Monday, February 18, 2013

Massive Updates


February 11

Hey :)
Firstly, I would like to thank all those who sent Christmas cards and greetings.
Who:
The Granite South Stake
The Sego Lily Ward
Reynolds Family
Henrickson Family
Addison Walter
Herd Family
Rich Family
Roberts Family
Roger and Carol
Tippetts Family
Lars y Lori
Sirrine Family
and Cathy and Jerry
Please pass along my thanks and appreciation for the thought, cards, and love.
Maria came to church and it seems like she´ll be good to go for her baptism.  We´re helping several recent converts.  There is the cute little old lady Albertina, Olga-the immigrant from the Dominican Republic who cooks delicious huge quantities of food, and the family Garcia-Cid with there three kids, Martin(11) Cristobal(9), and Vale(7).  They remind me a lot of us older kids.  Martin is more "parenty," cristo is creative, and they both tease Vale a lot :)  Cristo got baptized recently and the mom is recently reactivated.  We´re working on befriending the father as well.
Some impactful spiritual thoughts that I got from listening to the funeral recording of my Bestafar:

He who can´t sacrifice pleasure at the shrine of duty will never write success upon the closing pages of history

Mor:  If there is room in the heart, there´s room in the home
Paige: 12 Apaulsens
Psalm 127:2-4
Hymn 254- True to the Faith
2 Timothy 4:6-8-  I loved this scripture and cried reflecting on the life of Bestafar.


Thanks for the Spirit that everyone brought to the funeral proceedings.


Our teaching pool is a little weak right now, so no, there is no one else that is particularly progressing.  My district is us, a pair from Valle Azapa, a place really flaite(gangsta) and the district leader.  We eat lunch with the members and eat once(supper) and breakfast in the house.  It´s just the two of us holed up there in our apartment.  We were planning to climb the hill last week, but now are going to do it in the coming weeks when we can organize well and involve the ward. 

I appreciate the love and support that you have given me throughout my mission.  Your letters of life, and prayers of faith have buoyed my spirit and given light and perspective to my service.  I appreciate the understanding and positivity towards my work, dedication, and decisions.  It is because of you that I´m here, and I´m looking forward to the day we meet again...
God is real.  His love is tangible.  Life is a journey.  We are imperfect.  Our Father cares for us even when we take wrong turns.  We are here to progress to eternal joy.  But it come in drops of sunlight and toe-steps of faith towards the believed halls of salvation.  We are young, reckless, and all at once divine.  We must take responsibility for our choices, and use them to learn our purpose and potential.
I hope that you see the god inside, and feel the love of Him that watches over all.  And grasp the import of life and it´s challenges and joys.
Tu Misionero
Elder Parry Harrison

February 4

Hey :)

Maria is progressing.  We had a wonderful lesson with her on Saturday.  We´re just reviewing what the past Elders taught them. 
This week is short.
I just sent off a multi-paragraph to a cousin and it took up the bulk of my time.  Sufficith to say that I love you, pray for you, know the church is true, loved my mission, enjoy my companion, spent today in the center going through the persas and ferias looking and buying recuerdos.
Until we meet again
Tu misionero
Elder Parry Harrison

January 28

Hey :)

First off, responding to a couple of questions:

I was touched listening to the recording of Bestafar´s funeral.  It made me laugh and cry all at the same time :) 

We had a funny experience this last week.  Walking down a street at about 8:00 in the evening we hear a good ole´ racket going on inside a house.  We stop and try to figure what´s going on.  Suddenly a pair of women leave and calmly start walking down the street.  The sound pauses then starts again.  The we look around the corner of the house and spot a 20-something climbing up and out of the house through the corrugated metal roof.  He jumps down the wall and falls on his back.  Then jumping up he goes down the street in front of the women.  Then, an elderly man jumps out in front of the guy and whacks him across the back with a piece of metal.  It was to flexible to do any damage and just looked comical.  At this point it was more than obvious that the guy was high because when he trying to give a combo (Chilean punch) his just fell down again.  By then the whole brood of women from the house had come out, they pick him up and yelling take him down the street.  It was an interesting slice of Chilean life.

