Hey y'all! I think I'm pickin' up a bit of an accent.... I was listening to myself talk and it didn't sound like it's supposed to.
Anyway, last week was nuts. We did two exchanges and we had a Zone Conference. I got to go with Elder Lindley and Elder Strong the next day. With Elder Strong we found this great family and the mom said we could come back on Friday. We exchanged back, and when Elder Strong and Elder Bleckner went back on Friday, the dad was outside waiting for them and yelled at them and told them to never come back.... so that was pretty sa,d but we all laughed about it. In the end all we can do is keep going and enduring and keep trying.
A quote that I have enjoyed lately is "The foundation of your happiness depends on how you make sense of the world." Because it is true! When bad things happen and we decide that means we have to be sad or stay where that put us, then we will be sad or we will be unhappy with where we are. So we need to choose to be happy and choose to love those around us and choose to change our lives and those around us for the better.
Then Thursday we got to go to Duke Gardens with a ton of missionaries. It was pretty fun to look at flowers and stuff. I made friends with a caterpillar. Just thought I would share.
Love y'all! Have a great week!
Elder Harper
Monday, April 18, 2016
Monday, April 11, 2016
Garner - Week 5
Hey Y'all!
Last week was pretty long... the last couple weeks have been really long just because there has been so much going on. Last week we had a zone training meeting. It was all based on poems that related to different topics. My favorite was "The Touch of the Master's hand."
’Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile:
“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”
“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two?
Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three—” But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?”
And he held it up with the bow.
“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?
Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone!” said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
“We do not quite understand
What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply:
“The touch of a master’s hand.”
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine,
A game—and he travels on.
He’s “going” once, and “going” twice,
He’s “going” and almost “gone.”
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought
By the touch of the Master’s hand.
Then on Thursday we had the Director of Proselyting from the Church's Missionary Department come to visit and instruct us, which meant a 7 hour meeting, but it was awesome! I wish he would have come like a year ago, but it was great none the less. He basically taught us how to be really, really good missionaries.
Over the last couple days we have had powerful experiences applying what he taught us. So tying back into the poem, even I, who have been a missionary for... awhile, I can still change and grow and become better and so can everyone we meet on the street, at their door, in a restaurant, etc. Everyone is a child of God and can experience the Atonement in their lives if we are willing to share it with them.
Another Talk that seriously impacted Elder Brown and I this past week, "Following Christ to Victory" by Hartman Recktor Jr. He gives 5 steps to seeing miracles in your life. In the talk he relates it to missionary work but it can be applied in a lot of ways.
1) believe in yourself
2) look to the lord for your blessing
3) make the sacrifice
4) expect a miracle
5) receive the miracle with great humility.
This led us to an awesome experience on Tuesday. This was my favorite part of the week fo' sho'. Like a month ago we met a lady named Gennia. We set a return appointment but it never worked out, so we stopped by last week to see her and she said we could come back on Tuesday night. We took Brother Daughenbaugh with us, who is our ward mission leader and a convert of about 4 years. Gennia has a special needs son Ethan and another son Gavin, 8 (He loves to play basketball and loves that Elder Brown and I can dunk on his hoop (it is only like 7 and a half feet)). We shared the Restoration with Gennia and her boys and her friend Ches. The Spirit was great and at the end Gennia said, "We have to get going but we really want to continue this conversation." So we are going back tonight. Then after we finished we helped move her couches out so she could get new ones. While we were waiting for the guys to load the couches into the truck Gavin wanted to play basket ball. And while we were playing basketball Ches was talking to brother Daughenbaugh about how good she felt while we were teaching and he explained that it was the Spirit telling her what we said is true. It was a great tender mercy / miracle.
Love y'all!
Last week was pretty long... the last couple weeks have been really long just because there has been so much going on. Last week we had a zone training meeting. It was all based on poems that related to different topics. My favorite was "The Touch of the Master's hand."
’Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile:
“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”
“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two?
Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three—” But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?”
And he held it up with the bow.
“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?
Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone!” said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
“We do not quite understand
What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply:
“The touch of a master’s hand.”
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine,
A game—and he travels on.
