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.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fovzysxwbxxfvvj/FcdjMYstmp

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

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=862

One Convert at a Time

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=234

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

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1004

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

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=261

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

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

http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=19&num=1&id=504

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

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=919

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

Elder Parry Harrison

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:

 

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:

http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#the-will-of-god

http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#patterns-of-light-spirit-of-revelation

http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#patterns-of-light-discerning-light

http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#patterns-of-light-the-light-of-christ

http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#sharing-your-beliefs

Live life in joy

Elder Parry Harrison

Purebreds

Hey :)

A quote from a talk given a couple of weeks ago in Stake Conference:

The process to become of certified pure bred horse is not just researching the bloodlines.  The horses are put through a long and serious training process.  They are taught to always come to the trainer when a bell is rung.  Are significant preparation, the final test happens.  They`re put in a corral without food or water for 3 days.  The first, they kick and whinnie.  The second they try to break down the stable.  The third they lay down in desperation and weakness.  At the end of the third day, they`re let out with water and food laid out for their consumption.  Of course out of need they head straight for the water, but then the bell rings and they must come.

There are several ways to apply this story to our lives.  The second coming of the Savior, enduring to the end, living up to our potential and preordination, repentence, and many more.  I hope this small spiritual thought illuminates your mind.  The challenge for the next week is to find a small, short spiritual parable or story and send it to me :)

Daniel passed his baptisimal interview, so we`re excited that he`ll be ready for next Sunday.  We had stake conference yesterday.  It was highly spiritual and focused on real growth, and personal progression.  Something that the stake president said that I like was, "With faith and action promeses are fullfilled".  Today we did a deep clean of the apartment.  It was very enjoyable.  Also, I had the chance to have an exchange with the assistent for a couple of days.  He helped me in my leadership and my vision of the mission.  Great missionary, Elder Giñazù.

Sorry for the short letter, next week should be better...

Mucho Amor

Elder Parry Harrison

Spiritual Edification

Hey :)

Quotes:

My religion is to know the will of God and do it. -Brigham Young

If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing. -Ben Franklin

When I hear, I forget.  When I see, I remember.  When I do, I know. -Chinese Proverb

A wonderful talk by Elder Maxwell:

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=909

Here are some of my favorite parts of Elder Maxwell's talk:

President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had "never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional, or political life" (CR, April 1941, p. 123). This is a hard doctrine, but it is a particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ.

M.J. Sobran wrote:

The Framers of the Constitution . . . forbade the Congress to make any law "respecting" the establishment of religion, thus leaving the states free to do so (as several of them did); and they explicitly forbade the Congress to abridge "the free exercise" of religion, thus giving actual religious observance a rhetorical emphasis that fully accords with the special concern we know they had for religion. It takes a special ingenuity to wring out of this a governmental indifference to religion, let alone an aggressive secularism. Yet there are those who insist that the First Amendment actually proscribes governmental partiality not only to any single religion, but to religion as such; so that tax exemption for churches is now thought to be unconstitutional. It is startling [she continues] to consider that a clause clearly protecting religion can be construed as requiring that it be denied a status routinely granted to educational and charitable enterprises, which have no overt constitutional protection. Far from equalizing unbelief, secularism has succeeded in virtually establishing it.
[She continues:] What the secularists are increasingly demanding, in their disingenuous way, is that religious people, when they act politically, act only on secularist grounds. They are trying to equateacting on religion with establishing religion. And—I repeat—the consequence of such logic is really to establish secularism. It is in fact, to force the religious to internalize the major premise of secularism: that religion has no proper bearing on public affairs. [Human Life Review,Summer 1978, pp. 51–52, 60–61]

Properly humbled and instructed concerning the great privileges that are ours, we can cope with what seem to be very dark days and difficult developments, because we will have a true perspective about "things as they really are," and we can see in them a great chance to contribute. Churchill, in trying to rally his countrymen in an address at Harrow School in October of 1941, said to them:

Do not let us speak of darker days; let us speak rather of sterner days. These are not dark days: these are great days—the greatest days our country has ever lived; and we must all thank God that we have been allowed, each of us according to our stations, to play a part in making these days memorable in the history of our race. [Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, p. 923]

Other Great Talks

http://speeches.byu.edu/index.php?act=viewitem&id=2060

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=947

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=503

Small note about these talks: I hope you`re truly taking the time to read through them.  I`ve read millions of words of scripture and talks in the mission and when I send a link home it is in the hope that one might set apart time for something edifying.  

