The Week of No Sleep

Mom!

What up?!?  I'm glad that you and dad are enjoying a little bit on sunshine.  I don't know what the deal is, but it's been raining a lot here lately.  About 2-3 times a week.  It's crazy because it goes from super hot to super cold and rainy back to super hot!  It's completely bi-polar . . .

You wouldn't believe how crazy the last 3 weeks have been.  I haven't had much time to do anything but serve.  I'm honestly so busy from 7 am to 11 pm every day.  I get up and have so many personal things to et done in the morning since I never have time.  So we're living and I'm as happy as I've ever been!

The district is going great!  We're all getting along really well and having success - which makes it even better.  Like I told dad, and maybe I'm not being the right type of leader, but I haven't taught a district meeting yet on "how to commit someone to read or one of the lessons" - I have been focusing more on the boys.  On how they can be better people for the rest of their lives, not just as missionaries.  I'm honestly realizing now more than ever that the mission experience is a very short time and if we're not learning life lessons here then what's the point?  So I've been focusing more on the boys and helping them to before more converted to Jesus Christ - which in return is helping me become more converted to the Savior as well.

And a little bit of happy news for you - Today is my 11 month mark.  Can you believe 11 months have gone by so quickly?!?

As for the package, yes the spices were in there but I'm not going to lie - I'm a little bummed about the Nutella.

As for my birthday - if you could try to send some peanut butter and Nutella again - I'd love that.  I'm also going to need some type of sweater (that's what the other missionaries are telling me).  Also, not to sound like a fatty - but could you send more American candy?  Like Snickers and M&M's?  The candy here is so expensive and it's not that good - plus the Latino missionaries LOVE it!  I also need mechanical pencils please.  Oh, and ties!  Not silk - I need ones that can get wet.  I going to start giving away my ties to each of my companions.  :)

So about my muddy clothes last week - we have a pump and hoses and I spayed the clothes until they became somewhat white-ish - they're not perfect, but they're better than they were.  I threw them into this washing machine type thing that we have and they came out ok.

We also saw a horse this week that has something seriously wrong with his leg.  Show the picture to dad and tell me what is wrong with him!

Buyno che!

This week, like always, was crazy.
I think I might call it the Week of No Sleep.

So last Sunday night at 2 a.m. our collectivo went to Resistencia - but we missed it.  So we fought our way with a cumbi (it's like a short bus) and taxis to get to Resistencia.  We got to Consejo too late and then our collectivo left Resistencia at 8 and we didn't get back to Ibaretta until 5 a.m. on Tuesday morning.  We didn't sleep but a couple of hours and then got up and went to Zone Conference.  I helped give the training and it went great!  Right after, I went on divisions with E. Lastres (from Peru) in Pirane while E. Haselton and E. Zivic came to Fontana.  While in Pirane, I did a baptismal interview and then helped find a few more families to teach.

Wednesday I got a phone call from E. Zivic telling we that we were going to have a baptism this Saturday in the Colonia Bartolome de las Casas.  I couldn't believe it!  Wednesday night at 10:30 our collectivo went back to Fontana so I didn't sleep much that night either.  Thursday and Friday we went back  to Bartolome to teach our investigator, Carlos, all the lessons that he needed to know before his baptism.  The Zone Leaders came late in the afternoon on Friday and did the interview.  We were set!

On Saturday we went up there to fill the font and since their water pump in broken, Zivic and I carried our pump, 2 hoses and an extension cord to fill the font.  Did I mention that the water tank is 15 feet underground?  It's like a huge cement box with a little opening on the top . . .

To use our pump we have to siphon the water first or the pump doesn't work.  So we tried FOREVER to siphon this water from 15 feet below - but we had gravity working against us.  So I thought like dad and we put both hoses on the pump and I went to the baptismal font and tried to siphon the water the entire way!  And guess what!  IT WORKED!!!  It was a little miracle.

The baptism was super spiritual.  Carlos was super prepared and bore his testimony of how he received his answer and also that he made a promise to God that he would keep learning about God from His church.  It was honestly great!  PLUS his little brother came to the baptism and said that he wants to be baptized too!  We literally have received a TON of blessings lately!

I also learned something super awesome this week.  Someone said that the church isn't a building, but it's in our home.  I've thought a lot about that.  I've realized that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints isn't just a building, or a chapel or a temple - but it's a lifestyle.  It's how we live - it's what we do every day.  The church is made to improve the home, and the home was made to grow closer to the Lord.

That's my week!  And now we're getting ready for transfers!  Any guesses?  Am I staying or am I going?

Love you guys,

Elder Harris