Absolutely Fabulous

HEIDI IS COMING HOME!!!

2011-03-14T20:56:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

I was just going to say see you next week but I have some really important business to take care of first. DEBBIE CAME TO CHURCH!! I am that happiest clam alive. She called to say she got messed up with the time change and everything and couldn't go but we promised her blessings like no bodies business and she said, "oh ok that sounds nice!!" and she came. she loved it and felt the spirit. she still has a lot of questions but oh how wonderful she is. We are going to see her Thursday and teach her again. a;klfslkj ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh i love being a missionary. I shouted halelujah over and over again when she said she would come. MIRacLES happen and it is after the trial of your faith that you receive a witness. CHURCH IS TRUE!

For people that don't know the info the church is at

270 North 300 East Centerville at 12:50 on March 27

I love you all and See you next week. I will email on tuesday not monday next week cuz its transfer week....

Love Sister Holt

March Again (3/7/11)

2011-03-14T20:54:00.001-07:00

Happy march to you all.... life is great in the town of Stockton... I love being here. We are seeing some progress in the hearts of these people we are working with. Rachel committed to come to church but then she woke up late and didn't come... so lame but we are going to get her there. No worries. Life goes on and it just gets us one step closer to when she actually will go to church. I'm pretty sure she knows what is going to happen if she goes to church, she knows that she wants to be baptized but she is just not ready for it yet. It will be good its getting there. She said the closing prayer and it was so great. I was so happy.

John we went to see him, his process is a little slower than I was hoping but his wife is slowing it down. I think she is having a hard time getting to church and wanting to go so it prevents him from going. We will get him there I don't fear that at all.

In church I bore my testimony and told everyone thank you and that I love them and it was the last time I would have the opportunity to bear my testimony because I was leaving. Our dinner calendar is completely full, we seriously had members fighting for days so they could feed us before I leave. It was so funny and sister cook said well what about after the 22 who wants to feed us then and well its blank and I felt bad but I will be coming home full and happy hahahaaha.

We met a really great women her name is Debbie, I pray with all my heart that everything goes as planned with her. She is so amazing we knocked on the door and started talking to her, she told us how she loves our commercials they are the best ones she has ever seen. So we set up an appt to go back and she thought for a minute and said, "well my husband is sleeping but if we talk quiet I think you can come in." so we gave her a Book of Mormon and talked to her for a bit. She said she believes things because of how she feels so I said, "How do you feel right now?" Her reply was, "well your inside right? that's a great sign that I feel good" We have our appt tomorrow so I pray that she doesn't fall off the face of the earth like our other "golden" investigators. I have been praying really hard for her since I met her. She really is something special.

Then we met Robin and Robert they have some potential for sure. They have a long way to go but if the get there they will be strong. They really just want to learn what is true and find how they can follow truth. It is great to teach people that want to learn and are willing to pray and ask God if it is true. Thats the only way to know anything. I just think that is so cool, if we do our part and study it out and ponder it... then ask God and that He actually cares enough to answer...? Ahh it is so wonderful I love this beautiful Plan. The Church is so true and I love this gospel with all of my heart.

It has been a rough couple of weeks but I am happy and I am learning to go through with a joyful spirit. I know I need more patience and that might be what the Lord is testing me on right now is patience to endure hard things. I feel I am doing pretty good...always room for improvement but I am getting there. I don't mind messing up and trying over and over to be better, just as long as the next time I really do get better. Thats the hard part.

Well time is gone and I love you all!! until next week chao!!

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling

March (2/28/11)

2011-03-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,,

Hello Hello its a beautiful day here in Cali and I am loving life.......... Thank you for the pictures Sandra.......... I think she is winning right now. Yeah for Bucky being home before me. THat is so great. on to the week this is going to be a short email due to NO TIME AGAIN!!!!

I love being a missionary first of all second happy birthday poppi, JJ, Jen, and Brad (i think its brads in feb right??) Sorry my mind is very forgetful these days. I just know Jen's is today yeah HAPPY day....

Miracles happen. Our wonderful Rachel is home from vacation now and we are so excited, we went over for dinner and taught her all of the plan of salvation. She accepted it and cried (said its cuz she is prego so she is emotional...ha whatever, it's the spirit) We talked to her about coming to church and she committed to come and then remembered she had to go to san fran for a shoe show for workl. so we are gonna get her next week. YEah I am so excited I love this girl so much she is such a wonderful person and would make a great addition to the Brookside ward. SHE IS SO AWESOME!!

We met a new person his name is RJ and he came to church he is 11 yrs old and loves it. We are teaching him now and hopefully his grandma soon she has been sick recently so we have to wait on that. I think it will be good to have him here his best friend is Anthony a recent convert who really loves church so its a good example.

John is doing good we haven't really had an opportunity to see him much because he has had a fever but we have an appt with him tomorrow so I am really excited about that one. We are going to teach him about Joseph Smith and the church being brought back to the earth again. It is going to be a great day.

Star and Will i am not sure what is going to happen with that family. We had a really great lesson with the kids and dad the other day about the plan of salvation and will said the prayer at the end. It makes me really sad all the kids love us and want to go to church but the mom, Star wont let them because she doesn't want to go herself. We went to their house Sunday morning to be sure they were ready for church and she let us know strait out those kids were not going to church. There may have been some very foul language involved in that conversation but we don't give up we are going over tomorrow. Woot Woot. Pray for Star to let us in.

The work goes on no matter what happens and you just have to know tht you did your best and that is all you can do. I know I have so I feel good and happy about my work here in Stockton. I love stockton and I love being a missionary.

Well time to fly.. going to play settlers of catan with the elders. TIme to show them how its done.

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling

rainy days and mondays always get me happy (2/21/11)

2011-02-24T13:58:00.000-08:00

dear readers...

hello its me your favorite missionry SiSter Holt,,, I am here in Sunny California where the weather is cold but the sun is a shinning. It is February you know. I am so happy to be alive and to be doing the things I am doing. Did you know that the Lord Loves us and wants each one of us to be happy and He gave us agency so we are not forced to be happy but we choose to be happy!?! It's true we could be miserable and upset but that is our choice. I am happy because it is my choice. I have not seen or taught someone that comes to us wanting to learn about the gospel in a long time, we haven't had very many returns, we don't have 8 people going to church like we did in November. But I am so HAPPY!!!!!!!! I am the happiest person in the world. Im sure people could shove me around and call me all sorts of names for being Mormon but I am so happy. I love being a missionary and I love that I have the opportunity to represent the Lord. I have the greatest gift anyone could have, a nametag and a blessing.

We met this really cool guy the other day. Sister Cookie and I are going to all the less active members the bishop gave us and if we have a little extra time we go to see one here and there. One night we had a few minutes so we stopped by someones house Rachel and she was home so we chatted with her. It went well we connected and found out she is married now and lives with her grandma. Her husband John grew up in a really hard lifestyle parents were drug addicts and abbusive all the stuff you never want to hear about. He finally escaped into the military that is when he heard about God for the first time. He is hungry for the truth.

We set up an appt to go over again and we went with our Mission Pres Wife Sister Jardine. It was so great we had an awesome lesson he wants to learn more and come to church and pray, read the Book of Mormon. I invited him to be baptized and he said yes. He is going to come to church next week and we are going to prepare him for baptism. If all goes well he should be ready the 19th of March. That would be so awesome. When I invited him to be baptized I have never felt the spirit so strong. I knew I was inviting him purely because I knew it would be a better life for him not because I wanted another baptism or because I am supposed to do it but I felt such love for him and I knew the way I could show him that love was by inviting him to be baptized. This church is all about starting again and having a fresh start. I love it so much. Hooray for repentance.

We had all the missionaries get together and we went out for our area to bring in some of the less active members. This last sunday was so amazing we had 3 people there that were found doing that activity. ahhh its so wonderful. So you see we may not have a lot of people investigating the church but we have a lot of people coming back and that is our focus right now. It is so awesome I love being a missionary. So many wonderful things you get to experience. Watching a member come in a sit next to someone who hasn't been to church in over 20 years and seeing them laugh together is the most amazing experience in your life. It is our Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness. It is our job to help these people find their way again. I have never seen the Plan of Happiness so clearly as I have these past few weeks. IT SO AMAZING!!!!!!!

That is all. I love being with sister cookie she is so wonderful and we get along so well. We went shopping today before sports so we packed our clothes that we were going to wear for sports. When we got to the church to change we were wearing the exact same outfit. hahah how does that happen. That is unity right there.

Well gotta jet

Love Sister Holt

be happy and keep smiling

happy valentine's day (2/14/11)

2011-02-24T13:53:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

Today is Valentines day and I have the best valentine in the world, Sister Cook. Did you know that Stockton was rated America's number one most miserable city? which is ironic because it has the two happiest people living here. Sacramento was rated number 3 i think. haha Good old stats, obviously they didn't poll any missionaries for that stat. Sister Cook and I are so happy. I love being a missionary. Life truly can not get any better than right here right now. up to this point in my life I have never worked so hard and just kept going. I see little miracles everyday which keep me going. I love to meet people that have a pure heart and sincerely want to do good.

