Week 8: Thanksgiving and Bike Crashes

Hello!! This week was here and there exciting! Lots of work and lots of eating :-)

Tuesday, we had a lesson with our investigator children who are getting
baptized January 2, 2016! We taught them the Gospel of Jesus Christ lesson
and they each made their own staircase to heaven. It was super awesome.
They told us they want to get baptized sooner than January, but the momma
already took that weekend off work sooooooo , It is happening January 2. We are very happy.

Wednesday, was nothing but crashing into  stuff! OOPS! We were leaving our
apartment building that morning for the day and out of no where this
shopping car appears in the middle of the sidewalk and OF COURSE I hit it
with the side of me and bounce into the middle of one of the busiest roads
in Rancho! GOD  IS WATCHING OVER ME because LUCKILY no cars  were in the road, but after I got back onto the sidewalk the road was busy again..... like
what?! I could have died. After that we went on and met all of our
appointments for the day and then went to dinner.  On the way home from
dinner, Sister Huntington had a little oopsie. We were riding down hill on
the sidewalk and the road doesn't have much light on it. She was
riding in front of me and on the other side of the street was two other
young bicylist... so Sister Huntington decided to yell and encourage them
to keep going because they were heading for the steep hill. And while in
the process of yelling at them she hit a street sign pole and wrecked.
Flopping over a brick wall. (look below for a picture) LOL!!!  I didn't laugh
at first because I went and made sure she was okay. Then once I heard that
she was laughing I let out sooooo much laughter and made her stay there so
I could take a couple pictures! hahahahahahaha! Aren't I the best companion
ever??? It was hilarious and I just kept telling her that
Satan was trying to distract her with the boys on the bikes and God was
smacking the sense back into her by placing that street sign there. :);) ;)

Thursday was THANKSGIVING! and we were at our investigator Victoria's
house. Who is the mother of Yolanda who is the mother of Nicole ,who are all
NOW investigators. The dinner was delicous and the conversation was great.
They are a beautiful family and are sooooo fun! Victoria and Yolanda
started talking to me about the spirit world and the after life and they
were asking soooo many questions. So Sister Huntington and I asked if we
could just teach them the Plan of Salvation lesson  and that would hopefully answer
all of their questions. They were thrilled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So we taught that
and it went extremely well. We taught about eternal familes and temples. They
all were amazed. Really thirsty to learn more. WE are invited to go back on
Tuesday to teach more about the priesthood and Joseph Smith :) Yolanda was
really intestested in temple sealings and how earthly marriages say "till
death do you part" and we say "for all time and all eternity." Her and
her husband love eachother soooooo much! I knew she would be eager to learn
more about that. ALL IN ALL it was an amazing lesson and we are looking
forward to be teaching them more.

Friday was a hard day.  We were a bit homesick, but got through it by reading scriptures.  I appreciate them and they help me very much.

Saturday was great! We visited our recent convert Kendra and her cute
little 5 year old Kaiden. We set up their Christmas tree and had a lesson
and dinner with them. They are so cute. WE love them!

Sunday, Sister Huntinton crashed again and bruised her tailbone...... so we
now have a car for a week!!!!!! HALLEJIUH! It's fun! We are driving a Jeep!
We also visited our favorite family! The Dickersons! :)

I am extremely happy out here. Being out during the holidays is really hard
but it is the best time! I love it. The Christmas lights keep me super
happy as well!

I challenage you all to find a way to serve this holiday season. Reach out
to people you normally wouln't reach out to. Everyone could use a nice warm
visit. Remember our Savior in all the things that you do. He is the most
important.
I love you all and wish you a safe and Happy Holiday!

Be Kind and Have Courage!
Sister Holt
Pictures

1. Sister Huntintons FIRST fall of the week :)

2. We got turkey attacked!!!!!!!!!

3. Recent Convert-  Kendra, Kaiden and Sister Huntington by the Christmas tree!

Week 7: Much to be Thankful for

Hello Hello Hello! I am a week older in the mission but I am still a baby. Sister Huntington always forgets I am her greenie. Haha! Last monday was Sister Walls birthday so we went around Victoria Gardens and shopped a little. It was fun to be in such a public place as a missionary. Everyone stares at you so that makes for perfect oppurtunities to strike up a conversation. HA! 

On Tuesday we had district meeting but President called all of us the night before and asked for an earlier meeting to show us the new Christmas Video from the church. GUYS IT IS SO AMAZING! It comes out next Sunday November 29! Share it with everyone :) After that we  went out to contact all these people in an area we hadn't been  in before and ending up meeting this young girl named Arianna who is 20 and lives at home. We told her about the YSA wards and how fun they are. She seemed interested and very touched when we shared Alma 7: 11-13 about Christ's suffering for us. Those scriptures are amazing to share with everyone because it is so good for them to visuilize what Christ went through for us. It helps them imagine and feel close to him. We hope to visit with her more this week .

