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

Week 34: Staying in Diamond Bar -- YIPPEE!

So this last week was funny. Sister Hernandez and I had no idea which one of us was going to be transferred and we both felt like one of us was going to leave. So we were telling everyone that we needed to get pictures with them and saying goodbye at the end of the lessons.... JUST IN CASE we got transferred.  

Heavenly Father is really funny and decided to let us BOTH stay in Diamond Bar TOGETHER!!!! We have 6 more weeks together and I am soooo grateful. 

So the outcome of this week was that we have pictures with most of the people we are teaching so now you can see what they look like! #yourewelcome

but sad news.... two of our chinese elders got transferred! I am so sad. The ward just won't be the same without our three chinese elders running around!! 

Are you ready for this week??? OK! Here it is........

Tuesday, we had district meeting and I had to give a training. HA! I thought I was being transferred so I went out with a bang and gave a somewhat decent training. I don't even want to talk about it.  

Then we had lunch with beautiful Miss Adrienne. We showed her how  to study the scriptures and how to cross reference the Bible with the Book of Mormon. She isn't interested in converting or trying another church because she thinks her church is the exact same as ours. :) 

Afterwards we had the Plan of Salvation lesson with Tesan. It was a lot of information for her but she has such a good perspective about not being able to learn/understand everything all at once. 

Wednesday we taught Tesan the gospel of Jesus Christ and spent a lot of time on repentance and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. She is really interested in learning more about the Atonement because she has never been taught it fully like we do before. 

Afterwards we saw Madilyn!! We taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ as well and invited her to be baptized. She told us she still has a lot of thinking to do. She wants to become better at praying everyday and studying the Book of Mormon before she commits to anything serious. She loves church though and comes every week!! 

Thursday we met with Vicky and  read the Book of Mormon with her. Then we had a lesson with Tesan to teach her S.O.A.P. (scripture study, obedience, attending church, prayer) Tesan told us how she is sharing what she learns with her sister and also with her husband. Little by little she said... they will come around!! She just loves sharing the 'GOOD NEWS' she has found. 

Then after that we met and had lunch with Stella and her sister! We shared our favorite scriptures and was able to teach her sister about the Book of Mormon and what it was about. She said that she would love to read it when she reads the bible everyday. She isn't in our mission but it was awesome to have her be so open! 

Then we met with our other Madeline. We talked to her about being a good example by living the gospel. She struggles because her husband is not a member and so that has made it hard for her to stay active. But she was so willing to make changes this week and get going to church again. She told us how whenever the gospel is more fuller in her life, the better her life seems to go! 

That evening we decided to stop by one of our potential investigators house named Dorcie. We met her walking on the street a couple weeks back. She let us in and we were able to teach her about the Great Apostasy and the Restoration. She told us that she needed to do more research so we gave her some sites. She told us she would be at church on Sunday!! 

Friday was our last lesson with Elsa and Jeff. Elsa leaves for Taiwan at the end of this week for 2 months so we probably won't see her again. We taught her from the beginning about the Restoration and about baptism. She said that she wants to pray about what church she should join to see what happens to her! It was cute. I will miss her! 

Saturday we taught Tesan about the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chastity. We were a little nervous for this lesson because Tesan loves her TEA and her coffee. We thought the easiest way for us to tell her about this commandment was to read the pamphlet. The second Tesan read over the part where it says no tea or coffee, she grinned and gasped but then just kept reading. When we were finished she said.... "I LOVE IT!! Lets go eat some blueberries!!" so we went and ate some blueberries! She accepted to live the Word of wWisdom and we came up with hot chocolate to replace the coffee in the morning for a while. 

My favorite day, SUNDAY, is always amazing. Tesan loves church. She participates in every class. She announced her baptism in Relief Society and invited everyone and then she shared a missionary moment with everyone during that time as well. People think she is already a member. I can't even tell you how happy this all makes me!! Dorcie came to church too!!!! She walked right on in with a huge smile on her face. Surprisingly she knew SOO many members in the ward so she felt very loved. It was right where she needed to be. I am excited to visit her this week to see what she thought of it. Madeline came to church as well and stayed all 3 hours with us and Tesan. I could tell she was having a very good time and didn't want to leave. The genuine love the Diamond Bar members have for each other is unlike anything. Everyone never wants church to be over!! 

