HAPPINESS is SOMETHING that DEPENDS COMPLETELY on US....

I'm super jealous about the family vacation! I didn't know you guys were going on a cruise. I though you were just going to Disney! but that's pretty sweet. We are basically teaching all families and well, I just love to talk about my fam and share my testimony of how families can be eternal. I know that it's hard being away from you guys but knowing that I'll see you soon and that I'll be stuck with you hooligans for all eternity gives me peace and motivates me to work even harder.

Well this week was pretty epic. Sacrament meeting was super impactful for me. It was the primary program and even though those little kids can't sing to save their lives, as they sung the spirit penetrated my heart. I think it reminded me of my primary days and to see how far I have come and to see how young they are starting in the right path, thanks to good parents who love their kids and the Lord enough to live the gospel and teach it to their family. It was also Elky's first time passing the sacrament and just by chance he ended it passing it to me. It's funny how that works even though I didn't do the ordinance of baptism, I helped him make it there by teaching him. And now the tables have turned as he has helped me partake of an ordinance to be come clean of sin. It was a beautiful experience.  

Well we are teaching a less active and her husband, Juan Carlos. It's awesome to see how the gospel changes hearts little by little. This guy at first seemed like he didn't want us to come and he wasn't very interested, but after teaching and testifying for a couple of weeks, he asks us to leave chapters for him to read in the Book of Mormon and he gets all dressed up.  He's a big scary looking man but after getting to know him, we have found that he's a lovable guy. He accepts everything we teach him but his work makes it hard for him to come to church. We are praying that he will soon understand the importance of the Sabbath day. 

Well I hope you all have a great week and continue being happy. Mom, I loved those talks you sent me about happiness and I think that happiness is something that depends completely on us and something that we can have no matter what happens if we live the gospel. I can testify of it from personal experience and from seeing so many families here who live realllyyy hard lives. But yet the poorest and humblest of people here are happy when they've got the gospel.

Stay golden

besitos

Elder Harper

TODAY we MADE TACOS with my MEXICAN DISTRICT LEADER. BEST LUNCH EVER..I MADE the TORTILLAS.

Familia!!! 

 

What is goin' on? Well the months keep counting down and it makes me real nervous. I'm not trunky and I know I have a lot of time left but I just feel like the time goes by so fast and I have so much more to learn in the mish, and so much more to do. I was reading in Corinthians today, I believe the second chapter but I don't have my scripts with me, and Pablo was talking about one of the times he went out to preach the Gospel, and he said he was nervous. He was a little scared cuz he didn't have a lot of skill or a lot of knowledge. He said that all he knew was that Christ was crucified and resurrected for us. He says his words weren't persuasive to men or to the wise but he spoke with the spirit in simplicity and touched the hearts of the humble and weak. It was strengthening cuz I know that I may not be talented or skilled in word but if I strive to have the spirit with me, I can touch the lives of others and even change the lives of others through my simple but deep testimony that Christ is our Savior and only through His sacrifice and our obedience to the principles of the Gospel can we be saved. And only through obedience, can we have the spirit with us. 

Well Juan now doesn't want to come to church. It is really weird behavior considering he is only 9 years old, and considering all 5 of his sibs go to church every week. But I think he's embarrassed cuz he didn't get baptized and he doesn't want his friends in the primary to make fun or to judge, but we are working with him and hopefully he will get pumped again. I see that his dad is a little discouraged as well. 

A family we have been teaching for quite a while told us that in December they want to get married and be baptized. It's pretty awesome cuz they have a son that's a member and they have had a lot of problems but they are now making this great decision. Hopefully I'll be there to see them get baptized cuz it looks like there will be cambios a couple weeks into the month of December. Well we have met some pretty cool kats contacting this week, people who have great potential. My comp is good at opening his mouth and following promptings. It really is important to talk to everyone cuz the Lord prepares the hearts of men to hear the gospel, you just don't know when it's their time. 

Well gots to go. Thanks for all the love and support..I love you all....Today we made tacos with my Mexican district leader. best lunch ever..I made the tortillas.

besitos

Elder Harper

THE GOSPEL is SOOOO SIMPLE and so AMAZING. JUST LIVE IT and YOU'LL be HAPPY.

Well family and friends, it was a great week! Elky Sanchez was baptized on Saturday and confirmed the next day as well. The program went well and it was a very spiritual experience. But it was also a very stressful experience haha. Elky's little bro, Juan, was also supposed to be baptized but the day of the interview he didn't want to come and starting crying cuz he was scared to be asked questions by somebody he doesn't know. ( I don't blame the kid) But his dad talked him up and got him pumped up again to be baptized on Saturday. His interview was planned for Saturday before the baptism. Well we planned on meeting them in the church at 1:30 to do the interview and the baptism was going to be at 3. Well not a single person set foot in the chapel until 4, and when they all came, Juan got scared again and didn't want to be interviewed. So we went on with the program and baptized his bro. It's all good cuz we are gonna work more with him so he can have more confidence and feel better prepared. But Elky is a stud and is going to receive the priesthood next week as well so that will be awesome for his family.

