Growing up so fast

 This is meand Elder Dofge and Robert our Baptism. The next one is Me and Elder Gudnason who is going home :( with Oskar a guy in our Branch.

Hey Everyone!

Okay, so if you at all talk to my mom you all probably know that we had transfer calls last night, so I am so sad to say this, but Elder Dodge is getting transferred to Kraków. I learned a lot about how to speak English which sorry to say all didn't settle in haha, but no he was an amazing companion. He worked so hard and always and I mean always had a smile on his face! he is going to do so good there.  It's sad because he will miss the baptism of Robert which I feel bad for because Robert is amazing and I want to share that with Elder Dodge. So yes I am staying here in Bydgoszcz as district leader don't know my companion yet, but you guys can look on my mission presidents blog I think on Thursday night and you will find out who my companion is if you all want. It was great! we went to Warszawa on Monday and on the way home talked to a family, they weren't interested in the gospe,l but still they were nice we talked about families for like 2 hours, easy topic for me since my family is huge!  Tuesday was long felt like, but we contacted a dude who said he likes metal music and that's stuff we can't listen too...well you all know me so I start throwing out band names and stuff and he is like wow you like that stuff? I said yes, but I like this book a lot more. He laughs and goes okay your normal I will listen. We end up teaching him random stuff because he had 50 million questions. We got his number and set up a meeting ,but was in the process of getting divorced so he canceled. I was bummed, but hey I understand. Wednesday Elder Vernon was sick so the APs told Elder Gudnason if Elder Vernon can't work today you need to go on an exchange with Elder Harris. So I had an exchange with Elder Gudnason again. It was fun we taught Jasmine our investigator who speaks Engllsh and we talked about little blessings in our lives. I told her  how Jordyn when she prays says this:

 "Please bless my Shawn and make him safe and please bring him home to me. He's my friend and I love him" and how that was a tender mercy to me that day from the lord thought my mom and she got all teary eyed. She is so ready for baptism just has family stuff so all we can do is wait. Robert met with us on Thursday and Saturday and even came to the baptism and the meetings rocked and he is doing so good he is in Czech Repbulic for two weeks with his wife,but is going to church there which is cool. The baptism was good. On Sunday when she received meaning Karolina the investiagtor of Elder Gudnason and now Elder Vernon when she received the holy ghost the spirit was so strong. Sunday was a really good day, as was this week. I read a cool quote from Pres Uchtodorf "The gospel is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable" love and miss you all! 

Love Elder Harris

This is what I was doing on P-day

This is courtesy of Sister Nielson 

11:47am:  Elders Dodge and Harris are good to go with their Residence Cards. 

Now it's back to Bydgoszcz. 

 Now that everyone has arrived, it is just a waiting game.  Elders Brown (Katowice), Harris (Bydgoszcz), Bokinsky (Office), Register (Office), Walter (soon to be Krakow), Peacock (Lublin), Lanham (Kielce), Stockford (Krakow), Szymanski (Krakow), Sister Bown (Poznan), Elders Finch (Lublin), Dodge (Bydgoszcz), and Smith (Lodz).

11:48am:  The Assistants pick them up and taxi them to the Dworzec (train station). 

 They were able to catch an earlier train,also.

Letter from Starzego Harris

Hey everyone!

Sorry I am emailing on Tuesday, and not yesterday. Me and Elder Dodge had to go into Warszawa for Legal work, so pretty much all P day was spent in Warszawa and on the train fun stuff right?  It was good seeing old missionary friends and ones I have never met. 