This week was packed but packed full of happiness!!! I am on cloud 9 and am soooo happy to have 6 more weeks here and to top it all off I get to stay with Sister Hernandez!! The Lord is with us every day, I feel his love so strongly! And I am truly honored to have the privilege of being a missionary.

Sister Hernandez brought up a really good point about Tesan and mainly any investigator. Once Tesan felt the Holy Ghost and felt his love she didn't want that feeling to go away. She wants and hungers to have that feeling with her all the time. She absorbs every minute with the Holy Ghost and is so grateful and EXCITED to have it in a week. It makes us think... of how much we take that feeling of having the Holy Ghost with us all time for granted. We should ask him to be with us everyday and invite him everywhere with us but are we truly living in such a way that he can?? And how often do we even notice that he is with us? He is so gentle and quiet and peaceful that we can often become immune to the feeling and then it turns into ungratefulness. We are so lucky and so blessed!! 

That's it Folks!! Please keep Diamond Bar in your prayers and all the missionary work in the church.

Stay Healthy and Humble! 

xoxo

Sister Holt

 

The two elders on the end are leaving! :( Our last ward mates picture

This is the Manzanares family! Who wash our car and feed us every Monday. <3

We thought we would be transferred, found out we have 6 more weeks together.

Elsa and Jeff

 Madilyn 

This is Vicky

Madeline @ church

Adrienne! 

CHINO ZONE

  

Week 33: Baptism on the Calendar

Hola mi amigos! So lovely to be back after another amazing week.  

We were going around town Wednesday trying to visit some people that we planned to see, but neither none of them were home or it didn't feel right to visit them. I was so confused why we didn't feel right about visiting someone. BUT it popped into my head that we should call Tesan. Even though Tesan said she wouldn't be available till Friday. 

Sooooo we called Tesan and she actually said that she was about to call us to have us come help her in her yard but then she decided not to call us. BUT THEN WE CALLED HER. 

So we ended up going over to her house immediately and helped her garden. After we helped her, we sat down and taught her the full Restoration lesson. She was like ,"With all the knowledge the mormons have why don't you guys share it??" We were like what do you think we are doing right now?.... LOL! 

At the end of the lesson we were chatting and getting ready to go but I felt prompted to ask her to be baptized. So I extended the invitation and she was like, "Yes!! I will become a Mormon!!" We told her to pray about date and explained to her what she would need to do. 

The NEXT DAY, we met up with her at the church and gave her a church tour. We ended up sitting in the chapel for a while talking. She opened up to us about the way she feels about her life and how she knows she needs to take a big step and it is scary because she is so old. She said, " I haven't asked Heavenly Father yet if this is the truth because I am nervous what he will say...." and then right after she says, "woah... right after I said that I just got a wave of 'Yes, its true'" It was crazy because I felt the same thing when she said that, it was amazing to then testify and experience TOGETHER the Holy Ghost testifying truth! 

We went to lunch at a little cafe with her afterwards and she bought us lunch. On the way home when we got into her driveway we asked her if she had prayed about a baptismal date. She said when she was praying about it JUNE 1 popped into her head. It was yellow and the #1 was white. She doesn' t know why but she knows that that is the day she is supposed to do it. IN 2 WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

We all started party dancing on the driveway when Brother Moody (who gave her the blessing a couple weeks ago) drove by and rolls down his window and says, "HI LADIES!" and I was like tell him what is happening on June 1st. and she yells out, "BAPTISM!!" haha! It was the most happy moment I have ever experienced!! 

On Saturday we took Tesan to a baptism so she could se what it was like. She LOVED it. She was singing all the hymns with us and talking to everyone just as if she was already a member. We went back to her house and had lunch together and addressed some of the concerns her friends brought up. #polygamy We read the Official Declaration 1 in the back on Doctrine & Covenants. And she was like "Perfect! Now that is all cleared up!" She is just so positive and loving! 

