December 28, 2015 - Solvang Ward

Hey All!

So, this week has been awesome! It has had it's own challenges, but for the most part, we had a really great time with our Ward this week and with Christmas :) It has been a great week to end a great transfer!

It was awesome to talk to the family on Friday! So great to see all of your faces, and to see Jameson fall asleep on the couch! Just like old times.... Haha! You all are looking great! I have no idea what Mom is talking about... "getting the family in shape"... you all are awesome :) 

We have had a great week. Solvang is a difficult place to proselyte in during holidays, because right now, there is a massive flood of tourists coming into the town, and everyone is leaving to escape all the tourists! We saw everyone we could though. We drove down to Camarillo on Tuesday for a Doctor's appointment, so that was fun! Let's see.... oh, and Rick and Vanessa. Something huge happened with them this past week! Basically, on Saturday we got a call from Vanessa, and she told us that Rick had moved back to Bakersfield and that everything kinda dissolved.... So we were naturally shocked, and have been in contact with her since then on a daily basis, trying to meet with her and see what the heck happened! Anyways, that same day we went to see Eric, a really awesome guy who knows he needs to get baptized, but yeah. Anyways, while we were walking up the apartment that he lives in, and this lady with a cane trying to fit groceries in a little cart out of her trunk, and we offered to help her, which she respectfully declined and said "Are you going to #8? Because I can't do it today, so maybe you can come next week?"  ...... Obviously, we said OKAY! And then Elder Lamb asked if there was a better day for us to come, and she said any week day. So... we still aren't sure what the heck happened. But we are super excited! 

Oh yeah. Transfer calls were really exciting. We are both staying. Woot woot! First time that has ever happened so far! Which is nice, especially when you and a companion get along so well! 

Anyways, not much to say this week! Hopefully the VAN (not truck ;) ) Gets fixed soon! We have to take our car in sometime today or this week and have all the tires changed. Yay! 

Like I said, it was really nice to see you all on Friday! Thanks again for all the gifts, and thanks for everything! Glad you all have had such an awesome week! :)

Oh yeah, and I cut my hair mom :) haha. Knew you were wondering about that. Sorry it was so long!

Love you all!

Elder Harvey :) 

Doctrine and Covenants 127:2

The Christmas PJ's I sent him...all the boys had the same :)

December 25, 2015 - Skype Phone Call Home

We were so excited to finally see and talk to Jaxon!  He skyped us at 7pm Kingston time on Christmas Day - it was a long day of waiting!

It was great to talk to him, to see his face and we also got to meet his companion - Elder Lamb.  We spent 40 minutes soaking him in and trying to talk about everything we've been wanting to talk to him about.

He is doing well.  He expressed his gratitude to all of those who have sent him emails and cards and gifts.  He especially loved the pillow case sent from Chilliwack 2nd Ward and expressed that he would cherish it.  He loved that the Young Women in the Chilliwack 2nd Ward also thought of him and he loved the package that they sent - thank you!  He appreciated all the gift cards he received and looks forward to using them.  The area they are in right now isn't a really big town and there aren't many amenities so the ones he can't use now, he'll save for later!  

He is doing well.  He is loving serving on his mission and loves the area he is in right now.  He is enjoying his companion and they are getting along great - which is always a concern when you are all of a sudden living with someone you don't know 24-7.  He said transfers were coming this week and they both hoped that they wouldn't be moved.  

He expressed his love to his family and friends that are supporting him through letters and prayers.  We closed our time with him with a family prayer and eagerness to talk again on Mother's Day.

We sure love that boy and are sure proud of him and the choices he is making to give up the world for two years of his life and focus on serving and loving the people around him.  

December 21, 2015 - Solvang Ward

Hey all!

