I FEEL that the LORD is CONTENT and HAS ACCEPTED OUR OFFERING....

First off, so you can stop worrying, my camera was found! It had apparently fallen out of my bag in a restaurant we always eat in and they found it and gave it back to me! There really are still nice honorable people in Ecuador!

This week has just been a crazy roller coaster. So we received a bunch of references from people. We contacted them all, had some crazy good potential people who we were so hopeful would progress.....and then Sunday rolls around and when we go to get everyone they act like we are crazy for thinking they would go to church with us, even though they had all committed to going earlier in the week. Ecuadorians, I tell ya. So we are all sad (and in my companions case, angry since that's how Latinas roll) and we pull up to church in our empty, other than us, taxi and President's car is parked out front....I freaked out. We were going to be showing up with literally nobody. In Naranjal, where the work is going like crazy, not acceptable. 

So we still had 10 min, so what did I decide to do beside the begrudgingness of my companion?Knock on the door of every house on the street behind our capilla to try and find someone who wants to go to church. I was praying so hard that there would at least be one person who would accept our invitation. and you know what? Not one of them came. But do you know what else? I felt so good and satisfied for having given the Lord my all up to the very last minute that church started. And although we walked in the door with empty hands, the Lord blessed us with 4 investigadores attending sacrament meeting. 

A recent convert we have been visiting brought her son, his wife, and their 10 yr old daughter. They aren't married for real and he drinks a lot, so they can't really progress right now. But I know they felt the spirit and it was a big blessing for the recent convert Hermana to have them go with her as she has been having problems in the home. And then another member who we work with had invited a co-worker to church earlier in the week and he showed up alone. Even the member was surprised he showed up! haha So hopefully we can start teaching him. 

But even though we don't have any investigators progressing right now, other than the Lucero family, who if all goes well will be baptized this week, I feel that the Lord is content and has accepted our offering. And regardless, Eduardo was confirmed in sacrament meeting cause he had gotten baptized the day before!!! wooo!! I'll send pics for sure. He is stalwart.  His member girlfriend, Hermana Olga, didn't even show up, but it didn't faze him at all. He was just like well, that's ok. I know it's what I need to do and I want to be baptized whether she's here or not. SO AWESOME!! He has such a strong testimony of prayer and the Book of Mormon it's insane. 

So had to go to Guayaquil again today to talk with President about my skin. He didn't say anything for sure, but he implied that he might transfer me because of my skin. But honestly, even though it's killing me I haven't let it affect the work. If I have transfers because the Lord says my time in Naranjal is up, then so be it. I accept it.  But I would hate to have transfers just because of my skin. I feel like I have so much unfinished work here, especially with the Young Women and with the Lucero family, my first complete family. I will seriously cry and cry if I get transfer calls tonight. So please pray I will be kept here till at least next week!! But I guess I will have to be ok with whatever happens. 

Well I think that's all for now. I have learned a lot this week about dealing with trials and accepting that the Lord gives us them to make us stronger. Something I learn more about and gain a deeper testimony of every day! HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!! sounds and looks like you all had fun at Sano. Miss those days. Love and thanks to all of those who write me! Until next time....

Love from Naranjal,  Hermana Harper

I SCREAM, TURN AROUND & SEE a RAT FLYING THROUGH the AIR

Well Fam it has been a long interesting week,

I've been sick for a lot of it so not much happened. Stupid bacteria and parasites gotta stay outta my system! haha And on top of that, I went to Guayaquil Thursday to see a doctor. She tried telling me my Aquaphor causes cancer? Ya, the health system is not so reliable here. Later met with President and the nurses in his office. I have more creams and pills but nothing is doing anything. But on the bright side, I found out that eczema is also called atopic dermatitis. Sounds more official, no? Well my atopic dermatitis is eating me alive. I feel like I'm more red than white! So lots of health stuff this week. But hey, a cool thing is that President was already planning on going to Naranjal so when we finished up at the office, we got to drive back with him in his nice air conditioned car and not in the smelly bus! So that was a plus, and he even treated us to lunch. haha

Ancelmos and Nancy didn't get baptized. Nancy says she wants to but she can't right now and says she can't tell us why. Super mysterious and vague but what can you do? The girl has her free agency. and Ancelmo keeps dodging us so I just don't think he wants to, but he's Ecuadorian so he can't just tell us that like a normal person. So that was a huge letdown this week, and a little discouraging, but life moves on. 

I'm feeling really confident about our baptism this week. Eduardo Cuello. He's a great guy and has been enduring despite all the trials. Not sure if I mentioned his background before but basically there are members in the church who like hate him and don't want him there because he is dating their brother's ex wife....which is stupid cause their brother cheated on her and it's his fault they got divorced. and now Olga, the girl he's dating, wants to break up to not cause problems with the family of her children. It's really sad cause he's like so in love with her and so good to her and it's just so sad. Olga was really surprised when Eduardo still showed up to church on Sunday despite all the controversy going on, which just proves that he's doing this for his salvation and not just for her! He already has a strong testimony and prays and reads the Book of Mormon by himself all the time. He's like halfway through it! It's crazy. 

