Monday Sept 24, 2012

 

Hey Family!!!!

 

So things keep plugging along with all the labour that you guys are doing to help get the temple all ready for the open house. It sure must be exciting to see how it comes along and to be this involved even before the temple is ready to be shown. I’m sure with all the hard work that everything will get done in time and that it will be a breath of relief when everything is done. 

 

Its way cool to hear about the changes in the Bishopric, sounds like they are very good changes and I’m sure the ward will continue to grow and grow with those men working in the Lord’s work. New callings are always so exciting because you just know that the people are going to do very well in the places they are called.

 

Anyways things here are good, we have some baptisms coming up this next Saturday and the Lord sure has blessed us. We were supposed to have 2 this last Saturday but its kinda a long story but the short version is that they were 2 teenagers and their mom just dropped them off at their active uncles house one day and left them behind. we started teaching them and they were gunna get baptized until just this last Tuesday she came back and took them off to Mendoza, (another province) anyway it was super disappointing but with hard work the Lord blessed us with 2 other baptisms for this week. 

 

So things keep moving along as usual and the Lord always has his hand in the work but this week has sure been a toughie. A real faith tester and it has been long days that are hot with not much success. Just trying to find someone new, trying to find the people that are going to progress but it’s been a lot of working this week trying to do what the Lord wants us to do. I know that the blessings always come after the trials but sometimes it’s kind of hard to get through those trials. Anyway we kept going strong just trying to talk to everyone and anyone but not much luck. We live and we learn and I know next week will be better with the baptisms and all. 

 

So I’m looking forward to the future and I know things will work out. Prayer has come a long way this week and I know that for God to help us we first need to seek his help. So it’s tough sometimes but we just need to be humble and get on our knees and ask for a higher help. I know that he answers us and he will help us to the extent where we can still learn and grow. 

 

That’s about it for this week folks, I hope that you have a good one and keep working hard and I’ll let you know what’s up next week. 

 

Love ya lots

 

Elder Harker

Monday Sept 17, 2012

Monday Sept 17, 2012

Wow that’s way awesome mom, the Lord prepares us in such ways that we can’t even realize!!!! It’s amazing how he prompts us to do things. I’ve had a few experiences this week where I just knew I had to do things a certain way and great blessings came of it. For example we were walking down the street through kind of an intersection and down the road we were passing I saw a guy washing his car. I thought I should go talk to that guy, he seems like a good contact and anyway I just felt I should. So we back track about half a block and went to go talk to him and turns out he’s talked with missionaries before and we set up a time to go back and visit him. He seems way cool and definitely is chosen to hear the gospel at this time.

Hey Familia!!!!!!!

 

So what’s up? Well it sounds like a lot has been up lately and things keep going on, with Stake Conference and the temple dedication, you’ve all had your plate really full and you keep marching forward as saints of God. I really enjoy hearing all of the experiences that you guys are having back home and it’s great to see that we are in this work together!!

 

So anyways it’s been a pretty faith testing week, it hasn’t been the best week overall but I know that the Lord has been watching over us every day. We have seen many miracles throughout the week be it big or small, the tender mercies of the Lord we have seen. It’s always amazing to just feel that strong impression or strong feeling that the spirit is with you and has helped you work in a way that’s not normal to complete the purposes of the Lord, and also to see that the hand of the Lord is always present in our lives. Man I love to see that and throughout this week I’ve recognized it more. For example the story I shared with mom about the guy washing his car which you can put on the blog if you want. But also just being able to see that we find people right in the moment they need it. Like the other day we were at the end of the day with almost no success. I think we had gotten into one house all day, and it was like 35 degrees during the siesta and man it was just a hard day on me. But the last thing we did for the day was go looking for a reference and we didn’t know exactly what house it was so we went to knock a house to see if they knew the person. So we knock. tuk tuk tuk and someone opens the door and says ¨do you want to come in Wow!!!! Amazing!! It wasn’t even the person we were looking for but we taught a great lesson and set up a time to come back. Man the lord blessed us. Other times where we were just able to teach in a simple form and testify about the truth of the BOM and everything just worked out. They accepted it and things just went well. I love to see things and just tiny miracles everyday and they happen all around us, we just need to realize what they are. Oh the gospel is so true and there’s no doubt about, God loves every single one of us and he knows when we are in times of need.

 

But other news for this week is that we also had Stake Conference which was pretty great and it was based all on missionary work which was great for all the members to hear, and at the end of the conference all the missionaries got up and sang us included, Called to Serve which was a great opportunity. 

 

Besides that we have Zone Conference tomorrow so we have to travel to Cordoba for that and we have to get up early tomorrow and oh I got your package!!!! Thank you soo much for everything!!! and oh my goodness the t-shirt is the best thing I have ever gotten in my entire life!!! How thoughtful was that!!!!! bahahahaha I laughed so hard when I opened it bahahaahahahahahahah it’s the greatest!!!! 

