A Very Canary Christmas

December 26, 2016

[Week of Dec. 19-25]

Hey Mom, Dad, Sam, and Chris and Fam:

This week was really good. Like I said in the email we had a great time getting to teach Patricia and everything went perfectly in her interview so she will indeed be baptized on Sunday.

Harris & Perez with...?

We enjoyed a delicious CHRISTMAS EVE dinner with the Barrera Family.

Christmas Eve with the Barrera family

I just wanted to thank you all for being there and Skyping me. It was a great Christmas present to see you guys, it just went by way too quickly.

Skyping on Christmas Day - Randi and boys joined from Utah,
 and Chris and family joined from North Carolina.

Grandpa & Grandma Dove are visiting Tennessee from Idaho,
so they got to join in on the Skype, too!

[TRANSFERS: Elder Perez was transferred, and Elder Harris is getting a new companion. He told us on the Skype call that they would be travelling all day Monday to make all the exchanges. Elder Pulotu (his former companion) is coming to the Canary Islands, and will now be Elder Douglas' companion. And Elder Harris will get a new 'greenie' he will be training. They will also be getting an additional new companionship on Fuertaventura to help move the work along.]

"A cool mural" 

Corralejo

Video: EXCITED to board this awesome boat:

So right now, I'm in Lanzarote with Elder Douglas and Fernández. Elder Fernández and Perez will hop on a plane in the morning and Elder Douglas and I will have the opportunity to work together all day tomorrow until Elder Pulotu gets here at 9:30 at night. Then the three of us will chill until Thursday when my new kid and Elder Boyd and his kid get here. I'm super excited for this week and all the cool stuff we are getting to do.

In regards to our Romanian friend, I forgot to tell you guys that on Thursday he told us he was moving to Sevilla on Friday. So, we had a lesson/going away lesson to say goodbye. We passed all of his info to the Elders there and they are going to continue teaching him.

Specific candy I would want would be Sour Patch watermelon candies or peanut butter M&Ms. Pretty much anything that won't melt. Or pretty much just Sour Patch kids. I love those.

I love you all so much! I'll write better next week and send more info as well about everything!

Love you!

Love,
Elder Harris

Mountain Miracles

December 19, 2016

[Week of December 12-18]

Dear Mom, Dad & Sam:

Monday - Well, like I said last week, it was a chill p-day. I got my haircut. We wrote emails. I took a nap. That was about it. After p-day we went and helped that guy named Julio move some stuff around at his house. Then we had a lesson with Paul. We tried making a financial plan with him to help him set a date for his wedding. Well, the problem is he doesn't have a job, and his wife works selling lighters and trinkets to tourists. Needless to say, they are living day to day, and as of right now it's not going to be possible to save up 1500€ to pay for a wedding. He's a great guy and we are doing everything we can to maybe help him find a job.

Town of Castillo

Tuesday - Today was a great day! So, we actually have a recent convert in our branch named Milton. He's a professional golfer and up until today i had never met him. We went to the pueblo where he lives which is about a 30 minute bus ride from where we live. Then we had to walk/hike 45 minutes up the side of a mountain to get to where he lives. Then we get up there and my companion says he doesn't know where he lives and that we don't have an address for him anywhere. So, I'm like great, we just came up here and now it's just gonna be a huge waste of time. Then, my companion says hey wait, I think this may be his house. So we decided to knock on the door. From the upstairs doorway a guy peeks out, looking super surprised to see the Elders on the doorstep, and says hey guys I'll be down in a minute. It was Milton! Haha! What "luck" we had in that moment. We ended up being able to catch up with him about everything and see how he was doing. We shared the Christmas Initiative and committed him to come to church Christmas Day. (This weekend he's playing in a golf tournament.) 

We hiked back down the mountain and went to another less actives house. This guy is named Jose. He's never home because he works a crazy schedule. Well, all we were thinking is that we had already had one miracle how hard can it be to have a second. We walked another hour or so to get closer to his house. We arrived and knocked on the door. An old man answered. We asked if Jose was there and he said "yes, let me go get him for you." WOW! What are the odds?! So anyways we talked to him for a little bit, he didn't want us to share a message because his parents were in town visiting for vacation and they aren't members. But, he did offer to pick us up the next day and drive us to the airport which was super cool of him. We contacted for the night and didn't have to much success in that way. We were super happy with our pair of miracles today though!