So, this week has been a fuuuuuuun one! First off, make sure to send my thanks to a ton of people. Holy, yeah so on Monday we got home from emails and there was a few letters waiting for me, and say thank you to the Chilliwack 2nd Ward for that pillow case! Seriously, such an amazing gift, and one that I plan on keeping forever! And then to Grandpa and Grandma Shirley, and Tara and Erinn for their presents that I got this week! It was awesome, Friday we walked out to the mailbox, and I had six packages waiting for me! I didn't open the package that says not to open until Christmas, and yes, I got the Amazon letter. there was a tear in it, so naturally Elder Lamb looked into it and refuses to tell me what it is. Thank goodness! He taped it up and it won't be opened until Christmas Eve :)

So, Skyping.. basically, we are thinking that I will be calling at 4:00 our time, so 7:00 your time, just depending on the time that Elder Lamb is calling. I thought I would just plan around him, he is planning on doing a three way Skype with his brother who is serving in Spokane! So if it isn't 4, I guess I will just call you and let you know or something. But until then, plan for 4:00 :) Really excited to see all of you!!!!

This week has been a blast! We spent ten hours this week at the Catholic Mission doing a ton of service there! That explains the picture right? Haha! They have been putting on this thing for years in which they have people in the Santa Ynes Valley sponsor families, and they buy a bunch of gifts for those poorer and needier families in the area! So, we were asked by a member in our ward to actually go and help them out, wrapping, organizing, and handing boxes of presents out to the families! It was an amazing experience! Yes, it was great for missionary work, a lot of people had a ton of questions about us and what we do and why we are here, but mostly, it was an amazing way to help out those people in our area who need it most! 

We have been teaching Rick and Vanessa more and more, and they are progressing more and more towards baptism! They are really great, and are trying really hard to become the best they can be! Vanessa's baby is due in a month, and so she is wicked sick all the time almost! Should be an interesting month for us in teaching her! Our other investigators are awesome! We were supposed to meet a referral from a member here, but that got cancelled last minute on Wednesday, so that's too bad! Johnathan hasn't been able to meet with us as much, so we can't baptize him on Saturday... We taught the Word of Wisdom this past Saturday, and that has made it so we have to push his date back at least three weeks! Christie is doing awesome, still fighting through addictions and such, but is such a trooper and is doing her best!

Zone Conference was on Thursday, and that was an absolute blast!!! Elder Lamb and I ended up being 40 minutes late, because we got stuck in some nasty traffic! Solvang is so out of the way, we are basically on our own out here, and so it was nice to see so many other missionaries and to see a ton of friends on Thursday! We talked about the Doctrine of Christ, and my favorite part was when we were able to talk about Angels, and about having the ability to be angels, and to have angels attend us! We were given a soft cover of the Book of Mormon and some pencil crayons (or colored pencils in American lingo...) and were given the challenge to read it through by March Zone Conference, marking each aspect of the Doctrine of Christ in a certain color, throughout the Book! President also gave us the challenge to circle every time "angel(s)" is mentioned! I have read Alma 30-43 so far, and angels has been mentioned 9 times already! It is awesome to know that Angels really are in our midst, and that myself, as a missionary, can be someones angel in their darkest hours! 

Saturday was awesome. We had our Ward Christmas Party, and man was it great! Definitely highlighted by the primary's nativity scene, where a little girl (dressed as a donkey) went up to the manger during a song, and took baby Jesus out and ran off stage. Hahaha. It was absolutely hilarious. Then on Sunday, we were able to go out with our Bishop to a elderly member of the ward and give him and his wife the Sacrament and give both of them blessings! It was awesome, and then we went out with his family to carol to a bunch of people! 

Yeah, so this week has pretty much been awesome! I love every minute of being out here, and I wanted to share something that I read out of the Ensign this past week! 

"Some years ago I heard a radio interview featuring Bishop Desmond Tutu, the Anglican archbishop in South Africa. He had just published a book with his daughter about the reconciliation that had taken place in South Africa following apartheid. Basically, the book’s message is that there is good in all people.

During the interview the host asked a perceptive,inspired question of Bishop Tutu: “Have you found that your relationship to God has changed as you’ve grown older?”

Bishop Tutu paused and then said, “Yes. I am learning to shut up more in the presence of God.”

