Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Yakwe (5/24/10)

Malo'e'lele

OK hello how are you all? This week has been a crazy week with lots of challenges and some success. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! I just had to get that out. I don't have a lot of time because we had the day of Unity with the whole mission today!!! Oh my it was so funny. But back to this week.

We had so many people come to church this week it was so good to see them. The Marshallese Branch is growing. We don't have any new members but a lot of the recent converts came and they were in white shirts and ties. Such a beautiful sight. and one of the new members blessed the sacrament this week. So that was great great great.

One of the sad things but it will be fixed no worries. Anjalee is an investigator. He is solid, reads, prays, wants to be baptized and even walked a couple miles to an activity. So whats the hold up--- he has a girl friend and 2 kids. Ok no problem we marry them. We will but we need to tell him he is 23 and doesn't need his mom's permission from the marshall islands. Ok we will do that but now the last thing stopping him. He has to go to church. He wants to but his girlfriend is yelling at him and won't let him. It's so sad but we have had this before. She will soften her heart and let him get baptized and she will even get baptized herself. That's how we do it here in Sac town. We do it real big here.

Lets see other exciting news... We went to the temple tour this week it was so fun. We didn't have a tour guide so one of the other missionaries members just took over and did the tour I learned a lot it was really cool. I won't tell you what I learned because it's prolly something I should have know for a long time but now I know for the future eh. It was cold at the temple but cold for me now is um.... 60's

Yup sorry to say but that is all I have time for it is time to do a great big Family Home Evening with a lot of our investigators. I am so excited we are going to play the newly wed game. and next week is transfer week so I will be emailing on tuesday, weird time flies.

One thing I have loved and I think I am going to start doing is something I have learned in Personal Study or throughout the week. Today Pres Martinez said that we are all in this work together. Trying to help everyone so why, why, why in the world would we say something negative about another person that is in the same work as you? So my question to you is why, why, why would we say something negative about the people we love that are around us when we are in this together, or if they are those we are trying to help see the light. How does putting up a wall of hate and negative thoughts bring us closer to the Lord? I Love this work and I love the Lord, I know he is my Savior and that if we do things for him walls will come down and I can say from experience, if we take down those walls you can see a new beautiful person. The Gospel is true my dear friends and I am out to take down some walls now.

ij yakwe com,

Sister Holt

Monday, May 17, 2010

Just another day in Paradise (5/17/10)

hello all how are you???

we had a baptism on saturday it was so good. Nieo was so ready and she felt good we were all excited for her. We have a lot of potentials for the rest of the month. I can't believe we had interviews this week because that means the transfer is more than half over. ahhhh I can't and I don't know what is going to happen next transfer, i might move and I don't want to I'm gonna ball if i leave.

Sorry this email is going to be short but we have seen many miracles happen tthis week two little kids that we have been trying to get baptized we just found out the grandma said yes. SOme of our former investigators said they want to be baptized. so life is great and I love being a missionary. Hopefully we have a baptism next week we have it set up but it's just a matter of her getting a ride and everything going as planned so I will let you know how it goes. And send some pics and of your families!! I am in need of pics.

LOVe you all

Love sister Holt
be happy and keep smiling

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

8 months (5/11/10)



pic 1 Nieo's baby Dijon (He has stolen my heart I love him.)
pic 2 Happy Mother's Day

Bula,
It's great to talk to all of you!! My time is short because Tongans love to feed me too much food so I have been eating all day and now I'm gonna burst!! I love Tongans and Marshallese and Fijians. Basically life is great. I am so happy with where I am at. We are having two baptisms Sunday Nieo and Valerie. We are so excited and we have lots of potential for the next couple weeks. Time is flying by and I don't know what I'm gonna do when this transfer comes to an end. It's half over already and I have been out 8 Months. I called home Sunday and mom said "Can you believe next month is your hump day?" NO, I can not it is driving me crazy I don't know where time goes. I can't believe it. I am just happy that I am loving it and Living it to the fullest.

We have had some great challenges to overcome this transfer. Satan is trying to stop us from accomplishing this great work but we know he is trying so we are armed and are fighting back. We always have to be focused if we are not we see what happens. It's so great to know we belong to the one and only true church with that Priesthood authority that we so desperately need right now. My companions are amazing and always striving to progress with me. We have been through a lot together and I am so grateful for them. It is amazing to see these people who don't have a lot but are still so willing to give. It is a huge testimony to me. One of our greatest challenges this transfer is resisting flaming hot Cheetos we are ADDICTED, they are so yummy. Maybe that's why I am getting fat.

So I guess life is great and the Church is true and I am happy still. Being a missionary rocks my socks off oh wait my knee highs, ok stupid joke, I know. Hope all you mothers had a Happy Mother's Day and that all went well. Keep up the good work and fight the fight. My new reason for living would be "Jesus didn't give His WHOLE life, so I could give HALF of mine." Think about that for a minute... then act...

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Week 3 (5/3/10)





1 Random cotton candy man that we found yum!! only $1.50
2 Start of the Journey to church
3 Halfway done
4 still halfway
5 twins crazy

Yakwe family and friends,

This week has been great and I have loved every second of it. We have been so busy never any time to rest. Even today we have been going like crazy no time to email haha... So this will be quick but I will give you an update.

Monday: We went to go see a potential investigator Laji (papa) and we had a member drive us so we had the directions and we took off. I was busy taking pictures with sister Takilang as I look up and see Douglas Blvd in Roseville............. ah that is out of our mission. I can go there in the deaf program but I'm not there anymore so we left our mission and had to call and confess our sin to President then we were home late that night also but we taught a great lesson.

Tuesday: We had a small miracle. We were trying to find a house that did not exist so as we were flipping our 6th maybe 7th u-turn we turned passed a lady that Sis Fangupo knew from tracting awhile back. She didn't want us to come back the time before but this time she said yes and seemed that she really wanted us to come. We met some great people that hopefully will turn into something great.

Wednesday: Tuesday night we realized we are almost out of miles so we had to think of something we could do to save some miles. We walked to the church in the morning and contacted all the people on the way there. It rained, was freezing, tired, fun, adventure all in one. We had lots of pictures and we were so tired but it was a day to remember. Sister Fangupo and I got hit by a bike. Saw the Elders drive by a few times yelling and mocking us for walking. We walked 3.6 miles and it lasted 2 hrs 6mins. What an adventure then we had to go play volleyball and basketball for 2 hours with the Marshallese. ugh I slept good that night.

Thursday: We had Zone Conf it was great probably one of the best I have had. But it's really sad because I have realized I only have 10 months left that's less than a year I don't like it at all. It is great being here in the Marshallese program because we get to teach a lot of lessons I love it so much. I am always teaching and every house that we go to we get to teach and get a return (most of them). This work is so different from the Deaf Program I get to see different things related to missionary work now and Love it.

Friday: We set up everything for Nieo's baptism on Sunday and got to talk to her about it. It was so much fun she is so ready and she is funny. Then for dinner we came to a Tongan house and did Lina's hair for a dance it was so pretty she had never worn her hair down before. They have LDS proms out here for members who want to go to a modest dance because the ones out here are really bad and sometimes they are on sundays.

Saturday: We saw most of our investigators and got them ready for Church the next day. We taught Joe (he went to the temple tour with his Girl Friend last week) we talked about families and following the example of Jesus Christ and he loved it he wants to be baptized so bad but his GF needs to get divorced first and then married then baptized. So we set up a day in July for them to get baptized and then later that month their baby will be due so it is perfect timing. One thing with the Marshallese is they were never raised to get married before having children so there is a lot of weddings before baptisms down here. But it was a great lesson and he is such a good guy. Really loves his family. We also had dinner with President Naga, the branch president for the Fijian and Marshallese branch. It was good except I have had enough Curry to last me a lifetime and I don't like it that much. and Rice lots of rice.

Sunday: we had lots of people come to church. Jeff, Joe, Linda, Nieo, and Topou but the best part of Sunday was going with Sister Takilang to receive her Patriarchal Blessing. It was so amazing I am so happy I was able to go with her. We have a great companionship and I am so lucky to be here where I am with the people. Life is great what else can I say. It has been a crazy week with lots of adventures and laughter and pictures and spirit and fun. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!

Love Sister Holt
Be Happy and Keep Smiling

Marshallese and Tongan (4/26/10)




Pic 1 Piola's Baptism Dinner
Pic 2 My excellent pic skills, Temple Flowers
Pic 3 Sis Fangupo, Takilang, Joe (investigator), Asakko (girlfriend/member), Nieo (investigator, May 9th), Me
Pic 4 thats us and that is Marshallese.

