I'll Be Home For Christmas! (posted by mom)

There has been 4-5 times over the past few weeks where I've just started crying. I'll be like sharing my testimony in a lesson, or having personal study, and my emotions and thoughts collide in a volcano of tears. There are so many thoughts to think, so many feelings to have at this point in time. I have truly loved my mission. A new blood pulses through my veins--one that desires to talk with everyone and share the light that can come into their life as they strive to learn and embrace the gospel.

"This is eternal life, that they might know Thee the only true God and Jesus whom Thou has sent." John 17:3 I hope that the benediction to my mission will be the same as Christ's mentioned in verse 4 of the same chapter: I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

I want to let each family member know of my love for them and my overwhelming gratitude for their support, love, prayers, emails, letters, and encouragement. It means a lot to me. I am excited to be seeing you in a few short days.

I will be home for Christmas.

I love you 300! Elder Spencer Harris

Welcome Home Date Set - updated

Spencer has been invited to report his mission on the following date:

Date: Sunday, December 11, 2011
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Place: 1505 N. 145 E. Orem, UT
At the church just north of Timpanogos High School

Thank you for supporting Spencer while he has been on his mission.
He arrives home the night of December 6th.

Remembering (posted by mom)

The Conversion of Brother Lin (written for the mission history)

There is a story that needs to be told: The story of Brother Lin Shao Xian. This story starts to take motion over twenty years ago when Brother Lin's wife made the courageous decision to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We showed up on the scene in late June/early July of 2010.

Brother Lin is a well educated, faithful, dedicated father. His career was as an elementary school teacher. The Lin Family has two children, both of which are members of this church. Brother Lin himself, for the longest time was unwilling to make the steps needed to humble himself and receive baptism. Even after attending church regularly for a long time, he still had chosen to avoid all invitations to take missionary lessons.

I would often try to catch him on his way out of sacrament meeting and engage him in conversation; his reaction was always the same, he would make a brake for the door, get on his scooter, and leave. My companion and I had very little hope that this man would ever change. We asked his wife one day what we could do to meet her husband and help him accept the gospel. She only had 3 words for us. "Yao4 dao3 gao4" (need to pray). She would frequently remind us to pray for her husband; it was a good reminder throughout our experience sharing the gospel with her husband--a reminder that our strength and abilities are weak, and we are in constant need to rely on God.

My companion at the time was Elder Siebert. He being the humble missionary that he is, brought up the idea that we pray daily for Brother Lin in our companionship and personal prayers. And from that time forward, we made it a special point to pray daily for Brother Lin.

That is when the miracles started!

One day we had a 'back-up plan' to tract. Up to that point neither of us had ever really tracted on our missions, and we tried to avoid it, feeling it was unproductive. However, on this particular day, we decided to tract, and the first door we tracted was the Lin Family. Sister Lin answered the door, and we had a chance to talk to her--she knew that this was a sign, and we believed her.

Around the same time, on July 7, 2010, President Bishop came to visit our ward. Afterward the church meeting, he attended a meal invitation with some friends as well as Brother and Sister Lin. President Bishop and his wife made friends with the Lin family and extended an invitation to Brother Lin to meet with the missionaries.

President Bishop made arrangements for Brother Lin to let us "practice" the missionary lessons on Brother Lin and his wife. We would practice teaching the lessons and ask for pointers, and they would offer suggestions. In this setting, Brother Lin started to learn that he needed to read and pray to receive an answer. He accepted invitations to try this message and ask God about its truthfulness. In this setting, we were able to discuss what it means to feel the spirit and receive answers. In this setting, hidden concerns--like the part of an iceberg hidden beneath the water--were revealed to our view, and we developed a closer relationship with Brother Lin.

My time teaching the gospel to Brother Lin was nearly 6 months and during that time I changed companions 3 times. Teaching the gospel to Brother Lin is an experience that I will never forget: We prayed countless times, we discussed and planned for him and for his lessons, we cried when we thought everything was lost, and offered praise and gratitude when, in the end, Brother Lin kept commitments and made choices that led to his baptism and enduring conversion. Throughout this experience, we learned a lot about taking council from leaders, receiving personal revelation, having patience, and relying on the Lord. We learned that when it is all said and done, we are 100% reliant on God, his power, and our prayers of faith.

Brother Lin's heart was softened and his testimony took form. He passed his Baptismal Interview, and was baptized shortly after his son returned home from his mission to Taibei.

He was baptized on Christmas day, December 25, 2010, and confirmed the following day.

