Week 64: Choose Your Hard & Find Joy

Another packed full week! Wahoo! Getting Sister Ysasaga adjusted to the desert was hard... haha just kidding! She is so great and she took the ball and ran with it. It has been such a blessing! We have a lot of fun together!  

We had a lot of service opportunities this week. We did a lot of dishes but the fun part was defrosting the freezer! Thank you Bowl of Heaven for teaching me how to do that. It came in handy on Saturday. We also went over to my favorite lady is the ward's house, Sister Summers. She is an elderly lady who is all alone and you wouldn't expect her to say half the things that come out of her mouth. She is so spunky and sassy. Right up my alley. We get a long really well! :) She told me that I can't ever leave... soo sorry mom. Looks like I am staying here! 

We had some lessons with A and also D this week. A is progressing so well. We moved her baptism up to January 14th!! It is going to be amazing! She is so ready. Her testimony and relationship with God is just skyrocketing. She has SO much faith! 

MIRACLE! Our member C is good friends with D and on Monday we were driving up the hill from the mission office and we got a text from C and she was like, "Don't freak out... but you might be having another baptism soon." Little does she know -- I  WAS FREAKING OUT! D is on date to be baptized on April 8, 2017. It is so amazing how the Lord is working through people and making miracles happen! So grateful! 

We also contacted 3 new investigators this week. We met R and R  while knocking on a members door. We said Hi to R and he said, "Howdy!" Then we turned around and knocked on the door. Our member didn't answer  so after a while so we started walking away and decided to share a card with R. We started talking about God and religion and ending up reading the introduction to the Book of Mormon and then his friend came out and we all had an awesome conversation about God speaking to us! It was amazing! Last night on Sunday, R met us at the church and we taught him only half of the Restoration but he was sooo sincere! We don't know him too well but we both feel really good about him and he is just soaking up everything... also... minor detail... he said the closing prayer! Isn't that great!

This week was another awesome one. I have been really focusing on JOY! Actually this past month I have been focusing on it. It has really helped me out and changed my perspective so much. I still have hard days, no doubt! But they are different kinds of hard! When we turn our focus off of temporal difficulties and look to Christ for the full perspective of this life, It changes everything!! Christ changed everything for us! He is more than what we give him credit for. 

He has kept me stable and strong and continues to do so. I see it in my life and in my families life and I see it in the people lives that I teach. He changes US! 

Something great that I heard this week was... 

Finding the motivation to work out is HARD 

Being fat is HARD 

Pick your hard. 

or... 

It is HARD to live the gospel

It is even HARDER to not have the gospel 

Pick your hard! 

Haha that is my new addition! :) 

I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that it was established my Him and was restored through a prophet called by God! It is here on earth to get us to our heavenly home safe and sound. It is the only way! Let's open our eyes and realize the eternal perspective!! 

Merry Christmas Everybody! 

Remember your Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Visit... www.mormon.org and share it with your family and friends! 

xoxo

Sister Holt

Sister Ysasaga on Transfer Day!

Daisy showing off her CTR Ring

Look at that Freezer -  #gigiwouldbesoproud #thanksbowlofheaven

Week 63: Sad Goodbyes But Joy in Christ

We got transfers today! I am staying in the Mojave Narrows ward and the Ridgecrest YSA ward for a least 7 more weeks! Wahoo! My new companion is the one and only Sister Ysasaga. She is wonderful and one of my dearest friends in the mission. We served together in Chino and were actually housemates. We have too much fun together so I know that I am going to be laughing a lot in the new few weeks. Just what I need! :) The Lord is so aware of me... I am so grateful! #prayersanswered 

This week was nothing short of ABSOLUTE MADNESS! Getting two sisters ready to go home, cleaning the apartment, covering three wards with packed appointments, and keeping emotions under control set us up for a busy and exhausting week! But I am alive and still walking - not sure how functional my brain is... but we are getting along just fine. haha! Sending Sister Castelo and Wagner home was hard. It is like a piece of my heart went with them. It didn't all hit me until they were gone and I came home at night to the apartment and it was empty. Waah.... okay I am done being sad. :) They both served amazing missions and were a huge part of my life.
Grateful for the experiences we shared. 

