Hey Everyone!
Last week was a lot of fun. It was long and exhausting, but it was fun!
We are back to switching off weeks with the car, with the Sisters. That means every other week we are on our bikes. Our area is really spread out so we get to do a significant amount of biking, which has actually been a lot better than I thought it would be. For example, we felt like we needed to go to visit a less active that lived around 10 - 15 miles away. We planned several places we could knock on doors and try to contact people along the way. After 4 hours of nothing, we finally got to this less active person's house. We walked up the door and knocked and asked for the person and they weren't there... But it just happened that their son is also living there, who is also less active!! We were able to have a good visit with him and talked about the power of prayer. Not a whole lot has come of it yet, but we definitely felt the Spirit that day.
"And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." -Ether 12:6
I know this scripture to be true and that if we can hold out hopeful through our hard days in life, I know we will see more of the picture and understand a bit more of why we are here. Love y'all!
Love,
Elder Harper
Monday, August 24, 2015
Monday, August 17, 2015
Wake Forest - Week 8 (Training week 1)
Hi Everyone!
Last week was crazy fun! I started training a new missionary last Tuesday. His name is Elder Bleckner and he is 18, from Riverton, Utah, and he is awesome.
We got straight to work and we were able to get a lot done even with an abnormally busy week. I had a leadership training meeting I had to go to and after that we did exchanges with the assistants who are also in our district. I was with Elder Parker. We put a big focus on prayer throughout our exchange and we were able to see some wonderful blessings.
Our new mission president, President James, is starting to make some changes to things and it has been really good. He is big on hard diligent work and I have really enjoyed the changes thus far. We have already started to see the blessings that come from obedience.
I was also able to learn a powerful lesson from the Stripling Warriors, as well. In Alma 57:25 it reads "And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds."
This verse made me think about trials. Sometimes we end up wounded or we may even faint from the loss of blood but if we faithfully endure and "obey with exactness" (Alma 57:21) we will be taken care of in the end.
Have a Great Week!
Love y'all!
Elder Harper
Last week was crazy fun! I started training a new missionary last Tuesday. His name is Elder Bleckner and he is 18, from Riverton, Utah, and he is awesome.
We got straight to work and we were able to get a lot done even with an abnormally busy week. I had a leadership training meeting I had to go to and after that we did exchanges with the assistants who are also in our district. I was with Elder Parker. We put a big focus on prayer throughout our exchange and we were able to see some wonderful blessings.
Our new mission president, President James, is starting to make some changes to things and it has been really good. He is big on hard diligent work and I have really enjoyed the changes thus far. We have already started to see the blessings that come from obedience.
I was also able to learn a powerful lesson from the Stripling Warriors, as well. In Alma 57:25 it reads "And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds."
This verse made me think about trials. Sometimes we end up wounded or we may even faint from the loss of blood but if we faithfully endure and "obey with exactness" (Alma 57:21) we will be taken care of in the end.
Have a Great Week!
Love y'all!
Elder Harper
Monday, August 10, 2015
Wake Forest - Week 7
Hey everyone!
Last week was a lot of fun! I am running a little short on time so I will just share a quick experience.
Last night we went to see Josh, our investigator getting baptized this Saturday, and we started to talk about the importance of a testimony and the importance of sharing that testimony. While we were talking we came to the realization that without a testimony, nothing else really matters. The temple, prophets, priesthood, it doesn't matter without the hope or a knowledge that it is true or that it can help you.
The Book of Mormon is at the center of everything! Over the last week I have spent a lot of time in the Book of Mormon. I know that it is true, and it can bring happiness into the life of anyone that reads it, at any moment, any day of the week, no matter how you are feeling.
Love y'all!
Elder Drake Harper
Last week was a lot of fun! I am running a little short on time so I will just share a quick experience.
Last night we went to see Josh, our investigator getting baptized this Saturday, and we started to talk about the importance of a testimony and the importance of sharing that testimony. While we were talking we came to the realization that without a testimony, nothing else really matters. The temple, prophets, priesthood, it doesn't matter without the hope or a knowledge that it is true or that it can help you.
The Book of Mormon is at the center of everything! Over the last week I have spent a lot of time in the Book of Mormon. I know that it is true, and it can bring happiness into the life of anyone that reads it, at any moment, any day of the week, no matter how you are feeling.
Love y'all!
