I'M UP for WHATEVER the LORD THROWS at ME.....

Well friends family and other loved ones,

I'm being transferred out of Las Brisas, which was very unexpected considering that they took out the sisters and are sending 2 other Elders here. So my hijito, who is new, is going to have to teach the area to 3 new missionaries, but I know he can do it cuz I'm hoping I trained him well. I'm hoping he doesn't forget about some of the beautiful people we have been working with. Even though I'm not one who loves change, I know that it is good. Sometimes we get too comfortable doing the same routine. But because of changes in life, we progress and have new opportunities to serve and to love. I'm kind of nervous cuz everyone keeps telling me I'm gonna be a district leader or zone leader but I'm not a leader. I'm more of a foot soldier, but maybe that's just what I need to change and to be better. So I'm up for whatever the Lord throws at me. 

This week we had a sweet zone  Christmas activity. We ate lunch with all the zone, did some Christmas skits and President gave us a little motivational speech. Something I enjoyed very much was an intercambio I had with my friend Elder Kasteler. This kid is a stud and a real example to me. He's only got 3 changes here but he already speaks well, has a strong testimony and more importantly, he's not afraid to open his mouth and testify. I really like a family night that we did when I was with him in the house of a member from his ward. It surprised me to find out that all the kids in this fam begged the Elders for cards of He is the Gift, cuz they loved handing them out to their friends as a way of starting gospel conversations and they always invite them to hear the missionaries. They are an impressive missionary family. The mom was recently activated and the daughters were recently baptized. Elder Kasteler started to share a message about Christmas. We asked about what they wanted and then about what we have already received, the birth of our Savior and his Atonement and how we have to apply it in our lives to accept this Christmas gift.  We also have to share it with others so they can feel the light and love of Christ and want to apply the atonement in there lives. I love Alma 7 and how it talks about that.  

Well, I'll be talking to you guys next pday, which is Christmas, not Monday, so I'll give a pre-call Christmas Eve to let you know the time,.. Oh and Juan Carlos went to church and he was super excited so lots of progress there...love you all and wish you a Merry Christmas!

Elder Harper

Besitos

I TOOK a FEW MOMENTS of SILENCE & CRIED....

Hola Familia, 

¿Han escuchado de El es La Dadiva? Well all of Peru has cuz they took all of our normal contact cards away and now they are just giving us cards that have to do with this Christmas video. But it's pretty cool. It's been working pretty well. 

Well happy Birthday Mother !!! I hope you enjoyed the day and hope you got my card; it is beautiful. Why didn't anyone tell me my bro was getting married? No one tells me anything these days. I'm gonna be a bro-in-law! Super exciting. 

Well President Williams has given us a bunch of Christmas rules and one of them is about the calls. We only get 40 minutes ladies and gentlemen, and we can't use the computers of members. So I was thinking I just might call cuz he also said if your Skype call is sketchy for 20 minutes and ok for 20, it's too bad cuz we only get 40 minutes straight up. So I guess it's up to you folks but we shall see. And we can't wear Christmas ties. The tie you sent me was so beautiful that my comp and I took a few moments of silence and cried and when we heard we couldn't wear them, we cried again and even harder (not really but it did hurt deep). 

So this week was great. If I had any fear of talking to people in the street I think I lost it cuz we have been talking to everyone and getting lots of results as well. We are working hard with a woman named Haydee. She's the wife a returned missionary and she's expecting in 2 months. We've been teaching her the gospel and helping her to find baby names haha. She believes everything we teach her. She's reading, praying and going to church but she has a hard time with baptism cuz she's already been baptized (in a different church). We've explained it to her time and time again but she just needs to pray hard and consistently to find the answer. I read a quote that said something like this, We don't receive knowledge or answers by searching signs but by being obedient and experimenting and searching with real faith. 

Elky is as stud. He's going to all the mutuals and even when his parents cant make it to church he goes with his step bros to pass the sacrament. We are working hard with the rescue as well cuz there are 400 members and only 120 that are active here en las Brisas.  Well to be honest I have lot more to tell but just no time with all the surveys and everything. Love you all and strive to grow your testimony everyday and be obedient with exactness. 

besitos 

Elder Harper

WE were WALKING and an OLD MAN who was SITTING in his DOORSTEP....

Familia, 

Sorry family, the mish is starting to give us like 20 minute questionares we have to fill out during our internet time and on top of that, we have to report the numbers and write President, which leaves little time to read and write but it's all good cuz I just realized we will be Skyping or calling in a couple weeks anyways. 

Well this week was just a little slower cuz my comp was sick. He's gained like 20 pounds already in the mish and has never gotten sick until now. Looks like it all caught up to him this week and he became real close with the bathroom. Reminds me of my good times in Jaen and well, in every area I've been in. But even though my comp was puking, we hit the streets hard. There is no resting under my watch haha, but don't worry, we didn't go as hard. 

Well to be honest there has been no real advancement with the investigators but it looks like my comp is going to be baptizing like 3 families shortly after I leave. It will be sad not being able to experience it with them but at least I was able to help a little in the conversion process. 

My comp and I taught the district class this week and we taught it about unity. When I was studying for this class, I found a paragraph in a manual that they gave us that talks about sometimes the weaknesses that we see in our comps can really be strengths. I found that to be true this week. My comp is usually distracted but he defintly notices a lot of things that I miss in the street. Like on Saturday we were walking and an old man who was siting in his door step saw us, stood up and called us over. I didnt see him or hear him but my comp stopped me and called me over.  The man said he had a questioon that he wanted answered and let us into his home to explain it. When we sat down with him in his home he asked us if we believed if a man and woman who are marrried can live together after this life. We were happily able to explain to him about The Family A Proclamation to The World and he loved it. He had a lot of other questions but he seems like he's going to be a great new investigator. Well I got no time but I love you all and I'll see you soon.

Elder Harper 

besitos

HAPPINESS is SOMETHING that DEPENDS COMPLETELY on US....

