Monday, December 27, 2010

November (11/1/10)

Well it is the beggining of November which is crazy because on the 3rd that means 1 year from when I arrived in the mission field...which is just rediculous because it feels like just last month we were celebrating Christmas and everything. Wow time really goes pretty fast. I don't know what to do with myself.
This week was full of crazy things. We didn't have a lot of time to go out and teach lessons because of a lot of parties and I had meetings I had to attend but I know the Lord will bless my area and we will still find people that are ready for the covenant of Baptism.
Tuesday I had my meeting all day up in Elk Grove, 45mins north of stockton, I was the only sister there for most of the meeting so President Jardine was my companion. That was weird I felt a little awkward to be in a room of elders. Normally I would be excited for that but nope it was weird, I just sat by myself and if elders came to talk to me I would chat but I just couldn't go around chattin with the Elders. That was a point when I realized how weird I am going to be when I go home. hahaha I will be an awkward Returned missionary. fun fun and then we had dinner with a member who just became active again and his wife and son that are not members. It was so much fun, really funny family. She is Italian, but never lived there but acts like it, and just talks like no one can believe. We taught her a cheesey but sprititual lesson about the Book of Mormon and invited them to church. They accepted and said they will come first week in Nov. Woot
Wednesday we had some great lessons with potential investigators but none of them were really interested, they just had some questions they wanted answered and we did so they were good. But they made us cookies and gave us water and stuff. A very welcoming lesson. Never before have people made cookies for the lesson when they had never met us before. But they are preaching the word as well which is good to help the rest of the world hear A message about Jesus Christ. Maybe not THE message but its better than nothing right?
Thursday was maybe one of the best days of my life. we had district meeting and then we went out with Lani (our deaf member) to find some deafies and we found some one really cool one. Her name is Ella she has a lot of problems going on and she really wants to believe in Jesus Christ and to pray but she just isn't sure how to do anything right now. She is so lost and while I was there I could see her and her life. If and when she accepts the Gospel that her life will just CHANGE and she will just be so happy. That doesnt happen to me too often that I can see how the Gospel will change them but with her I could see it and so could Sis Badger and Lani. It was really neat to see that. The Church is true!!!!!!!!!!! The next exciting thing was Sis Badger and I had the opportunity to go and doBaptisms for the Dead with the youth of the ward. SO COOL!! I wish i was in Young womens again it is so great. I hope thats my calling when i come home. haha But anyway, Our dear recent Convert Russell of just a few days got some names together his grandparents and other family members that have passed so he can go and get baptized for them. His mom who is not a member was very excited about this. So we all meet at the church and we are getting ready to leave. (oh side story i dont' know if you remeber but part of the reason he decided to baptize so fast was our member Debra Sbragia asked him to get baptized for her cousin) So we are about to leave and the Bishop comes over and says he has bad news,. You have to have the Priesthood before you can go to the temple. You can't receive the priesthood until you have been sustained as a new member in Sacrament meeting. Well we hadn't had church yet so he couldn't receive the priesthood. He went home with his mom both crying. We were all so disappointed so we leave for the Temple and get a call that russell is on his way, He got special permission to be ordained so they drove up to the temple and he was ordained at the temple. How cool is that? He was baptized a week ago and ordained and then did baptisms for his family and the sbragia family. ah i love life. and the sbragias went all 4 for the first time and they just couldn't get over it. tons of water works. even steve (the dad) which i kinda look at him personality like Brandon so it was a shock to see him cry. but it was amazing. Then we ate at in n out.
friday we had our deaf halloween party that we are gonna make happen every year. 2 deafies showed up hahahahaahaha but it was sooo fun. we carved pumpkins and stuff so it was fun and the more it gets exposed every year the better it will be. its just starting.
Saturday was trunk or treat and the sbragias trunk won for the scariest. They went all out and they were sooooo happy. They are a great family. I love them soo much.
Sunday was fun yeah for Halloween. I dressed like Sis Badger wore all her clothes and she wore all mine did make up like eachother jewelry everything. it was cool. then we had to be in the church by 6 with the zone and we played monopoly and sis badger and i were yelling and so into it. it was lots of fun. and
today we went to a ropes course for p-day. it was so fun i have some pics and videos. but there is one that you have to jump off a pole and catch a bar and then drop down. it was fun then another one that you have to use team work and climb up these beams and they get further apart each one. I did it all by myself. haha because sis badger wasn't "strong enough" to even get up. that was fun. our ward mission leader owns it so its free any time we want to go. haha its sweet
This week on wednesday I am getting another baby woot woot. Sis badger and I are having a baby. She is going to brazil but has to wait for her visa soj she is with us until it comes. I am so excited. So I will tell you all about her next week. The Church is true and I love being a missionary.
"We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our heart an attitude of gratitude." Pres. Thomas S. Monson (General Conference, October 2010)
Love Sister Holt
be happy and keep smiling

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