Elder Harris & Elder Perez

Wednesday - So today was a good day. We started by having a lesson with Paul. The Romanian Elders Skyped in and taught him about the one and only church of God. He liked it and decided he won't be going to his old church anymore. Then we had a lesson right afterwards with Patricia, our new investigator. She's really great! She was an investigator about 2 years ago and has heard all of the major lessons. The problem was the first time she was investigating all she was doing was looking for the flaws in our religion. So today we taught her lesson 2, the plan of salvation. She really enjoyed it. We had two members at the lesson with us and they played an instrumental part in the lesson. She had some questions that they were able to answer for her in a better way than we could. Then we helped set up our building for the Christmas Party we are having on Friday. Later on we ended up getting a ride with Jose to the airport. We flew to Gran Canaria for our zone conference tomorrow. We had the luck to stay at the matrimony couple's piso. It was super nice and I slept like a baby on their couch. They also fed us this amazing homemade bean dip for dinner. Woah! It was so good!

Thursday - So we woke up this morning and the Rogers made us a breakfast casserole for breakfast. It was super good. We also had chocolate croissants. Then we got ready for the conference. The conference went from about 10 to about 6:30. We talked about obedience and faith, about how our mission has lots of room to grow in the way that we can have faith for better things to happen. I've coined a phrase which is "we don't hope for miracles, we expect them." We've had a couple of years with low numbers overall and President Pack is confident that this coming year if we increase our faith and rely more on the Lord, everything will work out. We will baptize. We will see conversions. We will have success. Every time he speaks I know more and more that he is my mission President and that I'm here to work with him. I seriously love that man! 

Anyways we had a great conference, we ate lunch afterwards which was delicious Canarian food. (Look up Ropa Vieja, Pata de Cerdo, Patatas agujador maybe I don't know what they are called, as well we had legit brownies and ice cream with hot fudge!) Then we did a white elephant gift exchange. Everyone bought a gift that cost less than 5 euros and we all wrapped them and fought over which ones were the best. Haha! I got a basketball goal that you attach to a persons head and play that way, it is very fun. My companion got glasses that are also a straw. Then as a group we went and sang in a central part of the town and gave out Books of Mormon. We ended up giving out around 50-75 and it was a pretty huge success. Then my companion and I flew home. It was a short trip full of the Spirit and of fun and good times. I love this area and the mission.

Friday and Saturday - Well Friday we had English class. As well afterwards we had our branch Christmas party. It was fun and we ate super good food. I loved it. Not so cool part about these two days. I've had the worst migraine of my life and could hardly look out the window and see the light. It was difficult for me to move around and I felt as if I've been hit by a truck.

Sunday - Well, today has been a little bit better but, I can still improve a lot. Church was really good and my companion actually spoke and talked about charity. It was really good. I loved it. Then we ate with Zenon and Elena like always. For the lesson with them today we did something different. We had them to teach us the Restoration each of them taking a part that they were going to teach. It was really good. Then we went to do some pass bys. Afterwards we had dinner with Yolanda and Nacho. It was this really good Lasagna stuff. I really enjoyed it. Hopefully tomorrow I will be better. I hate this headache I've had because it's just not going away. I've taken medicine and slept a ton, but, it persists being a nuisance.

Monday - Well today for Pday we've pretty much just chilled because I am still sick. It's fine I'm sure I'll be better tomorrow or soon. Mom, the pano photo I did by running around behind the camera every time. We were just being goofballs that day. Haha! Oh and btw the Gentri video was super cool. We watched that last week and we both really enjoyed it. Dad, island life is super laid back, people don't really care about anything. Haha! As well we do get baked goods every once in a while but they are always from Zenon. Look up rosquetas. Those are our current addiction. Haha!

I love you guys so much,

Elder Harris

Painting Zenon's Bakery

Monday, December 12, 2016

Monday - So today was a good day. Really laid back. Most of our P-days are really calm because we just aren't doing anything. It's kinda hard to plan activities when you are the only companionship on the island. We do have a good time though. I usually end up taking a nap. Haha!

Tuesday - So today we planned a ton of pass-bys for the morning. Basically none of them worked out so that was cool. Haha, it was a good morning. Then for lunch we ate with a member named Abinadi and his family. The food was pretty good. Then afterwards we went to Zenon's house. He is a baker and his wife went out of town and he wanted to surprise her with a remodeled bakery when she got home so from 4-7 we helped him paint and move around the machinery. Then we had a lesson with Nathalia and Christian. We shared the Christmas initiative with them and they seemed to really like it. After that we did some contacting and the day was over.