About the lesson with the Muslim last week - he made a comment about why do we only worship one day of the week and how Allah requires more devotion than that.  I, with inspiration, explained how a true believer will participate only once a week in the Church Services, true, but he will pray several times a day, read the scriptures, and meditate on his relation with God constantly.  And the unmentioned temple visits as well. The catch, are we truly devoted Christians and Saints?

We are prone to become complacent by thinking that we have enough of the word of God. What is sufficient? Going to church on Sundays? Listening to General Conference?  Or doing whatever possible to search out their inspired words in books, talks, etc.?

The two baptisms that we had planned for this week had to be moved back two weeks so they could be better prepared and their families could come.

I`m getting along great with Elder Licea.  Oh, and the sector change to pure Centro has made us have to be creative in the work.  We`re asking for a lot of references and putting up posters about church themes, like, "Are Mormons Christians?  or "Do you want to know where your ancestors come from?"  All the signs have links to mormon.org and our phone number.  We`re just starting this week to put them up, so we`ll see how much success we have....

Mucho Amor

Elder Parry Harrison

Sunshine from Chile

Hey :)

First off, last week I neglected to mention that we had the opportunity to listen to Elder Bednar in a training last week, joined by the East Mission.  He talked about teaching by the spirit and learning by faith.  It was very impactful and enlightening.  Some notables:

• We are called by prophecy - the Prophet acts as such every day

• Foolish traditions of our fathers  applies to the false traditions in the Church.  (That which is not simple doctrine or general authority approved practices.)

• Joseph Smith asked to act.  He prayed to know which Church to JOIN.  

• Faith is the principal of action and power.

• Goals of what type of disciple you want to become

• Goals give the illusion of control;  In the things that matter, we are not in control, we have never been, and shouldn`t want to be.

• If we have enough faith anything will happen, but only if God wants it.

• Not because of us but in spite of us

Me Update:

I have been stuck in a slump the last several months;  with a lack of engagement, investment, and energy.  While I soldiered on, my heart wasn`t in it.  Thankfully, and miraculously, the rain has lifted and I can see clearly now.  I`m fully involved and happy in the work of the vineyard.

Thoughts from the week

Last Sunday a young girl from the ward, named Patricia, got baptized.  It caused me to reflect back on my own baptism and the positive memories I have of the experience.

In gospel principles I had the surprise to find that the photo for Chapter 41 - The Spirit World is of the family of my uncle Leif that passed away around 8 years ago.  I bore my testimony to the class of the comforting power of the knowledge of the plan of salvation, and how his family has reacted because of their faith.

Last night we got to teach a wonderful Muslim man from Pakistan.  He`s lived in Chile 2 years and already speaks Spanish very well.  He was extremely friendly.  I was very grateful for my knowledge and appreciation of cultures and other faiths as it makes my life richer and made it easier to relate to him.

We must testify and preach of Christ more, we sometimes get caught up in doctrinal or useless intricacies of the gospel and forget of who we teach.

Miracles are real, and happen in today`s world, but if we can not see them, it is because of a lack of faith:

Mormon 9:7-25

Ether 12:12,16

Moroni 7:27,29,37

Mucho Amor y Gracias por todo su apoyo 

Elder Parry Harrison

P.S.

Two wonderful talks that are must reads:

http://speeches.byu.edu/index.php?act=viewitem&id=1864

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=923

I`m not sure if I already attached this link

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y9g6l16lrlx00jd/suXtqWmOLv

Speed E-Mail

Hey :)

Speed thought burst:

Changes - 

• New companion, Mexican, Elder Licea, Hidalgo, 3 Months in mission.
• My old companion went to train in the sector where I started my mission.
• I`m District leader over the ward group of us and 2 other companionships of sister missionaries.
• I stay.

Some of the Converts - 

• Roberto (almost 2 months as member), Super sad and teary to see Elder Garcia go, but positive, went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead for the first time, commented that it was extremely beautiful, starting to date a single sister from "MAS" Mayor Aldulto Solteros (Single Adults)! :D
• Bruno (3 months, family are less active, excepting his older sister), teachers quorum president, always preparing and passing the sacrament, got baptized in behalf of his grandfather on saturday.  Gave an emotional and touching testimony of the experience.

Some of the Investigators -

• Daniel, 28, significant problems but a strong desire to change and be baptized, date for the 11th.
• Jorge and Hijo, reference from friend, they have date for the 4th, amazing and sì o sì are going to get baptized.