Yakwe and Malo e' lele,

Happy to talk to you all. I love these people it is go fun to serve with the Marshallese and Tongan people. There is so much for me to learn here and I can't believe the Lord has given me the opportunity to work in this area. My comps are so great they are so loving and have such amazing skills. Sis Fangupo is from Tonga and Sis Takilang is from the Marshall Islands. I have had enough food this past week to last me the whole transfer. I can't believe it, I'm gonna get so fat, I eat so much food that I'm not sure I can even swallow water but it is delicious and not very nutritious but you know. What can you do? I have met some great people that have a loving spirit. I was welcomed into the area with a Tongan baptism Piola she is so great has a strong spirit and She is so happy. We ate tons of food there don't worry. I love the way the Tongans sing, it is so loud and full of spirit no one is shy of singing and it is beautiful. Marshallese are so sweet, they don't have a lot but they are so willing to give and serve. We have added a couple investigators this week, 2 of which will be baptized soon, one on mother's day, We have a few baptisms on mother's day and next week. Oh my these people are so funny they just love to laugh.

I am learning the languages a little bit. It is so hard. I don't really have to learn because they know english but sometimes it is easier for them to speak in their own language so there is a lot i miss out on but I still feel the spirit and my comps are great to translate. Sis Takilang translates a lot and we teach a lot of marshallese. That is where we spend most of our time. I LOVE IT. We went on a temple tour and it was fun, it just so happened to be the deaf session so I was able to see a few of my ward members from the deaf branch and say goodbye. The Marshallese branch was opened last week so this was the first Sunday as a Branch and it was so good. The Fijians have been combined with it so the branch president is Fijian and he is amazing. He is perfect to be the President. Oh man I just love these people so much I can't express it. I don't know if I want to leave this program, I am hoping I can stay here for a transfer or two. I have lots of pictures and The weather is great and The people are so nice.

Oh my I almost forgot the best story of all. The first day I got here we had an appt to do service for an old Marshallese couple that are in wheelchairs. We were going to clean their house. We start to empty the cupboards and I yeah it's me that finds it. Where all the cockroaches live. AHHHHHHHHHHH they were everywhere. Dead ones, live ones, big, little,, and even their sheddings. Oh my gosh it was disgusting. But I stayed strong and I started to pull things out with these bugs crawling all over me. OH alskdfjas;lkhas;lk it was so gross but I am so proud to say I did it. But we got a spray and we sprayed the cupboard and they all came running. There were so many of them they climbed up the wall on the floor up to the ceiling. OH it was covered in cockroaches. So many they started to fall off the ceiling on our heads. bahhahahahaahhahahaaaaaaa so gross. I wanted to scream but I did it. Then I showered the second I was done. I WAS BRAVE momma. But that is not typical for Marshallese houses it was just because they were both in wheelchairs and couldn't reach it to clean it but oh man I dunno when I will be going back there to clean. ughhhhhadhahaha Anyway I have had that experience and lived through it. Bring it on dude.Love you all and be happy talk to you next week.

Love Sister Holt
Be Happy and Keep Smiling

Transfer Calls (4/20/10)

Hello hello hello

SO we got transfer calls last night... any guesses as to what is happening? You got it I'm staying another transfer!! haha not really I am transfering to South Sacramento, no it's not Sign Language, It's not English, It is Marshallese, Tongan, Samoan, and Fijian. Yup that's right I don't know why but that's where I am going. I'm gonna get fat, they feed you like crazy and the people are so little. I will be a giant. It is mostly Marshallese that i will be working with. My companions will be Sister Takilang from the Marshall Islands and Sister Fangupo from Samoa how great is that. I am so excited and can't wait for what this transfer holds in store for me. I guess I just belong in Trios more than half my mission has been in trios. Hahaha So bye bye to the deafies and hello marshallese.

This last week has been great. My two daughters are staying here taking over the deafie program and I couldn't be more proud of them. THey are going to do great and they will see miracles happen with their greenie power. Roberto is moving to L.A. for work but he will be close to the deaf branch down there so no worries, he will be taken care of. He loves the church and is so strong. We started an ASL class this week and had a great turnout for one week and hope tomorrow will be amazing. We even had a non member come and hope that more will continue to come. This saturday we went on exchanges so the sisters could try to run the area without me. It was so fun I went to the english program for a day and it was great. We made up a new game. We teach a principle and we have to refer to a scripture but we just open the scripture and read a random one then we have to apply it to the principle like the creation or something like that it was so fun. try it at home you will laugh your heads of. Especially when you do if for real.

Ok time is up i have to pack and get moving. MOre next week plus i am still waiting for some letters from some of you. OK bye love you

Love sister HOlt
Be happy and Keep smiling.

7 months whhhhhhhhattttttttttttttt (4/12/10)

Hola Mi familia y amigos

Yup that's about the extent of my spanish if that is even right ha. What is new with all of you? It's kinda sad when you have been out for a little bit because NO ONE WRITES YOU ANYMORE!! ok i'm done complaining because really I am a happy camper and I can take naps on p-days and not have to write letters. haha

It has been a rainy week full of fun and enjoyment. Working hard and loving life. I can't believe this is the last week of the transfer, it's possible I will get transferred this transfer. Weird I've never transferred before. It's kinda exciting I am ready for a change. We had interviews with Pres Jardine this week and they were amazing. It is an eye-opener how much I need to improve and change. But I love it because I now have a new focus of what to do for this next transfer I LOVE INTERVIEWS!! Ok

On wednesday we had a returned missionary come out with us. She was amazing her name is Emerald and it was so fun. SHe went to Nashville on her mission. THat night we didnt' have dinner so she showed up at our apt with chipotle for each of us and it was so great. and ice cream yum.

Thursday we had a long list of people that we wanted to see so we just went through the list and saw as many as we could. We went to see Lee Ann and while we were there JT was outside and I saw him SMOKING (he just received the aaronic priesthood) ugh it was so frustrating so I talked to him about it and he denied it 100%!! Well what can you do maybe someday he will admit he needs help and we can help him but until then we just be praying for him. When we were tracting we ran into a lady and had a good long conversation with her about life after death and how we can be with families forever. She was Christian and has some amazing stories and her spirit was so strong. While she was telling us stories of her husband that died from a long suffering life with disease the spirit testified to me how true it is that there is life after. I had chills and such a spiritual experience that I will always remember. Then that night we had dinner with the Ellsworths and taught them after. THey are members but we Practice teach them every time they feed us. We played the newly wed game. It was lots of fun but we had their kids involved too then we talked about the Proclamation the the Family it went really well.

Friday we went up to Roseville. It was lots of fun, we went to Costa Vida for dinner and it was covered in members. Almost every person that walked into that restaurant came over to talk to us because they were members. It was kinda fun I felt like I was back home for a minute, then I walked outside and remembered I'm in Cali. We met lots of crazy people today that I am just so happy i met they went down in the journal. SOme had devil horns tattooed on their forehead and some knew sign language because they learned it in prison to talk back and forth and lots of fun stuff. But in personal study I was reading Alma 26:35 about the Atonement and as I was reading it I felt as though it was truly a voice from the dust. He was speaking directly to me. The Scriptures are true my brothers and sisters I know that for a fact. Good day

Saturday we went on exchanges SIster Cook went with SIster Pack and we got Sister Georges it was lots of fun. We taught a less active member, how, we watched "The Lamb of God" oh my what an amazing movie. I have seen it before but I just forgot about it, you all should watch it I was amazed. I felt the spirit so strong I didn't want the movie to end. But we related it to Church, Jesus did so much for us and one way, just one way we can show our love for him is by going to church and partaking of the Sacrament. It was perfect.

Sunday we spoke in a hearing ward it was great. SIster Cook's first time speaking. She went and the Erika ( a deafie) went and then I did. They left me about 20 mins to speak. Ha it was great I went over believe it or not but I enjoyed every second of it. I think it is funny because my "farewell" talk they said to be 10-15 mins and I was freakin out, how could i talk that long? now it's no problem at all 10 mins is short time. But the spirit testified to me that what i was saying was true and I felt the spirit and hope the members did too. I love the GOSPEL iT's TRUE!! Now we are on to the last week of the transfer and I am so excited for this week . We are going to kill it and the Lord is blessing us so much with the things we are doing everyday.

OK BYE LOVE YOUSister holt
Be happy and keep smiiling

Halloooo (4/5/10)

Hello How is all you?

So wasn't conference great? I loved it and really enjoyed the spirit it brought into my life. Mainly for two reasons, there were some crazy things that happened this week.

