I LIVE FOR THOSE MOMENTS

Happpppy Birthday Mooooooooom! Wow 30 already? You are getting old. I'm glad you had an amazing birthday with all your sick deals and the Howie day concert, I'm so jealous. All the Christmas talk makes me a little trunkey but I'll survive haha. 

Well the zone leaders have my backpack so that is pretty sweet. So the big news is my new comp. My new companion is Elder Quispe de Mekewah?? or something like that. He's from Southern Peru where it practically touches Chile. Elder Quispe is the bomb though. The only English he knows is basically what I've taught him so far but he's not too hard to understand. He's got 13 months in the mission and is our district leader too now. 

So as you all know, I was frightened to lead the area and stuff but with puro fe (pure faith) everything worked out. My Spanish didn't become fluent over night but my sense of direction basically did haha. This week I was able to guide us to every house without getting lost..miracles do happen haha. And it's a little stressful as well cuz as of now, I'm the only connection that my investigators and some converts have with the church.  They all had great relationships with Hulet but this week I felt that I was able to converse more and teach a lot smoother with a lot more confidence. I wanna say I've already progressed a lot this past week, well as far as confidence goes. So there were some awkward moments but I live for those moments haha. Everything has been working all thanks to the Lord, as he molds me to be an affective missionary.

Well Jaen is super hawt and it will definitely still be for Christmas, but either way I will still be praying for a white Christmas. We have many investigators that are so ready to enter the waters of baptism and why not during the Christmas season? First of all, we have Rony and Gloria who have a marriage and baptismal date for this upcoming Saturday. They were a little late on getting their marriage papers started so it's gonna be calling it pretty close but we have been praying hard for them. I just found out that Gloria is pregnant so it will be my first family I baptize!! Rony is a stud and just loves the church and everything we teach. His testimony is so strong in the atonement. He's been wanting to get baptized for so long but because of the marriage thing he hasn't been able to till now. Gloria is also excited, she's just super quiet and doesn't really express her feelings as much. We are also teaching an 18 year old Girl named Sabina. She was a reference from the Stake President. The first lesson she told us that she knows the church is true and the Book of mormon is true also. We committed her to be baptized and she said yes haha. She has been coming to church and reading in the Book of Mormon as well. Well I know this letter is pretty boring and I got no more time cuz my comp, I don't think, is gonna let us print every week but thanks for all the support. I still don't know anything about Christmas phone calls yet. Love you all! 

Elder Harper

EVERYTHING I'VE KNOWN for 2 MONTHS...was GONE

Hello There Familia! 

Well this week has been really weird but a good one as well. It sounds like you guys all had a good time Thanksgiving Day and Thanksgiving break. Movies and food all week ahahah good times. For Thanksgiving dinner I had 2 cremoladas and ice cream haha so nothing much. Why didn't I see a stick version of myself in any of the photos? sooo messed up. 

So nothing tooo exciting happened this week. We tried to visit a lot of members and all of our investigators so Elder Hulet could say his last goodbyes. People offered us a lot of food cuz of it. One of the highlights of the week was when a member took us to a pretty nice restaurant for lunch. We ordered a giant plate of fried yuca and fish with some Inca Cola. The cool thing about this place is it has soccer fields, a water park thing and a zoo. We checked out the zoo for a while. There was a monkey that tried to grab his animal friends in the other cages with his tail. There was a fat sloth that just hung upside down and slept, a parrot that said hola, turtles and crocodiles. It was a pretty cool place but at the same time the definition of animal cruelty haha. They were stuffed into cheap metal cages with nothing to eat. I don't have pictures cuz I didn't know we were going but I'll have to go back and get some.

Well this week has been pretty stressful for me, with the knowledge that it was my last week with Elder Hulet and that I would have to get a new comp and lead the area. Elder Hulet informed me about my new comp. He said it was this latino, I forgot his name, but he said he was really trunky and only had two months left. So that added to my stress cuz I didn't want to kill another missionary. But I have been praying hard that I would have the confidence and faith to be able to lead as I teach and work without my trainer. Well Elder Hulet left at 1 yesterday and it was the weirdest thing haha. Everything I've known for 2 months, which was hiding behind my dad, was gone. So I've been with Elder Smith, a gringo here. We will be together until our companions come tomorrow. Oh and Elder Hulet, right before he got on the bus, told me that he actually doesn't know who my comp is haha, so that relieved some stress. 

