Testify What is in Your Heart!

                                                                                                  Sept. 23, 2015
Wow, time flies here in the CTM!!!! I cannot believe I only have two
more full weeks before I head out to the field!!

First of all, I just want to say that I love you all!!! You are all in my prayers every day,
and I am grateful for your prayers in behalf of me!!!

So, I have some experiences that I keep forgetting to share!!!
This past Friday I had the opportunity to go the Center of São Paulo and
share the gospel!! My district had an hour and a half to hand out six books of
mormon (three each) to random people in a small market-like area that
was really crowded. Before the experience I was honestly freaking out
because I still hadn´t learned enough portuguese to keep up a
sufficient conversation with Brasilians (they speak REALLY fast), and
I didn´t want to make a fool of myself when trying to share my
testimony with them. But I soon realized that it wasn´t as bad as I
thought. Brasilians are really accepting people, and they will take
the time to actually listen to you, and express their gratitude for
your gift to them (the Book of Mormon) if you are confident and
friendly with them as well. Before the experience, I prayed that
everything would go according to God´s will, and that I would learn a
lot from that experience, and that´s exactly what happened. My
companion and I first encountered a couple, and asked them if they
believed in Jesus Christ. They said yes, and then we talked a little
bit with them about the Book of Mormon, and gave them one. The
husband wholeheartedly accepted the Book, and then told us that his wife was
very Catholic, and very religious. Lucky for me, I got to speak with
his wife about the priesthood because she had an interest in it, and I
continued to explain the restoration of the priesthood after the Great
Apostasy, and a little bit of the First Vision with her. At the end of
our what seemed to be 10 minute conversation, I asked her and her
husband if they were going to read the Book, and she said no, and
handed it back to me. I honestly didn´t know how to respond. I kept
going over the experience in my mind, and thought that I might have
shared too much during our conversation. I felt that I had failed
myself, failed my Heavenly Father, and honestly did not speak
Portuguese well enough to convey the importance of the need for a
restoration. But, I continued to press forward. I prayed for strength
to have enough faith to share my testimony with others, and to share
the other books of mormon with others, and I did just that. I had to
keep going. Even though I wanted to break into tears, I had to
represent the Savior Jesus Christ, and proclaim the gospel
confidently. We handed out the rest of our books of mormon pretty
quickly, and the people we gave them to were really sweet and
accepting of our message. My testimony was more genuine after that
first encounter with the couple, and I realized that you just need to
testify what is in your heart about the gospel, and the details about
the history of the church, and the history of the Book of Mormon will
come later.

I want to share another really quick experience!!! This
past week I had a lesson with an investigator Luis who is having
trouble keeping his commitments with reading the Book of Mormon, and I
honestly prayed for strength to understand his needs, and to teach
what the Savior would teach him. During a recent lesson, I received a
strong spiritual impression to share a personal experience with him
concerning finding rest in the scriptures. Luis works a lot, and
doesn´t find any time in his life to read the word of God, but I
strongly testified to him of the importance of the Book of Mormon as
the central focus in your life amidst a life of chaos, and I probably
testified stronger than I ever have in the CTM. It was amazing!!! I
felt so much love in my heart for Luis, an investigator that was just
a member acting like a real investigator in the past, but it felt SO
REAL.

I know that Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways. I know
that the Spirit is real, and I know that the Spirit is what changes
hearts, if you just listen to the needs of investigators through the
Spirit.

I love you all!! Have a beautiful week!!!!
TCHAU!!!!

Sister Harris

You Never Know Who You Will Teach

                                                                                                          Sept. 16, 2015

Minha família!!! I don´t have too much to write you this week, but I
just wanted to say that I loved the pictures you sent me from your
trip!! Also, there is an elder in my district right now who is like
the same exact person as Alex Ray...like the same quirky, funny
personality. hahaha.

Funny story!! A sweet hispanic sister who just
arrived here from America asked me one day if I was Brasilian.
hahahahahahaha. I was speaking with some Brasilian Sisters in
Portuguese, and she thought I was from Brazil. I seriously couldn´t
stop laughing inside my head, but what a compliment!!!

