Happy BIRTHDAY LOVE BUG!!!!!

Your Momma thinks you are some of her BESTEST work EVER!!!!
THANK YOU For COMING TO ME....HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET BABY OF MINE!

A sneak peak at the AMAZING MICHAEL COOPER xxooxx

Sam....the brothers are with you no matter WHERE they are....

Sam the ELDER Man....27 Aug 2013

hey family!

 

so I found out this week, that for some reason, when people from the U.S. send a parcel to othe U.K., they charge 20% of whatever you paid in the states, onto the fee when I receive it in the U.K., so that's why it's going to take a little bit for me to get my packages. unfortunately I won't be getting them for a week! but that's ok with me! I'm way exited to receive them.  It's kind of weird that it's my birthday on thursday! because it's just going to be a normal day. but that's totally fine! i've had 18 other birthday's haha

 

this week was good. Elder Pogue and I are getting along really great and I am so lucky to have him as a companion. He came to the mission pre-trained, he's probably already a better teacher than I am and we are best friends! such a blessing.  We taught Sean this week. He quit a bunch of things pertaining with the word of wisdom, without us even teaching him about it! He just felt like it was wrong, and then those things weren't exiting to him anymore! pretty fantastic! I'm so exited for his baptism, and so is he! He just needs to come to church on sunday, which he was never to exited about. Please pray for him to come to church with us on Sunday! also, please bless that he will desire to have the rest of his family take the lessons with him.  He has 3 kids that could all learn about the gospel and join him in the waters of baptism, so please pray for that to happen!  On Saturday, I taught English classes to the hispanic people in our ward (and one mongolian). It was great! we had 6 people show up, and hopefully we will have more and more every week. It was so fun to be able to speak spanish with them, and to teach them simple phrases in English  that will help them while they are at work, and with new mates and what not. 

 

My hair grew back.. WOO!!!

 

This morning we found a new investigator named Matt, so please pray for him to be receptive. Yesterday we met the nuttiest guy ever named Bruce.  He loves the osmonds, and because he loves them so much "He considers himself a mormon" haha he told us he knows with all his heart the book of mormon is true and he already lives the word of wisdom, but I think he is more interested in the osmonds than he is with any thing else. we will see! definitely one of the funniest half hours of my life!   Nothing is really happening at the moment with the Kerr's, or with Jay. Jay just got off holiday, but seemed less than exited to have us around again this week, but that doesn't mean were not going to try haha. 

 

Dad- I don't need any new trousers or clothing at the moment, and there is plenty of money in the account. I will be using the money to pay off the packages that I get for my birthday because of that U.K. Policy thingy. anyways guys I love you sooooo much. I'm stoked that you guys had a good time in Seattle. I had no idea that you guys were even going to Seattle, but it looks like it was a way good time. but let's be honest, any time all of us get together it's a good time. just don't have to much fun without me ;) Have a sweet week you guys!

 

Harris' LOVE them some SEATTLE :)

 Ryan has nothing to do with Seattle, but thought you'd like this pic :)

 These are SO not in order...our last activity of the whole trip was the sweet Mariners game... though they lost even with Spencer coaching them from the crowd. I LOVE Seattle...I hope we come back and do EVERYTHING we did with YOU all over again!

 See the darling little boy behind Josh? He is special needs...a nearby crowd member caught the foul ball and just randomly gave it to THIS boy...he was there with visiting family...made me and his grandmom teary. SO MANY GREAT PEOPLE in OUR WORLD!!!

 Just being.....

 The weather could NOT have been more perfect....

 These older women made me smile. I will be SO INTERESTED when I get to the other side to hear the stats on how effective these efforts are....

 This was part of the SCI FI room in the Music Experiment Museum...we could have spent ALL DAY here (well, maybe not Dad) but the rest of us LOVED this place...

 We recorded our own family BAND...THE PEASANTS with PITCHFORKS singing I LOVE ROCK n ROLL...a DVD to find its way to YOU soon! You are SOOOO going to laugh...keep your eyes on MEGAN!

 Yep...WE ROCK!

 Megs and I were suppose to be out "running"...but the blackberry bushes EVERYWHERE on the gorgeous path were BURSTING with sweetness and we got just a little distracted   :)

 We Kayaked around this island and it was shear DELIGHT!!! A harbor seal lead us out of the marina and followed us for  a long while, and we saw porpoises and made KELP HORNS and Megan tasted the Kelp....we are so going to do this with YOU!

 I got to find and bring home some super d dooper ROCKS!....found on this beach

 Up at this scenic look out where you can see the lake, the sound and the ocean ALL from one spot!

