Week 39: #ActsofKindess & Stella is getting baptized

First off, last week after I finished emailing, we met up with the sisters for ice cream at the shoppes in Chino Hills. I was getting ready to pay for my ice cream scoop and the lady told me that it had already been paid for!!! Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat???  I was blown away and my heart was literally jumping. She told me it was the man in front of me. I said, "Thank you" and ran as fast as I could in a skirt to catch up to him to tell him Thank you! RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS! I love it! Made my whole day, for a little scoop of ice cream that I could easily afford. He had his two little daughters with him... Showing them how to serve by example. #thebest  #actsofkindness  I have been blessed by acts of kindness before and hope to pay it forward.

Alright this week was so jam packed busy because we are getting beautiful little Stella ready to be baptized this Saturday!! We have been praying and praying for an answer whether she should be baptized here in Diamond Bar before she moves to Huntington Beach or to wait until she gets settled over there. She prayed about it and felt strongly that she needed to be baptized before all the chaos of moving starts! SO we are getting her baptized. She is soooooo ready - a lot more ready then I thought she was. It is beautiful how the Lord truly moves things along when it is right. I have had huge miracles testifying that to me in my mission. 

We met with Stella every morning at 10 a.m for her lesson of the day. We drank apple cider every morning to help support her kicking coffee! She is doing great! Stella has an older sister who joined the church when she was 19 because her boyfriend who is now her husband was a member. Her sister was ecstatic to find out that Stella is being baptized! It's nice to know that she has that family support. She wants her baptism to be small so she isn't inviting her family. Funny! 

This past week Stella has been raising caterpillars in a cage for her grand kids... and they  hatched to become butterflies this week - she said that it is the most beautiful transformation to see and then we related HER to a butterfly. 

A caterpillar is raised up as a caterpillar... doing all the things caterpillars do because that is all it knows... but then there comes a point in a caterpillars life when it needs to make some changes and sacrifice  -- being a caterpillar to become a butterfly. It is scary and requires a willing heart but being a butterfly is far above anything a caterpillar could ever imagine. And the great sacrifice brings far greater blessings!! (photo of an image Sister Hernandez drew)

Tesan is doing well! She has had a lot of medical pain and her dog is in and out of the vet. But things started to settle down on Friday. We went over and chatted with her for a while. We watched some of the bible videos with her to get a visual of Christ's Atonement. Jesus Christ lived, suffered, and died for each of us. We don't have to suffer, we don't have to be sad, lonely, scared, or carry any burden because Jesus Christ has already suffered that for us. If we let him carry it with us it becomes much lighter and eventually goes away. We have to let him help us. We don't just throw all of our burdens onto him... we wouldn't learn anything. We walk WITH Christ to be able to learn and grow and change from him. 

I completed the Book of Mormon this Saturday for the first time in my mission and second time in my life. Reading it through this time was different. I learned SO much as I took the time to STUDY it,  verse by verse. I can't wait to read it again. I have always had a good testimony of the Book of Mormon -- I have always known that the teachings and principles we learn from it are valuable. Growing up when I would read from the Book of Mormon I would feel peace and I often found comforting answers through it. But I have never taken on Moroni's promise and prayed to ask Heavenly Father if it was true. SO, I now know that The Book of Mormon to be the word of God. It plays an important and crucial part in each of our lives and salvation. I don't understand every bit completely but I know that it has given me a strong foundation and it will continue to do so! The Book of Mormon testifies of the living and loving Jesus Christ and shows us each how to gain peace in this life! 

I loooooooooooooove being a missionary! It's my calling, I was born to do this. It just fills me with JOY! 

Have a beautiful week! Stay healthy, safe, and have fun!! 

Happy Fourth of July!!! 

P.S. because of the Holiday I will be emailing on Tuesday instead of Monday! xoxo

Sister Holt 

US today.  Love her!

We like SELFIES -- have you noticed?

