I was just kinda there for man labor!

Hey everyone! Happy 4th of July! To be honest I only remembered last night... I love Brazil with all of my heart but I'm not gonna lie, every once in a while I miss good ol' America. But anyways, this week was awesome!
We helped a member put an engine into an old car that he's been working with. It was fun but I don't really know anything about cars so I was just kinda there for man labor haha.
Cl. was finally baptized yesterday! We've been working with her since we got here in this area. She is J.'s neighbor who was baptized last week. Her mom is a less active that we are reactivating. Anyways, Cl. was super involved in the Assembly of God church when we started working with her which was tough because she liked it there and all the members there were saying a bunch of stuff to her about the Mormons to get her to not talk to us anymore. But with time she started to get more and more converted to the gospel and finally accepted baptism.
The other elders here also had a baptism. It was a lady named S. I actually had the opportunity to teach her a bit so I already knew her pretty well. She is awesome. Literally one of the Lord's elect. She accepted the gospel and within 3 weeks was baptized. She's a single mother with 4 kids. 2 of them will be getting baptized next week so we're all excited for that. The other two are too young. But it's a great family.
So this week officially marks the start of my last transfer here! I can't believe it! I'm praying that I don't leave Rosa dos Ventos! I love it so much here and we have so many awesome investigators! I don't want to start all over at the very end. *knock on wood*. Haha last night we had a family night with a bunch of the members which we were able to take J.P. to. The members love him. It's just a matter of time until he's baptized. But that's really about it for this week. I love you all! Thanks for everything! A igreja é verdadeira!

Elder Harris

Pic 1 - Working on the Car
Others- Random plus the family night from last night

Sao Joao Party and a Baptism!

Hey everyone! So this week was really good. This week was a big holiday here in this part of Brazil, São João. To be honest I have no idea why they celebrate it, I just know that every one dresses up like hillbillies, eat a lot of corn, and light big bonfires in the street. I think I told you guys about it last year. Anyways, yeah with all of the fires and fireworks in the street it gets pretty hard to breathe to be honest. Anyways, on Saturday the ward had a big São João party at the church. It was a blast and we were able to bring quite a few investigators. We actually brought one of our investigators J. P. who's 18 years old. In no time he was hittin' it off with one of the single adults in the ward haha. All I know is that I don't have to worry about fellowshipping him anymore haha. What a stud.
So anyways, we worked like crazy this week! We had 11 investigators in church with us this week. And that's without some of our main investigators who went out of town because of the holiday. It was awesome. We were able to baptize Je. She's a girl who we've been working with since we got here in the area. Her mom even went to church and watched her baptism. Her mom has come so far. I don't remember if I told you about this but last month we were talking to Je. in front of her house when all of a sudden her mom got home and started yelling and swearing at her like crazy. She had some major anger issues but we calmed her down and said a prayer with the family and ever since that moment she has completely changed. They are having family prayer together and now we just need to get her in the water. But anyways, Je.'s baptism was awesome.
But that's just about it for this week. I love you all! Thanks for everything you guys do for me! A igreja é verdadeira!

Elder Harris

Pics - São João party at the church

I had an awesome spiritual impression!

Hey everyone! This week was super busy but way productive. We started off on Tuesday with a big conference with half of the mission because here in about ten days we are gonna get a new mission president. It was one of the most spiritual conferences I've been to on the mission. We learned so much... I don't remember if I shared this last week but I had an awesome spiritual impression. I've been studying a ton about the atonement lately and trying to figure out first of all why a great and eternal sacrifice was necessary and second of all, how could that one sacrifice cover the sins of all of humanity under the conditions of repentance. Like it was something that I couldn't wrap my head around. During the leadership council last week a missionary said something and it was one of those moments where you could almost feel the spirit shoving understanding into your mind. He said, "I'm grateful for the Saviors' sacrifice for him having paid the price that I would never have the courage to pay... to die for my sins." And I got to thinking man, would I be willing to die for my own sins? What about the sins of a loved one? Of a complete stranger? That may not seem like much but in the moment it all made sense to me. like a puzzle came together. I'm just not very good with my words to describe it for you guys. But anyways, that was my random spiritual impression this week.
So the rest of this week I spent on splits in three different areas in the zone. One in Parnamirim and two in Natal. It was really fun to work with and get to know the missionaries in the zone better. We had a blast together and walked a ton together! We found a big dune next to one of their investigator's houses and played on it for a bit. I'll try to send pics and videos. Saturday night I went to a baptism that some elders had in the zone then I called up R. from Alecrim and he took me back to my area in Parnamirim. He's a champ haha. Sunday came around and we were able to bring 6 investigators to church. Unfortunately M. and S. weren't able to go because they had to take care of his mom whose was amputated a bit ago. But we were able to bring another family to church. P. and his wife... (but they aren't technically married) Anyways, he has a cool story. He was taught by the missionaries a few months ago but nothing happened. The missionaries started teaching him recently and he had a dream. In the dream someone told him that he already had one chance to accept and he blew it...don't blow the second one. So he already accepted baptism. We have to start working on everything to get them married and baptized. So it should be good. We were able to baptize and kid named C. He's 12 and has been going to church for a while now with his friends. He was baptized and hopefully his friends will also be baptized soon. We're gonna work really closely with them this week. But that's just about it for this week.
I love you all! Thanks for everything! A igreja é verdadeira!