 

Well about wraps it all up so until next week family. I love you all tons and I hope you have a great week!!!!

 

Love

Elder Harker

 

Monday September 10, 2012

 

Hey Papi, Mami, Rinery, & Sassy

 

Well sounds like lots has been going on, but what week that you’ve written me hasn’t been full of events hahaha

 

About the car that’s a pretty good deal you got there, although it is gold bahaha but oh well now everyone knows that if there’s a gold car it’s the Harker’s. And hey it goes along with our hair color!

 

Sounds like all the church activity is moving along quite nicely within the ward and stake. Also with the temple dedication coming up its sounds like everything is just exciting.

Sara and Jonny sound like they are adjusting to school fairly well, and I didn’t hear anything about Erin but I’m sure she is doing just fine. 

 

So about the work, well where to begin.

My companion, I don’t know if I told you but his name is ELDER L. He is from Paraguay and he’s way cool, not the most talkative person but I am learning lots from him. He really has a lot of desire to work and so we are just going at things head on. The new pension is pretty nice actually kind of small but not too bad, its clean and we live within view of the chapel, like literally  we can see it from our front door, it’s like  50 feet walk.  So it’s very convenient.  Now I’m in Rio Cuarto in barrios Bimaco, it’s still city but nicer than where I’ve been before. Everywhere I’ve been before has been pure villa aka ghetto and like the worst ghettos that exist in the mission/country. In the continent of South America I’ve been told that the 4 most dangerous areas are, 1st the Favela in Brazil, 2nd some area in Buenos Aires South,3rd Las Violetas, where I just came from and 4th Renacimiento where I started the mission. Anyway I’ve had my fair share of sketchy places. hahaha

I love it here and the members and the work is amazing. 

 

We just baptized this last week a lady named A and she’s so awesome, she was so prepared to hear the gospel and so things keep looking up every day that we work. I’m super happy to be here and just to see the children of God come back unto him.

 

One of the best experiences of the week was being able to participate in the rededication of the temple of Buenos Aires. We got to watch it at the centro de estaca por satilte and man the spirit once you entered was just like BOOM!!!! It was an extension of the temple and it was soo awesome to just have that feeling again. It sure made me miss the temple a bunch and I’m so excited for the opportunity to go back and learn so much more. I love the gospel and all the blessings that it brings. It sure was an experience I’ll never forget. The speaker were also amazing and Elder Erying, Ballard and Christoferson were there!!!

 

So everything is just dandy!!!! I love this work and I don’t want it to come to an end. Every week passes by faster and I don’t like it. There’s so much to do and so little time to do it. The children of God need to be saved and we have to help them realize that and bring them to their salvation or better said help them come to understand why they need to take these steps so they can obtain salvation. I just know I love everyday and I look forward to teaching more and more people everyday about the truths we know and understand. 

 

Anyway that’s about all for know I love you all soo much!!!!!! I hope you’re all doing well and keep learning and growing. A big shout out to all those that are preparing for the mission. Learn the lessons and learn to love the gospel and prepare to love your mission!!!

 

 

Thanks for all you do and until next time

 

Love Elder Harker

 

Transferred!

Monday September 3, 2012

 

 

So it is true we did have transfer last week and that’s why I wasn’t able to write cause I was transferred. I left General Lamadrid and went to a little city well a little bit smaller called Rio Cuarto. Its way tight and I had to travel alone for like 4 hours to get there in a collectivo aka Greyhound type bus. It was way chill and I’m here living with the zone leaders and my new comp is Elder L. yay a latino!!!!!! So anyway things are nice and dandy and I’m enjoying my time here so far. I’ll have to send you pictures next week but I just love the work in general that’s about all I can say. 

 

We had a pretty killer week here in the new area and it’s about to explode!!! There are tons of people here that we are getting ready to baptize!!! Its gunna be a great transfer and I know that the Lord will bless us as long as we are being obedient and doing the things that he asks us. I love the gospel in that sense. We teach all the people that if they do what they know is right and what they know the lord wants he is obligated to bless them. It goes the same for us, when we do the things the Lord asks us it’s not a matter of will the Lord bless us, the Lord has to because he is a God of promises and in his perfection he will and wants to bless us. Not gunna lie we had a few tough days in the week but as we kept going strong and worked hard by the end of the day even if it was the last thing we did that day we saw miracles and blessings we did not expect. 

Like at the end of a long day I think it was Tuesday, we had a rough go but we then found this amazing lady who seemed really interested and received what we had to say and is just golden. Then yesterday after an ok day we found a less active member who said that she wants nothing to do with the church. We talked to her for about 20 min and she later confessed her desire and love for the church, she has 3 children who are not baptized and she’s definitely been hurt and has been sad in the past for not having the church in her life. Now that will change. It’s been an amazing week and there has been a lot learned and now there is a lot more to learn. That’s about all I can say for now but I love you all and it’s great to hear how everyone is doing, family friends and the ward. For anyone who reads this and anyone who doesn’t I love each and every one of you and I’ll be talking to you next week!!!!!! 