He recalled that when he prayed in his earlier years, he did so with a list of requests and solicitudes. He would approach heaven with what he called “a kind of shopping list.” But now, he said, “I think [I am] trying to grow in just being there. Like when you sit in front of afire in winter, you are just there in front of the fire, and you don’t have to be smart or anything. The fire warms you.”

I think that is a lovely metaphor—just sit with the Lord and let Him warm you like a fire in winter. You don’t have to be perfect or the greatest person who ever graced the earth or the best of anything to be with Him."

That was in this month's edition, by Elder Christofferson :)

Anyways, that's all from me! Let the Spirit of Christmas warm you! Just sit and reflect this week, especially during the nativity scene, and think about that little manger. Ponder about what really is the meaning of Christmas, and think about the quietness and stillness of the Baby Jesus. 

Thanks for being so amazing! I sent you a little card last Monday, so you'll get it sometime soon I hope!! Love you all!

Love,

Elder Harvey!

Service work at the Catholic Mission

December 14, 2015 - Solvang Ward

Hey All!

So, this week has been pretty meh. But that's okay! We are still seeing a lot of work happening, still working hard, and still having people progress towards making those sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father!

So, our investigators are seriously doing AWESOME! We saw Johnathan (Baptism on the 26th) on Tuesday and shared the Plan of Salvation with him. We have only been able to seem him twice in two weeks, so we need to start seeing him more often if he is going to be baptized on the 26th! He is really desirous to become closer to Christ though, so we will be trying to see him every chance that we have! Christie (Feb 10th) is doing well too! She like absorbs all that she reads, and tells us perfectly what she has read since our last lesson! She quit cigarettes on Friday, and she is just going strong and trying to progress towards baptism! She said she knows that this Church is true, she just needs to actually put it into action! Super cool to see someone know what they need to do, and to see them being willing to actually do it! Dania went into ghost mode this week. She went to Santa Monica, so we will have to set her date back a little bit. 

We did have four investigators at Sacrament Meeting yesterday! It was awesome, and highlighted by Rick and Vanessa! They are super awesome, and going through a lot! They have found comfort in the church and in the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and it has been amazing to see them progress closer and closer to baptism. They are praying for a baptismal date, and will let us know by the end of this week. It's a big step, because they also have to figure a lot of things out, and setting a baptismal date for them will also be setting a date to get married! Super exciting times :) 

Service? We do a ton of things. We have been helping a member renovate his house, helping people decorate for Christmas, and this week we are going to be going to the Catholic Mission to do some Christmas thing. Not sure what, but it will be a great experience! 

Glad to hear everything is going so well at home! I am not sure what the family's Skype is that we are going to on Christmas, but I will give them your name thing tonight! I did not get a sweater or coat yet, I might end up getting something today if I have time. Contact paper is some roll of clear paper stuff that basically laminates something without actually having to use a laminate machine thing. 

The Branch sounds interesting! And I am sure excited for Christmas time! Things are just going really well, and we have Zone Conference this week!!! Always an exciting time, and just really gearing up to finish the transfer strong!

Oh yeah, Dad I bought some pastry thing. I will send you a picture, but IT IS SO GOOD! I think I put maybe 20 bucks on the card on Monday. I will let you know if I buy a sweater next week!

I love you all, thanks for everything and thanks for keeping me in your prayers :) Merry Christmas! 

Love,

Elder Harvey :)

PS- I am loving the crazy awesome advent calendar :)

Elder Harvey and Elder Bradley - Elder Bradley is from Bellville which is about an hour from Kingston.  They didn't know each other before going on their missions.

Solvang Pastries

December 7, 2015 - Solvang Ward

Hey All!

So, this week has been absolutely crazy! We have had an insanely busy week, but we saw a lot of miracles and a lot of "success." But, first, let me say some things!

