Week 62: Read the Whole Thing, Folks.

February 6, 2017

KKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!

First things first; our investigator Jordan got baptized and I love her face!! 

So. The Institute building is right on the corner of campus where alllll da traffic izz. We set up a booth with all yall fav gospel stuffy gruff and we sold the gospel for free, or should I say, "buy milk and honey without money and without price." (See 2 Nephi 26:25 for further gems). LITERALLY SO MANY FLOCKED TO US LIKE LOST SHEEP IT WAS AWESOME. Maybe it was cuz we had candy on our table. SO many people were so open and we just got to chat and give all of our pamphlets and cards and copies of the Book of Mormon away to people of the nations of the earth!!! Four people agreed to meet with us the next day. It was sick. We had some members from the YSA ward chillin with us so the students of Bakersfield College wouldn't be too intimidated by two sister missionaries in skirts. 

We had FHE and we played volleyball. Sis Clegg and I got to wear pants, and I don't think I felt more normal on my mission until that moment.  It was such a beautiful experience. And a guy we met earlier that day while boothing decided to come; his name is Humberto. He is the sweetest!!! We taught him the Restoration which he loved, and after the lesson we walked with him to his choir class with a member, and the member asked him how his lesson went and he said, "AMAZING." Mah heart. THEN this amazing member totally took him under his RM man wings and they have a 3-way call group prayer every night to help Humberto. LIKE WHAT THE HECK I DON'T KNOW EITHER. So great. And then Humberto signed up for Institute. Like signed sealed delivered he's ours. Well... the Lord's.

Oh my word, so we have an investigator named Jose. He is the sweetest (pic attached) and he has some struggles with talking to people in general- it's so hard for him even in lessons. HE TOTALLY GOT UP AND BORE HIS TESTIMONY ON SUNDAY. We were all unconscious afterward. Well.. I know I was so I actually can't speak for everyone else. Ugh it was a gorgeous moment and HE IS SO READY IT'S HAPPENING. 

One of my new favorite things is visiting less-active YSA peeps. I went on splits with a less-active ward missionary, and we didn't visit anyone but instead talked all about missions and being less active and coming back. It was AWESOME! Every single question or concern this girl had about missions, there was an experience I could share that I had had on my mission. The Lord's a good one. After that she came to three activities and church!! Miracles biracles siracles lyricals.  

So I realized how much I love Bakersfield and how spoiled I am to be here. Palm trees everywhere, it was 60 on Saturday and we all played beach volleyball, and we get to drive all over Bakersfield searching for lost sheep. Does it get any better?!

Byyyyeeeeeeeeee!

--

Sister Harmon

Week 59: EEEEEEEE

January 16, 2017

Ok literally this email is gonna be a long one but just SAY A PRAYER PUT YER SEATBELTS ON AND READ THIS BABY.

We have been in the miracle zone all week. Like. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY EXCEPT  PA;FJOER;LER;LIASL;I;UER!!!!!!! 

Ok. Took a breather and I'm back. 

Let's just start at the beginning of the week. Or shall we say, miracle number one? 

So. We haven't had anyone to teach for a minute or so. We had made plans to go visit this less-active lady who has been stuck in the hospital for 10 weeks, but that morning she texted us and said that the baby that was in her tummy was coming early, so we had to change our plans, which I've learned actually means the Lord has a little somethin up his sleeve for us. We decided to go into this gated community and visit a part member. No answer. We pray and we feel like we should just walk around the neighboorhood. We can't knock any doors cuz it's gated, so we are walking around passing out cards to all the beautiful souls we see. When all of a sudden, BAM BAM BAM 3 new children of God that wanna hear about the gospel and we are gonna teach them!! Sister Carter and I made a goal that we are going to talk to everyone, and I mean everyone. We were speed walking back to our car because we were running late, and this man is getting out of his car on our way, so we said,

"Hey can we give you a card from our church?"

"What church?"

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!" 

"Uh.."

"Sometimes people call us mormons."

"Oh! This is from the mormon church? Oh I'll keep this. I'm busy this week but you can come over next week. Here's my contact info." 

Sister Carter was literally speechless. Lolz!

