February 29, 2016 - Santa Barbara

Hey!

It isn't very common to receive a missionary email on leap day... is it? This is pretty interesting. What are the odds that February 29 fell on a Monday? This is cool. Anyways. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AYDAN! I am so sorry that I stink and didn't send you a card or anything. But I sang happy birthday in my head yesterday! I swear! Glad you had a great day. And also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMERSON! I hope you have a great day on Friday! 18 already... When are you planning on leaving?

Okay, to answer your questions:

1) GET DOC MARTENS. I have only worn these shoes, and they look like they are still brand new! Little wear on the bottom, but they are absolutely fantastic! I highly suggest them!

2) My shirts are doing well! I will try the baking soda and vinegar for sure! 

3) I did get your parcel! Thanks so much! Loved everything in it! 

We had a pretty amazing week, looking back on it! Everything didn't exactly go the way we planned it to, but we found four new people to teach! We are way excited about all of this, especially since we are planning to drop Dan tomorrow. He didn't show for two straight lessons, didn't come to church or call us or anything, and isn't progressing, so we are going to stop teaching him. But, the Lord has prepared this area tremendously for Elder Hunter and I!

So, two of these people are potential investigators that we contacted, and are super interested in the Gospel! But we re-found a man named Art. Art is a WWII, Vietnam, and Korean War Vet, and is super knowledgeable and awesome! He let us right in when we knocked on his door. Elder Du Plessis taught him in the past, but had to drop him. Anyways, he sat us down and said he only had one or two concerns left before he could join our church! He said that he resolved all other concerns he previously had, and only needs to understand the Word of Wisdom (typical.. right Dad?) He has never prayed about the Word of Wisdom, so we committed him to do just that! 

The other cool experience comes from dinner on Saturday night! It was with the Holguin family, a single mom and three young daughters! It was fun, we sat outside and ate some food and talked with eachother. The 9 year old, Abby, liked us a lot and she ended up telling us she had made the decision a little while ago to get baptized! And being 9, she falls under our stewardship! So we asked her if she wanted to take the discussions, and talked with her mom, and we are going back tonight for dinner (I have a feeling we are going to be eating there a lot now..) and she is going to be baptized sometime in April! It will be neat to experience that, and it's really great to see how the Lord trusts us with not only adults and knowledgeable people in this area, but with ALL of God's children. Way excited.

Friday, we had a cool activity with the Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo Zones, learning all about life skills and such! It was a great day, always great to be with so many other missionaries and to see old friends! 

Don is doing great! He is praying every night, he is reading, he fasted yesterday, and he is sincerely trying to gain and discover a faith in Christ. Thanks for what you said by the way Dad, it is going to help me be able to focus more about his Faith in Jesus Christ as we teach!

Not much more to tell ya. Don used to be an animator for Disney. So he drew me Hercules. And here's a picture of my Hercules. Haha. 

Dad, they do have a lot of YSA Wards down here! Not always associated with a University, but I believe there is one in every Stake! 

Mom, we aren't doing Fast Sunday on Easter either it seems! It'll be the week after General Conference... crazy to think that is already coming up... 2/4... Are they allowed to cancel a Fast Sunday?... I thought the same thing. I would love to fast on Easter Sunday! 

Anyways. I think that is it for this week! I hope you all are doing well, and know that I love and pray for you all! Thanks for the Conair cord... I thought I had thrown it out and didn't want to mention it, because then I would look stupid! But I am glad you found it!! Thanks again for the package!

Love you all!

Elder Harvey

#8months

February 22, 2016 - Santa Barbara

Hey All!

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!

February 18, 2016 - Surprise!!