Well Sunday was weird but everything worked out. I know that the Lord calls people in their weaknesses and raises them up to meet His standards. We had a few lessons where I had to do the conversing and lead off the teaching. We taught the cousin of our convert, Diana, who is 12 and is super interested. Usually I get super nervous to teach when it's my turn with Hulet, but this time I felt a new confidence and that Lord was on my side and I was led by the spirit. I was able to converse with  Diana and teach her cousin, Michell, the restoration of the Gospel. Of course my Spanish was still terrible but I felt like I had more faith. Michell wants to be baptized but we still don't have a date for her. We had 9 investigators at church today and 2 of the norms weren't even there. But we have lots of good potential with our investigators, lots of hearts that are ready to receive the gospel.  The field is white and ready to harvest and I think as my comp and I work hard this transfer we are gonna have a lot of  success. 

Well nothing too exciting this week, mainly goodbyes and nerves but I'll make sure to update all about my new comp and uplifting experiences. Just know that I'm happy and I'm ready to work hard and hit the pavement. I know that I'm weak but with enough faith the Lord can perform miracles through me.  Even though I miss you all there is no place I'd rather be than serving the people of Jaen and growing to be a servant, a TOOL in the hands of the Lord. I love you all! Thanks for all the support. Ohh and I sent mail with Hulet for Christmas. 

Elder Harper

IT was PRETTY SWEET and the SPIRIT was STRONG

Heyitsme Elder Harper! Hola familia, 

Baylor and Damon Jarman

So mama I did not get that backpack in Chiclayo but today I got the third package so all is well!! Well this week was quite the experience. After I wrote last Pday, we went on splits and Elder Coons, who only has 6 weeks more than me in the mish, and I went to go teach our investigators, Rony and Gloria. I was pretty nervous cuz Rony is like 23 and Glory is 17; they are living together and are super receptive to our message.  Rony has even expressed how he wants to be baptized before so I knew I had to teach la ley de Castidad (the law of chastity), probably my favorite thing to teach. So got there and taught them about chastity using scriptures and our testimony. The spirit was super strong and we felt it was right to commit them to be married and baptized the 14 of December. Surprisingly, they both gladly accepted. They did not know about this commandment before and they expressed how they want to keep all the commandments so they can be baptized and clean of theirs pecados. It was pretty sweet and the spirit was strong. We gave Rony a Book of Mormon recently and he's  already 14 chapters in!!! He says many people, including his friends, say it's a lie but he says they think that cuz they haven't read it and experimented on the word. He says now that he's read part of it and experimented, he knows it's true and it is just as much as scripture as the Bible. 

Baylor and Elder Oswald, he's comp from the CCM, on the bus to Chiclayo.

Well Tuesday afternoon we left to Chiclayo. It was a 7 hour bus ride. We had a bus all to ourselves, 30 missionaries.  It was a long drive but we arrived in Chiclayo in the night and slept in the rooms of other missionaries. In the morning, we woke up early, got ready, ate, and booked it to the chapel and got front row seats for Elder Nelson. I got to see all my friends from the MTC!! It was really cool and I also go to see mi amigo, Elder Jarman!! We got to talk for a while. He seems like he is doing really well. He says he's struggling with the language but knowing Damon, he probably already speaks better than I do. 

Elder Waddell and Elder Nelson both spoke!! Elder Neslon spoke in English and had a translator so that was pretty sweet. I got to shake their hands also!!! The talks were on The work of Salvation obviously, but the emphasis was on the family and on family history. They talked of how our purpose on this Earth is to have families and enjoy the gospel together and make sacred covenants so we can live together eternally! This message needs to be taken to everyone no matter what situation they are in. They also told of how the ancestors of our investigators are across the veil doing everything possible and pulling for their relatives on the earth to accept the gospel so they can be set free. So as we teach the gospel, we need to teach the importance of family history so when they accept it, they will want to do everything possible to do the work for their families. Am I making sense??? Didn't think so haha. 

Well it was all pretty sweet.  The Trujillo temple will be built soon. Directly after the conference, we left for Jaen  in the bus with boxes of Pizza hut pizza ..sooo tasty. Saturday was the baptism of Gianela, Clarita and Jose!! puro niños. They were all super excited and it was rewarding to see the bright smiles on their faces as they emerged from the water and to hear their testimonies of this Gospel. Also, the sister of Luis Fernando was baptized. The sisters taught her but she asked me to baptize her. I also go to baptize Gianela!! It was super spiritual for all of us.

