I WILL GLADLY GO WHERE THE LORD WANTS ME.....

Familia, 

Well this week was actually a really great week.  In the past weeks we have been struggling to find new investigators but this week we knocked a lot of doors, more doors than I've probably knocked in my mish, but it's what I love.  I love meeting new people and testifying.  There are always super humble people that will receive us without us having to say much and right off the bat they recognize us as servants of the Lord and then there are others who reject us harshly, people who don't have faith or people from other churches. Well this week we were able to find several people that were willing to hear us and are interested in investigating the church.  We feel blessed and are praying that these seeds we are planting will be harvested soon or in later times.

Well we were able have the Family night with Maria and Hebert and Marco and Jessica. It was a successful family night. We sang, watched a part of the movie Together Forever, we taught, we testified, we shared scriptures but the most spiritual and most impactful part was when Maria and Hebert shared their testimony. As new members I think it was their first time sharing the gospel.  At first we could tell that they were a little nervous but they opened up and were able to bear a powerful testimony of their conversion and how the gospel has been able to change their lives and how it continues blessing them and helping them overcome their troubles. They have a really strong testimony of diezmo (tithing).  Hebert doesn't have a secure job and when they first entered the church their family criticized them and ended up kicking them out of their house.  Well they had to find somewhere to live and Hebert had no work but they understood the promise the Lord gives us in Malachi when He says that he will open the windows of heaven for those who pay an honest tithe. Well from the beginning this family has paid, even in these hard times and they say that miraculously Hebert always finds work to support their family weeks or days at a time.  The Lord always provides and the best part of all is that they have always been super happy during their hard times and good times because of their trust in the Lord.  I've been reading Our Legacy, a book about the pioneers, and it describes how happy the saints were even though they had so many afflictions. Well I've come to realize that these hardships bring us happiness as we learn to keep the commandments and rely on the Lord.   Well anyways.... Marco and Jessica had a great experience. 

President told us that Jampier has to read all of the Book of Mormon before being baptized. We thought that this news would be discouraging for this youngling cuz he asks us in almost every visit when he can be baptized. But when we told him, he told us that it was a great idea and that our leaders were wise and that he knew it would help him become a faithful member of the church. He's a great example of following the will of God and humbly following the counsel of our leaders.

Well I already have 6 months in this area but I only have one cambio left.  My whole zone makes fun of me and tells me I'm dying here.  I have no idea if I will go next week or if I will die but I will gladly go where the Lord wants me. Love you guys and so grateful for all your love and support. 

Elder Harper,  Besitos

I STILL REMEMBER the WISE WORDS of my BROTHER, RILEY....

3 Peruvians from Orange County, California (Baylor Harper, Camille Rasmussen, Damon Jarman)

Familia,

Well it definitely was a tough week.  Tuesday was super sweet.  It was a multizona where a bunch of zones get together and Presidente talks to us for five hours.  Presidente is awesome and a real inspirational speaker.  He emphasized the power of the word and talked about the importance of really knowing the scriptures and using them with our investigators.  He talked about how the scriptures are one of the strongest sources of our personal conversion and the conversion of investigators.  As missionaries we read more than an hour every day but I've been trying hard to get more out of it and to use them with more power in the lessons.  I remember the words of Brother Greiner in a mish prep class.  He said memorize to eternalize.  So I'm trying hard to memorize more scriptures as well.  Presidente also talked about working with members and how this is a weak point in our mish.  

We are having difficulties getting references from the members.  They don't give us anything but what we are starting to do is bring the investigators to the houses of the members. We had a cool lesson with Maria and Hebert this week, our new converts.  We talked to them about the importance of missionary work and reminded them how the gospel changed their lives and how they can help others change as well through this gospel.  We asked them if we could bring Marco and Jessica to their house this Tuesday to do a noche de hogar (family night) and they accepted with great love and excitement without even thinking ( I love them). We even planned and practiced the lesson with them.  When we practiced the lesson they bore their simple testimony that was so powerful to me even though it was just a practice.  It made me remember a quote that's in Preach My Gospel, that every time we have personal experiences with the atonement in our life, we have natural desires to help others come to Christ.  That's when we should ask ourselves, Do I have that desire? Do I apply the atonement in my life daily? 

I still remember the wise words of my brother, Riley, the night before I left for Peru. I asked how I could be a good missionary and he told me I could achieve this if I learned to apply the atonement in my life daily.  At first I didn't understand, even though I thought I did,  but now I do and I'm striving harder to repent and come closer to Christ, which helps me have a stronger desire to help others.