I`m sorry but this week is short because of time.  Spiritual thought:  We are the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  While the various themes that we discuss in church are important, our talks, classes, and focus should be centered around the Savior.  In the beginning of this dispensation the church was called the Church of Christ.  That simplicity and focus needs to permeate our church life.

Lots of love

Elder Parry Harrison

Good Times

Hey :)

This week has gone wonderfully.  We`ve been able to help four people accept baptismal dates, and have found 10 new people to teach.  It was a very successful week and I was grateful for for the opportunity to finish up the change with Elder Garcia on such a high note.  I`ve learned a lot from him.  He`s patient, positive, and works hard.  I hope I can apply his example in my future opportunities to serve in the mission.  I`m fully invested, and in love with my mission.  I`m positive about my involvement and my influence.

Trivia:

From a Sister Taggart in our ward.  Her father is in the Stake Presidency and sent her the news that the missionary department had 479 missionary applications last week and as of this Friday have 1750 for hermanas  and 1780 for elderes.  The army of the Lord is receiving so many recruits.

Description of the photos attatched:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8vcva4fyzy1g5cl/eUxgz62AgP

I made some amazing spaghetti the other day.  

My companion played a prank and put my chair on the ceiling.  

Me in my long trench coat that Elder Garcia gifted me (I`m pimp I know :)   

I accidentally left a pen in my white wash and severely stained one shirt and slightly several others including one of my companion`s :P

The sector is full of really cool grafiti.  Some of the best in Chile

Some photos from the futbol game from this morning.  We played in a nearby ward with another companionship.

Mucho Amor

Tu missionero

Elder Parry Harrison

Conference and Other Thoughts

Hey :)

Response to questions:  My companion is great.  He`s from Juarez, Mexico.  Shorter than me, which is a blessing.  And, he`s a great, real person, which makes him an enjoyable companion.  I feel like the mission has inextricably changed me.  I have a true testimony, changed world-view and perspective of the gospel, and have grown loads as a person. The Chileans talk really bad.  They use a lot of modismos and eat their words- saying things like catchay and sipo.  But I enjoy it and it makes it super easy to understand anyone with another type of accent.  I loved General Conference especially, as always, the talk by Elder Holland.  I love several things about Chileans: their openness and friendliness, their work ethic, their disposition to believe in the divine, and their character.  My mission president is wonderful.  He`s a former estate lawyer, and has 6 children.  His wife is wonderfully happy and energetic.  He`s taught me how to be a missionary of a surety, how to repent of heart, and how to become like unto Christ.  

Conference

This time, because of problems in other sectors with other missionaries, we got to watch it all in Spanish, but I got along fine and understood it all without any difficulty.  Though that wasn`t the case with the greenies. :)  Notably was the great experience of listening to the Latinos and Elder Scott speak naturally in Spanish.  To me the theme was Service, Come Back, Missionary Work, and Christ.

I`m adding a link to a wonderful talk that Elder Holland based his powerful talk from this Conference on.  To listen to even more inspired words from the servants of the Lord.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y9g6l16lrlx00jd/suXtqWmOLv

Next week will be full of more reflections...

Mucho Amor y Bendiciones

Elder Parry Harrison

Cliff Notes from Chile!

Hey :)

Its not about grand acts, Its about little acts, with love

Who doesn`t live to serve, doesn`t serve to live

The mission here is wonderful because it gives us the opportunity to see baptisms very frequently.  This week we got to see a baptism in this ward (of the hermanas) and visit another ward to see a convert of Elder Garcia get baptized.  They were beautiful events.  Attatched are some photos of the 18 celebration and a Zone Sport day.

Something amazing was that Roberto got to bless the Sacrement and baptize Angela.  He`s progessing a lot.  And is an amazing example and testimony to me.

This last P-day was great.  We got to go to La Vega, where the farmers bring in their goods to sell out to businesses and other people from the feria.  Also we went to Patronato and I got 12 ties for 24 bucks.  They look great and are only so cheap because they come direct from China.  Also I picked up a couple more souvenirs for the Boys.