 My mountain climbers!

 JAMMING in a session room at the music museum :)

 Megan and the skyline and all of us having some fun GREY'S ANTAMONY memories...like they are our REAL friends :)

 SOMETHING in Seattle got a hold of me and was tearing me up...my poor eyeballs are STILL Swollen and aching...but it was WORTH IT!

 Yep...this is DISGUSTING...layers and layers of peoples gum stuck in the wall...but yet, also somehow so...So...WHAT?????

 You can imagine how happy I was to be DONE with my bet with Robyn and to eat my way through PIKE'S market!!!!

 Ohhhhhh....I wanted me some of these fleurs.....but no way to get them home safe...the prices were UNREAL!

 Fascinating jelly fish at the Aquarium

 The Music Museum ahead...

 Sculpture inside...Yea...THAT'S YOUR MOMMA...she ROCKS..... xxooxxooxxooxx

 The Sequoia turned over 200,000 miles on the trip

 Learned crazy cool stuff about octopuses...like how when it comes to puzzles they are smarter than even Monkeys! Trueville. I will tell you more later.

Michael and Spencer on the Ferry heading to Coupeville on Widby Island Day 1

Love bug...I am about to drop I am so tired. Came back and had to make up lots of stuff today. I will make up for it next week with more pics and more news. But really....the only news was...we had an AMAZING TIME...but WE MISSED YOU LIKE CRAZY...if your ears were burning  or your nose itching the WHOLE week...its cuz we couldn't keep you out of our conversations or our thoughts or our hearts. You da BABY, and we LOVE OUR BABY. Hurry Home! Until then...create your own kind of AMAZING!
Mom
xxooxxooxxooxxooxxooxxooxxooxxoo

From Sam 19 August 2013

Hey family! Elder Pogue and I had an outstanding week, we found 5 new Investigators, only 1 was at church, but it was still amazing that we were able to find so many new people to teach.  3 of them are a family we found on wednesday.  We went to go visit a less active who has been nasty to the missionaries in the past, and she was actually so happy to see us! she said that she has started praying again and trying to come back to church, and that us showing up just solitified her decision that it was the right thing for her! while we were talking to her, her friend Sean was there, and he started asking us a bunch of questions, he called us after and asked if we could come over and teach his family about our church! Also, another investigator we found, is a man called Matt. Matt was getting extremely upset at us for sharing the gospel to everyone we saw in the marketplace of Ilkeston, and so he started letting go his frustrations of how that wasn't right and what not. We got talking to him, and we were able to answer a lot of his questions, leading to him inviting us over to his house tomorrow. So that was a really interesting experience but it was rad. I felt like alma and Amulek talking to Zeezrom.  My joy was similar to Ammon's joy in Alma 27:17. It's absolutely amazing to be sharing the gospel, and for a few people to actually listen.  The work is picking up so much since I've been with Elder Pogue. GREENIE POWER!! haha If you guys can't tell, I love the book of mormon and continually relate my experiences to those I find from Alma, Amulek, Ammon, Aaron, etc.

 

Thursday I had interviews with my Mission President, President Rasmussen. I just want to let you guys know that he is amazing, and definitely called of god. He sincerely cares about each and every one of us, and I am in good hands. I love Sister Rasmussen even more! They are just extremely loving and I'm blessed to be serving while they are our mission president, and mission mom. 

 

Saturday we had our lesson with Sean and his family, and Sean is going to be baptized on the 14th of September, and we'll see when the rest of his family is going to do the same.  it was an amazing week! that's all I have to report. I love all of you so much. I love the gospel, and I have such an amazing oppurtunity to wake up everyday and invite other people to enjoy the good news we share, and to use the atonement.  Have a sickkkk week family and enjoy the pool for me. 

 

Elder Harris

 

p.s. I really miss the mountains, so dad and Josh, you guys were right...

Kelsey heads to Germany this week!

Kelsey is off to be a nanny:) Still as beautiful as ever! THought you'd want to see.

Love from SAM 12 August 2013

 

What a nuts week! I got my boy! his name is Elder Pogue, and he's a legend! He lives in Saudi Arabia, but is originally from Louisianna.  He is super exited to be on a mission, and is a way fun kid.  Constantly throughout the day he'll just say "man we are so lucky to be on missions!" and he's just the best.  I have the priviledge of training a new missionary who understands the divinity of our calling! How lucky we are! anyways he's like 6'4, loves every single movie I love, and the same music as well. so that's really nice when we get to decide what movie were going to watch.... JUST KIDDING haha got ya.

