WEEK 27 - staying put

Monday January 30, 2012

 Hey Wachiturros!!!!

What’s up??

This week has been pretty interesting for me, and lots has happened so it’s been great. We were able to baptize again and have some..... pretty interesting things happen. Also it was transfers so lots of things to say.

But from what I read it sounds like you are all doing great and having some fun times back there in the always changing weather. But here as normal I am suffering in the heat but it’s all good. I am drinking more water than I probably have in my entire life. It’s a habit to keep when I get home haha. 

It sounds like my friends and the Ward are doing very well too, and that’s so cool that you are going to start teaching that class!! I’m way pumped for you guys and that’s gunna be so awesome to do together. Well I know it will be great for you to teach that class and sure sounds like dad is having some great times with the young deacons and mom with activity days. Sounds pretty busy. I’m glad you are enjoying it all. 

Thanks for sending that talk and its funny that you sent that one cause I actually already have it, it was given to me by Elder B when this situation was happening a month or 2 ago.

Well to begin with the story time. So this last week we baptized and man it was a little bit stressful and many things happened but after talking to many people and involving many other people it eventually all worked out and they were able to be baptized. Remember this story and ask me about it after my mission cause I have it all written down and it’s a pretty long story but I want to say a lot more things. Anyway a story for the future. This family is soo amazing, again it is the family of A. and A. and I love this family soo much!!! Literally I feel like they are my family down here and it is going to be hard to say goodbye to them when the time comes. So we baptized their daughter and the mother of A. It was soo great we asked A. and A. to bear their testimony at the baptismal service, and when they spoke I felt the spirit so strong and it was so great because what they shared was just a pure testimony about Jesus Christ and it was absolutely amazing!!! And A. is growing so much in the church she just recently was called as 1st consoler to the president of the Relief Society and so I am so happy she is doing great and A. is preparing to receive the priesthood.  It’s awesome!!

But that’s what happened this week end plus a lot but I’m running short on time, but for transfers I’m staying here in San Vicente and now Elder N has left and Elder C is my new comp. I’ve known him for a while; he was old comps with Elder B. I am super excited for this upcoming transfer and we’re gunna work super hard and baptize like no other. We both are super ready to work and I guess we’ll see how it goes.

But that’s about all I have for now. I hope you all have an amazing week and I hope you all know that I love you sooo much!!!

Anyway until next time

Elder Kent Harker

WEEK 26

Hey Guys!!!!

 Wow sounds like you are suffering a little bit in the cold up there!!! But don't worry I am suffering just as much down here its been like 35-40C the past week with like 85% humidity so its been pretty brutal this last little while. But you know what, it's all good and we are still working hard even though I want to die (from the heat).

Oh and to let you know your package came!!!!! The one with the Christmas tree and the puppets, hahahaha it was really funny that it all came right after when I needed it, but I got everything else in the package and it was so great to finally know where it was. Speaking of packages and letters I got one from the Horne's and the Down's and it was supper great had some little treats as well as a mission memory book.......for Sister missionaries - well I'm still gunna use it but I'll have to cross out ¨who is your companion? what is she like?¨ for ¨he¨ but its all good. I also got letters from the Lonsdales, Fibkes and Grandma so if you could give a big thank you to all of them for me that would be awesome!!!

Its way cool to hear that Tim is going to Ireland, that's gunna be so sweet I'm way pumped for him!!! and how are the other guys doing on their papers?? Are anyone elses in like Peter, Parker, Jesse, Tyler Johnson????  It's an exciting time so we'll see what happens. I think Peter is going to go to like Germany or something in Europe.

Also, thanks Dad for answering the questions about school for this Elder. It's really going to help him, and it sounds like you all are doing very well and that you have been doing a lot of things so that makes me happy.

But down here in Argentina things are very slow moving and there always seems to be some kind of problem going on with the ward of Renacimiento. I know that we are technically now the Elders of San Vicente, but we cover both areas. And right now the Bishop and Ward mission leader are making the smallest things into a big deal. But to make a long story short they are not pleased with all the success we have been having and only seem to look at our faults and yes we do have faults but the work is going to move forward with or without them. President is not very happy about the whole situation as he told me in my interview with him this past week but it's something that will be resolved and I hope we can help do that for the next set of missionaries. One thing I've really learnt from all this and am still learning is a lot about pride. Before my mission I never really understood what it was and how it can be so bad and destructive, and I still don't know everything about it, but it has really opened my eyes as to what it is and how it can cause so much damage. It is said many times and prophesied in the scriptures that the Nephites will destroyed because of their pride but I never understood why. Now I do and it's something I can definitely work on improving because it is something so small yet so powerful.

