A Week to Remember

Hello everybody!

Wow!  Just like I said, this week is a week that I will remember for a long time!  To start off on a funny note, I will tell you something that happened to us.

On Tuesday, we woke up to a pretty good sized rainstorm happening outside.  As we finished our studies, the rain was continuing to pour outside.  It was the other elder's car day, so we were stuck on foot.  We walked up and down the streets, splashing in puddles and such, but not a lot of people were outside and willing to talk to us.  (I wonder why..?)

We were walking up Broadway, (one of the busiest streets in the area) and came across a McDonald's, so we decided to go in and try out the new White Hot Chocolate that they're advertising.  We ordered the drinks and sat down.  They called our numbers so we got the drinks, and as we opened them, it sort of had a brownish tint to the drink, but we thought that was normal.  I took several sips, but something didn't taste right about it.  THEY PUT COFFEE IN OUR HOT CHOCOLATE!  Yep, the guy put a few shots of espresso in it...I thought I saw a few of them smiling behind the counter..."Let's give some coffee to the Mormons." ;)  it was kinda funny, but mean at the same time.  Coffee's gross.

Anyways, on Friday we went to the temple with Katie and Anthony Hidalgo.  It was awesome!  We got there right when a session was starting, so we had some time to kill.  We went to the distribution center, and Anthony picked virtually every single video they had to offer and bought them all.  We went for a walk around the temple and took some pictures together.  Then we parted ways.  Elder Snyder and I went inside to do a session, and Katie and Anthony went to the Visitor's Center.  The session was great!  At the end, when we were sitting in the Celestial Room, a temple worker approached us and asked if we could be witnesses for some proxy sealings.  It was great!  It was the first time I had ever seen a sealing in my life, and the Spirit was so strong in that room.  I know that God sent me a tender mercy, because as I watched, I couldn't help but think that Brittany and Josh were doing the same think just a week before.  The sealer told Elder Snyder and I that THIS is how we endure to the end.  By getting sealed in the temple for time and eternity.  We went back into the Celestial Room afterwards and as I read my patriarchal blessing again, the part about being sealed in the temple caught my eye.  It made me excited for when that special day of mine would come.

Afterwards, we went through the Visitor's Center a little bit more with Anthony and Katie, and they said that they loved it there.  Anthony teared up a little bit when he and Katie were there, Katie says, but if you asked him, he'd deny it. :)  They were going to take us to a restaurant in LA, but they got a little lost.  So we drove up along the coast through Malibu and then into Oxnard and ate at BJ's Restaurant, the same place where Anthony proposed to Katie.  It was pretty cool to go there.  We listened to John Bytheway and some good country music on the way back, and it was a great day!

We were super blessed to be able to see Chris again this week. Our ward had the annual Christmas party, and Chris was able to come along. So many great members from our ward introduced themselves to him, and Chris told us almost as soon as we were beginning to eat that he felt comfortable there. After the dinner and the Nativity program, we gave Chris a Church tour. We went into the Primary room, and there were a few kids that were running around and being a little loud. But as we showed Chris the pictures that were on the wall, he began to cry. The main picture we focused on was of Christ coming the the Americas and blessing the children there. As he cried, we asked him how he was feeling. He told us that he was feeling great, but he had no idea why. We paused and told him that what he was feeling was the Spirit that was confirming truth to him. We told him to strive to feel these types of feelings in his life. I thought it was amazing how even though the children were being loud, the Spirit still subtly touched his heart, and ours. It was a great church tour, and a great night for him and for us.  Unfortunately, Chris didn't attend church the next day.  We offered him to get a ride from a member, but he said that his mom could take him.  We'll keep working on him!

Another awesome thing will be happening this Friday!  I just got permission from the mission president to go to a baptism in Lompoc!  Yep, Rachel is getting baptized, and she wanted me to be there!  I'm so happy and excited that I'll be able to go and to see all my old pals in Lompoc!  I'll take pictures!

I love you all!  Have a great week!

Love,
Elder Harper