Oh on a side note, hahaha so funny. We were walking back to our car and we saw a lady walking in our direction and we asked her if we could give her a card. Literally I thought I saw Satan in her eyes when she said, "You know you aren't supposed to knock doors here!!!! I'm the president of the HOA." And in my head I'm like the holiday hoobie whaty? We talked to her for like 30 minutes and then convinced her to let us come into her house. HAHAHAHA WE GOT INSIDE YO HOUSE AND WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO KNOCK!! 

Oh. My. Word. Ok so remember foreeevs ago when Sister Ryan and I got a phone call from our friend Freddie and he was going to commit suicide and we went and decorated his door and talked with him? He's been calling us every other week or so, and we talk to him and try to meet with him but not a ton happens. He called us again this week and we tried coming over but he didn't answer. Then on Saturday we got a call, so we went over and talked to him for a bit. He was super down so we told him to come out of the house with us and go for a walk to a member's house a few streets down. He was just bawling and bawling becuase of all the stuff he's been goin through. Then the dad, Brother Hamilton, was talking to him and he told him, "When I joined the church the missionaries told me a few things that really changed my life." And then he told Freddie that before he lived here, he lived with God and that he is a child of God and he has potential to be like Him. I just sat there and with my own eyes watched Freddie's spirit awaken within him and he completely lost it. It was awesome. On our walk back to his house it was kinda breezy outside and Freddie goes, "When ya got da breeze uh Jesus you ain't need notin else." That's right you tell 'em Freddie! 

Mmmmmmk so THE GREATEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE HAPPENED SATURDAY NIGHT WHEN A GIRL I TAUGHT IN STOCKDALE GOT BAPTIZED AND I GOT TO SEE THE ENTIRE WARD AND I LITERALLY COULD HAVE CURLED UP IN A BALL AND DIED. It was like a dream come true. I walked in the room and seriously almost screamed because I got to see so many people that became a huge part of my life for 9 months. And the girl who got baptized (her name is Kayla, but it's a different Kayla than the one who got baptized before I left) asked if I could come to the temple with her and sister Hayes this Saturday!!!!!!!! Like. I can't breathe. Kayla, my baby Sister Hayes, and my favorite members. I CAN DIE HAPPY. 

Also we had our first Saturday of ultimate frisbee and it was a success! We had a part member family show up that we are teaching, and Sister Carter and I had to reign ourselves back in because we are missionaries and we can't be that competitive but IT'S HARD WHEN YOU LOVE THE GAME. Ugh it was so much fun. Then we played with whip cream afterward and you all know how I feel about sugar. ❤

So we send out a daily scripture text every day to our peeps; here's today's: 

2 Nephi 10:32

"Cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves- to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life."

Isn't agency such a great blessing and part of life? We don't have to be miserable and sad! Because of Jesus Christ, we can choose to be happy, diligent, charitable, patient, loving , obedient, and cheerful in any phase of life! 

He is the way we can have happiness here, and happiness forever. But most importantly, happiness today. 

Oh also, what do you call an alligator with a vest? And investigator!! LOLZ!

HAPPY MONDAY!

Also enjoy this video of our zone activity and hilarious pics. 

--

Sister Harmon

Week 61: Those Young-ins Doe

January 30, 2017

A week of giggles, gaggles, and young single adults.

The biggest adjustment so far to serving in the YSA ward is watching the couple in front of me in sacrament meeting all cuddly and in my head I'm just like EXCUSE ME WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING? CUDDLING AND DATING IS NOT ALLOWED. I'm still adjusting. Lolz. 

Sooooooo yeeeeeeeaaaaahhhhhhh transfers! Ugh so sad to say goodbye to Sister Carter. But the beautiful thing about change is there is ALWAYS something amazing and exciting to look forward to. With every sad goodbye to a companion or an area, I have seen that every new companion and area has been an amazing adventure. So transfers are a good thing. My new compy boo/victim is Sister Clegg. We are together in YSA, where the city of Bakersfield is our oyster. Here are the highlights of this week: 

We go to a looot of activities in YSA. FHE, Institute, linger longers, etc. It's a lot of fun! Since I have served a lot of my mission in Bakersfield, I have met a lot of YSA people already, so it's been really fun to see everyone and now serve in their ward! I am so excited to help them all with  member missionary work. I wish I had known how to be a better missionary during my Disney College Program and working at the Color Run. I was a complete retard. But repentance is real, and so is the Smoke shop and liquor store right across the street from our apartment. I can't tell you the enjoyment that comes to my soul to live in the crazy part of town. FINALLY!!!!!! 