Week 38: #YaGottaWanna

President and Sister Hobbs --- Love and Till We Meet Again

It's Coming in HOT! Diamond Bar, CA is already up in the 100's. To say the least... I am melting. Prayers needed or some rain.  :-)

Monday we were able to squeeze in a lesson with Stella early that morning. And we ended up actually teaching or discussing with Tom, her housemate, about the gospel. He is the one who called us Unicorns back in April. He is interested in reading the Book of Mormon... so we gave him one!! He said he probably won't read it soon... but he WILL read it. He sounds promising :) He is a major business man so he is fun to discuss with! Keeps me awake! 

Tuesday we had lessons with Tesan and Madeline. Both on the Plan of Salvation! Tesan is excited and eager to get into the temple to do baptisms! 

Wednesday, we were on exchanges. I was with Sister Leung in the Rolling Ridge ward in Chino Hills. Sister Leung is from Hong Kong, China. Her english is better than mine. haha! It was a very nice relaxing and peaceful day of missionary work! 

Thursday, we made a trip out of the mission, #roadtrip to San Dimas, to the dentist because Sister Hernandez's tooth felt funny... she was convinced she had a cavity. Come to find out... NO CAVITY! hehe I am glad she feels better now. :) 

Friday, was zone conference! HIGH LIGHT OF THE WEEK! I learned so many amazing things. We had to say goodbye to President and Sister Hobbs... but I know it won't be goodbye for too long since they are wanting to move to Meridian Idaho! :) (its not in stone... but they are leaning towards it) I can't tell you everything I learned so here are some bullet points of my favorites...

• The Lord loves those who are willing and who never get tired of doing good things. That is when we find the most JOY 
• The sacrament is the heart of our church
• #YAGOTTAWANNA - Gratitude is the basis of all righteous desires! It starts with an attitude of gratitude which will turn to having a desire to do the Lords will which turns to righteous action!! 
• The minute we forget where the blessings are coming from - we get lost. 
• Know + Feel + DO = Become! 
• Questions are from God and Doubts are from the adversary 
• Gratitude is remembering those who have done something for us when they might not have wanted to....  <-- Gives us a new perspective on what to be grateful for
• It is much better to be TRUSTED than loved. When we are trusted then we are loved! 

And my favorite quote of all from Sister Hobbs, 

"I'm not what I ought to be

not what I want to be 

not what I am going to be

but thankful I am not who I used to be" 

--unknown 

Saturday and Sunday were both amazing days. I just don't have time to write about them! I am sorry this email wasn't the best buut I gotta run! 

I love being a missionary, I love being a daughter of God! There is power in that. 

I love the gospel, I love California, and I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father! Would be lost and sad without them! 

Thank you for everything you do! Cheers to another week in the work! :) 

xoxo

Sister Holt

Exchanges with Sister Leung

#RoadTrip to San Dimas

 Sketch Town -- Pomona, CA 

The Pochets - members who make the most amazing costa rican spaghetti

Week 37: Don't be an ALMOST member -- Go ALL in.

Happy Monday!

I can't ever remember what happens during the weeks so I have to look back at my planner... so that is the whole purpose of planning... its for YOU so that I can write you emails about my week! Thank you Heavenly Father!  

On Monday, we had dinner with the Manzanares couple... They took us to Tai food and frozen yogurt. Yes I ate Tai food. Sister M. is inactive and Brother M. is not a member.... but I am not sure how interested they are in coming back. But we love them and they love us. They wash our car every Monday before dinner. They listen to our lessons so I know that there is something drawing them in but the commitments are hard for them. They are in New Mexico for grandma's birthday this week so no visit tonight! 