The week started out great.
Casey we went to her house and she was very upset, just got in a fight with her husband and dad. So we went to Bounce Palace with her and her children so she could get away and talk. It was a great lesson she loved it and really felt the spirit. We are going back tomorrow.
Jennifer really enjoyed the lesson and committed to watch conference. While the lesson was being taught her husband joined in and she said the closing prayer. It was amazing. We are going back wednesday. Hopefully they will come to church this week.
Alma and Ricardo, we taught them a really quick lesson and then they had to leave but we are going back on wednesday also to teach them more and it will be great. Ricardo seems interested but Alma is a little skittish. Neither of them are religious at all they don't pray and don't know a lot about religion but I am quite excited for them.
So that is 3 new investigators this week. Woot Woot!!

Story Time, #1 Our Video Phone was broken so we had Nick come to fix it. Last time Nick came to fix it he told us he was a member growing up and he felt the spirit really strongly in our house but that it just wasn't for him. So he came on friday and we were doing weekly planning then he tells us it is fixed so we go in to talk to the person to confirm it is fixed and then before nick leaves he asks if we can pray with him? Um DUH of course you can pray with us. So he said the prayer and it was so beautiful. Oh my I just felt so bad for him. He is having some troubles with his girlfriend and her daughter. He really wants to get on the right path he just isn't sure what that path is right now. So we told him to watch conference this weekend and if he needed anything to contact us and we would do whatever we can. Oh it was a miracle, didn't even need to leave the apt to find miracles, the Lord brought him to us. (two side notes here: first yes we had permission to have a man in our apt alone, second all he had to do to fix the VP was reboot the thing.) I saw the Lords hands in my life there that's for sure. Our VP just breaks and we don't know to reboot it so he comes and this miracle happens how great is it to be a missionary.
#2 There was a referral that we have been trying to contact for about 3 months we were praying so hard that we would finally be able to contact this referral so we can move on and focus on others or add them as an investigator. Well, we contacted her son and he said to come back the next day, we exchanged information and went on our way. Saturday between sessions he texted us and asked us to come later that day. We said sure 5:00. We were at the office preparing some things, and sister Cook asks, "Sister Holt how do you feel about going tonight?" I said a little weird but if there is a person there I want to be there. So we decided we would go and just wait to make sure the mom was there, because we felt weird about the son trying something. We got there and the mom was there so we went in and started talking to her getting to know who her. The mood changed and she changed. It was freaky so we left as soon as we could and let me tell you the Church is true and so is missionary work and there are Angels protecting us and, "There are more of us then there are of them." It was a testimony builder and that second day of conference was needed to boost the spirit in our companionship.
#3 For our dear friend Evan we decided to act the story of the Atonement so Sister Holt, Sister Hansen, and Sister Cook acted the last supper, the Garden, and the Cross. Evan and Leslie (his mom) acted the resurrection. It was amazing and I can't wait to show you all the cool things that we have done here to show what the atonement really means. Ah Sign language is amazing. I love it.
#4 what did I do for Easter? Watched Conference then I went to see some referrals none of which were home then we prepared for the Blitz that we were in charge of. Then we had the blitz, by the way it is pouring rain, you know the kind where wind is blowing everywhere so no matter what you get soaked. It's amazing. So we went out contacting in that while the zone went to different places to find deafies for us. We sang songs and talked to people about the Gospel in the Pouring rain on Easter. Then we went to the Steeds for their leftover Easter Dinner. No better way to celebrate huh? I agree. Church is true!!

Love Sister Holt
Be happy and keep smiling.

Just another day in Paradise (3/29/10)

Hello hello people,

Wow this has been a really good week. I love being a missionary and doing missionary things. This week we went and saw Casey, she is amazing she loves the idea of Relief Society and she just believed everything we said. She has so many questions and concerns that she is trying to figure out. SHe has a really hard life, family with mental problems her husband doesn't want anything to do with religion. It is really hard on her but she is strong and she is excited about church. She works weekends so she can't go to church right now but she told us to pray that she can get weekends off so she can go to church.

Every Tuesday we go and teach evan he is 17 and amazing I think I've told you about him but this last week we had an awesome lesson. We did a visual lesson about the plan of salvation. We had two curtains one going to the earth and the other to the spirit world. then we made body bags (garbage sacks with a body on it) so when we go to each we receive our bodies then we die and our bodies stay in the earth and our spirits go to the spirit world and in the spirit world we get a name tag and become missionaries and start teaching people that don't know about the gospel. When they accept they look through the veil and see people on earth going to the temple and doing baptisms then they accept the gospel and are baptized. It was so cool. Sorry if that doesn't make any sense. I loved doing it it was fun.

Ok now we are going to do a little compare and contrast. The worst thing that has happened in my mission so far. Ellen is done with the church. She does not want to meet with us anymore. She has just been ignoring us so we went to her house and she wouldn't talk to us. She knows it's true and she will come around some time, whether in this life or the next but I have the faith she will be on the right side. So the contrast to this... The most exciting thing was Roberto passed the Sacrament ahh I was such a proud momma. He was so happy and it just felt so good. He then bore his testimony in a meeting that night and He just KNOWS the church is true. There are things that people tell him and he just says no it's not or yes that is true. He KNOWS it is such a strength to me to see how sure he is with his testimony.

That is the most exciting things that have happened this week. It has been a good week and I suspect this next week to be the same. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! The Lord has blessed me and I can't wait for Conference this week ahh it is so great and to have it on Easter that is even better. So Watch listen and pray and be happy.

Love Sister Holt

Happy Squirrel!! I see at least 20 a day. and they are huge. but so cute ok see ya have a nice day!!

Hello (3/22/10)

Hello all this week was great!! I told you it was going to be a week of miracles and let me tell you it was. WOOT WOOT!!

So first ROBERTO is now a PRIEST!! He gets to pass the sacrament next week. He is so happy and So am I!!

On Tuesday we were tracting and it was so hot. I was sweating. man I can't believe it. Then we were driving to an appt and on the way we drove passed a house that I knew a deaf person lived there. I said she is deaf but her husband said she is not interested. Should be go anyway? So we stopped by. She wanted us to come back. AHHH it was so great. So that's return #1. On the way to the appt once again we knocked on a house and she said her neighbor needs help so we went to help she is disabled, she has been in a few car accidents and doesn't have use of her legs. She has a 12 yr old daughter that doesn't listen and beats up her mom because she is bigger than her. And CPS is trying to take her kids from her. So we helped her clean her house a little bit and talked to her daughter to get her set up with young womens group. Then because she is not deaf we handed her info over to the elders, they went and saw her and she went to church yesterday. Amazing.

Then this week we had a goal as a zone to contact 800 people so we went to a store parking lot and just started talking to everyone, they are golden. So as we were contacting a turn and sister Hansen is signing to a deaf person so I go over and she got a return with her so today we are going to teach her. ahh that is return #2

We have been trying to see this lady for some time now and finally she opened the door. We got a return with her #3 and we taught her friday and we are teaching her again this friday. Way cool. Then Sister hansen following the spirit she said we should go see Lisa at this time. We put her down and went to go see her. Her husband was home and we have an appt with them wednesday return #4 and we have a potential return with Justin so that would be almost #5... after a month and a half of nothing we are starting to see results. Life is great i have to say.

And we contacted 803 people as a zone. Now this week we are trying for 300 baptismal invites as a zone. I have faith that it can and will happen. and we will see miracles come from our unity and hard work. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY

Love you all and hope to hear from you all again soon. (you are starting to slack on writing those letters so get on it. I've only been out 6 months not 1 year so there is no excuse to forget about me yet.)

Love you,
Love Sister Holt
Be happy and keep smiling

My Baby (3/15/10)

Ok life is great and especially life as a missionary. My district leader gave me this analogy the other day. I walk out to a park with bushes on the other side. I have 3 Frisbees and I take one of those Frisbees and throw it out into the bushes never to return again. I only have two Frisbees left. Ahh what am I to do. It is so sad I have been out 6 months I will be home this time next year. I love you all but I don't want it to go that fast.

Ok my baby SIster Cook she is amazing. She is a great signer (duh she is an interpreter) but she has a great spirit and can talk to just about anyone. She has that greenie fire and I am so happy. We get along great I don't know what else I could ask for. It is so wonderful to be with a person that can teach me to sign better and to become a better missionary. We have already laughed so hard and I feel like we have been friends forever. The 3 of us just have a party all day every day. So her first day here we went to see some deafies and the apt has an elevator so we go up and they are not there so we try to go back down. The elevator doesn't open so we decide to walk around and take the stairs. The elevator opens and Sister COok walks in. We try to get to it before it closes but,,, too late. Sister COok is in the elevator herself. And we are thinking we lost our companion. It was so weird. She disappeared for a minute or so, felt like forever. The elevator opens and she is yelling at us to get in the elevator. Hahahahahaha it was so funny. Maybe you just had to be there but I have a rebellious child, breaking the rules her first day.