We are working a lot with Bakersfield College. We walked around campus and got our bearings, and it made me realize how grateful I am for BYU. There really is a spirit about that campus that you can't find anywhere else. I was in complete shock to see people smoking on campus. I am such a sheltered child. I am so excited to paint the campus Mormon. Gon be sick. 

YSA- AGE PEOPLE ARE SO READY TO HEAR THE GOSPEL, LEMME TELL YOU. 

So we were driving from our district meeting, and we saw a guy selling fresh fruit from his truck. A common occurance in Bakersfield. We decided to pull over and get some uh dat goodness even though all I had was a handful of pennies in my purse and to my name. We run up to the man- "HOLA HI THERE!!!!!!! Mango for money?" and he just looks at us. Lolz! We give him all our pennies and a Book of Mormon and he let us have a mango!! Ha!!! Then he gave us back the Book of Mormon and we made him take a card. We drove away and then we realized that Sister Clegg had a 5 dolla holla bill in her white handbook. Tender mercies. We pull over again- "HOLLA WE ARE BACK!!!!" this guy probs hates missionaries forever now. Got some fresh strawberries too. I love Bakersfield.

Wellllllllll the time's been a'flyin this week. We've been super busy and it's been super awesome. The Lord knows what we need and where we need to be. All we gotta do is T-R-U-S-T. 

K byyeeeeee!!!! 

Seester Harmon

Week 60: Lunch with Sister Layton and Temple with Hayes

January 23, 2017

There are no words inside my cranium to describe the wonderfulness of the past week!

Some of the highlights of this week include:

-Having lunch with Sister Layton at the mission home with a few other sisters. I felt like one of those fancy pretty ladies who drink herbal tea and paint paintings outside. It was all fine and dandy, until somehow all of my dirt was out on the table, and my companion and former companion were sharing stories of all the times I scare them at night. Haha, oops!! The presidential inauguration was the day we had lunch. Sister Layton was mentioning that motab sang, and one of the sisters asked what song they sang, and before I could even hold my tongue I said, "Praise to the man." We were all a giggly little bunch.

-We got our oil changed! Missionaries.... They're just like you!

-Suuuper long-time comin lesson this week. Part member family with triplets all over the age of eight!! We have been teaching everyone and their dog the restoration lesson using cups that Trent gave me (it took me like 2 transfers to figure out how to use them lolz!) and it was seriously ugh. So beautiful. All three of them want to get baptized!! Good things are happening. 

I WENT TO THE LA TEMPLE WITH MY BABY SISTER HAYES AND A RECENT CONVERT ON SATURDAY, AND I CRACKED IN HALF AND INTERNALLY EXPLODED. It was awesome. 

Ok so full story on that all caps sentence. Sister Hayes and I, my little Asian persuasion. Hehe! She and I got to go down with the Stockdale ward on their temple trip with our recent convert who got baptized last week. It was a stake temple trip, but the night before they cancelled it because their might be snow. MIGHT?! I was so depressed I almost bought Ben & Jerry's. THEN that morning our ward decided we were doin it and we decided to just go. It was blue skies the entire day. Californians. JK I am literally one of them now. 

Anyways, it was seriously the best day of my life. Being with the Stockdale Ward at the temple, with a recent convert, with my Sister Hayes. And it was so beautiful in LA too! After the temple, the Hubble's, one of my loves from the Stockdale ward, took us to Santa Monica Pier and we had lunch at the very last restaraunt on the pier overlooking the ocean. It was AWESOME and it was mexican food so the Lord really blessed me tenfold. 

And then it happened. While we were in the car, President called asking for me. I literally thought all of you had died in an earthquake because President doesn't make transfer calls. Turns our you're all fine. But I am getting transferred. 

This year the first presidency is making a really big emphasis on the youth and the young single adults. They are doing a bunch of stuff to really ramp up the missionary work with the YSA ward here in Bakersfield. They are doing some different things with Institute, and then they are starting a student association at the college campus called LDSSA! Super cool. I am going to be serving in the YSA ward now! 

I am super excited. It's going to be SO different from my entire mission. We work strictly through member referrals and I'll be with a bunch of people my age. I cover all of Bakersfield so literally the world is my oyster. It's going to be awesome. I am sad to leave the Snow Ward and Sister Carter. We had such a great time and saw some really good things happen here together. I am also going to miss scooping horse poop at the horse riding center. But really though. Every minute in this area has been a blast. But I love change. AN ADVENCHA IS HEEYA YONDA! 