I'm super jealous about the family vacation! I didn't know you guys were going on a cruise. I though you were just going to Disney! but that's pretty sweet. We are basically teaching all families and well, I just love to talk about my fam and share my testimony of how families can be eternal. I know that it's hard being away from you guys but knowing that I'll see you soon and that I'll be stuck with you hooligans for all eternity gives me peace and motivates me to work even harder.

Well this week was pretty epic. Sacrament meeting was super impactful for me. It was the primary program and even though those little kids can't sing to save their lives, as they sung the spirit penetrated my heart. I think it reminded me of my primary days and to see how far I have come and to see how young they are starting in the right path, thanks to good parents who love their kids and the Lord enough to live the gospel and teach it to their family. It was also Elky's first time passing the sacrament and just by chance he ended it passing it to me. It's funny how that works even though I didn't do the ordinance of baptism, I helped him make it there by teaching him. And now the tables have turned as he has helped me partake of an ordinance to be come clean of sin. It was a beautiful experience.  

Well we are teaching a less active and her husband, Juan Carlos. It's awesome to see how the gospel changes hearts little by little. This guy at first seemed like he didn't want us to come and he wasn't very interested, but after teaching and testifying for a couple of weeks, he asks us to leave chapters for him to read in the Book of Mormon and he gets all dressed up.  He's a big scary looking man but after getting to know him, we have found that he's a lovable guy. He accepts everything we teach him but his work makes it hard for him to come to church. We are praying that he will soon understand the importance of the Sabbath day. 

Well I hope you all have a great week and continue being happy. Mom, I loved those talks you sent me about happiness and I think that happiness is something that depends completely on us and something that we can have no matter what happens if we live the gospel. I can testify of it from personal experience and from seeing so many families here who live realllyyy hard lives. But yet the poorest and humblest of people here are happy when they've got the gospel.

Stay golden

besitos

Elder Harper

TODAY we MADE TACOS with my MEXICAN DISTRICT LEADER. BEST LUNCH EVER..I MADE the TORTILLAS.

Familia!!! 

 

What is goin' on? Well the months keep counting down and it makes me real nervous. I'm not trunky and I know I have a lot of time left but I just feel like the time goes by so fast and I have so much more to learn in the mish, and so much more to do. I was reading in Corinthians today, I believe the second chapter but I don't have my scripts with me, and Pablo was talking about one of the times he went out to preach the Gospel, and he said he was nervous. He was a little scared cuz he didn't have a lot of skill or a lot of knowledge. He said that all he knew was that Christ was crucified and resurrected for us. He says his words weren't persuasive to men or to the wise but he spoke with the spirit in simplicity and touched the hearts of the humble and weak. It was strengthening cuz I know that I may not be talented or skilled in word but if I strive to have the spirit with me, I can touch the lives of others and even change the lives of others through my simple but deep testimony that Christ is our Savior and only through His sacrifice and our obedience to the principles of the Gospel can we be saved. And only through obedience, can we have the spirit with us. 

Well Juan now doesn't want to come to church. It is really weird behavior considering he is only 9 years old, and considering all 5 of his sibs go to church every week. But I think he's embarrassed cuz he didn't get baptized and he doesn't want his friends in the primary to make fun or to judge, but we are working with him and hopefully he will get pumped again. I see that his dad is a little discouraged as well. 

A family we have been teaching for quite a while told us that in December they want to get married and be baptized. It's pretty awesome cuz they have a son that's a member and they have had a lot of problems but they are now making this great decision. Hopefully I'll be there to see them get baptized cuz it looks like there will be cambios a couple weeks into the month of December. Well we have met some pretty cool kats contacting this week, people who have great potential. My comp is good at opening his mouth and following promptings. It really is important to talk to everyone cuz the Lord prepares the hearts of men to hear the gospel, you just don't know when it's their time. 

Well gots to go. Thanks for all the love and support..I love you all....Today we made tacos with my Mexican district leader. best lunch ever..I made the tortillas.

besitos

Elder Harper

THE GOSPEL is SOOOO SIMPLE and so AMAZING. JUST LIVE IT and YOU'LL be HAPPY.

Well family and friends, it was a great week! Elky Sanchez was baptized on Saturday and confirmed the next day as well. The program went well and it was a very spiritual experience. But it was also a very stressful experience haha. Elky's little bro, Juan, was also supposed to be baptized but the day of the interview he didn't want to come and starting crying cuz he was scared to be asked questions by somebody he doesn't know. ( I don't blame the kid) But his dad talked him up and got him pumped up again to be baptized on Saturday. His interview was planned for Saturday before the baptism. Well we planned on meeting them in the church at 1:30 to do the interview and the baptism was going to be at 3. Well not a single person set foot in the chapel until 4, and when they all came, Juan got scared again and didn't want to be interviewed. So we went on with the program and baptized his bro. It's all good cuz we are gonna work more with him so he can have more confidence and feel better prepared. But Elky is a stud and is going to receive the priesthood next week as well so that will be awesome for his family.

Well we have sisters in the area now. They are pretty cool. One is from Utah and one is from California. It's been pretty stressful helping them find a house and a pension and helping them know the area but they got the hang of it now. Some of the members are surprised that sisters came because it's a pretty dangerous area, but we put them in the nice part and we moved to the shlums where it's pretty sketch. 

This week we have been working hard with the families. It's pretty sad cuz we have about three killer families that we just love, but they will not go to church for some reason. They love to listen to us and they read and pray but church is always a huge complication for the people here. It hurts sometimes to see people you love not be able to progress but I know I need to have patience as well cuz true converts aren't made over night. 

Well I was reading in Alma this week and I stumbled upon one of my favorite chapters, Alma 24. I just love the example of how the anti nefi lehis (? is that what they are called in English?) Well, they're examples of being faithful in keeping their covenants. They had such strong faith that God would bless them if they were faithful. They knew if they were to die by not taking up their weapons and fighting, they would be saved and dwell with our Father in Heaven. When thus happened, the Lamanites who were slaying saw their faithfulness and were converted. A lot of the times the gospel is shared more effectively with actions then with words. I'm not a man of many words. I struggle to speak in Spanish and in English (my Utah comp understands me better when I speak Spanish) but I know as I am faithful and give it all, my all and I are blessed and I an impact the lives of others. The gospel is soooo simple and so amazing. Just live it and you will be happy Alma 24:14. God loves us and has given us this plan so we can make it back to him ...I just can't wait my brothers and sisters...love you all.  Thanks for your strength and support.

besitos

Elder Harper

...PROBABLY SOMETHING I WON'T HAVE to DO AGAIN unitl I GET MARRIED...

