New Companion, New Area!

Dear Mom and Dad,

Well, I have some pretty crazy news. So for one, yes I have a new companion, his name is Elder Johnson. He is from Washington, but his family is moving to California. He has 2 years on the mission and he will be going home at the end of our one transfer together.  Also the kicker, I´m in Barrio 1 now in Madrid (we think that means the Barrio 1st Ward). Aranjuez got whitewashed (term to mean both missionaries changed). You can look up 'cuatro caminos' on the internet and thats my neighborhood. I´m serving in the big heat of it now.

 

Cuatro Caminos is a section right in the heart of Madrid.
Madrid has 3.1 million people.

Sights from Cuatro Caminos

This week overall was a pretty good week. We taught 3 lessons with Axxx and I also went on intercambios with Elder Porritt in Toledo. We had a pretty good week and we also found some hopeful new investigators, or 'friends who are learning about the church' for the new missionaries. 

Axxx is a total stud, like wow! He is so ready to be baptized. He was super prepared to listen to us but he is progressing super well and he LOVES church. He feels at home when he is there. He is really enjoying the Book of Mormon and the story that it shares. His baptismal service is this Saturday, October 3rd, at 11.

More sights from the 'big city' -- so different from small town Aranjuez.

 

I left small town Aranjuez. It was really sad because we were really good friends with a lot of members there. Also, it was pretty sad because it means I´m going to miss Axxx´s baptism. Or so I thought, I called President Pack to ask for permission to be able to return for his baptism, and he said yep. [YAY!] So, it´s all good in the hood here. I am super pumped! This is the first guy that I actually found and will be able to see get baptized and that is awesome.

 

I´m in a new area with a new companion, today I have to use a locotorio (internet cafe) computer to write emails which means I can´t send any photos but next week hopefully I will have somewhere to send them from.

 

 

Pope Francis visiting a Philly Prison
where mom's company does healthcare

All the news from home seems pretty crazy. Wow, Sam working on float build, I always loved doing that. We´ve heard a lot about the Pope or Papa here. Everyone always says stuff like well if he´s out there doing that much good how can you possibly believe that your leader can do anything close. (perks of serving in a Catholic country. Except only like 10% are practicing) Whatever.

 

Dad, I heard about BYU too. Wow, that´s kind of embarrassing. [BYU got beat by Michigan 31-0.] But hey, it´s typical BYU stuff. They get good, they get overhyped, and then they choke.
 

This week has kinda been a whirlwind. We have been stopping by saying bye to everyone as well as just helping Elder Norrell get ready to leave. Then, Saturday night I got the news that I was leaving as well. Oh no! But, it has been a really good week. Lots of stuff to do and now I have a whole new area to learn about. It´s going to be a busy week but, I´m ready for a new challenge. 

I love you all so much, I hope to have more for you next week,

Elder Grayson Harris

Cooking Up A Storm

September 21, 2015

Dear Mom and Dad,

So this week was a good one. We had lessons with Axxx and we ate some really good food. Today for our PDay we cleaned the piso and just chilled here in Aranjuez. We made food with a member named Jose. He's from Colombia and we made a food called Patacones with him. It's smashed plantains (bananas), fried and with cheese or a cheese-milk mixture called suero. We also ate the Yuka boiled like potato or fried. I have lots of photos to share!

 



Jose and Elder Norrell

Watch us making patacones!



Plantains and Yuka (like potatoes)



Dipping the Patacones in 'suero' for Frying



 



 

Eating with Jose

 

Our area is growing a lot right now. Not so much investigator wise but a lot with just people coming back to church and new members moving in. We are very close to having a ward here. Also new rule here, as missionaries and as members we are no longer supposed to call investigators, "investigators." They are now our 'friends who are getting to know the church.' The word investigator has been banished as missionaries. 

 

Mom loved this photo, so sent it to him.