He’s “going” once, and “going” twice,
He’s “going” and almost “gone.”
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought
By the touch of the Master’s hand.
Then on Thursday we had the Director of Proselyting from the Church's Missionary Department come to visit and instruct us, which meant a 7 hour meeting, but it was awesome! I wish he would have come like a year ago, but it was great none the less. He basically taught us how to be really, really good missionaries.
Over the last couple days we have had powerful experiences applying what he taught us. So tying back into the poem, even I, who have been a missionary for... awhile, I can still change and grow and become better and so can everyone we meet on the street, at their door, in a restaurant, etc. Everyone is a child of God and can experience the Atonement in their lives if we are willing to share it with them.
Another Talk that seriously impacted Elder Brown and I this past week, "Following Christ to Victory" by Hartman Recktor Jr. He gives 5 steps to seeing miracles in your life. In the talk he relates it to missionary work but it can be applied in a lot of ways.
1) believe in yourself
2) look to the lord for your blessing
3) make the sacrifice
4) expect a miracle
5) receive the miracle with great humility.
This led us to an awesome experience on Tuesday. This was my favorite part of the week fo' sho'. Like a month ago we met a lady named Gennia. We set a return appointment but it never worked out, so we stopped by last week to see her and she said we could come back on Tuesday night. We took Brother Daughenbaugh with us, who is our ward mission leader and a convert of about 4 years. Gennia has a special needs son Ethan and another son Gavin, 8 (He loves to play basketball and loves that Elder Brown and I can dunk on his hoop (it is only like 7 and a half feet)). We shared the Restoration with Gennia and her boys and her friend Ches. The Spirit was great and at the end Gennia said, "We have to get going but we really want to continue this conversation." So we are going back tonight. Then after we finished we helped move her couches out so she could get new ones. While we were waiting for the guys to load the couches into the truck Gavin wanted to play basket ball. And while we were playing basketball Ches was talking to brother Daughenbaugh about how good she felt while we were teaching and he explained that it was the Spirit telling her what we said is true. It was a great tender mercy / miracle.
Love y'all!
Elder Harper
Monday, April 4, 2016
Garner - Week 4
Hey y'all!
Hope y'all had a wonderful conference weekend and found answers to your questions.
This last week was very long actually. We were able to go to the temple this last Wednesday and I LOVED it! I miss not being able to go to the temple all the time. Temples are such a blessing and bring so much peace.
I have had one scripture keep coming to mind Gal. 6:9 "... let us not be weary in well doing..." This last week is summed up in that simple phrase. We should never get tired of doing good. No one likes to be miserable or alone and especially unloved, not even Satan, but he can't have a fullness of joy so he seeks to take away everyone's happiness.
Last week we did a lot of knocking and it was awesome to see the joy and the peace that the Book of Mormon brought to people. When we started talking to people they would say, "Sorry guys I'm really not interested." and we would respond with our testimonies of the joy and peace that the Book of Mormon can bring and suddenly they had a desire to learn more.
The power of the Spirit is amazing. He will testify of truth. He will carry us through our sorrows. He will unfold the joys and beauties of the gospel before us according to our desires to have them. So be happy and share that joy with others that have either lost it, are losing it, or haven't had a chance to discover it.
I love you all.
Elder Harper
Hope y'all had a wonderful conference weekend and found answers to your questions.
This last week was very long actually. We were able to go to the temple this last Wednesday and I LOVED it! I miss not being able to go to the temple all the time. Temples are such a blessing and bring so much peace.
I have had one scripture keep coming to mind Gal. 6:9 "... let us not be weary in well doing..." This last week is summed up in that simple phrase. We should never get tired of doing good. No one likes to be miserable or alone and especially unloved, not even Satan, but he can't have a fullness of joy so he seeks to take away everyone's happiness.
Last week we did a lot of knocking and it was awesome to see the joy and the peace that the Book of Mormon brought to people. When we started talking to people they would say, "Sorry guys I'm really not interested." and we would respond with our testimonies of the joy and peace that the Book of Mormon can bring and suddenly they had a desire to learn more.