We only have one investigator right now, Ellen. She is going to get baptized in the future i have the faith it is just waiting for her to know its right. She is struggling a little right now but we will keep working with her. I love that lady with all my heart and will do whatever I have to for her to get baptized. we are going on 5 months of working with her. Because we only have one investigator we are doing a lot of finding. Out looking for deafies and not finding a lot but we are feeling a miracle on it's way. I just know it!! So while we are out finding we get to talk to a lot of people. Muhammad is from Fiji, he is muslim and when he lived in Fiji he was a very rich man. He has two kids and he wanted them to have a good life so they moved to america so they could get an education that was recognized by other countries. When they moved here they started running a motel and the kids went to school. The motel shut down the wife got sent back to Fiji on false charges and now he is broke lives with his daughter and has started smoking because he is bored and just stressed about life, hasn't seen his wife in 2 years and can't find a job. He is such an amazing person, his eyes would light up when we talked about his kids. He really loves them and he gave up everything so that his kids could be happy. He used to work for the American Embassy in Fiji and he could go back and be rich again but he loves his kids and knows that we would rather be with them. He said we could come back and teach him more about the gospel so we handed his name over to the Elders and I pray that something good comes from that.
The other cool guy we met this week was Elijah he was from Serbia spoke really good english. He was talking about the 10 commandments and some other interesting things. One thing he said that really struck me that I thought was beautiful. He said that you look at peoples skin there is black, white, red, yellow. but what color is their blood? Everyone's blood is red, blood is what makes us live. So we are all brothers and sisters because we all have the same blood. Ah it is amazing, being a missionary you meet so many amazing people that I just love. I can't believe it. I love every second of it. Hopefully I will meet some more amazing people this week that I can tell you about next week. Maybe some will even be deaf (Holla).
The last lady I met her name is Cherie, short for Ma Cherie Edens she is amazing I love her. SHe is an "amassador for all religions" and she is now my aunt cherie. She told me to come by and visit anytime I want to. I have her email and I am going to email her every week and give her a spiritual thought of the week. She told me to email her about my spiritual journey to finding Jesus Christ. She will be baptized I know she will. HA I love this gospel how great is it? Can't get any better.

And Roberto had his interview this week so he can recieve the Priesthood next week and pass the Sacrament and do baptisms for the dead. I can't wait I am so excited for him. He is so happy also. Love that guy.!!

Love you all see you in a week!
Love Sister Holt
Be happy and keep smiling

SIX Months (3/9/10)




Hello Hello,

First things first, I have been out 6 months today!?! weird time flies I can't believe it's already been 6 months. Now I am the Senior ASL missionary here. We got our transfer calls last night. I am staying here in carmichael WOOT WOOT and I am staying with sister hansen but I will also be training Sister Cook from the MTC. Crazy I will be training and running the program. It's great I love every second of it. I can't wait. Except transfers fly by when you are training, thats the only thing I don't like. But there is not much you can do about that. Roberto is doing great he is preparing for the priesthood and to pass the sacrament. He is going strong. Ellen we had an awesome lesson with last night she knows the Gospel is true she is still just a little undecided as to whether she wants to baptized now or later. So we will keep working with her. Never give up. Sister Brennan was able to come and have her last day here in Carmichael It was fun to have her here.

It is great to see how the Lord works. He really does place people in the right place so that things can happen. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here in Sac to be with the people I am and I can't wait to get my new baby tomorrow. She is going to be great. I will have my two daughters with me for a transfer. Nothing better than that right? Sorry it is a short letter today I am busy busy. I love you all and hope to hear from some of you no-writers or long time no write-writers. Keep up with the good work and you go spread the gospel wherever you are.

Love sister holt
Be happy and keep smiling

Monday, May 3, 2010

BAPTIZED!! (3/1/10)




So remember how I said Roberto was going to get baptized this Sunday March 7th? Well he is not getting baptized then. Why you ask oh because he was baptized February 27th!! He is now a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He is the happiest little guy I have every met. I love this guy with all my heart. He is amazing and he bore his testimony after the baptism. It was amazing. I am so grateful for him and his example. Ok so he was set up for March 7 and we went to teach him Tuesday and he said he wanted to get baptized the 27th like we had planned. We said ok that's fine, he didn't want to wait. He knew he was ready and decided he had to do it now. Oh my ROBERTO IS BAPTIZED!! I still can't believe it. He has changed so much and he was just so excited. AHHHHHHH I love being a missionary and this is what it is all about. Saving peoples souls. Now we are getting him ready for Temple work. He is so excited to go and get baptized for his PAPA!! Life is great here and I couldn't be happier!! My smile has not disappeared since, neither has Roberto's!!

Ok Ellen she is ehh I dunno, she went to church yesterday and enjoyed it as she always does. (because it's true) so why is she not baptized? I dunno we are working on that. We have recieved some inspiration as to what to do with her and now we are just waiting for our appt to teach her and use this inspiration. I CAN"T WAIT. It's gonna be good.

We taught Ivetta and Simone-ka this week. We are going back this Thursday. Hopefully we can get them. Ivetta's husband is the one that seems interested so we just need to get him on the band wagon and then I think the others will come to a realization. That is our plan I will let you know next week.

We found 4 new deaf people this week 2 of which we have an appt with this week. Alma and Ricardo this cute young married couple. Both of them being deaf, woot woot. That is very exciting.

This week flew by and I can't believe it is the last week of the transfer. That is crazy. I get to spend the last day of the transfer with Sis Brennan, my momma I am so excited, we are gonna rock it!!

Write me mmmk
Love sister holt
be happy and keep smiling.

Here Again (2/22/10)

Hello hello,

Just another week in the sac neighborhood. Life is great we just went to the Zoo today for p-day and died of laughter a few times over. Had some great picture experiences. I love life as a missionary. Anyway Roberto is set up for March 7 I dunno if I told you that already. He went to a baptism with us yesterday and loved every second of it. He also went on a Temple Tour and had the biggest grin I have ever seen. He was shocked there was a temple there that close to him. We are excited for him.

Ellen on the other hand has been anti-ed. She now has a concern about the word of wisdom and we are going to do our best to help her progress but we are not sure what is going to happen. I'm really shocked about it but I know if it is not her time now we have planted good seeds that will grow in the future. Pray for her to feel the spirit again the way she did the other night and that she will want to progress.

This week we have some good appts set up that we hope will end up in new investigators that can help strengthen the branch. We helped Sandra Thrapp move yesterday. Oh boy is that a story. She lives up by the mission presidents house and so she asked if we could get some elders to help her move to a storage unit. We said sure and we got 6 elders to agree to saturday at 11 30. 10 15 the night before one elder calls and asks where she lives, I then gave him the location and he tells me it is out of their zone so they have to call for permission. He calls back quickly and says, "not only is it out of our zone but it is out of the mission. We have to have a general authority give permission to leave the mission. I had no idea because I leave the mission everyday. I didn't even know the boundaries to the mission. But the bad part is the end of our mission is the street called Greenback. She lives 100ft north of Greenback so she is out of our mission 100ft. AhHHHHH Satan tried to stop us by 100ft but we overcame him. We had trusty Brother Steed and his family come help and everything went smoothly. Now she is taking us out to dinner this week and we will hopefully set up an appt to teach her. WOOT WOOT Thank you Brother Steed!!

Other exciting news... None really. This week was just a lot of searching and not a lot of finding but seeds are being planted and we are weeding through the bad seeds so we can find the good. I know that for sure. I can't wait and when that day comes you better believe I have my teaching face on and it is gonna rock.

Well time is short today so I will chat with you all next week. Have a great day and pray that we will find some new investigators to teach alright. Deal.

Love Sister Holt
Be happy and keep smiling.

15 February 2010

HELLO HELLO hello hello I welcome you today. HELLO HELLO hello hello

This week was AMAZING!! Ok so remember last week in my email how I left of on monday??? Well let me tell you about Monday...

MONDAY we went to teach Ellen, we were teaching a great lesson and then she asked a great question? Why do you care so much about me? We told her that we were the tools that Jesus Christ worked through to show her His love. So we feel just a little bit of the love that He feels for her. She said I accept. I was taken back I said you accept? She said yes. I asked her if she believes everything we have been teaching her and she said... YES! Then I told her that we wanted to do a prayer circle with her. We all kneeled Sister Hansen said the first prayer, I said the second, and Ellen said the last. Then we all closed our eyes for 5 mins and pondered... in my head I was praying like crazy that she would have comfort and peace and that she would have the answer that she needed. I opened my eyes to see her, I asked her how she felt and she said Peace.... then we asked what she was thinking and she said, "I know the power of prayer." We asked when did she learn this? "Just now the energy in this room." I said "The Spirit?" She said "Yeah that" Sister Hansen then shared a fire burning testimony about the power of prayer. The whole time I had an overwhelming feeling to invite her to be baptized. So I did and she said YES! We have invited her so many times to be baptized and she never said yes but then she started asking all these questions. Who would be there, who would baptize her, and tons of other questions, when she gets her lessons of don'ts? ELLEN IS GETTING BAPTIZED PEOPLE!! I have been waiting for this moment to so long. I love this women with all my heart and I just want her to have that peace that she needs so she can be happy and now she is going to have that. It is going to be a rough road with lots of bumps getting her to that baptism but we will get her there. So that was Monday.

