Grateful for so much!

So here comes another week. Realized today that we are starting Elder Chappell’s 12th week in the 12 week training program... (no this is not a 12 we addiction recovery program). 3 months with him have passed by really quick. 4 1/2 months here in May Pen have passed by in the twinkling of an eye! I gotta enjoy this last week that I have here in May Pen. Don't know where I am heading yet but I know that I am leaving. This week, actually the past 2 weeks we have gotten drenched by rain every single day I think! We have been coming home so muddy every night and a few days where we have been wet all the way through from the time we leave the house at 10 till the time we come home at night. All in a day’s work in the JKM.

C. got baptized on Sunday! Elder Chappell baptized her. Finally!  It was great! She kinda put up a fight to get all the way under the water. The first time right when her head was about to go under she put out a pretty loud "Ahh", and then couldn't go down. The 2nd time basically the same thing happened, she had a little panic attack I think. I wouldn't be surprised if this was the first time in her life that she has been completely submerged in water. The 3rd time Elder Chappell put a little bit more force and she finally got down, not all on her own will lol. I confirmed her in church too, that was pretty great!

We have been finding a few new people this week. The good thing is that the people we are finding are pretty elect and they are pretty well established people with good educations and jobs and stuff. That is good because they will be able to be baptized and contribute to the branch right away to establish real growth out here.

So this week is Thanksgiving! Being out here has made me so grateful for so much! It is amazing how my attitude about so many things has completely changed being out here. I have come to think that when I go home and I get stuck in traffic because of road construction I might actually be grateful for that. In the year and a half that I have been in Jamaica I don't think that I have seen any road construction. Normally I would think that is great! But I realize that road construction= nice well-kept smooth roads.  No road construction= very bumpy, pot-holed, mostly dirt, narrow roads. If you were to tell me 2 years ago that throughout my mission I would come to develop a love for road construction, I would think that you were the craziest person on the face of the earth. Obviously I have also come to be grateful for many other things. I have thought about why I am so lucky to have been born into a family in the church, that is a small percentage of people compared to everyone. If I wasn't born into the church I probably never would have joined it honestly. I have come to be super grateful for my family! I have also come to be very grateful for temples, and the ease we have to get to temples. People would give up anything to go to the temple or to go back to the temple. Members dreams are to visit Utah. Yes, Utah of all places is where people of the Caribbean want to visit. Seems a little backwards since everyone in Utah wants to visit the Caribbean. Our mission president said that he would give up anything to live within a day’s run of any temple! Some of us aren't very happy if we live more than an hour’s drive of a temple, or if the temple session lasts longer than an hour. New perspectives are great! Have a great Thanksgiving day! Enjoy all that food! And happy Black Friday too since that basically seems to be a holiday now.

Have a great week!

Blessed Love!
Elder Colton Harris

Homemade guitar with a board, sardine can, and fishing line

Rainy season equals muddy clothing!