THE MONKEY AND THE PARROT BOTH ACCEPTED A BOOK OF MORMON...

Hola Familia!!!

The monkey and the parrot both accepted a Book of Mormon,
but really the monkey almost ripped it out of my hands,
feisty little truth seeker.

Well the word is out and I'm staying in Jaen for another 6 short weeks. I'm happy cuz there is still a lot of unfinished work to do here. People that I want to see baptized before I go. There are a lot of great people in Jaen and they are very receptive and loving. I've been blessed to be in this zone and blessed to stay 6 weeks more. I've heard that Chiclayo can be pretty brutal and hard to teach and baptize there. Well this week was another great one. We had a lot of meetings but still taught a lot. The members here are starting to work with us by giving us references and coming with us to our citas; it has been a real blessing. 

Well I don't know if I have mentioned this family yet but a few months ago we were teaching this kid named Jose who wasn't realy progressing much but we went to teach him thinking maybe for the last time and when we got there, he was with a friend. We taught them both a simple lesson about the day of repose (rest) and afterwords we asked the friend of Jose if we could visit him and his family. He politly said yes and we took out a time to meet with him. When we went to teach them, we quickly found out that his mom and the whole side of her family are members and are all active accept for his mom. Ever since then, we have been teaching the Hermana and her chidren. The hermana is coming back to church and her kids are going to be baptized this Saturday. 

I just think it's soo exciting to bring families together because it definitely is the most important unit in the gospel and really is where true happiness is found. In one of our meetings we were taught that we should make sure that our investigators know that we aren't there to baptize them but to help them on their path to receive eternal life and return back to live with their Heavenly Father. Salvation is personal but there is no greater Joy then a family working together , living the gospel together and receiving the blessings that come with it so they can be together forever. It's hard being away from you guys cuz I love you and miss you but It brings me joy to know that we will be together for eternity..(so this refreshing 2 year break) and it brings me great joy to help other families attain this goal. 

We had a family night with the family of Luis and Jessy Garcia Rojas. Jessy is a convert of the hermanas and Luis of us. Right now we are teaching the whole fam, the mom and dad are super hard Catholic and were very resistant  and a little hard-hearted at first. Last night we were able to play some games and share a message of the restoration. The parents still want to continue with there Catholic traditions but last night they thanked us for visting them and their kids. They said that they have seen a huge change in their lives and cuz of that there has been more love and unity in the home. So hopefully poco a poco this family can become a family eterna. 

In the mission I've had lots of feelings of discouragement and incapability but each time I kneel down to pray or open my scriptures, I'm filled with the comfort and strength to carry on. Yeah, the mission is hard, and it really is not gonna get easier but for that I'm happy, because the more challenges I have, the more I'll grow. I'm hoping physicaly as well. Thanks everyone for the letters and support. I'm very happy and loving it out here and don't want to come home until I'm a bigger and better man haha. ( The monkey and the parrot both accepted a Book of Mormon, but really the monkey almost ripped it out of my hands, feisty little truth seeker) 

Love,

Elder Harper

THE STREETS ARE LIKE FILTHY RIVERS...

Hellllo Familia!!

Well it is dumping in Jaen right now. The streets are like filthy rivers but it's definitly gonna be super green here soon. Well it has been another Great week here in Jaen & this upcoming week may be my last. Half the people tell me I'm going and half tell me I'm staying, so I just don't know what to think any more. But either way I'm excited to teach and preach the Word of God like Missionaries Do. 

Haha I think I came to the internet unprepared cuz I don't remember much from this week, but like any normal week in the mission, it was very spiritual, uplifting and very frustrating. We have many investigators who we are trying to get ready for baptism but this week has been rough finding and teaching everyone. New Year's Day the streets were empty. It was like a ghost town. Everybody was sleeping our had traveled. But our investigator that is probably progressing the most is the mother of Rony. We have been teraching her for quite a while and she accepted to be baptized the 18 of January if she comes to know without a doubt that the church is true. She knows and reads the Bible a lot like her son and is very spiritual. I think she just lacks a testimony of the restoration cuz she says her baptism was by submersion in water and by the spirit but we are teaching her that it is necessary to have the right authority as well.

Well this week was frustrating cuz slowly and slowly my comp gives me less and less time to speak. It's been hard cuz I'm out here to teach the Gospel and when I'm not teaching, I feel like I have no purpose. But it was sweet cuz Friday we had inercambios and another gringo elder came to my area for a day and my comp went to a different area. It was sweet cuz I got to take the reins of the area again and I was able to open my mouth and teach. I was definitely guided by the spirit as I taught. It helped me see that I have grown a little in my language skills and my ability to follow the spirit.

We have been visting a menos activo that hasn't been going to church cuz she thinks the members don't practice what they preach and our sinners. She still has a testimony but does not want to go on Sundays. We got to bare testimony to her that she was right.  That the members are sinners cuz we are all sinners and that is the reason why we have churh and go to church. We go to church to partake of the sacrament and renew our baptismal covenants so we can be cleansed of our sins and recommit to keep the commandments and strive to live as Jesus lived. I also was able to bare my testimony of my conversion and why I am on a mission. Unfortunately, I'm a slow writer and there's no more time so this is the end of my short letter. I'll try to have some better stories and experiences next week Pops haha. Love you all,

Elder Harper

Happy New Year!

I...BORE POWERFUL TESTIMONY THAT REINDEER REALLY DO FLY...

