Oregonians; September 16

Okay, No one worry. Elder Hadlock is our newest zone leader. What? I know. Who knew when we were messing around in high school that we'd both be on a mission in the exact same place in the exact same zone. It's crazy. He has changed a lot. He is a great ZL. 

Well this week has been crazy. Our area has been slow and Sister Carter wrote her dad about it and he is the bishop of her ward at home and he said that the Mission President in that area where they live advised the missionaries to get a bishop blessing from the bishop in the ward they are serving in because he has the keys to the area. So that is what we did. One thing that stuck out in my blessing was that my happy joyous countenance will be a blessing to others. I know. You're all shocked. I am too. The thing I hear the most since I've been out here is your so happy. i love your smile. I know you are all collapsing reading that. At home everyone thought I was grumpy. I'm glad I'm seeing some change in me haha the gospel brings me so much happiness I hope it brings you all so much happiness.  Anyways, things finally started to pick up.  We went tracting on Tuesday and tracted into a former investigators house that we've been trying to get an appointment set up forever. She wanted to wait until school started and then she shattered her hand and she is just a mess. but we talked to her sister for awhile and she is a true christian and she has such a strong testimony of Christ and she has had so many spiritual experiences we just need to help her recognize the spirit and she will be baptized and be a solid member. She has never sat in on any of the lessons and she said she would. I'm so excited. Then our other investigator Heather we finally got to meet with and it was a little crazy with her 3 year old running around everywhere. She has taken the lessons before but since she has no religious background she needs the lessons again. She had them over a year ago. but she has been going to primary with her kids for over a year because her kids love it and she loves the simplicity of it. she'll finally be in sacrament next sunday because it's the primary program. and she told us her family has family prayer every night and when we went to visit her her three year old daughter gave the prayer. I love when little kids pray. And her daughter who is 8 goes to activity days and came home with a scripture chart and wants to start reading scriptures. so she wants to go through the scriptures with us so she can explain it to her children. she also wants to start doing family home evening but doesn't know how. she is super solid and is doing this all for her kids because her kids learn it in primary and all their friends do it. we just need to help her gain a testimony and realize how important baptism is. Yesterday, there was two baptisms for two kids in our ward who are Heather's daughters age and we called and reminded her about it and she said she wasn't going to make it and then she called back 5 minutes later and asked if it was too late to change her mind because all her kids want to go.  Kids are so great. Then with our less active, Mollie. I don't remember if I told you we are teaching her the lessons and getting her to come to church isn't working so we decided to start small and make her a scripture reading chart and get her into her scriptures. She's been keeping her commitments and reading. It's awesome! and the other day one of Sister Carters recent converts came in and had questions about the law of chastity and feels like she is trapped and sister carter didn't teach her about it. we answered her questions and told her bluntly and i sat there and listened most of the time because i have a hard time opening my mouth when im not comfortable and at the end i asked her why she got baptized and if she believes this is the true church and she said yes so i asked her why she was questioning all these things and got mad and yelled and said we don't understand because we're not her age and stormed off and said she was leaving the church. I felt so bad. That's twice now, when i get the courage to open my mouth I make the people mad. 

On Sunday, yesterday Sister Carter and I had to teach the Sunday school lesson. It was last minute and not many people were there and we didn't get much discussion going and my words got jumbled like usual and it was a mess. but things are okay now though. all those experiences are in the past and now we move on haha

One more thing. I don't remember if I told you we went back to the Welton's Mansion to eat dinner and their dining room and entry way is as beautiful as the outside of the house.  Their kids were so well behaved and well mannered and they are super smart. They have 6 kids. They must be doing something right to be that blessed and then that reminded me of my favorite scripture Mosiah 2:41.  They keep the commandments, they are humble, they know where that wealth really comes from and they are blessed not only spiritually but temporally as well. They are truly happy people. Not because of their wealth but because of the gospel. We can all be happy and be blessed if we just do the simple thing, keeping the commandments. It's a simple pattern but not easy to follow but I know we can all put the distractions of the world away and put God first and everything will work out. Love you all. sorry for the long email.

~Sister Harris