Brother Lin, after nearly one year, is still active in the church. He is a faithful Melchizedek Priesthood holder, and he and his family are preparing to enter the temple to be sealed as a family for time and all eternity.

I am grateful for a wise Mission President who saw and seized an opportunity to bless this family. I'm grateful to God who marked the path and allowed us to be a part of Brother Lin's conversion.

I know this church is true, I know that God is our Loving Heavenly Father. I know Christ is my Savior and the Savior of the world. I know the gospel of Jesus Christ and His church have been restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. I know Thomas S. Monson his God's current prophet on the earth, and he leads us according to the will of God. I know this restored gospel has the power unto salvation to all those who embrace it's glorious principles and ordinances.

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Elder Spencer Harris

(Companions who also taught Brother Lin: Elder Siebert, Elder Gillespie, and Elder O'Brien)

Helping the Less Active (posted by mom)

We have had some neat experiences helping less-actives come back. There is a brother Wu that we found on a teaching record. We went and visited him and testified boldly how the gospel can bless his life. We then committed him to be baptized, and he agreed! We brought his name up in Ward Correlation Meeting and the Ward Mission Leader informed us that he was already a member. Haha...But I think something must have sparked a feeling in him when we taught him like an investigator, and committed him to be baptized. He took the initiative to talk to his boss about rearranging his his schedule to get Sundays off so he can keep the sabath day holy. I'm not sure of the detials, but things were worked out so he can attend church most sundays.

We are also working with that Brother Wang, a less-active who has seriously started considering his standing before God. He hasn't missed church one time since we invited him (3 weeks.) The last time we went and visited we prepared a lesson around a question that he asked. (Essentially, what is the purpose of life.) The best part of the lesson was when he said, "My daughter needs to come to church, and here is how you are going to help her...." His daughter is now one of our investigators.

We are still working with Brother Qiu. He told us that he is content to just come to church to meet people. We kindly informed him that God gives us church for another reason--for our immortality and eternal life. We are going to try to help him set a new goal this week. He likes watching DVD's and listening to music. We are going to give him some church music to listen to and some church DVDs to watch. We hope it will fill his home with the spirit, and he will feel a pull in the right direction.

Today, we went to Gangshan to visit some of my recent converts - the liu family. They are still very strong in the faith. In the final years of their lives, Brother and Sister Liu joined the church and have found life in new abundance. Sister Liu was the one that read the book of Mormon, D&C, and the Gospel Principles book in just a few months. They have both gone to the temple and participated in work for the dead. I hope their health holds out so they can make it to the temple. In a little over 3 months they will be able to go to be sealed for time and all eternitiy. Their son and grandson have joined the church, and their daughter is currently investigating. It was a special experience to meet with them again.

Elder Spencer Harris

The Work Moves Forward (posted by mom)

I am really grateful for the opportunity to have another transfer in on the streets of Taiwan. We want to build this area and leave behind a solid foundation on which missionaries can continue to build. We were near 30 sit-downs this week. We have also given away 23 copies of the Book of Mormon in these past two weeks! We are trying to flood the earth.

We have met a lot of Less-Actives who are progressing and who have family members who are potential investigators.

Brother Wang is doing well. He has made a strong commitment for activity in the church and is working toward receiving the Melchizedek priesthood. He is trying hard to serve and make friends at church.

Sister Pan another less-active has remarried a man who is willing to let her come to church and who is willing to come himself if he has the time. She has two unbaptized children. Her schedule and life circumstance has recently changed and is now align with a life in the gospel.

A 12 year old less active boy went to church with us this last week and is ready for the Aaronic priesthood. The members were really excited to see him. He is a really neat kid. I'm glad we were able to find him and that his parents were willing to let him come to church with us.

An investigator, Brother Qiu, came to church. He is a cute 60 year old man. He knows a lot of the ward members already. He is comments in classes and lessons. He remembers things that surprise me--scriptural facts and such. He is really quick, and quickly connects the dots. This last week's Gospel Principles lesson was on the gathering of Israel, and he was really into that. We want to make sure he is preparing for a life long conversion, so we are trying to help him focus on sincere prayers. He is just a really neat man. His baptismal interview is set up for this Saturday, and his baptismal goal is for the upcoming Saturday.

We are trying a new activity that we are excited about. As we interact with members, we give them a list of our new members and encourage them to learn their names. We then give them a specific invitation to call or care for a specific person. I think a lot of times members just don't know who the new members are, and knowing their names is a crucial first step.

