THE MISSION is EXHAUSTING BUT IT is AMAZING.....

Family, 

How is it goin?  I've been pretty sick but I'm pretty used to it in the mish. 

Well this week I did a work visit with the Zls and it was pretty fun.  We contacted for a bit and the first door we knocked on was this open door with this old lady inside. We knocked and she was doing something in the kitchen but didn't give us the time of day. I just thought she was ignoring us but we kept knocking and yelled, Good Afternoon. She finally looked at us and came to the door. We introduced ourselves and soon realized that she didn't hear anything, so we had to shout and she finally understood and let us in to teach her. Well it probably was the worst lesson I've had since the CCM.  Seriously, it reminded me of my days trying to learn Spanish.  We would yell something and she wouldn't hear so the member that was with us just red a scripture and we bounced. Well it was pretty sad but pretty funny at the same time, you just had to be there. 

Well we've been working hard with this viejito, Juan, the 90 year old one. Well this viejito is super productive and he was tired of sitting around all day so he made his house into a cyber cafe to get some extra dough. Well we went to visit him with the ward mission leader and had a great lesson. We had planned on inviting him to be baptized again and just when we were inviting him to be baptized, a bunch of kids walked in to use the computers. Well Coach Juan, Super Man Juan, our ward mission leader, came to the rescue and offered to finish the lesson in his taxi.  It was a lil awk at first but we continued testifying and invited him to be baptized with a date. Well he accpeted and said that he wants to prepare himself to be baptized. Well in order to be baptized, an investigator has to attend church 3 times for all 3 hours and Juan goes every week but only has been once for all 3 hours. So we set up a date hoping he would stay all 3 hours the next 2 Sundays before his scheduled baptism. It turns out that he could only stay the first hour so we are gonna have to change the date but it's all good cuz Prez always says that we aren't hurried to baptize but we are in a hurry to teach and convert. Juan has already made the decision to be baptized so we are gonna keep leading him down the narrow path. 

Well it's been a good week, even though I've been super weak physically the Lord has carried me and I've probably worked harder then I've ever worked before. The mission is exhausting but it's amazing and I learn new things every day and have great experiences.  Well love you fam, thanks for the support,

Elder Harper 

besitos       

THE SPIRIT has been STRONG in our WORK and THAT is really ALL I COULD ASK FOR....

Familia!!! 

How y'all doin? It's been another great weak here in Imperio. Nothing too exciting but the work keeps advancing.

We basically live in a zoo. My pension is the dark alley way between my house and my pensionistas house and there's always like millions of animals who beg us for food, like rabbits and ginny pigs.. I've only seen like one lama since I've been in Peru; it's pretty disappointing. 

Well the ward mission leader is probably the best one that I've had in all my mission. He is super humble and a hard worker.  This guy works in a taxi and is busy but we can call him in any minute and he drops what he's doing to help us or teach a lesson with us. And usually every Sunday he drives to all of our investigators' houses to pick them up and bring them to church. Well this Sunday his car broke down in the morning. He said that he was discouraged and just said to himself, Well I'll just have to hope and pray that they get there on their own. And then he said he thought to himself again and said that there was something he could do...This man is old, a little on the bigger side and has diabetes so it's hard for him to walk. But Sunday morning he walked to everyone of their houses to pick them up, and the majority of them couldn't even go but he just kept walking and he even picked up our 90 year old investigator and they both walked to church and I don't know how, but they were like the first ones there. This guy is a huge example to me of the faith and dedication to the Lord's work. He definitely magnifies his calling. 

Well we had another little tender mercy this week. We walked far away to an investigators house that we had a lesson with and after knocking for a bit we found that they weren't there. We started heading back and after walking not too long, we had an impression that we should write them a little note telling them we passed by and inviting them to church. Well as I was writing the note, a taxi pulled up and started talking to my comp. I thought he was just asking him directions. I went over to see what was up and he told me that his daughter was a less active member and that his family took the lessons years ago but the elders got changed and they fell away from the church. He told us that his life hadn't been the same since and that he wants us to teach him, he wants to get married and he wants to get baptized. He told us to hop in his car and took us to meet his fam and they were all super nice. So it looks like we are going be working hard with this fam in these next few weeks so they can achieve their goals that they have made..best contact ever.

We are also teaching this sweet dude named Luis.  He's 30, separated from his wife, is an alcoholic and likes to smoke weed as well in his free time. Well this guy is pretty legit cuz he has a strong desire to change and come to know Christ. We've been teaching him for a few weeks and I think he's been a week without drinking. He wanted us to sell him a Book of Mormon cuz he said in the library where he works they sell them for only 20 soles..what a bargain..well we are gonna give one to him for free. Well that's all I have to say. The spirit has been strong in our work and that is really all I could ask for. Thanks for the support and we shall speak soon. 

besitos

Elder Harper

This is the alley way between my home and and our pensionista's home.  This is where we eat. 

