A HARD LAST KICK......

Hello fam and friends,  

Well this week was a pretty good one. We have been contacting a lot and starting from scratch. We have met a lot of new investigators that seem like they can progress. 

We met this couple, Maro and Jessica,  and they have 2 little girls. It was a contact we did weeks ago but we decided to go back. When we went back, the husband let us in, listened to us and asked us to come back to teach his family.  I guess they have been having family problems or marriage problems, even though they aren't married haha. Well they are super cool. Unlike other people, they try so hard to understand the message and they do.  They ask questions and even sometimes take notes. This Sunday they went to church and they loved it as well. We invited them to be baptized and they said they will when they receive an answer from the Lord that what we are teaching is true.

We also found this big dude named Jose Luis. We have only taught him once but he is awesome. We knocked his door, he opened, we presented ourselves and he immediately let us in to teach him. We taught him about the gospel and he says that he wants to change his life and be an example for his fam and he also accepted the invitation to be baptized.

Well, we are working as hard as ever here in Imperio.  I hope to have lots of success and to finish with a hard last kick.  There are lots of people that need to hear the gospel  here.  Every day we are praying and searching to find those that are prepared to hear it and receive it like Jose and Marco and Jessica. 

I love you guys so much and hope you are all  doing well.  I'll make a goal to take lots of pics this week so next week you will all be happy.

Elder Harper

besitos

MY HANDS were BLISTERED and BLEEDING.......

Fam, My Crew, 

Well the letter A on my keyboard is jacked so I'm gonna try to use the A as little as possible. Thanks again for all the birthday wishes.  It def was a memorable bday. Jampier actually wasn't baptized. We decided to postpone it a few weeks more cuz Prez put some new rules on the young'ns, but he's still stoked and right now we are reading the Book of Mormon with him a lot. 

On my bday we had a cool but simple experience. We were contacting in the morning and it was super rough. We were getting doors slammed in our faces and we were a little discouraged.  But then we noticed a couple little girls dragging these steel poles that are used here for construction into this poor adobe house. We wanted to help so we knocked the door and noticed this old old lady was waddling in her house, pulling these rods of steel as well.  We asked if we could help and she was super grateful.  For an hour we dragged these things in their house. We were sweating, I destroyed my clothes and my hands were blistered and bleeding, but my comp and I felt so good. We went from discouraged to high on the spirit, happy as could be.  The old lady was soo grateful and offered us a little of what she had, a glass of water.  It was a humbling experience and definitely was the best birthday present I've gotten. I know I need to find more simple opportunities like this one to serve and to love. 

Well I was also served on my bday. I ate 3 cakes that 3 different members made me. Plus Maria and Hebert bought me pizza, which was awesome cuz we also joke about pizza with them, idk why, it's one of those you-had-to-be-there things. Even though it was a small act, it was humbling cuz pizza is super expensive here and they don't have much.  Hebert is struggling to find work and they live 

day-to-day.

We have been praying hard to find new people to teach and we found this man named Marco. He let us in and listened to us teach about the family.  He invited us to come back and teach him with his wife. His wife was super grateful and said it was a miracle cuz her husband doesn't usually believe in stuff like that. It actually is a better story than I just made it sound but time is low. I love you guys. Oh and I'm going to be here in Imperio for another change, meaning I might die here haha. Well if it's God's will ..so be it . Love you all.

besitos

Elder Harper

TOMORROW I WILL WAKE UP an OLD MAN.....

Family and Friends, 

Thanks for all the birthday shoutouts and for those who didn't know, I'll get over it. Well I'm glad P-day was my last day as a teenager. It was a good day and I played hard.  Tomorrow I will wake up an old man, sooo sad. Well it's been an awesome week but a super hard week. We've had lots of success and lots of rejection, but I feel blessed and grateful for all the tender mercies. 

All your trunky emails are making me nervous but I'm trying not to think about it. There is still much to do in the vineyard.  I know the Lord is still expecting my best to the end.  I don't know if I mentioned it but the converts Maria and Herbert, Maria's mother, who is an active member, and her nephew, a non member, have moved in with them. Jampier is the nephew and he was receiving the lessons in another ward. When he moved here he searched us out and asked us to teach him.  We have now been teaching him for a while and we have planned his baptism for this Saturday.  He is 12 years old and super pumped and stoked to receive the priesthood as well so he can pass the sacrament. 

We are also visiting a less active member named Angelica and her non member husband, Alberto. We have been visiting them for a while and they have been coming to church.  We have invited Alberto to be baptized several times but because they live together they need to get married first.  We have never been able to put a date with him cuz marriage wasn't in his close plans. We had a super cool experience with him this week. We taught them the plan of salvation and everything was chill, the spirit was felt, and after, he said he wanted to ask a question.  There was silence and then he was like, "Elders do you have plans for me to be someone or do something?" The question was confusing and sounded like he wanted to tell us he wasn't interested in being a member but after talking for a little bit he asked about marriage and temple marriage and then he turned to his wife and said "let's get married this month so we can save money for a temple marriage." It was pretty sweet, the spirit was strong, and we are going to keep preparing them so they stay strong and don't waiver.

I have other stories to share but no time ..love you guys.

Besitos,   Elder Harper 

A park in Chiclayo.  The statues are all Gods. 

IT was LIKE when NEPHI had to KILL LABAN....

Mother Dearest and other Family and Friends, 

Well let's just say Dad is a visionary man....

Thanks so much for the package. I felt so guilty opening it up 2 weeks before the big day but I had mother's command, so i obeyed. It was like when Nephi had to kill Laban. The scripture covers are soo rad; thanks Mom and Dad.  The Bible cover fits a little snug but it still closes so we are all good. I already ate all of the candy. I figured if I eat it now, I'll have more time to lose it. 

It was a great Easter but it definitely was a hard week. For Catholics there's the Holy Week or La Semana Santa, and it's like a national holiday here because no one works. And it is pretty ironic cuz it's a holiday based on the sacrifice of Christ yet everyone was busy or super rude to us this week and people are in the streets drinking and partying. It's kind of sad to see what faith has come to here. But I'm trying really hard to love the people who are rude and hateful even though it can be hard.

Christian is doing well. He's excited and is starting to get into his reading of the Book of Mormon. I don't know if last week I mentioned a kid named Jampier. He's the nephew of Mariah and Hebert and he's now living with them and his Grandmother who is a member in our area.  He has assisted church before and has listened to the lessons before but now he's assisting here and has asked us if we can baptize him. So we are preparing him so he can be baptized soon and also receive the priesthood. 

Conference was amazing. It's soo exciting when that first session starts and it almost feels like a hole is left in your heart when that last session ends. I remember the words of an apostle a few conferences ago that the best part about conference should be the applying of it cuz that's when we receive the blessings. My heart was filled and I was definitely humbled and there are many things that I'll be working on to be more like my Savior. The family was talked about a lot and I loved the Sunday talks about the Savior's atonement from Holland and others. I can't wait to get the Liahona so I can read it, study it and live it. Well I love you guys and thanks for the support.

besitos  Elder Harper