THE HARDER THE ADVERSARY WORKS, THE MORE I KNOW THIS GOSPEL IS TRUE

Hola familia y caulquier gente que esta leyendo esto,

Well it has been quite the strange week here in Pitrufquén. Hahaha oh man I don't even know where to begin. I already told you a little bit about what's going on and I will start by saying the good news is that nobody is being emergency transfered and it doesn't look like the sector is going to be closed down. It's good news and yet at the same time I´m not going to lie, I didn't mind the idea of being emergency transfered out of Pitrufquén. But even though there is still a chance that I will be sent somewhere else at the normal time during cambios, it looks like I will be staying here.

Well, a little bit of background information on what happened is: there is this lady in the branch who is a huge gossiper and manipulater and in my opinion is kind of power hungry. She tries to manipulate the branch president and people into doing what she wants them to do by basically threatening them with slander and I don't even know what else. I didn't believe she was that bad at first but now I´ve seen all the damage that she and her "team" of five others have done. Unfortunately, a lot of members have gone inactive because of her as well. A couple of weeks ago, Élder De Leon and I decided that we were going to focus mostly on visiting less active families for a day and no kidding, almost all of them said they love church and would go back if it wasn't for this hermana.

From what I´ve been told, problems started with her and the missionaries here when an Elder a few cambios ago stood up to her and called her out on what she's been doing. And now recently Elder De Leon and one of the zone leaders have stood up to her too, so she and two "snakes" (girls who try to flirt with the missionaries) began starting rumors about my companion and others. These rumors have been slowly growing and getting more ridiculous each day. Last Monday, the rumors turned into full blown horrible accusations and they basically told us they were going to tell the President all this stuff during entrevistas (interviews) on Thursday just to get the missionaries out of here. Interviews were on Thursday and the days leading up to it were frustrating. My companion was disheartened because he thought we were going to be taken out of Pitruf right away on Thursday and so the work really slowed down.

During this time, the branch basically turned against each other into two groups, those defending us (which happen to be the most faithful members of the branch) and those who are with the accusers. It's been especially bad with the jovenes, dirty looks and threats being exchanged half the time. So when entrevistas came around on Thursday, there were almost more members there than missionaries. It felt like a trial, prosecutors and the defense haha.

But I guess the president could see straight through the liars because we are still here and no one was taken out immediately. I still feel like I´m in the middle of a branch civil war, but thankfully it's now starting to calm down a little bit and more and more members and the branch president are starting to stand up to this one bitter angry hermana, who in my opinion is miserable and wants to make everyone else miserable too. But I´m not angry with her like my companion and the zone leaders (they are itching to leave pitruf) I just feel sorry for her.
It's crazy how much destruction pride and anger can do. They are powerful tools in the hands of Satan. It's just like what President Monson talked about this last conference during priesthood session. "Anger builds nothing, doesn't resolve anything, but can destroy everything" I think that's a direct quote from him, but I could be off. But the point is the same, and I would also add pride with anger. Because pride is the fuel of the fire of anger. Just like the story of the Marshes. Brother Marsh, who I believe was an apostle of the church, ended up apostating from the church and helping to bring to pass governor Boggs extermination order all because of an argument over an exchange of milk.

Anger and pride tear apart friendships, families, and can even ruin lives. Little arguments and misunderstandings can explode into huge problems when pride and anger is involved, and el diablo absolutely loves it. Fortunately, we missionaries have the antidote to pride and anger, and that is Love, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now that a temple has been announced in this, my mission, it is my belief that Satan is throwing everything he´s got at the people of Chile and unfortunately right now he is being somewhat successful here in Pitrufquén. But instead of getting discouraged, it just helps my testimony grow. The harder the adversary works, the more I know that this gospel is true. And even though he can hinder the work, it comforts me to know that he can't stop it. Nothing can stop this work and the harder he tries just means he's getting more desperate. He´s afraid of what this gospel has, the power to heal lives, the power of love. Even though things are tough here and the work in Pitrufquén is going slow, I know that I have a message for these people that can and will heal their lives and make them whole.

Even though I wouldn´t mind being transfered out at the end of this cambio a week from tomorrow, I will try to give it my all if I´m meant to stay here in Pitrufquén for awhile. And although I don't think we will be getting any baptisms this cambio (jonathan is starting to slip through our fingers) We have some people that I think we will be able to baptize next cambio if I stay. And there are still a lot of good members here too as well like, Gercy and Alex and a few other families and youth.

We had a talent show on Friday and it was a whole lot of fun, everybody had like 2 or 3 acts to do and we were all screaming and going crazy. It was fun and it reminded me that there are still good people here haha. Plus, when we are given trials, we are given the opportunity to learn and grow from them. Hermana Swenson told me that Pitrufquén is turning into quite the refiners fire sector haha.

Well I´m still doing well and I´ve got high hopes for next cambio whether I go or stay here in Pitrufquén. Either way, I´ll be preaching the gospel :). I love you all and thanks for being so supportive and great and for keeping me in your prayers. P.s. I loved the package guys and all the letters and goodies from the fam and the young women. p.s.p.s. another request for the next package, flaming hot cheetohs.

con amor, elder harper :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!! :)