Elder Drake Harper
Monday, August 3, 2015
Wake Forest - Week 6
Hey Everyone!
Last week was a good tough week and I loved it! I finally chopped down a big tree so I felt fulfilled. Oh, and we did a lot of good missionary work as well! We spent a lot of time knocking on doors, so we got to talk to a lot of people last week.
One thing that seems to be coming up more and more to me, is the importance of humility. In Luke 18:10-14 there is a parable that in a very condensed version reads: there was a prideful Pharisee that prayed in the temple and was grateful that he was better than other people. Afar off there was a humble publican that prayed and asked for mercy because he was a sinner. In verse 14, Christ says that the Pharisee must be humbled, and because the Publican was humble, he could be exalted.
This parable has been on my mind a lot lately. I have asked myself what can I do to be more humble. As we talked about this parable with a medically less active we got on the topic of covenants, specifically the priesthood covenant. As a priesthood holder, we covenant with God that we will serve His Children. Our focus for the last few days and this week is "pull an Ammon." I am super happy and I feel really optimistic. Anything hard or bad that happens just seems to get better, or will work itself out, as we focus on being humble and serving those around us.
We'll see what happens this week and I'll let y'all know next week! Love y'all!
Love,
Elder Harper
Last week was a good tough week and I loved it! I finally chopped down a big tree so I felt fulfilled. Oh, and we did a lot of good missionary work as well! We spent a lot of time knocking on doors, so we got to talk to a lot of people last week.
One thing that seems to be coming up more and more to me, is the importance of humility. In Luke 18:10-14 there is a parable that in a very condensed version reads: there was a prideful Pharisee that prayed in the temple and was grateful that he was better than other people. Afar off there was a humble publican that prayed and asked for mercy because he was a sinner. In verse 14, Christ says that the Pharisee must be humbled, and because the Publican was humble, he could be exalted.
This parable has been on my mind a lot lately. I have asked myself what can I do to be more humble. As we talked about this parable with a medically less active we got on the topic of covenants, specifically the priesthood covenant. As a priesthood holder, we covenant with God that we will serve His Children. Our focus for the last few days and this week is "pull an Ammon." I am super happy and I feel really optimistic. Anything hard or bad that happens just seems to get better, or will work itself out, as we focus on being humble and serving those around us.
We'll see what happens this week and I'll let y'all know next week! Love y'all!
Love,
Elder Harper
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| Elder Harper and his Tree! |
Monday, July 27, 2015
Wake Forest - Week 5
Hey everyone!
This week I wanted to write about love. It is the best thing we can have in our lives.
As missionaries we teach about how the Atonement is the central point of the gospel, which it is, but the Atonement, more than anything else, was an act of love. It was a planned by our loving Father in Heaven and carried out by our loving older brother so that we could all live together as a family "in a state of never ending happiness" (Mosiah 2:41).
Over the last week I have had a lot of opportunities to work on charity and love for those around me. Last week was one of the more frustrating weeks I have had, but it was all for the best. The talk "Lord, is it I?" by President Uchtdorf, came to mind. As I turned inward and searched deeply and honestly I found things I need to work on. As I tried to be more like the Savior in all that I did nothing really changed. Each day was just as frustrating as the day before. I was still exhausted, the situations were still frustrating, the work was still hard, people kept slamming doors in our face, but for whatever reason, I was different (totally the Spirit's fault). Because I was more willing to set aside my pride we were able teach a powerful lesson to an investigator that now wants to be baptized on the 15th of next month. Love y'all!
Love,
Elder Harper
This week I wanted to write about love. It is the best thing we can have in our lives.
As missionaries we teach about how the Atonement is the central point of the gospel, which it is, but the Atonement, more than anything else, was an act of love. It was a planned by our loving Father in Heaven and carried out by our loving older brother so that we could all live together as a family "in a state of never ending happiness" (Mosiah 2:41).
Over the last week I have had a lot of opportunities to work on charity and love for those around me. Last week was one of the more frustrating weeks I have had, but it was all for the best. The talk "Lord, is it I?" by President Uchtdorf, came to mind. As I turned inward and searched deeply and honestly I found things I need to work on. As I tried to be more like the Savior in all that I did nothing really changed. Each day was just as frustrating as the day before. I was still exhausted, the situations were still frustrating, the work was still hard, people kept slamming doors in our face, but for whatever reason, I was different (totally the Spirit's fault). Because I was more willing to set aside my pride we were able teach a powerful lesson to an investigator that now wants to be baptized on the 15th of next month. Love y'all!