THe other day we met David he is a recent convert of about a year. He just moved to Brookside. He is briliant a mechanical engineer and can do just about any house job repair you could need. He has the purest heart. He wants to learn more about the church and how he can be a better Mormon. He reminds me a lot of Roberto that was baptized in the deaf branch almost a year ago. It just makes me so happy to see people like that and it would be my greatest desire that people would look to me and say that I have the purest heart.... I have a long way to go because I'm not the sweetest person or the most patient. He really just wants to do good and follow Jesus Christ. He is such a great example of child like faith. I could go on but I wont.

Did you know happiness is a choice, it is the greatest choice anyone could make and the best choice to make you happy is to followJesus Christ because that is going to make you the happiest. we are making progress with our investigators. Not a lot of progress but its moving along. Sometimes I wish they could move at the speed i am going but i can't force them to do anything. I am just so happy that is all i can think about right now. No matter what happened this past week I am still so happy. oh something cool I found out Sister Cook is the coordinating sister this transfer and I am training her on it. After half of my mission i finally pass on the responsibility. I am excited for her she will do such a great job. go way above and beyond my standards. she is so great.

happy valentines day... me and my compenero send you a little love for v-day!!

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling....

ps i think i'm fat because i am always eating ice cream.

Hello (2/8/11)

2011-02-24T13:52:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers....

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY... miracles happen everyday and the miracle comes after the trial of your faith. OH boy it was a great week. Good things are coming our way here in Stockton Cali... warm weather, lots of people, good laughs, and the GOSPEL.

We found a miracle family. We were knocking doors in the Zone leaders apt complex (they asked us to) and it went pretty well. We had a guy answer his doors in his tighty whities and we had some spanish guys talk to each other pretending they didnt understand but Sis Cook knows spanish and talked back it was great got a return with them, and knocked on Adel's door. Adel has a couple of kids, I'm not sure just how many but 3 that live at home and who are being taught about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She had been looking for a church for some time now. She grew up in Baptist churches and got involved and saw the things the preachers did and said and she didn't agree with it. She quit going and would try other churches here and there just to find it was all over. She had been praying for something so she knew which church to join and we knock on the door. Immediately she says "God is this my answer?" we have taught her family 1 time and we are going back tomorrow to teach them again. I pray everything goes well with them because they were supposed to come to church but did not. It may be a slow process but it will be good they will progress. It was such a tender mercy to meet them. Friday night sis cook and I were beaming from ear to ear. It is so great to be a missionary. I LOVE IT!!!

I am short on time but miracles do happen and I have seen first hand how the Gospel and trying to live a Christ like life can bless you in your life. There are some sad relationships out there and it is hard to not be selfish but you are so much happier when you are not. HAAH everyone is right this mission thing really is just a prep for your future as a spouse.

Oh by the way transfers happened last night and...................... I'm staying in STOCKTON AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I am so happy and I get to stay with sister Cook for my last transfer. 6 more glorious weeks with her. Lucky her she gets to be my valentine. eghheheeh It is going to be so great. I love being here and doing what I am doing.

welp gotta run love you all and keep up the hard work at home.

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling.

february (1/31/11)

2011-02-24T13:51:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

February is just around the corner. I can't believe it time just flies right on by and I have no idea where it goes. Just in case some of you didn't know I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY.... it is the greatest gift I have ever been given. There is so much about being a missionary that you couldn't experience in any other place. This week was much better.

Ron... dearest Ron I love him so much, he will some day have the courage to come to church and see how much it can bless his life. Until then he will be in my prayers. He texted us 2 weeks ago and said that this organization just wasn't for him right now. So we went to his house to chat with him. The spirit was so strong. I could tell that he could not progress right now and there was no way I was going to help him understand he needs to go to church to be happy...(convince him to go?!?)... So I bore testimony that right now in his life he is trying to rid himself of bad habits, if he wants to be successful he needs to replace them with good. He accepted that and said he would work on that and when he gets to that point he will come to church. I told him that his life is not going to get any easier right now because he is rejecting the gospel and that it is going to get hard. So when he is ready we are here and he can call on us anytime, night or day. He agreed and I know he will. A seed is planted and it is growing I just need to be patient. It just kills me because I know the happiness he can have, I have seen how much greater his life can be. Soon he will understand and kick himself for not doing it sooner.

Patricia... that girl just isn't ready to change either. We went over and told her the only happiness she will receive is by obeying the commandments. She promised to come to church this week. She did not come but we told her what she needs to do and explained it so it is her decision now. we did everything we can do and thats all we can. We told her we would start helping her in life when we see her at church so until then....

RACHEL... We watched the Testimates it was so good. She cried and so did I... it had been awhile since I had seen it. But then we talked about the church and Joseph Smith and everything. Her heart is softening before she wouldn't even talk about gospel subjects. Now she is asking all sorts of questions. She is so ready. We have to work slow with her but she is making progress. It is so wonderful.

So the movie Testimates.... sorry if some of you have not seen it, maybe go watch it before you read I am going to give away the ending. It was to most wonderful moment to me. I have seen this movie countless times over and over and each time it's amazing but not like it was this last time. The spirit was so strong. In the end when Jacobs father Helam gets hit and goes blind and they walk to the land Bountiful and Christ comes. Ok so Jacob feels bad that his father can not see Christ because Helam was trying to save Jacob when he got hit. Jacob is describing what Christ looks like when suddenly someone says "Helam!!" and a hand covers Helams eyes. It is Jesus Christ. The amazing part to me is everytime I have watched this I always thought Christ said "Heal him" when I watched it this time Christ calls him by name "Helam!!!!!" the spirit hit me so strong. The Lord knows each of us by name and knows our needs. It is such a powerful message. Out of all the people in the world He can walk up to me and call me by name or whisper to me by name and He knows my prayers. ahhh I love this gospel it is so wonderful.

Ok so That is my week in a nutshell and I love being a missionary. I love my companion we are so happy and it is crazy to me I am to most happy now even though things are not going smooth at all. I am working my hardest and being the most obedient not seeing much success but I feel successful because I know in my heart I am doing everything I can and that is all that is asked of me. I will see blessings in other aspects of my life. I know my Savior loves me and is mindful of the things I am going through and that is why He watches out for me and that is why I am so happy.

I love you all and HAppy FEbruARY!! TOmorrow

Love Sister HOlt

Be happy and keep smiling

hello (1/24/11)

2011-02-24T13:50:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers...

hello so things are a little slow right now most of our people we were teaching are now avoiding us or not acting on what we tell them. It is really hard to see these people change and not for the better... I'm not sure what is going on but we are staying strong and not letting it get to us. We are now looking for the families that are ready to accept the gospel. That is our goal now it to FIND FIND FIND families and anyone who has an open heart. I am really excited to see what the next few weeks bring.

I am really grateful for the trials and hard times that I have because it just builds my faith and I see little tender mercies from the Lord that let me know He is there watching me and letting me know that there is an end and we will find people to teach and baptize. It's Stockton it is full of people that are looking for something better. We are going to find them.

We have met quite a few people that are great really see potential in them. One of our favorite members is trying to get his wife involved. She is so great she really loves us and is starting to open up, we haven't taught her anything but we are going to try this week. We are going to watch the Testimates and then teach her about that. Hopefully all goes well. Her husband is totally in with us and excited about it. The Casper family, JC and Rachel. I LOVE THEM. They are such wonderful people. She has been asking a lot of questions about the Church and the Temple and all sorts of things.

The Caldwell family is having a really hard time right now. A lot going on in their life and needs some prayers in their behalf. Please keep them in your prayers and I know they can get through this if they just stick together and keep their focus on Heavenly Father. They are strong.

I went on exchanges with the sisters in the Deaf Branch and up in Folsom. It was lots of fun to see all of my friends from there. We went to a RS activity for the deaf branch so we could interpret and it was so fun. Some of the members saw me walk in and the RUN over and give me a huge hug. It was so wonderful. I miss the deaf branch a lot. It is such a great place to work. And working in Folsom we got to go to Activity Days and tell the kids what it is like to be a missionary and they all got to ask questions. It was interesting to know the things that they didn't understand or were curious about. They are so cute and a lot of them want to serve a mission.

Well just keep in your prayers that we will have success in our efforts to find people to teach and that they will want it themselves and not have to pull it out of them. I can feel it coming soon some one out there wants it we just need to find them.

I love being a missionary and going home so exhausted I can't even keep my eyes open. It feels so good. And it is starting to get warm again. We had our first week of spring weather. it has been high 50's low 60's all week. And should continue to get warmer.

I love you all

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling

january (1/17/11)

2011-02-24T13:47:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

Hello this has been quite a week. There are some people that we are teaching that I really love so much.... they are really working to change their lives and want to follow Christ, then we have some that just enjoy our company... We had a really great week teaching people this week and had some really great lessons. Everyone was set up for church they were all coming with no doubts. We call the first person... nope not coming.... next.... not home and not answering phone... next...stayed out too late and is too tired.... next... no answer..... very disappointed I feel what could I have done better? As we drive to church one of our investigators, Eric, is walking to church.............................Hallelujah every no is worth it to see his desire and his testimony as he is growing closer to the Savior. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!

