Hand Written Letter (Dated: 9/29/14) [#54 from Tonga]

Family,

Awe, I have some fun things that have happened for me this week and I have been excited to be able to write you about a few things :) Before I begin, I just wanted to sen you all of my love . . . Momma, Daddy, Brittany, Michael, Brandon, Brook. I know we don't get tons of time on P-Days to really just talk, but I want each of you to know how much I love you and constantly pray for every single one of you. Right now I'm on the Lord's time. We will have eternity together and we will definitely make up the time! But, I would like to thank you fro everything and all the love for support is really what keeps missionaries with a drive and a purpose. Anyway, Thank You!!!!:)

So, just the other day, our Zone Leaders went back to Tonga for a Big Mission Leader Training and Elder Latai went back and visited Matahau (the area where I served with Latai). Latai went to church there and he said that every single one of our investigators that we baptized are still strong in the church!!:) That is incredible!!:0 All 21 of them are still in church and have callings! Do you remember Brian and Fina, the family I was teaching and going to baptize the day I moved to Sopu? Anyway, Latai sent me pictures of their baptism and it was very heart warming! I will have to send it to you! I have been on cloud nine hearing about all the people I came to love... It is impossible to stay in touch with all of them while I'm out here...so for me to hear anything is amazing!!:)

We had a really cool experience this week with our stake. A girl named Helen came from Tonga and she is a doctor. Instead of paying her for her services, she has the people listen to the missionaries. So, we had about 65 people come to the church every day this week and we split them into groups. All of the missionaries in Ha'apai came to teach them. It was an incredible experience. The usual experience is that people are shy listening to the mormon missionaries because the people judge them. But there were no problems with shyness in this situation and they were all supportive of one another. It was amazing because I know each and every one of them were able to feel the spirit. I loved it because every group fought over me and where I was going to teach because I was the only white missionary and they wanted to hear me speak Tongan, haha!! So this boosted my confidence a lot. Eight of the people were from Pangai, so we have eight current investigators that have heard all four lessons. They have been challenged and have made several commitments. This is a great start for my companion and I to drive the work:) I'm excited to see the impact in Ha'apai these next few weeks! Ha'apai is ready to see these changes and successes.

Ha'apai is still having a really big drought. There are also predictions from New Zealand of a hurricane coming that is twice as big as the one that hit the island last January. It is expected to hit in either November or January! So, please pray for Ha'apai. These poor people are still just living in tents from the last storm. Anyway, things are good. I'm healthy as can be. Dad asked in a letter how I'm doing on weight. I'm at 200 lbs, but not much muscle, haha. I will try and work on that.

I love you all so much!
Your Brother/Son
But always remember we are an eternal family!
Elder Blake Daniel Harmon

E-mail (Dated: 9/28/2014)

Hello Family,

I didn't seem to manage my time very well and the other elders are in line to use the one internet device we have on this island, so I have to give it up!!! Ha'apai is good.  We have been struggling really hard to work with the members and the missionaries as one. We have not had a bishop the whole time I have been here, so it has been quite difficult. We continue to work hard with our ward mission leader and pray that we can find ways to help the work in Ha'apai. We had a lot of people get mad at us this week haha. Door knocking is definitely one of my least favorite things...... I hope that as I serve here I can find the true reason why Heavenly Father sent me here. I feel like the members are ashamed to say they are part of the church, it makes things really hard here as a missionary. The best we can do is our part and lean completely on the Lord.

I love you all.
Elder Harmoni

My companion and I. He is 6'6" tall!

Church Building in Ha'apai

Hand Written Letter (Dated: 9-22-2014) [Letter #53 from Tonga]

My sweet family all the way on the other side of the world. I'm so so sorry it's taking months at at a time getting these letters from me. I think that means that they should be twice as fun to read, because they are so so rare. I definitely know the feeling about waiting to read all of your letters, I seem to get them about every two weeks, but they are always a month or two months old, haha, but they always seem to lift me! For, like we have always said, everything happens in the Lord's timing. I have been so grateful to have such diligent parents writing me! My companions are always so impressed at how consistent you both are at writing me! They (letters) truly are like Christmas presents to me! I especially love when I once and a while get a letter from one of my siblings. I love to see your growth and desires, and what brings joy into your life. I have truly seen this beautiful opportunity of letter writing unite us so tightly as a family! Ha'apai has been such an incredible opportunity for me so far, and in so many ways. I have found it to be humbling  me in ways that I didn't know I needed to be humbled. I have learned a lot about myself and my weaknesses & I have learned a so much about my Savior and all His goodness. I have had so many opportunities to strengthen my weaknesses and make them become strengths. For I have a great desire to try every day to become more like Christ. For that has to be my favorite chapter in Preach My Gospel. Chapter 6 - Christlike Attributes! There is an activity in the back of the chapter and it will help you find your weaknesses, then you can take those and work them until they become strengths! Ether 12:27