My companion's plans are probably to work and go to school. He doesn't really have a lot of plans right now. He's very ready to go home though. It's been a long 2 years for him.

I made CHEESEBURGERS this week, and they were yummy!

The zone conference was awesome. I always love them, but this one was really good. We learned a lot and it was taught by the other missionaries. I'll attach a photo of my notes. It was kind of sad because my companion gave his 'dying' testimony. At that point he really did realize that his mission is coming to a close. It was in Madrid, in a neighborhood called Carabanchel which is also the name of our zone. I said hello to President Pack but that was about it. I don't want to seem like a climber and just try to talk to him as soon as there is an open moment. I'm not a person like that. I did get to see Elder Escobar. He's like my best bud and I love seeing him, he's just such a goofball.
 



Please continue praying for Axxx as well as Sxxx. We told Axxx that our families were praying for him and he said "I can tell." The light of God has just been more in his life. He came to church on Sunday and he LOVED it! He stayed all 3 hours and was just amazed at how much he learned and how much love he felt. Wow, can you say 'prepared to hear our message' or what? It's honestly a complete pleasure teaching him and it just feels like I'm talking to a friend. We are super comfortable with each other and his baptismal date looks for sure. Same day as General Conference. I'm also very excited for this upcoming conference. Never in my life have I ever felt this way about General Conference, but I'm actually really excited for it. 

Sam's Crew Photo

Dinner groups...yours sounds like a lot of fun. Hahahaha and that piece. I did know that about Sheila Kane's dad. Dad had told me about that a while ago. That is super cool though.
 

Wow, Sam is a section leader! That's pretty sweet. It's weird that a sophomore is the one doing it though. 

Elder Norrell keeps telling me I'm going to train because I can speak the language and stuff really well. I sure hope not, I'm not ready to train yet. But it's likely I will, be so don't be surprised if it happens. I love the Spanish language. It's so beautiful. I'm starting to pick up the accent and everything. I'm so excited for the opportunity that I have to serve here. I owe a lot of the blessing of the language to Heavenly Father. He has sure done His part in helping me to learn it. 



Statue in Toledo

Cool photo of Toledo
 

I'll follow up about letters to the piso. I love you guys a bunch.

Dad, to answer your questions, no one really writes me other than you guys, Sam, some other missionaries, Chris, and The Hannahs in Utah. Other than that I don't write that many people. Tanja does write me on a regular basis though. I am healthy, if I wasn't I may or may not let you know. And the people here aren't that huge on Christmas, yes it is a thing that they love but it's not the best holiday. The biggest one is dia de Los Reyes (day of the kings).

I love you all and wish you the best,

Elder Grayson Harris

Random Miracles

 

September 14, 2015

Dear Mom & Dad:

Well this week has been another good one, full of random miracles and lots of cool stuff. From day one to now Aranjuez has improved tremendously and I plan on keeping it going upward after Elder Norrell leaves. Yes he is leaving in 2 weeks. Next week will be our last Pday together. Wow! That's kinda crazy! We have been together for a long time though and both of us are pretty ready for a change. We are really going to be pushing it these last 2 weeks because it's his last 2 ever. We are really trying to help the memories go out as good ones. 

In front of the Aranjuez Palace.

Mom LOVE, LOVE, LOVES this picture!

The next zone meeting is Thursday but the reason we aren't supposed to receive mail in the piso is just in case we are moving. I would be a lot more comfortable telling you my address if I knew for sure that I am going to be staying here next transfer.

That really is sad though about David [Maples] (see last post). He was a really good friend. I'm happy he'll be able to serve with me though. It will always be a reminder to work hard. [Elder Harris asked David's parents if he could carry a photo of David with him through his mission to remind him to work hard enough for both of them. They were honored, and we are mailing a photo to him this week.]

This is from our pueblo Ciempozuelos, it's an ugly little place. Haha! I love it though!

 

 

LOVE this photo!