It was just after supper on February 18th and I got an email notification.  I was busy preparing my seminary lesson and didn't really pay much attention to it - until I got another one right away.  I checked my email and it was something from Jaxon!!  (he is only allowed to email on Monday's - for one hour)  The email system for the missionaries hadn't been working properly for the last few weeks and some parents were receiving emails really late - and some not at all.  Luckily we figured it out early that gmail was the problem and we used my Yahoo account to email him during this glitchy time so we weren't missing any emails BUT because some parents were - the Mission President allowed the missionaries to email home on a Thursday - once the glitches were figured out and the email was working properly.  We had fun emailing back and forth for a bit...here's some pieces of our conversation:

Jaxon:  Hey Mom! No idea if you're home right now.... But we have permission to email for an hour right now!

Mom:  Yes!!!!!  Just finishing supper. What a nice surprise!!!  Just mailed a parcel today and picked up yours. Thanks for the bag!!  What's going on?  Seems kinda random that you just get an extra hour to e-mail.  We got a letter from Pres. Felix telling us about your call as a District Leader.

J:  No problem! When should the package get here? How has your day been today?   Nothing really going on. Just got permission from President. The whole mission did because of the server thing. He said it was from this past Monday, but we think it is because of last weeks problem. But we get to email! 

That's cool that you got a letter! Didn't know that that happened. We are emailing at UCSB (University of California Santa Barbara.. probably the biggest party school I have ever seen) right now with the Zone Leaders and some Elders in my District!

M:  Take a picture while you're there...and no partying!!! :P  How is it being a district leader?  Is it stressful?

J:  It's tons of fun! I am absolutely loving it! It's not really more stressful, but it definitely is a new kind of stress! It is awesome, learning about how Heavenly Father truly loves his missionaries and those around him. It's been amazing, and I definitely have grown in my capacity to love!

M:  So glad you're learning and growing...

Just sent you a bunch of pictures.  We got dumped on this weekend...and a snow day on Tuesday :)  Jameson was sure happy to have a "stay home day".  He wakes up every morning and says "Is it a stay home day?"  ...he doesn't like school. 

J:  Yes! I got them! Looks like a ton of fun! I definitely miss the snow. It's been pretty hot here the past week and a half.

M:  Not sure how much longer you have - just know that we love you and are so proud of you and all your accomplishing and learning and doing.  Keep being good and serving the Lord with all your heart and mind and soul.  Love you son,

Love, Mom (and dad)

This was such a nice surprise!! :)

J:  Thanks! Honestly, I am not sure how much longer I have either.... lol... 

We had this killer lesson with Don last night. Basically, he has a lot of struggles with believing in God and in receiving an answer through the Holy Ghost to his prayers, but he felt the Spirit last night! It actually made him SHIVER! It was insane! Then we made him a super bold promise that he would get an answer again that night as he read Moroni 10 and prayed to know if it was true! Probably the most spiritual lesson I have had on my mission.

M:  So neat...I hope you are writing all of this down.  I'm so grateful that you are out there, learning and growing and strengthening your testimony.  Keep on doing what you're doing because it's doing some good.  Love, Mom

J:  Love you too! Excited for your package! :) Have a great week! And I haven't missed a day, writing in my journal!

February 15, 2016 - Santa Barbara

Heeeyo!

This week has been a fun one! That's for sure. Always fun to come into an area and organize things for the rest of the transfer! And this whole being responsible thing is a ton of fun too!

So, what a District Leader does is basically leads a group of missionaries. So the Mission has President Felix, his two assistants, and then 7 sets of Zone Leaders, and then a bunch of District Leaders! Basically, it's set up like the rest of the church is. Area Seventy's, Stake President, Bishop. Just people who lead others! So I am responsible for the missionary work in my District and for the missionaries well-being as well. It's been a ton of fun! Just basically having to serve more people. Which is perfect, because that's what I love to do! We did receive some training on Thursday from President and Sister Felix and the Assistants, and it was all very informative! I loved it. One of my old friends from a couple transfers ago, Elder Davis, is in the District, so I get to go on exchanges with him! Oh, that's another thing. I have to go on an exchange with every Elder in my District once every transfer. And I am also responsible for setting up a District Meeting every Friday! Making sure that we spiritually uplift and feed each other every week. My first one went really well! Got to know everyone, and got to learn about revelation through Church Attendance. 