I have always loved the saying that we are not here to earn heaven, but to learn heaven (Brad Wilcox). For I want to share with you, my beautiful family, one of the Christlike attributes that I have been trying so hard to increase and become more like Christ. Throughout my life, I have noticed that my patience has been such a big weakness of mine. I have often acted in ways that have been out of turn or inappropriate, because I let impatience get the best of me. Even in the MTC and my first area, I saw my impatience get the best of me, but as I have trusted in the Lord and I have asked Him for strength, I have truly seen Him give me patience and help me make my biggest weakness into one of my new found strengths. I have been so grateful for this blessing/tender mercy in my life. For I know it will bless me immensely in the long run, but not just then, but I have seen it work complete miracles with me in situations here in the mission. For Christ knows us perfectly as does the Father. 1 Nephi 21:16. Trust in him who can make all the difference. For there is no greater need than now for His precious help in our lives. May we pray for a desire to be better and become more than we are now. This is my prayer that we all look into our lives and find something that could be strengthened! For I promise you all, that as we do so, we will be strengthened by our Father in Heaven and we will be brought closer to our Savior and become more like Him. This will personally teach us more about Him and help us truly know Him better. I would love to hear from you all on experiences and tender mercies as you take this challenge into your lives! Remember to have a vision and to make goals .... come up with a plan and be accountable. Without goals, a plan, and accountability, your vision will just remain a thought. Take that vision and take it to the Father in prayer and He will help you accomplish it! I love you family. You are incredible. The best thing you could ever do for me is to continue loving and living the gospel!

Your Son/Brother

But remember, we are an Eternal Family

Elder Blake Daniel Harmon

E-mail (Dated: 9/21/2014)

Hey everyone!!!!! Transfers are out and all of Ha'pai is staying!!!!!! I'm so so grateful  I couldn't imagine setting up all this work in this area and then just moving! The only change is that there are two more missionaries coming and working in Ha'apai,  So, we will now have 12 people in our district!!!!! I'm actually really excited!!!! Things seem to be going really good in our zone, in the past the work here has been one of the slowest in the whole mission, but its all starting to turn around!!!!!!! Being a district leader is a lot of of responsibility, and a lot of people are looking for an example to follow, even if they don't act like it..... I'm trying really hard! Being a leader by pure example is hard in the Tonga mission and sometimes it takes courage to stand alone and tell other directly the things they are doing are wrong ...... Like my daddy always said to me . . . take the initiative.

This week has been full of spiritual and powerful meetings, President Pierson from the Area Seventy came and gave one of the most powerful talks I have ever heard, I wrote a whole letter just focusing on it!!!! It gave me some big insight on how to try and be a good leader. We also had a really powerful zone meeting!!!! Our mission president has told us he has a lot of excitement for our area. Just yesterday we had our ward conference and in the middle I got randomly called by the stake president to bear my testimony. I was nervous and quite caught off guard, but I was guided by the spirit and felt like I was watching myself as the spirit directed my language and words. We have been working hard with our ward mission leader and we are excited to see how our plans and activities work out.
I LOVE Ha'apai, and LOVE these people!!!!

P.S. We went to a huge Church of Tonga thing. We were invited as the guests of honor, pretty cool!!!!!!!!!!

Hahaha still waiting for the package so no pics so so sorry!!! Love you all so much!!!!!

mom"dude"
Brooklin SYST

Hand Written Letter (dated: 9/15/2014) [#52 from Tonga]

Family :)

My dear family that I love so much! I gasp in Awe as I see how long we have been separated physically, but stand in gratitude knowing how I have never been left by you in spirit. Wow, 14 months out in the field and only 10 months to go....Time to turn up the speed because I just hit the 150 meter left mark in the 400 meter dash and I need to give it everything until I hit the finish line!  I really want to focus today on a talk that was given to me here in Tonga just 2 days ago. Our Area President came and spoke to us. His name is Elder Pearson.

