August 26: Hola again

The temple today was neat! Last night we went over to the Medinas so I could help with family search stuff. I connected her grandmother and BAM like 30 others apeared and a couple of them had already gotten work done!! So today she printed some off and we took them to the temple and she and Carlos did them! Wow, I was so filled with the spirit and with this undescribeable feeling when the ordinances were being performed. It was amazing! Then they went book shopping and we ran and got changed and went upstairs and did a session! The new video was amazing. I really loved it and learned A LOT! The different actors had a real unique twist on it. I especially loved Eve. Enough said, I think.

Anyways, so Becky and Joe are the best. They came to a baptism on saturday and when the man came up out of the water they were both smiling like they had won millions of dollars worth of nutella. It was great! We had a lesson a couple of days ago about the Wow again and chastity, and then went over the interview baptism questions again. after we were done, just looking into her eyes, I had the hugest overwhelming feeling of God's love for her. It was incredible. I looked into her eyes and for a fleeting moment connected with the spirit who wasn't plauged with schizo and anxiety. It was incredible. I told her that God loved her a lot and asked her if she knew that. She said that she did, but she didn't know that before she met us. How cool that she knows that now!!! And what a difference it makes :) 

 

Sorry this week's emails have been so lame--but next week it'll be more cohesive hopefully. Love you lots!! Hna Harkness

 

 

August 26: Transfer Week

Hola my dear family!!

 

So this week's email is gonna be in two parts because we're going to Nauvoo today! We're going with the Medinas and we don't have enough time to email it all today. We're going to go to baptisms and maybe a session if we have time--I'll send pictures tomorrow. 

This week has been a great one! I love my companions more than I love nutella (which is A LOT) and I'm sad to leave them this week, but I know that it is 100% the Lord's will. I am excited to do whatever He has in store for this next transfer. This week I have learned a lot about the purpose of this life, and for me especially as a missionary. For these past two transfers, I've been easily discouraged whenever I am not "perfect" in accomplishing all of my goals and duties as a missionary. I've learned so much how to rely on the Savior and how important trusting in God is. I am going to fall short every day and I've learned that that is okay! Our weaknesses are given to us for a definite reason and God has a plan for each and every one of them to become strengths. Thank heavens for the Atonement of Jesus Christ that allows us to become better and work on those weaknesses, one by one, day by day, and step by step. I know that He loves us perfectly and wants to help us in anything and everything in our lives, if we just make the efforts to put Him first and follow His will. 

 

My mom sent me some gospel pictures a couple of weeks ago, and one of them is of Jesus Christ standing at the helm of a boat, calming a torrential storm. I was fascinated by the men that were on the boat with Him. A couple men were mesmerized by His power and saving grace--everything they were doing was focused on their Savior. A few others's eyes were fixed on Him, but were still grasping the boat, desperately clinging to the broken material they foolishly thought could guide them back to land. Lastly, there was one man sitting at the stern of the boat in shadow, facing away from his Redeemer and frantically scooping water out of the boat, pail by pail. This man was so concerned with the water swelling up around his ankles that he did not stop to notice Jesus Christ at the helm of the boat, willing and ever so ready to solve all his problems. How often do we do the same thing--frantically trying to order our life's problems without consulting the Lord, and trusting in God? I know that if we do the same thing as the first men--drop all of our worries and come to Him, that all will be possible.

 

 Anyways, last friday/saturday was transfer calls (where the APs and Pres call you to tell you what's going on). Friday Hna Phelps got a call saying that she'll be staying here in IC 1st spanish but going sister training leader!! What a blessing to her and to the sisters here! She's going to be fantastic :) All saturday we waited for a call as well. I was pretty darn sure that all of us were going to stay together until I got my visa mid-transfer probably....(that's what happened to the last Argentine waiter). Every time the phone beeped, buzzed, or burped Hermana Howell had a freak-attack. I would pick it up and yell, "It's presdient!!!!" and throw it at her. She would catch it excitedly every time, to just realize that it was nothing. Hahahah it was so funny :) We get along really well, can't you tell??? LAst transfer Elder Van Woerkom (AP) called us at 10:26 at night with the news that we were all staying so that was my bet--the same time and the same news. We got a call from him again this time at 9:30ish however and I was wrong. "Hna Phelps you're staying. Hna Howell....you're staying too! Hermana Harkness.......you're leaving.........." I thought he was joking because he did that last time too...but then he wasn't. I asked if it was a visa and he said no, that I was needed in another area and I would see why later. I'm not training or opening a new area, just transferring. We were all in shock and I just teared for a minute or two. It makes me so sad to leave Becky and Joe and the people that I love here so much! 