Saturday I got to go do baptisms for the dead with the branch. Oh my, the Temple is so great. I was there to see the first deaf confirmation in sign language (for the dead in the Sac Temple). When I saw Ed signing I had so much Joy in my heart. I was so proud of him and he did great. The spirit was so strong. And Dolores one of our members she is 80 went and did baptisms. Her little deaf voice saying amen was the cutest thing I ever heard. She is about 5'2" cute cute. Then after baptisms we had to opportunity to Interpret for the initiatory for Sister Taylor and Cheeseman. I love sign language that's all I have to say. I am the happiest person alive and the Temple is the House of God. I can't say it enough, Oh how I love to be a Missionary.

The rest of the week was pretty so so. We went and saw a lot of potential people and set up some good appts. with them some we have this week and some for the next week, pray that those will be successful. I have had a lot of good learning experiences this past week and realized how much responsibility I hold right now. The Lord will be right beside me the whole way. It's a little scary to think of but I know I can do it.

Sister Brennan my momma has been informed she is being transferred to Anaheim, a completely different mission, and that makes me the Senior missionary for the ASL sisters. I will be leading the program and training the new sister coming out. I am slightly nervous about the responsibility I will have but I'm excited for the learning experience I am going to have. There are some great ASL sisters here and they are gonna rock it big time. Who knows what is going to happen in 3 weeks? I know I don't.

The last bit of fun information for this email was I had the best door slam of my mission yesterday. She opened the door, this little old lady with a silver beehive hair and her little pearl earings. We said how are you, "fine" well we are missionari..." SLAM... It made our hair woosh back and the glass shake. It was amazing. We were just standing there looking at the women and so she smacked the window and walked off. I love being a missionary. This was on a blitz so I was with Sister Pack for all of these fun events. She has been out 13 months and she is so much fun we die of laughter all the time. So then we went to another house and it was a Jehovah's Witness. He answered and said he was eating so we asked if we could come back at a better time? He said no but he is happy for what we are doing because he used to go door to door. but now he has the chance to be on the other side and say no. I immediately replied with, well since you have experienced this wouldn't you want to say yes because you know how it feels? He said come back in 30 mins. uh oh what did I do? So we continued tracting and ran into this old women who was a born again Christian. She was crazy and told us that we were the wrong church and we were just gonna try to convince her to join our church we said no. Then she told us we were wrong and got all mad and there was much more to the story but that was the jist. It was great sweet old lady huh. Then we went to some more houses and then it was time to go back to the JW... Oh man if we only knew what was going to happen. He tried to bash us the whole time. About everything it was amazing the things he would come up with. Anyway it got to the point that I just said we are not here to convince you that you should not drink wine we got to go. The conversation continued for another 20 mins. then we got up to walk out and he held the door to give us just one more piece of advice, that we were idiots and we should be careful. Oh man it was quite the event. Good thing I know a few stories from the Bible otherwise I would have been in trouble. But from that experience my testimony has grown so much because he was not able to say anyhting to make me question my own beliefs. The Gospel is true and it is so simple and it makes sense. Hold on to it.

Life is good and next week is going to be great full of fun and exciting things. Hopefully there will be some more miracles and spirit to share. I love you all and thanks for writing me, those of you that do. Hope to hear back from you ALL soon.

Love sister HOlt
Be happy and keep smiling.

5 months (2/8/10)

Weird i have been on my mission 5 months now???? I'm getting so old.

Ok first my baby...Sister Hansen... She is from Logan Utah she is 23 just as sweet as can be. She has a testimony like a prophet and is very shy. She is doing a great job and we get along great. She is hard of hearing, her left ear she can hear 50% her right is completely deaf. She is a good signer and helps me a lot. I think things are gonna be great this transfer with her. I love you and I love being a trainer I feel so blessed and I have realized how much the Lord has prepared me to be here at this time. There were so many questions that I had when I first came into the mission field but now I know how amazing the Lords timing is. I am so greatful for the opportunity to be a missionary here right now. Thanks for all the love and support you give!!

Roberto still is set up for feb 27 and we are now teaching him stories of the Book of Mormon and he loves it all. He has quit drinking coffee for over a week now and beer for more than 3 weeks. I am very proud of him. He is one of those people that you tell him its bad and he just quits doing it. He has such a strong testimony and it took me a while to realize how strong it was and how amazing he is. He really does love everyone he meets and his face has lit up since we have started teaching him. I am so happy for him and can't wait for his future.

Ellen is making progress. She is firm in her commitments. She started reading the Book of Mormon from front to back and is in 2 nephi now. She thinks the story is great so now we are trying to get her to apply the stories to her life. It's kinda tough but she is coming along. I have such a love for her. This past week we taught her about the holy ghost. She wants the holy ghost and we showed her that when we are here she can feel it and then we leave and so does the holy ghost. When she reads and prays she feels it again and that is when she has hope that she will see her son again or that she can be happy. She wants that so bad but she says she is not ready to be baptized. So we are just waiting for her. She knows that it will happen adventually. Hopefully sooner than later though. We are visiting her tonight.

Scott is now working on his desire to quit smoking. We have made some great progress with him. He knows he needs to quit but he doesn't want to so we are gonna help him have a desire then we will help him quit. Especiallly since I just found out he had a 4 bypass surgery last august and he still smokes a pack a day. Man oh man he is in for it. So we have started visiting him everyday to give him that dose of the spirit he needs then he will begin to overcome the desire to smoke and want the spirit stronger. We shall see.

Ron is just ron he is moving back to Oregan in March so there is not much we can do with him. He comes back in June so we will baptize him then HA. He still comes to church every week and all the activities but hasn't quit drinking coffee or found a desire to park his RV. haha how funny he really is the coolest guy ever. I love all my investigators they are great.

Yesterday we were tracting and I had a YSA exchange. She was 16 her name was Lindsey and she was Bryan Trumps niece. hahaha anyway she is great. We knocked on a house and this man came out. He was questioning us like crazy, (the YSA was very quite so basically me) and the man was very knowledgable about the Gospel but he was Catholic. He was trying to get a specific answer out of me but I kept answering the way it should be and so he gave up and said but didn't Joseph Smith create the Church. HA i knew it!! I just explained that Jesus created the church and the prophets ran the church. It was a great discussion and there was no bashing whatsoever. I felt really good I could answer all the questions and also the fact that we had all the right answers. You wanna know why??? Because this is the only true church on the earth and in the Universe and I love this gospel with all my heart. It makes so much sense. This church is not true because I say it is true, this church is true because it is true. as Erika would say...

Well that was my week in a nut shell and next week is full of lots of adventures I can tell, it's gonna be awesome.

Love sister HOlt
Be happy and keep smiling.

I'm a Momma! (2/3/10)

Hello,

Hi my name is Sister Holt and I just had a brand new baby fresh from the MTC. Her name is Sister Hansen and I just love her she is precious

OK week review:
Monday, We taught Ellen about her being a daughter of God. Adam is a guy that lives with her (her sons friend) and he is a member but he is struggling because he just got a divorce and is not active. Anyway he asked some questions that opened the discussion and opened Ellen's heart just a little. We are making progress with her. It's gonna be good.

Tuesday, P-day we said goodbye to our zone and went to teach our friend Evan who is a member and he is awesome.Wednesday, I picked up my greenie and we took off to do missionary work. we taught Roberto about the word of wisdom and he is working on drinking coffee less and less. Lee Ann is a less active that we have been teaching and she now wants to try to get ready for doing baptisms for the dead.

Thursday, We saw Ellen again and found out some more things about her and the door is cracking more she said she wants her son to join the church. I love her and I will get her baptized it doesn't matter I will.

Friday, ok so this week not a lot happened but really just getting my greenie used to missionary life, it's a little slow but it's happening. I love her and she can testify like a crazy lady. We have had a few lessons to people that we just meet on the streets because sister hansen just doesn't give up and she has such passion for these people it is amazing.

Saturday, ROBERTO HAS A BAPTISM DAY FEBRUARY 27 did you all here that. Ok so that is the day we have set up for him but it is very subject to change but at least he said he wants to be baptized and we are just working towards it. He is so wonderful just wanting to learn everything he can.