His focus was on the Doctrine of Christ. I have never listened to a talk that I felt was so directed distinctly towards me. The way that he presented every thing was beautiful. But, after this beautiful message, he made us all a promise that I will never forget. He gave us a promise that if we diligently read the Book of Mormon every day, there will not be a trial that we cannot overcome and we will be able to complete all of the requirements of our Heavenly Father in order to return back to Him. Reading the Book of Mormon is holding onto the Iron Rod in these latter days. In 1 Nephi 15:23 we hear the question directly....What is the iron rod? And in verse 24 we receive the answer! The iron rod is the word of God! So, how do we consistently hold to the iron rod? We have to study the word of God. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things! Moroni 10:5

At the beginning of my mission, reading the Book of Mormon seemed like something I had to do other than something I wanted to do. As I continue to read daily, I see why the Book of Mormon is such a blessing in my life. I know at times we hear that a lot....The phrase "The Book of Mormon blesses my life daily and strengthens me"  A lot of us say "yes, I believe that", but HOW? I will share with you why I love reading the Book of Mormon. My biggest reason is that I search for answers to my questions that I have a desire to know the answer. For, I know that  Heavenly Father consistently continues to answer my prayers and questions through the scriptures! As we know, life and history repeats itself and continues to do so. The Book of Mormon is literally a map for life on how to make it through mortality. It will give us courage to stand, even to stand alone. And, when you feel your faith is weak, hold fast to the word of God for you will find comfort and will find hope!

As I have been on my mission here in Tonga, the importance of the Book of Mormon cannot be explained by words. The world is a trap of so many things. I have seen it take so many people close to my heart and I have seen the world consume the desires of man, even in the lives of young missionaries here in Tonga. For we must clench the word of God and hold it tight to our hearts! For, where our hearts are, there is where our desires are also.

For those of you that might be reading this, and you have felt a pull of the world tug on you, or you have given into traps that seem impossible to escape, I want to make you a promise right now that I never want you to forget. It has been a promise that has been made to all of us continually. As you pick up the Book of Mormon, and you pray to your Father who is in heaven, you ask him to receivee strength, and you ask to receive strength to overcome addictions or to overcome trials. I promise that as you read, you will find power and strength from our loving father who is watching over us! D&C 121:8, D&C 76:60, 1 Cor 10:13.

For we all have the Holy Ghost with us to guide us. But remember, oh remember, we must always seek for him to help guide us and for him to help direct us, especially with the word of God so that we might understand what the Holy Ghost is telling you personally.

For, I  know that we have been given an iron rod to hold onto in these latter days and I know it is the word of God. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Hey family. I imagine that you are all in  the month of October or even in November. I imagine the Book of Mormon challenge is over....but this is my plea, that you continue daily to read and to ponder in the word of God and to do so with a full desire of heart. For these are some of the worst days the world has ever seen, and we need all the protection we can get!

I love you all and I am praying for you all. Our time is short being separated, but I just want to tell you how grateful I am for the constant feeling of support from each one of you :)

You are all incredible!!!

With Much Love Fu'u Lahi Ofa

Your Brother and Son

Elder Blake Daniel Harmon

But always your Eternal Family :)

Mom "Dude"

E-mail (Dated: 9/14/2014)

Hey Family and My Beautiful Friends!

I have so much I have to tell you, but I have written letters about most the incredible experiences, so I will just paraphrase! At least I think that is the word! But I have missed a couple weeks keeping you updated so let me try and catch up! So on the 4th of September, I went on a companionship exchange with one of our zone leaders Elder Puta........yes cookie his name is a swear word in Spanish hahaha......  Did I tell you Elder Latai, my old companion, is my zone leader out here???? Just another cool fact.