I have some miniature-for the strength of youth pamphlets. Whenever I contact a youth, I want to give them one of these and invite them to read through the whole thing and sign their name on the back as a commitment to live these standards. In my first area, I met a youth who had agreed to live the law of chastity previously in a similar way. Someone visited his school class and taught the principles of virtue and then handed out cards and had everyone sign it. When we taught him the law of chastity, he pulled out the card and said that he had been living this law for a while now.

Elder Spencer Harris

Opening a New Area (posted by mom)

It was a great week, Elder Perkins and I opening an area! There were some long days, but mostly, just a lot of miracles. We contacted a guy the very first day, during our preparation day, and set up an appointment for him that night. He has a daughter and a son who are willing to listen to the message and we hope to see them continue to act on and accept this message of the restoration. I feel a lot of incentive to get out and work. I feel a great weight and desire to talk with everyone.

Right now Brother Qiu is really progressing. He is an older man who lives by himself. His leg has an injury that he has to go regularly to do therapy on it. When we ran into him, he was just willing to listen and we talked for a good 10 or so minutes. I I know the gospel has what he needs. Our first meeting with him was at church which is pretty impressive because, first it is like going to a party where you don't know anyone, and second our chapel is very far away (about 30 or so minute vehicle ride, or 1+ hour subway ride for us).

We have also come across some other investigators with a lot of potential including a less-active Brother Wang who came back to church, and has an unbaptized family. Their family crisis right now is such that I believe that they will readily see their need for the gospel and quickly accept. Another is a Brother Qiu, a husband of a less-active sister in the ward. We went to visit and met him outside his house. He was extremely willing to set up a time and have us over to their house. We will be giving him a special addition Liahona (similar to the Ensign magazine) on Christ and inviting him to learn more about the gospel and start to come to church with his wife.

Yesterday, Elder Gerret Gong came to our mission. It was a very good meeting. I learned many things that had personal meaning to me. At the end, I was invited by him to be a part of the panel for questions and answers.

During this last month, I get to call my former converts. I have just started calling some of them. I was happy to hear that The Yang family from Dakeng is doing great! Sister Wu from Dakeng is still active and serving. Brother Yang unfortunately is smoking and it is keeping he and his wife from the temple. I plan to talk with him about that the next time I have an opportunity to speak to him. Sister Lian, from Douliu, has moved to Taibei and...drum roll please...MARRIED A MEMBER!! She has been a member for over one year so they are currently preparing to go to the temple to be sealed.

Elder Spencer Harris

Stake Conference (posted by mom)

Today was interesting, we attended a stake conference that was about 1/4 live and 3/4pre-recorded. It started and ended with a choir and a stake presidency direction, but the middle they showed a pre-recording of Elder Scott, Brother Osglthorpe?, Sister Dibb, Bishop Burton?, and the Asia Area President Elder Perkins. All of their talks were inspiring and just what the area needs. We had an investigator at church, (which is a big deal for our time-limited companionship.)

This week President Bishop opened a new district (Jiayi District). It is pretty exciting! The size of the district is such that it can soon become a stake. There is a good strong presence of priesthood brothers in that area. The members in Taiwan work really hard to further the church.

Tomorrow, I move--back to the deep south in Gaoxiong to a place called Xiaogang. My companion and I will be opening this area, so there is a little pressure to get out and baptize, but I am way excited.

Love you all. Thank you for your prayers and love.

Elder Spencer Harris

A great week! (posted by mom)

This was a great week. Monday, as usual, was spent in the office. We picked up a big book of mormon that we had made for our investigator. This investigator is a Brother Ye. He has a hard time seeing, so we had a book of mormon printed large-size so he could read it.

Tuesday I exchanged over to Donghai where we had a fun day contacting and were able to sit down with a few members.

On Wednesday I went on an exchange with Elder X, an Elder from my MTC district. We are good friends and we had a fun day preaching the gospel together. He is just a really happy missionary, and I was grateful for his example. He loves this work. While I was with him we went and visited someone I helped get baptized in my second area (Taizhong Beitun). Her name is Sister Zhuang. She had cancer and is currently in the hospital. Her condition is really bad, and she is probably in the hospital for the extent. She was happy to see us and cried. It was a special moment to see them again (her and her husband). I was impressed by her positive attitude. She was still joking around with us, just as she always has. Her high spirits lifted me in our brief visit.

Thursday was Specialized training. (A training meeting for Trainers and Trainees at the end of their first movecall.) First we held it in the north and then went to the south. My companion and I got in some pretty slow traffic and were late to the meeting in the south. But the overall feeling of the meetings was good, and President Bishop masterfully taught us how to teach with discernment.