So, Sunday was super awesome! We had a broadcast from Salt Lake. Elder Renlund presided, and Elder Grow, Elder Hamula, and Sister Oscarson also spoke to us! This was being broadcast to California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, and..... British Columbia! Yup. I basically had a church meeting again with the Abbotsford Stake! It was awesome. I actually felt like I was home when Elder Hamula said that it was being broadcasted to British Columbia! It was a great meeting. Elder Grow gave an outstanding talk about Patterns of Faith. All about why praying, reading, and going to church is an important pattern in our lives! And Elder Hamula gave a great talk on having no fear with Christ by our side. And then Elder Renlund. Ah. He gave a great talk on bringing things back to the basics. Answering questions by bringing things back to the First Vision and to the Plan of Salvation. 'Twas a great Sunday!

So, getting to know the area this past week has been a ton of work, but it has been pretty fun! We have two investigators right now. Dan and Don! Dan is a talker. I met him about a half hour after we transferred, and he is definitely interesting! He has a baptismal date of March 12th, but needs to come to church before that happens. It was definitely interesting to teach him. We need to take more control of the lesson and actually teach! He is all for the Gospel, and is like an avid missionary already! He is ready to be baptized, but... Needs to quit smoking as well. Which he knows. Just another one of those situations! 

Don is quite the timid and shy guy. He is probably the most polite and nicest people I have ever met! Never married, and lives alone in a HUGE house, and we are trying to see how interested he is in the Gospel. It seems to us that he is just enjoying the company we bring. We had a great lesson with him yesterday about prayer, and found out his belief in God is growing! He committed to praying more frequently. It was really awkward when, on Tuesday night (THE DAY I ARRIVED) we went for it and taught the Law of Chastity. Super awkward. I cannot stress to you the amount of awkardness. GAH! But, he is progressing well, and we are meeting with him tonight and better explaining baptism and why it is significant! Should be someone that we are going to set with a date soon. 

Then, on Tuesday night we went and saw a Less-Active, and after Elder Hunter wanted to go and see a member who lived in the same trailer park, and we did. She houses people who are struggling, and helps them get their lives back on track! Anyways, we met this guy named Larry, and he had a ton of questions about our beliefs and such, asking us why we don't believe in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, and we answered all of his questions, and he wants to meet with us to talk with us "man to man." He's a funny guy, but we are super excited to start teaching him! 

So, my new address is 3755 San Remo Drive #225, Santa Barbara, California, 93105. And I would LOVE my basketball shoes if that is possible :) 

Elder Hunter is cool. He's a great Elder, from Roy, Utah! He is more introverted than any other companion I have had, and has been out for about 4 months! Do you remember Elder Hillman? The one from Hamilton? He reminds me of him. A lot. 

Well, hope that you all have an amazing week! Did you get my parcel I sent to you? I sent it to the PO Box in Wellesly (?) Island. I love you all and hope you all are doing great! Almost 8 months down... Kinda crazy! 

Love,

Elder Harvey

Elder Hubbard and Elder Harvey

February 8, 2016 - Santa Barbara

Hey All!

Exciting week this week. Not really, it was actually a really trying week. Full of setbacks and disappointing days, but we powered through it! And.... a new assignment for Elder Harvey! Let's talk about it first this time!

So, we were in a lesson on Friday night with Christie, and on Friday's of transfer calls, anyone who will be in a new leadership position... And my stomach dropped when we got a call in the middle of the lesson. So, we called the Assistants after the lesson, and I have been assigned to be a District Leader! It is going to be pretty interesting! I am being transferred to Santa Barbara Ward! WEOOOOO! Not too shabby of an area. My new comp will be Elder Hunter, and yeah! It will be really interesting! Elder Hubbard is staying here, and my good friend Elder DeGraw is coming to Solvang! I am definitely sad to leave this place. I have loved my time here, but I am excited for this new assignment and this new responsibility I have.