 

This week has been incredible with those two (more on that tomorrow), and I felt multiple times that I was sent here at this time to be with them on their path to conversion. They were both kind of sad yesterday at Church and Joe said that they'll have to come and visit me wherever I go. I don't know where I'm going yet; probably Des Moines. But the other areas I could go are Mt Pleasant, or Ottumwah. There are two more spanish sister areas (iowa city and washington), but I'm not staying here and the washington sisters aren't moving around at all. Anyways, I'll let you all know next week where I end up :) Although I was completely shocked by transfer news, I know that it is the will of the Lord and that it is for the best! I am excited to see what this next transfer holds and cannot wait to improve and become better :)

Well, that's all the time I've got for today--I'll write you more tomorrow :)

 

Love you!!!

Hermana Harkness

August 19: I LOVE YOU!

Hola familia!!! 

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE BDAY PACKAGE!!!! I finally got it last friday from some trainer's meeting thing in Davenport--I almost hugged the AP when he gave it to me, I was so happy! Holy cow you really went all out! I especially loved the cards--I read them like every day and am obsessed with them. The cat shirt....should've seen that coming ;) Tell Jazz thanks mucho for the cheesecake! We haven't had time to make it, but will soon!! 

 

 

Yup, Linds and I email. She is incredible!!!

 

 

Yup, we got the packages!! THANK YOU SO MUCH for the packages. The book for the Medinas was perfect, and she loved it! They are incredible ward missionaries. Like perfect!! Straight from PMG and a million times better than the District. I want you to meet them so bad!!

 

 

Becky and Joe are back on track! We had a killer awesome church tour with them and a slam down a few days later. We got there and Becky was about to leave, all upset. But then I showed her the V8 juice we brought her and she was all peachy. Then we got inside and they were at each other (finances are low) so we just sat there and chilled. I said, "Becky, what did we tell you to do when you feel upset and angry?" .....pause...... "pray." "yup!!! Have you prayed yet?" .....pause...... "no." "Ok, let's pray." So Hna P then prayed and I taught them right after that from John 15 about God's commandment to love. It was great and they committed to try harder. Then on Saturday we solidified their date and went over the bap interview questions--they were solid!! We still have to get Joe to stop drinking tea and review some of the commandments and teach chastity and tithiing and fasting, but besides that they are so ready. We got outside and joe wanted to show us his shed, so he did and it was so cute :) he told his mormon neighbors, "we're going to take the plunge!!" it was great. Then, the next morning, true to fashion, Becky called and dropped us again. it was depressing. They didn't come to Church and it was sad. I talked to Joe and he was still on date and believed. She would call and say, "I never want you to come back to my house again" and then hang up. Bless her heart. She called us again that night and told us sorry and that she felt bad. I answered her questions that made her upset. She had called her brother who had told her that we were a cult and that we were not Christians. in her words, "I was so upset because I want to be a christian not a mormon". Hahaha I told her that we were Christian, and the full name of the church, and she was ecstatic it was so cute :) They're on date :) I'm convinced that I am here in Iowa for a specific reason, and one of those reasons is Becky and Joe. I can relate to them, and whenever we go over there I mostly teach the whole thing, because I just know what to say and how to say it. It's not because I'm a super gospel genious, or because I really know my stuff or because I'm like the coolest missionary ever....it's because the Lord wants them to learn the gospel, and I happen to be here with the ability to love the crap out of them and help them understand gospel principles. Sheesh!!! I love being a missionary :)

 

 

I played piano yesterday in Churhc in RS. Really, this is like a regular utah ward (the building we attend is newer than our stake center) and just as large--if not larger. The only difference is that there is about 20-30 spanish members and that's why we're here :) We teach mostly in english right now. our spanish investigators are few--ricardo (new this past week), and martin (the man who has been taking lessons for 4 years with a date) and marioro (new two weeks ago). 