 

I love that picture that you sent me!! It's awesome! A lot of times it is hard to find inspiration to walk one more street or to knock one more door but little by little we are earning the points to receive the blessings of the Lord. When no one else wants to be doing it and you just go out and get it done, I know I will get blessings and I know that I will be guided by the Spirit.

 

ABOUT OUR INVESTIGATORS

Axxx is awesome still. We have a lesson with him tomorrow, the Word of Wisdom. He lives here by himself and he is divorced. He gets to see his kids usually once every couple years when he travels home. But, he chats with them all the time. He actually has cousins who are already members of the church. He knew very little about us so he was interested to see what we had in store to teach him. Something that he loves about our church is that we don't make fun of or attack other religions. He thinks that is really great. Hopefully he will baptized in the coming month. In our last lesson with him he actually said, "you know, right now I feel like Joseph. I feel like I am on my path to find the right church. And, up until now this is the one." We are so happy to see him progressing. 

Rxxx is doing good. He and his wife came to church this past Sunday. He is not a body builder but he does go to the gym like every day except for Sunday. 

Mxxx is still progressing. She is really awesome. 

Hxxx we haven't met with in a while and he hasn't come to church. He's a little bit more difficult but we aren't giving up on him.



From our noche de hogar (FHE) with the families in Valdemoro
on Sunday night. All are Peruvians except for one.

 

Txxx is doing pretty well. Mxxx, well he hasn't been at church for a while. We are working with him but he is really struggling right now. And the JW lady we still haven't met with so I don't know anything about her.

We have another new investigator. Her name is Sxxx and she is from Colombia! Wow, these Colombians seem to be our strong point. She was contacted by Elder Norrell and Elder Rawlinson while I was with Elder Koeven in Madrid. We were on intercambios. Anyways, she was contacted by them and she is divorced and she has a kid that is 8 years old. She also is major struggling with alcoholism right now. She completely opened up to them and talked about how she needs something to help her son to get raised in the right path. She really wants us to teach them and baptize them both so that 1) Her son can be raised right and 2) During her conversion we can help her overcome her addiction. Please pray for her as well. 

TENNESSEE in SPAIN

The Tennessee banner  [in photo from last week] is from a bar here that set up a stand at the local town festivals. The Tennessee is from the Jack Daniels bottle. HA!

We are working on taking more photos together. Hopefully the ones I am sending today will be good. It's really weird sending a missionary home. It's hard some days to get up and work but we are going to do it! We need to do it. This area needs us.

It's really cool to hear that Carole Stephens [from General RS Board] was in Tennessee. That means we are kinda like a big deal down there right? Haha! I'm sorry work is stressful right now. How's school?

Two new apostles!

Two new apostles! It's going to be crazy to see who they are. Now more that I have been on my mission reading what these apostles say and write I really am going to miss the 2 that recently passed away [L. Tom Perry and Boyd K. Packer].

We have been truly blessed here. We have had lots of little things happening here to help us. Please continue the prayers and I'm sure we will continue to receive more.

I love you guys so much!

Love,

Elder Grayson Harris

I Love the Temple!

Monday, September 7, 2015

Dear Mom & Dad:

Anyway...so, this week was pretty good. Tell the Bennetts I say hi. That's cool to hear that they blessed [Whitney's and Brian's] babies on the same Sunday.

 

THE TEMPLE 

The Temple was great! Wow! I really love to go there! We did the 8 o'clock session in the morning and it was very early. Haha! Elder Norrell and I stayed the night again in the piso of the Barrio 6 elders. I truly do love the temple though and it's a blessing to be able to go. HAHA - FUNNY STORY:  Elder Norrell actually wasn't able to go because his temple recommend expired the day before we went. Which is typical Elder Norrell luck. He has REALLY BAD luck. 

 

District in front of the Madrid Temple

This week I'm not going to go day by day because we didn't really have that much happen. I'm just going to talk about the good things. 