After talking to a friend about some doubts he was having about the church, its history, and what God required of us, I was thrown into reflection on testimony, spiritual light, faith, and bases of life.  I think that the majority of Mormon youth are sheltered from the world, the reality of the gospel, and the goodness that exists in other beliefs.  This frequently causes a crisis when they come out of the bubble that is our culture and lifestyle and are whacked upside the head with the intense and off-putting difference between what they believed and had been taught, and the stark, logical reality of the world.  They struggle though the criticisms of peers, media, "erudites"(smart people), and the inner weakness. 

I know that there is a crisis in action.  There are mass numbers of people, particularly youth, going inactive in the face of the world´s logical and tempting lifestyle.  We can not let generations become lost in faithlessness and lose the true happiness that comes from the Gospel (note not the church).

As Elder Russell Nelson said once after someone told him after Conference that they really enjoyed his talk, "Wait, you Enjoyed it?  My objective was not to Entertain you.  My purpose was to make you want to change.  To feel a little bad.  To hear the Spirit and act" [Significant literary editing taken to the quote b/c I don´t remember how it went :)]

Tu Misionero
Elder Parry Harrison



Monday, January 21, 2013

Thoughts of Bestefar and Two Weeks of Updates


January 14

Hello,
This week is tinged with sad reflections on the passing of Bestafar (Grandpa).  Fortunately I had the chance to talk with him briefly this Christmas when I Skyped home.  He was a wonderful man.  He led his family in righteous optimism, faithfulness, hope, hard work and surety.  His desire to have 12 children miraculously happened, and in the process he changed to an Israel-like patriarch.  His influence permeates the countless posterity and friends whose lives he touched through his service, guidance, and example.  He made good on the commandment to love others as yourself and to teach your children righteous principles that they may govern themselves. 

A man who could have lost himself in the difficult and time-consuming personal roofing business, always spent time with his cherished family.  I have heard many tales of trips taken in summers, of family vacations, of concerts and recitals.  He was the perfect companion of Bestamor, a wonderful, active woman who passed on ahead.  While she was always busy planning another activity or taking care of the kids and their busy lives, he was always supportive and must have attended 100´s of recitals, plays, sport games, mission farewells, and other events in his years as father and grandfather. 

He was an example to me of how a gentleman should be.  I never heard him raise his voice (though with 12 kids in a motor home I´m sure he did a couple of times :).  I always saw him treat people with respect and patience. He had style, poise, and a depth of personality that was magnetic. He maintained a strong testimony of God and his love towards us.  I had the privilege of receiving a letter from him just over a year ago.  In it he compliments my service and testifies of the need of scriptures and their positive influence in his life.  While his loss is felt in his grand posterity and circle of influence, we know that his pain has seceded.  And, now he is resting with his beloved Carol and two younger sons. 


I had changes today.  I left Elder Licea in Compañia and am now in Cerro Colorado in Renca.  Elder Licea was great.  A good friend, a good missionary, and a good laugh.  We got along great and he´ll have a successful mission ahead of him.  My companion is an Argentine named Elder Robustelli.  He´s got almost a year in the mission.  I´ll miss Compañia so much.  I loved the ward, the sector, and the converts that I was privileged to have there.  When I left most of the ward gave me heartfelt goodbyes.  It feels good to know that they appreciate the work and love that I put in there.  I left many best friends there. But, changes must happen, and I´m looking forward to the new area.  It appears to be similar to Conchalí 14- my second area.  It is situated between the hills of Renca and Colorado.  The hills are dry mounds of rocks with spindly trees poking out.  The most difficult part of Chilean environment is the sun.  It feels like we´re ants below a magnifying glass.  There is very little protection from the rays in this part of the world.  So while the actual temperature is not-kill me, the permanent tanning bed above makes some days INSOPORTABLE.

I´m going to be spend more time focused on writing worthwhile letters home, if you promise to do the same ;)

Tu Misionero
Elder Parry Harrison

January 21, 2013

Hey :)

Two of my thoughts:


We are not given permission to judge only to distinguish between good and evil.  God only can judge.  We should only distinguish between that which is good for us, and that which harms us. 