 

 

I've seen the hand of the Lord directly in my life and in this work many times this week. Yesterday, I was feeling particularly burdened and down and impatient. I mustered everything i could to be loving and kind and practically babysat through sacrament meeting (if that's even possible to babysit and not touch children). I was feeling the strength of the Lord aiding me because of my efforts to forget myself and focus on others. I mustered up enough courage to ask the elders for a blessing. The blessing was incredible--it talked about beautiful things and it was directly from my father in Heaven. It said that I have brought joy to those you've taught here in Iowa but in Argentina you'll bring light to those who are lost. That is a specific phrase that is from my setting apart blessing. That I'll bring light to those in spiritual darkness. I was comforted and knew that I'm actually making a difference in these people's lives. It's so hard when you love them so much and want to do everything for them, and then you have to leave them two weeks later. But, it was comforting to hear these words and know that I am doing alright. Also in the middle of the blessing he simple said, "He loves you. " It was so calm and in my heart I could feel those words vibrating and making themselves permanent. I know that H eloves me and loves all of you. Sometimes life is just downright discourageing, and you just need to sit down and know that God loves you. Because He does!! It's marvelous. Pray to feel His love this week: I promise it'll come.

Love, Hermana Harkness

Hermana and her birthday box

August 12: Hola Hola Hola!

This week has been great! 

I still love my companions to death and think they are the best things since sliced bread. They are huge examples to me of patience and love. I am so grateful for them! This week we worked a lot with Becky and Joe (have a baptismal date for Aug 31). Becky has schizophrenia and struggles with low sodium. This week her sodium dropped real low and she dropped us (it was the second time) and threw away the Book of Mormon. We received a distressed call from Joe (her husband) saying that she threw away his bible. He had actually started to read it, liked it, and then she threw it away. We talked to them last night and smoothed it all over--she said that when her sodium gets low she gets cranky and doesn't do nice things. Joe expressed to us that he loves it when we come over because he learns so much. He prayed for the second time at the end of the lesson and I was filled to the brim with the Spirit. His prayer was so simple and incredibly sincere--he prayed for "all the missionaries and Becky" and I felt instantly edified and strengthened as soon as he ended the prayer. It was incredible! My faith has grown so much this week as I have witnessed their faith building and have noticed how much God does love them. I knew He did before, but I felt so much love for them last night in that lesson that my heart nearly exploded (which would have been so gross so I was super relieved it didn't)! I am so grateful that our Heavenly Father allows us to be missionaries and to witness all of these miracles by His hands. I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and that He will always stand by us--through the sunshine and the torrential downpours.

I haven't gotten the package for Shannon yet--I'll let you know when I do. Thank you so much, Mom! You and Dad are gonna come out with me here to visit all these great people. Especially the Medinas. They are wonderful and are absolute saints to us. She has gone through incredible bouts of cancer and is just a champ! Yesterday one of the Elders' investigators came to Church and was asking tricky questions in Gospel principles. Shannon raised her hand multiple times and bore more powerful testimony than all of us missionaries (five of us) in there combined. It was incredible. Her first Sunday at Church 5ish weeks ago she would barely tell the class her name. Now she's raising her hand, asking questions, and changing people's lives. Wahoo this is the gospel of Jesus Christ, people!! THIS is what happens when they embrace it and trust in God. The investigator wanted NOTHING to do with the BoM during class and kept rebuking it and being real annoying about it. Shannon bore testimony of it, and after she stopped, the investigator was quiet for a moment, turned to the Elders and said, "Can you give me one of those?" They just stared at her, creating a lake of drool on the floor, and my and my comps were like, "Yes they can!!!"

Anyways, so that lady in Church--her life was changed because Shannon Medina came back to church and is totally willing to do what the Lord would have her do. Before, on our first appt with her, she was all, "Mormons shmormons" but now she's the best member missionary I've ever seen and every time she talks I am floored and amazed and filled with the Spirit. That's the gospel, folks!!