Zenon's Bakery "Before"

Nathalia & Zenon in the Bakery "Before"

Wednesday - So today was our original day planned to help Zenon with the bakery. He was going to come and help us with a lesson and then we were gonna go for the afternoon to help him. The lesson failed so we just went straight there. 

While we were on our way there he looked down at his phone, and hit the car right in front of us. BAM! But, we were only going like 5mph so it was no big deal. The car in front of us was fine as well and we were perfectly fine. They say a mission is the first time for everything so I can now say I've been in a car wreck. It was fun, haha! 

So anyway, we help at the bakery from like 3-8. Yeah, it's a long time to be doing one thing but he's an older guy and doesn't really have any help with any of the stuff, so what better way to take advantage of the opportunity to serve. Afterwards we contacted a little bit and then the day was over.

Elder Perez and Elder Harris "After" painting Zenon's Bakery

Another "After" shot of paint job in bakery

Thursday - So today like every other Thursday we had weekly planning. Then also like every Thursday we went to Paco and Nati's house for lunch. We had some rice and beans which they called Moros and Cristianos. (Moors and Christians) They were good. Then afterwards we offered to help Paco with moving some land and rocks that he has in his backyard. Needless to say, my companion and I are still a little sore. Really good opportunity though. Afterwards we contacted, and that was our day.

Friday - So today we went to a pueblo called Corralejo. We had two lessons set for the morning and they both failed so that was exciting. We ended up contacting. Then a member invited us over for lunch. We had some delicious salad and fish and chicken. I love the food we get here. Then we went back to Puerto del Rosario. We had district meeting today because we were busy on Wednesday. It was focused on the Book of Mormon. I learned a ton and we did some role plays which I used to hate doing but now I actually enjoy doing them a lot. We had English class tonight. Then we had a lesson planned with Paul and he failed as well. This week we had a lot of stuff fail but it's chill. We contacted.

Saturday - This morning we played Futbol with Oscar and his military buddies again. It was really great. At medio Día we ate lunch with a member named Josefa and her husband who isn't a member. They made us paella and it was really good. We taught them a lesson. We don't know if her husband has a lot of interest but he's a super nice guy. Then at 4:30 we had a lesson with Paul via Skype with the Romanian Elders. It went super good. Then later we taught a menos activo Juan Avalos. It was really good we talked about temples and the importance of doing the work for our family members. It went super good. Then we had a lesson with Jorge for the first time since he cancelled his baptism. It was a do or die lesson. He told us he doesn't really want to continue learning with us right now but he still wants to be friends and come to English class. It's good, we are actually happy that it went as well as it did.

Me....being Me

Sunday - Today was really good. We had the primary program at church. We also had a new investigator come with her 4 kids. We taught her the restoration during second hour and we have a follow up appointment Wednesday. Her name is Patricia. It was a pretty awesome miracle! Then we ate with Zenon and Elena. They made pizza and Tortilla De patata. Oh my gosh! It was so good! I love the food here. We took the sacrament to MariCarmen again and then afterwards visited a guy named Julio. It was good.

Monday - Today was a good day as well. Just chilling and getting ready for the zone conference in Las Palmas this Thursday. I got a haircut. Yay! 

In the way of Skype we are thinking about 7p.m. Our time [on Christmas Day]. We will have basically an hour to talk. That will be 1p.m. Your time because I'm only 6 hours ahead here on the islands.

Dad, yea there's quite a bit of Muslims here but no more than in Madrid itself. There is actually a mountain we can go to here and we can see Africa from it. We are closer to Africa than we are to some of the other islands in our mission haha!

Joy and Disappointment

December 5, 2016

Dear Mom, Dad and Sam:

[Week of Nov. 28 - Dec. 4]

Monday - So yeah, it was a really chill day today. Didn't really do a whole bunch for p-day. We ate some good food. Then after p-day we went to dedicate a member’s house. Her name is Ruth. We were there for about an hour because we also taught a lesson. Then we went to Noche De hogar with Zenon and Elena. We shared the Christmas Initiative with them. Then we ate sweets with them and then came home. I love the members here. They are great people, so humble and so willing to help in any way that they can. This area is changing my mission. I love it! I've only been here about 3 weeks but this area has changed my outlook on so many things in the mission. Elder Perez is a total stud and I'm learning a ton from him every day. He's got such a strong testimony and desire to work hard, it's been amazing having him as a companion.