Why I don´t write so much about the mission itself:  All have experimented or understand more or less, what it is.  I want to chronicle my learning, observations, and growth.  Not, the day to day going-ons.
I almost exclusively quote from the prophets when I give talks because my word is Not scripture.  My word has very little  power.

Now, about the last week.  I enjoy my companion a lot.  He´s easy to get along with, and is a great missionary who is obedient and diligent out of love not obligation.  He´s got a year and is from Mar de Plata Argentina.  He´s an identical twin and his brother is serving in the mission Viña del Mar. 

I like the sector.  It reminds me a lot of my second, Conchalí.  It´s certainly much more flaite than the center.  Madre commented that it seems more rural and desert like.  Haha, that´s all of the mission.  We are, here, stationed just below two large cerros(hills).  Cerro Colorado and Cerro Renca.  We´re planning on climbing Cerro Renca soon.  The ward is small and a little dysfunctional but the people are very loving.  We have a great Colombian lady whose progressing towards her baptisms.  She and her partner(less active member) have listened to the missionaries a lot.  They recently got married and now she´s very optimistic about being baptized.  Small note- there is an epidemic of members living out of wedlock.

Thanks so much for  your letters and support

Tu misionero
Elder Parry Harrison

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Christmas Cheer


"Hey :)

Last week I had the amazing opportunity to literally baptize my first person.  Her name is Antonieta.  She`s 52, and a wonderful person. The Christmas was wonderful. I loved cooking up my feast, and sharing the night with those who would be alone.  The chance to talk to the family was wonderful as well. I hope that you all passed a wonderful Holiday and that your hearts were full of gratitude and joy. I would like to leave a gift of a scripture in Mosiah 3:5-11,13,17.  Also, I would leave my testimony of the Savior and His love towards us. I know He lives and influences us through His Light and Spirit. I know that while many denominations have partial light of Christ, His Fullness is found in the Restored Church.  I love you and appreciate your support and testimony.  Remember that God loves you and watches over your every step.

Tu Misionero
Elder Parry Harrison"

Monday, December 17, 2012

Two Weeks of News


December 17, 2012

Hey :)

I hope this week was full of wonderful Christmas preparations and celebrations, and for those in school, you know who you are :), I hope that  it wasn`t too stressfull towards the end.

This week was wonderful.  Here is a gallery of the birthday party we threw for Daniel our recent convert who turned 30, and the P-day trip to Cerro Santa Lucia we took today.

On Sunday, Danny prepared, blessed, and then cleaned up the Sacrement.  It was great to see him already participating with his Priesthood Authority.  Roberto is preparing to go through the temple.  A great feat considering his 3 months of membership, but necessary because of special circumstances.  He`s doing well spiritually.  

I`m loving being in this ward.  While the sector is a little challenging, we`re still having significant success, with a baptism planned next week.  In my free time I enjoy music, writing, and reading articles on doctrine.  We`re having wonderful success with the English class.  I love teaching it, and we have an average of 16 people coming.  

Next week will obviously be Christmas themed, and I could love if you could send me your favorite christmas poem or holiday story.

Thanks so much for your love and support.
Y preparate para el Viajito Pascuero
Tu Missionero
Elder Parry Harrison


December 10, 2012

Hey :)
This week has been great.  We`re helping several in-actives to return to activity.  Also we have a wonderful person named Antonieta that is progressing towards her baptism.  We`ve had some wonderful family home evenings with her.  Some interesting facts.  80% of the stake lidership comes from this ward.  And if someone know English and Spanish they can communicate with 80% of the church and with Portugese 90%.  This week we had the amazing opportunity to have a tour of the mission with Elder Zaballos.  He`s the first counselor in the area presidency and a member of the first quorm of the 70.  It was an impactful multi-zone conference.  And, aftwards my district ate at his table with him, his wife, and President and Sister Essig.  He gave a talk in conference this last year I believe, and gave us some interesting behind the scenes.  We`re planning a Christmas Celebration with all those in the ward who live alone and don`t have any to celebrate the season with.  It`ll probably be in the chapel with the bishop`s family.