Axxx - He is progressing really well actually. He was at church this past Sunday and he is on date! He is hopefully going to be baptized October 3. He will be my first convert! I'm really hoping he continues to progress quickly. He's super cool and he's a very good cook. We've eaten with him twice now. Both times it was really good food. He actually was married before he came to Spain and he has 4 children that live in Colombia. He's very nice and he loves the Book of Mormon. He was so prepared to hear our message. Please continue to pray for him.

 

 

[Mom loved this picture of Christ and the apostles with
the elders, so I sent it to Elder Harris this week.]

Other investigators - We haven't had a ton of opportunities to teach most of them. They are very busy and I guess they don't really have a ton of interest. They dodge our calls and sometimes lie and then we see them later that night. We've had some awkward experiences with them. 

 

Roni's Family - They are doing great. They were all at church again this week and wow they are awesome. The 2 daughters are both doing really well. Roni absolutely loves us. He always gives us hugs and he is so happy when we go over to his house. He's a really nice guy for someone that looks like the hulk with a t-shirt on. 

 

 Seriously, check out this lady asleep on the train we rode on our PDay:

 

Zzzzzzzzz...

District and Zone conferences - [When Mom reminded him to thank the Relief Society for feeding them at their District/Zone Conferences] First off, THE RELIEF SOCIETY DOES NOT FEED US! The mission president pays for everyone to get pizza and his wife makes salad. If we want to have desert his wife makes that as well. Like in all seriousness the relief society had nothing to do with it. Haha! [Ok, fine. Mom still hopes he thanked Sister Pack for the salad!]

 

The extent of Elder Harris' information on this photo was
"Feels Like Home"
So I don't know what in the world a Tennessee
banner? kiosk? is doing in Aranjuez!

 

We eat every Thursday at Manu's house. This is his family, Valentina (holding birthday gift we gave her), Rocio (Manu's sister), Michael, Harris, Norrell and baby Luca.

 

Thursday dinners with Manu's family

In the back at Manu's family store on P-Day -- They were all tired...?

 



 

"COOL EXPERIENCE"

Last night we had a pretty cool experience. We were going to visit a less active family and when we got there a lot of their family was there, like cousins and aunts and stuff. We ended up teaching a lesson to one of the cousins and she was really impacted by it so we were really amazed that we had that experience! The less active family helped by bearing their testimonies and telling that the Book of Mormon was true. It was really cool to see that. 

 

The Strawberry Train and Festival to commemorate the Revolt of Aranjuez were held Sept. 4th and 5th:

 

 

 

 

SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE

Dad - the language is going pretty well. I've been told I speak like someone who has been out a year or more. I understand almost everything and my companion keeps telling me I'm going to train because I'm really good at Spanish (?) but I do not want to train this early in the mission. It might happen though. We get 43 new missionaries this transfer and there are only like 110 in the mission so half of the mission will be training. I don't know when I'm going to leave Aranjuez.

 

Also this week I was able to eat Papas Rellenas from a family that is from Peru. Wow, if this was the food you were eating the whole time you were in Peru, I would have gotten so fat! I don't really exercise a whole ton right now because it is really hard for me to just get up and get moving. I am still losing weight and no, I'm not very hungry ever. We walk everywhere So I have pretty good exercise. Both the pairs of jeans I brought with me are too big for me now. Haha! Mission probs...I'm doing really good though. We have plenty of food. Occasionally, the only problem is a lack of money. Today I had to pull out some from the personal account. 

 

PDAY Phun Photos:

1) In Front of The Aranjuez Palace
2) My new 'short' do
3) AS ALWAYS, WE LOVE TACO BELL!

Mailing Address: I don't want to give it to you right now because I might get transferred. It's only effective for you to send mail to the mission office right now. Also I don't want to break the rules. Also, if you send a package/letter to the piso I have to be there to get it or I have to pay to get it out of the post office. The mail system stinks here.
 