Well we have sisters in the area now. They are pretty cool. One is from Utah and one is from California. It's been pretty stressful helping them find a house and a pension and helping them know the area but they got the hang of it now. Some of the members are surprised that sisters came because it's a pretty dangerous area, but we put them in the nice part and we moved to the shlums where it's pretty sketch. 

This week we have been working hard with the families. It's pretty sad cuz we have about three killer families that we just love, but they will not go to church for some reason. They love to listen to us and they read and pray but church is always a huge complication for the people here. It hurts sometimes to see people you love not be able to progress but I know I need to have patience as well cuz true converts aren't made over night. 

Well I was reading in Alma this week and I stumbled upon one of my favorite chapters, Alma 24. I just love the example of how the anti nefi lehis (? is that what they are called in English?) Well, they're examples of being faithful in keeping their covenants. They had such strong faith that God would bless them if they were faithful. They knew if they were to die by not taking up their weapons and fighting, they would be saved and dwell with our Father in Heaven. When thus happened, the Lamanites who were slaying saw their faithfulness and were converted. A lot of the times the gospel is shared more effectively with actions then with words. I'm not a man of many words. I struggle to speak in Spanish and in English (my Utah comp understands me better when I speak Spanish) but I know as I am faithful and give it all, my all and I are blessed and I an impact the lives of others. The gospel is soooo simple and so amazing. Just live it and you will be happy Alma 24:14. God loves us and has given us this plan so we can make it back to him ...I just can't wait my brothers and sisters...love you all.  Thanks for your strength and support.

besitos

Elder Harper

...PROBABLY SOMETHING I WON'T HAVE to DO AGAIN unitl I GET MARRIED...

Familia, 

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween. I was actually surprised because we stopped by a member's house and there were 2 kids that were getting dressed up to go trick or treating in the center. Those kids are starting a revolution in Peru jaja. Well we definitely had a pretty busy week and have found a lot of new people to teach. President called me this week and told me that he's going to put sisters in the area to share it with us. So this week we have been house hunting as well. Probably something I won't have to do again tell after I get married. But we found a nice place and got their pencion all set up as well. 

We worked hard with those boys Juan and Elky this week and it looks like they will be baptized this Saturday. haha It will be my first baptism here in Las Brisas and I'm glad to have it with my hijito. We are working hard with this family so the dad can progress, get the priesthood and one day be sealed with the whole family. It's a little Brady Bunch family, 3 from each parent and after the baptism the whole fam will almost be members, except for the babies obviously. We are a little bummed cuz some of the couples we have been working hard with have not came to church and have not showed a true interest in being married in this upcoming matrimonio masivo. 

Well tomorrow starts a new transfer. I'm so thankful for the atonement of Jesus Christ, especially in the mission cuz through it, I'm not only cleansed of my sins but I'm comforted. He gives me new energies to keep working hard, the promise of the presence of the spirit to come along with me,  a new leaf to turn over, and new goals and excitement to work hard and to work efficiently together with the members. There's like 400 members in the area but only 110 attend so there is a lot of work to do. Well the time is up and nothing exciting happened this week but I'll make sure to take pics at the baptism and to write some epic stories. I love all you guys and all of your support. Someone write me a letter. I haven't gotten one in months!!

besitos,

Elder Harper

IT has BEEN yet but ANOTHER GREAT WEEK in the MISSION...

Our visit with Elder Waddell

Well family and friends, it has been yet but another great week in the mission. We are still on the search for the Lord's elect, knocking door-to-door. We still aren't having too much success but hopefully I'll at least leave my son with someone that is prepared to be baptized and a strong convert in the church.

This week we had a 5 hour conference with Elder Waddell, which was really awesome. He is an inspirational man and taught us a lot of doctrine. He focused on baptizing converts and forever families. A favorite quote of the day would be we want kneeled families and not just wet families. It makes more sense in Spanish but he was saying that there are a lot of people who skip steps in the gospel before getting baptizing. That faith and repentance come first but many don't understand or fulfill with the steps and then go inactive soon after. A family that kneels down every night to pray and study the scriptures is a family that is gonna build faith and are going to have true desires to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins and with the hopes of one day to be sealed in the temple and arrive together in the Celestial Kingdom.

Well we are teaching Mariza. She has known the church for 15 years but hasn't been baptized cuz she's not married. All of her kids are baptized and less active. She moved away for awhile and recently has come back to live in Las Brisas. We found her and her husband one day and committed them to be married. They both agreed and the mother was super excited because she finally will be baptized. The only problem is with her husband's paperwork but if everything goes well, they will be married and she will be baptized in November. 