Friday was a fun day because I got to go back and visit my beloved land of douliu. While we were there we had weekly planning session. I went through old records and made them a list of all the former investigators who I thought had potential and made a list for them. The list was one page (front and back), I sure hope they can set up with some of those people and see them get baptized, especially Chen Baba. I called Chen baba while we were down there and he said that his dad is sick and dying. It is a sad thing, but I think this experience will soften Brother Chen's heart and prepare him to hear the gospel.

Saturday, we took a preparation day of sorts. We wanted to bike up Taiping mountains for our exercise. We called President Bishop for permission, and he said, where are you right now? can I go with you? So all three of us went up taiping mountains. It was a long, beautiful trail and for part of the time, it down-poured. At noon we went to my "leaving the office" lunch. I chose Subway. In the evening we had a baptism for the English branch. It wasn't a convert baptism, but we helped get the clothes and we helped fill up the font. There was something wrong with the water pressure in the church and so it took extra long to fill up the font...too long. We had to wait about 1/2 hour to start the service. In the end the water pressure returned to normal and we got the font filled. It was pretty miraculous. We resorted to using hoses and buckets. The water was really cold, but the kids were baptized anyway. It was a neat experience for the families involved.

Today we attended church. I helped translate for two stake high councilors who came to visit our branch. It was a fun experience, but there were a few times where I had to use my own words or just give the general idea of what they said. Our friend Verhilio has passed his baptismal interview and is scheduled to be baptized in the coming weeks.

I love each of you! Elder Spencer Harris

Standards of Excellence

Thank you for your birthday wishes! I did have a good birthday. Elder Gluch called me and wished me a happy birthday. (I called him today and wished him a happy birthday.) To celebrate we watched conference and went out and preached the gospel.

Each week is full of exciting events and changes. This past week we had zone leader council. We talked about where the mission is headed and things we can do to increase baptism as well as retention. President Bishop brought up the idea of setting standards of excellence. We discussed some standards that would challenge missionaries and raise their vision of the possiblities. President Bishop is still pondering and praying over this and he will send out an email tomorrow informing missionaries of these standards.

This last week I got to go on an exchange with my first trainee--Elder X. (He is training right now.) It was fun to take the passenger seat on the exchange and follow him. He is a really good missionary who is focused on his purpose. He loves this work, and he is very diligent. I am proud of the missionary he is and the missionary he is becoming.

We are trying something new this week for our exchanges. One of us goes to an area and we bring one of the missionaries from that area here to our area. It is easy to do for when the exchange is close by. It has been fun, and we have seen many miracles already. In a matter of a few days, we have found 8 new investigators! It has been a great blessing.

Our recent convert over in Jinmen is doing well. Yesterday when we video-messaged with him, he told us that he had been reading in the prestood lesson manual and saw a portion about priesthood line of authoritiy. He wanted to know if we could help him get a hold of his priesthood line of authority. What a solid recent convert!

Thanks for the birthday wishes. Elder Spencer Harris

Zone Conference & Letters to Converts

Today was special, I got to meet with mom's Taiwanese friends--Sister Annie Jiang and the Cai family. They were so kind to me and gave me some cakes and other gifts. It was fun to be able to COMMUNICATE with them. haha. It was interesting to find out that the cai family is from jinmen. They were excited to hear about what we are doing with the the members and investigators there.

This past week was Zone conference. My companion and I taught on effective principles of contacting. President Bishop talked on the importance of covenants and what you can expect from your mission. There really is only one expectation that we can have, and that is to do our very best and trust that the Lord will fulfill his promises. President Bishop talked about how we can know we are a successful missionary from those things listed on Page 10 of Preach My Gospel.

This week I went on an exchanges to two areas. The first was in Nantou: there is a big mountain that they run up for exercise. It was quite the work-out. I had a fun day spent with them. They have some good investigators. Second exchange was in Xinying. That was also a fun exchange. I feel like I was able to help the elders there. We met with a Filipino investigator who is Catholic. He is such a humble man, and he has a great testimony in Jesus Christ. He is just a little hesitant to get baptized. We invited him to come up to Taizhong to attend church in English with us. So today he took a 2+ hour train ride up from Xinying to attend church with us. I think he had a really spiritual experience. I wish we would have invited him to be baptized on a specific date right after church was out. It would have been a great time!

My language study as of late is writing letters to my recent converts. I have a lot of motivation to get them done. I really want these people who I have taught, and who I love so much, to endure to the end and get sealed to their families in the temple. I figure a letter isn't much, but it conveys a lot of love and is a good way to invite someone to read the scriptures or pray.

