In Merced, we are continuing to focus much of our attention on following up with the positive and open contacts that we have received from UC Merced, Merced Community College (MCC), and the community.

On February 2, we visited Yosemite National Park with the team on our off day and after we got back, we had a love feast at a brother’s house with a new student contact and two Christians from a free group. Almost everyone shared their testimony and their enjoyment from the week. There was such a loving atmosphere that really helped to open the hearts of the new ones to the Word and to the truth.

On February 3, we joined the Hymns by Guitar club on the MCC campus during the first day of their club week. This college is particular in that clubs can only be established if there is a tangible purpose or reason for the club. Thus, the saints decided to teach guitar as a venue to spread spiritual songs and establish a Christian presence on the campus. 16 contacts signed up to join us on February 4 for an open session where students would lead new ones in the playing and singing of hymns.

Prayer burdens:

• Pray that there would be the proper follow-up with the UC Merced and Merced Community College students and the community.
• Pray that there would be many students gained from the Hymns by Guitar open session.
• Pray that there would be at least one baptism in Merced.

Today was our second day on the University of Minnesota campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul. We had a time of coordination in the morning and were on campus until late afternoon. We passed out 20 Bibles and two prayed to receive the Lord.

• One student, sister S, prayed to receive the Lord and will be meeting with the sisters tomorrow to fellowship.
• Another student, sister M, had a follow-up appointment today and is open to meet another time this week! She is also planning on attending the Wednesday night Bible seminar and Saturday fellowship at a local park.
• Another student, brother N, is willing to fellowship and read the Bible this upcoming Friday.

Little by little, the Lord is softening some at the University of Minnesota. Lastly, we will be having two crucial Bible seminars tomorrow night regarding the economy of God that we hope many of those we contacted could attend.

In the evening, we attended the prayer meeting of the church in Minneapolis. We enjoyed Hymn #690, “Prayer is over, praise begun. Hallelujah, ‘It is done.’” Jesus is Lord in Minneapolis!

Prayer burdens:

• The Lord would release the key ones (sister S and sister M) for an appointment tomorrow.
• The Lord would save T and her friend and bring them to an appointment.
• Brother N would touch life and his spirit this Friday.
• Many students would be released to attend the Bible seminars tomorrow night and their eyes would be opened to see God’s economy.

Yesterday, we had a Bible distribution at the College of William and Mary. The ground there still needs more tilling, and many students weren’t open to receive anything. We had the realization that our impact on campus is more than we can observe. We found out about a service that sends out anonymous tweets on campus, and later found out that many were tweeting about our distribution. Though it was negative speaking, we realize it is not a small thing for us to be on campus for our distribution, and that the campus needs much more prayer.

Last night, we had a gathering with the saints in Newport News. There were 30 of us, and we were all full of rejoicing. The atmosphere was one of washing one another’s feet in the sweet fellowship.

Prayer burdens:

• The Lord would till the ground at William and Mary so that hearts would be ready to receive the Word and ministry.
• The ones who were open and received the Word and literature would open it and read it. Stir up and expose the vanity of the world and religion so the students would be hungry.
• The two students, would become companions to pursue the Lord together in college.
• We would get warm contacts at ODU. We are going for another distribution on Wednesday (2/4), and will be inviting contacts to a Bible study happening on Thursday (2/5) on campus.

Unless Jehovah builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. After a resurrectionly coordination Monday morning, we set out for campus where we distributed another 174 Bible study invitations, met one contact, and had three appointments. Praise the Lord, we can testify that our new ones are slowly but surely getting fed! Then we gathered for a very sweet time at the Jia’s.

On Tuesday, after coordinating in Spirit, we distributed 16 invitations, met one more contact, and had two appointments. That evening’s prayer meeting, we prayed over 23 names.

Activity highlights:

• At Monday night’s home meeting, we were privileged to hear the faith-infusing testimony of some more mature saints from Albuquerque, NM, and we watered each other with psalms concerning laboring by grace, by waiting on the Lord, and by coming to Him (Isa 40:29-31, Psa. 127:1-2, Matt. 11:28-30). In our singing, we were resting.
• One of our Tuesday appointments was with a cluster of freshmen who had been Christians for at least a year. We went over the Precious Blood of Christ, and they were amazed at its power. Thank you Lord for the ministry.

Prayer burdens:

• Shepherd the local saints, especially the local students, so they can shepherd the new ones.
• Pray for our health. Some of our sisters are beginning to fall ill due to fatigue and the cold.

Tonight we had our fourth gospel meeting at one of the saint’s homes. The Lord blessed the meeting with eight gospel contacts who came to join us tonight to blend and fellowship with the saints. Three of these contacts were female college students that came to the meeting on kick scooters. The astounding part is that they actually rode their scooters for about an hour from their house to get to the meeting tonight. The Lord really does move in ways we can’t even imagine! After dinner and singing, right before we were about to start the fellowship, a man and his fiancé, the saints’ neighbors, came in to join us as well. During the testimony portion, the fiancé, in addition to the saints’ testimonies, shared with us her story of her physical condition and what she has been going through. The meeting ended with a time of blending and fellowship. Praise the Lord for his wonderful work!

Prayer burdens:

• Gospel meetings on Friday, February, 6th, 2015 and Lord’s Day, February 8th, 2015—that the Lord would bring many English-speaking ones, that they would be saved and baptized, and that they would be remaining fruits of the gospel.
• Twenty remaining fruit in Rancho Cucamonga
• Five English-speaking families to migrate to Rancho Cucamonga
• That the Lord would have a lampstand in Rancho Cucamonga.