Familia, 

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween. I was actually surprised because we stopped by a member's house and there were 2 kids that were getting dressed up to go trick or treating in the center. Those kids are starting a revolution in Peru jaja. Well we definitely had a pretty busy week and have found a lot of new people to teach. President called me this week and told me that he's going to put sisters in the area to share it with us. So this week we have been house hunting as well. Probably something I won't have to do again tell after I get married. But we found a nice place and got their pencion all set up as well. 

We worked hard with those boys Juan and Elky this week and it looks like they will be baptized this Saturday. haha It will be my first baptism here in Las Brisas and I'm glad to have it with my hijito. We are working hard with this family so the dad can progress, get the priesthood and one day be sealed with the whole family. It's a little Brady Bunch family, 3 from each parent and after the baptism the whole fam will almost be members, except for the babies obviously. We are a little bummed cuz some of the couples we have been working hard with have not came to church and have not showed a true interest in being married in this upcoming matrimonio masivo. 

Well tomorrow starts a new transfer. I'm so thankful for the atonement of Jesus Christ, especially in the mission cuz through it, I'm not only cleansed of my sins but I'm comforted. He gives me new energies to keep working hard, the promise of the presence of the spirit to come along with me,  a new leaf to turn over, and new goals and excitement to work hard and to work efficiently together with the members. There's like 400 members in the area but only 110 attend so there is a lot of work to do. Well the time is up and nothing exciting happened this week but I'll make sure to take pics at the baptism and to write some epic stories. I love all you guys and all of your support. Someone write me a letter. I haven't gotten one in months!!

besitos,

Elder Harper

IT has BEEN yet but ANOTHER GREAT WEEK in the MISSION...

Our visit with Elder Waddell

Well family and friends, it has been yet but another great week in the mission. We are still on the search for the Lord's elect, knocking door-to-door. We still aren't having too much success but hopefully I'll at least leave my son with someone that is prepared to be baptized and a strong convert in the church.

This week we had a 5 hour conference with Elder Waddell, which was really awesome. He is an inspirational man and taught us a lot of doctrine. He focused on baptizing converts and forever families. A favorite quote of the day would be we want kneeled families and not just wet families. It makes more sense in Spanish but he was saying that there are a lot of people who skip steps in the gospel before getting baptizing. That faith and repentance come first but many don't understand or fulfill with the steps and then go inactive soon after. A family that kneels down every night to pray and study the scriptures is a family that is gonna build faith and are going to have true desires to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins and with the hopes of one day to be sealed in the temple and arrive together in the Celestial Kingdom.

Well we are teaching Mariza. She has known the church for 15 years but hasn't been baptized cuz she's not married. All of her kids are baptized and less active. She moved away for awhile and recently has come back to live in Las Brisas. We found her and her husband one day and committed them to be married. They both agreed and the mother was super excited because she finally will be baptized. The only problem is with her husband's paperwork but if everything goes well, they will be married and she will be baptized in November. 

We live in the third story of a three-story house and recently we found out the family who lives below us are all members, less-actives. They have lived there for years and so have the Elders but recently we have made the connection. It is pretty sweet cuz they are from Jaen and I know all his family and even baptized one of his nephews. It was a cool connection and hopefully we will be able to teach them soon cuz they live real close.

I've got more to say but no time. I love you guys so much. Thanks Dad for making me trunky with your epic surf trip story. love it. You guys are awesome.

besitos 

Elder Harper

IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT MY DEAR FRIENDS....

This week has been pretty epic. Nothing new really happened like I always say, but it was epic. I

don't remember the people I wrote about last time but right now we are working real hard with 2 couples. Both couples kind of have the same case. We are teaching David and Sandra. David is a member and has been his whole life. He almost went on a mission but he messed up and has been inactive ever since. But now that he's living with someone and has kids, he wants to change and come back and he wants his fam to have the gospel as well. It's a super sweet fam! They always invite us over for dinner and family nights and they are really progressing. We just need to get them married as well so they can move forward.

We are also teaching Auri and Oner. Auri is the less active in this case and her boyfriend is Oner, a nonmember. This family is super kind and loving as well. They are having a hard time cuz their baby is sick and they don't have money to pay for all the meds and sometimes it leads to arguments and stuff. Auri wants to get married but Oner is a little harder. Even though he's super chill and our good friend, sometimes he has a hard time accepting our message but it's also a beautiful fam that has the potential to become an eternal family. 

In church, Antoni and Jeffrey showed up. They are ancient investigators we found a week or two ago. They said that with other Elders, they had baptismal dates but they never came to have the certainty that it was all true. I asked them if they ever went to church and they said that they hadn't.  I then told them that if they want to know if the church is the true church of the Lord Jesus Christ, they need to attend it. If they want to know if the Book of Mormon is true, they have to read it and pray to know. If they want to know if the commandments are necessary, they have to live them. It's as simple as that my dear friends. Like it says in John, if we want to know if a doctrine is true, we have to pray and live it and then we will have a manifestation through the spirit that it is true and we will have desires to keep living it and want more of it cuz we will be so blessed from the joy and happiness that comes from obedience. 

Elder Wadell is coming this week to train us a bit so that will be exciting. Well I don't got anything else to say. Ask me some questions next time and I'll answer them haha. Love you guys with all my heart.

Besitos

Elder Harper

HE STARTED THREATENING to HURT ME & PULLED out a KNIFE....

Well I have very little time to write but this week was very epic! Conference was amazing! I got to watch all of it in English with my shewbie, Elder Bailey, except for the last sesh. It was cool hearing the speakers that spoke their native language, especially when they spoke Spanish.