On Wednesday, we were so busy and on our bikes alllllll day long and it was hot! We went around seeing less actives, potentials, and then talking to everyone we saw. On hot days like this everyone is outside doing stuff because to them it isn't that hot because its November hotness to them which is NOTHING compared to the summer heat they have. I am just a whimp. After we had a long day of being out on our bikes , we had a fun dinner set up with a member who has two teenage daughters who are just hilarious! It was so fun to create better friendships with them and laugh for a couple minutes. I love being at members home for dinner because creating good relationships with them is KEY! The work would not move forward without the members helping us. I am so grateful for the Redhill Ward and how amazing they are with missionary work.

Thursday was crazy! YOU WANT TO READ THIS ONE!!!!! So we started out at our girls Katrina's house who is our dear friend. She is a less active - she is converted to coming to church but she isn't converted to the gospel. So we like to go over there and read her scriptures with her to get her day starting off on the right foot. We have been reading from 1 Nephi but my companion and I both felt the need to read Alma 34 with her. and The spirit was soooo strong. Katrina was in tears and just needed a hug. It was so cool. Then her non member husband came out and read the last two verses for us and stayed for the prayer. It was awesome! THEN we went around contacting a bunch of people just like always haha. BUT THEN later that night we had our second lesson with the Carillo family (who is our second family) The mom is a less active member who is recently divorced. She has three  (12,11,9) children. So we taught them last week the Restoration and they were awesome. They were super receptive and asked alot of great questions. This week we taught them the Plan of Salvation, which is my favorite lesson to teach. They all listened really well and then once we finished we asked them if they wanted to be baptized still... and they said yes. and so we extended a date of January 2, 2016. and They all agreed and then THEY CAME TO CHURCH THIS SUNDAY! They are the cutest things ever. I am so excited. We have a baptism on January 2! Starting out the new year right! AHHHH :) They all loved church so much. The 12 year old is pumped to start going to mutual and the little 11 year old cannot wait till he turns 12 so he can pass the sacrament. They are adorable. So that is my big news this week! :) :) :)

Saturday was super fun. The Upland Stake was doing this missionary activity and the missionaries each got assigned a young woman to drag around with us ALL DAY. haha. It was fun. We had Sister Moore who is 16! (Lexie this could be you!) And she was such a good sport. She just hopped right on the bike we got here and kept up with us just fine. WHICH IS HARD BECAUSE WE BIKE SUPER UBER FAST ;) 

We went to our Momma Cynthia's house to teach a lesson for her (recent converts) and her less active nephews were there and so we got to share with them the Plan of Salvation or what they call it "re-freshing their memory". haha! They are awesome. It was an amazing discussion. They had a lot of questions that we just answered by the spirit because there is no way I knew a lot of the answers about the second coming and all that jazz.But the Lord took care of it. I love that family so much. Momma C's grandchildren live with her in an apartment and they are the happiest bunch ever! I love going to visit them. We are treated just like family over there.

Sundays are my favorite days! I love going to ward council and being at church and since our little family came to church this Sunday, it was even better. Seeing little Joey (11) in primary being welcomed almost brought me to tears. HE WAS SO HAPPY and felt soooo loved! Guys when you see a picture of him, you will die! He is adorable and says the cutest little prayers. Our first visit with them he said the closing prayer and said , " I want to thank God for sending the missionaries to us to teach us the truth and help us." RIGHT?!?!?!? SO CUTE.

Now it is Monday again. Time flies on the mission. I can't believe it is Thanksgiving already. I hope everyone is safe and with their families on this holiday. We are going to an investigators house for thanksgiving. I'M PUMPED! :)

Dear all readers, I KNOW that this Gospel is the true church of Jesus Christ and he restored it through the prophet Joseph Smith and we are all God's children! I am so grateful for the knowledge that comes from the Plan of Salvation to give us the direction and guidence that we need in this life. I don't know where I would be without this gospel and without the companionship of the Holy Ghost. I am so grateful that he has never left my side. I am so grateful I listened to that voice the day I did because I would not be the same person I am today! LISTEN to those promptings. THEY ARE THERE. I can promise you that. They are soft and quiet but so loud when we listen faithfully. I know that prayer works. I am so grateful to be here - I would  not want to be anywhere else. Thank  YOU to everyone and anyone who has helped me and is supporting me while I am here. May God be with you.

I love you all.

Stay safe this holiday and Be Kind,

Sister Holt 

Pictures:

1.  There was an event Saturday night about the Native Americans (the laminates) and Christ. This family behind us performed the Hoop Dance. SO COOL

2.  Sister Moore is our little young women we had with us this Saturday.  She is darling.

3. Happy Holidays from Sister Huntington and I <3

Week 6: Blessed to be a Missionary

This week was slower because  Sister Huntington and I were both sick with colds. (thats what we get since we have to bike in the rain). But we kept working hard through the sickness.  I love my ward and area.  I could stay here the whole time. I even told my President that I never want to be in a car, because the exercise  on a bike is so good.  But then I told him I better be careful of what I say. :-)

Investigator D:  have to give her to the Redland Sisters due to boundaries.  