Sunday, We introduced the new missionary to the ward and everyone seems to love her. It is great. We had 3 investigators at church today and we will see how the progress.

I love life as always and I hope to hear from you guys soon email me and send me pictures and stuff Life is great and I am learning a lot about myself and how I am as a missionary since i have started training it is a great learning experience for me. Hopefully I can be a good example for them.

Love you all,
Sister Holt

Transfer Call (1/26/10)

Hello Audience

It's great to write to you again, Well we got our transfer calls last night...

This week was kinda lame but it's all good I still enjoyed the things that we did. We just had a lot of canceled appts and time that was planned that didn't get to happen. I was really sad and we only had 2 investigators to church. But life is great and this week is planned super good. And everything is going to happen that was planned.

Ok so I don't have my old planner so I'm not sure everything that happened this past week, except our GPS died and I have been navagating us by map for the passed 4 days which has been alright but still I don't like it. It's cool that I know sacramento well enough to navigate around.

I don't have a lot to say but what I do have to say is that I am staying here is Carmichael and I am TRAINING... I've been out 2 transfers and I'm training WHHHAATTTTTTTTTTT but I am super excited I don't know which one I am training yet. There are 3 ASL sister coming out I will train one Sister Brennan is going to Stockton to open a deaf branch down there so I will go down there sometime soon. and the other asl sister will go in my zone so I can take her out with me and she can get her feet wet with the deafies. But my comp is Hard of Hearing so my ASL skills will improve greatly becasue I will have to use it all the time. WOOT WOOT I am so excited I can't wait. I will meet her tomorrow so you will get some pics of her soon!!! Love you all my time is out...

Love sister Holt,
Be Happy and Keep SMiling,

Thanks for the love and support I've been getting some good letters keep it up.

1 week left (1/18/10)

Well howdy hoe neighbor...
It has been an amazing week. Life is great here in California, it is raining like crazy and I cherrish every second of it. Seriously I do I love the rain (some of it might be that I get to wear my amazingly cute rain boots). But really life is great!! We added 4 new investigators this week and while adding those 4 investigators we had 5 lessons to investigators that members came to with us. That is unheard of in the deaf program. And that is why life is great. We reached our standard and our investigators recieved a greater spirit while we taught.

Ok back to the regular schedule of things...
Monday: Prep day we played sports in the gym with the zone it was super duper fun, we played volleyball and I think I got smacked in the face more then I hit the ball (they, the elders, were trying to spike it and I was defending). Then we went to a deaf ice cream social and chatted with some deafies and ate some delicious ice cream. The deaf program is good, eh? That was basically my day.

Tuesday: We had interviews with the mission president, they were amazing and he told me that I have some big responsibilities to take on next transfer. Eeek pray that I will be ready for that task. Then I went to teach Evan a 17yr old boy who has aspbergers(spelling) he is so great, he loves to create floor plans and really they are amazing. He taught himself everything. I am amazed by him he has a strong testimony and such a desire to learn about the gospel. His mom is great and very inspiring. I love to teach him because well that is what I want to do for my job. Then off to the Ellsworths for dinner oh which by the way this week we have had more dinners then ever before, (you don't get fed much in the deaf program because deafies don't have a lot of money). So dinner with the Ellsworths is always great. Then we taught the a practice lesson which went really well. I was so happy. We have dinner next week with them.

Wednesday: We went to play sports in the morning and one of the elders said he was being emergency transfered (ET) to the marshallese program. So we went to lunch with him and the zone leaders to an indian restaurant Shari Pun-job, it wasn't very good but the music was great. (like the music video on youtube we make fun of that we are going to recreate when i get home.) Then we taught Roberto about prayer and he totally understood it all it was amazing. We are excited about his progress and he remember everything about the priesthood that we taught him. When he spoke in a hearing ward Crissy Campbell said she had a deaf friend and brought her to listen so we interpreted sacrament meeting and she loved it. So we set up a dinner and lesson with the deafies and the Campbells. It was wednesday. We had a great lesson Mark and Ivetta are the parents and both are deaf, their daughter Simoneka is hearing but pro at sign language. They loved the lesson and we are teaching them next week.

Thursday: we went out with a Single adult Melinda she is awesome and loves to go out with the missionaries. We taught Gilbert Dodson, it was a great lesson but he had a few questions about the book of mormon and so we told him he just has to read it and pray about it to know that it is true. He said ok, we are meeting him next week also. When melinda dropped us off sister brennan felt really tired so we went inside to get her some water and juice. She could not stay awake for the life of her. She would fall asleep mid sentence. So I carried her to bed and made her sleep. We were banned to the house the rest of the night so I just organized our area book and such. It was good.

Friday: we talked to some awesome people and accomplished some things around the area that needed to be done. Visit some people and referals none of which were interested but still a good day.

Saturday: was a bomb (good) day. We had 2 member present lessons. Jin Park our branch mission leader came to a lesson with Ellen and Roberto this week. We taught Ellen about the atonement and Roberto about the history of the church. He was mesmorized by Jin signing and so were we. It is so good. Then we went up to Roseville to teach Ron about the Word of Wisdom. We always meet him at Denny's and he always has his coffee so we get there and teach him about the word of wisdom. The waitress asked if he wanted more coffee he said no. Woot Woot go Ron, he said that he wanted to obey the word of wisdom. We will see how he does.

Sunday: We taught Relief Society today and it went pretty good. we only had 2 of our 9 investigators come to church but we knew Ellen was sick and Mark, Ivetta, and Simoneka couldn't go, Gilbert I dunno what happened to him and Scott was sick also. Ron and Roberto are faithful to the end. They are precious. I love all of them. Then we had a blitz with the zone tracting door to door in the rain. How amazing is life. I love the rain, seriously. My umbrella almost blew away a few times while I was writting things down in my planner. I felt like marry poppins with my black umbrella, skirt, and boots. She is cool so I was fine with it.

So all is well and hopefully my last week in this transfer will be a blasty. I know the Lord has great things for me next transfer and I can't wait to tackle it. Time is flying by I don't like it. I have been out for more than 4 months now. What? Feels like I just left home. Next week p-day is on Tuesday so that is when I will be emailing. Hope to hear from some more of you this next week. Love you all and have a great week.

Love Sister Holt
Be happy and Keep Smiling.

2010 (1/4/10)

Welp family, it is 2010 and I am loving it. I can't believe I am in week 4 of the transfer. Two more weeks left and then who knows where I will be? Life is really good. The investigators are amazing and they are going strong.

Ellen is the most amazing women ever. I don't remember what I have told you about her but She is amazing. We have decided to have her read the talk by Elder Holland last April, None Were With Him. She is going to read it and this Sunday she got up in RS to bear her testimony. She talked about her son that died and how she is still not dealing with it. It was over 40 years ago. She told us about different churches she tried out and how she didn't feel anything at any of them but in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints her heart has been touched. She feels the spirit and the lessons apply to her in everyday life. She loves every minute of it. She is completely engaged in the lessons every week. So she wants to keep going to church and She said next fast sunday she would stand up in sacrament meeting and bear her testimony. I love this women to death she is so amazing!!

Scott well this young is being pulled down by temptation and it has a strong hold on him. He really wants to stop doing smoking and drinking but he just doesn't have strong enough will power yet. I say yet because I know it will happen soon. He knows the church is true and he wants it and soon he will do whatever it takes to get him out of this trap he is in.

Roberto is doing really good. He has a sure testimony of the atonement but he is struggling with Joseph Smith and understanding the priesthood. Jin Park is the Branch Mission Leader, he went to a lesson with us and taught the whole thing. It was amazing. I really was impressed with him. he has such passion for this gospel. He is from South Korea and Roberto is from Mexico so they both have american sign language as their second language. They talk to each other well and understand each others situation. It's weird to see them talk they have wave lengths I'm pretty sure.

Ron is AMAZING I love this guy he still doesn't have a home but he still loves the gospel and is doing what he can to be baptized. We teach him at Denny's Restaurant up in Roseville. (Douglas Blvd and Sunrise, you know where bucky?) The people there know who we are it's awesome and they are trying to learn sign because he goes there so much.

Stephanie went to church and she is awesome. She really enjoyed it and had tons of friends. As she left people were running up to her to give her hugs and help her to her car. It was really good to see the branch fellowship like that because they struggle with that sometimes. She said she would come next week and we are going to see her tomorrow.

Sheri didn't come to church, we are not sure why. She lives out in Cameron Park which is about 23.5 miles from the branch so it might have been far for her to drive. We are supposed to visit her tomorrow so we will see what's up and how we can resolve whatever concern she has. She is a good women though, she has a lot of history with different struggles that might be keeping her from progressing so we just need to work with her. It will all work out.

