Hello everyone!! Well it has once again been another week,
everything is still going good here. So I did hear about the news of Grandma
Newman, this morning Sis Evans
from the mission office called and let me know. It is truly such a blessing to
have this gospel in our lives and to know the things we do. Grandma Newman
truly is in a better place. I am so grateful to have had Grandma Newman in my
life, she truly was one of the most pure and Christ-like persons I know. I am
grateful for everything that Grandma Newman has done not only for me but for
every single person that she came in contact with. She was a great example and
anyone who would follow the example she has set will turn out better than great
during this life. This has really got me thinking about how death separates us
from most of the world. The world loves to mourn and be sad, and that is totally
okay to a certain extent because they will be missed for a certain amount of
time. The world also likes to be joyful and happy and so excited when a baby is
born, and that also is fine, but in all reality that baby has just entered into
the most difficult, trying, challenging step of the Plan of Salvation. That baby
just left the presence of Heavenly Father and was thrown into this wicked world.
That is necessary in our efforts to become like our Heavenly Father, but this
is a time that we should be happy for Grandma Newman. The veil has been lifted,
she has been "taken home to that God who gave her life" (Alma 40: 11) What
better knowledge could we ask for than knowing that she is in Gods presence. She
was very righteous and is now in a state of happiness, or paradise, a state of
rest, a state of peace, where she is resting from all troubles and cares. (Alma
40:12) I turned to the scriptures for comfort, and another one was 2 Nephi 9:13.
She will be missed, but we will reunite again someday. She was definitely and
angel in disguise while she was here on this earth. I love her very much, I love
Grandpa Newman very much as well. Thank you both for everything you have done
for me and for the example you have been to me.
Missions are not easy, but at times like this I realize what the gospel has
done for me and continues to do for me. It has given me so much more comfort and
knowledge and I want as many people as possible to receive those same blessings
that we have. This week was a good week, we found an awesome new young man to
work with named G. He is a stud and will get baptized someday. We found
him at an inactives house, that's how we find out here. We don't tract,
actually were not allowed to tract. We find through less actives and inactives.
Elder Cornish from the 70 told us that Less Actives are the key to missionary
work because members don't have friends, they have meetings. So that is a
finding effort that we are implementing pretty hardcore and it has been working
great. We were also instructed to use the keys in the branch so we asked our
branch president how we could best help him and what his vision was for the
branch and he told us 100% attending sacrament. There are 330 members in this
branch and 134 showed up yesterday
for church and that is the most at church ever for this branch, but he said it
is still not good enough. Go out and find until all are found. (Luke 15)
We are still working with S., he is progressing pretty well, he is such
a stud and loves when we come over. All the time he asks when we can come over
and just spend all day with him teaching him from the Book of Mormon. Told him
we can't do that and he said well what about a half a day. Told him we can't do
that either but that we will come everyday for an hour and disappointedly
accepted that He absolutely loves this gospel, it is really cool to watch his
face light up every time he learns something new.
Well time is running out and I did want to say Happy Fathers day Dad!!! I
love you and I am so grateful for all that you have done for me and for the
great example you are to me. There is this song called Finally Home by Mercy Me
that we listen to quite a bit out here and it always makes me think of you I am
very blessed to have the parents that I do. Thank you and I love you. Have
another good week, tell all the family in California hi for me. Have a good fun
safe week. I'll talk to ya again next week! Bye
Elder Colton Harris
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