Sister Bailey Anne Harrison: The Work is so Hot in Klamath---we are in NEED of A/C's

May 10, 2017

You know... It is weird that we are having Pday on a Wednesday. On Monday it felt like my body knew that I was supposed to go to the church and read my emails. But I am grateful for the time that we are given to prepare for the week ahead of us none the less! So for all of you reading this, thanks for your patience! You get to read yet another letter from Sister Harrison.

Last week we were able to go up to Eugene for Missionary Leadership Council, or as I call it MLC. The Zone Leaders and us follow each other on the way up there just to make sure we are all safe. Well, the Elders wanted to leave at 5 AM! What the. That would have meant waking up at 4! Uh no. We convinced them to leave at 5:30, well guess what. We were STILL an hour early. But at least we were safe! MLC is always a fun time. I love to be able to be in a small group of missionaries to talk about the things that our mission can do better. We learned a lot about leadership qualities and read a majority out of our white hand book. It is important to realize in any leadership role in the church it is a sacred trust to be put in that role. We also talked about being better goal setters and about being better at stating our purpose as a missionary. Every moment of MLC was just wonderful. I wish I could tell you all about it, but there is just no time!!

This week Sister Roach and I realized that sometimes we need to taste a bit of the bad to understand the good. It was a rough week in our area, we felt like every where we went and tracted that we just found people who wanted to prove us wrong. There was this one guy who told us that we need to RUN, RUN fast from all that you know and go repent and find the real Jesus, well sir... probably wont be going and doing that. But along with the bad experiences there were some good ones too. We were walking down the street and we met this last named Shirley. She was just walking to the grocery store (I feel like everyone in Oregon walks to the store, lol) and we just started talking to her. She told us how she is 86 years old and has a strong faith in Christ, but that she hasn't been to church in years. We were able to teach her about the Book of Mormon and how it has helped us in our lives. She LOVED it. Seriously. She said that she wanted to take it with her and that we could come back the next day! I cant wait to see how far she has gotten into that book! We also met an older man named Richard. He was a nice gentleman who told us that he wasn't interested in talking right now. Well, we don't take the first no in the OEM. So I just kept talking to him. He ended up talking to us for about 20 minutes. He would not take a Book of Mormon but he did take a Restoration Pamphlet. He told us that his wife recently passed away. So we were able to talk about the Plan of Salvation. It is interesting how we have to experience the bad doors before we can find the ones with the people who are prepared on the other side.

Last week we had a zone challenge so to speak. We decided to make a focus on the Book of Mormon. Everyone we talked to we would talk about the Book of Mormon. It is really interesting to see how many people know about the Book of Mormon! All week long the zone would send in #BOMmiracles as a text message so we could all read them. Our zone is literally on fire with missionary work. So much so that the heat outside is starting to get really hot and we think that we are all going to need A/C's lol!

Our Ward Mission Leader down here in Klamath sent us a really nice text message the other day, it said: You two are so good and so faithful to your calling. God will bless you and those you come in contact with through your efforts. Thanks for all you do!.... Brother teeples is basically the best and he is so great in helping the work continue to move forward! So glad I get to serve with him. He has a boat that he goes fishing in, its called the Liahona. I told him that I will come back and go fishing with him, he is holding me to that!

During a dinner this week a member literally fed us Root Beer floats, chocolate pudding AND cookies. Sister Roach and I could barely finish the chicken stew she made. I don't know how I am ever supposed to lose weight on my mission.

On Monday we were able to have interviews with President Russell. AND it happened to be President Russell's Birthday! So the zone got together and did two things that President Russell loves to see. 1. Missionaries on time to meetings and 2. Elders who have their shoes shined. We all got to the church building an hour early and did our personal study while we waited. Little did we know that President was driving all the way from Eugene and he ended up being 20 minutes late. So he never even knew we were early, but he did comment on all the nicely shined shoes, lol. We had a little training before interviews. It was great, we talked about the holy ghosts role in conversion and we also talked about the Book of Mormons role in conversion. It was super powerful and the spirit was truly there to testify to our hearts. We then had interviews. Have I ever told you how much I love interviews? I love sitting one on one with our Mission President and to be able to talk about our area and to hear his insights. In interviews he basically just told me that I am going a fabulous job down here, and that this is where I need to be. It was really reassuring and I know that he is a man called of God. Also during interviews President had us write on paper what we do for our Daily Planning Sessions everyday, he loved ours so much we get to teach about it in Zone Conference! Lucky us!!

After interviews I was able to go on exchanges with the Lakeview sisters! I went with Sister Wood. She and I served together on the coast but I didn't really know her. Because, in Brookings we never really saw other missionaries. But she is such a strong missionary! Basically the biggest thing that she wanted to try and work on was not talking so much, but every time she talks she is filled with the spirit! So I just told her to keep talking. We went straight to work and we were able to find 4 new investigators and we taught 7 lessons! I would love to be her companion. She truly taught me a lot and I was so grateful for her example. I am already using a lot of the tips that she taught me. It just goes to show that we are always learning in this life. There is always room to progress! Also she showed me how to have major self control. Usually after every exchange I take the sisters and buy them some ice cream. She refused saying she already had her sweets for the day. What the what. I need t be more like her!

I feel like so many more things happened this week... but I can't think of anything else to write!!

This week I studied a talk from this last conference that is entitled "Then Jesus Beholding Him Loved Him" by Elder S. Mark Palmer- for any of you who might not remember who this was, it was the man with the Australian accent, probably rings a bell! Anyway in his talk he mentioned a story that is pretty familiar with all of us that is found in Mark chapter 10. It reads:

“There came one running … and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

“And Jesus said unto him, …

“Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

“And he answered … , Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

“Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”

The words that stood out the Elder Palmer are ones that should stick out to us as well, Then Jesus beholding him loved him. When I looked up the definition of behold I found, to see or observe a person, especially a remarkable one. That is exactly how our Savior looks at each and everyone of us! We are remarkable sons or daughters of a Loving Heavenly Father. And our Savior Jesus Christ loves us so much! From this story I learned that because our Savior loves us so much, he expects a lot from us. The rich young man was keeping all the commandments that the Savior talked about, but before he asked a little more of the young man, he beheld him, then told him to leave all his worldly possessions and follow him. The young man wasn't able to do it. It isn't easy, but there is something in every one of our lives that to come closer to Jesus Christ we will have to get rid of. I invite anyone reading this to find that thing in your life that it is time to get rid of, and DO IT! I know when you do that you will be filled more abundantly with the Saviors love from your obedience.

"Anytime you feel you are being asked to do something hard- think of the Lord beholding you, loving you, and inviting you to let it go and Follow Him!"- Elder S. Mark Palmer

Well Fan Club, I hope that you have a fantastic week with many miracles! Thanks for all the love and support that is always shown, the work is moving forward and I am grateful to be a part of it! Until next time!

---Remember who you are and who God expects you to become---

Love, Your Favorite Sister Missionary,

Sister Harrison