Well like I always say, the mission is sooo dang hard but that is why I love it so much, cuz it brings me happiness, really the most worth while things in life are the things that we have to work for.  They can be super difficult to achieve but they are the things that bring us true happiness.  Following the commandments can be hard as well but as we live the Gospel and are obedient with exactness we receive blessings, lots of happiness, and eternal life.  I feel like a lot of the conference talks were about sustaining the Prophets, personal revelation, and the difference between today's standards and the Lord's standards and the courage we need to stay on this path. 

Well I've never knocked more doors in my life then we have recently and I've never been so rejected so many times. It just makes my comp and I want to work even harder. We are trying to find the elects and they are worth the time, the rejection, and the pain.  This week, in between conference sessions we were knocking doors and this guy opened his door and started telling us he was from another church and that he didn't have time for us. Well we were super persistent and out of nowhere he let us inato his house, sat us down, and admitted to us that he has been a member of the church for 10 years but that he hasn't gone in 5 years.  He told us that no one had visited him before now.  His heart was softened and he was grateful for our visit this week.  We have an appointment to teach all of his family.   

I had a crazy experience this week that reminded me of how we should follow the spirit in all times and not doubt it.  I was trying to find a house of a less active with my comp and we were a little lost. I needed to call the bishop because he knows all but a thought came to my mind that I should not call at this time.  Even though there was nobody around and it seemed safe, people could see we have a cell phone and jump us later. We were in a dangerous part of the area. I told my comp the thought I had and he agreed with me that we shouldn't call.  Frustrated that I could not find the house, I pulled the cell out anyways and called the bishop.  As I was hanging up the phone some strange hooded man approached me, grabbed me from behind, and tried to grab the phone.  I pulled my hand free and shoved the phone in my pocket then shoved him off of me.  He started threatening to hurt me and pulled out a knife.  For some reason I felt calm.  He was drunk and I felt like he could just be bluffing with his threats.  I started speaking in English and he asked us where we were from.  I told him I did understand and I speak Spanish also.  He kind of got scared but ended up showing us the house we were looking for....weird story but officially I still haven't been robbed and he ended up helping us so... yeah..

Well that's all I got. My time is up but I love you guys. Keep it strong out there. 

Besitos

Elder Harper   

LIFE is COMPLICATED...the GOSPEL is SIMPLE & JOYFUL....

Family and Friends, 

Well this week was another epic week with my good pal Elder Bailey. We did not get to watch conference this week, in fact nobody in Peru watched conference and we didn't even have church on Sunday because of the Peruvian elections. (Peruvian law does not allow church and other meetings to be held on election days) So next Saturday and Sunday we are going to watch a recording of conference with all the members. 

Well, there aren't too many investigators who are progressing right now so we basically just knock doors all day every day. The people here are a lot different then in Jaen. They are still pretty nice but no one really wants to hear us haha. But we definitely have seen the blessing of talking to everyone we can. We have met many good people and we have found many hidden inactives as well. We have an investigator named Johnny and he wants to be baptized but he has to divorce his ex wife first so he can get married and get baptized. We always teach him about the importance of sharing the Gospel. He was talking to a friend from work and his friend agreed to come over and listen to us. Well halfway through the lesson, he admitted that he was a member and that he is just inactive. He has since formed a family and he has the desire to return to church and he wants us to come teach his family as well.

Another crazy story is that one day this week we were walking down the street and my comp stopped and asked me if I was hearing what he was hearing and we looked down on the dusty road and found a potato sack that had 3 abandoned kittens in it. To be honest, I kind of wanted to ditch them but my companion couldn't. So we went door-to-door, contacting to try to find an owner haah. Well nobody wanted them but we ended up leaving them in a park bench in the richest part of our area. When we went back to check on them, they were gone...We're are pretty sure they were exalted. 

Well I feel blessed and humbled to have this opportunity to be a missionary and a representative of Jesus Christ. Sometimes it's hard but like I always say, I'm the happiest I've ever been cuz I can see the happiness that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings to the lives of others when they strive to live the commandments and when they apply Christ's Atonement in their lives. Sometimes life is complicated and unhappy but the Gospel is simple and joyful. We just have to be strong enough and humble enough to endure to the end. I love My Savior and what He did for me, for the people of Peru and for all of you. I'm grateful for the support you give me and I pray for you all everyday. 

LOVe

besitos,  Elder Harper

old photo from last transfer

THIS WEEK was HONESTLY the BEST WEEK I'VE HAD in a LONG TIME....

Familia! 

Well I'm still here in the Brisas and I'm training! My first hijito. My comp is Elder Bailey from Payson, Utah.  He says he knows the Marsh's so that's pretty cool. He's a really funny kid and a really good missionary. He's not afraid to open his mouth and teach and best of all, he's willing to work himself to death how I like it. This week was honestly the best week I've had in a long time. We still don't have too many people yet who are progressing but we are doing are hardest to find new people to teach, and this week we have found a bunch of new investigadores and less actives who haven't been to church for years. It defintley feels good to work hard, and I'm trying to master my skills of talking to everyone. For some reason even the oldest and most experienced missionaries are reluctant to contact and talk with everyone, maybe cuz it's not super effective but I have found when we do all that we can  the Lord does the rest. 

This week we found a less active named Auri. We taught her and her husband, who isn't member. We soon found out that they aren't married and started to teach them about the importance of families and marriage. The husband was really cool.  He was super interested and asked about baptism. Auri was super excited cuz it was the first time she had the missionaries in her house for years. She insisted that we sing a hymn and  as we sang the spirit was super strong. They are a beautiful family who really needs and wants the Lord's blessings in their home. 

Well I just love the scripture in Alma 26: 27-30. The Lord says that if we endure through the hard times with patience we will have success in the end and we will be able to bear the trials with peace and happiness. I know this is true cuz I have definitely suffered a bit but I feel so blessed for what the Lord has given me: a great comp and the ability to find and teach with the power of the spirit. I love this work so much and I just feel myself starting to love the people here even more and that's what motivates me to work hard and find the way to bring them salvation. 