Anyways, so the SuperBowl. GO BRONCOS. I was looking back yesterday, and it was the first time I hadn't watched the Superbowl in NINE YEARS. I was dying. But, I am super happy that Peyton won his last game! He deserved that I think. 

So, this past week we lost half of our teaching pool. For now. We aren't sure yet what is going on. But Vanessa and Rick got into another fight, and it got pretty bad, so she kicked him out and told him to go to Bakersfield again, for good. She called us, and told us everything, and we were so confused. But then the next day, we called her to see if the Hermanas could come over to her grandmas house, and she wasn't happy about that and said she was done with us. So... Yeah. That tore us apart! It was sad to hear, but the Relief Society President has told us now that they are going to be okay, and that Rick is going to be coming back. So confused. But hopefully they stick with it! 

Um. Yeah, I don't know my new address. So I will try to get that to you soon! Maybe you could call the mission office or something. I don't know. I was wanting to send a parcel home too if that's okay, and wanted to go and buy a note book thing for all of my District Leader notes and such. Would that be okay?

Not much else happened this week, sadly. Happy to hear about all of the events happening at home! Did you get the video that Bishop Paulson sent you last night? On Facebook? Haha.  I like what President Eyring said in General Conference. When we show the Lord our willingness to obey, the Spirit is with us more. We receive more impressions of what God would have us do! https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/lift-where-you-stand?lang=eng 

Anyways, sorry for the shorter email. But not much happened this week! I will try my best to get you my new address ASAP. I am excited for what is ahead the next 6 weeks! 

I love you all! Have an amazing week :) 

Love,

Elder Jaxon Harvey

Solvang, California

Elder Harvey in Solvang, California

Elder Hubbard and Elder Harvey

February 1, 2016 - Solvang Ward

Hey All!

This week... this week has been a bundle of fun! Nothing too amazing happening, but a lot of really neat and small experiences!

First of all, it is awesome to read about how you all are doing at home. And since Mathew is there, I might as well throw in a shout out to him. HEY! There. Shout outed. Anyways, it sounds like you all had a pretty fun week! And Jameson, I haven't died! I am still alive. Don't you worry! :) (Jameson tells everyone that his brother Jaxon died on his mission...because he isn't coming home!  Jaxon's picture is on the wall in our chapel and he walked passed it one day with Bryan, Bryan asked him who that was - pointing to the picture - and Jameson said "that's my brother Jaxon, but he died on his mission"...poor kid!  He's going to be super confused when Emerson leaves too!)

I should probably tell you if you haven't found out yet. I meant to tell you last week, but I spent close to $100 a couple weeks ago on some souvenir clothing. (Mom said I could I swear!) But yeah. Some really cool Solvang stuff! 

So. This week, we have been trying to get out and work as much as possible, without over doing it on my ankle! It's definitely weird and not fun to have to take a lot of breaks, when you want to be out there and doing all you can, but I gotta take care of myself! We had interviews with President and Sister Felix on Tuesday, and that was good as always! 

Let's see, some cool experiences. So, on P-Day last week, everyone came down to Solvang to explore, and we were walking back to our cars, and a former investigator named Jenny stopped us on the street. It was funny, because I have never met her before, but she saw our group of missionaries and started talking to us and said she had studied with a couple of Elders, and I have no idea why but I immediately asked "Are you Jenny?" Definitely the Spirit in work there. She was surprised that I knew who she was, and she needs help moving next week! So that was really neat. Another cool thing that happened. We have been trying to contact this girl who the Hermanas started teaching and passed off to us, but she is never home. Anyways, we were about to go contact her, and we stepped out of the car and this lady stops us on the street and we had an hour discussion about the Restoration and Prophets for an hour! Needless to say, we needed a break after that. Standing for a long time KILLS my ankle real bad. But it was super cool! 

I went on exchanges with Elder Bradley this week again! It was a good time, as always. Not much really happened that day! We had a super awesome discussion with Christie that night, talking about the Gospel of Jesus Christ! It was spirit-filled, and she is so ready to be baptized. Just needs to realize that for herself.

Rick and Vanessa are doing well. We can't meet with them much, they all got sick and Vanessa's stitches are coming out. So they are basically going through the wringer. Rick is getting some kind of surgery on Thursday, and so we are going to give him a blessing (once we get permission) and try and give Vanessa one too. They are going strong, they know that the Church is true and they want to be married and baptized. So we are excited to see where all of this goes once everything gets back to normal for them in the next week or two. 

The funeral on Saturday was really nice. We went to an episcopal church (let me tell you... it was the weirdest feeling ever..) and it was a really great and uplifting service. Gary and Mary appreciated us being there, and we will be trying by again this next week. Hopefully this can work out. They really will be blessed from the amazing message of the Plan of Salvation and Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know I have. It was interesting to hear another pastor speak, and to be able to see the difference in tone and doctrine from him. He spoke a lot about Jesus suffering on the cross, not one word about the Garden of Gethsemane. Elder Hubbard and I were talking afterwards, and we came to the conclusion that we didn't really feel the Spirit when he was up there. Nevertheless, it was an amazing service, and definitely an opportunity I probably won't get again on my mission, to hear a sermon from a pastor in another church! Super cool. 

Then, Sunday was Solvang's Ward Conference, and that was cool! Reminded me of the times in Chilliwack. Always such a busy day. Elder Hubbard and I got to help out with the Sacrament, and that was cool. A lot of talk about becoming better, and inviting the Spirit more into our lives. Recognizing not only when the Spirit is with us, but when the Spirit leaves us. I have been trying to focus a lot more on the Spirit as of late, and it's been amazing! We have to realize that we learn nothing until the Spirit reveals things to us in our minds AND or hearts! THAT is when we know truth for a surety. That is when we become converted. That is the Spirit of Revelation. Not one or the other, or else the scripture (Doctrine and Covenants 8:2-3) would say mind or hearts! True conversion is giving our heart, might, mind, and strength to the Lord, and we cannot do that if we only feel something is true or only think it is true! Having one witness is good enough to keep moving forward in our discipleship, but once we have that second witness, once that law of witnesses is fulfilled, we can truly become converted!

I have studied a lot about patience this past week too, and found a really awesome quote from President Uchtdorf in his talk "Continue in Patience:"

"Patience is a godly attribute that can heal souls, unlock treasures of knowledge and understanding, and transform ordinary men and women into saints and angels."

Angels are real. Let me tell you that! No way could I do the work I am doing, no way could I contribute the way I have been, without angels. Fun fact, from Alma 30- 2 Nephi 25, angels are mentioned 96 times. Interesting. The Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it mentions angels so many times. Remember Emerson and Hudson, the Priesthood you have holds the keys to the ministering of what? Angels. Maybe study out what that means. Because once you begin to realize the miracles that happen due to those angelic ministering, your prayers will become more meaningful, and your life will become brighter and brighter.

Anyways. I love you all! Hope you have an amazing week, and I am going to try not to stress out with transfer calls coming!

LOVE YOU!

Elder Harvey

PS. No Bat sighting yet. We are working on it. :) 

January 25, 2016 - Solvang Ward

Hey All! 

So, this week has been a good one! First full week I have had in a long time! And we saw some really cool things happening! 