But on a happy note this family we have been teaching and have baptised the parents are way cool . We are now trying to work with all of their 4 kids and the grandma as well. Something amazing that happened is that the son is a professional football player for the team here in Cordoba the Talleres and he is gunna get us some jerseys!!!! So that's so awesome of him. We are just working hard here down in the South, trying to do my best and do what I can to help the gospel spread. I guess that's about all I have for this week folks so until next week.

Love to all

Elder HARKER

WEEK 25 - things are kind of slow...

Monday January 16, 2012

 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMAN, HOW I WANT TO SEE THOSE PICTURES OF THE TEMPLE!!!! aaaaaahhhhhhh I am so jealous of you guys!!! That must have been so amazing to witness with your own eyes!! But maybe I’ll be here for the Cordoba Temple but really who knows. 

  Sounds like you guys have been having lots of fun and back to work. Lucky for me I have been at work this whole time so it’s just normal for me. 

To answer your questions on how we typically find, I would say most of it is done through tracting. We do have other ways like referrals as well but mostly through tracting. About the siesta, oh man does it get hot and so during this time we try not to be outside at all because most can't be bothered to come to the door or are sleeping and so we try not to contact during that time because it’s the lowest rate of success. And for work people just do whatever they can, lots run kiosks, aka small convenience stores. You can find one about every block, and then like grocery stores and painting, building houses, really just about anything but for the most part its kiosks I would say. 

I guess I still have a lot to learn about Argentine culture because I don’t know everything but all is well and I still have about 2 years to learn it all. Just working hard and trying to do the best I can but it is definitely hard. This week was kind of slow cause mostly all the investigators we had are now baptized and so we have been looking for new people to teach with not much success. But hey that’s why we have the future, to learn from the past and change to do better in the future. I don’t know if that made sense but it did in my head. Anyway though I guess it’s just been a little bit slow this last week. 

I don’t really have too much to say this week cause nothing really happened. Just have been contacting like crazy and haven’t met too many funny people to share a story about but it’s all good. Its soo awesome to hear that Carly will be joining us down here in South America!!! I’m pumped that she is doing this OSSO program because what we heard from Erin it sounds pretty cool. 

But ya so I hope you all have a super good week this next week and I pray for you all every day. I hope you know how much I love you and I guess I’ll write you next week. So until then

Love you

Elder Harker

WEEK 24

Monday January 9, 2012

 Ok wow.........

It seemed like sooooo much happened this week. I don’t even know where to begin, should I comment first or write about my week like wow crazy. Well anyway as you can probably see from my pictures that we baptized again!!!!!!! woooohooooo it has been soo great and such an amazing experience baptizing every week!!! Oh my goodness I am so happy for these people but there is still a lot more work to be done!  This week we baptized 6 people. We invited the Zone leaders Elder V and Elder S to come and baptize with us!! oh man it was soo awesome and then we are preparing the kids of A and A is his name is to be baptized in the coming weeks, it’s going to be a little hard cause they are a little older and with teenager problems but it will be a good challenge and a good time for them to feel the help of the Lord in their lives!  But ya that’s about all that happened this weekend but it was soo cool I’d have to say. 

Dad first off thank you for the info on LDS FAM that was good and I’ll probably be sending some questions to you next week after I talk to this Elder about it. Sounds like all of you are doing great and enjoyed this last week with all the bowling and New Years events! And I hope you all had a good time with Jo-Nathan and hope he had a good time too, it’s always nice when family comes to visit. Sounds like it was ok. But mom and dad all I got to say is wow!!!! It sounds like you are doing a lot of socializing lately. If you could say hi to everyone for me like the Horne’s and Down’s and Tagg’s and all them folks. But ya sounds like all is well and to all those in the ward that sent me Christmas cards like the Hopkin’s and Gedlaman’s even though I didn’t get it, also the Young Men and Women.  And Erin and Sara sounds like they have been busy this last little while it’s all great to hear, and you should feel good cause everyone in the cyber is probably like who the heck is this gringo who is going noooooooo or yaaaaaaaa when I read your emails. But ya it’s all a good time. 