Well Feliz Navidad to all!! I hope everyone had the best Christmas ever. It was so sweet being able to skype you guys and see your beautiful faces and hear your sweet voices...awkward. It definitely made my Christmas. I'm writing today cuz President Risso changed Pday to Tuesday for the New Year. Well this Christmas didn't feel too much like Christmas when it comes to the lights, the music, the trees and all the good atmosphere that Christmas brings. Peru celebrates Christmas a lot differently, Christmas Eve is really the big day for them. They have a big party Christmas Eve and at 12 they set off fire works, eat their big Christmas dinner with turkey, hot chocolate and fruitcake and exchange gifts. The kids don't even believe in Santa Clause. They know the story and who he is but don't believe he's a real person. So I spent all this week preaching of Santa Clause and his little elves, and bore powerful testimony that reindeer really do fly.

haha but seriously.. What impressed me was that not every home had a Christmas tree but the majority had their own homemade nativity. There are many good people here who understand the meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ and his purpose on the Earth. It was a priveledge to focus on the birth of Jesus Christ this week and testify of His life and sacrifice for us. My companion and I also liked to focus on the signs, like the star. The star that led the shepherds and the kings to Christ. In this life there are many people searching for truth, many who want to know Christ and have His gospel in their life but don't know where to find it. As members of His Church, we are like this star, as we strive to share the Gospel with our friends or even just live every day trying to be more like the saviour, people will know Christ through us and we will have the opportunity to bring them this joy. 

Well Thursday we had a great experience with Aurelia. We brought a member and he bore powerful testimony about baptism and how her daughter (who has a mental handicap) does not need baptism cuz she is innocent. After conversing with her for an hour and a half and bearing testimony she told us she wanted to be baptized this Saturday. The spirit was strong and I was so excited that she had finally made this decision in her life, but her interview came Friday and we found out that there are still a few things she needs to work on before she is baptized. She has a decision to make but she tells us that she still has a strong desire to be baptized. We have many other investigators that are progressing and could potentially be baptized this January! Unfortunately, I might not be able to see them cuz changes are coming up and I think I'm out of here. 

Well I better get going but thanks everybody for the love support, letters and candy that you give me haha. keep it coming.. my Spanish skills are decreasing but I'm already pro at the harmonica.

Love,

Elder Harper

I ONLY BELIEVE IN SCIENCE (12/23/13)

Baylor:  Hey I'm not going to write this week, cuz I'm gonna talk to you guys Wednesday and there is no time haha. 

Mom:  Ok.  No letter from you this week.  But……..who is the boy you baptized in the photo?

Bay:  hahah sorry...Luis Recejoh..he's a good guy ;)

Mom:  Tell me very briefly about him and when he was baptized and I will post that to your blog this week.

Baylor:  puchaaaaa. Yeah, he's the cousin of a member we have been teaching. It was awesome to see hime get baptized cuz when we first taught him he basically said "I only believe in science" haha, (Nacho Libre one-liner) and didn't know if he could believe. But we kept teaching him and he always attended church and he received an answer that he should be baptized!!! He's a stud and I'll tell you more about him Wed!!

WELL IT'S MOMENTS LIKE THIS THAT MAKE ME SOO HAPPY....

 Dear Fam Bam!

Gota Waterfall

Sorry this letter is gonna be short cuz we just got back late from a legit Pday and don't have much time to write. We went to a waterfall called Gota! Supposedly it's the tallest in South America and in the top three tallest in the world. It was pretty sweet. We hiked through some thick jungle. It wasn't too long of a hike but it was a 4 hour drive from our area to get to the trail head. The falls were legit. I'll send some pics. So about Christmas, I have no idea but the stake president has Skype so I think I might be ale to Skype from his house but I'll have all the exact details by next pday. 

So this week again was another good one. Elder Quispe is the district leader so it kind of eats up some of our proselyting time cuz sometimes he has meetings and has to give interviews and report to the zone leaders, but still we have been working hard. This week our focus was getting Rony and Gloria ready for marriage and baptism. We taught them everything they need to know and went over the baptismal questions. Rony bore powerful testimony. I don't know if I shared this in the last letter but Rony told us about what interested him in the church. He has always been pretty religous and has attended various churches and has been visited by various missionaries of different churches. But he said he was never super intrested in what they taught and the way that Rony explained it sounded basically like ¨there was something missing¨ as he was invited to our church he said he was embraced by the members and could feel the love they had for him and God, and as we visited him, he said he knew we were really there not to judge him but to help him cuz we cared about him. 

We have been visting his mother and wen we told her about her son being baptized, cuz she didn't know, she cried cuz she said she has seen his life change as he's been going to church. Anyways, we were on toes all week cuz they lacked something with their papers of marriage. Gloria had some issues with her medical papers cuz shes 15 and pregers but by midday Saturday, they had everything and Saturday at 7 at night they were married and at 8 they were baptized. It was a sweet experience. They were both crying afterwards and you could just tell how happy they were. Well it's moments like this that make me soo happy as well!  I'm glad I had the opportunity to know these people and teach them of Christ,  and in the end I think I learned more from them than they learned from me. 

Junior was not baptized this Saturday cuz when we went to get permission from his father, his father is Adventista, he told us that his son will be following his ways and won't be baptized. We avoided contention and the man accepted a visit from us for another day. Sunday we visited him and shared our beiliefs and faith. It turns out that this man is very nice and has strong faith in Christ.  I think the Lord will soften his heart so his son can be baptized and maybe even him haa, we shall see. Well sorry for another short letter but remember I'll be talking to you in a week or 2!!!! Love you all, thanks for your prayers love and support. Besitos!!!! (kisses)   Elder Harper

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