One of the most successful weeks on my mission. Period.

Hello again everyone!

Wow, it continues to amaze me how these weeks just come and go.  I can't believe it's already been 9 months...where has the time gone?

So, you're probably wondering why I said this week has been so great, huh?  Well, it just so happens that we taught 16 lessons total this week!  With three of us now, it makes it so much easier for us to teach, because we can go into anyone's house, even if there's not another male home.  I really like being in a "tripanionship", it eliminates those "awkward moments" when teaching, and I feel like we all have something to input and we can build off of each other's ideas.  Plus, we know cover the entire ward, instead of just the northern half, so there's a lot more people we can see and things to do.  And on top of that, Elder Sebaske's birthday is in April, so we have it scheduled to go to the Los Angeles temple on April 1st!  No joke.  This transfer, we have had a great stake conference, we have a zone conference, a general conference, two baptisms, and a temple trip coming coming up. It's been all-around awesome. 

There is a potential investigator in the other area named Jason Florey that we had the chance to go see.  After we got to know him, we taught him the Restoration, gave him the pamphlet, and he read the whole thing!  

Benito and Griselda had their baptismal interview on Friday night, and they both passed!  We had Domino's pizza at their house afterwards with their fellowshippers, and it was great.  We are all super excited for their baptism this Saturday!  I'll take some pictures, so you will see them next week! 

SO many things to talk about in so little time...

On Saturday and Sunday, we did something a little different.  Our zone has a goal to invite 595 people to be baptized this transfer, and also declare to 1,460 people, 20 a week each companionship for 6 weeks.  We decided to try an experiment.  We went to the store and bought a sign, some oreos, and some starbursts.  We wrote on the sign "Cookie or Starburst?  All you need to do is answer a few short questions"  We asked them a few of the baptismal interview questions and said, "We learn from the scriptures that God has always called prophets to give us His word.  We claim to have a prophet on the Earth today.  If you came to a knowledge of these things by study and prayer, and you felt that these things were true, would you be baptized into that church?"  We invited 30 people to be baptized, and declared to 20 people.  Surprisingly, almost all of the people we talked to said yes, but none of them were interested in learning more about the Church.  Kind of frustrating right?  However, we feel good because we extended that invitation, and their use of agency is up to them.  Very successful week I'd say.

As I progress further and further into my mission, I gain a better love, understanding, and testimony that I KNOW that this Church is true, and that I will never waver from that knowledge and truth.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is really the only way to find true, long-lasting happiness.  We are SO lucky to have found this truth to ourselves, and what an opportunity and blessing it is for us to share that with others.  

Love you all!  I hope you have a great week!

Love, Elder Harper