We have been pretty bold this week with a lot of our investigators telling them they have to change or they know the outcome. And some of our members. It is a great feeling to just get it out there and tell them what they need to do and when they do it I can see their life change. They come to church so happy and proud. The Caldwell family is doing so good. It makes me so happy. They have been smoke free for over a week. And they have been reading the scriptures every night. They may not be getting much knowledge from it but their house is happy and their lives are better just from reading and going to church. I know how important it is to read everyday. It can really change a persons life if they would just take it seriously and really want a change in their life.

Then we have some people who are not working so hard to change their life and you can see that they are not nearly as happy as they could be. It is really sad I wish they could just see what I see, what Heavenly Father sees, they could be so happy and so just I don't know have JOY!! I really hope that they will soon, some day decide to change and come closer to the Lord. Just follow the simple things we have taught them and that's all it takes. The Lord will do the rest.

Lydias baptism was wonderful she looked beautiful. saturday she came out with us all day from 12 to 9 and just went to all the people with us. She loved it and I hope it will help her to continue with her testimony knowing what is true and what she should be doing. I pray so hard now that Lillian has been exposed to so much spirit that she will follow it and she will start to come to church and be happy. The gospel is so happy I dont know why anyone wouldn't want it.

So that is my week in a nut shell, people doing good and people not doing good.... hahaha but this week we are going to get them to change and help them to progress if they don't we are going out to find people that will progress.

The church is true and I love being a missionary and this week is going to be great I just feel it.

Have a good week....
Love Sister Holt
Be happy and keep smiling oh and President has asked that we don't talk about how soon I go home, because we all know its soon so just keep encouraging me to do my best and when it comes it comes. Until next week I bid you farewell.....

Hello (1/10/11)

2011-01-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

Hello it's me again Dearest Holt. I am doing fantastic this was a great week for emails. Where do I start thanks for emailing me everyone that emailed. I love reading them. I don't have a lot of time to tell you all about it because I used so much time reading. Ha i love it. So i love taking members out with us. It is so great we had Stephanie she is 15 yrs old and she was baptized in Aug she is so cool. We went to go see Ron because he is supposed to be coming to church this month. We get there and he is making excuses as to why he can't go to church and just went on and on. Stephanie bears her testimony and shares her conversion story. I think even I was converted after hearing that story. All of us were crying. He agreed to come to church next week and i am sure if he does he will be baptized soon after. I love being a missionary it is so wonderful to see the atonement heal and touch peoples lives. Even in my own life.

There is so much that has happened I can't even think right now. OH yes Eric he came to church and loved it then we had an appt set up to go see him. We called when we got there to make sure he was home from work and he was but he has sick so he didn't want us to come over so we drove away. He called us back because he wanted to see us and we arrive he is sick you can see it clearly. So we talk about church and then we watch the restoration dvd. It's only 20 mins and he lays down and turns out the light. As it gets to the IMPORTANT part we hear heavy breathing (like sleeping breathing) then snoring. He jumps awake right before the first vision and we start laughing and he lets a little fart out and acts like it was no big deal. Before the end of the first vision he starts snoring again. Then at the end he wakes up and says, "is it over already?" his girlfriend says yeah you slept through it all. I told you not to take the nyquil before they came. hahaha it was so funny we were dying of laughter. Our investigator fell asleep while we were teaching him. hahahahahahahahaa missionary work is so great. Nothing better in the world than being a missionary.

Last but not least. the Caldwell family. They have recently started coming to church again. They have been less active on and off her whole life. She has 4 kids and smokes (well not anymore) But they are the best little family ever. THey remind me a lot of my family. They just welcomed us right in and we showed them a cool little visual that we know and they loved it. they all did it themselves. It was so great. then the mom Terica (she is single mom) told us she wants to quit smoking so we told her we could bring her a quit smoking program. So we went over yesterday. We taught them the quit smoking and we watched the restoration for the kids and cleaned up all the cigarette butts and ash trays and lighters, everything GONe. They signed a paper that said they are quiting and we got everthing set up for them. The kids wrote signs and put them in her places she likes to smoke and reminders for her not to smoke. They are so excited for her.. I LOVE THIS FAMILY!! She has gone 2 days smoke free. She hates it but she is doing it. I am so proud of her. I will keep you updated on their progress. And again I get to see peoples lives change because of the Gospel.

Lauren and Bre were baptized this wednesday It was such a good baptism. TOns of people were there to support people had to stand in the hall. It was such a great event. hahahahaha and then this wednesday Lydia is getting baptized i am so excited for her. She is 12 and wants to do baptisms for the dead at the temple. woot woot

I think that is all i have time for so i will have to let you go until next week but I am pretty sure I will have lots more to tell you about. Keep Ron, Patricia, Taylor And Eric in your prayers that they will all come to church this week.

I love you all and talk to you soon

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling

happy new year (1/1/11)

2011-01-09T20:49:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

Hello it's me again just tuning in to say I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!! This new year is going to be the best in the world. I love serving in Stockton and with my awesome Companion Sister Cook. I love her so much it is so great to be with her. Perfect companion for the new year. Ready to make some goals and changes in the ward and help it to grow. This year is so exciting. My third year as a missionary hahaha!! It has been crazy with all the activities and everything going on recently and prep days so not a lot of missionary work but a lot of fun.

Yesterday for new years eve we were such party animals. We watched the Joseph Smith movie with the zone and then we had a testimony meeting. It was really good a tender mercy from the Lord. A spiritual pump up for the new year. Of course i balled my eyes and yes since coming on my mission I cry a lot more, maybe more than momma, which is saying something. But it was so nice we have a great zone.

I thought I would be released as traveling sister this transfer but nope I am still going strong 5 transfers now which is weird because President said it would only be about 3 transfers. I guess he is just waiting for me to get it right. Hopefully I will pass this transfer and do it right.

Sorry again nothing much has really happened since last time, my burns are healing on my hand. And it's been really cold here lately. OHHHHH I remember something so exciting. Sister Shumway came to visit me this week. She was here for a visit and came out with Sister Cook and I for a full day. It was so wonderful. She really is amazing. i love herand miss her so much. We met some new people that are coming to church on sunday. I will let you know how that goes. pray that all the people will still come to church even with the holidays. Start the new year out right.

Well I think that is all really, Miracles happen and I love serving the Lord he is always there for me. I love Him so much He is so good to me. Watching out for me always. Church is True.

Love Sister Holt

hello readers (12/28/10)

2010-12-28T13:24:00.000-08:00

Dearest Readers,

The Church is true. I love this gospel with all of my heart I am so grateful for the opportunity so serve as a missionary. We have received transfer calls again. I can't believe it's already here. I have been transfered to stay in STOCKTON!! I am so happy and Sister Cook is coming here to be with me. That is so great I trained her once upon a time long long time ago. Now I get to be with her again. We are gonna rock the stockings off of stockton. So thats really the only thing exciting that has happened since Christmas except.... We almost became homeless...... I almost burned the house down. but everyone is alright. No worries, I was just baking some popcorn chicken and the stove caught on fire. I made fun of Sister Badger because she burned her popcorn chicken and burnt her thumb and it started to blister a little. I was laughing so hard. Then I go to put mine in. (we are cooking them on the stove in oil, quick, easy, and CRISPY) as I toss mine into the pot wooooooooooooosh fire fire fire is searing through the pot. then instant CRISP as I think the fire has settled I go to rescue my poor little chickies it was too late and another flame comes flying out from the pan sending oil through the air and onto my arm leaving its mark as a reminder of what not to do as a missionary. But obviously God loves me and put the flame out for me so I didn't cause more damage trying to put it out.

Well that is all that happened really Church was great and we had a fun day yesterday organizing shoes for our members wife....(gettin in on her good side.) it was lots of fun got some free $200 shoes as well. (she works for ecco and gets all the sample shoes for free and gives them away. woot woot) anyway short email but I'm sure more will happen with this new year right around the corner. Church is true and I know that God loves us all.

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling

Christmas Miracle (12/26/10)

2010-12-27T15:02:00.001-08:00

Hello family here are some pictures from this morning.... People were running up to us for food and scarfs and hats. It was so wonderful. People were crying because they had not eaten in so long....

I love you and will talk to you again in just a bit.

Love Sister Holt

Merry Christmas (12/20/10)

2010-12-27T15:01:00.001-08:00

Dear Readers,

Yet another week of miracles and wonderful people to tell you about...

The begining of the week went a little slower compared to the end of the week. Wednesday we had a baptism da da da da..... It was such a good baptism. We had the room full, her family was there to support her all the way. Oh it was Nadia that got baptized. Yup that's right she did it and it was so great. Her mom was there to watch and everything. The family was there for the confirmation as well. Nadia is so great I love her to death.