 

So Ruby told me that she already told you that I'm STILL in Eastwood. haha and I will be for the next 2 transfers! We are extremely blessed to be here. I decided I'm not leaving... ever haha the first day Elder Pogue and I were together, he committed Nathan Rigley to baptism! He still has a lot of problems we need to sort out, but we will be working on that.  There is a part member family that we are teaching called the Kerr's, they are actually from Lehi, and I love them.  There are two kids that are probably going to get baptized within the next 2 months! So Jay, who kind of fell off the radar, wants to have the missionary lessons again! which is a miracle because we thought he totally gave up on trying to gain a testimony. 

 

I don't really know what to say.. after I've been on my mission for a bit every day is like way similar but so different, but I just don't know really what to tell you. I'm sorry that my letter this week is so short.  Keep praying for me as I do for you! Have another sweet week!

 

Mom: I'm so proud of you for reaching gold!! (whatever the heck that means, but in the olympics it's awesome so I'm gonna guess that it's awesome for you as well) You're the best mom ever. for so many different reasons!

 

It was so good to see so many pics of the family! I swear everyone has grown like a foot since I've been home! what the heck! tell Jeremy that he has got a filfthy beard (the good type of filfthy) and I might be having to grow one when I get back :)

 

Just the caption of Ghram singing Thrift shop made me laugh. I can only imagine how much I would have been laughing!

ALMOST A FAMILY REUNION!!!!

 Sheri and THESE KIDDOS showed up on Wednesday!!! and then the OTHER cousins came:)

 Pretty much just been a FUN FUN FUN PLAYFEST , FOOD FEST, LOVE FEST!!!! YOU are so missed LOVEY!!!!

 Isaac making sure HERMAN REPRESENTS!

 Somebodies are sleeping in your BED!!!!

 Crazy how BIG everyone has gotten this summer!

 Pretty much EVERYONE has a BIT of a sunburn:)

 Grahman the MAN.....heading to Kindergarten in a few weeks!

 Just living in our swimsuits :)

 The BESTIES STILL BESTIES!!!

 Somebuddies in MY BED!!!! Grateful they are sleeping when I take MY turn :)

 We had the annual TALENT show. Drew was the HOST....

 Audry sang Adele's ROLLING IN THE DEEP

 Hysterical! Graham sang macklemore's THRIFT SHOP...YOU would have laughed till you cried!

 Ellie Bellie did a STAR STEPPER Dance routine:)

 Will. I. AM shot some hoops!

 Isaac did 2 amazing card tricks...REALLY...

 The whole family gathered on the basketball court for the SHOW!

 Laikyn did this COOL CUP and SONG routine :)

 GrandDad paid them 300 pennies a piece for their work

 Brother the BEAUTIFUL! Making sure Ryan represents :)

 The other brother and the beautifuls....

 Yep....8 at night and Momma is STILL in her workout clothes and no makeup....was the PERFECT kind of day....Spencer wishing you were here so you could go hit a bucket before dark xxooxx

 A main attraction when they are water logged.

 Da Fam. Missing Mom and Kelly. Preston, Jeremy, Me, Sheri, Dad.

 

 Truly our yard I MY HEAVEN....the kids love every part of it as much as I do I think. Tonight we will break out the smores:) After the peach cobbler that is:)

 Josh b Gosh playing with the littles:)

 Graham goes down the slide by himself now.

 William and Graham have NO BODY FAT so after a few hours of swimming they need to hot tub to warm up!

William expressing the JOY of these few days for us all!!

Everyone is here until Monday night and Sheri goes home on Tuesday morning.  Its been a lot of talking and laughing and EATING and then starting all over again. Its SO GREAT to have all the kids old enough to really tend to themselves...they just start hovering when they are hungry...we bust out the next allotment of food and then they scatter to play ALL OVER the place. This is my heaven.
I really have mostly taken off since Thursday ...I did a Medicene cabinet makeover and went to a dinner celebrating hitting GOLD Rank and that's been it. Tuesday I'm gonna be swamped and maybe a bit panicked...but I'll just wait till then:)

I wish you could call to talk to everyone. We have missed you the entire time, but when we went to PF Changs with Michael there was an empty space....when we had the talent show... and empty space...when I made homemade mac n cheese...empty space...when this golf tourney we were suppose to be at in NY came on today...empty space....we are almost to the 6 month mark...almost. Everyone is great. Everybody is about interesting and GOOD things. So perfect to set ALL THOSE THINGS ASIDE and just BE together.

You are SO LOVED!!! Can't wait to hear about your week! Hope it wasn't too many pics.
Da Momma
xxooxxooxoxoxoxooxxoxoxoxoooxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx