Jaxon's Journey - California Ventura Mission: April 11, 2016

Hey All!

Dang. This week has gone by FAST. And this transfer is going by even faster. It's already Week 3.... Wow. Anyways, we have had a great week this past week. And, as you could probably guess, it was all highlighted by our Zone Conference this past week, with a Member of the First Quorum of the Seventy touring our mission, and meeting with us. It was AMAZING.

Okay, so first of all, I don't know if I ever mentioned that this Mission Tour was happening in previous emails, and if I didn't, it's payback for you not telling my EMERSON WAS PREPARING TO RECEIVE THE MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD!?! Duuuude. That is AWESOME. I am way proud of you, and I know you will do great things with that Priesthood which you now hold. Always remember Doctrine and Covenants 82:3, coupled with the wise words of Uncle Ben: "With great power comes great responsibility."

So, also to answer your question about P-Day Mom, I have been a part of some of these activities, but I haven't actually been a "part." In other words, you probably never see me in the pictures of all of these fun activities because I am always the one taking the pictures. The only sport I have been playing is volleyball, and even that I'm not playing very much. My ankle is still bugging me, so I am trying to cut down on everything. Which really stinks, because I can't get the sufficient exercise that I need. Anyways, I will send my memory card home. Could I send a package? I have a few other things I don't need!

We have taught Abby a couple of times this past week, and we received less-than-desirable news from her and her mom. She talked with her dad, and he came out with a definitive "no" as his answer to her getting baptized. Apparently we are brainwashing her. So, basically, we are just going to have to wait things out until she is either 18, or until her dad gives way. Not sure how we are going to proceed from here, but I plan on asking President about that.

I went on exchanges with Elder Vanschlocteren this past Wednesday, and that was a TON of fun. We weren't able to get much missionary work done, because a bunch of different things ended up coming up and I couldn't find the Staples in town to save my life (we needed to get something for Elder Hamula's visit the next day) and so we ended up driving around for a little bit. Santa Barbara is very compact, and so it was IMPOSSIBLE to find anything. Ugh. We were able to contact some people that day though, and the exchange was a success!

So, Elder Hamula came. Dang, it was absolutely awesome. Elder Clayton and him will be in the same Quorum now I believe? Anyways, he came and talked with us about our Mission and about what we can do better to enhance our mission's culture and to increase the amount of people we find, teach, and baptize. It was awesome, and it all started with FINDING. Okay, I am going to go on a tangent here, but it's really hard to find credible people here in Santa Barbara. A lot of tourists, and everyone is loaded and yeah. So, we have been struggling a lot with finding new people to teach. I think the last new investigator we found was Abby, and that was in February. Anyways, so he talked about that, and talked with us about who we are, and about how the knowledge of who we truly are can help us to overcome anything. It was amazing, and he also said he was very impressed with our mission. Apparently we are doing pretty well, but there is ALWAYS room to improve!

Then, Elder Brown got sick. So we have been in the apartment for a few days as he tries to fight this bug off. So, that's been fun. There was a funny incident that happened yesterday during fast and testimony meeting though... About halfway through the meeting, a homeless man walks in, mutters something to himself, and then sits on the front row! He looked suspicious, but I quickly shrugged that thought off, trying not to judge him on his looks. So, it gets towards the end of the meeting, and he walks up to the stand, and takes a seat next to the second counselor and starts taking a nap while a member is bearing his testimony. Towards the end of this member's testimony, homeless guy perked up, and then walked up to the pulpit when it was free. He then started to say a prayer. Then he started to tell the congregation that we do things wrong, and that "it's a trinity of four beings. Adam, Jesus, Elias, and Elijah." Then he began to talk about Katie. And how Katie and him got into an "unprecedented fight which triggered a race to Mexico." He then said that "Katie is made up of 99 protons and 144 neutrons, so she is an atom, which makes her Adam, which makes me Eve. BUT THEY SPELLED IT WRONG IN THE BIBLE. IT'S E-V. THE MOTHER OF ALL LIVING." The Bishop then stood up, and asked him to wrap it up. But, when the Bishop sat down, a member of the ward walked up to the pulpit, and began speaking to the homeless guy! Bishop then asked the member to sit down as well. And then the guy went off about "Woooooo, Joseph Smith restored the Church in 1820 in the Western hemisphere. I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE NORTH HEMISPHERE. AND THE SOUTH. AND THE EAST." And, as he left the pulpit, he smacked one of the water trays on the sacrament table. It was quite the interesting event. Everyone was looking at us like "Who the heck are you two teaching?!" But I swear, we have never seen the guy before!

Anyways, I finished the Book of Mormon again yesterday. Third time on the mission! It was my Christlike Attributes one, and I really do know it is the word of God. Emerson, Aydan, Hudson, Lachlyn, and Jameson. I hope you all will seriously consider (and for my brothers, I hope you all actually DO) coming out on a mission and preaching this: The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people in wherever God calls you to serve. I know that these past nine months have helped me grow exceedingly in every aspect of my life, and I know that it WILL help you as well!

To answer some more questions, I do know quite a few Elders in the mission. I know all of the Canadians especially. We have to stick together! Also, congrats Mom on the new job! I have been keeping you all in my prayers every night!

I hope you all have an amazing week, and know that I love you all!

Love,

Elder Harvey

PS- I completely used up my first pen. It is named: the Emoji Pen.

Elder Brown loves pictures.

Abby gave me a KFC helmet.

And my flag is getting more and more signed! :)