Thank you for forwarding Trev's emails. They make my life so much better :)

Hardly any of our little investigators speak espanol. We're working on that :)

Sabbath day was AWESOME as usual, that's why they call it the Sabbath.

Okay, so here's the run down.

Becky and Joe are back on track, folks!! I can identify with them like nobody's business. Like it's ridiculous how well I can teach them and help them understand things and know what they're trying to ask. It's wonderful!!! From the moment I started first talking to Joe, to now--I just love them so much!! Joe always walks us out to our car after every time we see them and yesterday Becky came too! I blew a kiss at her as I was backing the car--she smiled, blew one back, then went back inside. I just cannot express to you all how much I love them.

Martin. Bless his dear little heart. We had a killer lesson with him in a member's home two weeks ago, but he still refuses to come to Church!!! We've had nothing but killer awesome lessons since day one with him, and every time he tells us he wants to come to church and change and read his scriptures and get baptized, but he had some things holding him back. this most recent lesson we helped him see that he's already repentant and that baptism is the next step. he agreed to sept 7th for a date, but still wont come to church. He and his wife nancy are just adorable and have great faith in our savior...we're going to focus this week on ACTING on our faith.

John!!! He is the coolest! A couple of weekends ago, I and the mini missionary found John by random events in a park. The lil mish asked for a spanish referral and that didn't work so I asked if he knew anyone who wanted to learn more about Christ. "I do" was his reply. So I plopped ourselves next to him atop the picnic table and taught the PoS , Atonement, and Restoration (don't worry, that wasnt the idea, I was just answering questions). It was one of the first times that the words came flying outta my mouth perfectly. Like I was past the "thinking" point and everything just happened. Sometimes the Lord makes you work real hard in lessons, but this time He took over. We saw him again a week and a half ago, had a killer awesome lesson on the porch, he accepted baptism and a date Sept 7th, and we haven't seen him since. He wont answer his phone and he's never home.....so we're gonna find him this week.

The story of the man in the hospital from last week--he was going to go to a home in Des Moines but then came back because he hated it,....so he'll get a baptismal date soon. He is remarkable. when we first met him he was practically faithless and hopeless and wanted to get faith back. That was it--that desire. We helped him to work that desire in him until now it's full-blown faith!!! The scriptures say you only need a little bit to move mountains, and thats what's happening--all because of the gospel of Christ!! Hallalujah!!!!

I've finally accepted the fact that I am the worst and won't get anywhere......without God. Only with Christ can I actually do anything meaningful here in good ole Iowa/Argentina. Lots of times I would get all discouraged thinking I was so lame because I wasn't perfect....Then it hit me. You're not perfect!!! Whoa that was hard to swallow. Hahah but really. He has given us weaknesses so that we can become strong unto Him (read Ether 12) and He lets us fail so that we remember to keep coming back to His loving arms. We need to accept where we are and love what God has given us. The desires of your hearts are good and you CAN move forward and improve with God. Nothing you've done or will do is outside of Christ's Atonement.

Know that I love you all dearly and know that more importantly, our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ love you. This week, read the conference talk Peace at Home (something or other...I think that's what it's called). You'll love it. It meant a lot to me this week, especially the end.

Love, Hna Harkness

August 5: Missionary Work in Iowa

Hola Hola!!

Hope you're all doing well and loving life in Utah & MTC!

This week has been INCREDIBLE!!!

Please thank the Rebers for me--that is unspeakably kind of them!!

Yay for Elder (aka Shalwayrydsk...did I spell that right??) Harkness!!! Ah, if I could just be the type of missionary you are, everyone in Iowa would be baptized right now. I'm so glad to hear that you are doing well!! Good job on being brave mom! Everyone here freaks out that you have two missionaries and then they instantly think Trevor is cooler because he's going to Bulgaria. But then I find comfort when I speak English and Spanish in lessons and not Bulgarian. I'll be praying for you Shalklksdfkljadkfjk Harkness--you're gonna need all the help you can get. But hello, God would not have called you there unless He knew that you would baptize the whole country. So I have no worries. I have the utmost faith and assurance that you are going to rise to and especially surpass this challenge and become the greatest missionary EVER!!