The power of the Spirit is amazing. He will testify of truth. He will carry us through our sorrows. He will unfold the joys and beauties of the gospel before us according to our desires to have them. So be happy and share that joy with others that have either lost it, are losing it, or haven't had a chance to discover it.
I love you all.
Elder Harper
Monday, March 28, 2016
Garner - Week 3
Hey y'all!
Last week was a blast! I got to go on an exchange with a baby missionary, Elder McNeil. We laughed about everything the whole time and some times for no reason at all. One comical moment: We were driving and approaching a stop light that was red. There was also a chair in the middle of the lane. So being the good-hearted missionaries we are, we stopped and picked it up. Then the joke of the exchange became, "why is there a chair in our backseat!?" or some variation on that. Hopefully that mental image brings you some joy.
I got this last week and I thought I would share it:
Invictus
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
William Ernest Henley
Super good poem. I applied it to this life and having unconquerable faith.
Love y'all!
Elder Harper
Last week was a blast! I got to go on an exchange with a baby missionary, Elder McNeil. We laughed about everything the whole time and some times for no reason at all. One comical moment: We were driving and approaching a stop light that was red. There was also a chair in the middle of the lane. So being the good-hearted missionaries we are, we stopped and picked it up. Then the joke of the exchange became, "why is there a chair in our backseat!?" or some variation on that. Hopefully that mental image brings you some joy.
I got this last week and I thought I would share it:
Invictus
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
William Ernest Henley
Super good poem. I applied it to this life and having unconquerable faith.
Love y'all!
Elder Harper
Monday, March 21, 2016
Garner - Week 2
Hey y'all!
Miracle story: Friday night we felt we had the faith to find a family of 3, so we prayed to be guided to them. Saturday we found them! Viera (Mom), Deshawn (15), and Aries (12). We primarily taught the boys but Viera came in at the end. They are awesome! We weren't able to get them to church this week but hopefully next week!
Awesome story: Last Sunday we taught a man named Donald. We had a great restoration lesson with him and he invited us back the following Sunday (yesterday) and he was going to invite his lady friend. Yesterday we went back and taught them both and we (the Spirit) KILLED IT! We taught a very spirit guided lesson from 3 Nephi 11 which gave us a very firm foundation to teach the lady friend the restoration and give Donald a refresh.
Somethin learned: I went on exchange with an Elder that is like a two year old. He is twenty and functions completely normal but he is truly like a child. Very genuine, kind, and humble.
"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." (Mosiah 3:19)
Love y'all!
Elder Harper
Miracle story: Friday night we felt we had the faith to find a family of 3, so we prayed to be guided to them. Saturday we found them! Viera (Mom), Deshawn (15), and Aries (12). We primarily taught the boys but Viera came in at the end. They are awesome! We weren't able to get them to church this week but hopefully next week!
Awesome story: Last Sunday we taught a man named Donald. We had a great restoration lesson with him and he invited us back the following Sunday (yesterday) and he was going to invite his lady friend. Yesterday we went back and taught them both and we (the Spirit) KILLED IT! We taught a very spirit guided lesson from 3 Nephi 11 which gave us a very firm foundation to teach the lady friend the restoration and give Donald a refresh.
Somethin learned: I went on exchange with an Elder that is like a two year old. He is twenty and functions completely normal but he is truly like a child. Very genuine, kind, and humble.
"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." (Mosiah 3:19)
Love y'all!
Elder Harper
Monday, March 14, 2016
Garner - Week 1
Hey y'all!
So this last week was a little crazy. I got transferred to Garner, which is just outside Raleigh. I am now with Elder Brown, he is a good ol' farm boy from Idaho. So far we have been lovin' life. We have been out the same amount of time so we like to think we have a little experience under our belts, but when it really comes down to it we just wing it and the Spirit carries us to where we need to be.
On Wednesday I was on exchange with my Boy, Elder Bleckner. It was a ton of fun to be together again. I wasn't in my area or with my companion for my first day herem so that was a little weird.
Then Thursday, Elder Brown and I found a man named Donald. We knocked on his door and he told us to come back on Sunday.
