News Item: Christmas Letter 2009 (President Michael Harris)
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Message for missionaries 2009 “Isn’t that why we are here today?”
Sister Harris and I have the joyful experience of working in the Los Angeles Temple. We have done so almost since the day we returned from Taiwan. We work one week each month assisting the patrons. Recently I have been blessed to be the Own Endowment Coordinator. This allows me to work with those persons coming to the temple for the very first time. In reading from the Priesthood lesson material I teach each month and through an experience we had while taking a self-directed church history trip back through the Midwest and Eastern part of the United States, I had reconfirmed a lesson from the past that I had nearly forgotten. Let me share a few of my thoughts. As the saints began to work on the Nauvoo Temple, Joseph Smith encouraged the workers to redouble their efforts to get the building completed. “Hurry up the work, brethren…let us finish the temple; “Although the building was still not completed, Joseph directed the introduction of temple work in the upstairs of the Red Brick Store to some of the church leaders and their wives. His untimely death and subsequent mob persecutions of the saints made Brigham Young push the construction work even harder so the temple could be used for its intended work. Once the building was sufficiently finished they used the upper rooms for temple work. Brigham and others worked night and day in assisting some 6000 saints to do their own work before leaving Nauvoo. They knew this was literally a life saving work. This is why they had left their homes and lives behind them and they had many hardships yet to go through.
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to assist a young perspective missionary to begin his personal endowment. Prior to beginning his own work I told him of my re-acquaintance with the history of the first opportunity for the general membership of the church to receive their own endowment. I then asked him why Brother Brigham thought it was so important to work day and night to get this work started. He thought for a moment or two and then began to cry. He paused and then said “Isn’t that why we are here today?” This young brother was leaving the world behind and giving all he had. Just as each of you have done.
Now isn’t that why we all serve the Lord in whatever way we can? Sister Harris and I traversed about 3500 miles in our church history adventure, most of it over trails that various early saints had traveled. Many of them traveled under duress and difficult circumstances. Some died, some fell away and yet many achieved their personal goals. Each of us needs to do the things that the Lord invites us to do. No two of us have the exact same trials and blessings yet we need to make sure that we do that which the Lord has for us to do. “Isn’t that why we are here today?”
I offer my faith and prayer for each of you. I pray that you are finding the path that our Savior offers you. The gospel is just as true today as it was a few years ago as you served your mission or as it was for the early pioneers. The Savior is our savior and he loves each of us. I pray for you and yours and hope that this Christmas is bright and full of joy.
With Love President Harris
mghandlgh@hotmail.com
Harris Family Thanksgiving
My dear fellow missionaries,
This has been a wonderful year for us. We had time to be with our family; help set up and attend family reunions. We also have continued to work in the Los Angeles Temple each month. During the spring and summer we worked on our heritage home in Fillmore Utah. This year we finished up the addition at the back that was added in the 1930’s. The interior is all new inside with tile, paint, carpet, and we finally got moved back into the kitchen and bathroom with the pots, pans, dishes and towels out of boxes. President Harris has now declared the building project completed, although I am sure there will be adjustments to be made. We are enjoying the home as a gathering place. It is a nice central location just off of Interstate 15. If you are passing that way, give us a call, our cell number and address is below. We will be there several times in the coming year.
Reunion 2009
Prior to General Conference we met with some of you for a very nice reunion. We were happy to see those who live close to Salt Lake City and those who traveled great distances. We got reacquainted and shared our growing testimony of the gospel in action in our lives. We love you and keep you in our prayers. We hope that you are growing and learning and sharing the gospel as you live your lives. Our interaction is in a new phase, we no longer have daily association. However, I feel an urgency to keep in contact with each other from time to time. You are busy learning and growing and as you do so the Lord hopes you keep Him and your Taipei Mission service in mind. There is a great work yet ahead of us. There are many people to be taught. The generations are waiting. With this errand in mind, much effort was made to get a better list of your addresses, emails, and a new link has been set up as Nathan Nakken has established a facebook page. We remain grateful to Todd Giles for establishing the website for the Taipei Mission. He felt the urgency and set up this site even before we returned from Taiwan. He now has people from many time periods registered. We hope you keep in contact with your companions and keep up with their lives. As you served together in Taiwan you established a working relationship with each other, now is the time to enjoy quick-up dates and encourage each other. It will be worth it. We enjoy your up-dates. We love seeing you in person. As I think of the hugs and meeting your growing family (spouses and children). I feel very grateful that as a child I had a desire to go to the temple. Because of that desire I have the most wonderful eternal companion, we have established a home that taught “as for me and my house we will serve the Lord”, and we have had the privilege of serving the Lord together. You make my heart feel very full. You are loved!
We thank all those that set up the reunion (the leaders of this were Emily and Michael Wardle) and all the efforts that went into planning, preparing, setting up and conducting the meeting and of course music, thank you Emily and Amanda. “Called to Serve,” is a simple song that carries much emotion for me. We also thank Sister Rawson for having a children’s activity that gave the children a separate time so the adults could focus on sharing their feelings. We look forward to our next time to meet. We will use varying meeting formats so if you have an Idea let us know. Enclosed you will find a photo of most of those who attended. There were several who came early and later, and the photo was midstream.
After a snowy General Conference we headed east on a nice long road trip across the United States primarily to see church history sites that we had not seen before or that we knew had had significant upgrade changes since we had seen them some years ago. We started with Martins’ Cove in Wyoming which was properly snow covered and made our way across to Palmyra New York. All the way across the country we saw beautiful fall colors. The trees were really showing off their brightest for us. We circled back towards Nauvoo; stopping at every antique store along the way (can you tell who wrote that?). We visited neighbors from home who were serving at the Nauvoo Temple for the summer. They showed us some of the less known and very interesting local sites. Then we turned towards Missouri sites and on home.
Our family highlight of the year was to have everyone together for Thanksgiving in snowy Colorado. We are home now preparing for a quiet California Christmas. We hope that you are well and happy this wonderful season of the year. We love you and hope to hear from you and see you from time to time at the reunions.
My love Sister Harris
Remember:
Get yourself on Nathan Nakken Facebook list (We are going to try this ourselves)
Our Fillmore Utah address is 10 South 200 West across the street from the high school
Our cell phone is 805 233-2903
Come see us!
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