Multi Zone Conference

We are also teaching this Catholic dude.  He's got a big calling in the Catholic church but he loves to listen to us.  We asked him if he knew anyone we could teach.  He said I'm not sure but I'll ask my congregation.  The next week, he told us that he talked to his members and that there are over 50 families that might be interested in hearing us and he was going to get us a list of their names so we can visit them. 

Well the work is hard, but I love it.  I'm happy and excited to keep working.  It's the kick and I'm going hard.

besitos,

Elder Harper

Father and Son reunited.

"I'M NOT MOVING UNTIL YOU CAN TALK TO YOUR FAM...."

Familia, 

Well it was awesome seeing you guys and talking to you guys yesterday! Happy Mother's Day Mom. I love you and hope you had a great day. Hope you guys enjoyed the huevos rancheros, and thanks for the patience yesterday.  The Cyber-boss was cool about it even though his internet-cyber was soo hot inside.  He was like,  "I'm not moving until you can talk to your fam". We talked a little bit about the mish with him as well. I only sent one picture but there's more.  My cam died on P-day when we were taking pics and my comp forgot to bring his right now but next week ill send a ton.

It was a good week overall.  It started out pretty hard.  Once again we are having to leave investigators who aren't progressing and we are left without people to visit.  At the beginning of the week we were walking in circles but we started praying hard to find new people  and to have references from members and then we got off our knees and started hitting doors. Well, we have had success.  I know every day the Lord is preparing people for us to teach and that it is our responsibility to find the elect, those whose hearts have been prepared to receive the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. 

We had a few cool experiences this week.  One of them was with Marco and Jessica.  On Saturday we prepared to teach them the Word of Wisdom and in the morning we prayed and planned. We prayed that Marco would accept it.  We were a little nervous cuz we knew that he drinks and that he's obsessed with his Colombian cafe hah. Well when we got to their house, we taught the lesson and the spirit was felt.  To our surprise, Jessica told us about how alcohol has caused lots of problems in their home and how they've almost separated cuz of it.  How recently Marco has been changing a lot  and has stopped drinking, but then she laughed and said but I don't think he will stop drinking his cafe. He loves his cafe. Marco turned to us and almost a little offended he said that if he was able to stop drinking that he could stop  drinking cafe.  And then he told his wife to throw all the cafe away. Well after the lesson, they pulled out all the stuff they had and asked us what was good and what was bad. It showed us that this fam has the desire to serve the lord. 

We taught another lesson  on Sunday to a family we have recently found about  the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We talked about Mother's Day.  He expressed to us that his mother had died, but he was super alert when we taught him and he committed to be baptized but without a date. Then he asked us if families are eternal and if it's necessary to be baptized to the enter the Kingdom of God.   He asked how he could return to see his mom.  Well with great joy in our hearts we were able to explain more about the plan and he loved it.  There are lots of people to teach and to bring to this gospel.  I love being a missionary and I love all of you.  Thanks for the support.

Elder Harper  besitos

WE are KNOCKING DOORS ALL DAY EVERY DAY......

Family! 

Well I kept my promise and took lots of pics this week. I'm sure you will be proud. I hope you folks recover fast from your illness.  Mom I have no idea about my flight plans, but don't make me trunkey haha. 

This week has been a little slow.  We are working hard but we are working alone, meaning the members aren't helping us. We are knocking doors all day, every day.  I'm a huge fan of door knocking but it's not as successful as teaching the references from members. So our goal for this next week is to work hard with members. I think we are going to work with Maria and Herbert to be friends with Marco and Jessica. This week they sat together at church and talked a bit.  We played some pool this week on pday.  Hebert used to make pool tables and in his dad's house they have a few so he took us to play pool with him and schooled us, but it was a real good time.

This week we have been visiting Marco and Jessica a lot.  They are progressing so well.  Jessica is still in shock that Marco listens to us and is changing. She always says how before he would slam the door in  the faces of the preachers and that he has a hard heart, but when we contacted him he was nice and let us in right away.  I know that God prepared his heart to receive the restored gospel. He used to be a big drinker as well, but Jessica says that they had a dinner with his work and every one was drinking but he said no and the whole time people were making fun of him and tempting him but he just drank water. This week we were reading the Book of Mormon with him and he stopped us and asked us how he could really know that God has forgiven him and how could he repent. I feel like they could be baptized soon but they need to get married first.

This week we also participated in a ward activity. We taught the lesson on the family and how the family can be strengthened with the gospel and how the family can be together forever. We played some charades, which was hilarious as well. We met a returned missionary who came home this week. It was weird seeing that.  He went to Brazil so he speaks Spanish funny cuz he had to learn Portuguese.  Well he taught with us all Sunday.  It was fun to see the RM shock in live-action and served as a little warning for me haha. Well I love you guys and hope to talk to you Sunday.

Elder Harper