We will soon be able to see some more fruits of our labors!

Hello everybody!

First off, this week was the last week of the transfer.  We got our transfer calls this morning, and both Elder Gaylor and I will be staying in the Santa Maria 3rd Ward!  (Next transfers end April 6th). This is super cool because we will now be able to witness the baptism of Benito and Griselda!  Since last week, they have moved up their baptismal date to March 15th!  They are SO anxious to be baptized!  We cannot wait!

It's unbelievable how fast these weeks, months, and transfers are going.  Time is moving too fast!  

So!  Yesterday, 4 of our investigators attended church!  Mario came, Benito & Griselda went to another ward to witness a baby blessing, and Rachel came too!  It was such a great day for that because it was our ward's fast Sunday.  Next Sunday is our Stake Conference, and President Castro will be speaking.  It's going to be super awesome!  

I would like to tell all of you about a little miracle that happened this week.  We, currently in the "finding stage", have tracted each day for about 2 hours every day this transfer.  I know, that's probably nothing compared to others, but it certainly is draining.  Anyways, we went to an apartment complex and found a lady named Jamie.  She's a single mom with four young daughters, and she goes to a local Presbyterian church.  When we stopped by for the 2nd time, she said,  "I'm guessing you two can't come in here alone, right?"  We told her about the third male rule, and so she said "Hold on" and she went and got two folding chairs and gave them to us!  We all sat down on her porch and we taught her the Restoration lesson.  She was really intrigued, and we gave her a Book of Mormon, explained a little bit about it, and encouraged her to read and pray.  When we came by again, she had read all of the Introduction, Title page, and the Testimonies of the 3 and 8 witnesses, and had read most of 1 Nephi 1.  She then said, "I kind of feel like this is like the Bible.  Sometimes the beginning isn't always the best place to start.  Is there a particular place that you would like me to read?"  We only asked her to read the Introduction the time before, and so we cheerfully invited her to read 3 Nephi 11-27 about the coming of Christ to the Nephites.  We encouraged her to compare side-by-side with the Bible, for her to see that Jesus is preaching the same Gospel.  We then set up a return appointment for this Thursday, and a member is planning on going with us!  I am so thankful for the Lord's answer to our prayers for putting her in our path.  She may or may not get baptized in the near future, but regardless of that, we are planting seeds!  It is such a fulfilling feeling.

Last night, we showed "Special Witnesses of Christ" to Benito and Griselda.  It was such a spiritual experience to feel the Holy Ghost coming from the Apostle's testimonies.  They definitely felt it too.  We also gave them a copy of "The Living Christ" for them to put next to their "Family:  Proclamation to the World".

Wow.  So much to say in so little time.  I am sending off a few pictures of me with the people I am teaching.  You can now have a little clearer idea of who I'm seeing.  

Still no updated word on the iPads.  I hope they come soon!  With all of the new incoming missionaries, our mission is creating 2 new zones JUST for Spanish speaking missionaries.  The Lord is hastening His work!  It is so crazy how the entire Church is turning to a more missionary-minded focus.  Thank you all so much for everything!  I love you all!  Talk to you next week!

Elder Harper

                                                                  Mario

                                                     Benito, Griselda, and Julietta

Verge Collings and Marlon Smith, less actives

                                                            Spears's Family

Patricia and Robert, Investigators