Mom, the Alpentista family is the brother of Sister Gonzales (I think Vanessa?) in Arroyo Grande! That is so cool that you saw them, we talked about the Plowman's during dinner one night, and it was really neat to know that someone grew up in Bowmanville too!  (We ran into a friend of a friend at a funeral that week - who told us that his sister had dinner with an Elder Harvey - it is such a small world!)

Sounds like a crazy busy busy busy week! Glad to hear Christmas Pictures are all done, and that nativity sounds really really cool! That will be a great experience. Our Zone is doing a nativity during our Zone Conference next week, and I get to be a wiseman. And my costume is the bomb. You'll get a picture later!

So, this past week, we have been able to commit three souls to baptism! Christie, who is battling a lot and has really amazing desires, has set herself with February 10th for her baptism. That was a neat lesson, she is really sincere about her desire to become clean and come closer to Jesus Christ. Our second was a guy named Johnathan, who was a member referral from another ward in the district, and we had our first lesson with him and taught him the Restoration! He is dating a member in another ward, and he felt the Spirit and we were able to commit him to baptism on the 26th of December! We have another lesson with him tonight, so that will be fun. The third person is Dania, a crazy Brazillian lady who really wants to be baptized, and she set herself with December 27th as a date for her to get baptized. She hasn't been to church yet, so that date will most likely not work out, but it's really great to see her desire to enter into the waters of baptism and come closer to Christ! 

So, not only did we teach a lot this week, but we were able to max out our service hours for the week! We had 10 hours of service, and it was just awesome! The main activity was our Ward Quilting Project, where our entire ward gathered together and made quilts for the homeless and the needy! It was awesome! Learning how to kinda quilt was tons of fun, and Elder Lamb and I made two quilts, and the ward made 17 in total! It was a blast, a really great opportunity to become closer to our ward, and just an all around great week! 

The Christmas Devotional was really nice last night! Did anyone else notice that Elder Bednar gave the exact same talk in our Stake Conference a year ago? I did. It was really funny! He used the same analogies and everything! But I enjoyed it greatly. Kinda weird to not have President Monson speak, his health must be getting worse. But I loved it nonetheless.

So, today we are going to walk around Solvang! Do you want some souvenirs? 

A coat might be nice. A lot of the time, Elders just wear sweaters, but I am fine with whatever. If you want me to buy my own, then I can! 

Last requests... hmmm.... Contact Paper? That would be cool. I am not sure what else. OH. KRAFT DINNER. That would be awesome! American Mac and Cheese is gross. Kraft Dinner is so so so so so much better. 

Glad to hear everyone is doing so well! As for Christmas, we are going to a members house and I will be able to Skype there! Probably around 4:00 or something? I am not sure yet, so I will let you know for sure by next week! 

Hope you all have a great week! Elder Lamb is great. I am really enjoying serving with him, and we are putting in some great work. Also, my shoes are perfect! Still looking brand spanking new! 

Wish you luck in all of your Chinese Food Adventures :) (We are having a hard time finding Chinese food in Kingston that is made the same way they made it in Chilliwack - so we're trying a few dishes from several different restaurants in the city)

Have an amazing week! Love you all! 

Elder Harvey

"Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days." 

Doctrine and Covenants 24:8

Have an amazing week! Love you all! MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

#buddytheelfwhatsyourfavoritecolor

This was a Dollar Store Christmas tie that I found...it was VERY thin and I didn't think he'd wear it or even be able to tie it...but he did..and he did!

We sent him an advent calendar with something for every day in December

November 30, 2015 - Solvang Ward

Hey All!