We honestly have the best missionaries in the world.  As for last week... let's see. Tuesday we had a meeting with Robert, he is doing so good and progressing so good, you can tell he loves this gospel! Unfortunately he and his wife were unable to make it to church they were not in Bydgoszcz, but hopefully in two weeks they can come, and hopefully I am still here in Bydgoszcz. Crazy that next Sunday is transfers calls. But Wednesday is one of my favorite days, we have institute and Sister Kaeglle the American family here, she teaches institute slash seminary. And in our branch we have a Member named Oskar and he is so funny! such a spiritual kid. He is only 23, and can't serve a mission because of his disorder (not sure what it is) but loves talking to missionaries, and since Elder Bokinksy left I am his new favorite.  And we talked about Home Alone, yes the movie Home Alone for about 2 hours on Sunday and half the time on Wednesday. He loves that movie. oh, and the movie 2012, he is always asking the same questions and he knows I haven't seen it, but still asks, its great.  Yeah so we have to translate for him, and oh boy don't say anything about haircuts or  buying food on Sundays as well as the word of wisdom. It's funny, but he doesn't stop. He is  one of the nicest kids you will ever meet! Wish you all could ;( But Thursday we had a meeting with Franciszek and he is doing better willing to keep on meeting and praying and reading to find out if Tithing is true. Can I add one thing? Everyone pay your tithing. Then Friday some interesting things happend, so Adam our 11 year old Baptismal Date, well we had a meeting with him and it was going good till he said he doesn't want to pray which he never prays. Then he wouldn't read so it was a pain!!! So the whole lesson was pretty much him yelling at us and his mom....so we left. Wow learning patience for when I have kids I guess.  Then we found out  Elder Vernon is coming to Bydgoszcz.  He is here with us now! So excited to serve around him again! This week was good so stoked for next! love the mission love this church. love you bye!

Love Elder Harris

It's getting Warmer

No Cześć Wam!

Well, this week was weird, we had to move apartments on Thursday. I can still go to the other apartment and grab mail, but I have two companions now.  Elder Bokinksy has been having problems with his knee so he is now in the Office so he can rest it. Which really sucks because he is one of my favorite missionaries out here.  I have spent the past 6 or so months around him. We grew really close and have been become really good friends. Reminds me a lot of Derrick, so love the kid.  So that was a weird day. But something amazing happened this week, our old Baptismal date Franciszek, who is having problems with tithing finally set up with us so we could talk. At first he says that he isn't ready to change or maybe just dosn't want to anymore.  I didn't know what to do, so I sat there quite. Me and Elder Dodge where silent and then we started asking questions, inspired questions. And we felt we should read Ether 12:6-22 and talk about faith, miracles, and trials and it all made sense to him. He started thinking...he even said I want to know this is true.  I am so grateful for the spirit because without it, he would have been gone. We had two great lessons with Robert. ( Cześć Robert! Mam najdzieję że wszystko jest w porządku w Czechach. ) He is doing good. He went to the Czech Republic for vacation. Everything here in Poland is good, finally getting warmer. Not wearing a suit coat today! so that's cool. And you all asked about Conference.  I was not able to view any of it I am waiting for the Liahona to come out. I heard it was great! Everyone send me something they liked about it so i can be looking for it when the Liahona comes out next month! I read this in my personal study this week in the Book of Mormon and even if you aren't Mormon it has a good message its Alma 26:28-30 

 28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.

 29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their ^asynagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been ^bstoned, and taken and bound with ^cstrong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.

 30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our ^ajoy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.

So pretty much it's a really good missionary verse of course like 30 is, but honestly, we are giving hard times in our life for a reason. Weather you believe in God or not, he has stuff in store for you. He wants you to learn and grow and accomplish stuff. He puts hard things in your way just so you can grow. If your having a hard time and thinking nothing is going right here is a quote from President Uchtdorf "When necessary the Lord will even carry you over obstacles...." I love you all thanks for the support! hope your all having fun, you all alraedy know i am. Keep the updates coming and we will talk to you next week!

Love

Starszy Harris

I am in the South Pole

Hey everyone! 

So it started warming up, but every now and then it will randomly snow or something  for like 5 minutes....kinda bi polar.  I  finally took some pictures! hope they are okay. This week was good. We met with Robert again and he is doing great, his baptismal date is May 11th  now because he will be in the Czech Republic for a couple weeks. His wife is studying there right now. He is doing so good. I was on exchange with Elder Gudnason, the Elder here from Iceland! yes Iceland weird eh? But rather than that nothing to exciting happened. 

