Week 23: The Gospel is and should be Simple

Alrighty! So alot has happened since a week and a half of writing! So I hope I will do justice of how amazing the last few days have been. If I forget something... you will hear from me again on MONDAY! Woot Woot.

So first off.... I know you are all dying to hear.... I SHOOK ELDER DAVID A. BEDNAR's HAND and HIS WIFE! Ahhhh! And I met Sister Bednar in the bathroom. #littleblessings alright.... fan girl moment is done.

Our three hour missionary meeting with Elder Bednar and Sister Bednar was mouth dropping. I was spiritually and physically exhausted afterwards! I learned and gained so much from this meeting. I don't know how I am going to even write this but I'll try my best.

To start I will tell you how he taught us. He didn't give a talk to us. We talked to him. We had a

Q & A session that we could learn by the spirit. Prior to the meeting on Saturday, he asked us to read three of his talks. 1. Ask in Faith 2. Converted unto the Lord 3. Seek Learning by Faith. We had to read these so that we would be prepared to be taught by the Spirit. (hence why we extend commitments to our investigators) ((it all makes sense)) ANYWAYS - Elder Bednar will always always tell you to NEVER take notes... because 1. you never read them again 2. you lose them and 3. you never read them again. HaHa! You should only ever write anything down that the Spirit speaks to you!!

He accidentally created a word... 'Complexify' and his mess up of creating this word was an answer to my prayers! I have been trying to collect my thoughts on a lot of things that I have been learning lately and it all comes down to "complexify-ing". As members and missionaries in the church we complexify everything way too often. The gospel is simple and because it is so simple, it is beautiful. The Lord rejoices in plainness. When it becomes too complex you know you are doing something wrong. Living the gospel is simple and beautiful. Like magic.

"We should know the gospel is true & be true to the gospel." -Elder Bednar

That is another amazing thing he taught us. We have been foreordained to become missionaries in this life. (especially elders) THIS IS OUR JOB. When we are released from the full-time service our uniform may change but our job does not! I am glad I am learning this early on in my mission so that as I am making these changes in my life I can make them permanent and not just for the time that I have the title as a 'missionary'. My mission is bootcamp for the rest of my life!!

Other quick things I learned so I don't write you a book...

1. My experience doesn't qualify me to do anything out here no matter how long I have been out... I can't do this alone.

2. You cannot repent without involving Jesus Christ

3. If you read the Book of Mormon everyday, you will NEVER fall away

4. You don't read the Book of Mormon to know if the book is true. You read the Book of Mormon to know if The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the church I need to join.

5. The Holy Ghost is the only true teacher

6. Inspired questions only work if they are specific to that person, in that time, at that place.

The best one...

7. God's pattern is ONE BY ONE. Line upon line. Precept upon precept. Here a little and there a little. As missionaries we are to provide that one on one experience with them and the Lord. Bring the Spirit unto their hearts. That is how it all works. Everything in the Gospel is one by one.

Alright hope you learned something :) I did. I love the gospel!!!

So we have 3 new solid investigators we have been teaching for a couple weeks. You know about Madilyn. She is progressing and loving life and all the friends we are bringing her :) She is 50 pages into the BOM and she loves church!

Also funny story.... Last Sunday she sat next to me at church and she told me that I can't sing.

Oh really Madilyn???!! hahahaha I laughed so hard and told her I only sing really loud because I love Jesus!! <3

Adrienne is an awesome woman we found tracting! She is getting engaged soon, she's a body builder and a chemistry professor in Irvine somewhere. She LOVES US and loves learning!! Our discussions are soooo fun! She is progressing but it will be a slow progression since we go really in depth about some topics because she is very knowledgeable. But one thing that I have learned from her is that no matter what -- our gospel can never be proved wrong no matter how much it is picked a part!

Patrick is a newbie we found this week. Our first lesson is usually the Restoration but as we started teaching it just wasn't flowing AT ALL. So I paused for like a minute to try to discern what the Spirit was telling me ," PLAN OF SALVATION DUH!" So I was like.... "Sorry this is the wrong lesson..." blah blah blah.... we started the Plan of salvation lesson and it was perfect!!! He was so involved and his friend (a member) said that she was hoping and praying that we would teach the Plan. GRATEFUL FOR THE SPIRIT!

Okie dokie... have you read enough??? I think so! ;) However, I did get to finally go to the temple out in the field. We went to the Redlands Temple. It was great to be able to attend once again.

I wanna leave you my testimony about how true and blue the Book of Mormon is and how simple and beautiful the Gospel of Jesus Christ is and is meant to be. I know it works because I am living proof!!! I have never been happier and I know it is because of the simplicity of the gospel.

Thank you for all your support and prayers!

Happy St. Patties Day!!!

love xoxox

Sister Holt