Thursday.... We were supposed to take the elders bikes but they forgot (go figure you think they would remember the one day they get a car....) So we kept the car but we told Ron that we had bikes and it would be great if he could meet us at the church. (our tricky little way to get him to come to a church tour) So he came and it was amazing. He walked in the church and told us if was the first time he had stepped into a mormon church. He said so can you give me a tour of the place? We told him, "well of course" So we walk into the chapel and I start talking about the sacrament table and what happens there and he says "hold on...there is no cross in the front." We told him that we celebrate the resurrection not the crusifiction so we don't use crosses. He loved it then he kept finding other things that were different with the chapel then other churches and we explained to him all of it. He noticed that we don't have stained glass windows and we told him that we like to keep it simple so there is no distractions so we can focus on the spirit. He loved it all. Then we started walking down the hall talked about the classrooms and then we ended up in the baptistry and he walks right up to it and says, "this is the closest I have ever been to a baptismal font." we talked about baptism and how it helps us to be better and improve our lives and everything the church teaches is how to improve not what we are doing wrong. He really felt the spirit. He kept saying over and over, "this is so peaceful, this is so peaceful." He never felt that way before I told him it was the spirit that he was feeling. He was confused, he asked why we don't jump up and down screaming in another language when we feel the spirit. We told him it's personal and its small and quiet its not going to yell at you. He said that's why he never felt right in other places because they yelled and jumped all over when they "felt the spirit" So before we could even invite him to come to church he said he was coming at the begining of the year and we asked if he could say the closing prayer and he said yes. He has never been willing to say the prayer. It was so great and he felt the spirit so strong in his prayer he told Heavenly Father he could feel Him because he had goose bumps. He now knows how to recognize the spirit. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY this man is over 50 years old and is recognizing the spirit for the first time in his life. He was so happy. It is the best feeling I have had in my life.

Friday.... Our Annual Temple day with President and Sister Jardine. They are so great I love them. The temple is so beautiful it was a rainy day but we had a wonderful time inside and I keep understanding more and more but the more I understand the more questions I get going through my head. It's great and I can't wait till I can go to the Temple ever week again.

We have been trying to get in contact with this women who wanted missionaries sent to her house. Every appointment she wasn't there for so we said ok 1 more try and then we are done. She had just 1 question she has been dying to ask us but she wants us there to ask the question. We set up the appt friday night. She is there and her question is "how do i join the mormons?" That is a missionaries dream right there. It is so great. So we told her what she has to do and she is set up to be baptized in January. The Church is true my dear friends. She is awesome and has quite the story of her past. it is pretty sad some of it.

Saturday.... I got to go to a baptism in Sacramento one of my little marshallese peeps. Kestiney she is one that has been taught for over 20 years. Lots of missionaries were there to support her. I love those people. And I got to see Richard and Sally my two marshallese that I miss so sosososososo much. it was so fun to see them again. They ran up to me after the baptism and gave me a huge hug. It was so nice.

Sunday... We went caroling with the whole zone again it was fun. I love Christmas time it is the best time of year.

Well I am out of time but I will talk to most of you on Saturday between 3-5 mountain time. Love you from my heart

Love Sister Holt

Christmas time is coming soon (12/13/10)

2010-12-27T14:58:00.002-08:00

Dear Readers,

It is I again Sister Holt. I love being a missionary and I love Christmas time. I love california and I love Stockton most especially. Basically my life is the best life ever. I get to meet crazy people that believe Jesus is an alien but then I also get to meet amazing people who have been searching for the truth all their life. There is nothing like being a missionary.

Ok so funny stories didn't really occur this week but we have had some interesting run ins. The Bishop told us of a member he would like us to visit. Solomon is his name, when we arrive at the apt someone answers the door we ask for solomon then another person comes to the door. "He stepped out to do some shopping." because he just moved so I ask, "who are you two? Solomons friends?" The one that answers the door says in a DEEP voice "I'm Lisa, his wife." The other is Gina a friend. Then I notice that this person looks as though she is a man but has a bun on her head and is a wife.?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?We report our visit to the Bishop so he is aware and then he tells us that his wife just had a sex change and recently got married. So we have to figure out some how what to do because Solomon wants to become active again and go to the Temple. I will keep you updated.

Miracles Miracles... all of the Anslinger family is getting baptized. We are so happy. Lillian is really starting to open up and is telling us about her concerns but now she is incouraging her children and niece to be baptized. We think real soon she will be coming along as well. We know that it is her husband that is holding her back. He was baptized long ago and never really gained a testimony and doesn't obey the word of wisdom so we just need to get them strong to be a good influence on him. The Church is true.

For the first time of my life I realized how blessed I am and how much suffering goes on in this world that I never experienced... We went to go see someone and we always see homeless people walking down a sidewalk so we decided to go see what it's all about. We walked down and there is this little alley way with a fence on both sides and a little pond. between the fence and the river there are tents (if you are lucky enough to have a tent) and matresses put up as walls and tarps as roofs and many other contraptions that they come up with to shelter them at night. It is so hard to look at that while I walk down the sidewalk with my scarf, boots, gloves, and coat. I still can't convince myself to realize people live that way for real. That is when the Gospel becomes more real to me. If everyone believed the gospel with all their heart, might, mind, and strength there would be no homeless. There would be no hungry or cold. This is the one true church on the earth and I know that with all of my heart. I am so grateful for that. I pray I can someday help someone in need and show them the blessings of the gospel.

The other day we went to go see a deaf women named Ella. We would go visit her once a week and just see if there is anything we could do. She is not really interested in the Gospel but needs a friend so we go over. This last time she texted us and said she has no money for rent or food so we gathered up a bunch of food from members and brought it to her and told her that there is more waiting for her. She denied us. She refused to come to church because she has tried church before and knows it won't help her. She said why should she go to church for God when he is not blessing her when she needs him. It broke my heart she didn't understand and it didn't matter how many times we promised her she would be blessed for coming and showing God first she refused. So we left empty handed and she went back into her home with no electricity and no food and no furtiture because she denied the one thing that could really help her in her life. I will forever keep her in my heart and know that when I find something to help her with I will do whatever in my power to find her a home and give her food. She has a place in my heart that burns deep for her. I think about her often and what I can do to help her realize what she needs.

Well the Christmas season burns bright and i love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I love being a missionary and I am starting to come to grips that one day it will end but until then this is the best thing in my life. I love it. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good week.

I love you all

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling

Tis the Season (12/6/10)

2010-12-27T14:58:00.001-08:00

Merry CHRISTmas readers,

what a great time of year. I love the Christmas season it is so wonderful. So many miracles are happening this year. I love being a missionary and serving. This past week has been so awesome. We have been working so hard trying to find people to teach and get them to church. I love the faith of young children.

I went on exchanges to the deaf branch and tongan ward. I forget how much I love both of those areas. Deaf people are so funny and gossip like crazy. I went to go see one of the recent converts while we were up there and right when we leave her house we get text after text..... saying where is holt i want to see holt... it's really funny and great to see that they love and miss me.

While i was gone my deaf companion went out faithfully with Loni our deaf member to find some deaf people. She was walking on a really ghetto street and saw a lady went up to her and talked about the gospel. The women was no interested so Sis Badger asked if she knew anyone that was deaf. the women replied sweetly, "yes I do!!" sis badger said "Great who is it?" the women said...."YOU, once i shove a pencil in between your ears." sis badger couldn't do anything but just laugh at the women as she walked away. Poor Badger, but luckily she still has her hearing.

Yesterday was the best day at church in my life.... there is nothing more satisfying then seeing the people you work with and help them to learn the truth, bear their testimony. 2 of the girls that are getting baptized, oh sorry pause for a moment. Lilian, the mom that won't let her kids get baptized well all of them are getting baptized ahahhahhaaaaahhhhhh I am so excited. Nadia on Dec 15 and Lauren Jan 5hopefully Lydia will be there for that one as well. ok so Nadia and Lauren got up and bore their testimony and Lauren was the first person even before all the members. it was so beautiful both of them talked about how they love church and they are getting baptized and the members that have helped them. Oh it is so wonderful to see these young kids learn about the truth. And some of our recent converts got up to bear their testimony of how the ward is like a family and Jesus can heal hearts that other people don't know are broken. These are all children younger than 15 and they know this truth. The rising generation is bringing the world His truth. I love this gospel and they are all bringing friends to church and coming faithfully. Bre is getting baptized on the 15 as well and man it's just so wonderful. Russell our recent convert we went to go wake him up to come to church, he said he was sick. We said as we have many times before, we promise if you come to church you will feel better. He said I know but... I cut in i'm not taking any excuses I say, "show God your faith and know you will feel better." He said ok see ya in a few. He came and thanked us for helping him to come. Church is true.

ok now for a funny story. We were tracting clipper ln. we see a man putting up his Christmas lights so we go to talk to him. We ask if he is religious, he says he is a little Star Treky. I say 'what do you mean?" he proceeds to tell us, " you know that bright star long ago that you havent' seen since and was never seen before and Jesus appeared on Mary's lap. yea that was a space ship and Jesus was beamed to the earth. He healed the sick and walked on water, performed miracles. Jesus was an Alien. That's why I am a little Star Treky." Neither of us knew how to respond to it. we just looked at each other and said "ok, have a great day you can check outmormon.org if you like." how do you respond to that.? I got nothing but it was so funny. There are some crazy stocktonites that i just love.