Ok. Here is how you get rid of people who keep calling you. AKA our DISTRICT LEADERS. jk but every time they call you just answer and recite your voicemail. It works EVERY TIME.

Alright peace and blessings on the streets of where err yer shovelin dat snowwww. Love you all!!

Seester Harmon   

Week 58: Hello My Boo Boos

January 9, 2017

This week was great! We had exchanges this week with our STL's. I've known both of them for a long, long time so it was really great to spend time with them. All four of us had questions and things we had been praying about, and we all got our answers through each other. I've been reading a lot about angels and we can all be angels for other people and be an answer to someone else's prayers. All ya gotta do is read dem scrips and say dem prayers. 

Hahahaha I am the worst companion ever. Sister Carter is relatively new, so I still get to mess with her just a little bit. Yesterday during testimony meeting at church, I sat down from bearing my testimony and I wrote a note to Sister Carter saying, "Hey I don't know if you know this rule but we are supposed to bear our testimony as a companionship on fast Sundays." The look on her face!!!!! I was wiping tears off my face. 

WE ARE STARTING ULTIMATE FRISBEE EVERY SATURDAY MORNING!! We are trying to have more missionary activities for members to invite their friends to. I am dying with excitement. I think the first Saturday I am just going to run around the field screaming and then I'll probably lock my knees on accident and pass out. Speaking of, for some reason I always wanted to pass out in elementary school so I could get sent home. All my friends would lock their knees and make themselves pass out and they'd go home! But I never had the guts to do it. Still don't.

We were talking in coordination meeting with our ward mission leader and the ward missionaries, and we came up with the idea of having a talent show as another missionary opportunity. I said to our WML, Brother Steimle, "Oh my goodness Brother Steimle you should do a dance with us. Let's do "All the Single Ladies", and we can change it to "All the Single Sisters" featuring Stallion Steimle." We were DYING laughing. Then he brought it up in ward council! It's happening. 

The first part of the week until.... Saturday afternoon... nothing was happening. Like NOTHING. Ugh woof. But then on Saturday we scratched all our plans, made new plans, and just prayed that we could get something done and have something to put on our progress record. Literally everything happened!! It was so cool and it just shows that the Lord can do whatever he wants with whatever time he has. 

ALRIGHT G'BYE!

--

Sister Harmon

Week 57: Fourth Floor, Last Door

January 2 2017

Fourth Floor Last Door. Has anyone read that talk from President Uchdorf? He gave a talk about some missionaries serving in Germany. They went to an apartment complex and knocked every single door, all the way up to the 4th floor, with no success. At the very last door, someone listened. And then they got baptized. And then she married President Uchdorf, hehe. 

That was seriously the theme for our week! It was so fabulous. We worked our missionary buns off and we witnessed some miracles here. 

One miracle was a part member family we have been working with. The wife is a baptist and the husband is less-active. Missionaries have gone over for a while trying to teach her. We decided that out of everything, we needed to focus on the Book of Mormon. We asked her the week before to read the introduction page so we could talk about it next time. She hadn't read it, so we all read the intro page together. She was uncomfortable at first, but then she finally opened up and we literally went through every sentence on that page and explained everything. It took us two hours. But it was exactly what she needed. Her husband walked us out to our car and he told us, "She's really coming a long way and she is listening to what you're saying. Now if I could get my rear in gear." Yes!!!! So exciting.

One day we went out to Frito-Lay land. We call it that because that's where the Fruit Lay plant is. We had 2 referrals on this one street. We contacted them both - nothing. We felt like we needed to stay on that street until we got dat job DONE. So we basically talked to everyone and in the nicest way possible told them all to REPENT CUZ THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS NIGH AT HAND Y'ALL. 

Just kidding! It was time to go to dinner and we were a little bummed that we didn't find anyone. As we were about to get to the car, out of nowhere this dad with his two kids come riding their bikes down the street, and it was so weird but they kinda just stopped their bikes when they saw us. THEY KNEW WE WERE SERVANTS OF THE LORD I TELL YOU. We taught the dad a teensy bit and he said that he had just gotten out of jail six months ago and he really wanted to change his life. YAAAAAAAASS!!! So we made an appt for Saturday.