I love you guys and I'm grateful for your support and advice. I know I am weak but I know in Christ I can do all things and in His name my comp and I can do many miracles here. Keep praying for Pamela; she's still sick in Lima and she's gonna to have to go through chemo this week. Love you all.

besitos,    Elder Harper

WE are NOT HERE to BAPTIZE but to CONVERT.....

Famiilly of mine!!! 

I love all of the pics you have sent me but ..did we move? Well I sure hope not. To be honest this week was probably the least productive week of my mission but I just had to accept it knowing that things are going to change from here on out. Saturday I was invited to a leader training, and Sunday night we got the call telling us the transfers. My comp is gonna finish his mish in another area and I'm gonna stay here in Las Brisas, training a newby. I'm pretty stoked even though I know being a trainer is a lot of responsibility. But I feel really good about it and I'm pretty sure we are gonna have lots of success. President Williams told us something cool. He said that I bet you guys think you are here cuz it's your time, but he told us that I had nothing to do with how much time or experience we might have had but that the Lord has called us and that we are the best the mish has. Tomorrow is when I'll receive my new comp. In this leader meeting with President he also hit us hard with the subject of less actives. If I remember correctly he said that there are 1,300,000 members in Peru and there are only 400,000 active members.  He made it clear to us that we are not here to baptize but we are here to convert whether it be new members or less-actives, but they need to be converted. 

Well Sunday the Family Castillo came to church! This is the family that we found a while back but recently they opened their doors to us. The whole family came except the mom and they even brought their cuz who isn't a member. The classes were definitely inspired cuz one the daughters is a 22 year old widow and has a 2 year old child and the class was about the temples and work for the dead. We are gonna keep working hard with this fam so they can become converted once again to the gospel. We are still teaching Pamela as well. She is reading the Book of Mormon and is really starting to open up to us. The problem is that she has to travel to Lima this week to have a check up on her cancer, and if everything is ok, she's gonna come back but if not, she's gonna live there for a while to receive her treatments. So everyone pray for Pamela and her fam and let's hope that everything turns out ok.

Well I have learned so much in the mish and I have loved every second but now it's time to step it up and give everything I got and more to the Lord. I know now that I'm officially in charge and can't give any excuses. I love this work and I'm so grateful for all  the opportunities my Father in Heaven gives me to learn and grow and strengthen my weaknesses that I have. Well this shall be all for now! Love you all.

Besitos,

Elder Harper

THE MISSION is the HARDEST THING i HAVE ever DONE but i think that is WHY i LOVE it SO MUCH...

Well my dearest Family and Friends, 

Life is Great and I love it. The mission is the hardest thing I've ever done but I think that is why I love it so much. This week was a little slow as far as the progress with our investigators. This week we had zero investigators come to church. Oscar hasn't really progressed much either but we really haven't been able to teach him much this week cuz he works all day and in the nights he goes to the church's institute classes. He's loving the young adult scene. He just needs a little push from his friends to take this step of faith to be baptized. 

Well I definitely learned the lesson of being persistent this week. Sometimes we have to leave people when they don't progress but I don't know, with some people I just feel prompted to go to their house over and over again even when they don't let us in their house. Like the story I told a few weeks back with the kid who contacted us in the street and lead us to the house of his family that was an inactive family. Well for the past month and a half we have gone to that house almost 3 times a week and every time they have rejected us, in a friendly way. But last Monday I felt that we should try again and even though the mother said she was busy, I persisted and we entered and we ended up becoming best friends with all the family. In like an hour they told us stories of their times in the church and with the missionaries that baptized them and I think it was an experience that really gave them a wake up call. 

Another experience is with a non member named Pamela. She's the lady we visited who has cancer. Well time after time we have knocked her door after the first visit but her mom always told us that she wasn't there and had traveled. Well this week we got a call that she wanted us to visit her and so we went and found out that right now she isn't doing so hot. She has a lot of pain her legs and thinks t the cancer is back. Well she asked for a blessing and we gave her one, and taught her a little as well. She was very grateful and said that during the time we were there she didn't feel pain and only felt peace. Well let's hope that she will get better soon but more importantly that her family can accept this gospel so they can be a forever family no matter what happens to her. Well I love this work so much and it makes me sad how fast the time flies cuz I know there is much more I can do for the Lord. Well I love you all and I pray for you guys every morning and night. Keep fighting the good fight and we shall speak the next pday.

besitos

Elder Harper

WELL I'M definitely LEARNING lots of CHRIST-LIKE ATTRIBUTES...

Well this week was definitely a toughhhh one. Because of the situation with my comp, we hadn't

worked very hard and sometimes I just feel like I'm wasting the Lord's time. The highlight was a talent show we did. There were a lot of cool dances and songs from their Peruvian culture. My comp didn't want me to play my harmonica but we did a couple of cool funny sketches with other missionaries.

Well we have even more rules in the mission. We can no longer teach youth unless their parents are baptized members. President really wants us to focus on families and even though it's gonna be a lot harder to have success, I like it cuz I've always wanted to baptize a complete family. It's my dream and I hope it happens. 

We are still working hard with Oscar. He's progressing cuz he's reading, praying, attending church and he even calls us so we can teach him. His only problem with his baptism is that he feels like he has only received half of his answer but still hasn't received his other half. He says if he doesn't receive it by a certain date, he doesn't know if he will be baptized. He's an interesting character but we are working with him. What we really need to do is leave all the investigators we have that aren't progressing and find new ones. President wants us to have 100 contacts a week and we do less than a fourth of that sometimes. 

This week I strengthened my testimony of the power of fasting and of bearing our testimony in sacrament meeting. It can strengthen our testimony and helps the spirit to be more abundantly with us .. Well I'm definitely learning lots of Christ-like attributes and I'm trying to be strong. I love the mission and I love this Gospel.

Thanks for the support folks,

besitos

Elder Harper

I'M COMING to REALLY KNOW MY LORD & HOW HE WORKS in my LIFE & the LIFE of OTHERS...

Hello there family of mine!!              

ward baptism

Well it sounds like the surf is pretty epic and huge. Just reading Dad's letter made me feel pumped and a little nervous at the same time. Well it looks like tomorrow Abbinaffers will already be back home? That's weird..but she served one heck of a mission, definitely a great example to me and I'll continue to try to be more like my big sis.