Well for our last Christmas miracle of the week. Sis Badger taught a teen a few months back like 7 months ago and she would never come to church. always says she will but then she never really did. So she stopped by one day and invited her to church. SHe said she would so yesterday she came to church and we invited her to be baptized and she said she is ready so now she is set up for dec 22 but we need to teach her more to get her ready for that day. Woot woot. We have so many people that are open and ready to recieve the restored gospel. I love this church it is so true and I know how if you just pray you will receive an answer. I have complete confidence to tell anyone they will receive an answer.

I love being a missionary and talking to people all day everyday. Its so awesome that i am blessed with this privelege. I love you all and merry Christmas and enjoy the season look for ways to serve others.

Love Sister Holt

happy no snow (11/29/10)

2010-12-27T14:56:00.001-08:00

Dear Readers,

It's another day here is sunny California. It's a little cold but its still 41 sorry mom i lied guess it feels colder than it really is. 41 is not bad. Not much has happened since Thursday. I ate a lot of food and we went on a temple tour with our little Anslinger Family. Hoping the heart of the mother, Lilian would be softened but it doesn't seem to have happened yet. Nadia is still set up for Dec 15 and the other girls are undecided as to when but it is happening which is good news. So we had this cute newly married couple drive us to the temple tour. They both served missions then dated for 6 years and are now married for about 2 years. they are early 30's with no kids both great jobs. Need I say more, they have lots of mullah.... THey have a new toyota matrix sports edition and that thing is quick. On the way to the temple we are zoomin in and out of cars, I felt like we were in the Italian Job. We head off on our journey to the temple and as we are going i see signs for Los Angeles. Now I take after momma and I"m no good with directions but I know LA is south of Stockton and Sacramento is North of Stockton.... I ask which temple they were driving to, they were headed straight for the Oakland temple. hhahahahaa we almost left the mission and missed the whole tour. so he used his sweet driving skills and got us back on the right way and to the temple in 1 hour. It was super impressive.

Phath our deafie who is the greatest person ever. He is always smiling and sometimes during lessons I just bust up laughing because he is smiling so big and Lani will ask me why I'm laughing then Phath will start laughing and I laugh more it's really bad. He is so funny. I love him so much and he will be baptized. We set up a goal for him to be baptized the 18th of Dec he just needs to quit smoking so we told him no more smoking after the 11th. It's comin up quick we will see. He really just makes me smile to watch him and chat with him.

I am back to 100% health feeling great and happy as can be. I love being a missionary the Lord watches out for you. Well i guess that is all that has happened. The Church is still true and it is almost December I can't believe it. Christmas is coming and I love Christmas. So happy December to you all. Stay warm and remember the Lord Loves each and every one of you.

Love Sister Holt

Happy Thanksgiving (11/25/10)

2010-12-27T14:53:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

Hello to all... I am delighted to write to you today on this wonderful day of Thanks. I am thankful for so many things.

I am thankful...

to serve our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

to be under the direction of such amazing leaders (District, Zone, President Jardine, The 12 Apostles, and Our Prophet Thomas S. Monson)

for Thomas S. Monson who has been the example of true gratitude

for my amazing Parents that support me and pray for me everyday

for my family and friends that pray for me

for health and fresh air

for the fine people of Stockton great and small

for food

to have the House of the Lord in my mission

for a wonderful companion that is just like me, Sister Badger

for members that support and love missionaries

for Conf Ensigns

for love and peace and joy and charity

for gratitude

Ok I wont bore you anymore but I am just really grateful and it seems more real to me today then it ever has been before. I love you my family. I love you friends you have all inspired me in some way or another to be better and I don't think a simple word of thanks is enough. But Thank You

On to the happenings of the week or week and a half. Lots has happened. We (Sister Badger and myself) have a great Christmas Gift for this year and it is gonna be great. We played a prank on the elders, we bought a special ingredient that when ingested turns your pee blue. So we made some brownies for our dear elders because they will eat whatever you feed them. (don't deny it, its true) and they did and then we called the medical coordinator and told her if they call a little freaked out play along with it. She was totally ready for it. But the Zone leader called us and asked us if we put anything in the brownies. We lied for as long as we could then told him yes it was us. All of the elders that ate those brownies were so worried. It was so great so prank complete now we are just thinking of more ways we can get others involved and prank them more. hahaha Mom its ok its just for fun.

I have been humbled greatly this week. When the church is locked we have to go to the far door and use a code to get in the building and the halls are always dark. before I arrived sis Badger would always run into a bench in the hallway and bruise her shins. SO she always warns me "remember the bench" well yesterday we went in to get some chairs for thanksgiving. We walk in and she gently reminds me "remember the bench" I reply mockingly "you know I see it everytime".... WHAM.... instantly I run into the drinking fountain on the other side of the hallway. Instant Humility and I have a bruise to remind me to be humble.

The past 2 days I was deathly ill. Stomach virus being passed thoughout the mission. I caught it. Yup 1 am i wake up and then every hour after that, then Sister Badger's turn, she had a little more mild course of it. I didn't eat anything but a few slices of bread for more than 48 hours and slept for almost 2 days straight. But today I am much better and just in time for piggin out on some delicious food. Although I don't know if I can pig out as much as I was planning on. So that is why I am grateful for health and fresh air. I felt so alone and closed up but all is good in the neighborhood.

Sister Badger loves me so much. the following reasons are why...

I say things to myself not trying to be funny but when it comes out they really are pretty hilarious.

I talk in my sleep, which most of you know, but now i do so happily. She wakes up often to me yelling rediculous things to her, ie. " HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOO" "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA THAT'S HILARIUOS" " HEY CYNTHIA NO" most of the time I scare her because it is so loud. She has now decided to try and talk back and see if I respond.

Instant Humility

I catch jokes just a second later than everyone else.

when we live together we will have an animal farm in our house

when we go home we are going to ride the train back to Stockton for a visit

Lani thinks that Sister Badger is more beautiful than me. I am beatutiful but not like S. Badger. (Love deaf bluntness)

JW came to our door yesterday. It was great. But Sister Badger and I were sick and looked like poor little homeless children so we had to listen to the other sisters handle the situation. It is quite interesting being on the other side of the door. I have learned alittle. but it was funny we were being invaded by JW's.

Well I'm sure by tomorrow we will have more stories to share and we can share them with you on Monday because that is our P-day again. Wow time flies but miracles are happening everyday. 1 of which I'm alive and healthy and don't look like a homeless child anymore.

Well to all of you Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you find humor in this email because that's another thing I am grateful for is the ability to laugh and have joy. Because I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. I laugh everyday and multiple times a day.

The Church is true and God created us to have Joy and I am so grateful for it. And missionary work is what brings me the greatest Joy, and of course my Family.

So while I was sick I read the conf ensign and my favorite quote is in D. Todd Chirstofferson's talk.

Elder B. H. Roberts once expressed the process in these words: “The man who so walks in the light and wisdom and power of God, will at the last, by the very force of association, make the light and wisdom and power of God his own—weaving those bright rays into a chain divine, linking himself forever to God and God to him. This [is] the sum of Messiah’s mystic words, ‘Thou, Father, in me, and I in thee’—beyond this human greatness cannot achieve.”² It is amazing just ponder those words for a moment.

I love you all have a Happy Thanksgiving and a Joyous day.

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling

New baby (11/8/10)

2010-12-27T14:51:00.000-08:00

HEllo people

So today is going to be really short because we dont have a lot of time. We have to drive up to Sacramento for a sisters luncheon. I have a healthy baby girl. She is amazing her name is Sister Whittaker from Provo Utah and she is going to the Brazil mission sometime in the future. Who knows when. But the 3 of us are just great together. SHe just goes out and talks to people with no fear. she even did a car contact like her second day. I am excited. And i hope the three of us are together next transfer as well. I can't believe how quickly the holidays are coming up on me. time just whizzes by. But I love being a missionary no greater way to spend the holidays. And its raining again so I have pulled out my scarfs and i'm prolly the happiest person alive in my scarfs and boots. woot!!!!!!