Tuesday - This morning we had a lesson with Paul, we just showed him the Christmas Initiative because the Romanian elders weren't able to Skype. We contacted basically the rest of the morning up until medio Día. We ate lunch with Ronald and his wife Alicia. It was like beer battered or soaked chicken. It was pretty tasty. Afterwards, we had a lesson with a less-active named Juan and his wife Maria. He's usually super nice to us but, this was the first time we have met his wife who is also a member. We ended up singing hymns and sharing the Christmas initiative with them. It was awesome! After that we had a meeting with the Branch President to discuss what is going on with us, because currently we don't have a branch mission leader. After that we had a lesson with our investigator Jorge. He's doing super good and really enjoyed our lesson about the blessings of heaven tonight.

Wednesday - Today was a super good day. We had district meeting this morning. We discussed our purpose as missionaries and the responsibility and authority that we have to be working our hardest at all times. After medio Día we had a lesson with a member named Gloria who works taking care of an old man. We shared the Christmas initiative and the man who she takes care of came downstairs. The amazing story about him is that his name is Lazaro and he's 100 years old!!! He came down and had a full conversation with us and didn't seem like he had any problems health wise. It was so cool to have a conversation with him and just enjoy the sweet spirit that he had about him. Then we had another lesson with Paul right afterwards. This time the Romanians taught him and taught about the law of chastity and how we have to be married to our girlfriend if we live with her and want to be baptized. He's agreed to make plans to get married and we will help him in whatever way we can. After that we went home teaching with Zenon. We visited one of investigators because she is married to a less active guy he home teaches. It was a good lesson about the Sabbath day. Then after that we had another lesson with a member named Puri and her son. It was a super good day today. Lots of success.

There is a sandwich place called Tanquito here. This sandwich has bacon,
cheese, eggs, lettuce, tomato, onion and a garlic aioli sauce. 

Thursday - This morning we had weekly planning. Then we went and ate with Paco and Nati. We had paella! And it was probably the best meal I've ever had on my mission. I loved it! It was sooooooooo good! We had planned to help paint a bakery for the day of service but that fell through so instead we went and contacted and actually taught 2 street lessons which was pretty cool.

Friday - So this morning we spent contacting like the whole time. Then we ate medio Día food in piso for the first time in a while. Then we had a lesson with an investigator named Jose Luis. We taught about the Book of Mormon and the truthfulness of it. He seemed to enjoy it and committed to read and pray. Then we had English class. Then we contacted the rest of the night.

Saturday - So, this morning was cool. We went and played soccer with a investigator named Oscar and all of his military buddies. It was really fun. Then we had a lesson with Jorge at 1. He told us he cannot be baptized today and that he won't be talking to us anymore for a while. He's done this before, just never the day of his baptism. It was hard on me, but, even harder on Elder Perez. We took it easy the rest of the day and just tried to think of what we can do to help Jorge.

Sunday - Today we had fast and testimony meeting. There was a couple visiting from Sheffield England today. (Chris did you serve there?) It's always cool when you get to speak English at church here. We actually kind of cheat though because we have a British guy in our branch here. Haha! Then we ate lunch with Zenon and Elena and Ruth. Ruth is really cool because she used to be a Jehovah's Witness before she joined our church. After we shared our message for the day she talked all about the different doctrinal flaws we can poke at if the ever approach us to Bible bash which usually happens about once or twice a week. She's a super cool lady and she just has a wealth of knowledge that we can use. Then we took the sacrament to a lady named MariCarmen. Then we had dinner with the Branch President and his family. We had cheeseburgers and brownies and ice cream. (His wife served her mission in Utah, and she's an amazing cook). We really had a great lesson with them and talked a lot about the issues the branch is having.

Photo posted to Facebook by Hermanas

Monday - Today is another chill day. Just did some shopping this morning. I bought a new white shirt and a pair of pants. Then I've just been writing the rest of the day and that's pretty much our day. Tonight we should have a couple of lessons. The best part about this area is that we already have meals set up for every medio Día this week and then two extra ones as well. That's like 10 meals in one week. You could say we are pretty loved. 

Also I should have more info about when we can talk on Christmas next week. Probably about 6-8 p.m. My time. We should have about an hour to talk. Dad, that's crazy about all the fires and stuff going on! [Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge fires] I can't believe that's happening. We been having unusual amounts of rain here in Fuerteventura so our usually very deserty island is actually very green right now. It doesn't feel like Christmas at all with the weather. If it's not raining it's sunny and 75 here so it's pretty much paradise weather. I really love it actually! We can't get together with the other Elders because they live on a different island which kinda stinks but it's okay, the members here really are family away from home and I love them a ton.