Thank you for everything. Elder Spencer Harris

Brazen Serpents (posted by mom)

We had an incredibly regular week. It has been a long time since we've had a ordinary week. In fact, it is rather out of the ordinary.

No meetings, no trainings, no mid-night calls, no ground shaking changes to the mission. It made for a good week of exchanges, and that is what we did.

This week we went on 5 exchanges, Tuesday to Saturday. We spent our time in the south. We went to Ping Dong, Gaoxiong, and Tainan.

In Gaoxiong, I got to go on an exchange with Elder X. We had a lot of fun, and got a lot done. He and his companion work well together. He works hard and is really helping out his zone and the missionaries there.

Just last night I shared with some missionaries a story I love from the bible. It has to do with a brazen serpent. I like this story because I feel like it is very representative of missionary work. We truly carry a gospel of healing and salvation. If only people would but look and live. (Alma 33:19-22.) A lot of people do look and live, and it truly is a miracle.

I like this story because I feel like it portrays the urgency we should have towards this work. We should do all we can to help people accept this message and look. It should show in our faces, in what we do, in what we say, and we should be persistent about helping others know the truthfulness of these things. We all know someone out there who is dying spiritually and desperately needs the gospel. In fact, we are in a world of people who are dying spiritually and know not where to look for help.

So I resolved with the missionaries to be more urgent in helping people look to Christ and live.

I love this gospel and I know it is true. Elder Spencer Harris

24 New Missionaries! ...and becoming a principled people (posted by mom)

What a week! 24 new missionaries came to our mission. That is the largest group for as long as anyone here can remember. When we had our trainee/trainer meeting there were 50 plus people in the room. It quite nearly filled up our small chapel. These new missionaries are so much fun. As assistants we are with them the whole time, we run with them in the morning, we take them to all their trainings, we teach them, we eat with them, we contact with them. This group was a good group, there is a lot of fire and zeal to get out and do the work!

In president's welcome presentation, he has a slide show that his family put together for them. In part of his slideshow, there are pictures of him and quotes from letters he sent home. One of the quotes was, "I really groove on my mission." haha...

President Bishop did groove on his mission, and he still does. I do to: I really groove on my mission. (Someone will have to look that up on 60s 70s online slang dictionary and tell me the exact translation.)

When the new missionaries were about to arrive, we realized that we needed some more mission rule books. President Bishop told us that he had been pondering and praying about getting rid of the rule book for a while now, and mission presidents had been counseled to do so in a previous mission president's seminar. So in the end, this new missionary group does not have any mission rules. They only have a list of phone use guidelines that keep missionaries within our cell phone contract.

In a matter of two weeks, the mission has a whole new landscape. It is not the mission I knew growing up. But it's groovy, and I like it.

I guess when they re-did the mission handbook of instructions; they cut a lot out of it and emphasized principles. President Bishop wants us as missionaries to become a 'principled people' and be anxious to live the rules as we understand them.

The church is true. The mission is great. Love, Elder Spencer Harris

Two Big Changes and a Typhoon (posted by mom)

This next week we have 24 new missionaries coming to the mission. WOW! That is a lot of missionaries. We are having to make some changes to our plans to accomidate such a large group. We are really excited for all the fire and faith they will bring.

This week was a big week. We announced 2 big policy changes at zone leader council. I thought the zone leaders would be hesitant, but they all took it fine.

Change one: In the past our mission counted people from the street as added investigators. Now investigators need to have sat down with the missionaries once and accept a return appointment. President Bishop, also decided that we only count those who actually come to the church, or let us in their homes, to meet and accept a return apointment. Currently our mission adds over 2,000 investigators a month. Next month it will be a totaly different story. It will be interesting to see what happens. We are hoping that the change will help missionaries focus more on their purpose.

The second change: Our mission for as long as anyone can remember, has contacted on the street separately, as individual missionaries. It is actually very efficient, twice the work can get done. The rationale was that missionaries were still within sight and sound of each other. However, President Bishop has felt the need to change this also. From now on, we will be more align with the teaching of the scriptures and the missionary handbook in preaching the gospel two by two on the streets of Taiwan. It is a big change for a lot of missionaries, but it will be good.

President Bishop is a very obedient person. He does what he thinks is right. These two changes are pretty big, but he felt that these were things that the Lord wanted him to do and so he changed accordingly. I am very impressed by his willingness to submit to the will of God and his obedience regardless of the consequence. We are really glad that the zone leaders were positive in their feedback and excited about the changes.