Hahah last night we had dinner with Las Tres (these three ladies that are roommates that all speak spanish). One of them is from ..... dont remember....somewhere south of USA...and went to Argentina/God's Country on her mission as well and made us some argentine rice/potatoe/beef stuff. Golly that's when I tried to buy the plane ticket. SO DELICIOUS!! I'm excited for Neuquen.

Sheesh I hate this one hour rule. I've got 12 minutes so please spare my grammar. so in response to your note about the dumb anti book, ive learned and thought a lot about that this week. we are teaching a man that is currently in the hospital right now. we knew him before and taught him twice before at a member's house, but he just seemed crazyish and we couldn't tell what was up. he came to church once...but we just didnt know what to do with him. friday we got a missed call from that member. later in the afternoon i remembered and called her back, when she informed us that he was in the hospital for his hand. that was odd, i thought, but we'll go see him. so we all decided to go and when we got to his unit he was in the mental unit. hmmmmm. the member told us that us three were really the only people he wanted to see. we chatted and I asked him if he was only here in the hospital for his hand, and nothing else? i was shocked that came outta my mouth, but went with it--as it came from the spirit. turns out he opened up to us. he tried to commit suicide the weekend before through injecting a bunch of random chemicals into his hand. he missed the vein and it was eventually his son that convinced him to go to the doc. so we've taught him lots of things about Jesus Christ. That is what we have focused on, because HE IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS. The only thing! It has been amazing this week as we've taught this to people like this man, who still wants to kill himself, but sees this glimmer of hope because he's starting to grasp the idea that there is somebody that loves and cares for him. (dont worry mom we're not in danger or anything, he actually loves us to pieces and told us yesterday that we're the only people he trusts because we're not malicious or devious. and he's not crazy. just sad and needs to know about God)

This gospel of Christ is so amazing, and it is incredible seeing it changing the lives of people here in Iowa. Next week I'm going to send an email with specific stories aobut our progressing investigators, because you all need to know about them :)

Since I'm a missionary and all we do is teach, commit, and follow up, I'm going to ask you all this week to focus explicitly on our Savior this week. Because we've been baptized we've already promised to do that. But this week, start now and think of Him all the time. It will change you and your relationships and your outlook on life. I will do the same and we can all follow up with each other next week :)

Love you to death,

Hermana Harkness

Nauvoo was totally wicked!!! We are all going there when Elder Harkness and I get back. I'm sending home a package soon full of stuff from it. And I got to see Sister Newell!! It was a joyous reunion and she is just as amazing as ever. Tell her mom that she is the best missionary in Nauvoo. :) more on nauvoo next week

funny story while these load. two days ago we were leaving seeing our bud/investigator in the hospital and hnaphelps kicked the car keys down the elevator shaft. hahahahaah. dont ever do that. but just in case you were wondering, missionaries are stupid too. we got them back and then the remote thingerbobber didnt work so then we panicked a wee bit but then magically hna p pulled a regular key out of the remote thinggerbobber. Thank the heafvens for smart engineers!! (But mostly just thanks to Heavenly Father who looks out for stupid missionaries)

wahooo the mississippi river!! Shannon (the lady who drove us) thought we were so silly for being so excited about seeing the river. We were like, "it's the mississippi river!!!" I hope you understand my excitement.

i can't remember what I attached. Enjoy.

July 29: What's up familia?

Hola from Iowa City!! 

 

Things here are super duper as ever and this week has been remarkable. INCREDIBLE. I have learned so much and grown so much that I am almost 7 feet tall (be jealous, Nate)!! Just kidding. But really, it's been an incredible week!

It all started with the super-de-duper package from Momma!! Wowsa I laughed so hard at all of those cards, you have no idea :) I they are all currently in my talk binder so I can look at them, read them, and feel happy :) The socks are great and the mints tasted yum ;) So thank you muchisimas from the bottom of mi corazon!!!

I'm glad you're still enjoying the oboe while I'm gone. It is the best instrument, ya know ;) If I was watching it with you I probably would have cried too....but because it probably would have burst my ear drums hahahaha......