So, another busy busy busy BUSY week! Holy cow, yeah, we've been really busy. But, I did get your package on Saturday, and am very excited for the advent calendar :) Thanks so much for everything else in the package! I wore the green tie yesterday, and am wearing the dollar store tie right now :) 

So, this week has flown by, but it's been a blast! First of all, we probably saw the most insane chain of events that I have ever seen on my mission so far! We are teaching an unmarried couple, Rick and Vanessa, and they have been pretty interested so far. Missionaries have been meeting with them for about two months now, and ever since I have gotten here, they have been progressing more and more! They have a 2 year old daughter, and one more on the way in January. But, they've been having some relationship problems. Which is normal, but we had a really awesome lesson set up on the Law of Chastity on Tuesday, had our RS President coming too and everything, and we got to their door and Vanessa answered and said that they wanted to reschedule, and Elder Lamb asked if we could just come in, wait for Sis. Mathews to come, and say a quick prayer with them! So, we are sitting there, and I felt prompted to share a scripture (shocker, right?). I shared Mosiah 24:13-16. Sister Mathews came into the house halfway through the scripture, and afterwards, Vanessa was crying and Rick was more solemn, and we offered to say a prayer and get out of their hair, and they insisted that everything felt better now. I swear, I saw the Holy Ghost belly-flop into the room from 6000 feet. It was so strong. Vanessa commented that she actually felt her burden be lifted from her shoulders, and we were able to share the Law of Chastity to them, and they asked Sis Mathews for all of this advice. She helped them out, and they asked for a Priesthood Blessing. We had two members come and give them blessings, and the Spirit again was very strong. We were probably there for a total of two and a half hours, and they turned from being angry at each other and not wanting to meet with anyone, to being happy and embracing each other at the end of the night. The next day, the ward all pitched in and bought them a Thanksgiving Dinner and again, they had a miracle in that. They were at church yesterday, talked with the Bishop, and they both know that the Church is True! Baptism is the next step :) well, they need to get married first, but they will get baptized :)

Nothing else really compares to that. Such a great week. We had to go to Santa Maria, I was able to get my knee brace, and on Friday we went to Ventura to get our Tiwi fixed (Have I told you about Tiwi? It's basically the worst.)(TIWI is a monitoring system on all missionary vehicles - it tells them when they are going too fast, accelerate too much, etc.  It's like having your 90 year old grandma in the car with you at all times)

Oh. So, A Savior is Born. We had Zone Meeting this past Friday, and we had an "advance showing" of the new Christmas video from the church! I loved it, and we have been sharing it with everyone we can! The rest of the meeting was very good, talking about elevating the mission and becoming one of the most productive and obedient missions in the world. It is really exciting, we are doing great and becoming better and better. Let me tell you, I have felt myself change and it's been amazing. Letting the Atonement change you is incredible, and knowing that I am becoming more and more like my Savior is a great feeling. Watch the Christmas Video if you haven't yet on christmas.mormon.org ! And share it with a friend :) It brings the true Spirit of Christmas into the Season. (If you haven't seen the video yet - please click on the link)

Mom, my shirts are doing well. It is difficult, and I wish I could tell you that I haven't gained any weight back, but I have, but my shirts are still pretty much fitting. It is especially hard to exercise properly, because we do only get a half hour in the morning, but we are doing our best! I love being out here. I can't explain to you enough how much this mission has changed my life so far, and Emerson, get out and "JUST DO IT" (Shia LeBouf). Haha, but it will change your life! Jameson: YOU NEED TO LOVE ALADIN. 

Thanks for being my wingman Mom, can always count on you to set me up with some dates ;) Haha. I look forward to their letters! :) (I spoke with a few girls in our congregation about Jaxon...they said they would mail him some letters)

Well, I love you all. I have a true and strong testimony of this Gospel, and I know we have challenges, but our Savior is there to carry us when we get weak. That is the true Power of the Atonement, especially for me the past five months. I have felt the Savior beside me as I do all I can, and He really does do the rest. 

Love you! Um, I will let you know if I have anything else to add to that list! :) 

Oh, Grey Cup, a member told me about the match up and I was so confused. How the HECK did Ottawa and Edmonton make it into the Finals? Crazy.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK! :)

Love,

Elder Harvey

"Give me mountains to climb, give me rivers to cross, give me something that's gonna make me better than I was."

November 23, 2015 - Solvang Ward

All,

So, I love it here!

The move went well! I have now been in Solvang for a week, and I have absolutely loved the change! This week has been full of miracles and such, and A LOT of teaching! We taught like a total of 17 lessons I think? It was crazy. 

