TSAM!

Family,

Hola familia! Your week was almost as busy as my week.. I love hearing of the way Katie is handling herself in sports and also Taylor. It is great. The baby blessing sounded fun, and I bet it was wonderful to see another grandchild blessed. Geez Dad, you and Mom are getting old! (haha)

You will probably hear this soon but Bishop Jones and his wife weren't able to take me out to lunch. They have kind of changed the rules of the missions and that isn't allowed anymore. But he did get permission to call me and so we talked for a little while, it was good to hear from him.

Yet another week from the TSAM and from Serenada. It was a weird/busy/hectic week.

To start off... This area is tough. Plain and simple. We are now teaching nobody. Bill, this last week, dropped us. On Tuesday we met with him and he expressed to us how he didn't really want to do this anymore because he is "Methodist" and he doesn't want to be a liar and be baptized in the "Mormon" faith. So we addressed his concern and gave him 3 Nephi 27 to read and pray to see if he should be baptized. We then went back on Thursday (I believe) and he told us that he had a dream. His dream was that he has plenty of time and right now he isn't ready. It was tough because we just did it at the doorstep and we didn't get his "real concern". We believe that he has family pushing him to stop -- especially his girlfriend. It was a bummer, but we got over it real fast, because we believe that he wasn't ready and that we just planted a very good seed. The scripture that came to my mind after the fact that we talked to him was Alma 34:33 or 34. The 'Do not procrastinate the day of your repentance" scripture. But then it was good that I didn't bring that up because we are not here to bash with people and force people to do anything. That is something that I have learned a lot in the past 2 or 3 months is that I can't prove anybody wrong. I can just invite and allow them to find out if it is true and if they should do it.

We taught only 3 total other lessons this week. We have some good potentials that we are going to follow up with this week. We are struggling here, but we know we were put here for a reason and so we are just trying to figure out that reason.

This last week, like I said, was busy and hectic. We had training from our Mission President Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9-4 everyday. It was hardcore! We learned a ton of basic things that will enable us to teach better and with the power of the Spirit. We have been applying these things that we learned and they are helping. We are seeing an improvement in the work and how we teach.

Take for example this week. We EBP'd a guy on the road and started teaching him. And then his brother came out and was listening. And from this training we have learned a lot of how to follow the Spirit more and to be bold and do it with love. Well these guys that we were talking to, we felt guided by the Spirit and we felt like it was one of the best lessons we have had. And so we invited them to be baptized in that first lesson. And they accepted and we invited them to come to church. They said they would...then they didn't. So that baptismal date is gone now but we are going back this week to see what happened and invite them again.

This training we had all week was amazing. It is a real testimony builder of our President. He is called of God and is a wonderful teacher. He puts it simple and plain so that we can teach simply and plainly. I still have a ways to go as a missionary. Especially in knowing "Predicad Mi Evangelio" (Preach My Gospel). That guide is from God. Like they say about it "Written in heaven, printed on earth."

Well family -- I think that is it. Still working hard here in Serenada. Even though we have disappointment, it is still super fun. Elder Roland and I make it fun, which is good. I'm still loving the work even though it is tough.

I love you all.

Elder Harvey