Great Speeches This Week:
Unless You're a Mormon

One Convert at a Time

There is nothing I have ever done to this point of my life easier than missionary work. Physically and mentally it was demanding—even draining at times. However, the process of conversion was the easiest thing I have ever been associated with, and that is because I had nothing to do with it. I did nothing. It was the Spirit which worked that great change in the hearts of so many wonderful people. [Anthony Grover, Missionary Homecoming Address, Grove Ward, Pleasant Grove Stake, June 1998]

This Nation Shall Endure

Said Webster, "They poured out their generous blood like water before they knew whether it would fertilize the land of freedom or of bondage."
But they aroused their fellow Americans. Within one year John Adams faced the body of men who were deliberating on whether to adopt the Declaration of Independence. With the inspiration of heaven resting on him, Adams was said to have declared:
Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I give my hand and my heart to this vote. It is true, indeed, that in the beginning we aimed not at independence. But there's a Divinity which shapes our ends. . . . Why, then, should we defer the Declaration? . . . You and I, indeed, may rue it. We may not live to the time when this Declaration shall be made good. We may die; die Colonists, die slaves, die, it may be, ignominiously and on the scaffold.
Be it so. Be it so.
If it be the pleasure of Heaven that my country shall require the poor offering of my life, the victim shall be ready. . . . But while I do live, let me have a country, or at least the hope of a country, and that a free country.
But whatever may be our fate, be assured . . . that this Declaration will stand. It may cost treasure, and it may cost blood; but it will stand and it will richly compensate for both.
All that I have, and all that I am, and all that I hope, in this life, I am now ready here to stake upon it; and I leave off as I began, that live or die, survive or perish, I am for the Declaration. It is my living sentiment, and by the blessing of God it shall be my dying sentiment, Independence now, and Independence forever. [The Works of Daniel Webster,4th ed., 1:133–:36]

Theology and Technology

As we consider technology and theology, it is interesting that many of our Church leaders believe that technology has come as a direct result of inspiration from the Lord. In general conference in October 1926, Elder Joseph Fielding Smith stated the following:
I maintain that had there been no restoration of the gospel, and no organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there would have been no radio; there would have been no airplane, and there would not have been the wonderful discoveries in medicine, chemistry, electricity, and the many other things wherein the world has been benefited by such discoveries. Under such conditions these blessings would have been withheld, for they belong to the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times of which the restoration of the gospel and the organization of the Church constitute the central point, from which radiates the Spirit of the Lord throughout the world. The inspiration of the Lord has gone out and takes hold of the minds of men, though they know it not, and they are directed by the Lord. In this manner he brings them into his service that his purposes and his righteousness, in due time, may be supreme on the earth.
[CR, October 1926, 117]
Of course, doing and work require action and application. We won't accomplish much by just thinking about it. President Hinckley noted that "our pioneer forebears could never plow a field by turning it over in their minds" (Standing, 80).

Photos from the last couple of things:
the end is from a christmas celebration with Celia a wonderful convert from May.  And the paintings I did.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l147ctekrxaagtb/wzO2NUX1ss

Tu Missionero
Elder Parry Harrison

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Inspiration


Hey :)

Quick update about the week.  Another change with Elder Licea, here in Compañia - the Center.  I`m still DL.  Now Roberto is the Executive Secretary.  The photos of the little girls from the link a couple of weeks ago are twins (non identical) that I met on the bus a couple of weeks ago.  They were going to an amusement park with their dad.  They're 5 too :)  I've been teaching an English Class of about 20 students for the last several weeks.  I`ve been enjoying it and we`ve already found 4 new investigators through the class.

Now a collection of excerpts from recent inspirational talks I`ve read:

Hugh Nibley & Joseph Smith

A young man once long ago claimed he had found a large diamond in his field as he was ploughing. He put the stone on display to the public free of charge, and everyone took sides. A psychologist showed, by citing some famous case studies, that the young man was suffering from a well-known form of delusion. An historian showed that other men have also claimed to have found diamonds in fields and been deceived. A geologist proved that there were no diamonds in the area but only quartz: the young man had been fooled by a quartz. When asked to inspect the stone itself, the geologist declined with a weary, tolerant smile and a kindly shake of the head. An English professor showed that the young man in describing his stone used the very same language that others had used in describing uncut diamonds: he was, therefore, simply speaking the common language of his time. A sociologist showed that only three out of 177 florists' assistants in four major cities believed the stone was genuine. A clergyman wrote a book to show that it was not the young man but someone else who had found the stone.
Finally an indigent jeweler named Snite pointed out that since the stone was still available for examination the answer to the question of whether it was a diamond or not had absolutely nothing to do with who found it, or whether the finder was honest or sane, or who believed him, or whether he would know a diamond from a brick, or whether diamonds had ever been found in fields, or whether people had ever been fooled by quartz or glass, but was to be answered simply and solely by putting the stone to certain well-known tests for diamonds. Experts on diamonds were called in. Some of them declared it genuine. The others made nervous jokes about it and declared that they could not very well jeopardize their dignity and reputations by appearing to take the thing too seriously. To hide the bad impression thus made, someone came out with the theory that the stone was really a synthetic diamond, very skilfully made, but a fake just the same. The objection to this is that the production of a good synthetic diamond 120 years ago would have been an even more remarkable feat than the finding of a real one.
We have never been very much interested in "proving" the Book of Mormon; for us its divine provenance has always been an article of faith, and its historical aspects by far the least important thing about it.
Nibley believed the Book of Mormon was a diamond that could cut glass. It slashed through the falsities of modern materialism and humbled the mighty to the dust. The book and its message meant everything to him. The ploughboy prophet, much as Nibley may have loved him, was subordinated to his precious find in the field.
Tracking down references to Joseph Smith in the indexes of Nibley's collected works, I found the largest concentration in the reprint of a talk Nibley gave at the Sunstone Symposium in 1989 on "Criticizing the Brethren." It is the only place I know of where Joseph comes to center stage, and we finally get a view of Nibley's thoughts about the man. He called in Joseph on this occasion to address an issue that frequently troubles intellectuals: how to deal with criticism of church leaders. Nibley used Joseph Smith both as a model of an authority—the first among the Brethren—and also as the target of criticism. Nibley tries to show how Joseph operated in each of these roles, leader and target, as an example for modern church leaders and modern church members. The point he wanted to make was that Joseph was constantly under attack from lesser men who did not value him, but his reaction was not to get upset. He rolled with the punches. Joseph was open, free, and searching, and he allowed all men the same privilege. He was inclined to leave evil to the Lord rather than cracking down.
 I was interested to find that the Joseph Smith in this essay was an expanded version of the ploughboy that Snite defended. Nibley portrays Joseph as the simple innocent, assaulted by scornful, arrogant, and ultimately unknowing critics. Joseph Smith did not lay claim to high intellect or worldly might, Nibley reminds us. He simply reported what had happened to him. "He spoke only of what he had seen with his eyes, heard with his ears, and felt with his hands." And yet, he stumped them all. Nibley let Brigham Young drive home the point. "The whole Christian doctrine, as Brigham Young put it, 'simmered down . . . into a snuffbox, . . . but, when I found "Mormonism," I found that it was higher than I could reach, . . . deeper than I was capable of comprehending and calculated to expand the mind . . . from truth to truth, from light to light, . . . to become associated with the Gods and angels.'"  Nibley loved for the simple and plain to outfox the clever and wise. He spent his life showing how the ploughboy surpassed them all.