We called and texted our new friend Javier to confirm for Saturday, and we heard nothin. We decided to still go out to see him. We get to his house, and it's pouring rain. There is a huge gate to his house which is a ways away from his house. There were a couple people standing around in the garage, so we get out of the car, leave our jackets and our umbrellas in the car, and shiver our way over to the gate and stand their awkwardly and wave for seriously a solid 5 minutes and saying, "Hi!" 

We looked so pathetic. But it worked! A guy comes to the gate- Javier's brother. He invites us over to the open garage, where we meet his dad and Javier. It was the most AMAZING lesson ever. We taught the restoration, but we started our lesson by teaching him all about the Atonement, which led us into the restoration. AHHHH YOU GUYS EET VAS AMAZINGG! He was totally feeling the spirit and his brother (who said he wasn't interested) after the lesson said, "I'm really excited to see the change that's going to happen to my brother" and inside my head I'm like ME TOO!!!! It was awesome. 

So there is a guy in our area who builds minion villages on his lawn for every holiday. I know. 

Well a big mile stone this week. I completely the entire year of 2016 as a missionary. It feels so weird that time has passed this quickly. I literally remember thinking to myself on January 1, 2016, "I might die." But I didn't die!!! In fact, it's been the best year of my life. I have learned so much about the gospel and about myself. Serving a mission has taught me to have greater charity and love, greater patience, and a deeper understanding of the Atonement. It's been a blessing. 

2017 is going to be awesome! What are your new years resolutions? Mine is to stop being so GORGEOUS lololol totally kidding. Some of my new years goals include reading the Book of Mormon again, making my bed every morning (I already know I am going to fail but I'm still going to try!), and to take life, my challenges, and my goals one day at a time. That's all we really can do.

Peace on the streets. 

Seester Harmon

OH MY WORD PS. 

So on Christmas this cuute little kid (on Thanksgiving he was the one who said, "Excuse me can I hold your hand?") is talking to me and he says, "Um, Sister Mormon?" HA! Adorable. Ok that's all. Byeeeeeee!

--

Sister Harmon

Week 56: Hey My Peoples!

December 26, 2016

AHHHHHHHHHHHH 

a;sldkfja;slkdjfa;slkdjf;alskdjf;alskdjf;alskdfj;alskdjfa;lsfdkj

I have so much energy that I cannot type coherent sentences!!! sd;flaksj;dflkasjd;flkajsd;lfkja;sdlkfja;slkdfj;asdfas

LITERALLY aweoriajs;lfkjas;dlkfja;slkdfj;as HELP  a;slfkjas;ldkfja;slkdf ME!!a;sfj;aslkj

Ok. I'm calm. 

Every night this week we went caroling with our whole zone to different wards!!!!! It was so awesome. We always ended up caroling to someone who really needed it. It's amazing how just showing up at someone's house singing songs can light up someone's face and night. It was AWESOME! Gonna do that erry year. 

EEE DID EVERYONE HAVE FUN OPENING PRESENTS?!?! But more importantly, did you think about Jesus. I was bawling through Sacrament yesterday. How cool is it that Christmas was on a Sunday this year. GAH #tendermercies. 

So this week we got to go to the LA temple. My fam bam already heard this story but the rest of the world needs a good giggle. We went with two other sisters, and their investigator named Lori drove us. Lori. How do I convey Lori to you? Melissa McCarthy. That's Lori. Literally. 

We go over to her house at 7 am to get her out of bed and we make our way to the temple. We made it just in time for the 10:30 session. When we go to the temple, the rule is that we need to be back to Bakersfield by 6pm, so we need to leave at least by 4. The session was absolutely amazing. I was a sprinkler... more like a FIRE HOSE... the entire time. The spirit, man.. After the session we took pics and had a great time, and then we went to lunch.... or so we had planned... 

Lori said that the only condition with us taking her was that she got to pick the restaurant. Okeeeee cool. We all had like 9 bucks to our name so we were poor lil beauties. She picks some place called jib jab or something and we start driving. The poor dear cannot follow directions, so we end up on Rodeo drive and Beverly Hills, driving around looking at all the well-dressed monkeys and screaming Merry Christmas out of our windows and handing out cards in the midst of traffic. It was awesome. I dared Sister Carter to give cards to a full-on tour bus. YAAASS QUEEN. It was amazing. 