I love you all, wish you all the best!
 

Love,

Elder Grayson Harris

 

[Elder Harris started off his email expressing his personal sadness and grief at having lost David Maples, a family friend from Franklin who was preparing to leave for his mission in Mexico. They moved to Las Vegas a couple of years ago, and David was killed on Sept. 2nd in a motorcycle/car crash. Our love goes out to the Maples family, and we are sending prayers for their comfort and peace.]

 

David Maples

 

 

Zone Conference & Other Successes

 

Monday, August 31, 2015

 

Hey Mom and Dad,

Life is going pretty good here right now. We are having some success and the work is overall going well right now. Mom, that story was really cool! I really think the Lord can do whatever is needed to help the faithful. You've always been a really good example to me about working hard and having faith. I know I don't say it very much but I really appreciate the things that you taught me growing up. Living here in Spain, and seeing where the parents don't really teach their kids a whole lot it is easy to see how blessed I was to be born into the church and to have all the Gospel already in front of me. Wow, seriously so blessed.

 

About Brother [Aaron] Hale, will you ask what his nephews name is? It's not Elder Hale because we don't have any Elder Hales in our mission. 

So our zone meeting was really awesome. President PACK and his wife both spoke to us. President Pack is fluent in Spanish. Hermana Pack, well let's just say she's a southern belle and it's going to take some time haha. But, I love them both so much. We had an 8-hour zone meeting which is super long [more below]. I actually get to go to the temple this Wednesday for the first time since I have left the MTC. I'm really excited. Elder Doxey [new District Leader] is a really cool guy. Elder Norrell is just a normal senior companion now. This week was really good.
 

VISITING VALDEMORO

Lunes el 24 - Today we played soccer in Pavones and that was pretty fun. Then we had a 'Noche de Hogar' or Family Night. We went to a member's house in the town of Valdemoro and he actually lives with a man that is not a member. The family whose house we went to are from Peru and our converts and the man that lives with them is also from Peru. His name is Hxxx and he is now an investigator. He's a really nice guy. He actually knows a lot about the church but he has never read the Book of Mormon so now we have him doing that and hopefully he can find the answers he's been searching for. 

 

Valdemoro

LOTS OF TEACHING
Martes el 25 - Today we had a 'Noche de Hogar' with Tuli. She's a recent convert from Cuba and she is really awesome. We team teach the Gospel Principles class with her. Her son Marino who is 18 was baptized but since then has gone inactive and is struggling. We love them both a lot and we had a really spiritual Noche de Hogar with them. Marino came to church this Sunday for the first time in a month and a half!

 

Then we had another lesson with Axxx and we taught him about the Atonement. It was a really good lesson. He's a seriously really amazing guy and I can't wait to see if we are going to be able to baptize him. We are going to try and put him on date in our next appointment. 

 



Axxx, Elders, Harris Norrell, and Adolfo [a member]

Elders Harris & Norrell with Axxx

 

Miercoles el 26 - Today we had a lesson with Mxxx, she is basically an eternal investigator. She's amazing and could be baptized any day, it's just her and her "husband" who is actually still married to another woman in Ecuador where they are from, are working on getting married. Dad, I'm sure you can understand this problem. She's seriously 'already' Mormon and she wants her 2 children to serve missions. She's really great and we had a really good lesson with her family. 

 

This is kind of hard to see, but this CORVETTE shot
is for Uncle Larry!
 

This is Pablo, he's the son of a members, Ezekiel and Anna. Ezekiel is from Argentina and he speaks English perfectly, we love eating with them! Pablo loves the movie CARS.

