Missionary Work Through SOCIAL MEDIA

September 25, 2017

[Week of September 19 – 25]

Monday - Well today we played basketball. Then we went home and chilled and then we wrote emails. Then after P-day we did some basic finding activities.

Tuesday - Well, as you all saw, we have Facebook now. IT IS AMAZING! The Lord has truly opened the door for missionary work here in the Spain Madrid Mission. These tools have completely changed our ability to be able to communicate with our investigators and to really have daily contact EVERY DAY! I absolutely love it. The MLC [Mission Leadership Council] that we had today was a ton of fun and I really love President Pack. He is the man the Lord needed in this mission to prepare us for these new tools. Well, after MLC we decided it was necessary that we prepare for our zone conference on Friday so we spent most of the evening studying the material we are going to be teaching on Friday.

Mission Leadership Council

Elder Harris' FIRST MISSIONARY FACEBOOK POST:

Wednesday - Today was really good. This morning we met with the Sister Training Leaders from our zone and further planned for our 3 hour part on Friday. Then we ate lunch as a district at Dominos. It was alright, but, definitely not as good as it is back home. After that we did our studies and then we taught English class. After English class we met with our friend Jose. He's a member but, we are really trying to help him get on the mission.

Lunch at Dominos

Thursday - So this morning we had weekly planning. It went really well. Part of the changes with technology is that we got a new way to do our weekly planning that really focuses on the people. It's really amazing to see how just changing a few things helps you to really focus on people instead of just key indicator numbers. Not that I was ever focused on it, but, it's really awesome to really plan for PEOPLE. Then after our normal afternoon schedule we played fútbol. We had some really good investigators come and we are pumped for some new opportunities to teach people.

Friday - Today we had zone conference. All the zones in Madrid came. It was really great. In the morning President Pack started the meeting with his remarks and then we as the leaders of the zone taught the rest of the morning. We talked about all of mobile device training and how we can use Facebook creatively as missionaries. Then we ate Papa John's for lunch. Then afterwards everyone got their phones and we helped them to set them up. We got ours on Tuesday so we actually already knew what to do. Then after zone conference we went to our ward Noche de hogar. After that we met some new people that showed up and we got some new investigators.

ZONE CONFERENCE

Saturday - So this morning we had Correlation. Then we started a new activity where we are going to play volleyball in the morning with the JAS and the youth. Then we ate lunch with the Liza-Leon family. Then we went to Leidy's house to help her family move. Then our friend, Gabi, had an interview with the Bishop and she's doing great. She's progressing so much and she's literally just been doing so good and doing her part with everything.

Sunday - Today we had Consejo de Barrio. Then we had church and it was really good. Then we ate lunch in the Piso and we made burritos. Then after lunch we did our studies. Then we made a bunch of phone calls and contacts and we set up like 15 lessons for this week. It was a really good day. 

Monday - Today for P-day we went to Leganes to visit a mall called Parque Sur. We ate Five Guys for lunch. Then we went bowling. It was really fun.

Love you all,

Elder Harris

Mormon Jeopardy and Facebook

September 18, 2017

[Week of September 11 – 18]

Monday - Well today we played basketball for P-day and it was really fun. Afterwards we went to get Kebab for lunch. Then after P-day was over we met with Gabi. She is so awesome. She just is progressing so much and she really likes the church and we are just seeing some huge miracles with her.

Tuesday - Today we did a lot of things to kind of set up for the upcoming weeks. We are using this application called maps.me and we are putting in all the addresses of members that we have so that we can pass-by all of them. Then after Medio día we went to visit with our recent convert Leidy. She's doing great and she's just loving being a member of the church now. Then we did some pass-bys to end the day. It was pretty good overall.

Wednesday - Today we went to district meeting in Fuenlabrada. It was pretty good. Then we did intercambios with Elder Cheung and Elder Tribett. I went with Elder Cheung. He's awesome. He's actually gonna be going home when I do so it was just fun to get out and work and we taught some lessons too. He's probably gonna go to BYUI so it would be dope to see him there.

Thursday - This morning we finished our Intercambio with the Elders and then we went over to a Member named Gonzalo's house. He fed us lunch and talked with us about how he wants us to teach his friends. It was really good. Then we did our studies. Then we had our normal Fútbol activity.

Friday - This morning we did weekly planning. It was really fun. Then we ate lunch with Carol. She made us some Peruvian food. It was pretty good. Then we did studies and then we had a ward Noche de hogar. We had the lesson and we did book of Mormon Jeopardy. It was really fun. Then we played fútbol with the youth afterwards.

Saturday - Today was good. I had some bowel problems all night last night so I slept a little bit this morning. Then after Medio dia we met with a member named Wilmar, he's in the bishopric and he helped us to update the ward member list. Then we started to get Facebook set up.

Sunday - So my stomach was having some trouble as well but, I survived. Church was really good though. We had 3 people there including Inocencia. Then after church we ate with the Cantos family. They always give us Dr.Pepper so they are a godsend for me. Then we had a meeting with the stake leaders and ward mission leaders of Madrid to talk about moving missionary work forward. It was really good!

Monday - Today we played bball again. That's about it. It was a good day.

Love you guys,

Elder Harris

Preaching with Perez

September 11, 2017

[Week of September 4 – 10]

Monday - So today I got with Elder Perez again. It's been a really fun time being with him again and we are really excited for the chance we have to work together. Tonight we had a ward activity where we ended up just playing Fútbol with our investigators for a little while.