This last week we got stuck on the freeway with no gas in a Typhoon. Luckily we were in Tainan where we know some very willing members who came and saved us. We plan to write them a "thank you" letter tomorrow. They really did help us out of a bind.

I am loving life, and I'm loving my mission! Elder Spencer Harris

Exchanges and Visiting Authorities (posted by mom)

I got a new companion on Monday. He is originally from Hong Kong, and more recently from Washington Utah. We get along really well. He works hard, is really humble and willing to sacrifice for the mission. He has attended BYU and is in the Utah Coast Guard.

We hit the streets hard this week, exchanging with missionaries every day except Friday. I enjoy talking with missionaries about what is going on in their work. Some missionaries really struggle and some really thrive. It is a special thing if we can have an open conversation about it, and I can offer suggestions as needed and requested by the missionaries.

Friday was a special day; Brother Adrian Ochoa came to the island for a island wide youth conference. He stopped by our mission and gave a talk in the north and in the south about what he feels successful missionaries do, and gave us seven points for future study and thought.

Be One with Christ
Be One with your companion
Be One with the bishop
Focus
Take responsibility
Listen
Develop Perfect Faith

His presentation in the north was very different from the one in the south, but all the same points were covered. I felt each was custom fit to the needs of the missionaries in the room. I knew missionaries in each group and some of the struggles they are going through and those struggles were touched on in the things that Brother Achoa said.

My companion and I ended up driving Brother Huang, an area 70, and Elder Jensen and his wife, the Area President, around the city to a few places they needed to go. It was kind of a scary thing, I am not that familiar with the city, and we ended up taking a few wrong turns, but we still made it in a timely manner.

It was a great week. Thank you for your prayers! Elder Spencer Harris

The 1st Baptism on Jinmen Island! a lost passport and another baptism (posted by mom)

On Saturday, we went to Jinmen. It was a very sweet experience. Brother Huang, the man who we were meeting with on webcam over the internet, was baptized. My companion and I had the opportunity to go over there and be witnesses to his baptism. He is the 1st person baptized on this island. It was a very special day for the members on Jinmen. I have included pictures of the Jinmen branch of Brother Huang and his family.

We also had Combined District Training Meetings and Interviews in the south. It was fun to see the missionaries who I have served with before. They are all out there working hard and helping others come unto Christ. While President Bishop is interviewing the missionaries my companion and I do planner-checks. It is a lot of fun. A good planner will have a plan every half-hour, it will have back-up plans for each main plan, it will have daily lesson plans, goals, follow-ups, and other information recorded in an orderly fashion in the back. I really like doing planner checks. If done the right way, it can become a heart to heart conversation about what the missionary is accomplishing and where they feel they can most improve. It is always fun to listen, discuss matters important to them, and offer suggestions.

My companion and I were assigned to take a missionary to the airport so he could go to the MTC and pick up another missionary to bring back to the mission. We couldn’t find the passport for the elder that was going to the MTC (in the Philippines). In the end, the Elders in our mission office found it and drove it up to us. It was close, but the elder made his flight.

After that we went to Tainan as fast as we could because my companion's former investigator Brother Shir was scheduled to be baptized. We were running late so we took the high-speed rail, and then a taxi to the chapel. It was really close, but we made it with 5 minutes to spare. After the Baptism we took a bus back to Taizhong. Brother Shir is a really special brother, he has known the church since 1992, but not only until recently did he make the choice to get baptized. It was a very sweet experience.

Elder Spencer Harris

Meeting my recent converts at the temple (posted by mom)

My companion had a recent convert going to the temple for her personal endowment, so we got to go to the temple in Taipei to be there with her. What a neat and special experience. While we were there I got to see some of my beloved Gangshan friends in the temple. After the session, I ran into 4 of my recent converts!! What a fulfilling experience that was. They are full active members--really apart of the church/ward family and they are going to the temple to worship God. These are some of the pictures I took with them.

The other highlight of the week was helping with the combined district training meetings (CDTM). We go from zone to zone to help in training and working with the missionaries. The zone leaders prepare a training, and the mission president teaches. Afterward, the president does interviews and the assistants and zone leaders do planner and area book checks. It is a really fun experience. It is a lot of opportunity each day to get to know missionaries and feel of their love for the work. It is a chance to share effective missionary methods and help to resolve problems and challenges they are facing.