Well this week was a good one. We are working hard with our friend Oscar. We put a baptismal date or more like a baptismal goal with him for the 13th of September. He said he has been praying to know the things that we teach him are true and I think on Sunday he received his answer. On Sunday the Bishop taught an epic class about testimonies and how we can gain one. He shared many personal experiences of how his life has changed and how he gained his personal testimony. The spirit was very strong and after the class Oscar found us and told us that he felt the spirit strongly and that he knows what we have taught him his true. Oscar is a great guy and you can see how this gospel is changing his life just by how he looks. I don't know if he has suffered from depression or something but when we found him, he always looked serious and kind of sad and didn't really open up much to us. But since this week he just smiles every time we see him. 

Well we finally found the dad of Angela and when we talked to hime, we found out that he's not married so Angela is not gonna be able to get baptized until her parents get married. So that is pretty sad as well cuz her dad doesn't want to. Well the work is pretty hard here. We don't have too many people that are progressing and there are some other problems that I got to deal with but every day I just try to do my best.  I try to give it my all and at the end of the day I ask for forgiveness cuz I know I always fall short. But I'm getting there slowly and I feel the love of the Savior more and more in my life. I'm coming to really know my Lord and my Heavenly Father and how he works in my life and the life of others. 

Well this week we are planning an epic talent show with the objective of finding people to teach. I hope it's successful and I'll make sure to take lots of pics and videos to show you guys. Well that's all I got for now but nos veremos muy pronto mis amigos!! Les Quiero mucho!!

Besitos,

Elder Harper

PRAY HARD and SEARCH the SCRIPTURES for your ANSWER....

Well fam and friends thanks for all the support and advice you have given me. It really helps me and gives me the strength to keep moving forward. This week was good. I did what you told me to do and dragged my comp to run with me one morning but he only lasted one day. But I'm gonna keep trying. Well good news is that all the missionaries now have cell phones. We are about 50 years behind every other mission in the world but it's all good cuz it has made the work here so much more efficient and we are using our time a lot better. 

Well God definitely has blessed us with a new member who has moved into our ward. His name is Joel and he has been a mission leader in all his wards. He loves to serve and is pumped to work. He only works in the mornings and he lives by himself so he has most of the afternoons free to visit with us. He's a real example to us missionaries and to the members of how they can help in the work. Well we have been given new rules. We can no longer baptize anyone who is less than 18 if their parents aren't active members of the church. It's kind of a bummer cuz we were preparing a couple of youth to be baptized but they can't cuz their parents have to get baptized or in the case of Angela, her mom has to be fully active. It's a little hard but it makes sense because here in Peru there are too many less actives and recent converts who are also less active. The new goal is to convert families and baptize entire families. Even though it's gonna be hard, I'm excited to work and look for families that are prepared and ready to receive the gospel. 

This week when I had an exchange with my district leader, we visited Veronica. She told us that she believes in everything we have taught her and believes that the Book of Mormon is true but she still doesn't go to church and has a hard time leaving her Catholic traditions. We discovered it's because she hasn't made an effort to pray. She thinks she doesn't need to pray cuz she already has faith and already believes but we tried to help her understand that to have a true conversion, she needs to pray and ask God to receive a true witness from the spirit. She has been progressing but very slowly. 

Well Sunday was pretty sick. We did splits and I went with a kid named Jeizer who is full of excitement and wanted to teach and preach.  When we didn't have appointments he brought me to his friend's house, introduced me and we taught him. He doesn't have any fear and isn't embarrassed about his religion and it was super impressive for me. Well this is all I have to say ladies and gents and I hope that you all have a great week and don't forget to say your prayers and read your scriptures every day. and I know just as the prophet receives revelation for the church, we can all receive revelation for our personal lives and for our family members. Pray hard and search the scriptures for your answer.

Elder Harper

THE BEST PEOPLE to CONTACT are the TAXI DRIVERS....

Hola Familia!

Well it has been another normal week here in the Brisas. This week I got to do an interchange with my zone leader. It was awesome and I definitely learned a lot from him.  It felt good to work hard and to have an affective companionship study. Something I learned from him that I've been trying to work on is, talking to everybody. Sometimes missionaries get in the mode where they only contact when they knock doors but there are always people around us and the best people to contact are the taxi drivers because they can't escape jaja. 

Well this week we met a friend of a returned missionary who wants to hear the lessons from us. He has attended church several times but never has talked to missionaries and has many doubts and questions. We have taught him only one time so far but he's super interested and he's especially interested in temples and the concept that families can live together forever. He also attended stake conference this Sunday so it looks like he might have potential. 

Saturday and Sunday night were stake conference and it was pretty epic because Elder Scott Grow was there from the 70 and Elder Camargo was there from the area 70. It was an awesome feeling being spiritually nourished by powerful men. They talked a lot about the importance of members and missionaries working together in the work of salvation and also about the power of revelation because they rearranged the stake presidency. President Williams and his wife also bore there testimonies, which were very powerful as well. 

Elder Harper

SHOUTING and SCREAMING BABIES....

Hello Family!

Well I'm still here in Las Brisas with Elder Lazarte. Neither of us had cambios which was unexpected. We thought he was gonna go and I was gonna train or something but yeah it's all good. This week we did met some new people who might have some potential. Karen went to church and she remains strong but her husband doesn't want to talk to us so there's not much we can do there. We have been teaching a woman named Veronica who was born and raised Catholic. She has cousins who are nuns and she follows all of the traditions of the Catholics even though she isn't active in the church. Well we have been teaching her about the message of the restoration and the Book of Mormon and she has read and prayed and says that she believes it's all true but she's just afraid of what others will say if she decides to change religions cuz her whole fam is hard core catholic. We also taught her the Word of Wisdom and she said she really wants to stop drinking and she told us that it was a blessing we came the day we taught her that cuz her friends wanted her to go to a party but she really didn't want to cuz she didn't want to drink but then we showed up so she didn't have to go. Well we are gonna see how she progresses this week. Her son is pretty interested as well. 