But to comment on your emails a little, it sounds like your Sunday School class on Sunday was really great and also you learnt a lot. It’s cool too cause this week I was reading the same thing as I’ve started to read the BOM again from cover to cover. and I was reading that first chapter and learning a lot, but something I found interesting is think about why that chapter is the first of the BOM, As Nephi prays to find out if the things his father said were true and whether he should follow or not. Is that not the same story as Joseph Smith. I don’t know if that makes sense but all I’m trying to say is that this story is a parallel to the Joseph Smith story.

But I don’t have too much time but anyway I’m happy to hear that all is well and that you are all doing so great, I love you all soo much and I pray for you all the time and can’t wait to talk to you next week.

Love Elder Harker

WEEK 23 - A New Year!

NEW YEAR"S EVE FIREWORKS

Monday January 2, 2012

Hey guys,

So I guess it has been an ok week and all. Nothing much really happened. But before I forget I would like to ask a few things.

First 

Dad, can you send me an email of how your journey was through University and how you got a job with LDS Family Services and kind of your story of work of how you got to where you are? There’s an Elder here that wants to do the same thing/ type of work you are in and wants to work for the church so maybe this could help him out.

oh and Sara, one of our 15 year old investigators says hi

Anyway just stuff about this last week not too much going on. Just been trying to work hard but lately I’ve had a lot of things going through my mind and so it’s been a little hard to focus I guess but hey there’s always things to improve on and the challenges we have are here for a reason.

It sounds like all is well back home and you guys had a real good New Years. Ours was ok I guess just super chill, didn’t do too much just played some chess in the pension and then went onto our roof to watch the fireworks and it was soo amazing and magical. I’ve never seen so many fireworks in my life. The whole entire city was shooting them off and there were way more than at Christmas. As well it went on for like a half an hour so it was really spectacular to watch. Not too much happened but it was beautiful. 

About the food mixes, I think they are great!!! We haven’t cooked any yet cause we get fed a lot where I’m at right now but we will sometime and I’ll let you know how it is. The ferrero roche was delicious as ever and they all got here ok so that was good!! And the carmels were just as delicious as I remember. I got a couple of things from the ward so it was super cool to get those though. 

This week has been good we are just really preparing for this next upcoming week and it should be a good one but we are going to have to work really hard so I’m excited. We are preparing this family for baptism and they are so chosen I’m so excited for them. This week should be a good one and I guess I’ll let you know how it goes this next week. 

  I don’t really have too much to say today just a really chill week and a lot of thinking and reflecting. I hope you all know that I love you and want the best for you. I still have a lot of things to work on out here in Argentina and I hope that I can be a better brother son and missionary than I have been in the past.  Until then you’ll be in my thoughts and prayers. 

Kent

WEEK 22 - Christmas!

Monday December 26, 2011

Well, well, well you sure had lots to write after just talking to you yesterday but anyway haha it was great to read all that went on and it sounded like you had a wonderful Christmas as usual. Well as good as it could get without me there but whatever it’s alright. So I sent some pictures of our Christmas and I hope they all made it to you, so you can see a little more of my beautiful face.

I’m just sitting here and trying to think of what to say cause I pretty much said a ton last night when I was able to talk to you. But for an update I’m still doing fine, last night I was just thinking a lot about what was said, and I guess just what I can do to be a better missionary. There are always so many things to improve on but hey I got time and not just in the mission but throughout my whole life so maybe by the end I’ll be a little bit closer to my goal. It was so awesome talking to you all and just finding out what’s new and actually hearing your voices cause for the last 3 months I’ve just been imagining your voices whenever I write you guys or read your letters so that was super nice to have a refresher. But ya it was soo awesome.

I hope all the extended family is doing well too and that they all had an amazing Christmas. Also a shout out to all my friends hope you had a good Christmas and had some good times, went sledding and all that good stuff and hope that you all have a good New Years cause I won’t be able to write before then. I just hope the best for you all and I think and pray for all you guys and want the best for you.

Well, I guess there’s not much else to say really from the news point of things. Talking to you was amazing and I am just really enjoying being here. Sometimes it’s hard being away from you guys but hey I’m on the Lord’s errand and this is what I need to be doing so just always think of it like that. I love being here and I love doing the work. The gospel along with family is the key to all happiness and when we understand our purpose in life and what joy the gospel brings we can have a happiness that no other can understand. I hope in this week after Christmas you keep thinking about this wonderful gift that Christ had given us and as you prepare for the New Year that you can prepare for a better year. I wish the best for you all.

For now it’s time to say good bye, but until next week I hope you all know that I love you sooo much and just want the best for you. You will always be in my prayers and my love will always be with you.

Your little boy

Elder KentyBoi Harker