Ok lame jokes done. TREVOR I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! I sent a letter to you with the medical release thing that dad sent but I dunno if it'll get to you in time (So mom and dad please forward that to the MTC por favor...?). Basically I was just crying and writing you a letter and thinking about my favoritest Trevor in the whole world going on a mission and how I won't get to hug and see you until July 2015..... But I'll be brave, I promise :) Because MISSIONS ARE THE BEST!!! And you are going to make one fabulous missionary. I've thought a lot about you this past week and have tried to become better as a result of that. You are such an example to me, little bro and I know that you're gonna be incredibly amazing as a missionary. Enjoy the In-n-out and don't get too fat in the MTC. If you do get fat, don't worry, I'll still love you :) But get fat spiritually!!!

I didn't used to think that I would still be in the states for my bday, but here I am!! Wahoo for America!! Really I cannot think of anything I really need. The only thing I want is my quilt, but there aint no way that that pup could fit into my suitcase. So I'm fine :) But I would't reject any packages, that's for sure :) Thanks for your generosity, Momma. There's a lot of mommas out here that don't love their kids like you love us, and it's really awesome and humbling to me. So I hope you know how fantastic you are as a mother :)

Nate!!! Are you Micheal Jordan yet or what? Thanks for the card--it fit in hilariously into our week because we were all trying not to say "crap" that week. Everytime we said crap the other two would say "five" which would signify 5 crunches/situps that evening....Hna H and I currently have six packs.

Sissa!! Way to go on the license!! That is super duper sweeeeeeet!!! I'm so proud of you and your independence :) That was the sweetest day ever when I got to go drive by myself. NO TEXTING AND DRIVING EVER. No matter if Jazz and I ever did it....Just don't. I love you!!!

Good luck on finals James!!! And Jasmine--I LOVE YOU!!!

Questions:

"How are your investigators?"
We currently have 7 investigators.
Martin has been investigating the Church for about 3 years now and is barely progressing. He just won't come to Church. We're gonna make a HUGE push for Church this week and are doing everything we can just to bribe him and his wife Nancy to come. (By the way, church cookies are the coolest and they work!!! Just not for Martin and Nancy quite yet). Nancy is a member and is one of the 9 daughters of the Santos family (Matilde the mom has 11 kids and they're all in the ward. 8 are married and have kids and we're trying to get them all active and doing good things and whatnot). He is absolutely incredible and has TONS of faith in Jesus Christ. He has tried to quite smoking for years, and right before we got here he quit--solely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He's quite an amazing fellow!

Dawn and her two daughters Storm and Sterling won't come to church either!! They are the kindest people and as blonde as the sun. They are eager to learn and very ready to listen. Their scheduling is real hard, however.

Becky and Joe. It was a miracle that we found them! She has schizophrenia and it was cool to relate to her and tell her that I had an aunt with a similar condition that will also be perfect after this life. They came to Church, and a talk was given about mental illness. It was INCREDIBLE. The Lord knows His children so much and just prepares things up the wazoo so that they come unto Christ! The whole time she kept turning to me and telling me that she loves it here and that she's learning so much and it was cool to tell her that this was all happening because God loves her. That's the reason for all good things, folks! Because God loves you. They dropped us on saturday, actually. We invited them to a baptism, but they accidentally (we found out later when we dropped by) thought that we were inviting them to their own baptism. Hahahahaha aren't they the greatest?? We're probably going to pass them off this week. They're actually not in our area, and even though we got them approved, we feel like they should go to the second ward.

James is moving on saturday, darn it all!! We found him roofing his house one day. We went to go find a LA and crossed the street and I felt to go talk to them. Him and his bud turned off their music and came down from the roof to talk. His bud asked a bunch of weird science questions that were fun to answer but James was genuinely interested. So I went back with the called-to-serve Sister Zimmerman and taught him about the BoM and the Resto last week. He accepted baptism but wanted to do his research first. He was so stoked to read the Book and it is incredible how much the BoM made sense to him. He just soaked up everything we said like it was 100% true and didn't question a thing. He had questions, but just loved it all! It was cool to witness what it was like to teach someone who is completely prepared. We're going back to teach him this week before he goes back to live with his dad for school this fall.

