Home Sweet Home (Ch 34)

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This week, we moved out of our house with Sister Smith and Sister Lister. We finally have a house in our area! Which is good, mostly.

We miss our friends, though! I loved coming home and hanging out with the other sisters. We'd chat and bake and watercolor at nights and it was a ton of fun. The thing about leaving old friends behind, though, is that it opens up a chance for you to make new ones! 

And so we have. We've made lots and lots of little friends! Our new house is teeming with cockroaches. You never know where you might find one. I almost stepped on a cockroach in our bathroom the other night and since then, I haven't let my guard down for a second. And we have other new friends, too! There is a pack of super loud, aggressive house cats that like to hang out at our house. The other day I was daily planning with Sister Pluem and I felt like I was being watched. I looked out the window and saw this mean-looking cat perched on the fence right outside, staring right at us. I yelled at it to go away. It didn't even flinch. I'm telling you-- I don't know what's up with the cats here in Thailand but they've definitely undergone a few mutations. 

Beautiful hike we went on last Pday

Sister Pluem and I are happy to be located in our area at last. Our house has character. We're working on loving it for all of its (many) quirks. Home sweet home!

Anyway, moving on. This was a great week! Sister Pluem and I made a goal on Tuesday to try and talk to EVERYONE. I thought it was going to be an exhausting way to work, but, honestly, it was liberating. I felt more sharp and confident than ever before, and we were able to find so many investigators and potential investigators by just opening our mouths a little more. And, obviously, we didn't actually talk to every single person we saw throughout the week. But we "tried a little harder to be a little better," and the Lord delivered in His generosity.

This week also brought with it a pretty big miracle. Yesterday, we went inviting around our neighborhood before church. We met a really nice guy who was out teaching his cute daughter to rollerskate. The guy was Christian already, and ran an orphanage. He had talked a little bit about the church he goes to, so I asked him if he was a member there. He said no -- he was looking around. Um! Anyway, we got his contact information written down on a little Post-it note, and told him we'd keep in touch. We biked off.

When we got to church, I was going to pull out the post-it note and enter the contact information into my phone. You know where this story is going. It was gone. My heart just sank. I, through my carelessness, had thrown away the opportunity to teach a son of God about His purpose on this earth and divine potential. I can't tell you how low I felt. I prayed for forgiveness and for a miracle. Not for my sake, but for the sake of this good man who deserved to learn more. I prayed that somehow, if it was the Lord's will, we'd be able to contact him again.

When Sacrament Meeting ended, the Elders in Branch 2 came up to us. They handed us each a business card and told us that a man had dropped them off. He had talked to them about maybe helping teach English at his orphanage. Guess who it was? The man from this morning!! He had followed the map on the back of the English inviting card we had given him and come all the way to the church. I can't explain how amazing that is. It's been a big struggle for us to convince investigators with developing faith to drive all the way to church from our area. Many just won't do it.

But--on this day of miracles--a man had driven all the way to church to drop off a business card! I could not believe it when the Elders handed me his card. I may have shed a quick tear. I still can't think about it without pure awe and gratitude. And, so, yesterday, I saw one of the most beautiful, clearly-identifiable miracles I've ever seen in my life. God loves His children. God forgives His imperfect servants. This is His work, one-hundred percent.

I absolutely love my job. You know how Christmas is just the best time of the year? Everyone's more patient, more generous, more joyful, more full of love, and more forgiving. The world may not know why that is, but we do. Any effort to think of, speak of, or emulate the Savior in our lives will make us brighter and happier. As a missionary, I feel like I am living in a Christmas season of my life. I'm happier, more patient, more loving, and more in tune with my Father in Heaven than ever before. My joy is more real. And I know why that is! I have let the Savior into my life more completely than ever before. 

I want to make a promise to each of you: if you make any effort, big or small, to let the Savior into your life and heart a little more, you will be changed for good. You will be happier. You will find the peace you seek.

I'm determined to not let the sense of purpose and joy I feel as a missionary fade away like the Christmas season. My mission has taught me that, of all the roles I've cherished in my life so far, and of all the roles I'm yet to assume, there is one that stands out among them. I'm a disciple of the Savior, first and foremost. I will strive each day to be a little more like Him-- and all the other facets of my life will will be affected for good, because the Savior is the source of everything good.

I love this gospel. I love my family. I love my brothers and sisters in Thailand. I am grateful. 

Love always, 

Sister Harris

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