I`m sorry for the cortness but next week will be a novel, I promise ;)

Tu Missionero

Elder Parry Harrison

Weekly happenings:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0m6enbvfyrm3k1b/_V88f9Hmkc

More Good Stuff from South America

Today (September 24):

 

Hey :)

First news and updates:

 

This week was the celebration of Fiestas Patrias in Chile.  We enjoyed a super fun lunch and program activity with the ward.  We danced cueca, ate grilled chicken and potlock salads, and performed some musical numbers. (Photos are forthcoming)

 

Roberto is doing wonderful.  He got the Priesthood yesterday.  In the actvity he was participating in everything - setting up the decorations, dancing, singing, dressing up in traditional waso garb, and washing dishes afterward.  Yesterday the Bishop mentioned in his talk how much of an example of service he was.  I`m so happy for him and the love he is showing to those around.  Right now he`s watching over a recent immigrant named Andres who came from Uruguay and showed up in the chapel last Sunday.  He didn`t have any money and by chance Roberto was there to invite him to stay with him and to work in his work, until he gets on his feet.  He`s a wonderful example of thoughtless service.

Spiritual impressions of late:

Life is not a series of checkboxes that are a recipe to perfection.  God has given us directions to success and our progession towards his model for us.  He created us different.  We should avoid comparison.

We are not the good people of the latter-days. There are pletty of them throughout the world.  We are the Saints of the latter-days.

God loves you because of who God is.  Not because of anything you did or didn`t do.

Our consitution was made only for a moral and religious people. - John Adams

Science and religion are complementary configurating forms of understanding that are clearly different but equally necessary in all cultures.  We need both science`s constructs of the mind and religion`s constructs of the heart.

When He says come unto Me.  It is because He knows the way out, the way up.  He knows because he`s walked it.  He Is the Way.

Con Amor y Bendiciones

Tu Missionero

Elder Parry Harrison

September 17:

Hey :)

It`s not about the numbers

An idea has been forming recently. The mission is an interesting time because life is governed by numbers - times, "key indicators", baptisms, contacts - all geared towards measuring one`s success. But the truth of the situation is that it`s not about the numbers. Some Elders lose themselves in worrying about numbers because it`s easy to define and compare. Rarely are they good missionaries. The Lord himself repeatedly cautions us against putting weight on the numbers. "God`s time is not our time",  "the worth of one soul", and "the worth of the widow`s mite", are all examples of how God is not concerned with the numbers, and that they are a construct of our minds. What does this mean for me? That the one baptism I had last week makes my whole mission worth it for me. That to become a better missionary I need to be a better me, and follow the Spirit, not basing my efforts on comparison with other companionships.  In relation to the work itself: a "cuadrado" (square) as we characterize them here is someone who is more concerned about numbers than people.  Last night we went to the Plaza de Armas to try and do some contacting as we need to finish up the requisite from the week. While talking with people, a man came up to us and proceeded to introduce himself and recount his story. He served as a missionary in the East Mission and had recently moved to the valley from the South. Now, a cuadrado would have curtly listened but quickly move on to "the real need" of finishing contacts. But I patiently listened as this great man related his life, experiences in the mission, alone-ness, depression, ostracision and inactivity. He commented towards the end of the hour and a half conversation how grateful he was for the chance to talk to somebody. I made a difference in one person`s life, just by listening, but the one difference he needed. Where is the applicability in common life from this rambling post? We need to focus on the value of moments, of relationships, and of ourselves, instead of traditional measurable aspects. Not how many kids one has, how much one makes, what is one`s calling, grades, schedules, or age. But recognize that life is short, and if we live in the moment, enjoying it, we live happy. 

Also, I had the privilege of confirming Roberto yesterday.  I felt the direction of power of the Spirit in the blessing. 

Thanks for bearing with me.  I express my love and appreciation for you and your support.

Con Amor

Tu Missionero

P.S. - This letter was read in church by a Sister talking about how we need to listen, and be aware of how we can improve as children and parents and I found it quite good:

Carta de un hijo a su padre

No me des todo lo que te pida, a veces sólo pido para ver hasta cuánto puedo tomar. No me grites, te respeto menos cuando lo haces, y me enseñas a gritar a mí también, y yo no quiero hacerlo. No des siempre órdenes... Si en vez de órdenes, a veces, me pidieras las cosas, yo lo haría más rápido y con más gusto. Cumple las promesas, buenas o malas... Si me prometes un premio dámelo, pero también si es castigo.

No me compares con nadie, especialmente con mis hermanos. Si tú me haces lucir mejor que los demás, alguien va a sufrir, y si me haces lucir peor que los demás seré yo quien sufra. No cambies de opinión tan a menudo sobre lo que debo hacer, decídete y mantén esta decisión. Déjame valerme por mí mismo, sí tu haces todo por mí, yo nunca podré aprender.

