Rained all week

Hey Everyone!

This week was a rainy week! But still a way good one and of course had it's ups and downs, but what week doesn't have ups and downs right? I am hoping this new way of sending pics works so lets pray it does! Monday was P day of course we czyli. Elder Allen and I helped out Veron and Wilson a little bit because Elder Wilson had an exchange in Poznań. So we were withh Elder Vernon for a couple of hours waiting with him for Elder Caskey to come in. While being with him we decided to of course work, but we contacted and sure enough we are walking down a street and guess what little Elder Harris sees? thats right my first polish midget! He was going pretty fast and walking with a purpose with a full head of steam. I am pretty sure I head him say I think I can, I think  I can while walking, but decided to contact him anyways sure enough told me to get lost and give him peace, but I still contacted a midget! it was pretty cool not going to lie. But man little people are mean....sorry everyone.....But on to Tuesday. My first District Meeting of the transfer and it went really well. Everyone participated and we all talked and discussed and the meeting went really really well!, and it was fun! Also we had our meeting with Robert and that went really really good. He is doing so good so ready for the 8th! its going to be awesome so so excited! Then to be honest with you I am really starting to hate Wednesdays alot. But first we did have a fun meeting with Franciszek and it went well still being uparty about tithing, but he loves meeting with us and they are always such good spiritual lessons. The reason I hate Wednesdays is because last week found out Bokinsky is going home, but also found out that Elder Weir went home with him :( not sure why but I heard he should be back.  Sp in hour of them I put there sport numbers on some ties so I can work hard for them. Kinda cheesy, but yeah that's me. Elder Weir if I remember right was number 12. Then Thursday was good we meet a girl named Paula and she was way interested so we got here number and actually she called me to day and we set up a time to meet tomorrow! so that was cool. Also on Thursday I had one of the coolest contacts, I was talking to a kid named Fabian he wasn't interested, but we had a really really good talk about God and it was so cool he was way tall and only 18, but had his head on straight talked about school and yeah it was just a really good talk! But then Friday! Just a normal contacting day, but if you had to marry someone from your mission well I found my Polish wife! Magda! she was one of the prettiest girls I have ever seen in Poland! So pretty and she wanted to meet later and talk about our message we will see if she is froggy or not meaning only wants to talk because she thinks I am attractive. Then the weekend was just full of rain! it wouldn't stop all weekend so we did some area book work. Had a fun rainy week! hope all your weeks went good. I know for some of us this week will be hard but remember that he is watching over us. And he is in a better place. I love and miss you all and I know that God has a plan for us and we will see each other again. Keep the Faith I love you and talk to next week!

Love

Elder Harris



Elder Bokinsky and Elder Weir's ties








I'm lovin it!!











Finally I can buy my own Nike socks.

Pic's from Elder Allen's blog

(Courtesy from Elder Allen's blog)

There was a scary concert thing on the river right next to where we live this week. It went on for days and was super loud. There were people drinking and smoking marijuana   it was pretty scary. But we are still alive!

I believe this is Elder Harris walking down some road  in Poland.

We walk across this bridge everyday.

20 Maja 2013 Roku

Cześć wam!

This week was another week in Poland. Don't know how else to put it. First off the pictures are of me and Elder Allen during the baptism  of Adam Pisarksi! our little 12 year! He baptism was amazing! If you all remember me talking about him you will remember the word turd being used to describe him. Because he is a 12 year old boy who only likes to play battlefield 3 and make weird noises out of his mouth. Every time we would meet he would pray bez Głosu meaning he would pray in his head and yell AMAN when he was done. Which is better then nothing right? After every lesson or at church and ask him hey how are you? he would go normally ...you can guess what that means. And it's like okay thank's for the conversion bud! But yesterday after he was confirmed I asked how he was and he said I feel clean and really happy....WOW! HELLO! "MIND BLOWN!" I was so so shocked. Power wave of the spirit! And the little guy even sat by me in priesthood and asked what he has to do to get the priesthood and all that,he wore a white shirt and tie and brought scriptures,  gosh he has changed and it was awesome! But now onto the week!

 Monday was Pday, nothing to great happened. Tuesday was amazing we meet with Robert and Magda his wife, and she was participating in the lesson committed to read and pray alone and with Robert as a family and to meet with us. Roberts baptism did not happening last week, but was a blessing! 8 June! so excited for that day. He is progressing so good and loves the scriptures. He is awesome! Found out Łukasz my old  investigator with Elder Myler in Gdańsk is getting married. How cool is that? So great! Also funniest thing happened on Tuesday night. We were contacting and some young people drinking stopped us. I told Elder Allen don't talk, they are drunk, and they say hey you got something cool to read or what? I laugh and go just the words of Christ. He goes cool talk to me about it.