Our President has been teaching us about mighty prayer. It is really special because each time he teaches it, he does it differently. I feel he really tires to think of each zone and it's members and then teach to their needs and as the spirit directs him. My companion and I are the lucky ones because we get to see it every time and hear all of president's insights. One thing I like that he shares frequently is from Jacob 4:10. Don't seek to council the Lord, but take council from his hand.

Have a wonderful week. Elder Spencer Harris

Grateful for the Atonement (posted by mom)

This last week we just had move call. It is the time where we take missionaries home. On Monday we stay around the office and help things run smoothly. We make sure the missionaries are to their interviews on time and we help set up their career work shop as well as their evening devotional. The returning missionaries always look so noble.

On Tuesday we take the missionaries to the temple, then to the Taibei 101, and finally to the airport where they take the great transfer to the sky (in an airplane).

I had a special experience in the temple that I wanted to share with you, but it needs a little bit of background:

On my 4th transfer on island, I had a local companion. He is a great missionary! He speaks English very well and he is very smart. On that particular transfer he moved into the area, and I had been in the area for 3 months at that point. I felt like I had a good grip on missionary work and a good understanding of the area. I was a little stubborn, proud and controlling of the work at that time. I have felt bad about that situation and since that time I have tried to make things better. I have written him letters, and I have prayed and asked God for forgiveness and for help to make things right. Often people will advise missionaries to not have any regrets on their missions, and I was really regretting this. I was so happy to run into this brother in the temple. We talked for a little bit about life and how things were going. He is currently serving his mandatory military service. (He ended just this week.) After talking briefly we split so he could attend a session in Chinese and I, a session in English. We met up again in the Celestial room where we talked in hushed tones about our recent converts in Dakeng. There is one boy in particular, who we were unsure if he would continue to remain active. But his one boy kept coming to church, riding his bike, and now he has the Aaronic priesthood. We talked about other investigators we taught and about our own personal spiritual growth. Outside the temple he came and found me; he wanted to take a picture with me. After we took a picture we had another brief time to talk, and I was able to apologize for my hardheartedness. We worked it out. I am so grateful for the atonement which covers our sins. I am grateful God is merciful enough to grant me the privilege to tie up this loose end in my life. I am grateful that I now have another friend in Taiwan.

I know this church is true and God is always there for us.

Elder Spencer Harris

Orienting the New Elders & My Testimony (posted by mom)

What a fun week we had here at the mission office. New missionaries came on this past week. We started preparing for them at the start of the week.

Then on Wednesday evening we drove up to Taibei and waited for them. Their plane got in at about 9 and we didn’t get home to Taichung until after mid-night. On the way home we have a devotional. We all introduced ourselves, and the new missionaries shared with us why they came on a mission and what expectations they have toward their mission experience. It was amazing to see how excited these new missionaries are. Their faith is so great! This group seemed particularly special—they had all overcome personal challenges and courageously chose to serve a full time mission.

On Thursday morning we went running with them and ate breakfast at President Bishop’s house. After a full day of training and eating out at some Chinese restaurants, we went and did our Dan Jones activity with them. At Dan Jones we go to a crowded night market, sing a hymn, and each take a turn standing on a soapbox preaching to the people there. (Alma 13:22) After the trainees have their turn on the soapbox, a more experienced missionary will take them around the market. It was neat to see these missionaries grow in excitement and self-confidence. Each of them came back to the mission office having found many new investigators.

Friday we run again with the new missionaries. Then later in the morning we have a meeting where trainees are assigned to their trainers. It was a lot of fun. The rest of Friday we spent delivering bicycles and luggage to the new missionaries.

As an AP we rarely have time to proselyte and find new investigators. That is one thing that I really miss, helping people come unto Christ and be baptized. However, I do love working with President Bishop and serving other missionaries.

I love this work. I feel that the doctrine of Christ is now a part of my soul. Faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end—I know that this is the path to salvation. This is the foundation of eternal life and every person that enters this mortal realm must accept and live this gospel to return to live with our Father in Heaven. And what an exciting time we live in when the gospel has been fully restored. Eternal truths are now ours to learn, we can work towards exaltation through temple covenants and priesthood powers. We can work for the salvation of our posterity and our dead. This restored gospel is so engaging. I love a quote from Elder Maxwell on the subject:

"I am even more anxiously engaged in the restored gospel than ever because the restored gospel is so engaging. It really does get a grasp on our minds, and there is no end to the exploration that one can make of it. It is, as I said years ago, an “inexhaustible gospel.” To be anxiously engaged really does mean that we are engaged intellectually as well as spiritually, and life in the kingdom, as you all know, is also very engaging. So although some people at my stage of life might say, in effect, “Been there, done that,” not I. I feel instead this sense of anxious engagement in something that I have yet to take the full measure of. As I look back across the sweep of this century, I feel that very strongly.