Tuesday, we met with Tesan, and earlier that morning she fell. Her dog, Maggie just had surgery on her back leg so she is down for a few months and Tesan tripped over her and hurt her arm. We asked her if she would like a priesthood blessing. She said, " DUH! When can they come!?!" haha! Brother Kilburn came over and gave her a blessing. And later that night she said that when she was laying in bed her shoulder was still hurting but then she heard a POP and the pain was gone! #blessings

Later Tuesday night we got a new investigator. Daniel is a referral. He is a doctor so he has a very scientific point of view... but lately he says that that can't be all there is. There has to be more. He has LDS friends and said that they are always happy and seem at peace... He ended up running into missionaries at Mcdonalds and they referred him to us. We are excited for his lessons. He really grasps everything we say. 

Wednesday, was the day when everyone decided to not be home and let us in. It was just a hard day. Then Stella called us and asked if we would be free for lunch... well it was already like 2 o'clock so we told her we could come over for a light snack and a lesson. She agreed. We ended up showing her the Restoration video and teaching her about it. She loved it! We both felt prompted to extend an invitation to baptism.... Stella said OF COURSE!! We wanted to get her baptized July 2nd! But she is moving in the middle of July to Long Beach, so we are thinking we will have her wait so that she can lay her foundation in Long Beach. 

Friday, We volunteer to do service at the Thrift Store in Chino. Laura and Kevon are so nice and love missionaries! They aren't members but they will be once they hit their 100th missionary! We love them! 

Later that evening we had a BBQ with Tesan, Jim (her husband) and her sister Ginny. It was great. Jim wanted us to try his most famous delicous hamburgers! and I'm not going to lie they are very very tasty. I enjoyed every bite! I love being over there! :) 

Afterwards we went to go visit our good friend Rita. Rita is the less active member who struggles with witch craft... Well her husband just recently passed away last week. She needs a job and wants to come back to church. We got her a church outfit from the thrift store for her... she never showed up but we can keep hoping!! Church, prayer, and reading is all she can do to get rid of these evil spirits in her life. 

Saturday we had a lesson with Madelyn, (<-- I found out how to spell her name correctly) We showed her the Restoration Movie. She loved it!! She said it was a very well done production. But she didn't get it. Madelyn isn't very religous.... she comes to church and thinks it is a very nice place to be but she doesn't understand changes that have to take place in order to see the blessings. But it takes time and effort... and she is making that effort so she can see change and blessings but again the commitment isn't a step she is willing to take at the moment. 

Church was amazing this Sunday!! Brother Bottom gave such a wonderful talk. It was short and simple. I want to share a couple things from it. 

His talk was centered on the word ALMOST. He says, "The word ALMOST is the most pathetic word in any language." 

He told a story of two skydivers.... with one skydiver who's parachute didn't come out and he fell to his death. Its impossible to catch someone mid air at 130 MPH but the other skydiver lands and sees his dead friends and yells.... "I ALMOST HAD HIM!" You can't almost have something completely out of reach. You are either all in... or all out. 

He closed with this... " You don't want to walk into Hell and have them say, 'Welcome to Hell, you ALMOST made it to Heaven." 

I don't want to be a gospel taster, a part-time participant, or a salvation sampler. I don't want to be an almoster. I want Heavenly Father to know that I am in this with ALLL my heart not just half of it. 

I hope my thoughts made sense. I hope that we all can submerge ourselves in the gospel. It is everything! 

President Uchtdorf says, "You can't just dip your toe in the water and tell everyone you went swimming. You have to jump in and submerge yourself in the water to go swimming." 

I love you all. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Have a wonderful summer week!! 

xoxo

Sister Holt

Pictures: 

1. FOUND MORGAN STREET! 

2. The Kilburns got a new kitty, since Mocha died. 

3. Graduation parties for the ward! #dinnerappointments

Found MORGAN Street

Graduation parties for the ward! #dinnerappointments

Kilburns  new Cat:  

Ammon:  Cutest boy I have seen in CA so far!!!!!