So, Monday night we got a call from President Felix, which immediately brings cause for some sort of alarm. Thankfully, he had a referral for us! There is a member in the Southern part of the mission, who's nephew had committed suicide, and the father and mother of this man lived in our Ward, and they both aren't members. Apparently, no one had come from their church to help them out, and President asked us to go to their house and share the message of the Plan of Salvation with them! So, that night we prayed to know when exactly would be the perfect time to go by and see them, and immediately after the prayer I said "10:30" and we wrote it down and went right in the morning. We prayed hard for the Spirit to be with us during this meeting, and as we walked to the door, we both felt this overwhelming feeling of peace inside of us. The father answered the door, and we stated that we were Representatives of Jesus Christ, and that we had been told of his and his wife's circumstances and came with a message of peace. Elder Hubbard thankfully told me what I said next, because I basically blacked out. (THAT is when you know that the Spirit is there!) So when we had said that, his wife walked around the corner! So they both were at the door, and I stated that the message we share is one of peace, one that doesn't end at death and didn't begin at birth, and I think all four of us were fighting tears. It was one of those moments when you could SEE the Spirit enter into their hearts. We are going by sometime this week, and we are going to their son's funeral on Saturday. Such an amazing spiritual experience, definitely one of the strongest experiences I have had on my mission so far!

We set Rick up with a baptismal date of March 26th. So that was cool! Rick knows that the Church is true, and he knows he needs to get married to Vanessa and get baptized, and so it is really going to be neat to see how they progress in the coming month! Little Jeremiah has seemed to bring them closer together, and it's been amazing to see how far they have come! Christie is doing well as well. We started this 15 step program for her to quit smoking. It's one that is supposed to stop all desires of smoking in seven days! She smoked on Saturday (we introduced it on Friday) so she is restarting today, and should be smoke free by next Monday! 

Cool story of the week! So we got a referral from the Hermanas (Sister missionaries). They had talked to this guy in Solvang named Christian Bale? Saw him in his yard, and one of them said "that guy looks like Batman!" So they went up and talked with him, and she said "has anyone told you that you look like Batman?" To which he responded "Yes, Because I am Batman..." Basically, we don't know how interested he is, but he wasn't against having us Elders coming over to his house. We have been driving past his house every day since we got the address, and we will continue to do so until we see him and talk with him! So cool. Writing down Christian Bale in your potential sheet.

Wednesday was sweet. We had the Worldwide Missionary Training! 75,000 missionaries from around the world listening to the counsel of living day Prophets and Church Leaders! It was amazing. We learned more about our purpose, and about "Preaching Repentance and Baptizing Converts!" It was awesome. Elder Bednar spoke about letting the Holy Ghost fulfill his role in teaching. We are only here to bring the message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ UNTO everyone's heart. Everyone else has the responsibility to invite it INTO their heart. And that is done by the Power of the Holy Ghost! We can't get in the way of the Holy Ghost, we need to only invite it into their home, and help everyone else know how to keep the Holy Ghost in their lives! 

This scripture was mentioned in Sacrament Meeting yesterday, and I really liked it!:

"10 Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God,that he would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, yea, and also give us strength that we might retain our cities, and our lands, and our possessions, for the support of our people.

 11 Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.

 12 And we did take courage with our small force which we had received, and were fixed with a determination to conquer our enemies, and to maintain our lands, and our possessions, and our wives, and our children, and the cause of our liberty." (Alma 58)

Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us! And as we pray to Him and ask Him for help, He will strengthen us! Maybe it will not be a temporal boost! Helaman, Gid, and Teomner did not get more men as a result of their prayer. They were not able to see the results of their prayer until AFTER they went into battle! Heavenly Father answered their prayer by giving them the strength to make it through, to win back the land they had lost, and to make do with what they had! Maybe not the way they expected their prayer to be answered, but it brought about the same result!

Hopefully you all are doing well! This Church is true. I can tell you that! Keep moving forward! My ankle is doing well. I had Physical Therapy on Friday, and I am doing stretches everyday! I am able to work still, and when it feels like I can't do much more, we take a break! Gotta mend it up :) 

Well, I love all of you and hope you all have an amazing week!

Love,

Elder Harvey :)

List of Potential Contacts showing Bat Man!