On Sunday she came to church and was embraced by literally EVERYONE! I don't know one person who didn't talk to her. It was kind of overwhelming but at least she feels loved. She was already participating and answering questions in Sunday school and all that jazz. She came to pancakes at the Kilburns after church which was fun because it was just Tesan, the Kilburns, Us, the Elders, and Brother Reyes. She felt so comfortable and felt like she was leaving her family when she had to go home. 

I can't even begin to tell you how grateful and amazed I am! My heart is as full as it will ever get. This miracle and conversion that Sister Hernandez and I get the opportunity of experiencing is priceless. You cannot put a price on bringing the gospel into someone's life who is honest, prepared, and willing! Seeing her life and herself transform because of the little knowledge we have brought to her is amazing. When a heart is open to feeling and recognizing the Holy Ghost it only goes up from there. There is nothing that can beat this feeling being brought into someone's life. SO SO SO SO SO THANKFUL! 

This is my last week with Sister Hernandez. I am really sad. We have become so close and have become best friends! We have grown so much from each other. Even when it was hard sometimes because we are so alike, we grew so much from it and understand each other a lot more now. I am very grateful for her in helping me see things about myself I didn't recognize before. 

In Helaman 10:4-5 

4 Blessed art thou, Nephi (Sister Holt), for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast withunwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. 5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will. 

My goal for next transfer is to see things as they truly are. Giving it all up to the Lord more than I have been. I know he is with me every step of the way. 

I hope you all are healthy and safe and happy!! 

Remember to BE KIND.

xoxo

Sister Holt

 Selfie w/ Tesan! 

I went on an exchange with Sister Castelo!

The Kilburns fed us each our own MINI CHICKENS!

Week 32: Happy Mother's Day

Happy Happy Happy Mothers day!! I am not a mother... YET, but I felt especially special all day yesterday! And SO grateful that I was able to talk to my momma and all 3 of my sweet sisters!! Grateful for technology to make that happen.  

We had an amazing lesson with Tesan this week. You guys... she is amazing!! We got to sit in her beautifully landscaped back yard. She volunteered to say the opening prayer and mentioned that she is hungry for the teachings of Christ and wants to know what she needs to do to feel his love more!! She told us how she has never felt him so close and so real in her entire life. We taught her the restoration and the spirit was so strong when teaching about the First Vision. It is the most amazing and life changing event in the history of the world, after the Atonement of Jesus Christ, of course. The world was ready for this restoration for God to save all his children. 

We were able to meet her son and his family yesterday when we dropped by for Mother's Day. It was awesome!! 

We saw Madilyn yesterday after church. She has been off the maps lately with health issues and house stuff that we haven't been able to catch her. But yesterday she told us that she needed to continue reading her Book of Mormon so when we come back we can explain it for her and she said she wants to see what a baptism would be like. She is so funny! I always leave so happy. I just think back to the day when we first met her and she was so quiet and grouchy but she has softened up SO much and is so talkative now! It is just amazing what even just a little bit of the gospel can do in someones life. She even thinks she is a happier person! 

I am grateful for the work that I get to do each and every day even if all I do is plant a seed of kindness in someone's heart. A wise sister once told me that even though the world doesn't recognize all the hard work and every effort we put into accomplishing something. God acknowledges and accepts every ounce of effort we put into everything. He is appreciative of all that we do. He has a plan for every single one of his children and this work is on His time clock. Even outside of missionary work everything that happens to us is for a reason. When we invite him to help us and if we continue to stay close to him and make righteous decisions he will take care of it all.

Grateful to be able to talk to my beautiful family yesterday, they strengthen me and keep me going!! Grateful for the gospel that brings us together for eternity. 

Have a wonderful week!! 

Love always,

Sister Holt

Pictures:

1. Family picture!

2. Tesan! 

3. We found these pants at the thrift store we volunteer at

Tesan!  She is 70. What!

We found these Pants at a ThriftShop we work at.