This Sunday I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting but it was the worst cuz there was no microphone and there were shouting and screaming babies. My comp has 2 months left in the mish and has almost lost all desire to work and to study but I'm trying to help him in this. Well this is all I got for you guys this week. Keep it classy and we shall see each other soon.

Elder Harper

SIMPLE LESSONS and MOMENTS LIKE THIS.....

Family, 

Well I walked into internet unprepared cuz I forgot everything I did this week. Well the work here is a little slow. We keep working hard every day and the ward helps but we have yet to see the fruits of our labor. I know they will come with time and patience but sometimes it's a little frustrating and sometimes it makes me think that I'm really not doing all I can but I'm gonna keep enduring to the end. Karen didn't come to church this weekend cuz of her husband, and Angel didn't come either because she traveled with her mom to Jaen. But we have been planning and thinking and praying and I think that the 16th of August will be a good day for both of them to be baptized. This week we are gonna visit them and see what happens. 

Well in a week there are transfers and even though my comp doesn't have too much time in the area it's likely that he goes cuz he only has 3 months left in the mission. There are 20 new elders coming in so maybe I'll train. It would be pretty sweet to have a child in the mish haha. Well this week I completed one year in the mish. It feels like the time has passed by real fast and I know this second year will pass by fast as well and that is what scares me. But I'm ready and excited to receive any responsibility that the Lord might give me in this next year and I hope to have the opportunity of bringing the gospel to many more lives. 

Well a cool experience we had was when we visited a less active youth this week. We were able to talk to the dad of this youth as well, who isn't member of the church. Well the dad was a little drunk but he opened up to us and told us how he had failed as a father and how his home has been failing. We taught him about the plan of salvation and the importance of families. He says he wants to change and be a better father. He has known the Elders for a long time so he asked us to give him a priesthood blessing and he thanked us for the comfort and council that he was able to receive from the Lord. The simple lessons and moments like this is when the spirit is the strongest and is what makes this sacrifice as a missionary so worth it . Well I don't have much to say but I know with all my heart that this church is true and that Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven live and love us no matter what we do but we are extremely blessed when we live with obedience. I love you all and thank you again for your love and support and your great examples to me.

Elder Harper

A note to Dad:  hey thanks for the advice Dad. This week has been a great one. You know me pretty well and sometimes I lose confidence and get discouraged but this week has been great. I'm really learning to trust in the spirit and the Lord and not my own abilities and when I do it, my teaching and work is a lot more affective and the spirit is always with me. Well I love you Pops!!

THIS WEEK I had a POWERFUL EXPERIENCE with PRIESTHOOD POWER....

Well family it has been another swell week in Las Brisas,

Oh Congrats Blake on getting married! Sorry I couldn't be there. I gots work to do. Well this week the ward helped us out a lot. Almost every day and almost every lesson we have a member with us which has been helping a lot. Karen is still super amped and now has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and prophets and she still wants  to be baptized but her husband doesn't want her to. He wants to baptize his kids in the Catholic church and wants to be married in the Catholic church. Karen tells us that he doesn't hit her but he's prideful and won't even let her go to church, even though she came this Sunday. Well she said she's willing to be baptized without him knowing but we talked in ward council and came to agreement that the gospel is meant to strengthen families and if her being baptized might cause major family problems, we should wait to put a baptism date until he accepts her decision. So we are going to try to teach him but he really is never in his house. Yesterday I went with the first counselor on splits and when we arrived they were leaving to do some things in town but at least I got to know him a little bit and we made an appointment with him and the first counselor for this week so we shall see how it goes.

But seriously I love teaching with the members here, especially the leaders cuz they are all faithful converts. Yesterday I also had an opportunity to teach a young couple who isn't married with the bishop and his wife. The Bishop and his wife shared their story of how the gospel changed their lives and their home. The Bishop only has 12 years in the church and before he had many personal and family problems. He drank and fought his wife and did other things that aren't so nice but the missionaries arrived to their home and his wife wanted to be baptized right away. He threatened his wife that if she was going to be baptized he would leave her and their child. Well his wife had faith and was baptized. And even though the bishop didn't leave her, he always attacked her verbally when the church was brought up. Well, 6 years after, he asked the missionaries if he could be baptized and a few years after that he became Bishop. It was a powerful testimony and I'm thinking it would help Karen with her situation as well. 

Well this week I also had a powerful experience with the Priesthood power. We received a call that a brother who is a returned missionary was real sick and needed an emergency priesthood blessing. We sprinted to his house and found him curled up in a ball shaking and crying hysterically. We found out that he wasn't sick but that he works in security and he witnessed one of his fellow workers die and he was traumatized. We placed our hands upon his head and I gave a simple blessing but the spirit was strong and when we took our hands off his head he was completely calm. I'm just happy that I was worthy and ready in the moment so the spirit and the priesthood could work through me. We keep visiting him and sometimes when we enter he's sad but during the visits he starts to tell us mission stories and we all leave laughing. He's a great guy. Well this is all I have for you guys this week. Thank you for your emails and support. You definitely are the best! I love you all.

besitos

Elder Harper

I DON'T BELIEVE in COINCIDENCES...

Hola Familia!! 

This week was a straight-up hardworking week. The members keep stepping up as well and have really been supporting us in this work. Almost every lesson we had this week we had a member present with us. Members really play an important role in the conversion of the investigators and the activation of the less actives. Well unfortunately Karen wasn't baptized this week. Her husband is Catholic and tells her that she can't be baptized cuz they are a Catholic family but thankfully Karen is no longer confused and very sure about her decision to be baptized. So we counseled her and she ended up having a talk with her husband. She told him that she wasn't asking him for permission. She was only asking for his love and support. Pretty powerful. So this week we are going to have to set up another date for her baptism. 