Today we watched the Ultimate Gift as a Zone. It made me super trunkey cuz we always watch that as a fam and Switchfoot is in it a lot hahah. It was sweeet. Well I get a new comp next week. I'm pretty scared cuz I'm supposed to know the area and Spanish so pray for me!! haha. Well gots to go. I love you all and Se que Jesucristo vive. (Jesus Christ Lives)

Elder Harper

The baptism of Gianela and Clarita

The baptism of Jose

Baylor's last week with his trainer, Elder Hulet.  On their apartment balcony.

TRUST in the LORD and in the SPIRIT and....MIRACLES HAPPEN BABY

Familia!!!! 

Well I don't have that much time to write today cuz the zone leaders told us that we shouldn't print before we write anymore...lame. But this week was pretty epic as far as the work goes, packed full of lessons and what not. As of now, we have three investigators who will be baptized for sure this Saturday and it's very probable that we will have another. The bishop's brother didn't show up to church so he won't be baptized this week.

So there is this family in our ward that always brings a couple of their neighbors with them to church. They are both little chubby kids. One is 7 and the other is 9. We met them a few weeks back at a family night and taught them but ever since then we haven't had time to teach them.  But the kids come to church every week so we made it a priority to go see him this week. When we walked up to his street, he was pushing his little sibling in a stroller and when he saw us he darted over to us and left his sib in the middle of the street; he was so excited to see us haha. We sat down with him to teach him and before we even started the lesson he told us that he wanted to baptized. So from there, we taught all of lesson 1 and we've been teaching him almost every day since. He's a little fat stud and has a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. 

Also Yanela and Clarita, the Hermanas of Franco, are going to be baptized this Saturday!! They came to church this Sunday and loved it. I always love teaching them cuz Franco and his mom are always there too. So it's like my first real family Iv'e taught!!! There's nothing better than teaching families cuz that is what the gospel is all about and that's where true happiness comes. And the fourth possible for Saturday is Aurelia. We challenged Aurelia to get on her knees and pray if she should be baptized on the 23.  She wants to be baptized she has a strong testimony and loves the church but she just has fear that she will fail. So she prayed and she told us that she is ready to be baptized and that she felt very peaceful and a strong urge and feeling in heart that she needs to continue to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized. The only problem is that she wants to be baptized with her daughter who is special. We explained to her that she has no sin and does not need to be baptized but she was pretty persistent about it. 

Well I'm sorry I've got no good stories this week besides the fact that I puked multiple times again. It's cuz I eat too much and my body can't digest it, fun stuff. Well tomorrow I'm off to Chiclayo!! It's gonna be awesome to hear an apostle of the Lord. Hopefully I'll get my butt kicked and come back to Jaen working harder and speaking fluent Spanish ;) So Elder Hulet also leaves in 2 weeks and I'll have to lead the area and probably with a Latino companero. I'm super stressed cuz I can't speak, and I have no sense of direction but I also know that the Lord will provide a way cuz he wants me to obey right? right. So I figured out my prob is I have no confidence. So I keep reminding myself to trust in the Lord and in the spirit, and when I do that, miracles happen baby. Well I got to go. I promise to make next week's letter juicy, full of spiritual stories, photos and all that good stuff. love all of you and thanks for the support!!! 

Love,     Elder Harper

Franco and Baylor

(email to Dad) Thanks for the email Dad! It's always inspiring. I miss you bud. I always have dreams about the fam; it's weird and of course you are always the star. haha. I forgot to ad the main letter so you can if you want but Luis is a stud!! Sunday he passed the sacrament for the first time and he said a perfect prayer in Sacrament meeting!! My joy was definitely full, seeing the fruits of baptism and seeing how far that kid has come in about a months time. And the picture thing, my room is messy but I'll clean it and shoot you a pic next week and it's really dangerous to have cameras out in the streets cuz people steal them and stuff. And you know me, I can't even converse with the people so it would be hard and awkward to pose a photo with them, but ill try idk. Thanks for the letters and the advice. You da best. love you. 

I'M HERE TO SHARE THAT WITH THIS PEOPLE & THAT IS WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY

Well hello there Family!!

So this week has been a swell one. First things first, I have the package with the stocking in it but I don't know about the other stuff.  My Oakley backpack is dead, the zipper broke so all I have is the side bag which I use most anyways. Yeah and I don't think there is anything more aha. 