Ok down to the serious business. The church is true. TEstimony meeting was so amazing yesterday. Our famous Derbra Sbragia bore her testimony about missionary work and it made me want to be a missionary even though I already am 1 ahahah but really it was phenominal. I love her. So then the rest of the day was really interesting. We had a lesson with Al. He is a potential investigator. The second time we met him he told the 3 of us that mormon girls have the nicest legs and that we should not take offense to it. he is about 60 years old. And every time we see him he tells us that. He wants to learn more about the church because he learns about all religions. So we went over after church and sat down for a lesson, outside of course. It was freezing cuz it just rained. He asked me a question he said, "Sister Holt, if one of your church leaders was to tell you to do something would you follow your leader or follow your conscience?" I paused and said, "I would pray about it then follow my leader." He then proceeded to tell me for the next 45 mins that I doubted my faith because i paused and if i really believed my religion I wouldn't have to pray I would just say yes immediately. It was rough. No one has ever tried to convience me I lack faith or I don't really believe. My poor comps didn't know what to say either. He wouldn't let me talk and I just felt so broken down. But I know what I believe and he can't tell me I doubt my faith because I know what I got. I just bore testimony about how I know what I believe in and it is just his opinion that I doubt but it was a testimony builder for me. I thought for a second but realized he was so wrong. The Lord gave me this opportunity to grow. Sometimes I wonder if I do have strong faith but when it comes to it. I would never deny what I believe. I would never sway the Lord has proven to me in so many ways and has blessed me with such great things in my life. I am a missionary a witness of Jesus Christ, I represent Him and that is my calling. THat is what I do, I stand in His place and say and do what He would. Well I do my best I'm certainly not perfect. I just wanted all of you to know I believe this gospel I know Jesus Christ lives and because of Him I am forgiven and can become better everyday.

I love being a missionary and working in this great cause. and more to come about the work and the people we are teaching next week. Oh and we tried talking to Lilian about her daughters getting baptized. Didnt' go so well, she thinks this is just a stage they are going through and they will change their mind later in life. So please pray for them that Lilian will understand the importance of church and that their life and happiness depends on this. I know it will happen.

I love you all and have a great week

Love sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling.

November (11/1/10)

2010-12-27T14:50:00.000-08:00

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

Stockton (10/18/10)

2010-12-27T14:48:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

another week on stockton. I can't believe how fast time flies. I really feel that i emailed you all yesterday. Stockton is so great I love it here. The people are amazing and my comp is so much fun. I love serving my mission. There are so many great people that I get to meet that I never would have if i didn't decide to serve a mission.

Alvin and Adnan "D" two of our investigators. They are so funny I love them to death. I feel like they are my best friends because we just get along so well. We are able to share the gospel with them and it's very spiritual and then we laugh our heads off the next minute, then go back to spiritual. They are so great. We have taught D two times and the first time we shared the story of Joseph Smith with him and we had shared it with alvin before. But then the next time we met with them we gave them copies of the Book of Mormon and Alvin was asking all these questions of where it came from, what's it about, etc... D was answering all of them. Then he told him the story of Joseph Smith. It was amazing then we told him how happy we were he knew that and he just looked at us and said, "duh, i'm not like every other man, i listen." They keep us going that is for sure. They are probably two of my favorite people. They are soaking up the gospel and especially D loves church and loves learning about it. I feel that we met Alvin so we could find D.

Kenny is our other miracle. We went to a members house to get them to do missionary work for us. When we got there their neighbors were outside so of course we got out and talked to them. He said he was agnostic and didn't really have a direction he was going. He knew some mormons in his life and thought they were just really great people. We continued talking to him and it was a great discussion. We gave him a Book of Mormon and he has been reading it. He wants to meet with us again so hopefully we can set up a time this week to go over and see him. While we were talking to him the member came home and left again so we didn't even get to meet with them. But we were not sent there to visit those members we were there to meet Kenny and help him find the path to lead his life. It was really cool. So please keep him in your prayers that he will have time and desire to meet with us this week. and come to church on sunday.

Karl is a less active member. He is from the pacific island in micronesia. So it's like i am in the marshallese program again. he is really cool. He went to church and conf. then was baptized. This was about a year ago. hasn't been to church since. He doesn't really know why he quit going because he feels it is true but he just keeps saying he will go but then he never does. He works at a japanese restaurant so we visit him there. SIster Badger has been trying to get him to church for 7 months and he always says he will but never does. So she said it's my turn to try now. I started asking him questions and he doesn't like to talk much so you really have to dig to get him to talk. But we got him to open up just a little. Then I started to ask him about where he was from and his language and how you say different words. He just started talking and teaching us about his island and everything. It was really cool but sadly we had to leave so we are seeing him again this week. I am going to keep trying to talk to him about his culture because if i learned one thing about islanders is they love you if you learn about them. (really any culture). Hopefully we can get him back into church and doing the right things.

There have been many miracles and wonderful spirituall things happening this week. I love being a missionary there is no greater calling. So I am sure there will be loads more this next week. And we have a baptism on friday. Paula our little 11 year old. She is so excited everytime we see her she is counting down the days. We are hoping Bre and Russell will join in the baptism but we are not sure with them not yet. You will find out next monday what happened there. And this week I start exchanges again. So i will be visiting different sisters again. YEah so fun. I love this work. and I love you all.

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling

Stockton (10/11/10)

2010-10-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hi,

The greeting is the hardest part of the email for me. It's a crazy I don't know why but its just so hard. Anyway life is great I LOVE LOVE LOVE stockton. This is where its at. There are so many cool people here. I love preachin the gospel here. I feel like i should have grown up here. There are people like me.

Anyway so highlights of the week....

1. I serve in the Brookside ward with some really great people. The ward is very supportive and I know I am going to love it here. Sister Badger is great we are like two peas in a pod and it may be a bad thing because all we do is laugh ALL THE TIME... But we still get a lot of work done at the same time. We are going to baptize stockton change it from one of the most dangerous cities in the world to the safest city in the world.

2. Brookside Brotha: he is our mascott we made him the other day. We have decided to put on a ward challenge to help the feel motivated to do missionary work. We call it TIDAL WAVE... and you get a certain amount of points for everything that you do, that helps us. So giving someone a BOM or Inviting someone to church, feeding us, + extra point for dessert. etc. The ward is excited for it so it seems to be great. They are split up into groups so RS, EQ, YM, Primary, etc. They are trying to beat the others and its great.

3. We have a few people that are going to be baptized this month YEA. I am so excited because I get to work with kids now. In the deaf program there are not many children we get to teach but here is stockton its full of children. We have about 5 investigators that are 13 and younger. They are so amazing. They get it and learn so quickly. We are working for 3 of them to get baptized the 22 or 23 this month. We also have 2 deaf investigators both of which will be baptized real soon as well. We are hoping forHalloween. Cool yeah? And many others we are working with and hoping they will progress to baptism. We need a few parents to say yes, a few to come to church and after that they are done for they should be baptized. This is a great work.

4. There are people everywhere so we get to talk to lots of people every day and the people i meet and talk to I don't have to say ok the hearing missinaries will come and teach you but I get to come back and teach them. It makes me so excited although Im not used to that. Its a little weird.

5. Last but not least, stockton is home of some of the most blunt people in the universe i'm sure of it. I have been here 5 days and already been proposed to, asked on dates, and some other funny things of that nature. it's great i think its really funny and sis badger loves it to because she says now she gets a break from it. The new girl is in town. hahahaha

Well, the church is true and I love working with hearing people, I didn't think i would but there are some funny people here. Alvin Guy and Adnan (D) Clegg are feeding us squirell on thursday, they are some of our investigators. They are hilarious. always make me laugh so I will let you know how it goes and what it tastes like.

This is the one and only true work in the world. The Lord loves us so much and wants all of us to learn about Him. I have a testimony of the importance of member missionary work. Someone said to me, when we told them about the ward challenge, "oh so you are trying to get us to do your work now." I said "No WE are doing YOUR work already, we are just trying to get you to help us with it." We should all be spreading the gospel and inviting everyone around us to be a part of this glorious message. Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is our responsibility to do the work we are all missionaries saving our brothers and sisters. We can't get to heaven alone. I love being a missionary.

Love sIster Holt

Be happy and keep smiling

Transfers (10/5/10)

2010-10-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

Hello all transfers have been called and I am So excited and so----------------------------------------o sad...

I'm Leaving carmichael.... I have been here for 2/3 my mission. The chances of me coming back are SLIM. So I have to say goodbye to all of my dear loved investigators and members. Casey is so great and eventually be baptized. We have had a lot of great lessons with her and got her concerns and we are starting to resolve them one by one. She knows this is the true church and it is just time now for her to be baptized. I'm so sad I will not be here for the process but I will be there for her baptism. I love her so much she has so much faith and desire. Molly will be baptized I don't know when. She is out of town for a hmong new year with her family.

I am going to Stockton!! PAH finally I have been told for so long I am going there and I think it is going to happen now. My comp is Sister Badger and i am soooooo excited I can't wait to be with her. SHe is such an amazing missionary we are going to have tons of fun... and work hard too of course.. If it aint fun your not doing it right. I am having fun so I must be doing something right. I love being a missionary and I love the Sacramento mission and deafies and I guess now I will learn to love hearing people too. I am going to an english ward and we are trying to set up a deaf program there. We have a few deaf investigators down there, + many hearing investigators. I am really excited I feel like I belong down there in the ghetto with all the crazy "Stocktonites" WOot Woot.

I don't have much time to write crazy day packing and everything but i will send pictures and tell you all I love you and that I am going to miss Carmichael and Sister Stoddard and the other sisters in my zone. It has been so much fun I am a missionary and life couldn't be better.

oh and how about

Love you all

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling.

