So Grateful For All I've Been Given

Surprise: my pday is right now, since tomorrow the wilmington zone will be having a special meeting with President Schaefermeyer.
i hope you guys liked the pics, stinks i dont have my other memory card yet either. but its okay. we had another successful baptism, so thats two now. and we have 8 more with a date!!! i think that time of many baptisms is right now lol but anyways, we have been mightily blessed by God, and i am so grateful for everything. looking forward to getting even better as a missionary! my goal is to become that master teacher. its cool im now just starting to read the New Testament. i rely on the spirit so much and put a lot of trust in God to act as His instrument, we have some amazing lessons! i love being a missionary, when two years are up, my goal and hope is to not want to go home, to really fall in love with this great work and helping people. i know i'll be going through some trials, there must be opposition in all things, but im just so grateful for all that ive been given. this transfer has flown by, on saturday night, i'll know whether or not my comp and i are being shipped out or staying.

Mom's Note: Last week were we up at girl's camp and had forgotten to email before we left (we did send letters though in our defense) and this week his p-day was a day early and we hadn't emailed yet so Corey probably thinks we've FORGOTTEN ALL ABOUT HIM!!! (Never.)

3 Month Mark

hey there, so today has been 3 months now! pretty crazy! today im planning on a writing letters day to the family and friends. my comp and i are getting alot of things done, we have another baptism this sunday. and we have a few other investigators with dates as well! but anyways, i have a vision of how to get things rollin here, to help the future missionaries out as well when they come here to Wilmington 2nd ward. i'll tell you all about it when im done with my project im about to get working on. it may take another transfer though.. we're teaching alot of people now, our pool keeps on growing. yesterday, we went finding maybe an hour, and have 5 new investigators to see, so pretty soon we wont be tracting anymore! our bishop said that we should be teaching, instead of finding anyway, that somehow the members need to give the missionaries referrals. idk how often do you go out with the missionaries back home? dad just curious how is home teaching? i never realized the importance of it til now. its important that you are 100%, even see the less actives that you dont see at church. they're even more important than the ones you know, trust me, i talk to strangers all day. lol its not the end of the month yet, get to work. love all you guys, hope everything is goin great back home, im pretty excited to write you guys. expect the letters monday or tuesday. well hope all is well, tell everyone i said hey! let me know how your missionary efforts are going, im lookin forward to hearing back from ya next week. all my love, Elder Harris

Philly Trip and A New Mission President

alright so the philly trip today was pretty awesome! i took a few pics to share as well.. cheesesteaks were cheap and awesome, got to see some pretty cool things, but alot of walking. im drained right now! really not a whole lot to say about it, pics will tell all. so last friday was president murrays last zone conference and yesterday his last interview. pretty spiritual. im stoked to get pres schaefermeyer here already.. keep on learning and growing, im changing alot already, and i like the new person im starting to become. my view of life and religion has completely changed. we're teaching and finding alot of people. its just hard to help people keep commitments. we had another baptism this sunday but the man gave in and had a smoke so we have to push it back now til he can quit for good. hes tryin though, and we have another baptism on the 27th too. exciting times, getting alot of work done here! its fun being here in Wilmington, totally a mini version of philly!! i had dominican food for the first time the other day, pretty good stuff!

well glad to see everythings goin good back home. i dont know much of how everyones doin, i rarely get mail, so i like these little updates. so my favorite scriptures, Alma 26:12, (Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.) and Romans 12:1-2 (I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.)... maybe ya'll like em? oh basketball is pretty fun down here, to ball people in our church clothes. its just funny to see peoples reactions to us playing good. so what has everyone been up to these days? i have the same story every week, just doin missionary work.. oh a confession, im doing horrible on my journal btw, im just way tired at night and dont feel like writing anything. im just rambling right now, im tired as you might be able to tell. well hope everything is ok, love you all and take care. -Elder Harris

Being A Missionary Is So Much Fun

Corey's companion, Elder Bertrand. And see that Subway sandwich next to the two gallons of milk in the cart? I would bet that's Corey's! And the milk too! Lol.


Their apartment. See the coke on the counter...hmmm...Corey...and you know how I know? He is too cheap to buy small cokes. Ha!

Ummm, guess he wants us to know he brushes his tongue. Or to be happy it isn't pierced. I don't know. He is sticking his tongue out in a few of his recent photos. Maybe if I keep posting them on his blog...HE. WILL. STOP. ;P

Part of Mom's email to Corey: "I know you said you aren't homesick and that's awesome. I'm glad you are doing well and working hard. I read your mission president's blog about his Why I Believe Fireside talk in Newark. One of the missionaries he quoted sounded an awful lot like my boy...!"

hey there! i was at the fireside, i froze when he read my e-mail in front of everyone lol it was pretty sick though.. tomorrows zone conference, im way stoked for that, and guess what im doin next week on pday?! ...goin to philly thats right! one of the Elders in our district hasnt had the chance to go to Philly yet on his mission and he goes back home at the end of the transfer, so he has two extra seats in the back of the mission car, so my comp and i are goin up with them.. i'll try to send you pics afterwards.

so things in Wilmington are going pretty cool, we're working real hard, a few investigators with baptismal dates, trying real hard to get them to keep commitments! stupid satan has to always ruin stuff... and im learning alot too! diving reallllll deep in the scriptures.

tyler looks like a stud in his WHITE gown, wow im so impressed! hes got bragging rights to that now lol so ryan "phelps", are you going to get into club swimming? now that your officially a fish? haha rulu and bean, how are you girls doing? soon to be in young womens and baptized! thats so awesome! so in 2 weeks i'll have been out 3 months already, can ya believe that?! time is flying so fast! being a missionary is so much fun, the key is really just losing yourself, fear God, and not what man thinks, and have a little bit of charity, things will go pretty sweet.. well, gotta run i'll talk to ya soon.

lots of love, Elder Harris

New Area, New Attitude

well i just wanted to let you know that everything is alright.. ive seen miracles here in Wilmington, my attitude has completely changed, and i absolutely love my mission. i dont want to come home at all, im not homesick anymore. Elder Bertrand and i have been working hard. i just took part in my first baptism this past sunday, and was actually a miracle. alot of details. we've have alot more with dates as well, and most of them are recent people we've found in the past week and a half. ive grown as a teacher, but ive realized that i am truly nothing, with out the spirit. (Alma 26:12) its amazing.. to have the power of the Melchizedek priesthood combined with sacred privilege of being ordained an Elder to teach the gospel, its just truly a humbling experience, and im so grateful for all thats been going on.. i love it here. we're doing all that we can to work hard and we see that the Lord will do the rest. we've been put into situations where we are totally under the influence of the spirit, and its almost easy to recognize the promptings we get because we are so in tune with doing the Lords work. we even have an investigator comin out to play ball with us later today, and we met him yesterday! we've already gained his trust, another investigator (amazing story) we're teaching is acting like a missionary for us, having friends and family come out to church and listen to us. its awesome! i love it here, im getting lost in the work, and i wouldnt want to be anywhere else. love you guys, hope everythings goin good, -Elder Harris