Love,
Elder Harper
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| These top 2 pictures were sent by Brother Siemens, on the left. He was visiting NC from Idaho, and knows Elder Stephens Father. |
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| Elder Harper hit his 1 year mission mark on July 16, 2015. A kind family in their ward, The Howells, took them out for Ice Cream to celebrate!!! |
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| Elder Harper's Haircut!!! |
Monday, July 20, 2015
Wake Forest - Week 4
Hey everyone!
Last week was a blur. We worked super hard and it went way to fast!
One of my favorite parts of the week was Wednesday, when we went to do some service. I got to chop a couple of trees down with an axe. I really miss doing hard labor stuff like that, so that was kind of a tender mercy for me =D.
Now for the spiritual highlights. On Saturday we went to do some service for a less active member, who has some medical problems. He has been sick for the last 4 years and has been confined to his house for the most part. We shared a message with him before we started about the Atonement. He immediately started to tear up and told us that it meant everything to him. Then he opened to Matthew 11 and read versus 28 - 30:
"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Then he told us that his whole life he had read it and understood it that when we cast our burdens on Christ he takes them from us but he came to the realization that Christ is saying "take MY yoke upon YOU," and then we find rest for our souls." It was an extremely powerful lesson and reminder for me that our heart, might, mind, and strength need to be focused on him and as we take on his yoke we find that our own yoke is lighter and easier to carry.
Another Highlight was Sunday night. Our mission president held a fireside that we could bring our recent converts, less actives, and investigators to. We took our investigator Josh. He is 16 and a total stud! A family in the ward has been fellow shipping him for awhile now and he has been coming to church for a couple months. Recently he has started to have a desire to meet with the missionaries. We haven't been able to meet with him because of some scheduling conflicts. But he was able to come to the fireside with us. It was kind of a testimony meeting so whoever wanted could stand up and say something. Half way through he stood up and said he knew the Book of Mormon is true and that he wanted to get baptized. He is thinking about a date sometime in August.
The gospel is true and the confirming witness that comes from the spirit is undeniable. Love Y'all!
Love,
Elder Harper
Last week was a blur. We worked super hard and it went way to fast!
One of my favorite parts of the week was Wednesday, when we went to do some service. I got to chop a couple of trees down with an axe. I really miss doing hard labor stuff like that, so that was kind of a tender mercy for me =D.
Now for the spiritual highlights. On Saturday we went to do some service for a less active member, who has some medical problems. He has been sick for the last 4 years and has been confined to his house for the most part. We shared a message with him before we started about the Atonement. He immediately started to tear up and told us that it meant everything to him. Then he opened to Matthew 11 and read versus 28 - 30:
"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Then he told us that his whole life he had read it and understood it that when we cast our burdens on Christ he takes them from us but he came to the realization that Christ is saying "take MY yoke upon YOU," and then we find rest for our souls." It was an extremely powerful lesson and reminder for me that our heart, might, mind, and strength need to be focused on him and as we take on his yoke we find that our own yoke is lighter and easier to carry.
Another Highlight was Sunday night. Our mission president held a fireside that we could bring our recent converts, less actives, and investigators to. We took our investigator Josh. He is 16 and a total stud! A family in the ward has been fellow shipping him for awhile now and he has been coming to church for a couple months. Recently he has started to have a desire to meet with the missionaries. We haven't been able to meet with him because of some scheduling conflicts. But he was able to come to the fireside with us. It was kind of a testimony meeting so whoever wanted could stand up and say something. Half way through he stood up and said he knew the Book of Mormon is true and that he wanted to get baptized. He is thinking about a date sometime in August.
The gospel is true and the confirming witness that comes from the spirit is undeniable. Love Y'all!
Love,
Elder Harper
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| This is one of the trees we cut down, it's not very big but I am proud of it!!! |
Monday, July 13, 2015
Wake Forest - Week 3
Hey everyone!
Sorry I didn't get an email out last week, my companion got really sick and we couldn't really do anything... but this is a good summary of the last two weeks.