Anyway, Elder Puta and I went out to a little island called Uiha! I guess I should tell you first, the first day Elder Berry was here in Ha'apai, his birth mom came and met him!!!!!!!  I go into more detail in the letter about it....you should be getting it any day now. The island I went to is the island where Berry spent the first 9 months of his life! I got to hear the whole story from his mom!!!!!! What a cool experience to be able to have met and come close to Berry’s birth family! While we were at church in her ward we found out that she was inactive in the church until Berry came out on his mission. Way cool to see the impact Berry has had on his family!!!!! Anyway, we went out to go teach a beautiful little 11 year old girl!!! She has been taught by 3 sets of missionaries and there always has been some type of problem before the baptism (e.g. like the missionaries getting sent home for breaking rules) so they haven’t had missionaries there for seven months!  Another reason everyone was so happy to have missionaries! She was so anxious and ready for baptism. We did the ordinance on Sunday. Her name is Milei Mana Moui -- sooo cool!  That’s Berry’s middle name haha. I have been obsessed with it since the MTC. On Monday, we got picked up by Berry and Freer and we went and dropped off Elder Puta back with Elder Latai and I grabbed my companion and we made our way to the Lulunga Islands!!!!!! We dropped off Tu'itavuki and Freer on Fotuha'a. To describe it to you, it looks like King Kong Island!!! No joke..... It has no beaches and the waves crash on the cliffs like crazy!!! The only way on the island is to jump from our boat to another boat then they pull you in as close as possible and then you jump onto the cliff side then climb these ancient looking steps to the top.....and the village sits on the top in the middle of the bush!!!!!!!  Then, Berry and I drove about 45 minutes more in the boat to our island where we would be staying!!!! It was a place called Matuku!! Let’s just say it was like a little Hawaii with big beaches and waves crashing on the sand!!!!! I don’t want to ruin lots of details, but I’ll tell you one cool tender mercy. Berry’s birth sister lives on that island!!!! She is inactive so we were able to help her and her husband and we will be able to teach them…..way cool experience. On this island, there is no mission house so we slept on the floor of the church....... haha -- so we definitely got our Kolopoki experiences in........with so many cool and beautiful teachings, it was such a tender mercy to serve with one of my brothers that I came to the islands with!!!!

Right now I’m having a hard time working in the ward that I’m in charge of.  I am working hard with the ward mission leader. Our bishop is in Tonga because he is sick with diabetes ....... so things have been hard. Also, on top of that, trying to keep up with the president’s schedule for companionship exchanges is a challenge, but we are making it work.........Me and my comp are determined!!!
Lastly I just want to thank you all for the emails and love, I don’t have enough time to respond to them all but I appreciate you so much especially you mom and dad for taking such time to write me beautiful things!!!

Ofa atu

Elder Harmon
Mom"dude"
Brooklin syst

Pangai

Beach on Pangai

Island that Blake Visited on Companionship Exchanges

Closer Look at Uiha

Blake said that he visited some islands called the Lolunga Islands that were next to Tofua which is a big volcano.

Hand Written Letter (Dated: 9/8/14) [#51 from Tonga]

Family :)

I'm so grateful for this opportunity that I have to be able to write to you today :) I know I will not have the chance to email you today because I will be going straight from Vika to Haafeva! In letter #50 I was able to express my incredible week and my once in a lifetime chance to serve on the beautiful island of Uiha and Felemea!

Something that has been on my mind a lot is testimony . . . The power behind testimony is truly in it's own category. I would like to share an experience all of my own. Just yesterday, I was in "Felemea" (a town on the small island). We went there to go have bread with an old guy I met from Austria. While we were on the boat to Uiha, we ran into this guy and we helped him bring his bags to his house, so he promised to have us over for some bread! As we took him up on his offer, we sat and talked about life and I was able to bring up the subject of religion. I soon found out that he believes in God and a Savior, but has no faith in a church because he says they are all man made/ We got pretty deep in to the discussion when I tried to start talking about church and bring up certain doctrines we believe in....it was tough. He had excuses and things to throw at me for everything I brought up. I finally felt the spirit whisper to me to bear my testimony to this man and to bear my testimony of what "I" believe! I then started to bearing testimony to him that I know there is a prophet here on the earth today to direct and guide Heavenly Father's church through direct revelations from Heavenly Father himself. I told him about apostles and how the same church that Christ had established on the earth during his ministry has been restored!

I watched the amazement in his eyes as the spirit began to teach him. He no longer made excuses and he stopped throwing our words back. Instead, he listened and at the end, he was speechless.

For the first time in a long time I think his interest in religion has been rekindled. His urge toknow more is there. We had to end there, but tomorrow before going back to Pangai and then to Ha'afeva, I will get to teach him one last time! I know our testimonies are essential for all of us to have and for all of us to survive on in this church, but our testimonies are also our sword in a world that needs to hear the true word of God and His gospel. May we ever be so daring to use it in the time of need. This is my prayer and my hope in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I know it wasn't long, but I hope you know I though about you! I love you!

Your Brother and Son
But remember we are a Forever Family
Elder Blake Daniel Harmon

Ha'afeva Island 

Ha'afeva Island

Uiha Island

Hand Written Letter (Dated: 9/1/2014) [#50 from Tonga]

Family!