We're also working a lot with trying to get the members involved. Most of them are here for med school and are starting to get involved with the work. It's great!! We had a family of 4 get reactivated yesterday (4 times in a row to church) and I've never felt such joy!! It was like gettting four baptisms!! They are incridible. We first met them and basically she and her hub got baptized 2 years ago. one year later they were shoved into the temple and it terrified her real real bad. She was totally freaked out and they started investigating other churches. Now they're making goals to go back to the temple and they amaze me. Really I just wish you could meet them!! They are so kind and so full of faith and desire to do what is right!! Ahhhh!!! I love them!!!!!

"How is your branch doing?"
So we're in a ward. It's actually bigger than the 20th ward back home and has millions of screaming children that love to call us "sistew missionawies!!!" It's the coolest being a celebrity :) Over the past couple of years the baptismal rate has declined and the new bishop is pumped and we're ready to get those numbers up again. We're working hard with the members and the elders have like 8 dates set with investigators for el bautismo. We really have incredible leaders and I want you all to meet all of them.

"Tell me about how you teach people? What are you appointments like?"
So at first it was awkward teaching in a threesome but now it's the coolest!! We've figured it out and love it. So normally we start off with normal conversation (if it's a member) or just dive right into the good stuff if they're an investigator/potential. We keep it all focused on Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation (we're better with the former, and are working on the latter) and teach PMG lessons. We're focusing on concentrating our information and making it short, powerful, and ground shaking. Usually we'll share a passage of scripture or two and always end with a prayer unless Lucienne's cat has a seizure as I'm saying it (which actually happened!!!! Again, cats are the worst).

"What miracles have you seen this week?" 

Every day is a miracle here in Iowa!! We had the sweetest opportunity to be with two 17yr olds from the stake in a program named called to serve. They go out with us on mini missions and we saw miracles up the wazoo!! We first went to go to service in west branch and helped a family move. Then Bishop took us to McDs but on the way Hna H and P talked to this dude (anti mormon...) and I was on the phone gettign dropped by Becky and Joe (but thankfully we salvaged them that afternnon and we're still on track). Then we got to McDs and got anti-ed again!! This man walked up to me and said hey and we listed, bishop talked, and I stood up, shook his hand, said nice to meet you, and bore testimony of Christ and he left. Then we saw huge miracles that day--and I have no time left!! Arg. I'll write you a letter. Loves!!

"Have you guys been trained on what to do if there is a tornado?"

Yeah!! Go to the window and take pictures!!

"What can I send you?"

Love and prayers for the people of Iowa!!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Hermana Harkness

July 22: Transfer #2

Hola familia!!!

Wow it hears like you're all doing great!! Nate! Dude!!!! Congrats on the awesome bball news!! I don't understand how you even have time to eat and sleep between all these millions of tournaments you have going on! Sheesh! Keep up the good work and keep having fun. That's the most important part ;)
Liv Liv!!! Santa vaca little lady I just knew you'd be the best YCL ever!! You are incredible and are a HUGE example to me. I'm sure you made those girls' camp the best one they're ever going to have because of your love and support. Way to go! I'm so proud of you :)

Trev!! I could cry for excitement for you!!! I'm freaking out over here!! When do you enter the MTC? Which one? What's your farewell topic? If you don't write me while you're in the MTC...you just don't wanna know what's gonna happen. :) hahaha you're going to make the BEST MISSIONARY EVER!! I would give you advice, but I really don't think you need it. I wrote you a letter this morning that I'll send to you today sometime. Love you!!

Questions:

"How are you this week?"

I'm super duper!!! Thanks for asking!!! (More on that later..)

"Who are you teaching this week?"

That is a great question. One that I would personally like to know the answer to. Some of our investigators/less actives think it's funny to hide from us or only like to meet with us every other week. But over the past couple of days we have found some SWEET potentials that I'm pretty sure a couple of them will be baptized real real soon.

"Have you heard anything about the Facebook proselyting yet?"

