It has been a really fun week. I know that I just emailed everything on Thursday, but I can't remember exactly what I did and didn't say... But yeah! This past week was highlighted by a new challenge given from President Felix, my first exchange as a District Leader, and giving my first talk in Sacrament Meeting as a missionary!
So, we have been teaching this guy named Dan... Kinda. He's really awesome, super ready to get baptized, but smokes. And he has bailed out on two lessons since I have been here. So that's no bueno. He also doesn't come to church, so we are thinking about dropping him. He may need a little reflection period to figure out if he really wants this. We are going to counsel about it and come to a decision sometime this week. We have also been teaching Don a lot this week! He was progressing nicely. until we met with him last night and he told us that he does the things we commit him to do out of common courtesy to Elder Hunter and I, and only because he likes us. So we had a kind of "Our Purpose" lesson with him and talked about his concerns with the Book of Mormon and Bible. It is interesting. I have never taught somebody who doesn't have faith in Jesus Christ or God, and who doesn't like reading from the Book of Mormon or the Bible. He has been making a lot of progress, has been praying every day since Friday, which is a HUGE step, so we talked to him about receiving our answers from the scriptures. He's a really great guy, worked for Disney animation for 17 years and knows all of these famous people! Really kind, and totally has the potential and the desire to know of these things to be true, we are just trying to kindle a desire other than that of pleasing us.
On Friday, we had Zone Meeting. It was awesome! Elder Hubbard is still in my zone, so I got to see him then! It was a nice reunion. Sounds like Solvang is still doing really well! During the Zone Meeting, we talked about our Zone Goal to find the souls that angels are preparing for us to find! It is awesome. I am super excited as we focus primarily on finding these next 5 weeks. President Felix has asked that we meet a goal he has set for the mission, and that is that each companionship talk to 50 different people during a week. Walking in between lessons, tracting, just contacting 50 people every week! I am super excited to step out of my comfort zone and reach this goal. We have been promised that we will find new people to teach, and that it will help our areas to flourish. Needless to say, I am freaking pumped! My District is going to absolutely kill this thing.
Then on Saturday, I went on exchanges with Elder Campbell, one of the Zone Leaders, and went to the YSA Ward! It was awesome. We walked around the university campus and talked with EVERYONE. We made 26 contacts in one day! It was super cool. Him and I probably had way too much fun, but we both absolutely loved it! I learned a lot about really putting myself out there and really stretching my capabilities. I am really going to have to do that in order to become a better and better missionary each day!
So, on Friday I was asked to give a last minute talk on anything I wanted from Preach My Gospel, and I chose to do it on.... The Sabbath Day. I think it was an awesome first impression for the Ward I am serving in, and I was able to get down on their level a bit, talking about how I wasn't the best at keeping the Sabbath Day holy while I was at home. Dad, I told them the story about the game that I went to play in Cowichan, and that Sunday you were giving a talk on The Sabbath Day. Everyone thought that was pretty funny! I learned a lot about my own Sabbath Day Observance, even as a missionary. Making sure that I am keeping my thoughts pointing to Christ and His Atonement, and making sure not to think of the day as a list of "Thou Shalt Not's." But actually thinking of it as everything I am able to set time aside for. THAT is what makes the Sabbath a delight. Then, we also were asked to teach a lesson on The Plan of Salvation in Priests Quorum, and that went well! We had them practice teaching it to a friend, and then gave them a challenge to hand out a pamphlet during the next week! We will see how that goes. It was a great first Sunday in the Ward though!
Sounds like you all had a eventful week... My teeth are doing well! They are the whitest I have ever seen them! Gotta brush every morning and every night :) And thinking about my contacts, I think maybe we could just go with the negative prescription. I can wear my glasses more once I get them, it's hard to right now because I have two different prescriptions. My eyes are used to my contact prescription, and then I go to the more powerful one and they don't like that. Neither does my head. So maybe I should just get used to the more powerful one? I don't know. Jameson is funny. We went into primary for a little bit yesterday, and they all sang us Scripture Power... gosh. I was SO close to losing it in front of everyone. Such power behind the words that these children sing and know. Sounds like Dad has had some fun too! Dad, I do know that song! I actually sang that first part right away instead of reading it normally. Too funny!
Well, everything else is going well! We have some life skills thing that President and Sister Felix is putting on for us this Friday, so that should be interesting! Also, I found a Canada Street in my area. <3 Haha. I am doing well, the work is going well, and I am growing closer and closer to my Savior. I finished my "Doctrine of Christ" Book of Mormon this past week, and it's still true! Fun fact, "angels" are referenced to 145 times in the Book of Mormon! Pretty amazing. Angels are real, and they are preparing people for us to find and bring into the fold of Zion! (Alma 13:24)
Well, I love you all and hope you all have an amazing week! I know I will! :)
Enjoying the 17-20 degree weather of Santa Barbara ;)
Love,
Elder Harvey!
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