Tuesday - So today was a pretty normal day with some pass-bys and other finding methods involved. We were pretty tired by the end of the day because we had to spend quite a bit of time outside.

Wednesday - So this morning we had district meeting with our district. It's the combination of the missionaries in B3/B9. There's 10 of us in all. It was a really good meeting. Then after that we went to KFC with the Chinese Hermanas that serve in our ward as well as a returned missionary who is visiting from England. It was pretty fun. Then we met with Inocencia one of our best investigators. She's 71 years old and she's from Abancai, Peru. Apparently you have to go through there to get to Cuzco, so, Dad I bet you've been there before. She's really awesome and is progressing a ton. The only bad thing is she has surgery this upcoming week and then it's gonna be like 2 months before she can be baptized. She's really great though and she LOVES the church.

Thursday - This morning we did weekly planning. We have a tradition that whoever loses the game of chess we play at the beginning has to fill everything out while we are planning. I lost...so I had to fill it out this time. But, it was really good. Then this afternoon we worked on an application we use called maps.me to update all of the info in there. Then tonight we played fútbol like always with our group on Thursday nights. It was really good.

Friday - This morning we did a whole bunch of phone calls to clean out our area Book. It was fun. We dropped like 70-80 people today alone. Haha! Then we ate lunch. Then we had a lesson with Inocencia. It was good. Just trying to help give her some support before she has her surgery. She actually made us papa La huanciana. It was really good. We had ward family home evening tonight. Then afterwards we played fútbol with the youth. We are really trying to reach out to them because they are really trying to improve and gain their own testimonies.

Elder Perez with Papa la Huanciana

Saturday - Today was really good. This morning we had a meeting with the District leaders in our zone to set goals for this upcoming transfer. Then after that we ate lunch. Then we had a bunch of lessons that failed us today so we did a lot of finding. It was a pretty good day overall though. We met some good people.

Sunday - Church was amazing today! Then we ate with a member named Enma and her family. They made rice and beans and pork chops. It was pretty good. Then we had a lesson with a new lady named Felicia. She's pretty great. She's from Paraguay. Then we had Noche de JAS. Then the day was over.

Monday - Today we played basketball in Pavones with like 15 other Elders. It was really fun. Then we 'rebaptized' the two new Elders in our district. Which otherwise means we ate kebab with them for the first time. They liked it. Kebab isn't exactly the healthiest thing you can eat. Well, life is good love you guys.

Love,

Elder Harris

BIG WEEK: Temple, Baptism, Piso Tour, Zone Leader

September 4, 2017

[Week of August 28 - September 3]

Monday - Today my companion and I went to Aranjuez to visit the District meeting there. It was held today because on Wednesday we are going to the temple. The meeting was really good. Afterwards, we headed back to B3 where we ate lunch with Wilmar and his wife. Then we had a lesson with Leidy at 4. Then we had a Noche De Hogar with two of our investigators named Christian and Jaider. They are two brothers that work at the Atlético Madrid stadium. They are super cool. Then after that we had another noche de hogar with the Valverde family. It was a really good day.

Tuesday - So today I went to Toledo to do intercambios with Elder Ward. We actually had a pretty good day and we were able to find 2 new investigators. Then we went back to B3 together because tomorrow we are going to the temple in the morning.

Wednesday - This morning we went to the temple. The session was really good. Then afterwards we played basketball for like 3 hours. Then we went and ate Tierra for lunch. It was delicious. Then we had English class and then as well, we helped a member named Raúl move. It was a really good day.

THE PACKS DO PISO TOURS

Thursday - This morning we had a lesson with a guy named Frank. He's a totally awesome dude from Venezuela. After our lesson we went to the Piso because the Packs are doing Piso inspections. It was really fun and my companion and I got Celestial because our Piso was clean. 

Elder Erickson & Elder Harris showing off Piso genealogy at Barrio 3

Elders  Erickson & Harris got "Celestial" scores on their clean piso!

Elder Harris & Elder Erickson with President & Sister Pack

Then we did weekly planning this afternoon. Then we played fútbol for our ward activity tonight.

Friday - This morning we had a mission leadership council meeting to discuss the goals we are gonna have in September as a mission. For baptisms we are setting the goal at 29 for this month. We are so hopeful and faithful for this goal. We finished up our weekly planning today and as well we had our ward noche de hogar. Things are going really well. Our ward is doing a lot of good things to help us. This ward is really amazing.

BAPTISM, ZONE LEADER & ELDER PEREZ

Saturday - So we spent the whole morning this morning setting up transfers. Then we made the preparations for Leidy's baptism. The baptism was great, the Spirit was super strong. The Packs even came and visited for it. 

Yamil, Elders Erickson & Harris, Sarah, Leidy, Kimi, Lucia

Yamil, Kimi,Leiei, Ramber, Kimi, Lucia,
Elders Harris & Erickson

Then we went home. As well, today I found out who my new companion will be. I'm gonna be with ELDER PÉREZ! You know the guy I was with in Fuerteventura. We are now Zone Leaders together. It's awesome because we have the zone that is tied for the biggest in the mission now with 26 missionaries. I'm so happy to be with him again.

Sunday - Today was really good. It was pretty much full of stuff going on for Elder Erickson going home. We had a Noche De JAS tonight and there was like 35 people there. Normally we have like 15 so it was a significantly bigger group.

Elders Erickson, Lowder, Harris, Taylor, Pollard, Chandler

Monday - Well today we are just gonna be chilling. Doing some compras. That's pretty much life right now. I'm sure I'll be able to give you more details next week.

Love you all,

Elder Harris

DyC 4:3