This past week I had the opportunity to teach an investigator about the Plan of
Salvation, and the investigator´s name was Wesley. Wesley´s dad passed away,
and he is hopeful that he will be able to see him again someday. During the
lesson, he asked my companion and me if we had ever lost someone in
our lives like he did, and I felt impressed to share with him that I
had lost my grandpa. I got emotional just thinking about it, but then
I testified to him that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we could
overcome any difficult experience like that, and that I knew I would
see him again. It was amazing how much the Spirit confirmed the truth
of my words, and my portuguese just flew out of my mouth so easily!!!
This week I have a scripture for you all to look up!! I was reading in
3 Nephi one day, and thought of you: 3 Nephi 18:32. You never know who
you will teach with your witness of the Savior, Jesus Christ!!! Last
night we sang the EFY Medley in Portuguese, and I felt the Spirit so
strong that we really were a part of the Army of Helaman, all of us
150 missionaries!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!! HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!!!!
TCHAU!! Sister Harris

We Must Pray For What We Need!

Hola minha família!!! I am so grateful for all of you!!!                                   Sept. 9, 2015

So, to start off my family email, I just want to say thank you for all of the
prayers you have said in my behalf!!!

This past week I got pretty sick with some weird flu (don´t worry, I´m a lot better now)
and I didn´t think I would get better. However, come this past Sunday, I received a
Priesthood blessing, and I am slowly regaining my voice, and I am also
regaining my strength.

Something I learned from this trial was that blessings and tender mercies cannot always be poured out upon us if we don´t ask for them. While I was sick, I was trying so hard to come
closer to Heavenly Father by being obedient and thinking of others. I was even praying that my roommates who weren´t feeling well in my room wouldn´t catch my cold, and I felt that I was doing everything I could to show my willingness to Heavenly Father that I would do whatever he
asked of me, YET I FORGOT TO DO ONE ESSENTIAL THING. I forgot to pray
to my Heavenly Father to ask if I could get better! I forgot to ASK
for blessings. So, needless to say, I finally learned to humble myself
enough and ask for strength to carry me through each lesson with my
investigators. Lesson learned: Heavenly Father´s blessings and
miracles are conditional on us asking for them :).

Another cool story: This past Sunday there was a Church broadcast at the CTM for all young
adults in Brazil preparing to serve a mission (I´m not sure if it was
also broadcasted in the U.S). It was AMAZING!!! The Sao Paulo Oeste
Missão (My mission) joined us that Sunday, and I got to see my Mission
President and his wife!! I didn´t get to meet them, but when I
recognized them, I immediately felt the Spirit from my head to my
toes!!! It was incredible!! I am so excited to enter the field (and
super super nervous), because my Mission President and his wife look
like the happiest people alive!!! I hope you are all doing well!!
Another lesson learned this week: THE SPIRIT IS ESSENTIAL TO TEACHING
THE LORD´S WAY. The more we act on that Spirit, the more we will be
trusted by our Heavenly Father to receive it.

Today, I got to go to the Sao Paulo Temple, and it was AMAZING!!! Every Wednesday, on P-day,
we get to go to either the Campinas temple or the Sao Paulo temple. Below are a few pictures of the Campinas temple.


CTM District visit to Campinas Temple





I am loving life, and I love Brasilians because they´re some of the
happiest people alive!!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PRAYERS!!!! HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!

Sister Harris

Remember Who We Are Representing!

Hi Family!!!                                                                                                         Sept. 2, 2015

 

I just wanted to tell you how much I love and appreciate everything you´ve done for me!!! You are truly amazing examples to me of truth and righteousness, and I looked forward to hearing from you all today!!

Sister Hunsaker and I attending the Campinas Temple 

I wanted to share with you a few things I´ve learned while being here:

I was thinking about the Sacrament prayers recently because I was preparing to teach our Investigator, Gustavo, here in the CTM (who is actually an instructor), about baptismal covenants, and the three promises we make to our Heavenly Father, and what He promises us in return if we keep those promises. As I was preparing my lesson for him (and the lesson is supposed to be taught in Portuguese of course), I thought of the importance of those three things in order to ALWAYS have the Spirit with us. We must 1) Take His name upon Us 2) Always remember Him, and 3) Keep His Commandments. It´s that simple!! When we invite others to be baptized on a mission, we are simply asking them to become like Jesus Christ!! Jesus always looked to the Father in all things, He always remembered the Father´s will for Him, and He always Kept the Father´s commandments. We are really inviting them to FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS CHRIST!!! It just clicked in my head one day, and the Spirit touched my heart as I remembered who I was representing on my mission--Jesus Christ.

Another sweet experience I had recently was when I was really overwhelmed by the Portuguese language, and almost ready to never speak Portuguese again...even complaining about why I was in the MTC...yeah, that was a sad day. But then, all of a sudden, the Spirit touched my mind and my heart, and said, Remember who you are Representing. It was like an Oh, Duh, moment, and I realized that I am really representing the Savior everywhere I go while I am here, and I need to be acting like Him in all things, pressing forward in faith, and not with fear or sadness.
 