 That's your job right? I think hmm talk to some little wanna be thugs and practice polish or keep walking...So I said why not. I started talking and  of course it goes no where turns into the whole where are you from? haha why are you here? haha ( hahaha=stupid person laugh ) and so I answered and try to end it, then of the girl goes...I like your hair....in English, so Ilaugh haha dziękuje and try to leave and she goes mmmm ładny jesteś....okay peace out girl see ya later! meaning your pretty or what ever girl call guys now a days in America, but I was like well thanks for that.  Time to go bye.  We lefted and now since Elder Allen is a trainee that is the only thing he understand so our joke now is ładny Jesteś...so its pretty funny. 

 Wednesday wasn't a good day. We called Jasmin and she told us that today would be the last time we meet. We meet and talked about it and she just doesn't feel like its for her. It was hard to see her leave, but maybe it's a blessing. We will see! She was so close and it hurts, but that's how it is. Then during English classes I found out my best friend in the mission is going home early. I found out because of Sister Kagele spilled  the beans. Iwas like what the!!!!!! So i call him, because I can and he tells me and it's true Elder Bokinsky is going home, but wants to try and come back. He said he would in 2 months so he could be in my group! that would be cool! He called me this morning to talk and we are going to email and stuff so he doesn't get to bored and in honor of him on a tie that I bought that he also has. I put his football number. No homo I swear! So that was hard. On the way home Elder Allen got smashed by the elevator and we both feel to the ground crying it was so funny. But the picture of the tie is the one for Timmy! Thursday had a meeting with President. It went really good the spirit was strong and had a good talk with him. He truly is lead by the spirit, he knows what I needed to hear. It was great. I also contacted a guy who played rugby and that was way coo, but went no where. Friday got a way funny letter from Good ol' Baranowki! what a stud. He found lots of family in Białystok the city he is in. How cool is that! Saturday okay this was funny so some little s kid was trying to kick us out of the park and he is like prosto, prosto and I say czy posiadasz ten park? no właśnie so SPADAJ! meaning straight,straight and I said do you own this park? oh yeah no you don't! and get lost or littlerly translated fall. And well sure enough he tries  to act cool and falls off his bike.So  of course I turned around and laughed ,so he then left. Finally Saturday was the baptism and it was great like I said. Well I
love you all and miss you all have a good week! Some Yankee updates would be cool some Raiders or straight up some updates on all of you! God loves us all!

Love

Elder Harris

Traning and more traning

(Courtney of Sister Nielson Blog)

 Elders Harris (District Leader) and Allen show up early to stamp their pass along cards with their address and phone numbers on the back.  This way people will know who to call and where to go.

 The great missionaries in the Bydgoszcz and Gdansk Districts.  Sisters Swenson and Young with Elders Allen and Harris.  Elders Vernon, Skolmoski, White and Wilson.

After the training meeting everyone enjoyed famous 'Marcin mini pizzas', picked up mail and supplies and were ready to go out and contact.  Elders Skolmoski, White, Wilson, Vernon, Allen and Harris with Sisters Young and Swenson.  We had a great time and visit with our missionaries.  President also interviewed each one as he always does.