So this week we had a zone meeting and I got to see some pals that I haven't seen in a while. I know I'm not supposed to compare myself to others but I can see how I'm lagging on the language train, which is a little frustrating. This week was a little hard for me in a lot of ways but I always end the week feeling blessed, uplifted and ready to go. haha. We have this investigator who laughs almost every time I open my mouth. He's not trying to be mean but he's just not used to a gringo accent. I guess he can understand me but it's always super embarrassing and frustrating.  That was the only negative part of the week.

We ended up getting permission to baptize Luis!!

We went with the bishop to talk to him and his parents and at first they both said no but by the end, his mom was of agreement but the dad still thought he wasn't ready and said that he can't be baptized. But we still went on and had his baptismal interview and the next day we went back with our District leader and explained how he passed his interview and was ready to be baptized.  His mom signed the form and gave him permission but his Dad still wasn't thrilled about it. Anyways, the baptism was on Saturday and his mom and sister ended up coming!!! It was an awesome experience and I was able to baptize him. He bore powerful testimony of how reading the Book of Mormon and striving to keep the commandments has been changing his life and how through repentance and baptism, he's clean and a new person. It was pretty shhhhhwwwweet. Sunday he received the Gift of the Holy Ghost and the Priesthood.

So The Hermanas (sisters) of Franco finally came!! Clarita and Janela. They loved it and I'm pretty sure we are going to set a baptismal date with them this week. We have been teaching the brother of the bishop. He was already taught by hermanas years back but now he has started to come to church consistently and he wants to be baptized on the 23!! So it has been a successful week.  The members have been giving us more references and helping in the work. Without the members it's almost impossible! 

So my testimony has been strengthening a lot out here. I have hard times but whenever I feel down or discouraged I just look back on why I'm here and what I know to be true.  I know with all of my heart that I'm called of God to serve the people of Peru!! and that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet and that we have a prophet today that speaks to God and guides this church.  I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God and most importantly, I know that Jesus Christ is my Saviour and Redeemer and only through him, I can arrive to be a better person every day.  I'm here to share that with this people and that is what makes me happy. Thanks so much for all your support. You guys are da best. I hope everyone has a great week. Keep it classy.

Muchas Thank yous

Elder Harper

(email to Dad) Well thanks for the email and pics!! Everyone is always jealous of how much mail I get hahah. Sounds like everything is going well. It stinks the surf is flat. This week I saw an old old old beater volkswagon bus rolling through the streets of Jaen and it looked like gringo surfers were driving it, but I think they were lost cuz there's no beach here. haha.  I've been getting yoked but at the same time I've been getting fat off of rice.  We just switched pinches and she feeds us toooo much , it stinks. I don't know the feeling of hunger. Fast Sunday is my favorite day. ahaha. Well te amo mas que mi vida (I love you more than my life)  ;) Thanks for being a stud.  Love you Dad

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I HAVE EVER LAID MY EYES ON......

Hola Familia! 

What's good in da hood? Well danget, it sounds like you guys are having a flippin blast. Halloween

parties, parties at Grandma's house, weddings, you could at least send me an invite? jeesh ;) Well Mother the package that I don't have is lj512979518us. I have the wrapped stuff that feels soft, I have the ornaments and the letters but not the envelope stuff? and I'm guessing I should wait to read the letters, ornaments and eat the candy? idk but I'm going crazy over here. The theme this year, You Can't Coast to Higher Ground is awesome, and the picture you sent is probably the most beautiful thing I have ever laid my eyes on. I cried when I saw it, basically. (note: every year our family has a Christmas theme that we base FHEs on during the months of November and December)

This is the picture that made Baylor cry when he saw it.

So to be honest not much happened this week. It was probably the worst week we've had and the slowest work wise. We had multiple citas drop everyday, investigators who aren't progressing, only taught a few lessons everyday. But the Hermanas did hook us up with this one joven (youth) named Luis Fernando. He's a stud and the sisters were teaching him but they thought we would be better to teach him cuz he's a young single man. So we've only been teaching him for a week, but he's got a baptismal date for the 9th of November. He's been to church twice and he's tearing up the Book of Mormon. Everyday that we teach him, we ask him how his reading has been and he gives us a detailed summary of all the chapters he's read. So this week was a huge testimony booster of the importance of reading and praying about the Book of Mormon.

We are teaching another man named Oscar. He's about sixty and Catholic but is really open hearted about what we say. He says he knows Joseph Smith was a prophet, and the Book of Mormon is true, but doesn't think it's important to read or pray about the Book of Mormon cuz ¨all the word of God is true¨ I know it's possible to believe something is true but the only way we can gain a true testimony, a true conversion to this Gospel, is by reading the Book of Mormon and praying to our Father with true intent if it is true. When we have a true desire, we will receive an answer from God and be willing to make changes in our lives according to the truth like Diana, Franco and Nino, and Now Fernando. They all have prayed and have a strong testimony and have changed their lives. 