Another pic of D:  She is awesome and we will miss her

Getting ready to ride our bikes in the rain.  It is COLD!

We have two familes that are investigating right now which is incredible. President Hobbs really wants our mission to focus on finding and bringing families to the gospel and we have TWO! #blessed. 

There is this family, Mom's name is B and dad's name is T. They just got married in January. B has 4 kids of her own and T and B  just had a baby  together who is six months old and now has another baby on the way. 3 months apart! She has her hands full. So Sister Huntington has been in this area since August and has never met her but has wanted too. They aren't members but have investigated before. ANYWAYS - the first week I got here we stopped by to meet them and THEY WERE HOME! She invited us to come back because she needed help around the house. So ever since then we have been going back every Saturday morning to help them clean and purge their house! (cause that's what I am good at, thanks MOM!) She has been saying that she wants to have the lessons again because she needs something in her life!! She feels like she is drowning. (She has a lot of drama from her ex husband and new wife). 

Anyways, we have been trying to get them to church for the last two weeks and they haven't shown up. 
YESTERDAY! We were expecting 6 of our investigators to come to church and NONE of them showed up. It was heartbreaking. I had such high hopes all day long because I really thought our two familes would come through. We have sacrament last and so as the meeting was starting I was thinking to myself... "We are wasting so much time with B and T, they are just using us for service and just say that they want to be baptized to please us."

I wanted to cry because I truly love this family and feel so connected to them. Sister Huntington leaned over to me and asked if i was okay, and I flat out said, "No I'm not... I'm really sad." And she was reaching over to give me hug and right at that moment she turned around and said, "Think again Sister Holt." and I looked to my left and saw B, T, baby, and 10 year old B coming to sit down in the empty pew next to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wanted to burst into tears! I was so happy they came to church even if it was the last hour, they made an effort to come and were successful!! It was amazing. 

Heavenly Father really was pushing my faith to the edge and I was about to let go! and right at the end he lifts me up!!! Huge testimony builder! After the meeting I just went and gave B a big hug and told her how happy I was that she came and she said, "I am so happy I did too!!" I am so excited to see her this weekend, I am going to ask to set a baptismal date for December. She needs too! And she knows she needs to too!!!

I am so grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord. I am grateful for families and how the gospel can truly strengthen our families in unexpected ways. And I know that when we put in just a little effort we can see huge results!

I am so excited for what is in store for this family and I am grateful that I get to be here to help them along this journey. Heavenly Father truly sets us in the right places at the right times. We are meant to meet every person we come across. Whether we are the ones to strengthen them or they are the ones to strengthen us. We are all a part of one big eternal family and are here to help each other return to our loving Heavenly Father. 

I am grateful for this oppurtunity I have to be serving as the Lord's Hands on this earth for such a short time. This is once in a life time.  I am THANKFUL to everyone who has supported me  to get  me out here. I am forever grateful. 

This mission is the best thing that I have ever done and I still have 17 more months of it! BIG SMILES!

Remember to BE KIND 

Love always,

Sister Holt

Week 5 : Eternal Perspective

AHHH! I am the worst at compiling my weeks into emails so I am sorry if none of them make sense. We are working with the same people and I am hoping and praying that this family starts to make their commitments happen. They are so ready and they neeeeed this gospel in their life! We have been doing service for them every Saturday and this Saturday we were finally able to sit down with her and teach her the plan of salvation. She also told me that she was planning to come to church this Sunday and so I got super excited and told her all of us missionaries were speaking and she got excited too. Then she didn't come. (sad face) Next week I guess!

So everyone needs to read Alma 34! This talks about the Plan of Salvation (or plan of redemption) and how it is all powered up by our faith and repentence. Basically, what I want to say that came to mind when I read it was that: This life is a time for us to prepare ourselves to meet God. Woah. Intense huh? That is our entire purpose here on earth. That's in verse 32 and after that it goes on to say that however we leave this earth in body and in spirit is how we will be in the after-life. All of our desires and thoughts and appetites will be the same but they will be even harder to overcome in the spirit world. That is why repentence is so important while we are in on earth!!! To repent of our sins and use the enabling power of the Atonement, to gain the strength that we need to overcome our temptations. That is the whole purpose. So we can Learn and experience so we can CHANGE to become more like our Savior! Everything we do and choose to do while here on this earth is going to effect our eternity. Everything. Verse 38 says, "take upon you the name of Christ, that ye humble yourselves even to the dust and worship God in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth. and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he both destow upon you." 