Yesterday we had a great experience. We went on a blitz (knocking on doors in other missionaries areas to help them out) we do it every sunday for different missionaries in our zone. It was really cool, the neighborhood was super nice, they would talk to us but they were not interested. We go for 2 hours. It was getting towards the end of the 2 hours and we knocked on a door. This old women answers she immediately says she is not interested. We don't stop there we keep the conversation going. The longer we talk the longer the spirit has an opportunity to work with her. She tells us about being a Presbyterian for 80 years. She was a great women, we told her how we had a book that could help her get closer to Jesus Christ then any other book on the earth. She said she couldn't get any closer to him. I said what are some questions you have had in your life? I guarantee this book can answer those questions for you. I open the cover of this book and read some questions, she nods. Yes she has some of those questions. I tell her to read them. She says wow that's a big book I don't have time. I immediately inform her the section is only 3-5 pages long. She thinks, "mmmmm I can do that" she accepts this wonderous book. We tell her missionaries just like us will come by and talk with her about the book. She freezes, "why aren't you coming back, how are you benefitting from giving me the book and not coming back?" My heart fell, and told her we benefit because if you open that book you will come closer to Christ and knowing that you are going to do that brings me greater joy than anything else. She accepts the offer and then kindly tells us that she likes us because we were not pushy and people from other religions are pushy. I look at my companion and think, "we were a little pushy, but she didn't think so because you can say anything with love." What a blessing. It was a great testimony to me that if you can keep the person talking they will see that you truly love them and want to help them. They will be more willing to accept your message.

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!

Life is great in 2010 and it's only just begun. I love you all and I hear that there is some news that people need to tell me about so you better get writting me. Sandra what gender, Lindsay you should be finding out soon, and any other news from other members of the family?? And friends I would love to hear from you too...

Love Sister Holt
Be happy and Keep smiling

2010!!!!!!!! (1/1/10)

Well it has been a great journey, this holiday season. Seen some amazing miracles and some not so nice people. It's all good because I am learning to love all people, recognize the spirit, recognize my testimony and all that comes with being a missionary. This email might be jumbled and disconnected but that's ok right?

Christmas was awesome thank you everyone that sent me something it was very thoughtful and I really didn't expect anything so it was a fun suprise. It's great to be a missionary during Christmas. I love working in the deaf program and working with my investigators. We now have 6 investigators. That is insane for the deaf program. They live all over the place so it's a little challenging but it all works out. Ellen is doing amazing I love that women with all my heart. Everytime we go to her house she tells us about another huge trial she has overcome in her life. Our challenge with her right now is that she doesn't feel the atonement applies to her. She knows that Jesus died for everyone but she has never thought he died for HER. I was able to bear my testimony to her that I know as he was suffering in the Garden and was ready to give up He said, "I need to keep going Ellen is going to go throught these trials, have these sins, and these heart aches. I must go on so she is not alone." And that I know he did that he suffered that for her. It was really powerful to me because I didn't even think twice I just said it to her and it really strengthend my testimony of the atonement because it is true for all people. She is a strong person and I know she has the right desires it is just hard for her to recognize that. She also asked us about her son, he doesn't have the gospel and she said how am I going to convince him to go to church? Ahh, I was so happy when she said that. It was sooooo cool she knows the importance of church and why she needs to go. Her testimony is growing.

Roberto is awesome he wants to be baptized but he says he is not ready yet. He feels that he needs to know more and he still feels like he wants to be a Jehovah's Witness. I dunno what to do with him. We are just going to keep teaching him about the Priesthood so he recognizes the importance of the true priesthood with the proper authority.

Ron is a guy who has been going to church for a long time and then I asked him if he was a member. He's not but he just goes to church with his friend (he's 63). He is so ready to be baptized except he doesn't have a home. We can't baptize homeless people and he has no desire to find a home because it is cheaper. Well as soon as he finds a home he can be baptized, if he desires to find a home.

Sheri we taught once and she really loves it. She is coming to church on Sunday she lives out in Cameron Park 35 mins away so that is dedication. We will see her again tuesday.

Stephanie is cool she lives about 20 mins away but she seems pretty good. She is coming to church sunday... haha she has to, I left my coat at her apt. thats the way to do it. We will see her tuesday also.

Scott is doing good. He wants to be baptized so soon hopefully he can be. Pray for him that he will stay strong and quit smoking. He is cool I love him to death. I am sending a picture of him home and roberto. haha

Well that is all for right now I have to go. If you ask me questions then I will write back but until then I'm done. Hope to hear from you all soon!!! The church is true!!

Love sister Holt
Be happy and keep smiling.

New Transfer (12/15/09)

Hello to the world in this Holiday Season...

Next P-day I have is Christmas... Woot Woot!! I'm so excited to be able to be here for this wonderful season... As of now nothing is different but I still enjoy it. We are doing heart attacking peoples doors each day of December, some people have caught us just because they know our sticky notes but oh well. Things are going great. Weather has been rainy and I love every second of it. Really the rain is beautiful here. It smells so good in CA.

Tuesday Dec 8 We had a lot of people to take cookies to for their birthdays so that was really fun. We have seen some hearts softened just by remembering them on their birthdays. We visited some less active people and not a lot are interesting in going back or even know much about the church because they were baptized by hearing people, so they didn't really know what was going on. We taught Ellen and she is doing really good, reading the Book of Mormon and asks every time she prays to have her heart opened to have more faith. She is great. Pray for her that she will be able to continue to grow. Oh and we found a house of Deafies today and they want us to come back to teach them more about the gospel......... that's 4 accountable deafies.

Wednesday Today we had district meeting and I had to teach the lesson on getting investigators to church, ha that's the thing we are struggling with most. But the Lord works in mysterious ways and I learned a lot planning for it so hopefully it will come in handy and I can get my investigators to church. Did some contacting and visiting more potential investigators then in was over west to eat dinner with two awesome members. Monica (40) and Erika(21) They are way cool. Erika is a deep thinker and she really is amazing. We were talking about the atonement because that really is my favorite thing to talk about, I could go for hours but one thing she told me about that really was just amazing... Ok, what happens if you throw a cup against the wall? It hits and shatters to the floor? How do you know that is going to happen? It's the law of physics right? You have seen it happen before so you know it will happen every time. You don't think it is going to start flying around the room in random directions you know it will smash. You understand that now, right? Apply it to the atonement. If you need the atonement and sincerely ask for help with it, it will happen. How do you know? Well, you have tried it before so you know it will happen. You were sad, scared, a sinner, any of the above and you have used the atonement and it worked. You know it will happen because it is the Law of the Gospel. So we know it now why don't we use it more? If we know it will work let us all remember it, and if you don't know it, I am a witness that it works. I am a living modern witness of the divinity of the atonement and how it can change your life and only make it better. So I commit all of you to use the atonement tonight. Ask our Lord and Savior for forgiveness, help, whatever it is that you need help with ask. It is the Christmas season and that is the reason that The Lord came to the earth was to perform this miracle we call the atonement. What better way to celebrate then to set ourselves free from Satan and more closely follow Jesus Christ by using the Atonement. It was a great day.

Thursday I got to go to the Temple with my mission President and Sister Jardine. It is so cool to see all the Elders and Sisters dressed in white at the Temple all having the Same goal. Truly amazing. I wish I could say more but I can't. That was the highlight of the day for sure.

Friday Weekly planning for the next transfer. Wow I have been here 6 weeks. Crazy so then we did some teaching with Roberto and that was really good we explained the history of the Priesthood and I think he gets it and realizes the importance of Baptism now. Amazing. Then we went to our home away from home the Steeds,... We were supposed to have dinner but he had a work dinner so he gave us $40 to go somewhere. We went to an Italian Restaurant called Strings it was amazing and while we were there we met a couple that are members and they lived in stockton. They worked with all the deaf members down there so someday when we open that area we have the connections. And then they paid for our dinners and gave us a coupon for a free meal. AMAZING!! So now we can use that money to help people for Christmas.

Saturday We visited the people that we want to go to church, Ellen we have been teaching her for a long time and she never would commit to go to church so we taught her about the importance of church and what will happen there. We basically said ok so when you go to church this is what you will experience. She said ok see you there. It was amazing. And other things happened but I am running low on time so that was the best thing.

Sunday ELLEN was at CHURCH and she loved it, it really was a great day. President Vicars ( the branch president) spoke the whole sacrament meeting and she said all the other churches she has been to never apply the gospel to her life but here that's all pres vicars did was apply apply apply, she said she never looked at the time she just was mesmerized. We are meeting with her tonight to follow up. And the rest of the day we started 12 days of christmas for some families in the branch that need a little love.