Hello (9/27/2010)

2010-10-10T13:46:00.000-07:00

Hello family,

Do you believe in MIRACLES?? All around... another week of miracles life is great!! Gramps I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Casey came to church after 6 months of teaching her and she finally came. She has the fire and she is reading like crazy. She has even started reading Doctrine and Covenants. I love her so much and she is so happy now. It's great. This Tuesday she is coming over to Bro Steed's house we are eating dinner and getting a blessing for her and her son. I am so excited for her.

The Relief Society Broadcast was so good. It is wonderful to know we have such a strength in this church and support group for women. One of the members she was baptized a little over a year ago, Thinks it's the most amazing thing in this world and seeing her love and the support she receives from that has made my testimony grow so much. The Church is true and I love that we are all a part of this amazing organization or have the opportunity to be a part of it.

Molly is doing great. She came to the relief society broadcast with us and loved it and still wants to be baptized but it might be a little later because she will be out of town. Darn but it will be great. She is funny, very honest and blunt.

I am finished with exchanges for the transfer I went to stockton and manteca this past week and it was lots of fun. I learned a lot from those two exchanges. Next week is transfer week so I wiill be emailing on Tuesday and i will find out where I am beng transferred to.

BJ do you know a Brian Grob (Elder Grob) He served in the Philippines the same time as you he may have been your companion. It is my comps bro in law. Cool Beans.

Well That is all for now because it is time to go. We are playing football against the other zone and we are pumped!! Well basically the elders are determined not to lose.

Life is great and being a missionary is the most amazing thing in this world. I love it with all my heart. I love being a missionary.

Love Sister holt

Be happy and keep smiling

Hello family and friends (9/20/10)

2010-10-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

I'm sick of saying hello family and friends but i have no other greetings so you will have to deal with it.

This week has been great. I love being a missionary and I really feel like one this past week. We had the opportunity to talk to lots of sons and daughters of God and some accepted (a very small number) but a lot were really nice. Life is great here in Sac town the weather is finally cooling off and I don't sweat do death while contacting now.

This week was a little crazy we had lots of fun Sister Stoddard was out on the deck doing her laundry and I had a flash back to bear lake. I jumped up as fast as I could and locked the door. I then made her dance for me with her arms full of laundry before I would open the door. I couldn't resist. It was really funny. On wednesday we took the district leader and his companions bike and they took our car and we went riding!! It was so fun, we went about 23 miles. I wore shoes that i had not worn in oh about 10 months and my feet killed and I have a giant blister on my foot but it was still fun. Mom I wore a helmet the whole time too. You would be so proud. We rode from Carmichael all the way to nor sac for one of our investigators. She was there and we had a quick lesson then we hurried off back to the church for our ASL class that we were teaching. Then we woke up the next day and rode out bikes 6 miles to district meeting but we didn't quite make it because the zone leaders drove by in there car and saw poor sis stoddard struggling to keep up so they turned around and picked us up. Totally not allowed but the AP's ok'd it so I guess its ok but it was so weird I felt like I was breaking the law. AWKWARD!! Thursday was a good day.

Saturday we were trying to take Molly Yang to a Temple tour but no one in the entire universe was available to take her home so we had to say next week. But we taught her the big three. Tithing, word of wisdom, and law of chastity.... She is already following all of them. So she is set up to be baptized Oct 10 woot woot woot. So it all worked out. We are going to set her up theRelief Society meeting this Saturday and church on sunday. She is great she is one of those bold, blunt, deafies that i just love. And her baby is the cutest thing on this planet.

The best part of the week would have to be Casey!! She works on sundays for a deaf client. So she is over there and basically just makes sure everything ok so we went over Sunday morning to see if they would come to church. She let us in her client was asleep so we just talked to her. She was having a really hard time and so she talked to us about everything she is experiencing right now. She had a cochlear implant about 3 months ago. Since then she has kind of lost her desire to read and pray so We talked to her about Satan tempting her a preventing her from doing the things she knows is right. We brought out a pass-a-long card with a picture of Christ and his hand stretched out for her and if she will just reach out he will be there for her. She started to cry and couldn't talk (sign) and then she spilled what has really been bugging her. We were able to help her. She couldn't come to church because her client didn't want to but next week we will get them. We set up a dinner appt with the Steed family for Thurs and she is going to get a blessing and her son and eat dinner. We are excited.

The Church is true and I love being a missionary. I really feel like a missionary because I was able to watch her accept Jesus into her life and try to follow him again. It was wonderful. I love being a missionary!!!!!!!!!

Love Sister Holt

BE happy and keep smiling.

Oh and we went to the zoo today for p-day lots of fun but i forgot my cord to email them so next week haha sorry.

Coloma (9/13/10)

2010-09-13T16:44:00.001-07:00

Hello no time today but I just want to let you know that i love you all. Life is great we went to coloma today where the gold mine was and i found about $10 worth of gold and some other precious stones that i am gonna do something with. Cool yeah. It was lots of fun then we got to play in the river. We couldn't swim which was sad but we got in thigh deep. It is the trip that all the Senior Missionaries take when they are about to go home. Yup that's right i'm an old missionary now!?! I felt like going to coloma was my death walk but it was lots of fun. I really enjoyed it though. So this week has been great.

Molly came to church loved it and will be baptized in about 3weeks i dunno for sure when and bassem came on a temple tour this last saturday so that was lot's of fun. And some other peeps did not come because they are sick or just not motivated to come but this week they will be motivated. They will come to church I have the faith they will. I am excited there is lot's of progress that is happening. So that's all for now I'm soaking wet and need to go shopping still so I will let you know more next week. and pictures of everything that happened this week.

Love you all

Love Sister Holt

Be Happy and Keep smiling.

Hello (9/6/2010)

2010-09-12T20:19:00.000-07:00

It's email time again. I can't believe it. I feel like I email everyday. So this week was fun lots happened. After p day was over we went to go see some less actives and they were not there but the complex we went to was really busy because a car accident just happened outside. A little girl was hit by a car. So after it was all cleaned up we met this lady and we were talking to her about the gospel and everything. Then the lady asked us to pray for the little girl. We asked for her name and she didn't know so she said to go to her house so we could talk to her friend because he knew. We went in and they were having BIBLE STUDY... They were seventh day adventists. It was so great we sat down and joined them for 1 hour. woohoo. It was really interesting to listen to their perspective on things. and then the last 30 minutes of it they proceeded to explain to us why the Sabbath is Biblically proven to be on Saturday. Well I have a strong testimony of the gospel that the day we worship is not going to keep us from going to heaven. Heavenly Father loves us too much for that. and if you are a good disciple of Jesus Christ you are worshiping him everyday.

Wednesday we went to go see another less active and she was great loves missionaries hates church. It is great so she won't be coming but we can still visit her. As we were leaving we saw a couple moving so we went to talk to them, see if we could help but we just chatted. They were Jehovah's Witnesses. So that was another fun visit for 45 minutes. They didn't try to prove us wrong though they just wanted to discuss the differences between Churches because they were curious. It was fun they were really nice and they are selling a double wide trailer that was just remodeled in downtown sac if anyone is interested. (they asked us to advertise). So those were the two funnest encounters. The rest were just minor but it was the week of meeting people that do not agree with us.

We had some other fun things. We ate dinner with Monica and Erika we had split pea soup. It was so yummy I ate maybe 3 servings and my comp just didn't like it so sad. more for me. but then we taught them the plan of salvation to practice for real investigators. We had a great discussion and the Plan of Salvation is so cool in sign language. But one thing i realized the Lord answers out prayers. They may not be the way that we want but it happens. I know I know we teach everyone that so I should know this by now but SOme of the things i teach I have not applied to myself. So erika was talking about her friend saying Joseph Smith was a thief and liar and all of these negative things and inside erika just felt this burden of grief (i'm not sure how to say it in english) but then she said she didn't know why she felt that because it wasn't said about her. then she realized it was the holy ghost. Immediately I realized a few events on my mission when people said Joseph Smith was a molester I felt that same pain. Now I realize it's the Holy Ghost telling me that the things this person is saying is not true. I have received so many witnesses of the Holy Ghost that I never noticed. The Church is true my dear friends and I love being a missionary having the opportunity to Preach His Gospel.

Molly came to a baptism yesterday for 2 hmong girls. Elder Luke translated from Hmong to english and I translated into Sign Language it was way fun. Very good baptism. and Molly said she wants to be baptized after she goes to church a few times. WOOT WOOT a new deafie.

Now i am out of time and I love you all. I miss getting letters. I know I have been out awhile but don't forget about me.

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling.

Life is Great! (8/31/10)

2010-09-01T20:57:00.000-07:00

OK this was a great week for many reasons.