Yesterday we were walking down a street in the morning on the way to pick up a priest to do some visits with him. For some reason we decided to take another path and when we were walking down this path a teenager yelled to us and called us over. He asked if we were Elders and told us that he wanted to learn more about God and the Church. He brought us to his house and found that almost everybody there were members except for him and his dad. They moved here from Lima about a year ago and didn't keep in contact with the church. We didn't have time to teach them right there but we made an appointment to go back. It was a simple decision that we made to change paths and we found a great family. I don't believe in coincidences and I know the Lord works in mysterious ways and always through his Holy Spirit. We just have to be prepared, worthy and in tune to hear it. 

We also met a teen named Victor. He's a real special kid. We had our first visit with him this week as well. He told us many times that he wants to change and that often times he changes for a week and then goes back to normal cuz he's weak. It was cool seeing a person his age that really desires to be a better person and become closer to God. We tried to help him understand the atonement of Jesus Christ and explained to him that if we want a real lasting change, we can't do it alone. It can only be done through the atonement and through constant repentance and obedience. 

Well I'm safe and happy in Las Brisas. It's pretty weird that I almost have a year in the mish. It's exciting but it scares me cuz I've gots lot to learn and a lot to change but I know I wont be able to do it all in the mish cuz life is a teacher as well. Well I love you all and I'm praying for you.

besitos,  Elder Harper

THERE are MANY PEOPLE who QUESTION WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN...

Mommy and Fam and Friends!! 

How goes it in Cali? Well I'm super jealous of Izz´s adventure. I've lived in Peru for almost a year but I've never been to Machu Picchu but my two sisters have already been. Hopefully one day I will arrive there. 

Well this week me and my companion had a great experience where we learned the Mission President is called of God and receives inspiration, and when we obey the rules or commandments, we are blessed and receive miracles. This week in our zone meeting our leaders informed us of a new rule that the president is going to enforce in this mission. Well, the rule actually isn't new but President Risso didn't put so much stress on it.  We aren't allowed to teach anyone of the opposite sex without an adult male present, member or nonmember or a holder of the priesthood. I know that in the states this was always a rule that the missionaries lived by. But here it's pretty hard cuz basically we only teach women cuz the men work from 6 in the morning and return at 9 or 10 at night sometimes and there aren't very many priesthood holders in our ward. But we have been obeying this rule and the Lord has been providing the way. We usually never have lessons with the accompaniment of members but the members this week stepped up and have been helping us with our lessons. This week we almost had 20 lessons with members going with us. The members play an important role in missionary work and without them it's hard to have success. This week we had a visit with Karen. We went with 3 sisters from the Relief Society and with a counselor from the bishopric. Everyone was able to bare their testimony about the gospel and Karen, even though she's a little unsure, really felt loved and was grateful for the visit of the members. Her baptism date is for this upcoming Saturday. We are gonna see what happens cuz she didin't come to church this Sunday. 

We have a new investigator named Pamela. She's in her 30s and has been Catholic all her life.  She has had a strong desire to be closer to God because she has been diagnosed with cancer. Her aunt is a member and is a great influence in her life. We have only have had one visit with her but her desires to change and to know Christ have inspired me. When we pass through trials we have 2 decisions. We can come closer to God or fall away from Him. There are many people who question why bad things happen to them but Pamela is a strong women who knows that her Father in Heaven loves her and that her trials are only making her stronger.

Well I'm so happy that finally we are not working alone in this work and that we have the help of the ward, because really the members make all the difference. Well I love you all and hope the best for you.  Keep firm in the Gospel and pray for opportunities to share the Gospel.

besitos

Elder Harper

Our zone with our new mission president, Mark Williams

HAPPINESS isn't DETERMINED by our CIRCUMSTANCES but by the PRINCIPLES WE LIVE...

Fambam, 

Well first of all, I hope you all had a great 4th of July; I know I did. But really, living in South America helps me realize how blessed I am to have been born in America. Even though I don't like it when my comps call me rich or pituco, it's true that we have a more privileged life.  We have a lot more things and are a little more advanced in technology and health and have a little more freedom. But I have also realized where you live and what you have doesn't determine your happiness. I have met so many happy people here who don't have very much, who live in adobe houses and live-day by-day and sometimes don't have money to buy food but are still so happy and loving. But a phrase that I think I've mentioned before that I love is, Happiness isn't determined by our circumstances but the principles we live. If we are obedient and repent daily and humble ourselves, we will be able to overcome all things and have peace more than anything.

I was able to see that this week. This week we were in the house of an investigator and she told us that she had a friend who is a member of the church and that her friend wanted to talk to us. We didn't recognize the directions or the name of the member but we searched out her house. When she opened the door and saw us standing in the doorway, she got really excited and insisted that we come in. We found out that she was baptized at the age of 14 but has been inactive her whole life. She is the only member of her family but her daughter wants to be baptized. She also has a baby that has been really sick so we were able to give her a blessing as well. When we talked to her she started to cry because it had been along time since she had received a visit from someone in the church. She was super grateful and she says she wants the church back in her life and wants us to help convert her husband so they can be an eternal fam. 

That same Sunday the fam came! So that  was an experience that made my week. In this mission we are trying to focus on rescue. A rescue is when someone returns back to church after a long time. They try to teach us that it's equal to a baptism as well, which is very true cuz the goal is the temple and the Celestial Kingdom. So anyone who is not on the right path, whether it's a nonmember or a member, needs to be rescued. This week another sister attended for the 3rd time in 2 years and received an interview with the bishop. She is now fully pumped again in the straight and narrow path and has been rescued. This week we also put a baptismal date with Karen for the 19th of July. She's still a little bit confused and unsure but we promised her that if everyday she reads and prays for answers and if she attends church every week before her date, she will feel sure. We felt pretty good about promising her that and I think that she felt pretty comforted as well. 

Well I started teaching English class again. Only two kids showed up but it was pretty epic. My comp and I are working hard. I can tell that he might not be used to working like this and sometimes he doesn't want to, but he's been a good sport and we have kept a good relationship together. I love the kid. Today we went to Plimentel, a famous beach, but it was pretty blown-out and there were no surfers. The new president I met in a zone meeting. He's super awesome, crazy and funny. He's a great guy and it looks like the mission is gonna be different but in a good way. Well I gots to go but I love you all.

Besitos, los quiero 

Elder Harper