Sister Rockstar! July 28, 2014

This week was really good! It wasn't quite to the caliber of last week, but it was awesome!

I feel like my companions and I have a wonderful relationship. The last three transfers or so, I've been learning the importance of companionship unity. If you have great comp unity, you'll be better at teaching, contacting, and loving people! When you love the one(s) you're with, it makes it a lot easier to love everyone!! That's what I've noticed with my last couple of companions and my wonderful trio!

We saw miracles this week! Because there's three of us, we get to go on splits a lot with members from the two wards we cover. Meaning that we can cover double or even triple the ground that we could with just the three of us. It's so much fun. I feel like my relationships with ward members have improved this transfer.

I don't know if I can begin to explain the things I am learning and experiencing every day. I don't think I've been this happy my whole mission! (:

Irene went to girl's camp and we heard that she loved it! We are going to visit her tonight and see where she's at. There's no way she didn't feel the Spirit, because girls camp is the best!!

We met a family yesterday that is interested in hearing more! I think this will be the first time I've taught a family on my mission, so we're excited about that! I always love seeing when people feel the desire and need to draw close to their Savior. Sometimes they don't even realize it. That's why I love being a missionary!

My impending doom is catching up to me. Yesterday I realized that I have about 5 months left on my mission. It was a sad moment! I hope and pray that I can make the best of it and that I can return home in 5 months with no regrets. It still seems crazy to me though. Where has the time gone?? Let's not talk about it.

Funny moment: yesterday, we were walking around an apartment complex, looking for a specific apartment number and we ran into this group of kids. They looked like they were 8 or 9. We came up to them and asked what they were doing. They looked skeptical at first, but then said, "Actually, we have a club. It's the rockstar club." Then Sister Gregerson said, "Can we join?" We didn't think they would do anything, but they went and got their 'leader' and they said we had to 'audition'. So we started singing 'Give said the Little Stream' in front of this group of 7 or 8 little kids. They must've been impressed with our talents, because they initiated us into their club and had us sign our autographs. So brothers and sisters, I am officially a rock star now.

I hope you all have a great week and I love you all!

Sister Julie Catherine Harris

Triple the Lessons, Triple the Fun!!! July 21, 2014

Okay so this week was PHENOMENAL. First of all, our wonderful trio has beat a mission record for lessons this week! We got 62 lessons! However, it wasn't completely us. In fact, it wasn't us at all. We set a goal, we prayed and worked our bums off, and the Lord blessed us. It's been amazing!

Another matter of business. I neglected to tell everyone about the baptism we had a couple of weeks ago. I didn't have a lot of time and I wanted to do it justice. When our companionship started covering two wards, we inherited a baptism! Megan Simons was baptized on July 11th and it was honestly the best baptism I've ever been to. The Spirit was so strong and everyone who was there could feel it. It was amazing. Megan is one of the most solid and faithful people I've ever met and she is already making a great member of the church! I just love her!

 

 The pictures are of us at the baptism, us after the baptism getting Slurpees with mustache straws, and me with the awesome headband from Belize!

This week has strengthened my testimony so much! It has again helped me to realize that I really can do all things through Christ and that He WILL strengthen me. That's been a recurring theme on my mission. Livermore is burning up with the Spirit! I can tangibly feel the work hastening here and it's a cool feeling.

Funny story from last week: So Sister Gregerson can't eat gluten or sugar which makes for some interesting meals. We were eating at this Indian member's home. They hardly speak English, so they didn't really understand what gluten was over the phone. They gave us this potato stuff wrapped in a fried flour tortilla and it tasted like curry. I wasn't really a fan until I found out they smother everything in Ketchup...it made it a little bit better. They weren't eating with us; they were just kind of watching us eat and Sister Gregerson couldn't eat the outside part with the tortilla. So we came up with the sneakiest system of hiding and passing food under the table. She would pretend to take a bite, then hand it to me under the table and I would eat it. If she handed me too much, I would hand some to Sister Swapp and the system worked beautifully. The food wasn't good though and I'm starting to believe that I have an intolerance to Indian food. Haha but it was one of those classic mission experiences. Gotta love it!

Anyways, I'm so grateful for everyone who is reading this. You are all wonderful and most importantly, you are all LOVED. By me and the Lord.

until next time,

Sister J. Catherine Harris

 

We love to visit Glenn each week, and sing to him  : )

Fourth of July at the Senior Center, where we often serve

 

It'a a Trio! July 14, 2014

Sister Harris, Sister Swapp, and Sister Gregerson

Hellooo everyone!

This week has been absolutely INSANE. I'm not kidding.

Transfers brought a new surprise. I am now in a trio with Sister Swapp and Sister Gregerson and we have taken on another ward. Surprise! So it used to be us and the 4th ward sisters living together and now it's just the three of us and we also cover the 4th ward. So that's been crazy and really fun!

This week I was the busiest I've ever been on my mission! I guess that happens when you combine two busy wards together. We got 35 lessons!!

We have seen tons of miracles and have met tons of awesome people! I never would have guessed how fun being in a trio is. It's the bomb!

It's kind of fun because Sister Swapp and I knew each other already because we were roommates. So we were excited to be companions. Then we got Sister Gregerson who is so funny and fits in nicely in Livermore. So everything is great. We're happy and loving every moment of the crazy, busy days here.

It's interesting how we can literally feel the work hastening here. I've felt it before in other areas, but it's stronger here.