Elder Harris

Sister Weatherford

Our groups trunky picture haha #2months ;)

Elder Phillips

Elder Melo

Elder Rocha from Cape Verde

 Elder H. Silva and Orozimbo

Elder H. Silva and Orozimbo

Haha Urim and Thummim Decorations

We got to go to town with a sledgehammer!

Hey everyone! This week was yet another good and productive week. This Tuesday we had the leadership council yet again... If I'm not mistaken it was my 13th council of the mission but my first one as ZL. I'm just glad I'm not a secretary anymore who has to prepare everything haha. Then on Wednesday we had a zone meeting. We talked a lot about the importance of obedience and why we are obedient on the mission. I think it went pretty well. Elder Shakespear was on splits this week so it was just Elder Melo and I here in the area... which means that I got to sleep on a bed instead of a mattress on the ground haha.
So remember the family that I told you about last week? So they went to church this week and loved it. Mú., his wife S., and two of their kids, B. and G. went. They were like a legit Mormon family in sacrament meeting, with treats and toys for the kids and all haha. They're pretty much already Mormons, they just don't know it yet. We are going to try to get them baptized either this week or the next. But for real they got there and the members took them in with open arms, took care of the kids and pretty much everything else you could imagine, which is actually the first time that I think I've seen that on my whole mission. M. C., who is another one of our investigators is still progressing well but some people from her last church started sending her a bunch of anti Mormon material. We talked a bunch with her and she was okay. She came to church this week with her mom (who was a non active but is now returning to the church). They both are doing really well.
This morning we did a service project with an older couple from the ward. We took out their door and a window and installed new ones. Now this isn't just your everyday project. all of the houses here are made of cement bricks. so we had to go to town with a sledge hammer and a chisel to break the old ones out and put the new ones in. But they gave us breakfast, lunch, and dessert so I can't complain. Plus it was fun going to town with the sledgehammer haha.

But that's about it for this week. I hope you are all well. I love you all! A igreja é verdadeira!

Elder Harris

Oh yeah, Elder Cabral (Jimmy Fallon's twin) was transferred this week. He was a champ, I'm gonna miss him haha.

Dude! It's the freaking spirit slapping you in the face!

Hey everyone! So this week was awesome! We found some awesome new investigators. Plus we were able to baptize a kid named A. I don't remember if I told you guys about him last week. His older sister was baptized about a month ago and is going super strong in the church so we've been working really closely with the whole family. I was able to baptize A. yesterday and now we just need to help the mom get over some problems so that she can be baptized too. But it's a really great family. Speaking of great families, we started teaching a family this week which is probably the most elect family I've met yet on my mission. We talked with the daughter the other day in the street and she invited us to stop by to teach her family so we went there and had one of the best lessons on the restoration I've taught. The whole family was so receptive plus they are legally married which is pretty much a miracle to find here haha. Anyways, we asked them how they were feeling after the lesson. The mom said she felt like everything we said was true, the dad said he was feeling a huge peace, and the daughter said she didn't know how to explain it but it was really good. I was like, "Dude, it's the freaking spirit slapping you in the face!"  We talked about eternal families and baptism. Now they just need to go to church. Luckily the dad's brother has been a member of the church for a few years now. So the dad already has family in the church. Anyways, we're super excited to keep working with them.
Tonight Elder Shakespear and I are gonna head up to Natal to go to the leadership council tomorrow. It'll be about my thirteenth or fourteenth of the mission but my first as Zone Leader so I guess we'll see how it goes haha. As for pictures, last week we used a super ghetto internet café and when I tried to send pictures it put a virus on my card and it got rid of all of my pictures since Mossoró... so I'll try to recover them when I get home. Anyways, so I don't really have any pictures for you guys this week because of that but next week I'll be sure to get you guys some. I love you all! Thanks for everything that you do for me! Have an awesome week! A igreja é verdadeira!