When we give everything to God and take upon us the name of Christ we can be changed. And that is the greatest blessing of all. Live our lives in daily thanksgiving and not just around the holiday season.

I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father and I am so grateful for this Plan ,so I am able to have direction and purpose in this life! I know there is more life to come and I am preparing to meet my maker now. I love being a missionary! This has been the best thing I could ever do for myself even though it is just down right hard most days. All of the little tender mercies make up for it!

I am grateful for the support and love I have while I am serving. May God bless you as you show your dedication and love for him!

Remember, Be kind and Have courage to stand forth in this world,

All my love,

Sister Holt

Pictures for this week. 

1. Sister Hungtinton and me

2. It started down pouring on us while we were riding our bikes! Hopefully you can see how drenched I was! 

3. Sister Huntington and I in the back and our Sister Training leader up front. Sister Cornett and Sister Stagg. Both amazing sisters!

Week 4: It's All About Service

I guess I was off one week or something but I hit my 1 month this Saturday! Whaaaat!!! Only 17 more months left, that is crazy to me. I don't even remember what I told you guys in the previous emails so if I repeat things I am sorry. 

I haven't experienced “tracting" yet, because we have so much work already. We have 5 investigators and we are also working with so many less actives right now, which is my favorite because then I don't have to teach too simple because they know things. haha. We also have been doing SO MUCH service. It seems like everyone in the entire world and their dog want us to come purge their house and clean it. So I have been doing a lot and a lot of cleaning this week. Which is fun because we get to clean and teach at the same time. MIRACLES DO HAPPEN THAT WAY!   For example:

So there is this woman who's name will be Y because I don't know if I should tell their name. ANWAYS... My companion met her about 3 months ago when she first came to the area and they exchanged numbers but nothing has ever happened between them. So this week we texted her asking if she needed anything. Y texted back and said we can come over for some service on Friday. So we were like “SCORE lets go!” We went over and walked in and met Y and her mother was sitting on the couch, I will name her V. 

So they told us what we could do and we started dusting and cleaning stuff. Then V started making conversation and suddenly began asking about Joseph Smith and his story. So we basically taught her the restoration and THEN they invited us over for Thanksgiving dinner! (which we have been praying about) and then towards the end we sat down with Y and V because they were asking a bunch of questions like: Why we are serving missions and how we are away from family and life. They kept complimenting how amazing it was that we were ACTUALLY OUT IN THE WORLD DOING THE LORD’S WORK. The spirit was really strong. So we bore our testimonies on the restoration and V said, "I just feel something different in my heart when you girls are here." So we set up an appointment to come back and I left a Plan of Salvation pamphlet for them to read and V had it half way read by the time we walked out the door. She was eating it up!!! Basically, moral of the story we got two new investigators by just doing service!!!!

Being on a bike is still painful because our whole area is uphill. But I do love it because of the exercise and it’s a big stress reliever. 

One of our investigators is soooo close to baptism, but she didn't come to church yesterday which stinks. But she is Golden. Seriously all of her beliefs and life styles align with the gospel standards, she just doesn't recognize it. And she catches on to everything so fast that during our lessons we really have awesome deep conversations! She is adorable too. She’s a momma of a two year old who is the cutest little boy I have ever seen. I love them to death! So maybe you'll be seeing some baptism pictures soon! :) 

My favorite lady is D, she has throat cancer and isn't doing so well. She finds out on Tuesday whether or not to take our her tongue. :( But we went over there last week and helped clean her house and do her laundry. So this Saturday we went back to bring back all her rugs and laundry and she was up and walking around. She's a sassy black woman with so much personality. It was so fun to be around her! She used to be an actress and has worked with Will Smith before. She has a signed picture of the  two of them on the wall. I just love her so much. She is a recent convert of a year in our ward, so we just visit her because she is ill. She is also a fashion designer and wants to make us skirts and fur jackets! hahaha! She is so fun! 

Anyways so this week has been a lot of service and a lot of biking around. But I have truly come to know that THIS IS THE LORDS WORK and he truly is the one moving it along. I can see and feel this hands working in my mission so much. I love being in peoples homes and helping them feel of the love he has for them! It is truly an amazing feeling being his instrument. 

AND the thing is, is that we are all his instruments whether on a mission or not. We should always be a representative of Christ in all that we do. “When we are in the service of our fellow men, we are only in the service of our God.”  Everyone try to find a way to serve someone better this week! I promise you will see the Lord’s hands working in you! 

I love you all. Thank you for your prayers and support. I feel them. 

Be Kind and Have Courage!

Sister Holt

The first picture is me and my companion with a special Halloween treat.

Then I received an envelope of letters from the Mia Maids I served with before I left.  Thank you!

The last picture is a sunset in Cucamonga.  It is really pretty here and warm and just where I need to be.