This too is my testimony.
I love you all 300!
Elder Spencer Harris

Trainings, DVD's and a few Q&A's (posted by mom)

Each week is an adventure! Things come up, meetings happen, we go on exchanges etc.

This past week we had leadership training meeting. It is a meeting that is used to train Zone Leaders, District Leaders, and Trainers. The way our mission is set up is so that districts are really small. That's just how it is, I'm not sure of the reason--possibly to let many missionaries have leadership opportunities / easier to spread information. Anyway, Half the mission ended up attending. We were trained on 4of the 8 Fundamentals from Preach My Gospel lessons. Elder Cocke and I shared how to prepare a good district training meeting and President Bishop taught us the principles of the baptismal interview.

During Elder Cocke's and my presentation and practice model, there were a lot of ah-ha moments for some of the district leaders. So I feel like it was a success and helped out the missionaries in attendance.

You might find this interesting, I did: The missionary department has issued every companionship in the world a DVD player. They have authorized the DVD player for the use of watching 2 Preach My Gospel video series. These videos show missionaries using particular missionary (teaching) skills in actual situations. There are good examples and bad examples. Overall, the missionaries do a really good job teaching these investigators and many of them get baptized. It is fun to watch and insightful. The reasoning is that the church has had certain groups of missionaries watch these videos on a regular basis and their teaching noticeably improved.

It is a big change, and it shows the trust that the church has in missionaries. Elder Cocke and I now have boxes of DVD players in our office waiting for a new home.

Elder Cocke and I are over an English branch of the church here in Taizhong. A few weeks ago, a member gave me some referrals. Anyway one of them was GOLDEN! He is way willing and wants to learn more. He lives in Taibei though. I am excited for the missionaries that get to meet with him.

I love you tons. I love this work and the many missionaries I know get to know and work with. We have a great Sr couple that works with us here in the office--Brother and Sister Liston. they're wonderful!

Elder Spencer Harris

Questions & Answers:

Are you enjoying being AP?
YES!

What is your favorite part?
Working with missionaries all over the mission.
Helping them learn and see the success from all their hard work.

Do you still get to bike places or do you just use the car now?
It is a little bit of both.
If there are no meetings, we drive around going on exchanges.
Some of my favorite times are going around with missionaries having fun and seeing miracles!

Cut and Fill and an Investigator Turned Missionary (posted by mom)

This past week was a lot of fun. We had two Zone Conferences this past week—one in the north and one in the south. Both went well. President Bishop gave a great presentation on having faith to move mountains. He used an experience he had while helping to build highway 41 by strawberry reservoir. To build a highway it has to be designed and planned. Mountains and valleys have to be leveled using a ‘Cut and Fill’ method. And finally a road must be paved. He taught that the time invested in designing and planning a road is an example of faith. Faith is a principle of action. To have the faith to move mountains we have to ‘cut and fill’. We have to remove (or ‘cut’ down) mountains of sin and ‘fill’ our lives with meaningful pursuits and activities. After the mountains in our lives are removed and the valleys of fear and doubt are filled, God will help us pave the way to our ultimate desire—eternal life and exaltation. He gave us an invitation to select one mountain in our life that needs to be cut down and one valley in our life that needs to be filled and then to take action. I was impressed by his lesson, and I am committed to change.

Elder Cocke and I gave a training on listening (to the spirit and to what your investigators are really saying with their words and body language). It is a teaching skill listed in Preach My Gospel in Chapter 10. We had a fun skit that got a lot of laughs. We had an investigator named “Brother Lessons”. (We were trying to emphasize a point that we want to teach people not lessons.) We did everything wrong during the teaching process. We didn’t listen to him and we didn’t prepare for our meetings with him. It was a lot of fun.

One exciting thing is currently in our mission, there is a short-term missionary. The special thing about this is that a little over ½ a year ago, I ran into this person on the streets of Douliu and we started teaching him. He was baptized a few weeks after I left Douliu. Imagine my excitement when I ran into him dressed in a suit serving as a short-term missionary.

We are seeing a lot of miracles. I enjoy having many chances each week to learn from a lot from the missionaries in our mission on exchanges. I love this missionary life. I’m grateful for our savior; I love him. I am grateful for his promise that if we come unto him he will show unto us our weakness and help us make weak things become strong. (Ether 12:27)

I love you all. Have another good week. Elder Spencer Harris