 

I love the Lord and his Gospel!!! It is true!!!

Love 

Elder Harker

Just so happy

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

 

So the week has gone by super fast and again it is time to write this letter. Sorry its late but we had to write to day cause we were doing a zone activity yesterday and there was no time to write cause it ended late. But anyway we had an amazing week!!!

 

First off we had the baptism of B, who is an 8 year old girl whose parents have been investigating the church for over a year now and they are planning on getting married really soon so they can be baptized. But anyway the baptism went really great and she was super happy afterward which was super exciting to see. We also had lots of people in church this week and to end it off we had a great pday as a zone. We got to go out of Cordoba and we did another hike as a zone, and on top of the mountain we had a testimony meeting and planted a flag at the top with all our names on it so it was super fun!!!

 

That’s really good to hear that Sara’s surgery went alright. I hope she knows I’m praying for her and that I hope she gets well really soon and that she can be back on her feet in no time and that all will be ok. She’s a real trooper and she will pull through. 

Also with the Redd’s going to Thailand thy must be super excited to hear that and they should be out in the field pretty soon!!!!

 

So everything is just moving along quite nicely here, we are loving the work, the ward and the people. Me and Elder H are tearing it up and every day we find someone new that’s just amazing. Its weird to see how blessed we really are but I love seeing the people progress the way they do. This last week one of the ladies we have been teaching went through a little bit of a scare. One day after we left she had a little run in with some people where they were trying to convince her to stop listening to us because we work with the gypsies. Anyway the next time we went by it was a little interesting and we had a good talk with her where she was really able to feel what we were sharing was true and she wanted to continue listening. It was really cool to see how the hearts of people can change when they feel the spirit. Satan is always working really hard to try and stop the work but the will of the Lord is a greater force and so we don’t have to worry about it. It was sure cool because she is progressing a ton now.

 

So that’s about all that’s going down over here and so we’ll see what happens this next week but hopefully we see some miracles. Anyway I love you all soo much and I hope that you all have a splendid day!!

 

Love

Elder Harker

 

Great week!

Monday August 13, 2012

Well sounds like things are going well for all of you out there in the heat and you are enjoying yourselves in Fairmont. I’m super happy to hear that all is going well and that you are enjoying your time even without me. But no I’m really pumped that you all have the times of your lives. 

So update from here, are that first we baptized!!!!!!! It was Jose and Linda that made this covenant with their Heavenly Father and oh how beautiful it was to see that. Me and Elder Harris got to baptize and it was soo special for us to do that!!!! I love baptismal services and the spirit that is there. They are part of a family that we are working with and their parents are working on getting married so that they can be baptized soon so we’ll see what’s up. They were supposed to go get their turn today so let’s cross our fingers. 

Then I also found out today that a lady that me and Elder Lerma found in my first area got baptized recently!!!!! She had a lot of work to do and I worked with her for the 6 months I was there but she is sooo awesome and finally got to make that promise with the Lord!!!!! The Lord pulls through in every way and I knew that one day she would be baptized!!!!!

For pday we were just playing some futbol so it was a pretty chill day but super fun and that was about all. The weeks are going by so fast and the Lord is always present in our lives I love it!!!!!  There is so much to do here and there is no time to do it. Anyway the miracles keep coming and the people keep changing. 

I’m just soo grateful for everyday and every second that I have here and the opportunities to talk with the children of God. Fam just keep going forward and I’ll talk with you all next week. 

I love you all soo much!!!!

Elder Harker

Too busy to write much

Monday Aug 6, 2012

Wow!!!!! Sounds like tons of things went super good this week and you guys are having tons of fun!!!! 

It always makes me so happy to hear that you are all ok. 

Well I don’t have much time to write cause we got back late from a way fun pday so I’m really sorry.  We took a trip and went and hiked a mountain so it was super beautiful and way fun too!!!!! 

The work is moving along just great, I love it. We should be having 2 baptisms this coming week and so we’re just getting them ready for that.  This week we have found a bunch of new people to teach too. 

Man I love the work, one of our recent converts M is so freaking awesome, she is 11 years old and yesterday she got up and bore her testimony in sacrament meeting. You could really feel that she knew it was true and it came from the heart, she is changing lots and her parents are seeing this change in her and now there is nothing stopping them from getting baptized too!!! 

Oh just to let you know I took out some money the other day cause one of our investigators got robbed, like everything she owns by 10 men and at gunpoint and 3 kids that were with her. So me and Elder H gave her some money to help get her started again. I felt really good about it and I know she will use it for the best, anyway until next week. 

Love Elder Harker