I LOVE THE MTC, I LOVE BRASILIANS, AND I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! You are all amazing!!

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK!!! CIAO!!!! :)

Is this real life?

Oi Family!!                                                                                                 August 26, 2015

 

I made it to Brazil!!! I just wanted to tell you that I love you so much, and I am so grateful for everything you have done to help me get this far!! So, that lady who you met at the Chicago airport was an absolute angel!! She ended up being on my plane as a standby, and she guided me to the International terminal so quickly and efficiently!! I gave her a pass along card, so hopefully she will order a Book of Mormon, and look up mormon.org. I was also able to give a college girl (my age) who was traveling all the way from China to Georgia a pass along card. She wasn´t religious, but she had so much light in her eyes!!! SO MANY TENDER MERCIES WHILE TRAVELING!!

I arrived safely to the Georgia Airport, and met up with about 20 other missionaries, one of which is a sister named Sister Hunsaker, who is serving in my mission, and is now my mission companion!! Crazy, right?
 

So, my P-day will either be next Wednesday or Friday, so I can talk to you a little bit longer then.

 

Some fun things that happened on my adventure to Brazil:

I´m pretty sure the flight attendant on my international flight thought I was Brasilian because she kept talking to me in Portuguese...she thought that, that is, until I responded to her English haha.

There are some pretty crazy drivers here in Brazil! Traffic is, well... it needs a stronger word than traffic. There is always a line of motorcyclers who honk three times to warn other cars that they will be driving right between them...their honks are so cute!! Motorcyclers don´t act like car drivers here because they drive in- between lanes (like on the dotted line).

 

Anyway, I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for sending me here. The people are so kind and warm-hearted, and I absolutely love speaking Portuguese! Pretty soon today, I will have two more Brasilian sisters who will join Sister Hunsaker and me.

 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! Abby, your sweet note made me cry, but in a good way of course. You are all such incredible examples to me of truth and light, and I cannot wait to tell you more of my experiences here pretty soon! Let me know if you ever need anything!! I would be so glad to serve you because of all you have done for me. THE GOSPEL IS SO TRUE!!!

 

Sincerely, SÍster Harris

Sister Harris arrives safely at Brazil Missionary Training Center

Dear Parents,                                                                                                  August 26, 2015

Sister Swensen and I are very happy to let you know that your missionary has arrived safely at the Brazil Missionary Training Center.  What a great joy and privilege it is to greet each missionary as they begin their missionary experiences with us. We will surely take good care of your missionary.

                                                                                    

 

The missionaries now have companions and are settled into their rooms.  They are assigned to a district with capable and caring instructors for language and lesson study.  Their branch presidents and wives, will meet them this Sunday.  These wonderful couples are richly blessed as they work with, motivate, and interview the missionaries assigned to their branch.

The MTC has a full-time live-in physician to care for their health needs.  He is assisted by his able wife who is a nurse. We are also happy to report that the cafeteria food is plentiful, healthy and very good.

Your missionary will be able to e-mail home on Preparation Day after a morning at the Temple.  This will be either Wednesday or Friday, depending on individual assignments.

Your missionary is about to make an eternal difference in the lives of many others. President Lorenzo Snow said: “There is no mortal man that is as interested in the success of an elder when he is preaching the Gospel as is the Lord who sent him to preach to the people who are the Lord's children".  We love these missionaries as if they were our own.  We will watch over them carefully to ensure they are ready for a wonderful missionary experience after the rewarding time they will have in the MTC.

We thank you for preparing such a wonderful representative of the Lord.

President Robert Swensen and Sister Julie Swensen

 

August 25, 2015 - Rachael's Mission Departure

I'm off to Brazil for 18 months and cannot wait to learn the language and meet the wonderful people!

Although it is hard to say goodbye to family and friends, I know how important it is to serve the Lord, and the wonderful blessings it will bring to me, my family, and those I serve!
I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve a mission and look forward to sharing my testimony and experiences through this blog. Thank you for all your love, support, and prayers!!

"Your Heavenly Father loves you--each of you. That love never changes... God's love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there... I promise you that you will one day stand aside and look at your difficult times, and you will realize that He was always there beside you."--Prophet Thomas S. Monson

 

I am so excited to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I cannot wait to serve the people of Brazil to help them learn about God's love and to understand that He has a plan for each one of us. As we learn about our Savior, Jesus Christ, and follow His example, we come to understand this love and realize that true happiness comes from righteous living.