Pablo with Norrell and I

ALL THIS WALKING IS DOING ME SOME GOOD

You can't really tell, but my suit pants are loose on me,
because I've lost some weight

CHILLIN' WITH THE PEEPS

Jueves el 27 - Today we had weekly planning and then we contacted the whole day. It was a long day but we made the most of it. These days are always the hardest. But, we actually ended up spending the night in the Barrio 6 elder's piso tonight because of the time that the zone meeting started. That was a lot of fun being able to chill with some other missionaries for the night. It's always nice getting to see other missionaries because we are so isolated here in Aranjuez. 

 

Elder Harris, Elder Norrell and Elder Porritt from Toledo (in District)

"AMAZING" ZONE MEETING
Viernes el 28 - Today was the zone meeting. It started at 10:30 and ended at 6 and wow, it was really long. It was really amazing though! We focused on lesson 1 or the Restoration. Also a main topic was the prophet Joseph Smith. Wow, he truly was an amazing person and an amazing prophet. Without him we would have nothing. But anyway, we practiced teaching lesson 1 in less than 4 minutes so that we could do it in a street contact if we needed to.

 

MTC BUDDIES! 

It was a really good zone meeting and I got to see Elders Escobar and Douglas from the MTC as well as Hermanas Vasas, Charet, and Clements. It was cool getting to see old friends who I hadn't seen in a while. I was not able to get a photo with all of them because a couple of them had to leave early for appointments. We also watched 'Meet the Mormons' as part of the zone meeting. It was completely in Spanish though. I understood it! The Zone meetings we try to do completely in Spanish; if there is someone who can't speak, they can do it in English but they try to do everything in Spanish. 

 

BINGO!
Sabado el 29 - Today was a good day. We mainly contacted but it was a good day. We met with a less active Roni. His family has been struggling recently and we have been trying to get in their door for at least 3 weeks. Well we decided we would just go and see what happens because they live in Valdemoro and that means we have to spend some time traveling. So we got there and we tried to call them so that they could open the door and no answer. Well we turned around and were about to leave when we saw Roni out walking the dog. Bingo! So we went and talked to him and we ended up having a small lesson with him. It was great. We scheduled a return appointment for tomorrow at 7 for dinner.

SUNDAY MIRACLES!

Domingo el 30 - Today was a great day. The church meetings were great as well as the rest of the day. President Ovejero taught the class for the combined 3rd hour and it was the bomb. He spoke about how the church is not a social club but a brotherhood. Our branch is a little bit rowdy sometimes and it's difficult to feel the Spirit. Wow! It was amazing. What's better is that Marino who had not been at church in about a month and a half was there as well as Hxxx our new investigator and Roni and his whole Family. Wow! How crazy is that! We had a ton of people at church yesterday like almost 100.

 

WILD STORM!!

Scary storm!

Anyway we went to Roni's house again for dinner and on the way we got caught up in a pretty big storm and we were soaking wet by the time we got there. It was a CRAZY storm though! It was compared to tornado strength winds! And the Madrid area was hit pretty hard. Wow, it was just a pretty wild storm! [BTW, can you tell Grayson LOVES storms?] Aranjuez was hit pretty hard and there are a lot of trees down today.

 

Tree uprooted by the storm

WE WERE COMPLETELY SOAKED! This is us with Roni and his family for dinner...and waiting for our clothes to dry. HAHA! 

 

Us with Roni, Romina, Naome, Roni Jr., and Gina

 

SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

But anyway at Roni's house we shared a message and during while I was bearing my testimony I had an amazing Spiritual experience. I felt the Love the Lord has for them. I felt it and I couldn't make myself not cry. I shared with them how I was feeling and they were really impacted by it. They had been struggling and doubting a lot of things, but after that they were really happy. They said they knew if a missionary could transmit so much love they know the Lord loves them still. It was AMAZING! This is why I came here. For experiences like that! Wow, I am so happy to have had that experience. 

Today we are playing soccer after this and we already bought some groceries for the coming week. I get to go to the Temple on Wednesday so I'm pretty excited. Please keep praying for Axxx. 

I love you all so much, 

Animo

Elder Grayson Harris