So this next week we are gonna have to pray hard and help him realize that and help him enter the waters of baptism..... Well thanks for all your love. Everyone is jealous of how much email I get, even if it's basically only my family; I've got a big family. ahah Well I love you guys. Wish I could be a part of the festivities. Oh Elder Hulet's mom sent him cookies and candy, so I had a Halloween, and in Peru they like to eat pumpkin guts; it's nast stuff.

Well Chaou my friends,

Love Elder harper

I HAD A BEARD AND ALL THE CROWD WENT WILD

Hola Familia!

Well I guess Christmas comes early in Jaen!! haha.  I already got 2 of my 3 christmas packages Mom. I had to hide them under my bed cuz it was tempting and agonizing, but I'm super excited to open them in 2 months haha. Let's hope I won't have to bring them on a transfer. Well we got news this week that Elder Nielson of the 12! is coming to Chiclayo!! I don't know if it's a good thing cuz it probably means our mission is wicked but I'm stoked to hear an apostle of the Lord again. He'll be coming in about 3 weeks so it will probably be a 2 day journey for the Jaen Missionaries, but I'm stoked cuz I'll be able to see my old district and I'm guessing Elder Jarman as well! That will be fun.

Well this week was another steller and fast week, lots of ups and downs, but don't worry mostly ups ;) So this week I got to teach about temples for the first time! It was the best. One time was to a family that just recently became active and one time to Nino. But honestly, it was an amzing expereince for me cuz I was blessed with the opportunity to work in the temple before the mish and because of that, my testimony and love for the temple is huge. This recently activated family is not married or sealed, but we were able to testify and teach about eternal families and the blessings that come from temple work, and with Nino it was sweet too , cuz his mother died when he was younger and we were able to tell him that he can do the work for his mother.  That his mother will have the opportunity to hear and accept the gosple and he can live with her para siempre. But at the same time it's hard cuz the nearest temple is Lima, and people here don't have the money to travel to Lima, so it takes a lot of faith. So I feel so blessed to live 15 minutes away from a temple, it's unreal. Members at home  have the opportunity to participate in the salvation of others across Cali multiple times a week!

Well this week was the Baptism of Franco. This was the kid who is already pumped to sereve a mission. It was also a great expereince. I had the opportunity to baptize him, which made me nervous cuz latinos have 10 names and I probably have the most gringo accent any Peruvian has laid their ears on. But everything went perfect. The spirit was strong and on Saturday he was able to receive the gift of the holy ghost. Unfortunately, his sisters, who want to be baptized, couldn't attend cuz one is in the hospital with Dengae. ( I guess that is super common to get here, especially with missionaries). So I'll probably be chillin with Andy Irons soon.

Saturday night we had a show de talentos and believe it or not, I was a star of a play that I basically wrote haha. jk.  We  did a sketch about Noah and as the noob in the district, I was selected to be Noah, and I rocked.  I had a beard and all the crowd went wild. I've got a vid of it but I don't know if I can send it.

So our investigator Arelia, who is suppsosed to be baptized next week, wants more time. We visited her last night and she said that she doesn't feel ready cuz she doesn't know much and wants to learn more. We testified of how the only requirements needed for baptism are faith in Jesus Christ and repentance, so were are gonna work with her this week and maybe we will have a baptism. But she's 40 years old and already is more active than the average member. She comes to all of the meetings and activites and she has a strong testimony of the gospel. She lives in a one room adobie house with her handicapped daughter. She is awesome and humble. She just  needs to have the confidence in herself and the Lord.

So this week I've been learning personally about enduring to the end, and with joy every step of the way too. In the past I have felt that I have given up too soon on certain things, like lacrosse, running, piano, work and lots of other stuff. I feel that's definelty one of my many weaknesses. (note from Mom:  Baylor has always been so hard on himself)  There have been  multiple times when I have told my companion that I wanna serve an English speaking mission in the states, but I've been strengthened this week as I've focused on God's hand in my life. I think of the hardships as trials God has given me to make me stronger. And as I do this, I'm filled with such joy and happiness. Positive thoughts and gratitude all day every day is where it is at ladies and gents. Weeel I gots to go. Peace out.

Jawas from Jaen

Elder Harper