We couldn't find the restaurant, so we end up at a Chinese place on Rodeo Drive, which you can imagine, ain't cheepie cheap. We look at a menu-  3 thousand dollars for a Chinese fry pretty much! We tell Lori we can't eat there and we make our way back to the car. We drive around LA some more and finally end up at a little strip mall full of restaurants. By this point it's 5pm. SWEET. We get everyone some din dins, I choke on a chip at Del Taco for 5 solid minutes, and by the time we get back to the car, it's 6. Then Lori says, "Let's go back to the temple and look at the lights!!" Oh my word. So we go back and sit in the car for about 10 minutes, then we finally leave. YAY. On the road... OR SO WE THOUGHT.

After about 30 minutes, dearest Lori says that we have to get gas and we have to go to Costco and only Costco. Aight! I asked if she wanted me to put it in the gps and she said she knew where it was. 30 minutes later she asked if I could put it in the gps. Lolz. We get gas, and then the best part of the evening. She pulls up LITERALLY to the entrance of Costco, leaves the keys in the car and says, "I have to go to the bathroom" and leaves the four of us in the car like little homeless children. HAHAHA!!! I was dying. Two of us follow her in the bathroom and the other two stay in the car. Then she went missing! We couldn't find her anywhere, and then 30 minutes later we find out she went grocery shopping. HAHAHAHA!! Seriously the best night of my life. We got home at 10:30 pm. So close! 

I love Christmas and the spirit it brings. I challenge all y'all to keep that spirit going. How do we do that? Like my fav bishop says, "By taking our private religious practices SRSLY." Are your personal prayers meaningful? Do you feel like you're really talkin to someone? What do you feel and learn as you read? It's the little things that are actually the big things and make the biggest difference.

PEACE AND BLESSINS MAH BOO BOOS. 

--

Sister Harmon

Week 55: Deck the Halls!!

December 19, 2016

Oh my heart.

Well, this week has been quite the adventure. Sister Ryan and I spent the first part of the week getting everything ready for her to go home. We got SO LUCKY and had to go up to Edwards Air Force Base for another doctors appointment. Can you say two-hour road trip??? And guess what? TIWI broke on our car for a few days so I could drive as fast as I wanted! I only went 95 a few times ;) 

It turns out she may have some stomach ulcers as well as her esophagus keeps tightening and closing. Poor girl. But we had a great time together and made the best of it. K OH MY WORD YOU GUYS. Elder Nelson gave a talk called "Joy and Spiritual Survival". The whole talk is about having joy through trials. It's so true. Sister Ryan is such an example of that. Here we are, basically not working at all for a month because she is so sick, she's up all night, going to lots of doctors appointments, and everything else that comes with being sick, and we seriously had the most fun in my entire mission!! I have never laughed so hard and made so many outrageous and hilarious memories. It really is true that it doesn't matter your circumstances. You can always have joy if you choose to find the joy, which is always found through JESUS. 

So many tender mercies as Sister Ryan went home this week. A missionary's mom in the mission sent her a coat because she is going home to Utah, the senior missionaries took her shopping for normal people clothes (her style is so GUUCI by the way), and so many more. On her last day, our entire zone showed up at our door with posters and balloons and caroled to her as a sweet goodbye. It was so touching. I have learned so much in the past four and a half weeks being companions with her. I've had such a special opportunity to serve her in a way that I couldn't serve any of my companions. It's amazing that when you serve someone because you want to help them, your love for them grows so much. 

My new companion is Sister Carter. She just came from Bishop, her first area, which was my first area too! She's a convert to the church and she's 24. My first comp who is older than me! I'm not the only gramma in the mission!! We have had a fun few days filled with caroling to lots of people. We went with some other sisters and had a great time. Our zone is going caroling together every night this week, rotating between people's areas, and on Christmas we are caroling in our area! I am so excited. It's so wonderful to see how such little acts of kindness make such a big difference for people. It's not the big things- it's the little things. 

Oh my word we also went to this random little library in Button Willow and caroled with a bunch of tween boys. They all brought instruments and another sister played the piano and we sang songs. The boys kept saying, "She is so bad at the piano she keeps messing up!!" Demon children!! It was so much fun though. 

