gain a firm testimony that our father in heaven is here and he loves you and desires that you return with him.
-----
I have had a pretty good week. My companion and I are working to get appointments in, but this last week was tough. We decided to spend the week finding and inviting. A fun story that I will share is of a group of teenagers, probably about 7 or 8 of them. I asked my companion if he would like to contact them, he then looks at me and says you got this Daddy ha-ha. I walked over and presented myself as Elder Harmon or the Giant if they so pleased. I then started talking about football because I saw a ball in their arm. Turns out that they are a group of girls that play tackle football. I used that as an advantage to communicate with them. I then invited them if they´d like to attend our English classes that we hold, and also to listen to the message that we share. They accepted and said that it´d be good, so we wrote down all they numbers, we also promised that we´d go watch one of their games. It shows a lot about what it means to contact. We must realize that when we share a message or try to spread Gods word we don´t have to change ourselves, nor do we have to have anything planned, all we have to do is open our mouths.
Now we also visited with Javier, we went with Hermano Lugo our mission leader. As we arrived he saw Javier and told us, I know him, he was baptized when I was bishop of another ward. We were confused and so we went and talked with him. Turns out he has been a member for about 12 years. He turned out to be kind of crazy and so our mission leader told us to stay away, so that was pretty sad.
But we also talked with Blanca and she wants to be baptized this month. She and her whole family went to church on Sunday and loved it! I love Blanca and her family, I just hope to be able to teach them before I go. Tonight, we are hoping to put the date for Blanca’s baptism! Prayers are needed!
Anyways that´s about the most exciting it got this week! I love you all. Have a great week!
- Elder Harmon
Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
Like I mentioned above, this life is an experience. We are here to learn. However, to find or to know of the good, we will have to go through the bad. Now, I´m not saying that we should start throwing ourselves in the darkness or into the pits of despair to be able to gain this knowledge. What I am saying is that it will happen, the times that we will have to stand firm and hold on. We NEED to be prepared. Now the question is, ARE YOU WILLING? Because a willingness with an open heart is necessary. I´d like to share two other scriptures;
D&C 3:2
2 - For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.
D&C 3:4
4 - For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him.
There is a course, there is a plan, and there is right and wrong. The path cannot be changed. We must decide if we want to follow him and choose not to question him, because he has given us more than what we need to progress. What we need to do is to choose him. Last scripture;
D&C 3: 6-8
6 - And behold, how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and have gone on in the persuasions of men.
7 - For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of God and despise his words—
8 - Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble.
There is a blessing when we choose him and that is his extended hand. I like to relate us as humans as trees. We are constantly being pushed and pulled in this life. We must draw our roots firm into the ground which is our Savior, we must also nourish our trees by using richness of this gospel which is the water.
May I invite you all to partake of the water, which is God’s word, which has been restored by those called of God, I promise you that as you absorb it you will strengthen yourself and gain a firm testimony that our father in heaven is here and he loves you and desires that you return with him.
-----
I have had a pretty good week. My companion and I are working to get appointments in, but this last week was tough. We decided to spend the week finding and inviting. A fun story that I will share is of a group of teenagers, probably about 7 or 8 of them. I asked my companion if he would like to contact them, he then looks at me and says you got this Daddy ha-ha. I walked over and presented myself as Elder Harmon or the Giant if they so pleased. I then started talking about football because I saw a ball in their arm. Turns out that they are a group of girls that play tackle football. I used that as an advantage to communicate with them. I then invited them if they´d like to attend our English classes that we hold, and also to listen to the message that we share. They accepted and said that it´d be good, so we wrote down all they numbers, we also promised that we´d go watch one of their games. It shows a lot about what it means to contact. We must realize that when we share a message or try to spread Gods word we don´t have to change ourselves, nor do we have to have anything planned, all we have to do is open our mouths.
Now we also visited with Javier, we went with Hermano Lugo our mission leader. As we arrived he saw Javier and told us, I know him, he was baptized when I was bishop of another ward. We were confused and so we went and talked with him. Turns out he has been a member for about 12 years. He turned out to be kind of crazy and so our mission leader told us to stay away, so that was pretty sad.
But we also talked with Blanca and she wants to be baptized this month. She and her whole family went to church on Sunday and loved it! I love Blanca and her family, I just hope to be able to teach them before I go. Tonight, we are hoping to put the date for Blanca’s baptism! Prayers are needed!
Anyways that´s about the most exciting it got this week! I love you all. Have a great week!
- Elder Harmon
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