Elder Harris

Rooming with Jimmy Fallon's Twin and I'm a Little Lost This Week

Hey everyone! So this week has been super eventful. I was transferred to a city called Parnamirim which is like 15 minutes from Natal. I was called as one of the Zone Leaders here with Elder Shakespear. I don't know if you guys remember but I lived with Elder Shakespear last year when I was in Panatis. We're also in a threesome with Elder Melo from Brazil. They're both so much fun! We get work done together and we're always having fun so I'm super excited for this transfer. I think this will be my last area. It was hard leaving Mossoró and all the members and missionaries. I miss my district from Bom Jardim so much but here is awesome too so I guess it's all good.

So we got here on Thursday and we started organizing the apartment, which is SUPER small, to fit 5 missionaries. We live with two other elders, Elder D. Lima from Brazil and Elder Cabral from Argentina. Elder Cabral is pretty much Jimmy Fallon's twin... they look exactly alike! I'll try to send pictures but this internet café is horrible so it might have to wait until next week. Anyways, Elder Shakespear, Elder Melo, and I all just barely got to the area so we were all a little lost this week trying to get to know the investigators, members, recent converts, and the area, but it's been really good. We had a baptism this week of a lady named M... She was an investigator of the last Elders so we showed up just to reap the benefits haha. But we also have a bunch of people to work with so it's gonna be awesome.

Anyways, last night was pretty crazy. Elder Shakespear woke me up at about 1 in the morning saying he could hardly breathe. So we called some members with a car and luckily they answered. They came and got us and took us to the hospital to get him taken care of. Anyways, to make a long story short, after about an hour and a half he was feeling better and we were able to come home. looks like it was some kind of cold/allergy. Idk anways, he's better now haha, but that just about sums it up for this week. I love you all! Thanks for everything! A igreja é verdadeira!

Elder Harris

Looks like the pictures aren't gonna work... :/

Renting to a family of mice!

Hey everyone! So this week was awesome! It's kinda weird, this week we worked so hard but it seemed like I had almost no time to follow up with all of our investigators or anything like that. I guess it's because time is just flying by so fast now. So you guys remember Ca. and Ga., the two sisters who were baptized a bit ago right? So this week we were able to baptized their brother J.. The baptism was so good. Now all the kids in their family are baptized and we just need to get the mom baptized but she's on a trip down in Southern Brazil and we have no idea when she'll be coming home :/ But the whole family is so awesome!
Anyways, this week was Elder Chacón's last week on the mission. Tomorrow he's heading to Natal and then home. It's really weird to think that here in a bit that's gonna be me. To be honest I still feel like a greenie on the mission haha. It was kinda funny, the other day my companion and I were talking and I told him that I left for the mission in 2014 and he got a surprised look on his face like what?? You've been serving since 2014? I was just barely starting my senior year in 2014! Idk i guess it kinda put it into perspective. But it definitely doesn't feel like that much time has passed.
So I had a nice surprise yesterday. My two suitcases are stacked one on top of the other in one of the rooms of our house and yesterday I wanted something out of my suitcase that was on bottom so when I took of the top one guess what was there waiting for me... yes a family of little mice. The mom took off running and luckily the babies were so little that they couldn't run otherwise we would've had a problem. But man, those things are ugly. I'll send some pictures. So I flushed them down the toilet and that was that. We never did find the mom... Haha it was super nasty but I survived haha.
That's about it for this week! I love you all! Thanks for everything! Have a good last week of school for everyone who's still in school haha. Have an awesome week! A igreja é verdadeira!

Elder Harris

Pic 1 - The ugly baby mice
The rest are just pics of random things haha.