Today I would like to share with you several powerful and true accounts of magnanimous acts and liken them to what the Savior taught. I hope that through these examples we might be able to consider how we can magnify this characteristic in our lives. I should mention that in an engineering ethics class that I teach, one of the assignments given is for each class member to take a personal value, such as magnanimity, and try living it completely for a week. The result of this assignment generally provides a new awareness of the positive effects of incorporating such ideals in our lives. You might consider such an assignment today as an experiment on magnanimity.
The first story is an inspiring illustration of true forgiveness and an example of being raised far above revenge. It seems that the elements of war often provide the grounds for magnanimous actions. This story took place in the course of the atrocities of war when an enemy soldier pursued a young civilian woman and her brother down a street. The siblings became cornered in an angle of a wall, and the brother was slain before his sister's eyes. She subsequently dodged down an alley, leaped a wall, and escaped. Later captured, and having been trained as a nurse, she was forced by the enemy authorities to work in a military hospital. Into her ward was brought, one day, the same soldier who had slain her brother. He was very ill. A slight inattention on the nurse's part would insure his death. The young woman faced a bitter struggle in her mind. Vengeance was a powerful conviction, as was the impression of love. In the end, the better side of her conquered, and she nursed him as carefully as any other patient in the ward. The soldier had recognized the young lady as well, and, one day, being unable to restrain his curiosity, he asked his nurse why she had not let him die. She respectfully replied to him, "I am a follower of him who said 'Love your enemies and do them good.'" This statement caused the soldier to ponder the situation for a long time. At last he responded to her, "I never knew that there was such a religion. If that is your religion tell me more about it, for I want it." (Story paraphrased from Harry Emerson Fosdick, Twelve Tests of Character [New York: Association Press, 1941], pp. 166–67.)
The young nurse truly had adequate reason to at least have some other person administer medical help to the young soldier. But she understood what the Savior taught about forgiveness of enemies. In the story's end we see the beginning of another story. The follow-up story would likely result in a new direction for the life of the soldier. His life would likely be directed toward goodness, service, and love for mankind. It would be a life where he would delight in doing good. Thus we get a glimpse of the result of magnanimous actions. They not only allow good to be done on a one-on-one basis but open the door, by example and precept, for additional magnanimous actions.

The next story, which is equally instructive, is an episode in the life of the distinguished Confederate general Robert E. Lee.
When Robert E. Lee was a cadet at West Point, a classmate took a violent and irrational dislike to him. The animosity persisted into later life. For many years this fellow officer made malicious attacks on Lee. One day a mutual acquaintance asked Lee what he thought of this individual. To the questioner's surprise, Lee spoke in the highest terms of him. Then his questioner said slyly, "I guess you don't know what he's been saying about you for years." "You have not asked me," Lee replied, "for his opinion of me. You have asked me for my opinion of him." [As related by James G. Gilkey in Stanley I. Stuber and Thomas Curtis Clark, eds., Treasury of the Christian Faith: An Encyclopedic Handbook of the Range and Witness of Christianity (New York: Association Press, 1949), pp. 775–76

Magnifying Magnamity

There is a couple of the recent reads.  There will be more forthcoming...

Elder Parry Harrison

Monday, November 26, 2012

Life Lessons


Hey :)

This week`ll be a little short too.  The focus is on the perspective that one gains in the mission.

I`ve been in Chile for over a year now.  And just now I`m really coming to understand how this experience is necessary to help teenagers become men and women ready to take on the world and begin to form a family.  This week, more than ever, I`ve felt like a parent with an erring child.  One recent convert decided to have a full on fight with his mother over something as simple as her  "lying" about not knowing how long the wash had been in.  Then, I had to deal with another recent convert saying he was going to leave the ward because a couple of members that he had hired had reacted poorly with his boss in a problem with the pay.

I learned this week how to have patience.  When to not worry about what I can't control.  How to have faith in God and his purposes.  How to trust that people will make correct choices.  How to love those that cause you so much hurt.  

Next week will be a collection of recent talks.

Please remember to send me at least 2 photos a week, especially during this holiday season, to keep me up to date, visually, on the going-ons.

Tu Misionero
Elder Parry Harrison

Attatched are two of my favorite pieces of art:

 



Monday, November 19, 2012

Spiritual Thoughts from Elder Harrison

Hey,

I`m sorry but I`ve been trying to do a full-on rescue effort with my flash drive to recover photos and other files.  This has left me with less-than-ideal time to write my feelings and experiences.  The main thought for this week is the baptism of Daniel.  Here is a link including some photos from the baptism. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ioeklwgoq2np11f/LydmHRqRVX    It was wonderful, and very touching.  He`s truly changed in the preparation for baptism.  Also, a little 9 year old boy from the sisters got baptized.

Questions:
We do eat lunches with various members that sign up.
The reason I`m reading so many recent talks is because I enjoy it, and because an apostle once said that the words of a live prophet are more important than a dead one.

The spiritual thoughts for the week are the mormon messages below:


Live life in joy
Elder Parry Harrison