No digas mentiras delante de mí ni me pidas que las diga por ti, aunque sea para sacarte de un apuro, me harás sentir mal y perder la fe en lo que me dices. Cuando yo haga algo malo, no me exijas que te diga por qué lo hice, a veces ni yo mismo lo sé. Cuando estés equivocado en algo, admítelo. Crecerá la opinión que yo tengo de ti y me enseñarás a admitir mis equivocaciones también.

No me digas que haga una cosa que tú tu no haces, yo aprenderé y haré siempre lo que tú hagas, aunque no lo digas, pero nunca haré lo que tú digas y no hagas. Enséñame a amar y conocer a Dios. No importa si en el colegio me quieren enseñar porque de nada vale si yo veo que tú ni conoces ni amas a Dios. Cuando te cuente un problema mío no me digas: no tengo tiempo para boberías o eso no tiene importancia. Trata de comprenderme y ayudarme.

Y quiéreme, y dímelo, a mí me gusta oírtelo decir, aunque tú no creas necesario decírmelo.

Two Weeks of Updates for the Price of One

Here are the last two weeks' worth of e-mails from Elder Harrison:

September 10, 2012

Hey :)

Miracles are real.  I was optimistic about Roberto last week but a lot has happened since then.  While we knew that it was inevitable that he`d get baptized eventually, he`d been a little iffy on settling down on a date.  We were considering pushing back his date til the 30th.  On Thursday we had a Family Night with our Mission Leader.  After watching John Tanner from the D&C church dvd we shared feelings.  It quickly turned spiritual.  And feeling prompted, Diego (ML)  asked Roberto if he would like to be baptized this Sunday.  When he responded sì, it about knocked me off my chair.  :)  Well in a whirlwind of preparation we finished up the lessons that he needed, and set up an interview for Saturday.  Sunday, we had an amazing baptism.  He bore his testimony at the end and with his tears brought tears to my eyes.  During our visit that night to his house he talked about how he`d known from the first visit that he would become Mormon.  And how God had prepared him for this moment.  He is amazing.  A prepared and chosen prodigal son returning home.  Something he mentioned many times was that he was not going to be baptized to just sit there.  He wants to serve.  I am so very happy.

About our sector:

We have a major mall called Vivo so we`ve got McDonalds, Subway, and Taco Bell.  There`s Plaza de Armas which includes the National Cathedral.   We also have several areas geared to tourists selling souvenirs, so I`m stocking up a little in case I don`t get the chance to come back.  

Random bits:

I`m with Elder Garcia here for another change, which I`m certainly happy about.

I`ve worked out a way to make German pancakes in a pan that aren`t too bad.

Over the last 37 days I have walked 345.37 miles with an average of 9.33 miles per day.  My feet hurt a little. ;)

Gracias por todo tu apoyo, amor, testimonio, y fe en este momento.  Puedo sentir tus oraciones.

Con Amor

Elder Harrison

Recent Happenings Gallery of Photos:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/23jd1gj6cuajjdn/0j2xUbXrbg

September 3, 2012

Hey :)

What ever doesn`t kill you makes you stronger

This week has been a week of tender mercies of the Lord.  Teaching Roberto is an eye and heart opening experience.  I love the feeling of being a part of the conversion of someone.  He`s an amazing person, and a real friend.  I`m determined to see his baptism through.  We had a nice surprise during church yesterday.  While he`s had a date for several weeks now, recently he`s been a little iffy on fully committing to see it through so soon, but after church a sister came up to me and commented how great it was that we were going to have a baptism.  I said, "Who?"  And she said Roberto.  So he feels confident in expressing it to those in church, which buoys our confidence in him.  He`s great, always participating in the classes, reading the scriptures and Liahona that we leave him, and posting picts of us as his "new friends" as his facebook profile to test to see how his friends will react.  We also have hope for a self-reference from a young woman named Daniela who went on to Mormon.org to request a visit from the missionaries.  She has childhood friends who are members and was very interested and attentive in the first lesson we had.  While I`m a little low in energy and determination this week, I will survive!

Oh, and Saturday I was horribly sick in my stomach, and vomited up literally everything I had.  All in all I fasted 40 hours though (Friday night til yesterday afternoon), so I was feeling particularly spiritual in church ;)

Con Amor

Elder Parry Harrison

P.S. The attached files are a Noche de Hogar that we had with Roberto, the view from his patio, and his collection of tattoo tools that he`s going to sell.  (I look so ugly in the photo because it was the day I was sick.)