Things Are Looking Up

Hey:)

Things are looking up.  

I can see clearly now the rain is gone.  I can see all the obstacles in my way...

Slowly but surely the clouds are lifting.

This week was ok.  While we didn´t have numerical success, we did have some wonderful lessons with less actives and investigators that really impacted me.  While things aren´t perfectly peachy with Elder Sanchez II, I have resolved to better myself and not to mention any suggestion of a change to President.

This weekend was a confirmation of the statement "blood the the branch".  Saturday we went to the chapel at 9 to clean with the Hombres Jovenes.  Then we played a little futbol.  We went home, changed, and came back to have our English class and for me to practice the piano.  Then, yesterday I played the piano in Sacrement Meeting and gave a talk on families and the need to direct our gave to the temple the the blessings there.  The talk was taken almost entirely from this last conference since I do love our modern day prophets.  As well, there´s the quote that the Word of a Prophet takes precedence of the scriptures, and of a Living Prophet that of a Dead One.

Attached is a photo of my birthday present to myself that I commissioned from a sister in our branch, and a neighborhood dog that we´ve adopted and we gave cake to, named Lobos.

Quotes I liked sent by Robin:

Almost every emotional problem can be summed up in one particular bit of behavior:  it’s a person walking around screaming “ . . . Love me.”  Love me.  That’s all.  He goes through a million different manipulations to get somebody to love him.  On the other hand, healthy people are those who walk around looking for someone to love.  And, if you see changes in the people who are screaming, “Love me, love me,” it’s when they realize that if they give up this screaming and go to the other business of loving another human, they can get the love they’ve been screaming for all their lives.  It’s hard to learn, but it’s good when you learn it.

-- Thomas P. Malone

The great accomplishments of this life are rarely physical.

-- Elder Russell M. Nelson

The Lord does not ask about our ability or our inability, but only about our availability, and if we prove our dependability, the Lord will take care of our capability.

The Lord works from the inside out.  The world works from the outside in.  The world would take people out of the slums.  Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums.  The world would mold men by changing their environment.  Christ changes men, who then change their environment.  The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.

-- President Ezra Taft Benson,Ensign, Nov. 1985, p. 6.

Most people feel that the greatest freedom is to be able to do what you want to do.  That’s not true.  The greatest freedom is to be able to do something and choose not to.

-- Rabbi Singer

Mucho Amor

Elder Parry Harrison

Answers from Chile

Hey:)

So I feel especially bad about my pathetic email from last week.  This week I hope to make up for that at least in part.

Companion

Elder Salvador Sanchez flew with me on the plane to Chile.  His parents are both from Mexico but he was born in California.  He´s the youngest of 5 siblings.  And his parents and brother are members.  He´s a convert of 7 years and assisted in the Spanish ward in his stake.  He´s a great scriptorian and really knows the scriptures.  He´s optimistic and has done a wonderful job in putting up with my difficult moments this last month.

Branch

The banch has an average of 30-45 people that assist.  There are wonderful people but it is a constant struggle to help them feel the initiative and responsbility of their callings. Unfortunately the District has determined that for the good of the district and the hopefulness of growing to a stake, they will divide the branch in the coming months and add the respective parts to the neighboring branches.

Work

A story of success this last week:  At 9:15 at night after a difficult day of little success I felt prompted to knock on one door on a street we had passed by a hundred times.  This light was on and they answered.  The woman was very friendly, welcomed us in, and we had a wonderful lesson and we think that they have real potential to progess.

Me

I´m doing much better.  Not that I overall feel better but that the low moments are not as common.  And, I´m starting to see a little twinkle of light and hope through the clouds of my depression.  I´m not all consumed with thoughts of throwing in the towel and going home.

Thanks

I really do appreciate the letters of news, testimony, support, and laughs.  While I do not respond as personally to every one as I would like to, I enjoy reading them immensily (I don´t know how to spell this word.)   :)

Oh, and in response to questions, we have Zone Conferences every other month and District meetings every week.  

Mucho Amor

Elder Parry Harrison

Chile in July

For all of you sweltering in the hot Utah sun, it is the height of winter in Chile - 52 degrees high, 32 degrees low.

Here is Elder Parry Harrison's latest from sunny rainy and overcast Santiago:

Hey:) On a lighter note: I feel that my letter of the week past came across a little too heavy-handed and morose. While I have been feeling low of spirit, this week has been an improvement, and there isn´t going to be some sort of surprise "I couldn´t take it, I´m coming home." :)

This week will be two thoughts: From "The Miracle of Forgiveness", a wonderful book I just finished reading over the last couple of weeks: "Across the barren desserts of hate and greed and grudge is the beautiful valley of paradise. We read in the papers and hear on TV constantly that the world 'is in an awful mess.'  Not true! The world is still most beautiful. It is man who is off center. The sun still illumines the day and gives light and life to all things, the moon still brightens the night, oceans still feed the world and provide transportation, rivers still drain the land, and provide irrigation water to nourish crops. Even the ravages of time have not sloughed off the majesty of the mountains. Flowers still bloom and birds still sing, and children still laugh and play. What is wrong with the world is man-made. It can be done. Man can conquer self. Man can over-come. Man can forgive all who have trespassed against him and go on to recieve peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come." Powerful, and wonderfully hopeful! Thanks for your love and support. It really helps to lift a little of the stress and drepression.

Also a little poem I wrote:

One Lonely Boy

One lonely boy stood with faith and sling in the face of his giant

One lonely boy taught those of rank and knowledge in the house of His Father

One lonely boy took his doubts to the Lord in humble prayer to see his divine response

One lonely boy left his home, those he loved, armed with a little faith and testimony loaned to him,

to come to teach the wise, and receive the answers to his fears from his Father

One lonely boy became a man of God.

Mucho Amor,
Elder Parry Harrison