Poland

Well hey everyone! It was good to be able to talk to some of you yesterday.  The highlights have to be Jordyn telling me I am grounded if i don't come home, and Peyton asking how to say Peyton in Polish and I say that it's the same and ask if she wants to know how to say sister and she goes quite and says no.....haha okay turn down!
 But It was way good! I thought it was really cool of you mom to invite Lynnae over and let her talk. Thank you so much for that and I bet she is grateful too. You guys all sound good and happy. And props to mom for not crying while on the phone with me, well she did a little but that"s okay ;) That was for sure a good way to end the week! 
This week was rainy and had a lot of ups and downs. I hope I don't offend anyone with what I am going to say thought. 
'Monday we didnt have p-day as you all already know.  Tuesday was weird. It was our P-day, but I had the worlds most biggest headache. I didn't have anything on me to take at the time so I was onry...luckly I didn't scare Elder Allen away. But it was so hard and on top of that  Leszek Szymański calls to tell me about Robert and how he isn't able to make a train back from Czech Republic in time for Fridays interview or Saturdays baptism. I was so sad, but don't worry he called me Saturday and everything is all good! His new date is June 8th. He is funny though so honest and loves the gospel. He wants nothing more than to be baptized and help his wife come closer to that as well. Such a blessing in my life.  Tuesday night I get a call from the Gdańsk Elder phone and I am like uh Skolimowki you can't call me I am not in your District and so I don't answer, but Elder Allen answers and all he hears is Dzień Dobry Panu! and Elder Allen goes I think your looking for Elder Harris. So I say hello and I hear this heyyyy Elder Harris. Oh cześć Darku! Elder Myler was in Poland this week and he took time out of his vacation to call me it was great to be able to talk to him. Then Wednesday me and Elder Allen went to work. We had amazing success on the street getting two street lessons as well as a couple numbers. We had a really good lesson with Jasmin, but she didn't come to church so hopefully she is alright. Then Thursday....Well we have to do this thing called zameldować meaning to get registered and it's pretty much legal work and your land lord has to come and sign these papers well that's what I have heard. And so I call mine and her husband gives a paper and says that's all you need so I go okay...and head the Urząd and of course it doesn't work. And well Elder Harris is onry now great. So I am trying to call this lady and she won't answer so yeah Thursday morning was blast of flavor.
  We still had a good day. Elder Allen is doing so well. he really is coming along fast in every aspect of the missionary work except how  he ties his ties....it's really ugly I tell him every day, but he won't change it. its this wimpy skinny not that looks like something homer Simpson would wear. Actually if i remember right homers not is fatter so....yeah maybe he will change one day...but no really he is great we are having a blast razem! Friday had a lesson with our little Aduś (cute a fied version of Adam) he is our 11 year investigator and it went well, he read and prayed so that's always nice. Saturday I ran into some people who I dearly love. 
Well back up so i hope this don't offend anyone. In Poland there are lots of J Dubs and I have met some really nice ones, we talk and depart and don't argue I am have been lucky not one has tried to ague,  but then this guy that we stop, we tell him we have a message on  how God showed his love by calling a Prophet and this guy instantly pulls out his bible and not even on the subject of prophets and is like what do you think that means. uh it says that we can only know the truth by the spirit cool bro that's what I am trying to say then he says yes and God Jehovah said this and me being a smart mouth goes uh wait did you say God Jehovah? Who is that and they are explaining Jehovah as God and I go well actually Jehovah is Jesus...and his little girl friend where is it written that it's Jesus. I laughed and go well I can't tell you where, but I know its says that Jehovah prayed to God...so how does that work and she goes uh...maybe you should study the bible so you know what your talking about so me being a punk gets mad and goes okay where does it say that it's God and not Jesus  She is like.....everywhere....being really hesitant and I was like show me. So they begin to show me taking forever to find a scripture then I say sorry I can't feel the Holy Ghost so I don't want to aruge with you any more so bye and left. Shouldn't have talked to them in the first place, but yeah so if you meet a J Dub be nice and don't aruge it's not good. Just a random story for you all. I feel as if my emails are too short so thought I would throw that in. That afternoon we look out our window and found a Ferrari just parked outside like its no big deal haha. Big old bright red one too! nuts! Sunday of course was good g

ot to talk to you guys and yeah good weird week. Love this mission thought. Thanks for your words last night it was good to hear your voices and it really has motivated me. I love you all and pray for you all! be safe have a good week!!!! Church is true!

Love

Elder Harris

Another great week in Poland

Elder Harris and Elder Allen

Hey everyone! Well this week was weird. It was transfers and I was way sad to have Elder Dodge leave. He was so funny and so great! Never had a funnier companion, he was always smiling.  Now I am training. Can you say a little scary. Don't really know what I am doing let alone teach someone else how to do it. I know I can pray for help. This week we finished the Book of Mormon as a mission and wow what a blessing that was to have done that. That is one special book that I love so much. 

