THE STREETS ARE LIKE FILTHY RIVERS...

Hellllo Familia!!

Well it is dumping in Jaen right now. The streets are like filthy rivers but it's definitly gonna be super green here soon. Well it has been another Great week here in Jaen & this upcoming week may be my last. Half the people tell me I'm going and half tell me I'm staying, so I just don't know what to think any more. But either way I'm excited to teach and preach the Word of God like Missionaries Do. 

Haha I think I came to the internet unprepared cuz I don't remember much from this week, but like any normal week in the mission, it was very spiritual, uplifting and very frustrating. We have many investigators who we are trying to get ready for baptism but this week has been rough finding and teaching everyone. New Year's Day the streets were empty. It was like a ghost town. Everybody was sleeping our had traveled. But our investigator that is probably progressing the most is the mother of Rony. We have been teraching her for quite a while and she accepted to be baptized the 18 of January if she comes to know without a doubt that the church is true. She knows and reads the Bible a lot like her son and is very spiritual. I think she just lacks a testimony of the restoration cuz she says her baptism was by submersion in water and by the spirit but we are teaching her that it is necessary to have the right authority as well.

Well this week was frustrating cuz slowly and slowly my comp gives me less and less time to speak. It's been hard cuz I'm out here to teach the Gospel and when I'm not teaching, I feel like I have no purpose. But it was sweet cuz Friday we had inercambios and another gringo elder came to my area for a day and my comp went to a different area. It was sweet cuz I got to take the reins of the area again and I was able to open my mouth and teach. I was definitely guided by the spirit as I taught. It helped me see that I have grown a little in my language skills and my ability to follow the spirit.

We have been visting a menos activo that hasn't been going to church cuz she thinks the members don't practice what they preach and our sinners. She still has a testimony but does not want to go on Sundays. We got to bare testimony to her that she was right.  That the members are sinners cuz we are all sinners and that is the reason why we have churh and go to church. We go to church to partake of the sacrament and renew our baptismal covenants so we can be cleansed of our sins and recommit to keep the commandments and strive to live as Jesus lived. I also was able to bare my testimony of my conversion and why I am on a mission. Unfortunately, I'm a slow writer and there's no more time so this is the end of my short letter. I'll try to have some better stories and experiences next week Pops haha. Love you all,

Elder Harper

Happy New Year!