Friday night one of Elder Brown's converts from the beginning of his mission went to the temple to take out his own endowment. We were able to go to that. I miss being able to go to the temple all the time.
Sunday, back to Donald. He had met with missionaries a couple years ago. He remembered the book of Mormon but had never read any of it. We showed up, he let us in and we taught him the restoration. At the end of the lesson he said something like, "I can't believe you got me readin’ and prayin’ about this book." Haha!!! We are going to see him next Sunday and he is going to bring his lady friend who wants to be more than a friend. He is super awesome and we are excited to go back to see him.
That was our week in a nutshell. Love y'all!
Love,
Elder Harper
So this last week was a little crazy. I got transferred to Garner, which is just outside Raleigh. I am now with Elder Brown, he is a good ol' farm boy from Idaho. So far we have been lovin' life. We have been out the same amount of time so we like to think we have a little experience under our belts, but when it really comes down to it we just wing it and the Spirit carries us to where we need to be.
On Wednesday I was on exchange with my Boy, Elder Bleckner. It was a ton of fun to be together again. I wasn't in my area or with my companion for my first day herem so that was a little weird.
Then Thursday, Elder Brown and I found a man named Donald. We knocked on his door and he told us to come back on Sunday.
Friday night one of Elder Brown's converts from the beginning of his mission went to the temple to take out his own endowment. We were able to go to that. I miss being able to go to the temple all the time.
Sunday, back to Donald. He had met with missionaries a couple years ago. He remembered the book of Mormon but had never read any of it. We showed up, he let us in and we taught him the restoration. At the end of the lesson he said something like, "I can't believe you got me readin’ and prayin’ about this book." Haha!!! We are going to see him next Sunday and he is going to bring his lady friend who wants to be more than a friend. He is super awesome and we are excited to go back to see him.
That was our week in a nutshell. Love y'all!
Love,
Elder Harper
Monday, March 7, 2016
Fort Bragg/Fayetteville - Week 18
Hey Y'all,
So, Miracle story, Spiritual experience, and lots of pictures for today!
Miracle Story- Elder Wion and I were out knocking on doors when we had a prompting to go to some apartments on the opposite side of town. Needless to say we followed it. The second door we knocked on, a HUGE black man answered. As soon as he opened his mouth it was clear he was just a big ol' teddy bear. He let us in after some persuasion. We sat down and shared a beautiful restoration lesson with him. Elder Wion went for the baptismal invite and he accepted! He didn't come to church but we set an appointment for tomorrow.
Spiritual Experience- On Tuesday I went on exchange with Elder Rose. It was a great exchange mostly because Elder Rose is just an amazing person, but also because I got to do a baptismal interview with Dougie. The Spirit was awesome. He was so ready. It was just a huge tender mercy. At the end of the interview I got to pray for him and that was my favorite part. The spirit just flooded the room and testified of what he was doing was right and that the gospel is completely true.
See Pictures Below-
Have a great week!
Love y'all,
Elder Harper
So, Miracle story, Spiritual experience, and lots of pictures for today!
Miracle Story- Elder Wion and I were out knocking on doors when we had a prompting to go to some apartments on the opposite side of town. Needless to say we followed it. The second door we knocked on, a HUGE black man answered. As soon as he opened his mouth it was clear he was just a big ol' teddy bear. He let us in after some persuasion. We sat down and shared a beautiful restoration lesson with him. Elder Wion went for the baptismal invite and he accepted! He didn't come to church but we set an appointment for tomorrow.
Spiritual Experience- On Tuesday I went on exchange with Elder Rose. It was a great exchange mostly because Elder Rose is just an amazing person, but also because I got to do a baptismal interview with Dougie. The Spirit was awesome. He was so ready. It was just a huge tender mercy. At the end of the interview I got to pray for him and that was my favorite part. The spirit just flooded the room and testified of what he was doing was right and that the gospel is completely true.
See Pictures Below-
Have a great week!
Love y'all,
Elder Harper
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| Elder Wion hard at work! |
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| Elder Rose and Elder Harper |
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| Elder Harper in his Lava Lava with the Volavolas |
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