I LOVE SEEING FAMILIES BROUGHT TOGETHER THROUGH THIS GLORIOUS GOSPEL

Hola querida familia y queridos amigos!

Well this last week was both good and bad, weird and awesome. A lot happened and at the same time not that much. You know, just the missionary usual. The whole house was recovering from being sick so things seemed lethargic at times but despite all that, we did a lot of work and had a lot going on.

 On Thursday we had to go to the centro to the government office to work on my visa so that took a little while, plus, Thursday is weekly planning day. On Friday, Marcos and Marcela got married in the church!!! Por fin!!! (finally!!!). After the ceremony, which was performed by the state, (churches can't marry under the law here) we had a small humble little voda (wedding reception) with Marcela's grandma, Marcela's two little munchkin kids, and the whole zone. It was a lot of fun and was awesome to see them finally get married! Nelson was also there at the voda. We've been worried about him because he moved and we haven't been able to see him, but he's doing just fine. He's halfway through Alma in the Book of Mormón and his countenance has just gotten brighter, its awesome :).

Saturday was Marcela's baptism! Élder Terrazas baptized her and I ended up giving the talk because the hermana who was supposed to didn't go. Hey, but that's Chile for you haha. It went great and was very spiritual. She was so happy to finally get baptized. Now she has her sights sent on bringing her family to the temple. I felt the spirit very strong on Sunday watching her take the sacrament for the first time sitting with her husband and her kids. 

I love seeing families brought together through this glorious gospel.

In other news, now that all our golden investigators are baptized, we just have a few very slow progressing investigators and like 2 good contacts that we need to visit next week. In other words, no one. Finding didn't really go too well last week because we were busy, but next week we plan on hitting the streets hard for contacts and hitting members hard for references. We have one good reference, which is a family of seven that sounds like they are interested so hopefully that will go good. I really want a family this next cambio.

Speaking of cambios, we got ours on Saturday. I'm staying in Galvarino but my companion, who has only been senior companion for this last cambio and the one before it, is going to be a branch president in a little pueblo 2 hours south for the next six months. He's kind of freaking out because he hates leadership positions but I know that he'll do just fine. Im getting a Columbiano companion named Élder Tapias, who in the words of Élder Terrazas, "El es mas fleto que yo elder harper" a.k.a he's even more feminine than Terrazas but as long as he's a hard worker I couldn't care less. I've heard he's baptized a lot but that this is going to be his first cambio as senior companion. I'm a little nervous to lead the sector for the first week or so as my campanion learns it but I'll just have to step up and do it. I am excited to have another latino companion so my spanish will keep improving. The Argentino is also leaving the house to become a zone leader and is being replaced by a latino so now no one else besides Kamalu and I will be able to speak english in the house.

Well as all change is, I'm excited and nervous for this cambio but I have plans (like always) to work even harder, find ways to waste less time, and be less timid and akward with contacts (that one is a work in progress). Well friends and family it's time to say good bye but I love you guys and enjoy your Christmas season while I'm roasting here in Los Ángeles, which unfortunately lacks Christmas spirit as of right now. But that's ok, Iĺl make my own Christmas spirit! chao chau (still dont know exactly how its spelled)

Su misionero en la tierra de la navidad con calor,
Élder Harper :)

Baylor the Sailor,

Well good job with cross country you little stud. You now go kick so major butt in lacrosse!!!!!!!!! ....yeah that's all I got this week... Love ya chao!

Élder Harper :)