Nope, darn it all!! We're very curious, but the fact that our president is so new I think is part of the reason why. He's still just trying to figure out how to wake up so darn early every morning :) Hah we haven't heard anything about anything, except the possibility of getting ipads, since the broadcast. We might be one of the first missions to get ipads (have scriptures, videos, our area book--EVERYTHING on it). I'll let you know when we find out more.

Entonces, this week has been superb!! I've given out a lot of Books of Mormon, and every time we leave the car and I grab one, the Lord always provides a way for me to give it away. We've had a couple of people really get pumped to read it, like one lady, "Wow!! I need to read this book!", and "so this is a book of revelation? I can't wait to read this!" So yeah, basically expect Iowa to be flooded next week so we can adequately baptize them all.

We moved last week! We moved out of our "bear shower" apartment (the shower never drained, and when it did it left all of our hair so it looked like a bear) into the old Bishop's basement. Good news--it's wicked awesome! Bad news--they have two cats and two dogs. I didn't realize how much I don't like furry little critters that lick you and pee all over things until we moved in with them. It's been a real blessing to live with them. They're actually gone right now and have been since we moved in with them. bro sheffield is a famous genetics dude (like you could google him famous) and so they're at a conference in utah and so we get to watch the animals!! One of their cats is crazy pants old and she told us to bury it when it dies haha. Two nights ago we got locked out of the house, so I got to climb on the roof (yeah baby in a skirt!!) and break in through their daughter's window. It was nearly pitch black and I couldn't find my way outta her room! For some odd reason she had a million doors in her room but no worries--I made it out eventually and saved my companions. it was a grand adventure :)

Transfer meeting was great! We're all staying here for 6 weeks and we got a new DL (he used to be a ZL in cedar rapids) and actually he Elder Winchester, served 6 months in IC at the start of his mission about a year ago and is on fire. We set baptismal goals for the District higher than the zone goals for the next three months. Expect some baptism pictures from me soon :) We got great news on the two elders in the bad car crash from a couple of weeks ago. i dunno if i told you but they got t boned at 50 mph and the one driving had serious problems (life flighted). He's doing better now--he got up and shot a couple of baskets and such and now remembers some of his family. A couple of days after the accident his parents were at his side and he could barely remember who his dad was--but now he knows his mom too!!! Yay!! We all wrote him letters last week and I sent one also to his companion, thinking nothing of it. then some random elder at t meeting comes up to me and knows my name and I forgot to read his tag for a while and was totally weirded out hahah  until I realized that it was the other elder. It was cool to know that a simple act of kindness had really affected somebody and I felt like an accomplished missionary that day :)

Last week we also got pulled over! Hna P was going 11 over in a construction zone and the officer let us off!! Instead of giving us a 260 dollar ticket, he gave us a warning! What a blessing! I forgot to pray until we started driving away (after he pulled us over), and I felt like a bad child. I learned the importance of the scriptural plea, "pray always" and how our every thought should be focused back to our Father in Heaven and in Jesus Christ. We always need His help and when those desperate times come, we need to be ready and worthy to pray.

We found the coolest people ever on saturday!!!! We were trudging through Boston way, wakling back to our car and the spirit told me to go talk to this man on this porch. did I want to? no. But I did. turns out his wife has schizophrenia, they came to church, there was a talk on mental illnesses, and the lord knows his children so well!! We've seen miracles and continue to give thanks for them every day :)

time is out, and i love you all so much!! Have a great week!!!!

Hermana Harkness

Thanks for the gift card, mom!!! It is very much enjoyed here :)

Us, Elder Andreasen (zone leader that went to LP also that got transferred to Des Moines last week), Elder Schubert (our great little District leader that got turned ZL last week over a new zone) and our still faithful zone leader Elder Bates.

that is me. and a pretty lake.

TORTUGA!!!! Isn't he beautiful??

WE FOUND THE COOLEST TURTLE THIS WEEK!!! He was all scratching around in the window well during personal study and Hermana Phelps and I went and snatched him up!! Sooooo coooll!!!! That was friday--so the day that Hna Howell was sick and so we found critters and studied and I cleaned all day. We also found some frogs and a snake. We named him michealangelo (sorry i can't spell) and set him free in the grass. He was the cutest critter I ever did see!!