Week 36: My Long Lost OLDER sister: Tesan

It is starting to heat up here on the California side! Man, it is boiling the minute we walk out the door and I am drenched cause we all know I have issues. ;) But the sunshine keeps me happy!! I need the sunshine to survive! 

Elder David F. Evans said, "We need tenacity in order to become true disciples of the Savior and to achieve the truly good goals--- Becoming a great missionary, completing our education, finding an eternal companion, and starting a family--- that our Heavenly Father knows we need to achieve to prepare for eternity.  We need to know that there is simply no test until there is adversity."

We can't expect to grow and change without being tested and tried and making mistakes. We weren't meant to be perfect or even reach perfection while we are here on earth. 

Anyways! THIS WEEK - Tesan got baptized!!!! On Wednesday night, June 1st she was baptized by our ward mission leader Brother Esplin. Her husband Jim was there to support her. It was amazing. She was glowing. The best part was that she came out of the water clapping!! 

Let me just put this picture in your head! 

After Brother Kilburn finished his talk on Baptism, it was time for Tesan to be baptized. Tesan, Sister Hernandez and I were walking into the door of the font and Tesan quickly turns around and waves good-bye to the crowd. (practically the whole ward) She gets into the water and looked at the picture of Jesus and John the Baptist in the water so that she could put her hands just like Jesus. Then she was staring at Brother Esplin the whole time just anticipating the dunk! She looked so happy. Sister Hernandez and I were standing on the side of the font at the top of the stairs. The minute Tesan went under the water the Spirit hit me so hard I lost balance and fell to a squat. (weird but true) She came out of the water clapping to the crowd and then immediately started crying! She walked up the stairs and we just hugged her and let her cry. They closed the font doors and we just stayed in our hug for a couple minutes and let her take it in. Then she says, " We are going to be in heaven together!!!"  She kept saying, "I just got baptized."  "I am baptized." "I am a mormon!!!" She was so happy and just kept praying to Heavenly Father aloud and saying how grateful she was. It was a beautiful experience!! 

While Tesan was getting ready they showed the Restoration movie for the people waiting. When the movie was over Tesan wanted to bear her testimony for everyone at her baptism. It was beautiful and perfect. She felt so much love from the ward on her special day. She said it was the best birthday ever! (rebirth) 

Thursday, Friday and Saturday we met with Tesan to help her get aquianted with her new scriptures that the Kilburns bought for her. They are burgandy with her name printed on them. 

On Sunday, Tesan was confirmed as the newest member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and recieved the Gift of the Holy Ghost. She was crying, of course! The Spirit in the meeting was perfect and meant for her. Her husband Jim and her younger sister, Jenny came to sacrament to support her. It was amazing. At the end of fast and testimony meeting, Tesan popped up to bear her testimony. Pretty sure she was legitmetally glowing. To be able to hear her words how the gospel has blessed her life in a short month was priceless. I have been able to see it transform her in such a short amount of time because she was so open and willing for the Lord to transform her! When we are willing to align ourselves to the Lords will, he will work wonders in us!! 

I couldn't be more grateful for the oppurtunity I have had in my mission to find, teach and baptize such a wonderful and humble woman. Truly a broken heart and contrite spirit. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has healed not only her temporary earthly wounds but will continue to heal and carry her for eternity. Tesan is an example to me and to everyone she meets. I see alot of myself in her. By  small sacrifices and a willing heart  it can make for miracles through the Atonement of Jesus Christ!! 

Stella popped up and surprised us at church this Sunday! She was able to witness Tesan's confirmation and hear her testimony which helped Stella recognize a lot. She was shedding a few tears, I saw. Tesan and Her made quick friends!! 

Madelyn is making way. Still won't commit to baptism but she is reading and praying as much as she can. So she is growing! :) 

Lots more work going on but too many words to read for you! I just say the important stuff! 

Love always, 

Sister Holt

Navy Polka Dot theme! 

 President Hobbs and Sister Hobbs came to support Tesan!

Tesan ready for baptism