Plan For Unplanned Opportunites

Dear Family,

Things have been goin great. We only had one baptism this past Sunday, we had to push Nate back because he'll have family in town on the 8 August and he wanted to wait, which we didn't mind. But as of right now we have 3 planned baptisms for August 8, (just the way it worked out) its lookin to be a crazy Sunday. Pretty sweet to see Ryan going on splits a lot, what about Tyler too? Tomorrow for [feeding] the Elders, you know believe it or not, we NEVER have pizza, so thats always a good back up plan, but i'd say go with my favorites. ;)

i did get my surprise package, i was way excited! Those have been great snacks for the day, i haven't eaten more than two a day, i don't want to kill them to fast. so last Saturday was so stinkin hot, i think 107 with humidity! i was drenched, of course we decide to go tract and walk all morning that day, instead of setting up appointments and be in the ac car. our air conditioning WAS broke in the beginning of the summer. it would be about 80-85 degrees with humidity inside. very sticky. we just recently got it fixed, our apartment has been a meat locker ever since lol (65-70 degrees)

so i am doing a horrible job of budgeting my money. i ate out way too much, and it burned my msf. i had to pay a $50 ticket for running a red light. ( i don't even remember doing that?!)
i was pretty mad at myself when i got the ticket in the mail. (Not the type of mail that i want lol) its pretty cool to hear about ya dad, [making detective] how sweet everything's goin. just be careful. well ill probably write some more in another email, here's this one for now, love Elder Harris

Alright so we've had a pretty good pday so far. We went to a local barber down the street so Elder Gillman could get a haircut, and we had an unplanned opportunity to teach! he taught the guy cutting his hair, and i ended up teaching the hair stylist who wasn't doin much. (slow morning) they were both very interested in what we had to share, and we have an appointment with them tomorrow during break, we'll give them a copy of the Book of Mormon, etc.. awesome. Ive just learned to plan for unplanned opportunities!

Mom's note: Most of the rest of our email is conversation back and forth because we were on at the same time so I'll just paraphrase...Corey said they don't have missionary dinner calendars like we do here so they only have dinner appointments if someone invites them over. They have a standing appointment at the bishop's house on Wednesday nights but other than that they don't have many dinner invites so they eat a lot of ramen, and frozen and canned food. Yuck. No wonder he has been asking for fast food gift cards. (Equally yuck in my opinion but easier for them I'm sure.) He's excited for his friend Chase who was called to serve in the Washington Everett Mission and reports in September. He closed with this scripture and said "i was reading a scripture this morning, Mosiah 2:20-24, King Benjamin is awesome. all we have to do is keep the commandments. not too much to ask for right? lol well gotta go now, love you guys so much, and miss you! talk to ya next week! Hasta la vista 'baby' :D"

MOSIAH 2:20-24 "I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another— I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants. And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you. And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him. And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?"

More Baptisms

i'll be honest, im a little bit homesick right now, just because of the type of experiences ive been having lately. one real eye opener happened, something very sacred and special, that i'll always remember. i wrote it in my journal. one of the members down in Smyrna had recently passed away of cancer, thats about all i can really say. (thats all i feel prompted to share..) i have been getting very worried lately about your sickness ma, you have been on my mind a lot, especially this past week. i just continue to hope and pray that everything will be okay.
so the mission is goin real good now, but ive been so busy, im real tired. p day couldnt have come at a better time, i could seriously use some down time. we have had a crazy week.. and next week (on 25 July) we have two more people being baptized.. one who has been a long time investigator, who finally feels ready. (We have had some pretty amazing lessons with her) i have been mightily blessed here in Wilmington with all the people we are currently teaching. it has been amazing, but by the end of the day i am spiritually and physically drained. my head hits that pillow and i am out! its been real fun too, but we've just been real busy.
so how is everyone back home? any summer fun? how is Bishop Urry doing? can you tell that guy to email me, and i can send him a letter back?
i am not allowed to go on the blog anymore, i was very tempted to look "one last time". i know blessings will come for being obedient. also are you guys doing a xmas in July? just wondering. dad the nametag i sent you, i hope you like it. and another thing.. zone conferences, will only be once every other transfer. so 4 times a year!! it kinds stinks, that means less opportunities to get mail, so if youre sending a package soon, (or mail) please just send it here to Newport.. (my companion goes home in August 17, so im bound to stay here at the very least, six weeks following that) til end of september.
the weather has cooled down alot here, only because its been raining real crazy lately.. yes we've even had some floods lol but it will get hot soon. along with the 110% humidity, haha no kidding. also we are allowed to go to the temple!!!! but it has to be with our recent convert, and the next year when they go to get their endowments we can go with them. something cool to get us extra motivated!! and to work even harder :D thats about all i can think of for now. but take care, talk to ya next week. x's and o's, Elder Harris

Corey The Assassin

i think i have jared and jeffs address, i most likely (well maybe not likely) will be writing them today, because everyone wants to play basketball and im the one with the church keys. Elder Bertrand got transferred down to Smyrna, now a zone leader, and my new companion is Elder Lance Gillman, coming from Smyrna as the last zone leader and now is the new district leader. he'll go back home to Linden, Utah in 6 weeks, so i'll have a new comp pretty soon, which means i'll be here at least 12 more weeks.
so you know how you have trainers, district leaders, zone leaders, and assistants to the prez? well ive been given the call of 'assassin', since im killing Elder Gillman this transfer. the mission is full of weird traditions and jokes. weird, i know. lol i was pretty sad to see Bertrand go though, because we had alot goin, but im keepin the fort down in Wilmington, we've already taught 20 lessons! and its only p-day! the mission really is awesome, it feels as almost the veil is very thin sometimes, when i read or teach and feel the spirit, and then just ponder and get totally lost to what im feeling or thinking about. im doing a morning devotional where i'll read scriptures, an ensign article, i'll then kneel in a prayer and express gratitude for everything, desires of my heart, needs of my investigators, and then i'll write down impressions in what i feel needs to happen.

the weather here is so stinkin awful, 107 and humidity, its bad. that is so cool to hear about braeden, i was plannin on writing him real quick today, because i know it was his birthday last week. President Schaefermeyer is a really cool guy, but you can tell he is new, compared to Prez Murray lol its so cool to hear that life is still goin pretty good with everyone back home, idk im totally oblivious to everything because im only thinkin about missionary work. (which is a good thing)

so mom questions. some light weight pants would be amazing for walking around in this weather. yes my shoes are holding up great, i alternate them everyday. and the stricter budget is for my own good. the coke was there before i got there so i just finished it off, and the subway, yea that was mine, but E. Bertrand got some too. today, everyone is meeting up at Capriotti's, yup and guess what, that food chain started here in Delaware. if i were to get a drivers license here, i could eat free caps in vegas!! pretty sick! well how is everyone doin? oh if your planning on sending out a box, can you send out my black jansport backpack too? along with food. lol thank you. well i love you guys and hope everything is goin great. oh yea dad, the nametag, no problemo, i ordered it, and im even thinking about sending another one with a picture of me to grandpa. i liked the letter about ashley writing on my wall, that was pretty cool. i love her too. ive been writing her.. but anyways, take care until next week. -Love, Elder Harris

ps the photo card i sent you, can you sent it back asap? with the box? :) and the old photos are still on there, is it saved on your computer and do i delete them for extra room or somethin? idk love ya bye