Good to hear about your week! Mom, I am praying every night that you will be able to find a job soon! 

That's a tough week for Hudson! Tough losses are.... tough. But yeah, especially when the Ravens don't seem to be doing too hot ;) (Hudson's team lost the Eastern Ontario finals in an amazingly close game - he was also cut from the basketball team on the same day :(

So, Monday was really nice. Packed all day, and the Hurst's had Elder Du Plessis and I over for dinner that night, and it happened to be a dinner with like 50 other people! In fact, the first person I taught was there, and that was really nice! We had dinner, and then I was able to share my last testimony at their house! I was definitely sad to leave that Ward, but I also have been really blessed with this new ward! (this is the message I received from Bro. Hurst later that evening: Elder Harvey just said farewell & left our home... We are truly going to miss him. I wanted to share with you his last few moments with us.. he shared one of the sweetest, most tender, heart felt testimonies I have ever felt and heard. He first shared a scripture that he had memorized, "And now, after the many testimonies that have been given of him, this is the testimony last of all that we give of him. That He lives!" That was when the tears began to flow... Then he slowly and tearfully shared with us that he knows that Jesus Christ lives, that the church is true and how much he loves the gospel and serving the Lord on his mission. He said much more, but it was very beautiful and very special.

I just wanted to share this special moment with you... thank you again for sharing him with us. I am sad he is gone, we will miss his laughter and his constant smile. You are blessed to have such a great son!!! )

Tuesday was transfer meeting, and it was really nice to get to see so many of the other missionaries that I know! It was really nice to see Elder Leavitt there, and got to talk to him for quite a while! Then, after transfers, I met Elder Lamb and we headed right off to Solvang! 

So, like I said, we have been teaching a crazy amount this past week. Elder Lamb is great! We both kinda struggled last transfer, and we are really hitting it off so far, and seeing miracles due to obedience and unity! It's been crazy to see how things have just fallen into place so smoothly this past week, everything has just seemed to work! We are really getting along, and we are ready to teach like crazy this next week!

So, this is some really cool news. Our District Leader is one that you all know, and I am really excited for the exchange that him and I are going to be able to go on! Yup, so Elder Bradley is my District Leader! Meaning him and I will get to be companions for a day in the next 4 weeks! We were both super excited to hear that we were in the same district, and yeah. That's like the coolest news I have on my side.  Other than that Elder Lamb is the absolute best! (We have gotten to know the Bradley family who live in Belleville - about 45 minutes west of Kingston.  We are excited for our sons to spend some time together!)

Oh yeah, food. So this area is famous for making us missionaries fat. Yeah, we get fed every night. It's another great blessing. 

We have been so busy that I haven't been able to snag a picture for you of the town! It really is a neat little town. You all know how much I love Christmas, and there are Christmas lights up already! Oh, and there is a Christmas STORE! So yeah, I absolutely love this place. 

Mom, I have been re-thinking going back to BC, AND I have had the same feelings. We will see what happens in a year and a half (YIKES!) and go from there! Maybe I can try to go to Queens or something. We will see what happens :) (When Jaxon left - he was adamant that he would return to BC once he came home.  I asked him to re-think this idea - partly because I would like him home for a while, and also because I feel he would be a huge blessing to the Young Adults in our area)

Anyways, is there anything else you want to know? I am trying a lot more to answer all of them. I would email Tara or Emily, but I don't have an email for either of them. Also, could I get addresses for family members? Maybe in a letter that you send? I would like to hand write a letter to people sometimes :)

Know that I am doing great, and that I am really loving this transfer already! I am growing firmer and firmer in the faith, and waxing stronger and stronger in humility. I love being out here, I love learning more about myself, and about my Savior, and I love the support that I get from all of you! I hope you all have a fantastic week, and I am so thankful for the prayers that are said on my behalf. I feel them working through me constantly! 

I love you all!

Love,

Elder Harvey

"Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief."

Elders Harvey and Lamb

The Hurst Family