Monday we contacted 51 people that is a record for me. Our goal is 25 a day and that doesn't always happen. 51 woot woot it was a fun day, there were so many people out. I love missionaries life, go and talk to people all day is what I do. It's fabulous. It's our goal this week to get 25 a day so by the end of the week to have 125 contacts. It's gonna happen. Well that's all for now I will email you in a week.

The church is true and the Book is Blue. So go read it, eh.... ok anyway Merry Christmas to you all, I love you and remember the true meaning of Christmas... What are some things you could give to Christ this season? Try that out and see how it works. I love you!!!

Sister Holt
Be happy and Keep Smiling.

1 month (12/8/09)

Hey everyone,

I have been in California for a month now... Woot Woot!!It snowed last night. So some exciting things have happened but nothing too eventful. We found a new apt. because the members home we were living in decided to come home early from their mission so we had to promptly move out.

Monday: Pday we went bowling and I was terrible. Never got over 100 I know I know pittiful, it's just not like me. ha Then we went to teach some lessons and while we were teaching Roberto he had some deaf friends come over. 4 deaf people in one room with one conversation is pretty intense... I love deafies. The lady that came her name is Xavia she decided to have study time with us again later in the week... Potential investigator... Overall it was a good day. Oh and we got to visit Daniel and Casey who are two of me favorite deafies. We just stop by and visit them for a few minutes before heading home every once in a while. Both are unaccountable but Amazing.

Tuesday: We had interviews with the mission pres. Way cool, my first and last ones as a newbie. I was informed we have 3 new ASL sisters coming the end of January... I'm so excited. 1 is Deaf, one Hard of Hearing, the other hearing. How awesome the deaf branch is going to GROW!! Then we seached for appts for a bit because we had to move by saturday. Then off to teach Roberto and Xavia. While we were teaching them Roberto goes into his room and pulls out the Book of Mormon stories on VHS and other LDS movies, and A ton of Book of Mormon pictures. What why is he not baptized? Well he doesn't want to be quite yet so pray that he will have a change of heart soon. And Xavia loves to learn and was way interested in the Book of Mormon so hopefully she will continue to read and learn more. Then in was down south to visit Alana and Mac, they were inactive now going to a hearing ward (mac is hearing) and preparing to get sealed in the temple... best news ever they are amazing couple and we are so excited for them.

Wednesday: We passed out fliers for the Christmas party this saturday and visited with some Inactives. It was great to meet some people I have never seen before. Then we went to teach Deandre and Tequila who have not been keeping their commitments and so we are going to drop them possibly. Then it was to English Class... We had 3 people there. HAAA haa I am so happy. They enjoyed it and said they would be back next week.

Thursday: More christmas fliers. Ugh but we got to teach Xavia and add her as a new investigator. and then we went to tract up in Roseville again because we had a deaf referal and we were going to teach Ron, he lives with members comes to church everyweek but not baptized... hmmm so we decided to get on it... Sister Faust was amazing, she basically taught the lesson for us and it was beautiful to hear her testimony through her teaching. Ron is gonna be baptized. Hopefully. Tracting was cool didn't find a deafie but discovered that there is a whole other side of the road. Soon we will find the person.

Friday: Tracting was amazing talked to 26 people and met some more deafies, new ones which is the best thing in the world. Then we went to visit Ellen, she has been reading about faith in Alma 32 and I think she is starting to grow. Then we had a Dinner with the Carmichael first ward. They had a mission Christmas Party, all the missionaries sang and then did a missionary activity. It was awful, we couldn't hear the piano and we were way off and then people would stop singing and it was pathetic. So yeah no good there. but still fun to be with the zone.

Saturday: MOVE DAY we moved to our appt. it is beautiful. I love it. Granite countertops and a washer/dryer really nice. but it took all day... Then we had our branch Christmas party... we had about 90-100 people at the party. Success. I was able to meet more people and some people came that had left the church come to the party and I think it was a big step for them, opening their heart to maybe come back again.

Sunday: I taught Relief Society today. I was called at 9 and was told I was teaching then I went to a meeting at 11 and then I taught Relief Society... They understood me which is a good thing and we had a lot of participation, also good. So phew that was a success. Church was great, I love to watch people bear their testimony in sign language it is so powerful. Then we had a Blitz with the zone, it was freezing. I thought my toes were going to fall off and not one person wanted to listen to our message. Well that's missionary life. Still a good day oh and Bro. Steed invited us to their annual tree decorating party. They are the best family and I really do feel home when I am there. Life is great. So one more week down and another to go then it is the end of transfers. Weird... So next week my P-day is on Tuesday so just be aware.

For the rest of today I get to go clean the members house all day and I am so excited. Can't wait, so maybe I will write letters, maybe not I dunno. But I get to go to the temple this Thursday for a session. Ahhh I am beyond excited. This is the longest I have gone without going to the temple since I recieved my endowments. So I will chat with you all next tuesday. Great chattin with ya and hopefully some of you respond, a few of you have forgotten me...:( Oh and is someone gonna write me about the new found underground temple in guatamala I think, that I asked about a few weeks ago? you should.

LoveSister Holt
Be Happy and Keep Smiling

Hellllllllloooooooo (11/30/09)

Well I thought I wouldn't have a lot to say since I emailed you 4 days ago but guess what...? The Lords work continues and miracles happen everyday!!

Thanksgiving was awesome, I ate at the Steeds house with his family and we chatted about his mission and such. Fun times, then we put together a puzzle. Reminds me of the good old days in Bear Lake. I didn't have any time to write a single letter so I didn't.

Friday: We passed out fliers to a bunch of deafies, for the Deaf Christmas Party this saturday!! Hopefully there is a good turn out. Then we tried to see some out our investigators and potential investigators, but none were home for us to visit. Sad day but God's hands are in his work.

Saturday: Continued to pass out fliers and we are not even close to done... Visited some people, Judy was one, she in not accountable but we taught her a lesson to practice. She is amazing, has such a spirit about her. Than we did some contacting met some crazy people!! Do you remember Roberto??? Our awesome investigator that let us right in to teach him... oh by the way he was raised a Jehovah's Witness and has people come to his house a few times a week to teach him. But we talked to him and read (watched) a little of the book of mormon to help him understand. He really enjoyed it then we asked him if he would go to church sunday... YES!! We were so excited. He finished the night strong. It was a good day.

Sunday: The day of MIRACLES!! In the morning we met with the Branch President, branch mission leader and Elders Quorum President to discuss how to help with our missionary work. It went really well they were really excited that we had a new investigator that was coming to church. miracle #1 As we were leaving the church guess who we ran into... Roberto, he was there for church! WOOT WOOT. And one of our members brought an entire family full of deafies and hard of hearing. We got to meet them right before taking off. Miracle #2Then it was off to elk grove (30 mins south) to speak in a hearing ward about the deaf branch. There were two deaf people we really tried hard this past week to go to this meeting because that is where they live. One is completely inactive and we are trying to get her involved again. Didn't think she would go to church because she basically said no. We arrive to the church and saw both of the deafies there miracle #3 I interepreted the song for the deafies and did a good job miracle #4 My first big talk and I bore my testimony in sign language at the end. miracle #5 and we got a few potential referals from speaking in that ward. miracle #6 We knew that going to elk grove meant we would be fasting because it is too far to go home to eat but we can't buy anything because it is sunday. well there was a linger longer yum...Off to the next ward to do a lesson for the young single adults, it was awesome they loved us. miracle #7 On our way to the linger longer an awesome couple asked if we would like to eat at their house so we went... miracle #8 They are my inspiration when i am old. Any of you seen the notebook?/? yup that's them, seriously... she was in high school and they eloped (not sure how to spell it) later they got sealed in the temple. They have been married 53 years lived in their house for 49 of them. have 5 kids and they are hilarious. Mom she reminds me a lot of you. Just out going and loving and everyone loves her. There are so many things about them that are amazing. they had a walnut tree in the back with their names carved in it. I LOVE THEM... I wish they were in our ward maybe i will see them again soon. miracle #9 and miracle #10 we got home with 30 seconds left that is amazing.

Now it is on to a new week. Hopefully get people involved with the Christmas spirit and to want to go to church and get baptized... Thanks for all the love a support. Couldn't do it without you all. Oh and we are getting kicked out of our house a few months early becasue the members are coming home early from their missions so we move this week. Hopefully I will be able to email next week. if not I am sorry. Have a happy first week of December and I will chat with you all next week.

Please pray that Roberto will be able to recognize the spirit more in his life and that Ellen will see her faith grow and see that as proof that this gospel is real. They are both fabulous people that would be amazing additions to the branch. And please pray for Deandre and Tequila they are struggling a lot right now please help them to gain a testimony that the gospel can help them get through things and desire to go to church.

Love Sister Holt
Be happy and Keep Smiling