WELL I DON'T KNOW WHY but just FORGIVE ME for NOW....

Hey Fam, 

Well I think I've started every letter, ever journal entry and every email with well. Well, I don't know why but just forgive me for now. 

Soo, this week was pretty good. We had a multizona, which was just like a meeting with many zones. President Williams talked for 5 hours;  he is the bomb and definitely fits the description of an inspirational speaker. One of his little talks he gave us had to do with the Lucas 9:23; in order to come unto Christ we have to forget ourselves and take up our cross daily. The way he explained it was very epic. I also did some further study on taking up our cross. It means keeping the commandments and living the fullness of the Gospel. He compared it to keeping the mission rules and used exercising in the morning as an example: like how exercising for every morning for 2 years sounds hard and sometimes it intimidates us and we don't do it but he focused on the word daily and how we need to tell ourselves to do it today, just today, and then tomorrow comes and turns into today. It's the same with the Gospel. I think when we think about following Christ, we worry too much about the future or about if we are going to be able to endure to the end, but the Lord only requires to take it one day at a time. 

Well it was a cool class and then that same day we went to go teach a less active who was close to being rescued. She came out of her house and she was just bawling. She didn't tell us what had happened but she said that she wasn't happy and had been passing through a lot of trials and that she felt like giving up and she couldn't do it anymore. She also said that she felt like God was angry at her and she seemed like she was a little angry at God for the trials she has faced in her life. Well it was cool cuz at first I listened and then the spirit prompted me to know what to say. I was able to calm her down a bit and then explain to her the purpose of this life and the love God had for her and how she needs to be more humble and thank God for the trials she has and ask for the strength to over come them. I've come to learn on my mish that if we are grateful and humble we can always be happy no matter what the circumstance is. Well we are having investigators who are assisting church now so we are excited to see how they progress. Well the time always runs out for me but thanks for the emails. You guys are inspirational..love you all.

Elder Harper  besitos

THEY are a BEAUTIFUL FAM and I ALREADY LOVE THEM...

Hello family, 

Thanks so much for the unexpected package. I think I'm the most spoiled Elder in the mish and everyone hates me for it, but I LOVE it, haha. I loved the pictures and the Temple Liahona is one of the sweetest Liahonas I've ever seen. It made me real temple trunky. I think the Newport temple will be the first thing I do when I get home so write that down Mother please. I also enjoyed the wedding pics and the cruz pics. You guys are babes and I miss you.

Well it has been an epic week. We have been teaching, finding and struggling to find progressing investigators for many weeks and this week we found some studs. We were just knocking doors in a really poor part and this young man opened the door. We contacted him and asked if we could pass to share a message. He looked at us, looked in his house, looked back at me, and then told us we could come in with a smile upon his face. We starting talking to him and noticed his wife was further back in the house. She saw us and came to listen as well. We shared the Family A Proclamation To The World (my favorite lesson) and they loved it. The spirit was felt and this week we taught them 3 other times, and they went to church for all three hours, and they invited us to eat lunch with them after church, and they made me my favorite plate. They are a beautiful fam and I already love them. Their little daughters always run to hug us when we go to teach them. This week we are gonna work with them so they can get married, so pray for them. 

We have another awesome investigator named Juan.  He reminds me of my days of working in the temple.  He's 90 years old. He loves to talk and tell us his army stories but he can't hear very well. He's in good shape for a 90-year-old cuz he walks just fine and understands everything. He looks more like he's 70. He was a reference and we just started teaching him. He wants to be baptized and this Sunday he went to church with us and even though he's not a member, he payed tithing to the bishop. He's a stud and says he wants to end his life serving the Lord with all his heart. He's a great example to all of us. 

Well I'm loving being a leader even though I dreaded it and never wanted to be one. I have a low maintenance district but it's helping me become more Christ-like as I worry about the needs of not only my investigators, but other missionaries and it's helped me to recognize and act on promptings from the Lord.  This past week I prepared a class for my district meeting. It was what-evs but two days before, I felt strong impressions to talk about another theme and I followed it and studying the theme helped me and I think the class was what the Lord wanted my district to hear. The spirit was strong and words were put into my mouth. Well I'm loving it here and hope to continue having success. Thanks for all the support. I'll be praying for you guys.

besitos

Elder Harper