received 5/23/16

So this week has been crazy, i know its been a while but y'all will get some pictures this time. But first- the other day we had a miracle happen, we were working hard, had our Romanian investigator drop us, and we were just for some reason working in one specific area of Portland, and we were walking at the very end of the day, we passed by the Zapata house which is always empty and we saw a light on. so we decided to see how the family was doing. we knocked the door and they let us in and Bro Zapata asked "Did Bro. Thompson send y'all?" he didn't, we haven't seen bro Thompson for a week. "No, Why?" and Bro Zapata started to cry. He had been going through some stuff and his testimony was super frail. He texted Bro Thompson but he was super busy then we knocked on the door. So we helped him out. We hadn't seen the Zapata family for months but we had an awesome chance to help Bro. Zapata. So we had a good week.

the scripture I'm going to share with you is Mosiah 3:7 

-" 7 And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.
 8 And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, ... and his mother shall be called Mary."

"7 Y he aquí, sufrirá tentaciones, y dolor en el cuerpo, hambre, sed y fatiga, aún más de lo que el hombre puede sufrir sin morir; pues he aquí, la sangre le brotará de cada poro, tan grande será su angustia por la iniquidad y abominaciones de su pueblo. 8 Y se llamará Jesucristo, el Hijo de Dios,... y su madre se llamará María."

Me in a swamp

The pics are of some deer (a fawn buck and some does)

and me being a jedi

on exchanges in Rockport

Portland Mothers Day Edition

Screenshot during our Mother's Day FaceTime

Hey everyone so Portland is doing well this past week we got a few new investigators like Carla from Romania! pretty cool she speaks kinda soft and I'm just about deaf and can't ever hear her but oh well. 

This week is going to be crazy with "3 Day" going on in McAllen. So all the District and Zone Leaders are going down to McAllen. So I don't have too much time I just want to wish everyone a Happy Mothers Day(Feliz Dia de las Madres) and brag about having the best mom in the world so ya!

The spiritual thought of the week actually is one about our first Mother, Mother Eve. But for lack of time I would like to express my thanks to her for her transgression giving humanity to opportunity to gain a physical body you can read about it a little here https://www.ldsliving.com/5-Things-Every-Mormon-Should-Know-About-Mother-Eve/s/82043

hope y'all had an awesome Star Wars Day


Addition from Mom:
We received this video of Elder Harker celebrating 6 months out in the mission field.  It's a missionary tradition to burn a tie at 6month, a shirt at 1year, pants at 18months and a suit at the end.  Before anyone gets offended at the "waste" of clothes remember that these boys  young men wear their suits day in and day out and frequently they are worn through, especially at the knees. And wearing the same white shirts every day (I think we sent Jesh with 8 to start with) but still white doesn't stay white for long, especially in schweaty Texas.
Apparently Elder Packer was able to celebrate his 18 months at the same time.

One of the families that Elder Harker and Elder Packer have been working with posted the following pictures on Facebook.  I love that these boys thought of Rockie on Mother's Day.  Even more I love that they had a reason to.  I know the Birkey family has treated Elder Harker and Elder Packer very well and it means a lot, soo much to my mommy heart to know that he is being treated with so much love and kindness.

"No words can express my love and appreciation and gratitude to these angels of mine (ours). I am so proud of them and what they accomplish everyday. They will always be a part of our family and in our hearts forever. We love these Mormon Missionaries. Elder Packer and Elder Harker are amazing souls. Y'all rock!!

-Rockie ️🏼"

6 months out--(no mass email)

No mass email this week...so just a little bit of some of what he shared with us.

Well things are going good, skyping sunday. last week i was in The Cut with Elder Hurst. Ghetto Corpus. Found out that Katrina really moved a lot of people around!  The Cut is the projects/ghettoville part of Corpus

So the daily schedual for ya'alls:

6:30-arise workout for 30 mins

7:00-prep for day

8:00-personal study

9:00-Comp. study

10:00-Spanish study

11:00-lunch hour

12:00--9:00 proselytize, visit members, etc.

Mondays, Thurs, Sat, are in Corpus

Tues-Thurs are exchanges

Tues are district meeting days

Thurs/Sat Zone meeting, role plays, and activities in Corpus

Weather has been hot. 97degrees

I have learned in my sojourn here in Texas that Missionaries love deep doctrine and that the one third of souls are working hard against the saints here, we had to go bless a house the other day. I will write about that later but we got to go so I'll let y'all go.  Have a great week!

Elder Harker and Elder Sanchez -- with Sister Wagstaff

3rd Transfer in Portland

So I'm staying in Portland, however Elder Davis (ZL) got transferred to Laredo North, but guess who replaced him as Zone Leader? Elder Eisenhut from Laredo North! So Zone meetings should be super fun this transfer! 

Elder Packer and I will both be staying in Portland

We also all went down to McAllen yesterday for a meeting, and the presiding speaker was Elder Holland from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles! He spoke a ton on the Holy Ghost and how we need to have a greater understanding of the Spirit in our lives, we can't have Christ in front of us in the flesh so we need the Spirit the next best thing. 

Dont have too much time today so Hope you all have a good week and I suggest everyone to take a look at 3 Nephi chapter 11. 

Transfer Update

Hey y'all sorry for not emailing the past few times things have been gettin pretty crazy over here. 

We have been super busy and have been working with the Birkey family, they are getting ready for prom for the 3 Birkey girls and the dad has just finished a course with OSHA to find a job as a safety inspector with the oil companies. The low prices on oil has devastated jobs here. Anyways the Birkey's are super sad right now because their favorite missionaries are getting transfer news today!!!! We may leave or stay we don't know.  So ya but we have been having fun with them, last night we watched the dad and son run around whipping each other with towels, their puppy Sophia (during the commotion) grabbed up an army blanket in her mouth and tried to join in. We have a family night tonightwith the Birkeys and the Dements so that should be fun. 

___so Elders Davis and Duerst just came up to us-------WE are both STAYING!!!!!! So this means I will also be giving a talk in church on Mother's Day!

A meaningful scripture I wanted to share is Alma 60: 21

21 _Or do ye suppose that the Lord will still deliver us, while we sit upon our thrones and do not make use of the means which the Lord has provided for us?

21_ ¿O suponéis que el Señor aún nos librará mientras nosotros nos sentamos sobre nuestros tronos sin hacer uso de los medios que el Señor ha dispuesto para nosotros?

Something that hit me with this scripture is we can sit around and expect to be blest especialmente  when we don't use our tools in front of us. The Lord won't help us out if we don't help ourselves out. Anyways keep striving to bring God into ya'alls lives more often.  
You'll hear from me next week! 
-Elder HarKer

Pictures that Elder Harker sent on 4/11/16"

"I made a new friend"

a new name tag

"me and Elder Sanchez"

a castle I'm drawing

a new Texas mission flag I drew

me and a pigeon

Hello Everyone (3/28/16)

Well this Easter week was pretty crazy, after going on an exchange up to Rockport, i caught a cold, and so did my companion, right as all the members went to the ward campout up to Lake Texana. So the Devil was trying to Party down here. Not much happened we are still teaching Rockie and her husband and the family. They have all been sick on and off as well, we have been teaching them about the meaning of Easter and have been really bonding with the family. well i will have more to talk about next week! till then -Elder HarKer

P.S. Best wishes to the Elders and Sisters in the Paris, France Mission, Je me souviens!!!

The sweet Gutierrez family posted pics of Elders Harker and Packer.  The Gutierrez fam are from Sinton and came to either Portland or Corpus Cristi to find Elder Packer (He was part of their conversion last year)