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