OUR CAR TOTALLY ALMOST BLEW UP. We were driving home and all of a sudden the car starts smoking like crazzyyy in the middle of the road! We pull over and call the AP's screaming that our car is smoking and might blow up. It helped being dramatic because they got their 5 minutes later with a new car. All is well in Zion.

I hope you all have the best Christmas ever. It's not about presents. It's not about getting. It's not about treats and yummy food. It's about Christ. Get a piece of paper and write what gift you are going to give to Him this year. Wrap that piece of paper up in a box and put it under the tree. We can't give material things of any sort, but we can give Him our heart. That's all he really wants anyways. And deep down, that's all we really want too.

Merry Christmas! 

Love, 

Seester Harmon  

Week 54: Emailing from a Mac and Love Life Right Now

December 12, 2016

Oh my WORD here we go. 

This was the most hilarious and outrageous week ever.

 

0 proselyting hours. 

1 hospital procedure.

10 trips to Walmart.

1 cat scan.

2 melt downs.

3 visits from President. 

1 insanely clean apartment. 

The verdict= Sister Ryan is going home this Friday. I am so sad to see her go, but it is for the best. She's really really sick, and getting better at home will be faster and better for her. BUT we did have some hilarious moments in the midst of utter chaos! 

So on Tuesday, sister Ryan had an endoscopy. Her esophagus was basically shut so they had to open it up and all this fun stuff. She came out of surgery and literally looked like she had jaundice. So cute. Who knew that jaundice-looking companions would make me queasy and wanna throw up? And apparently when I have to throw up I start to cry? I'm the one who is supposed to have it together! I'm sitting there and I walk up to a random nurse in tears and I'm like, "Um, I'm going to throw up and pass out, what should I do?" and she just points to the bathroom. Cool! Our actual nurse was amazing though. We were talking about the church and Jesus and then after we had gone to our car, she runs out after us and she's like, "Let's pray." And we all hold hands and she prays!!! It was sick!!

So on day two post-op, Sister Ryan was going crazzzyy and she decided to ask Sister Layton if she could get permission to watch Tangled. It was hilarious. Sister Layton goes, "I'll talk to president and he'll give you a call." Sweet! We're in. 2 hours later we hear a knock at the door. Who's at the door? President and Sister Layton. BOTH OF THEM. After they come in, President says, "So, we wanted to just have a little scripture study with you, is that ok?" IS IT OK? IT'S MORE THAN OK YOU ARE LITERALLY THE GREATEST THING SINCE CONFETTI GUNS AT THE DOLLAR STORE. It was definitely the greatest comp study session I've had on the mission. This whole situation is kinda a dream come true. I have wanted to have a super special relationship with President Layton, and you better believe that's happening right now. He said no to Tangled, by the way. 

You know what I love? The little miracles. So Sister Ryan usually wakes me up in the middle of the night to get her a popsicle or warm up her rice bag (haha, one time I was totally out and she had to throw the rice bag right at my face. It worked!), but the other night I woke up out of the blue, wide awake. I sat there for a minute wondering why I was awake and then I was like, "okay, I need to make sure she's not dead," so I listen to see if she's breathing (I do that a lot), and I hear nothing. GREAT I KILLED MY COMPANION. I sit up and she's gone. I MADE MY COMPANION DISAPPEAR. I go into the front room and she is in there, really having a hard night. We just sat there together and prayed. It was just so cool how the spirit lets ya know what you need to do.

The Lord works in mysterious ways. We had to go to Walmart and while we were there we may or may not have bought cranberry pills to prank the elders. You crush them up, put them in brownies, and....... ok don't judge but it turns anyone's urine bright red. There was a man by us in the aisles, and we struck up a conversation about the ordeal, he thought it was amazing and is going to do it to his son, and took a card and gave us his number and we are gonna teach him probs! Ya never know who's prepared....?

Oh the BEST MIRACLE OF ALL. So, we went to Edwards Air Force base a couple weeks ago, and their gift shop is amazing. Too bad I was broke as can be, and I couldn't buy anyyyything. Then last week I realized I had money, prayed for another opportunity to go to Edwards so I could get the keychain I really really wanted, and then whaddayaknow, Sister Ryan has an appointment this Wednesday. PRAYER WORKS PEOPLE. 

Have a blessed Christmas season.

Seester Harmon

Peectures

-- Me and Sister Ryan pre-surgery

-- Me and our medical friend who is now our best friend

Sister Harmon