Winos!

These happy looking dogs are actually drunk or something akin to it. There's a tree in our backyard that's dropping thousands of berries and these guys are out there whenever I'm not looking. Sonic is the energetic drunk and Penny is the nauseated, depressed drunk. Needless to say I've limited their exposure to the backyard and the tree is coming down. Notice the berry stains by Sonic's eye and on Penny's foot.

Dad's new "outfit"

Kyle says that's what they call pickup trucks in Idaho. This is a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. Pretty basic, like a motorized wheelbarrow, Dad says. But it smells new and has a good radio. The AC cools the cab in a few seconds and it also has an awesome built in bed liner. It's already made one trip to the dump with the promise of many more to follow.

4th of July SPUD

Hill Cumorah, last June, 07




4th of July


Dear Fam,


I know it probably seems like I haven't written you guys for awhile, but our schedule has been shuffled around somewhat. Our P-day has been moved to the Fourth this week and it's all day. At first I was excited that we are having an all day P-day, but now I don't know what to do with all my time. I guess I'll write everyone that I know.





Well, my first transfer is over and I got moved to the Pocatello Central Stake. It's pretty busted in places, and our apt. is the exact opposite of the mansion Elder Barrow and I stayed in. My new companion is from Georgia and is named E. Ashcroft. This is his first time being senior, so it will be a good experience watching him make the adjustment and learning from that. Today has been boring, and I'm ready to go out and do missionary work.





Last transfer Elder Barrow and I had to do a lot of work from scratch-finding and teaching. We didn't even inherit any investigators from the last transfer before. But, we worked at it and we started committing people to baptism. There are 3 dates set, but 2 are with 9 year olds. What happens is you have parents, usually a single parent, who is inactive or something (we use the term"LARC's": less-active/recent converts) whose children aren't baptized yet. Those are kinda like gimmes. But we do have one with a man named Travis, and he has been prepared and he has become converted. It was amazing to watch. I'm definitely going to his baptism on the 10th. He's totally golden, and I'm sure he's going places in the Church. He's 35ish and single, so hopefully he'll find a nice LDS girl to marry.





So concerning LARC's. Convert baptisms, like Travis's are our purpose. There are resources devoted to LARC's (Home teachers/visiting teachers) and resources devoted to nonmembers (Missionaries) Some members think that missionaries are glorified home teachers. I admit I thought LARC work was part of missionary work, but it is only a tiny portion. Home/Visiting teaching is just as important as missionary work. It's easier too, and can be just as rewarding. you follow the same pattern too: teach, Testify, and Invite. It isn't a lesson unless we leave a commitment. The method we use is to 1. Testify, 2. direct question ("will you...?") 3. Promise blessings. Those steps can kind of interchange.








I testify of the importance of home/visiting teaching, and it is the plan set up by the Lord for maintaining the faith of all members. As you continue faithfully to fulfill your roles as HT/VTers, your faith will grow, you will be happier, and you will have more spiritual experiences. Will you do your HT/VT at least once a month, rain or shine, time or not? It will help out the missionary work in your area.








By the way, I'm really excited that you are Ward Missionaries, and I don't doubt you are fulfilling all your callings. I just wanted to show you how that technique works. Use it! It's pretty cool.





Anyway, I'm eating well. I eat chicken out of the can with butter and garlic, grapenuts without sugar, eggs (scramby) and my veggie pills. I take my vitamins and my thyroid pills. All is well with me (but not in Zion if you know what I mean). And the work is moving forward. I miss you both, and I love you both. I appreciate all you have done for me, and the letters and the pictures. God is real. The Atonement is real. Christ's Gospel has been restored in its fullness, and this is it.





Love,





Elder Harris


PS. tell Reid congrats and to write me!!


PPS. smash the dogs for me!

Some more SPUD for Reid C.

Well, this will probably be a short note, as I don't have too much time, as always. I've decided that missionary work is very much a routine, and yet you always have to be ready for anything. Nothing wrong with routines, though. I guess the other thing to watch out for, is getting too complacent with the routine and not relying enough on the Lord. That, in a nutshell, is what missionary life feels like. It's fun, though. Not at all a bad way to spend your day. Well, I've realized that this transfer we have had to do a lot of "rebuilding" as far as investigators go. Last transfer [a six-week period, I think] they had like 5 baptisms, and our pool was somewhat empty after that (except for the ever present "eternal investigators"). We are now halfway through the transfer, and we have started to drop the baptism commitment hammer on people. Most of the time they get uncomfortable and say they aren't ready, but they'll come around eventually. I don't get how a person can know that the Gospel is true, and not be ready for baptism. Maybe they think that we hold 'em under the water for a while. Anyways, it feels great to try to devote every moment to the Lord, and the blessings for this service are many. I know that this is the Lord's Church. I love and miss you both. I hope all is well and that the doggies are OK. Pass my love onto the rest of the fam. Thanks for the letters and the prayers!
Love,
Elder Kyle Harris