Week 2 at the MTC

Cauha bauha yy?  That's how you say, "How are you?" in Monglish!

Well I have officially passed the one week mark that everyone says is the hardest.  I am loving it here, but I can't wait to finally be in Mongolia!   Eight more weeks!  Our Mongolian classes are going great!  I must admit it is so hard though.  I have learned how to read some of the language, pray, testify, and answer a few questions, but it is really hard to understand what the teachers say in Monglish!   It gets better everyday though!   My voice is on its way back!   It was funny having to teach our "investigator" a 15-minute lesson in a language I don't know.....with no voice!   What a humbling experience!   Pretty much useless, but I know that the Spirit was there to testify for me!   My district is growing very close.   We all get alone very well and love doing our language study!   We received 45 new missionaries in the Zone on Wednesday, so I am officially the Zone Leader of the biggest branch in the MTC.   This branch consist of only six Americans, and all the rest are international:  German, Tongan, Samoan, Austrian, Brazilian, Mexican...You name it we got it!   I love being the Zone Leader though!   It is a lot of work, especially getting all the new Elders and Sisters up to snuff, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.    It makes me work harder and strive to be a better example. 

So this past Tuesday we had our devotional.  We had the chance to hear from the President of the Quorum of the Seventies, President Rasband, and his wife.  They were great!  President Rasband was a Mission President in the New York New York North Mission from like 1998-2000.  Was that Ryan's President?   Sister Rasband shared a story about an Elder who wanted at least ONE shoe shine before he left his mission in New York.  He served in the Bronx and never had the opportunity to get one because he never served in Manhattan.  With about one week to go in his mission he was walking in the Bronx and heard a man yelling, "Shoe shine, get your shoes shined!"  So the elder jumped on the opportunity as fast as possible.  The man was a poor man, covered in filth.  The Elder asked the man how much he charged, add the man just replied, "How ever much you want to pay is fine."  They man took out a can of polish and used his hands and his forearms to rub the shine in the best way he could. Then he took his shirt and used it to make the finished product. The Elder was brought to tears to see this man serving him like that for "how ever much he wanted to pay."  The Elder took everything he had on him of value and all his companion's things of value and gave it to this man.  Sis. Rasband compared it to our Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement.  How he was willing to do EVERYTHING for us, just for one thing in return. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered for all of us individually.  I know this is true. 

President Rasband spoke about the Doctrine of Christ.  It was an incredible talk.  He made it very interactive for us.  He had Elders and Sisters come up to a microphone and read scriptures then answer questions about it.    He told a story about how he went with Elder Dallin H. Oaks to the city of Cuzco in South America. They met with thousands of people, and spoke to them about the Doctrine of Christ and his Atonement. President Oaks spoke to them in English for about an hour, but then he told the congregation that he felt impressed to speak to them in Spanish so they could better understand his message.  Elder Oaks learned a little bit of Spanish in his youth, but had never spoken it since. He testified to them in PERFECT Spanish for 15 minutes.  He promised them that they are loved and if they will strive to come closer to Christ, that they will be saved.  The Stake President on the stand turned to President Rasband and said that Elder Oaks hadn't messed up once, and that he is truly speaking true, native, perfect Spanish.  When Elder Oaks sat down, President Rasband said to him, "We just witnessed a miracle."  Elder Oaks replied, "In all my years I have never felt the spirit work through me as I have just now." How incredible is that?   This story brought me tears.  I know that miracles do happen when we are obedient.  The Holy Ghost will speak to anyone and everyone who is willing to hear and we, as the missionaries, are just His mouth piece.

I am loving my time here.  My testimony grows stronger everyday, and I feel closer to My Savior each and everyday.  I am so grateful to be a missionary.  So grateful to be in HIS service.  ONE of 80,000!   What an honor!   We will bring the world His truth!   I know this! 

Until next Friday...

Love,

Elder Harris

 Elder Chang, Elder Harris, and Elder Maun at the temple.

Elder Harris with Elders from his district.

More shots! It hurts but at least he had a teddy bear!

Elder Harris LOVES getting packages!

Thank you!!