Hello you get a real letter today!!
Well the days have been crazy and full of new twists and turns... I love being a missionary and just learning how to go with the flow and accept whatever the Lord hands out to you. I'm back with my deafies and it is fabulous. I was a little nervous at first. I was excited for change again and don't like to do the same thing so when i knew I was coming back I felt it would be the same. But believe me IT"S NOT!! the branch needs a lot of help. A lot of the members are moving and transfering their records so we need the Less Actives to become active so they can support the branch for the new members we bring in. Great yeah? So this transfer is full and busy already. Not to mention some changes the missionary program is going through as well... More about that later...
Ok what did you miss the past two weeks i didn't email..
back in the islands (marshallese and tongan program), our investigator Hancelly who was a miracle if you remember, just accepted the gospl and wanted to be baptized but his girlfriend was against it and their parents. Well he kept faithful and read and prayed every night and finally came to church. The next day he called and said their parents okayed them getting married and also in whatever church they want. Miracle and then Miana (the girlfriend) had a chat with Hancelly's cousin, a super strong recent convert, and she prayed about the book of mormon and knew it was true and decided she wanted to be baptized with Hancelly. So the moral of the story is they are being married and baptized on the 24 of July their own day of religious independence and freedom from sin. Isn't that the greatest story in the world. THey are amazing and I miss them like crazy but I have the chance to go to their wedding and baptism so I will see them and take lots of pictures. I am so excited for them.
We have a few other baptisms going on with the marshallese and one of them is the daughter of Torken and Kestiney ( our eternal investigators) they decided they will be baptized by september and we are hoping the baptizm of their daughter will help quicken that proccess. Kestiney is ready but tokren needs some time. He is coming along though because he used to say I will think about being baptized now he says when I get baptized. The church is true brothers and sisters. I know that much.
I learned a lot the last two transfers, things I will take with me for the rest of my life and I am so grateful for the lessons I've learned. I went through a lot with those companions and it was really sad and hard to leave them but I know I will only grow from the experiences i have.
This week what happened... I got to see a lot of the people I was teaching before I left the program. They are still investigating the church plus some new ones. It is fun to see them but sad they are not baptized already. They need to get into gear and have a little push to get them motivated to work work work. I know they will be happier and have the things they need it they were to just listen to what we say. So this week is going to be busy and BOLD.
so all of the missions in the world are experiencing changes... they are implementing a new program, well putting a new focus on Preach My Gospel. All of the Zone leaders and District leaders and trainers have to go to meetings Tues, wed, thurs, friday this week to learn the new program. Then they will go out and go on exchanges with the other missionaries for a day or two and teach them the way to do it. Seeing that all the leaders are elders, and elders and sisters don't go on exchanges they have selected 2 sisters to go to the meetings and then go on exchanges with all the sisters in the mission. Ok that's great except they selected me as one of them. Well I can't turn him down because it's a calling from the Lord but I feel that there are so many sisters that would better qualify for the calling. So it's come down to either one of two things. Either I am in need of some intense training so he decided I go directly to the training to make me better, or the Lord has blessed me with a gift and ability to teach the other sisters and President feels confident I can. or maybe a little of both. But I know I am grateful for the calling and a little overwhelmed but I know the Lord is always there for me and will help me every step of the way. It's been an experience for me lots' of thoughts and things going through my head. but Life is a gift and we just have to take what we have and use those gifts that God gave us.
I am having the time of my life out here and I love everything. my new companion is Sister Stoddard. She is an upbeat, always going and smiling sister. She is 95% deaf and she gets by reading lips in the hearing world. She is learning sign language quickly and is a great teacher. It's fun to have her as a companion she is sweet as ever. I will have to send a picture of us next time. It's back up to over 100 degree weather and man oh man it's hot tracting. But That's all I have time for now I will write again next week and have pictures and more stories of miracles so just be waiting for them.
I love you all and hope this week is amazing for you. Remember the Lord loves you and you have a purpose for living this week so go out and find the reason you are here. It's a blessing to realize that you are fulfilling your purpose. Something I realized yesterday is just loving someone is doing missionary work so go and love everyone and it's all in the perspective. So have a positive perspective this week and look for the miracles God gives us everyday they are waiting on you so go make em' happen.
Love Sister Holt
Be happy and keep smiling.
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