I love you guys so much,

Love,

Elder Harris

Thanksgiving in the Canaries

November 28, 2016

Dear Mom, Dad and Sam:

[Week of Nov. 22-28]

Monday - Well like I said last week, we pretty much just chilled. Then we cleaned the piso and did shopping. Then at night we went bowling with Howard and Ronald. That was pretty much the day. 

Bowling with Ronald & Howard, RM's who both served in Malaga

Hangin' with Ronald

Tuesday - So today we met with Jorge. He's progressing super good. He's still pretty excited for his baptism this upcoming Saturday so we are excited for him. Then we had consejo with the branch president and the relief society president as well. After that the Elders from Lanzarote came here to Fuerteventura for an intercambio. We got some yummy pizza for dinner and stayed up pretty late talking together. 

Wednesday - So today was really cool. We did our intercambio this morning. I went with Elder Douglas and found out some stuff about him and how I'll be able to help him this transfer. We got food from the branch president's wife again. Today, it was this really good rice and beans dish. The beans were similar to Chris's baked beans. Then right after medio Día we all hopped on a plane to go to Gran Canaria for zone training. It was a 40 minute flight, really similar to like a Nashville to Atlanta flight. We got there at about 7, and took a 30 minute bus ride to Las Palmas. We made tríos with the zone leaders and went contacting. There was 8 of us sleeping in the piso with the Zone leaders. Let's just say we didn't get to sleep for a while. 

Thursday - So today was a great day! We woke up and did studies. Then we had Zone training at the chapel. The missionaries on Gran Canaria and the 4 from my district were there in Gran Canaria, and the the missionaries on Tenerife Skyped in all together. The meeting was really good and we received the Christmas initiatives for this year. Then, the matrimony couple serving on Gran Canaria, the Rogers, made us a huge thanksgiving feast. It was AMAZING! 

Elder & Sister Rogers fixed the missionaries a Thanksgiving FEAST!

Elders Perez, Santiago, Harris, Waters, Phillips, Strong

Hermanas Vannuci, Hazard, Charlesworth, and Otto

Afterwards we got permission to have 2 hours of free time to play games. We played one called lobos which is like mafia. We also played the question game and ping pong. It was sooooooo fun! I loved the entire thing. 

Then, after the meeting Elder Perez and I stayed in Gran Canaria and started our intercambio with the Zone leaders. I went with Elder Lords. He's from Idaho we actually knew each other from the first time I was here and the last time I saw him was on the turkey bowl last year so it had been exactly a year since I had seen him. We caught up and actually got to teach some lessons. 

Friday - This morning we finished our intercambio with the Zone leaders and then we flew back to Fuerteventura at like 2. We ate lunch and did weekly planning. Then my companion was feeling pukey so we stayed in for the night. We actually also met with Jorge today, he has some doubts about tithing and he said he doesn't know if he can get baptized. We both bore very strong testimonies and gave him missionary promises that he would receive a testimony of it if he prayed to get an answer by Sunday.

Elders Harris & Perez

Beautiful

Saturday - Today we started with going and getting ready for the branch activity we were going to have in a little pueblo called Betancuria. The Rogers came from Gran Canaria to the activity. The activity was basically just a huge barbecue. We bought food for 50 and only 35 showed up so we had a ton of food. We had ribs, chicken, pork chops, and basically brats. It was super good food and we had a ton of it. When we got there it just started pouring rain on us. We thought we were gonna have to head back but we said a prayer and asked for the weather to pass. The rest of the day we had some cloud cover but the weather was perfect. I've got a bunch of pictures. 

Yummy!

Betancuria - panoramic

Sunday - So today was awesome. Jorge came to church for two hours! (He can normally only come to the first hour.) He told us after second hour that he had received an answer and that he indeed is getting baptized the 3 of December! Ca-ching! Haha! It was so awesome and the answer to so many prayers. After church we went to Zenon and Elena's house to eat. The food was better than last week and the food last week was really good! So, I've been just getting spoiled this transfer already. Jorge got his baptismal interview done tonight using skype and then after that we went to eat with Yolanda and Nacho. It was fresh snapper and fried potatoes. I love the members and the food I get here!!!! 

Awesome Double Rainbow!

Monday - So today is similar to last week. Just chilling and cleaning. We really don't have any plans so it's gonna be a nice day. 

DyC 4:3