As for the week, Monday we did our culture night. Meaning we did something polish, it was okay. We went and had all you can eat pizza, but all you can eat Polish style is you have to eat every piece before they make you another, so pretty much I had a full pizza and it took so long that we all got full and left and walked around the city way fun huh? Not! but it was cool to be able to spend time together and just relax. Tuesday we went over to the Kageles to have dinner because Elder Gudnason was ending his mission and going home, and Elder Dodge was taking off to Kraków. It was so much fun, they are such a cool family. They do so much for us.(yes i am sucking up czyli I want cookies ;) ) but no seriously they are way cool. 
Wednesday was weird I headed down to Warszawa to have a trainers meeting and get my new companion. I was able to see Elder Lanham who is the group under me, but is a complete stud. Never really have been able to serve around him, but when I see him we just get a long and it's a blast. Elder Van Bakel is also training. He is from Holland and plays rugby so we get a long too. And then my former companion and Ap Elder Mikolyksi is also training and boy it was great to see him again. That transfer with him was so much fun! So it was a good reunion. But it was way weird being at the mission home for the first time in 8 months really made me understand how fast time is going. My companion is really cool. He is from California and already speaks really good. On the train home we talked to this really cute girl (made it easier to talk) and she doesn't live in Bydgoszcz, but loves religion and the topic so she is going to look into our church more. So that was a plus, because I hate trains, they are long and hot....blah. 
Friday was a first full day helping Elder Allen getting adjusted and going was easy, he already is ready. But the highlight was Jasmin. She kept her promise even came home early from Denmark to Bare her testimony. I had to translate did okay, but through in a Joke that the members loved, but the missionaries were teasing me about it. She was talking about her first experiences with missionaries and how she looked out her window and saw two young well dressed people, but I said that she looked out the window and saw 2 beautiful missionaries. It was a hoot, but yeah it was so cool that she did it and she has a powerful little testimony. I hope she realizes that so she can commit to being baptized. But this week we get to prepare a baptism for Robert we are so excited all depending on if he went to church in Czech Republic but if not no big deal just do it next week. Everything is so good here. Love the mission love life! hope your all doing good as well happy mothers day to everyone have a good week and i will chat at you next week! 

Love

Elder Harris

Bydgoszcz Zone Leader Traning

( From Sister Neilson blog )

 If you have served in Bydgoszcz, you know one of the favorite places to eat is at Marcin's.  We ordered his famous little pizzas and enjoyed them for lunch.  We have such great missionaries in Poland.  We love them dearly.  It was so good to spend the morning with some of them.  They are developing into the missionaries the Lord needs.  We are so grateful for them.  They quickly had lunch and then headed back to Gdansk or the streets of Bydgoszcz to share the Gospel message.
We returned to Warsaw.  Tomorrow we will enjoy another Zone Training meeting with Warsaw I & II Districts.   We do have the best calling in the Church.

 Sunday morning in Church was a welcome sight to see so many familiar faces and to see how many of our Branch members are growing up right before our eyes.

 Our Missionaries in the Bydgoszcz Branch.  These are great Elders.  Elder Allen (who shared his testimony in Polish today. Many of the members told us he spoke perfect Polish and could not believe he has been in Poland for only 5 days.) Elder Wilson (new Zone Leader), Elder Harris (District Leader) and Elder Vernon (new Zone Leader).
It was a wonderful day for me and President to visit with the great members here and to feel of their Spirit.  We love these members and this great Branch.

 Our Zone Meeting for today. (Tomorrow we will attend this same meeting in Warsaw... Katowice on Wednesday).  Sisters Young and Swenson with Elders Harris, Allen, Skolmoski, White, Vernon and Wilson.

Monday morning we were again at the Chapel for Zone Training.  The Gdansk District came down as the Zone Leaders are teaching what they discussed at Mission Leadership Counsel last week.  Elders White (Gdansk), Allen, Harris and Skolmoski (Gdansk District Leader) arrive ahead of the Sisters and to set up.

My new Companion Is?

 (Pic's from Sister Neilson's  Blog)

 The Training Missionaries will meet with President while the Trainees are out contacting.  Then all will receive their assignments and find out who their new companions will be.  Elders Lanham, Van Bakel, Sisters Allen, Packard, Howells, Bown, Holmgren and Bezdjian, with Elders Harris and Mikolyski.

 They were instructed on their responsibilities with the 12-week training course that New Missionaries  begin the first week in-field.  We are at the stage in the mission where all of these trainers went through this course when they arrived in Poland.  They are familiar with this and eager to go through it again.  Only this time, taking the lead role.
The Trainees arrived back at the Mission Home and now it is time to hear where everyone is going and who will be companions....

                                             Elder Allen will be companions with Elder Harris.

 They will serve together in Bydogszcz.  What a great city for these great Elders to serve in.

 After everyone was assigned, the combined instruction continued with everyone sitting with their new companions. We enjoyed a great spirit in our meeting.

DAY #3, Thursday:  Everyone was up a 6:00am, a quick breakfast and then off to the train station.  Our last group picture for this group: Elders Allen, Lanham, Harris, Blom, Van Bakel, Wolfley, Sisters Pearson, Packard, Lidtka, Bown, Elders Waskiewicz, Mikolyski, Sisters Bezdjian, Blake, Young, Allen, Holmgren and Wencel.  What a great group of missionaries. Now, off to their specific areas to do mighty works. (Sisters Howells and Barth left the night before as they are assigned to Warsaw)

Dinner at Sister Kagelle's

 Elder Harris and Elder Dodge 

 Elder Veron and Elder Harris

 I guess someone said a joke