We Don't Turn Anyone Away

Well this week:

Monday:  Just a normal p-day in Edmond.  We played some ball, had a good time, went to get some food, I bought some new kicks, and then we went to the Wade's to play volleyball.  This kid, Dakota, is having a hard time.  His mom has cancer and we're praying and doing our best to help him feel loved and included.  So that night at volleyball Spafford and I BEAT Olsen, Bro. Wade, Rumsey and Hannah!!!  It was SICK!

Tuesday:  We played a little game for lunch:  Top Chef.  I cooked up some chicken legs and the other Elders made some breaded pork which was really good!  Then we went to work!  We had an appointment with an investigator, but she wasn't home but we ended up running into someone else that we needed to see and he's doing really good.  He got a job offer that he was hoping for so it was a big blessing for him!

We also tracted this nicer neighborhood with a teeter-totter, which was fun.  We also taught the first discussion like 4 times but when we'd offer up a Book of Mormon they all said no!  But hey!  At least now they know about Joseph Smith.  :)

We also heard some really good excuses of why they couldn't pray with us.  Here are a few of my favorites:

1.  I'm a Christian.
2.  I already prayed today.
3.  I'm not who you're looking for.

Haha!  We spent the rest of the night tracting.  Go team.

Wednesday:  It was crazy!  We went to see Pork Chop and sat in his garage checking out his new Ford Flex.  I'm not really sure why he would trade in his cool looking GMC truck - but I didn't ask questions.  But while we were talking to him, a few of his friends came by to see him.  This one lady came by and she was a waitress and she told this story about someone had left a Mormon.org card on one of her tables.  So she checked it out and thought it was super cool!  So we gave her a Book of Mormon and told her to call us if she had any questions.  Then this other guy came by with his son.  They're Baptist and the younger one sounded like a preacher.  They thought what we do was pretty cool so we talked with them a little bit about the Book of Mormon.  So our buddy heard about the Book of Mormon 3 times in one day - I think he could probably teach the first lesson now!  :)

That night, we had an appointment with our army friend.  As we were walking up to his house, we saw him outside pacing with a notebook in his hand.  We knew if couldn't be good - and before he could even respond to our question about how he was doing he asked us "How much do you really know about your church?"  As he said this, I felt this darkness creep into the conversation.  He spent the next 30 some odd minutes telling us how false our church was, etc.  He had this dark look in his complexion and he kept saying things like, "I deceived you!  You invited a wolf into your flock!"  And then he went on to tell us that we needed to be more careful about inviting people unto Christ.  I'm completely sure that the Spirit put words into my mind and I said, "Well, we don't turn anyone away because Jesus Christ never turned anyone away.  We are the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and as a representative of our Master we believe that all men can change."  He began to tell us how Christ was not his Master and tried to sway our beliefs of Christ being the Savior and Joseph Smith being the Prophet.  This is the part that really touched me - I began to speak, but I didn't feel as if I were saying anything.  I literally felt like Jesus Christ was speaking through me as I blessed him and his home in the name of our Lord, and bore testimony of what I know to be true and that I could not, and will not ever deny it.  I have never felt the powers of good and evil fighting so fervently.  I told him about the dark feeling I had since the moment we walked up to his house and that we would return another day but I felt it necessary to leave at that very moment.  As we walked away he was kicking his car and I felt the power of God touching my spirit and telling me that everything would be okay.  When we got back to the car I said a prayer and begged Heavenly Father to give the light back to us and that His spirit would be with us.  Since then, I've felt absolutely drained.  I guess that's what it takes to have the Lord speak through you.  I pray for our friend that he will someday be able to know the truth.

Thursday:  We got to bike a ton!  haha!  We biked around and tried to find people to teach and struggled a bit, but we did give a Book of Mormon out.

That night we saw our buddy, Daryl. his wife recently passed away and we shared the Plan of Salvation with him.  I've never felt the Spirit teaching more than I did that night.  It was honestly the best lesson I've taught since being on my mission.  I felt prompted to ask a ton of questions and the all seemed to fit right into place.  Our hour long lesson seemed like 5 minutes.  It was awesome!

So later that night, we went and saw Randy.  His son-in-law Chris was over.  He knew the 2 AP's from earlier and basically believes in all the church but just isn't ready to commit, so he attends Life
Church.  Whatever.  So this is the funny part of the story.  Chris asked us, "So what happens if or have you ever been stuck with someone you don't get along with?"  And E. Rumsey, without hesitation, just pointed right at me!  Haha!  We all had a good laugh and had to explain how it can be hard, but when we love like Christ did - it makes it easier to live with people we don't really get along with.  I was just laughing that Rumsey pointed at me because in the beginning that was definitely true!  haha!

Friday:  We had the best District Meeting that I've ever been to!  Elder Peterson gave us a lesson of "Our Purpose as Missionaries" and helped us to realize that missionary life is more than something we do, it something we have to be.  He helped us recognize the Atonement more fully in our lives and how much we need it each and every day.  He brought up how we control and area, and that we're the only ones who can offer salvation to these people.  It was kind of a slap in the face, but it was needed.  :) 

Saturday:  We spent the whole day tracting  and then helped a lady move. 

Sunday:  We had church, studied, had dinner and a meeting with Brother Dickman.  It was way cook - I'm gonna miss Dicky so much!!!  He's the bomb.

Well, that was my week!  I love you guys

Elder Harris