I'M A SOLDIER ON THE FRONT LINES IN THE FORCES OF OUR GOD AND KING AND I AM PROUD TO SERVE

Hey Hey Hey! How's it goin everybody!?

Well, this last week in Talcahuano was alright. Wasn´t my best week ever but it was alright. It was very busy because we had the conference of the North Zones on Tuesday with Presidente and then on Wednesday we had our weekly zone/district conference and then on Thursday weekly planning in the morning and then Friday morning I had to go to the mission office in Concepción to deliver my passport because my visa is finally ready. In short, we didn't have nearly as much time to work this week as usual. We had one good day where we found a ton of people that are good but unfortunately only one of them showed up to church on Sunday :( But we have appointments with the ones that didn't show up tomorrow, so we will see how it goes there and we are going to work on some strategies to help them to go to church haha. They all say they want to get baptized and tell us that they´ll be there Sunday morning but they are either too lazy to get up or they are just stringing us along. So we will see what's up with all of them tomorrow.

Anyways, as far as P-days go, there is a lot to do here in Talcahuano. Today we went to the mall of Concepción (which is pretty dang big and actually in Talcahuano) and we ate some good food and did some bowling with a bunch of other missionaries. It was a lot of fun but I´m really not good at bowling. Don't worry I took video :) As far as the house situation, it's fun to have six missionaries in the house but the apartment is absolutely tiny and it's an absolute mess. We also have to do our own laundry in this house (we have a washing machine but no dryer) so there are always clothes hanging all over the place drying and food everywhere because we only have like 2 tiny cupboards. So even though it's been fun and all, it's time for them to go and it looks like 2 of them are moving on Wednesday. So in a couple of days it will go to being four in the house, which will be more comfortable haha.

Well as I´m gaining more knowledge in the scriptures and getting better at understanding and speaking spanish, the more my testimony grows that it is really the spirit that does the converting. My companion knows a lot of scripture and I´m learning so we can basically overwhelm anybody with scripture and help the Evangelicos, testigos, catolicos, adventistas and whatever other religion that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only church on the earth that has the full gospel of Jesus Christ as found in the scriptures. But if their heart is not open and the spirit isn't there, then all the facts, the logic and the scripture mean nothing. Eyes and hearts can only be opened to the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ through testimony, faith and the spirit. Scripture only works if they actually have a desire to learn and discover the truth and the spirit is there. So we are trying to work harder to find those people whose hearts and minds are open, the people that really want to learn and who have been prepared by the Lord. Luckily, as ordained representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ we can be blessed with the gift of discernment. So right now I´m focusing on better obtaining and using that gift.

Well that's pretty much all I´ve got for you guys this week. Before I go I just want everyone to know that I love my God and His son Jesus Christ. I have an imperfect but strong testimony that La Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Últimos Dias is the only true church of God that has all the keys and authority to perform saving ordinances and seal families together forever. I know that we can only be saved through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We can only fully use the atonement of Jesus Christ through faith, repentance, baptism by immersion by the proper authority for the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is bestowed also through the proper authority. With these blessings we can endure to the end. And that's why I am here. To teach people how they can use the Atonement of Jesus Christ to start on the road to salvation and eternal life. I´m a soldier on the front lines in the forces of our God and King and I am proud to serve.

Con amor, Élder Harper :)

p.s. for the last request i might have already said it but Another pair of black dickies that have that pocket on the side of the leg :)

p.s.p.s. I already sent an email but thank you very much Uncle Lary and Aunt Erika for the care package! I loved it, especially the cards from the kids haha. Thank you very much. And also thank you Tanners and Hansen´s for your packages. They were greatly appreciated and thoroughly enjoyed :)