10 Months

(Last week Corey sent pictures of his apartment and he isn't in one of them, LOL. Well, he did send us the Chinatown pic a week before.)

1) Corey's closet...ya think he has enough ties?
2) His companion, Elder Wilson.
3) His bed with his big down comforter...that we finally got sent to him.
4) His study area.
5) A close up of his study area and a picture of the family, awwww.


6) Corey in Philly's Chinatown.
7) The Victor, where Corey is living currently.
8) Their apartment living room.

Dear Mom,
What a wonderful email that was, thank you. It was exactly what i needed to hear. I have changed a lot i feel, and learned so much. President Hinckley once said that he learned more about the gospel in the two years he was serving a mission then the next 70 some years after his service. I too feel that way. Probably the biggest thing that i have learned is that of the eternal perspective of all things that God sees. Being on a mission is so hard sometimes, just because i cant see you guys or i guess do "worldly things", such as playing basketball everyday or dating, etc.. I have learned since being a missionary that this is truly a privilege to be here. God could use a much more effective way if he truly wanted too, but he allows us to come out for two years so that we can work that change within ourselves, and see who God sees us as, that is, as sons and daughters of God.
I received a letter from Craig the other day, and it was fantastic! Since then I have been reading a hymn everyday to fill myself with the spirit, to help me to become virtuous, and i have been memorizing the scripture masteries. One a day. I've got 5 down so far. I'll continue to memorize a scripture everyday until i go home. Its been really cool my studies have been fantastic lately, and we had interviews too on Tuesday, that was another cool experience to be able to learn from President. I feel that my skills as a missionary have shot up, but with that I fear my pride has too, thinking that i am a good missionary and such. Mom, what can i do to counter attack pride? I don't necessarily go around boasting about myself but i think so in my heart, how can i better develop more pure motives? I know of some things, but i would like your input. Its been kicking my butt lately. Also I've been doing a lot of studying about what it means to be charitable and loving, how can I embed this attribute into my heart? I feel that if i can learn these things, then i will have come home very different from before. These are what I've been trying to iron out since day one. Its super tough. And i only have 14 months left. Idk it feels like sometimes that i need to be some perfect guy when i do come home and there is so much to work on and its mind boggling!! Anyways, yes i have changed a lot but i feel like there is so much to improve on.
I have been wanting to write President Dayley and Wilson a letter but i haven't had the time to, so just know that is on my To Do List very soon. So last pday we ended up not playing basketball at all. We got free tickets to the aquarium just right by where we live, so we went there instead. We're playing today though for sure, it has been a very long time.
This morning i cut my own hair. Its not too bad, but my hair has definitely looked better before lol, my hair was getting pretty long so i took care of it.
Next week are transfers. Its a good possibility that my companion will be getting transferred since he has been here longer but anything is possible. I can't believe that today it 10 months. The time has flown by sooooo fast. its crazy. How are the Allens and Pictums doing with their boys out too?
And I almost cried when you said that Riley cried, and said she missed me. That really touched me. That picture, I remember that day perfectly. That is a memory that I won't ever forget. I love you guys, and I hope that you all have a great week!
Love, Elder Harris


In my email to Corey: Thought I'd attach a picture that makes me smile and remember that day whenever I see it. You had a little bit of a different companion back in the day. I caught her crying the other day and didn't know what was wrong and she said, "Oh mommy, I just miss Corey."
-Corey with his sister Riley about 2002.

Question And Answer Session

1) Did you get your Christmas box (finally) and was it okay?

i got the christmas box last monday after i was done emailing you, and i thought it was great! and the blanket too...

2) Did you have the 5 baptisms on New Years Day? How did it go? Do you guys usually give talks, etc...?

we had the 5 baptisms yesterday actually. it was a hectic week, we didnt take any breaks we were just so busy and i am very tired today. i like p days on monday to just relax after a week long of hard work. if i havent told you sunday is by far the most stressful day for missionaries to see if your investigators come to church, the fruit of your labors for the week so to say lol it was an awesome baptism. and we have another one this coming sunday as well. and something that president wants us to do is to teach the restoration at baptisms. while they are getting changed. an hour long lesson cut down to 5 or 10 minutes. really hard. i felt like when i bore my testimony to the people, (and among us was all of their extended families and friends, maybe 20 or 30? yea alot) of what they just witnessed, (5 baptisms) they felt the spirit then, and it was great.

3) How did your exchange with the assistants go?

my exchange with the ap's was amazing. one of them, Elder Elwood, i have a tremendous amount of respect for. he helped me figure some things out that would have taken me forever to recognize and fix. he was my zone leader from wilmington and i had already had a very powerful spiritually moving experience with him before. (it was when i wouldnt tell you guys but i had written it in my journal) he has a facebook account and a im a mormon account too. from bountiful utah, first name brendan, i think. he is a little guy but he is a spiritual giant, he is a future general authority for sure.

4) What did you end up doing the rest of Christmas day? Where did you go, what did you eat? etc...

christmas day we were so lazy. we just felt so sluggish, and just sorta hung out. and we went over to a members house that wasnt even in our branch that heard we had nowhere to go so she invited us over and we ate lasagna :)

5) How was New Years? Where you able to go see the fireworks from your roof or was it packed up there? And did you go buy a new camera card with the giftcard from Grandma?

there were fireworks at 6 which were cool, we slept through midnight though. it was cool. and it was packed. all over the waterfront was just full of people, looking up from the rooftop it was like watching ants just squirming everywhere lol and no, i have not bought a new camera card yet.

6) What's your favorite scripture (or study topic) from this past week?

my favorite topic and goal that i have been doing an extensive amount of study on,
is that of love and charity. i have been through 1 Corinthians 13 alot lately... Elder Elwood helped me to realize that even though i have all of these weaknesses of mine, there is only one way to erase them, and that is through the atonement and the first key is love. if i can develop love towards literally everything, i will be someone completely different when i get home. i havent finished studying, but i will send home my notes about it when i am done.

so anyways, the pictures were great. i am glad that you guys had a good week and sunday. looks like you guys had alot of fun [playing in the snow]! and i will definitely study out how to best help [that certain person], surprisingly, he has been on my mind lately for some reason, and now its obvious. brynnie-lou looks so adorable! she is a true baby, looks and all... i look back to pictures when i was that young, i didnt look like a "true" baby. haha i had figured that [the ward] dads would have had a huddle session talking about their phone calls with their boys. and we start our church at 12:30 now, so when you start church, we basically will too. :) President Schaefermeyer was at our branch yesterday just to see what it was like, and he got to meet our investigators. (we had a total of 9 investigators at church, and some that committed to come didnt!) but all is good, i have been feeling alot better, almost as if a weight has been lifted. it feels real good. well, i love you all very much, i know that i owe people alot of letters but we will see, ive been real tired. hope you guys have a great week!
love always,
-Elder Harris

(He's right, he never really did look like a baby. He had so much hair he was born looking like a little boy. Here's Corey at one month old.)