This week was the Apple Valley Tree lighting! It was beautiful. The whole time though I was disappointed... The world is taking Christ out of Christmas.  He wasn't mentioned once and it made me so sad. So my sisters and I decided to Christmas Carol on the sidewalk where everyone was walking. We sang for about an hour. It was so cool to be able to feel the spirit through song. People started to notice and stop and sing with us... some would just smile and walk by. Some would walk and compliment us. But the coolest thing... The Daily Press News... stopped and recorded us! So I felt that we were beginning a change in the area... bringing Christ back into Christmas! Who would have thought I used music and my voice.  #miracles

A is still progressing. We had two amazing lessons with her as always! We taught from Moroni 6 about the covenant of Baptism and what that means to her. The Spirit was so strong and testifying to all of us of the love Heavenly Father has for us. She brought up the word of wisdom as a concern... so on Friday we taught her and she accepted everything and committed to live it. She has so much faith and a desire to follow Christ. She knows the truth and has the faith to ask questions to assure herself!! A questioning soul is a healthy soul! (as long as you go to the right resources to find your answers)  haha! 

Despite all the craziness that has been happening over here in my mission that is not mentioned in this email... I am amazed at how much JOY I can experience still because my FOCUS is on Christ. This past General Conference Russell M. Nelson talked about how if our FOCUS is on Christ we can experience and HAVE JOY through ANY circumstance. JOY IS FOR THE FAITHFUL! I truly believe that because I am trusting in God more than ever I have JOY! I love Him! 

Grateful for the trials and the hard days to make me stronger through the Atonement of Him who is my Savior! 

I love you all! Merry Christmas ALMOST! 

Stay safe this season! 

xoxo

Sister Holt 

 

#Light the World with Christ

The Trio with Ashlynn aka A

Goodbye to Sister Castelo -- Love Her!

Week 62: Trio in Apple Valley

Trio in Apple Valley

DUN DUN DUN! Finally created a trio! Not for happy reasons but we are surviving! (and it is only for one week) Sister Castelo and I are paired up with Sister Wagner. We are covering 3 wards together. It is a blast. Both Castelo and Wagner only have a week left in their missions... so I am killing them both off. Keep me in your prayers... I'll need it.  They will be deeply missed.

Okay okay okay, let me try to give you a run down of the week we had! I hope I can remember all the good parts.  There is just so much all the time.

A came to family home evening on Monday and brought a less active friend with her!! She is already doing missionary work... she is so solid! We had two awesome lessons with A this week. On Wednesday, we taught the Plan of Salvation. She loved it. We read 2 Nephi 9 along with it. Verse 18 talks about 'Enduring the crosses of the world' and how if we do that... we shall be full of JOY forever!!! What an amazing promise. I invite all of you to go read that chapter and verse. It brings me great comfort. The world is a distracting and busy place. When we lose focus and fall into the shame of the world we can get lost. But if we will just ENDURE the crosses... (Crosses being the lusts and temptations of the world)... we can focus on Christ and find eternal JOY not just temporary happiness. 

On Friday, we had another lesson with A was awesome as well. We talked through Alma 32 about nourishing our faith. We nourish our faith by Scripture study, obedience, attending church, and daily sincere prayer. We touched on baptism. She said she was thinking about May. However, Sister Castelo and I felt prompted earlier that she will be prepared by January 21. Sooooo I was very bold and told her that as representatives of Jesus Christ we receive guidence on how to help her progress... and we both feel that January 21 is the date. She was shocked.... Then asked us... "You really think that I can be ready that soon? If you think I can, I will!!! I will be baptized January 21!!" She needed a little confidence boost... SOOO we believe A will be getting  baptized in January!! She came to a baptism on Saturday and loved it!! She was so excited. Everything was perfect she said. 

ALSO huge miracle! Her mom is warming up to us and has invited us to have lessons in their home!!! :) A loved church on Sunday and stayed all three hours and stayed for break the fast! It was amazing. I love her!! She truly has become one of my best friends!!

Sharing the gospel is UNREAL - my heart is so full every day!! Miracles happen every single day in front of our eyes!! It is absolutely beautiful. And these promises that come from living the gospel of Jesus Christ are eternal. 

So thankful for another Christmas season. I love hearing every one  talking about Him daily.  I have been talking about Him every day ALL YEAR and plan to do so for the rest of my life. I enjoyed the Christmas Devotional on Sunday. The story of Christmas isn't fully told without the story of Easter. Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, Savior, and Brother! He came into this world just as we did and overcame all that we have to face in order to help us. He is the ultimate gift!! of Eternal life!! He gave His life so that we can have everlasting life!!! 

I am grateful for the life that He has given me - Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ... through the story Christmas and Easter.... my story continues to be fulfilled! 

Continue to share His light www.mormon.org #lighttheworld

Join in the service of Christ!! 

xoxo

Sister Holt 

Desert Knolls Christmas Party -- Walk in Bethlehem

Hike to the Water Fall the morning of Dec. 5th, 2016

Can't even explain --- just being silly.

Sister Crane and I -- Love her.

Kissing a camel