The Doctor told us Elder Stephens had Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease and was highly contagious. He told us we shouldn’t go out to see people because it spreads really easily. We were told that we needed to stay inside away from people but that people could bring stuff to the door. In this ward we get fed pretty much every night which is amazing! So we had members bringing us dinner every night. I asked a super awesome sister in the ward, Sister Howell if she could bring over some crafting supplies or some stuff I could play around with. She brought SO MUCH STUFF, I didn't know what to do with most of it, so I just built stuff out of cardboard.
I didn't get sick. which was a miracle, but we were both starting to get really depressed because we had been stuck inside for so long. We asked the Howells if we could go to their house and sit in their front yard for the day. After a day or two of that, I was getting way to sick of just sitting around, so I asked Sister Howell what I could help her with in her yard. I had a lot of fun with that. I helped set up a chicken coup, climbed some trees and had a really good time.
Then Sunday happened. After being stuck in the apartment for a week we saw some awesome miracles. Elder Bednar came to speak to the youth (not the missionaries). He spoke at the Apex Stake Center. Everyone who was going had to be there by 5:45 pm to be seated. We were pretty sad we couldn't go. Then at 4:45 we got a call from the Sister missionaries in our ward asking if we were going. We asked if we were even allowed to go. They said we could go if we had an investigator going with us. Our investigator Shawn, had left at 4 with the youth in the ward. So we could go, but we needed to leave immediately. We called the Howells, and asked their son Ronnie, who just got back from his mission a month ago, if he would take us down. He said yes. So we jumped in the car and drove very, very fast, and we got there right on time.
It was an awesome Q and A session. The entire time he just took questions and answered them. The "main theme" was listening to the spirit to learn and ask inspired questions. It was so amazing! Then afterward we met up with Shawn and he said he wanted to talk to us that night and he would give us a call. On the drive home we got a text from him saying "I have no doubts about the church, and I want to know what I need to do to be baptized." Ronnie, Elder Stephens, and I lost it! We instantly got super excited and were having our own little celebration on the way home.
It was a huge testimony builder for me. It was amazing to see that just by Shawn listening to an apostle speak for a couple hours all his concerns and questions were resolved.
Love Y'all!
Elder Harper
Sorry I didn't get an email out last week, my companion got really sick and we couldn't really do anything... but this is a good summary of the last two weeks.
The Doctor told us Elder Stephens had Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease and was highly contagious. He told us we shouldn’t go out to see people because it spreads really easily. We were told that we needed to stay inside away from people but that people could bring stuff to the door. In this ward we get fed pretty much every night which is amazing! So we had members bringing us dinner every night. I asked a super awesome sister in the ward, Sister Howell if she could bring over some crafting supplies or some stuff I could play around with. She brought SO MUCH STUFF, I didn't know what to do with most of it, so I just built stuff out of cardboard. I didn't get sick. which was a miracle, but we were both starting to get really depressed because we had been stuck inside for so long. We asked the Howells if we could go to their house and sit in their front yard for the day. After a day or two of that, I was getting way to sick of just sitting around, so I asked Sister Howell what I could help her with in her yard. I had a lot of fun with that. I helped set up a chicken coup, climbed some trees and had a really good time.
Then Sunday happened. After being stuck in the apartment for a week we saw some awesome miracles. Elder Bednar came to speak to the youth (not the missionaries). He spoke at the Apex Stake Center. Everyone who was going had to be there by 5:45 pm to be seated. We were pretty sad we couldn't go. Then at 4:45 we got a call from the Sister missionaries in our ward asking if we were going. We asked if we were even allowed to go. They said we could go if we had an investigator going with us. Our investigator Shawn, had left at 4 with the youth in the ward. So we could go, but we needed to leave immediately. We called the Howells, and asked their son Ronnie, who just got back from his mission a month ago, if he would take us down. He said yes. So we jumped in the car and drove very, very fast, and we got there right on time.
It was an awesome Q and A session. The entire time he just took questions and answered them. The "main theme" was listening to the spirit to learn and ask inspired questions. It was so amazing! Then afterward we met up with Shawn and he said he wanted to talk to us that night and he would give us a call. On the drive home we got a text from him saying "I have no doubts about the church, and I want to know what I need to do to be baptized." Ronnie, Elder Stephens, and I lost it! We instantly got super excited and were having our own little celebration on the way home.
It was a huge testimony builder for me. It was amazing to see that just by Shawn listening to an apostle speak for a couple hours all his concerns and questions were resolved.
Love Y'all!
Elder Harper
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