I have so much to tell you. I am so so excited to write you this letter! :) It is actually the 11th of September but I'm going to go back and give you all the updates! I have been on a couple of little islands and have had no chance to write this letter! So, on Thursday, Elder Freer and Berry showed up for a big meeting with the APs and our entire zone. It was the best meeting I have ever been to in my life. The whole thing was focused on less active members and how to strengthen them! I have never had a plan make so much sense to me and how to execute the plan! I'm so excited to be able to go forth and help less active members return unto their Savior and help them obtain the eternal promise and help them along the steps to being sealed to their families for time and eternity! It's all about first helping them develop a vision! Then planning with goals. However, if you are not accountable for your vision, plan or goals then your vision remains only a thought. So, our plan is to help less active members and recent converts so that they can get that eternal vision then step by step reach for it with all their might! After the meeting, I got to go on an all day companionship exchange with Elder Freer! It was a blast. We worked like crazy and were able to teach a few families. On experience that sticks out .... we came up to a house and we were really nervous because we had an appointment with this family, but we both didn't now them, and we had never taught together. Right before we entered the house, the spirit was with us and we were guided through the whole lesson. It was beautiful to see how Heavenly Father can truly be by your side, if you only but ask. That's something I have really tried to focus on lately....To really make sure I am working with three people in my companionship and not just two! We need to have Heavenly Father in everything we do. For we can only do so much on our own, but when we trust and have faith, and ask, and consistently seek, we shall have Heavenly Father to double what we could do on our own.

The next day, I was able to go on a companionship exchange with our Zone Leader (Elder Puta). We got to go out to a little island called Uiha and Feleman, absolutely beautiful islands! We went from Thursday to Sunday. We went there to teach a girl that we got a referral from over the phone! We were told that three missionaries have tried to bring her into the waters of baptism but she has not wanted to. When we got to teach her, everything fell into place. She asked us, Can I be baptized?

We were able to baptize her right after church on Sunday before we went back. But, you will never guess that while I was there I was in Elder Berry's mom's ward. This is the island where Berry was born and grew up on! It was crazy! We have grown close to his mom. She told me the whole story of Berry's adoption. It was a tender story. We came back on Monday. I know I wrote you a letter on Monday, but I'm just going to finish talking about all the companionship exchanges because I didn't get to e-mail it to you. Anyway, we took the boat back from Uiha to Pangai, the main island. We came back and I dropped off Elder Puta and I got my companion and we literally got right back on the boat! Freer and Berry were also on the boat. So, we headed back out to the little islands of Ha'afeva! It was about an hour ride out to the island where we dropped off Freer and Tuitavuki. You wouldn't believe the island that we dropped them off on. Just imagine the movie King Kong, where the water is thrashing on the rock cliffs and there are no beaches and it looks like no one could live on this ancient looking island in the middle of no where! The only way to get on the island was to jump from our boat to another boat then they would pull you as close to the rock cliffs as they could. Then you would have to jump! If you fall, you would get crushed by the water against the rocks! But, everyone was safe! Anyway, after we dropped them off, we drove another 45 minutes to our remote island of Matuku! We got there and the only way to describe it is paradise. I'm so sorry, we had no camera, so no pictures! But, Berry said it just looked like an untouched Hawaii beach. The waves came from two directions and they would crash on the beach! It has been the first island I have been to that the waves came in on like Hawaii. It is because the coral reef is so close. SOOOO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

But, it just so happens to be the island where Berry's sister lives!!! How crazy is that!! Wow, you could say some major tender mercies!!! The hard part was that every priesthood holder was gone snorkeling so it was literally us and the women. So, we went around doing role plays with them and then inviting them to invite their friends. It was way fun! Working with the members is a blast! We were only there on Monday and Tuesday, then went home Wednesday morning! So, it was short and sweet, but we had a lot of success. Berry and Freer are going back Saturday to follow up! As we traveled back, we had huge whales jumping around the boat. It was so so incredible! It has been a very long week a long week of nothing but companionship exchanges! I'm so happy to be back in my area, but it was a such a success this week!

I love you all so so much! Life is good. You are all in my prayers constantly. You all are the light of my life! Sorry it's kinda just a story-line kind of letter and not very detailed. It was just a bunch to catch up on!

Your Son and Brother
Elder Blake Daniel Harmon
Your Brother & Son Forever