The family Lucero will either be baptized this week or the 31st. Their fechas are for the 31st, but we have a branch temple trip on the 30th!!! So we are gonna teach about temples and animate them and encourage them to do it sooner so they can go to the temple! We will see how it goes. But I love the Lucero family so much. I have felt from the very first time we met them that they have potential to be a strong stalwart family in the church here in Naranjal. :) 

Funny story of the week: we were standing in the kitchen at night and Hermana Nazer was microwaving something and I was talking to her. She was telling me something random about her Swedish grandma and all of a sudden she screams in English there's a rat in the house! and I scream and turn around and see a rat flying through the air, landing on the floor and running under my companion's leg, who was sitting at her desk, and then disappearing into the other room. We never did find the rat....nasty creatures. But it was pretty funny, even though the latinas didn't understand, they could tell something was wrong and started freaking out too. haha

Also, I think my camera is lost. Long story short, we almost caught, killed, and ate iguana one day at a member's house but then it rained so we couldn't. But I had my camera with me to take pics of the iguana experience, and even had it out at their house to be prepared for the iguana before the rain started and ruined our plans. I'm like 90% positive it got left at their house. We left in a hurry because we had wasted so much time there already. My zone leaders called them and they said it's not there. I'm planning on stopping by myself tonight to look for it.  Pray that when I go over I will find it. I've been way stressed about it for these past few days :/

Well that's all i got. Hna Yñonan has 17 Miracles so we watched it today on pday. Always makes me cry. Shout out to all of the pioneers. Enserio, when compared to all of their hardships and trials, all that they endured and suffered, what I'm doing here in Ecuador is NOTHING. It's a good reminder and always very humbling as well. So grateful for them and all they did for the church. I know the church is true. There is not a doubt in my mind of that. If there was, I wouldn't be here in Ecuador on a mission, just as the saints wouldn't have trekked across the plains if they had doubts in their minds of the truthfulness of this gospel. This work is  the work of the Lord; it is greater than us. Even though it can be hard, I'm so grateful to have been given this opportunity to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord for this short amount of time in my life. Love you all, until next time....

Hermana Harper

He Actually Thinks he is Jesus and it's so Weird...

Mother's Day Skype

Familyyyyy,

Well once again Happy Mothers Day to my sweet mommy :) It was so awesome talking to you guys yesterday but it seriously feels like a dream or something and that it didn't even happen. A whole hour but yet what did we even talk about? don't even know. haha But it was nice to feel for an hour like we were all hanging out talking around the kitchen table like it normally is in the Harper household and that my fam is still as weird as ever ;) love it. Can't wait to do it for real in 7 months. 

So this week was a blur, as with the transfers the week before evreything got mixed up a little. I can't remember if I told you that my new comp was just in the other companionship of sisters here in Naranjal so she just had to change rooms...and investigators. haha and then Hermana Nazer came to be with her companion. 

So as I already mentioned during Skype we had the first branch conference here in Naranjal as Elder Uceda has officially declared us a real branch. So we are finally recognized by church headquarters! haha But I think I already told you guys that. For the conference President Torres and his family came and spoke. But since it was Mothers Day the church attendance was really low because here everyone drinks and parties on Mothers Day while the mom cooks up a bunch of food for everyone. go figure, right? haha So that was a let down. 

Our investigator J, who I may or may not have told you about was totally drunk when we went over there to get him for church and that's like the 4th week in a row that has happened. It makes me really sad. Especially since we have really spiritual lessons with him and I can see in his eyes that he really wants to change but he still gives in to temptation every time it's presented to him. Seriously so sad the amount of people Satan has control over. The Second Coming really is so near. Any second now Christ is gonna come again I'm telling you. 

But the Lucero family is doing well and so is Eduardo. (not sure if I've told you about these people.) Nancy and Ancelmos are still mas o menos so we shall see if they get baptized this week or not. I really hope they do. They both want to but they are both just scared. So pray for them! 

Funny story of the week. There was this weird crazy dude dressed as Jesus who went aroud setting up shop to preach the word in differnet parts of town. One time he set up right outside  our apartment so I took some pics out the window. He actually thinks he is Jesus and it's so weird. We didn't talk to him though cause we didn't wanna start anything. haha

Well honestly since we just talked I don't think I got much else for you...oh but I think I forgot to tell you guys yesterday that I am now the Young Woman's President! haha They even announced my name when they read through all the presidency stuff how they always do in ward conferences and stuff. so lolz. Oh and they had to put my records here to do it so now I officially don't exist in the Las Flores ward, so that's weird. haha

Alright, well it sounds like you all had a fun 5 de Mayo! Keep on updating me on the California adventures being had back on the home front. Want to hear from all of you! I pretty much now only get letters from Mom, Dad, Grandma, Izzie and most of the time Riley. and some of my missionary friends and home-forwards. All of my other friends have bailed on me. cool beans. but that's ok. We have the atonement so you should all repent and write me next week if you're even reading this ;) I know this gospel is true and that Christ is our savior. Apply the principles to the gospel to your life on a daily basis and you will be happier and you will be blessed!! This I promise and leave all of my love in the sacred name of Jesus the Christ amen :)

Love from Naranjal,   Hermana Harper

Hermana Nazer's Birthday

Getting a little emotional when it was time to say goodbye

SO BEAUTIFUL......

Hey fam, literally no time so here are some bullet points:

Hermana Herrera had transfers. I'm still here in Naranjal and they told me Hermana Nazer and I were going to be companions, Hermana leaders together. Needless to say I was stoked! Well Hna Nazer is here and we are Hermana leaders of Naranjal together but we aren't companions :( They broke us up with the 2 hermanaas that are already here. So I'm now with Hna Arizala and Hna Nazer is with Hna Ynoñan. crazy stuff.

Isela got baptized!!! So beautiful. There's a mini waterfall where we do it. It was dusk though so the pictures are kinda dark and blurry but oh well. Ancelmo didn't because he lacked a church attendance but I know that he will be soon! I also hope Anncy will soon too! 

These pictures are with a new family we found, the Lucero family. They are so awesome! I'll tell you more about them next week :) but it was the daughter's birthday so we made a cake it was fun. :)

See  you Sunday for Mother's Day!    Love Hermana Harper