We went tracking  and got let in. It was random too. We went to the first door and this young guy comes out and is like oh cool another  bible. Can you guys come in? uh....sure dude....His name is Marcin and isn't practicing meaning he doesn't go to church, but he read, well he says he studies the bible everyday. We went on a 20 minute tangent about how people don't actually read the holy scriptures they just say they do and stuff like that it was interesting. He works a lot so we couldn't get a return appointment, but it was still great to share our message with him. I got my package and loved my Little PMG it's awesome! Its nice to be able to go back and restudy and remark everything. One really cool thing that happened this week was yesterday since we didn't have church and weren't able to view conference we had a normal working day. We read in 3rd Nephi 11 and verses 7-11 are all about Jesus and I got into a conversation with a guy about Jesus. It was a great contact. He ended up just being like I have my own religion and I don't want to change, but he really appreciated the talk. While we were talking it really made me realize how important it all really is. I mean It says God Spoke to the People that is the only the 3rd written down in history that God himself has either Spoken like that to his children or been here. 1st was when Jesus was baptized as it is said in Mathew 3 and then when he came to the American said in 3rd Nephi, and the 3rd time is when he and his son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. And every time he has came, is to benefit his children. why? Because he loves us. That's just how it is. He loves us, I know that to be true. I love you and miss you all! time is flying, ten months this month its crazy!

Love

Elder Harris

Pic's from Elder Myler ( Shawn's first Companion )

Hey Everyone!!

Hey everyone!

Cześć Robert! zapraszam do czytania dzisiaj ( Hi Robert!, I invite you to read today )

Well no pictures again. I am sorry...One I forgot my camera because we are emailing on a Tuesday and we usually do it on a Monday.  Two....I didn"t take any pictures. It"s getting really hard to take pictures. Not going to lie,  but one thing interesting happened I got an email from President Neilson saying  that anyone is allowed to email now, not just family so that"s really cool!  I have been reading some of my friends Mission update letters, and they are all talking about monthly baptism goals. Wow you guys Baptize alot on your mission that is incredible. Our  yearly goal is 72 or six a month....yeah zero for march is what we got. We  have about 12 schedule for this month so our work is getting better and better every day! I am so grateful for my mission, and wow it"s been a blast. This week the Zone Leaders are in my district as you all know, so they were doing an exchange with Szczecin ( good luck saying that ) and I think it"s like a good 6 hours away, but the other Elder missed his train so Elder Bokinsky got to stay the night with us! pretty fun. Tuesday was a mix day. We had a meeting with Robert and he is doing really good. On Wednesday we got to meet his wife and one of her friends. We allowed them to ask us questions and we answered them. It went really well.  Tuesday Franciszek our other Bdate told us he doesn't feel ready for Baptism, because he doesn't agree with the law of tithing. He is so hard to set up meetings with because of his work schedule and that hurt so bad. It was so hard. He still wants to meet and try and get ready but doesn't feel that tithing is needed. So we got to find out how we can help him out more. It snowed again here in Bydgoszcz....yay....and sorry I don't have another video for you guys I will make one this week if I remember.  Yeah it's cold here, but I am eating alot and getting fat so its keeping me warm ;) life is good here loving the mission nothing more fun then being on a mission. Polish is getting better and better. in personal study I read in Helaman 5 this past week and everyone knows Helaman 5:12 but honestly 5:7 really stuck out to me. I honestly want to grow up on my mission. I don't want to be  a compleltly different person just a more grown up Shawn you know? and pretty much that scripture sums it up for me. Its such a privilege to read from  The Book or Mormon every day, so enjoy.   Miss and love you alll! Mam Nadzieja twoja święto było najlepszy! Smacznego Jajka! haha  (Hope your Holiday was the best! Enjoy all the Eggs!) Pictures and a video next week i hope sorry ya'll church is still true promise! 

Love
Elder Harris 

Pamiętajcie że, małżeństwo jest formą kary w innych krajach! żartuję! Kocham Was Tak Bardzo!!!!!!!