We live in the third story of a three-story house and recently we found out the family who lives below us are all members, less-actives. They have lived there for years and so have the Elders but recently we have made the connection. It is pretty sweet cuz they are from Jaen and I know all his family and even baptized one of his nephews. It was a cool connection and hopefully we will be able to teach them soon cuz they live real close.

I've got more to say but no time. I love you guys so much. Thanks Dad for making me trunky with your epic surf trip story. love it. You guys are awesome.

besitos 

Elder Harper

IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT MY DEAR FRIENDS....

This week has been pretty epic. Nothing new really happened like I always say, but it was epic. I

don't remember the people I wrote about last time but right now we are working real hard with 2 couples. Both couples kind of have the same case. We are teaching David and Sandra. David is a member and has been his whole life. He almost went on a mission but he messed up and has been inactive ever since. But now that he's living with someone and has kids, he wants to change and come back and he wants his fam to have the gospel as well. It's a super sweet fam! They always invite us over for dinner and family nights and they are really progressing. We just need to get them married as well so they can move forward.

We are also teaching Auri and Oner. Auri is the less active in this case and her boyfriend is Oner, a nonmember. This family is super kind and loving as well. They are having a hard time cuz their baby is sick and they don't have money to pay for all the meds and sometimes it leads to arguments and stuff. Auri wants to get married but Oner is a little harder. Even though he's super chill and our good friend, sometimes he has a hard time accepting our message but it's also a beautiful fam that has the potential to become an eternal family. 

In church, Antoni and Jeffrey showed up. They are ancient investigators we found a week or two ago. They said that with other Elders, they had baptismal dates but they never came to have the certainty that it was all true. I asked them if they ever went to church and they said that they hadn't.  I then told them that if they want to know if the church is the true church of the Lord Jesus Christ, they need to attend it. If they want to know if the Book of Mormon is true, they have to read it and pray to know. If they want to know if the commandments are necessary, they have to live them. It's as simple as that my dear friends. Like it says in John, if we want to know if a doctrine is true, we have to pray and live it and then we will have a manifestation through the spirit that it is true and we will have desires to keep living it and want more of it cuz we will be so blessed from the joy and happiness that comes from obedience. 

Elder Wadell is coming this week to train us a bit so that will be exciting. Well I don't got anything else to say. Ask me some questions next time and I'll answer them haha. Love you guys with all my heart.

Besitos

Elder Harper

HE STARTED THREATENING to HURT ME & PULLED out a KNIFE....

Well I have very little time to write but this week was very epic! Conference was amazing! I got to watch all of it in English with my shewbie, Elder Bailey, except for the last sesh. It was cool hearing the speakers that spoke their native language, especially when they spoke Spanish.

Well like I always say, the mission is sooo dang hard but that is why I love it so much, cuz it brings me happiness, really the most worth while things in life are the things that we have to work for.  They can be super difficult to achieve but they are the things that bring us true happiness.  Following the commandments can be hard as well but as we live the Gospel and are obedient with exactness we receive blessings, lots of happiness, and eternal life.  I feel like a lot of the conference talks were about sustaining the Prophets, personal revelation, and the difference between today's standards and the Lord's standards and the courage we need to stay on this path. 

Well I've never knocked more doors in my life then we have recently and I've never been so rejected so many times. It just makes my comp and I want to work even harder. We are trying to find the elects and they are worth the time, the rejection, and the pain.  This week, in between conference sessions we were knocking doors and this guy opened his door and started telling us he was from another church and that he didn't have time for us. Well we were super persistent and out of nowhere he let us inato his house, sat us down, and admitted to us that he has been a member of the church for 10 years but that he hasn't gone in 5 years.  He told us that no one had visited him before now.  His heart was softened and he was grateful for our visit this week.  We have an appointment to teach all of his family.   

I had a crazy experience this week that reminded me of how we should follow the spirit in all times and not doubt it.  I was trying to find a house of a less active with my comp and we were a little lost. I needed to call the bishop because he knows all but a thought came to my mind that I should not call at this time.  Even though there was nobody around and it seemed safe, people could see we have a cell phone and jump us later. We were in a dangerous part of the area. I told my comp the thought I had and he agreed with me that we shouldn't call.  Frustrated that I could not find the house, I pulled the cell out anyways and called the bishop.  As I was hanging up the phone some strange hooded man approached me, grabbed me from behind, and tried to grab the phone.  I pulled my hand free and shoved the phone in my pocket then shoved him off of me.  He started threatening to hurt me and pulled out a knife.  For some reason I felt calm.  He was drunk and I felt like he could just be bluffing with his threats.  I started speaking in English and he asked us where we were from.  I told him I did understand and I speak Spanish also.  He kind of got scared but ended up showing us the house we were looking for....weird story but officially I still haven't been robbed and he ended up helping us so... yeah..

Well that's all I got. My time is up but I love you guys. Keep it strong out there. 

Besitos

Elder Harper