Last transfer was the hardest of my mission by far. I know that's because there are tons of miracles to be had this transfer. The Lord needed to humble me to prepare me for the success and miracles we have already seen. I love it when He does that. (:

I don't even know what else to say. Everything is so good and I feel like Ammon praising the Lord. (read Alma 26)

I'll have more to say next week but I love you all and I love the gospel and the peace it brings!

Bye now

Sister Julie Catherine Harris

July 7, 2014 Fireworks and Farewells...

Hello! Transfers are this week and I'm staying. However, my companion is not. So I will receive a new companion this week!

Things are going well. Everything is crazy! This week we got to meet the new mission president and his wife and it was an absolute treat! They are amazing and I felt an instant connection with them. So I'm excited for the wonderful things they will do for the mission.

Last night, we got to sing at the outgoing fireside (the fireside for all of the home-bound missionaries. They all speak and so do a couple of their recent converts.). It was a sweet experience to sing with all of my sisters! (:

I'll send a video!

The fireside was great and the Spirit was so strong! Sister Livingston and Sister Tuala are both going home, so it was fun to see them speak and wish them luck.

And then I realize that I'm not far behind. I love the mission, but the only thing is that it goes by too fast.

Everything in Livermore is good. We've been talking with people, serving, teaching, and sweating. This week was HOT.

The 4th of July was stressful but so fun! In the morning, there was a stake breakfast and during the week we had literally invited EVERYONE to it. One investigator showed up. But that's okay! It was Irene and she had a great time. After the breakfast, we went to Quail Garden (an elderly facility that we serve at every Friday – see pic) and had a BBQ with the seniors!! It was so much fun! Us and the elders played Family Feud and all of the residents there just loved it. Everything is more fun when you're serving others. In the evening, we got permission to see the fireworks if we had a less-active or non-member with us. We were so excited so we set out looking for someone to invite us. haha.

We saw Jack(one of our investigators) and his entire family outside, ready to watch the fireworks and they invited us to join! It was so much fun. As I watched them, I realized how blessed I am to live in this country. I realized how even more blessed I am to be serving my mission in this country. It truly is great and I'm even more convinced that I am serving in the best mission in the world.

It gets weird when holidays start to repeat themselves on the mission. But that's okay. I'm just taking it all in and loving every moment of it.

Great things are about to happen in Livermore. I just know it.

I can honestly say that this last transfer was the longest and most difficult transfer of my mission. However, I'm still alive. My companion and I were talking the other day about how we feel 'carried' every day. The physical amount of work we do in the mission field is more than any person can do alone. I'm so surprised I've not suffered heat stroke, died of an asthma attack, spontaneously passed out on my bike, or gotten hit by a car. I have been carried since day 1.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have the physical stamina of a sloth. Walking up a flight of stairs wears me out. But somehow, I am being carried by the Lord. I learned this transfer that Ether 12:27 is true. He will make weak things become strong. I myself am a weak thing and I have done things that I never thought I could do because the Lord is there. He knows me. He knows my capabilities and He takes me to my limit, then adds a little more. Isn't He the best?

I hope you all had a great Independence Day! I love you!

Sister Julie Catherine Harris  

July 1, 2014 New Mission President!

Greetings!

This week was awesome!! We have finally gotten out of the rut of low numbers and mean people. Things are looking up! Also, on Saturday, President and Sister Watkins left and President and Sister Mella cam in! We haven't met them yet, but they seem awesome. We'll get to meet them on Thursday, though so I'm really excited about that!

Yesterday was a wonderful p-day! Yes, we went to the beach again. It doesn't normally happen this often, but we've been really stressed and blessed this week, so it was great! We went to Monterey yesterday and it was magical. We got to escape the heat for awhile and spend some time on the beach and eating pizza. It was worth the long drive!

The week was awesome. We had a super awesome lesson with Irene! We met with her on Friday night and she really opened up! She normally doesn't talk much and we were wondering just how interested she really was. But she opened up and she actually prayed at the end of the lesson!! She really has a desire and she's progressing! She went to the Spanish branch on Sunday and went to all three hours!! So that was definitely a miracle. This week has been full of them!

We have met a lot of really cool, interesting people this week too. We've been walking a lot because we're able to talk to more people that way. So yes, we come home sore and sweaty every day, but it's because we love the Lord and His work.

I'm happier now and feel like the Lord has blessed me abundantly. So it's all good. (:

Te Amo!

Sister Julie Catherine Harris

June 23, 2014 Waiting for Miracles...

 

June 23, 2014  Waiting for miracles…

Hello!
This week has been crazy!

We have been working so hard every single day. I have gone to bed so tired every night and woken up even more tired every morning! The work is hastening! Satan has a pretty firm grasp on Livermore, but that's why I'm here. (: Get thee hence!

Things are...better. We have met a lot of new people and have a lot of potential work lined up, so things are happening. By the way, we are going to Monterey next week, so I won't email until Tuesday.

on Thursday, we had our last interviews with President! It was bittersweet. We literally spent all day in San Jose because President was a bit behind schedule, but that was okay because our interviews were great! And afterwards, President gave us some money and told us to go to Pizza My Heart in downtown San Jose! That was a treat because Livermore doesn't have a pizza My Heart and it's our favorite! Plus it was nice to be in the city again even for a few minutes. It was nice.

Other than that, I don't know what else to say about this week. Miracles are going to happen, I can feel it. Little ones are happening every day!

Te Amo,

Sister Julie Catherine Harris