Yesterday we had our annual Mission Tour with Elder Stanley G. Ellis he is amazing. The coolest thing he did was after President and Sister Jardine spoke and his wife spoke he double testified of everything. He brought out more scriptures and stories that apply to what we learned. Pres Jardine talked about Alma the Younger, we used a lot of Alma 36 for his talk and how he had joy in the journey and through study, pray, fasting, service he received that joy. So Elder Ellis pulled from that and expanded, he asked us what the 2 most important chapters in the Book of Mormon are... he said Mosiah 24-25 because that discusses Alma Sr and everything he went through to get out of captivity and the MANY MIRACLES that happened in those Chapters. THey are important because when the angel comes to Alma the Younger he says, "Remember the captivity of your father." and everything from the Book of Mormon stems from that angel visiting Alma. WOW it's amazing i love the Book of Mormon and i love spiritual people that know how to pull things out and show them to me. Some day I will be able to study the Book of Mormon like that.

Sister Stoddard and I are two peas in a pod. I love her with all of me. We work great together. We have the Same goals and want to work hard and stay on task. It's a blessing to have her. It is our goal to hit standard of talking to 125 people every week of this transfer. So far we are doing good. I will have to keep you updated. We get a long great and I really love being a missionary.

We have stopped seeing a lot of our investigators this week because they were not coming to church and reading so we dropped them so now we can focus on seeing other people and hopefully finding new investigators. I can't wait. Miracles are already happening because we have added a new one on sunday. She is Hmong. Her family practices Shamanism. (i dunno how to spell it) and her grandpa is a Shaman. It is really kinda creepy everything they do. We had the Hmong elders explain it to me so i could understand a little better. It was crazy. I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life.

Well I love you all and life is great and being a missionary is really being a witness of Jesus Christ. The Church really is true. and I love that.

Oh another funny note is that Brenda our recent cnovert. SHe is the cutest thing ever and has no teeth. SO we convinced her to wear dentures to church on sunday and she did. IT WAS SO WEIRD!!! She looked really pretty with them. Cutie little deafies. I love life.

ANyway gotta run

Love Sister Holt

be happy and keep smiling.

transfers (8/24/10)

2010-08-26T07:03:00.000-07:00

no emails yesterday because you get them today!!!!..... Hello my dear family and wonderful friends.... I have been transfered to stay in Carmichael.. YEAH I am so happy I was hoping and praying I would stay at least another transfer. We recently started reorganizing our books and maps and stuff so it's not even close to being done so I am grateful I'm not leaving. Sis Stoddard is amazing and I am so happy to be with her. We have lots of fun together.

This letter is going to be short because I don't have a lot of time. LIke always. We are going to tye-dye for our activity today. WOOT WOOT!!! Life is great and we have found lots of cool people met a deaf boy name Tyrell and another one named Bassem, he is from Lebanon so when we talk about Jesus he knows where we are talking about because he has been to these places. It's really cool to watch him tell us about it because I can see it while he sign.s I love Sign language it is so beautiful. And deaf people, they are prolly the funniest people i have ever met in my existence, sorry family. I love you all. Well I know I have been out for almost a year but don't forget about me keep up the emails and pictures and letters and stuff.

The Church is true and I have a testimony about the Temple we were able to go there today and I can't tell you how much I enjoy it. Receiving revelation for myself and for the people I am working with. I know the Lord loves me and my investigators because He is willing to help me be a better missionary so my investigators can learn more about Him. Everyone is important to Him. It's beautiful.

Love Sister Holt....

Be happy and keep smiling

Howdy (8/16/10)

2010-08-18T14:18:00.000-07:00

This is a great week!! Dawna was baptized and confirmed!! She made it through all the interviews easy and I am quite proud of her. She is opening up a lot. She is letting the Elders come to her house to help her clean it up. Big step.

She had a random guy baptize her who she met the morning she was getting baptized. Then she let Elder Elliott give her the Holy Ghostbecause she was ok with the elders suddenly. Then she told us how much she enjoyed church and is really happy. She said she was sad because it's all over now. The excitement of getting ready to be baptized is over, but then we reminded her about the temple and she was very excited again!!

We were able to see a lot of less actives this week which was great. And a lot of them came to church which was really exciting to see an almost half full chapel. That is great and we hope and pray that more people will be coming next week. We had training with president jardine which was a great reminder of the things that I should be doing and training the sisters on. Which reminds me I went to Stockton this week. Stockton is great full of CRAZYYIEEIEIE people. The sisters in stockton are doing amazing. THey have about 16 investigators most of which are almost baptized. I didn't train them they trained me. Life is great. Oh and we had a great birthday dinner with the Steed family. My home away from home. It was lots of fun!!

We don't have a lot of time to write but I will write letters today!!! Loves to you all!!

Love Sister HOlt

Be happy and keep smiling

Birthday Week (8/9/10)

2010-08-10T16:28:00.000-07:00

Pic 1 is a beautiful manteca family they are great.

Pic 2 is a beautfiul manteca sky it is great.

Pic 3 is a bea...elders car. see how low it is, that's because we had over 1,000 water balloons in the back and 6 elders. hahah we had a fight today and it was loads of fun. it was over 2 hours ago and i'm still wet. Mom I take after you I got em all you would be proud.!!!!

Hello everyone.

So it's great this week is full of birthdays. Today is my comps birthday she turned 22 and today is my 11 month birthday. Wednesday is my birthday and i turn 22 and it is also her day that she turns 9 months. Cute!! We were meant to be together. So sorry mom but I"m opening my package tomorrow because that is OUR birthday!! YEAH I love birthdays. But it's weird on a mission, holidays don't feel like holidays really.... That is my exciting news for the week. HAve a great week.

No I'm just kidding much more exciting things have happened. Dawna will be baptized this Saturday unless something major happens. ( She has some past sins we are hopping won't keep her from baptisms.) And this last week I went to Manteca with Sister Cook and Sister Fangupo. Both of them I was companions with it was so much fun. It's cool because manteca is a place that i could possibly serve. It's really nice area and the members are super helpful. This week has been super busy and I have loved it we have been trying to see a lot of people and getting Less Actives to church and guess what... we had lot's of less actives to church this week. We are keeping the branch strong as long as we can. It's so great. We have so many investigators that we are just trying to get people progressing. it is so much fun being a missionary here I love the people with all my heart even though they are a little crazy and non committal.

Oh and Jen you best be having that baby on wednesday!!! I won't allow anything else. Yeah for august birthdays. And thanks for all the birthday wishes. I should have birthdays more often it's the most I hear from all of you!! OH and yes mom I got your package thank you!! Sister Stoddard opened it but won't let me touch it till tomorrow morning.

This next week I get to go to Stockton it is gonna be fun. Well anyway time is flying by and I gotta go!! Sorry it's kinda short this week!! I just don't have a lot of time.

Well I love you all and I will write you next week.

Love sister holt

Be happy and keep smiling

It's August Now (8/2/10)

2010-08-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

Hello again,

I really need a new line I use that one too much. But Hello!! It's me Sister Holt, I'm a missionary inSacramento, California. Time is flying by and I feel as though I have to control over anything in my life because it all passes much too quickly. This was a good week. I went to Galt (farm town with LOTS OF COWS) for my first exchange. It was lot's of fun. Sister Smith and SIster Coffin were great they were very eager to learn and apply what they are learning to their teaching. I also learned a lot. I am going to change a lot this week on exchanges to be more organized. It is fun to work with the other sisters but I miss being with my companion in my area. Sister Stoddard is great, always up for anything and ready to work. She is a blasty.

Casey and Bobby were supposed to come to church this week but something drastic must have happened because they didn't show up. I wonder what it was. We are going to see Casey today and we are going to try to get the kids and Husband, Dan, involved. Casey really wants to be baptized but she needs her husbands support to do it because she feels it will cause too many problems in their already fragile marriage. She is strong and has been reading the book of Mormon faithfully. She read all about the 2,000 stripling warriors. Pretty cool. She loved it and is so interested about learning more and more. We are really excited for her. We hope she will continue to grow closer and start to apply the things she learns so her life so it can help her and strengthen her. Man I love being a missionary and seeing peoples lives change.

This friday we had the great opportunity to go to Camp Nauvoo in Placerville. It was great a camp full of deafies. Now the woods really are quiet when no one is talking. But we had fun taking pictures with all the kids. THey were posing us and taking funny pictures. It was superb and beautiful weather. It is a campsite the church owns and some members live there onsite as caretakers and it is a cute little house in the woods. Their son just went into the MTC for the Salt Lake mission. COol, Elder Judd. Keep an eye out for him eh?

THen on Saturday we made dinner for a member. She has had kidney failure for a little over a year now and came close to death a few times. She found a donor and had her surgery july 26th. So the missionaries made her Chicken Parmesan. We had it as well it was yummy. But when we delivered the food the man that donated his kidney was there with him. It was her friend. While I was talking to him about it I just felt the spirit so strong. I could feel his love for her and a little how much the Savior loves her that He gave His whole life for us. It was a really special moment. I was very grateful for that man and his courage to help someone out. A great testimony to me of Love, pure love. The thing is he didn't even think anything of it. He just simply said, "well if it was you wouldn't you do the same thing?" If it was me would I do the same thing? I have decided, Yes I would.

Well my Brothers and Sister it is time to say goodbye for now and I will talk to you all in a week. I love this Gospel it has blessed my life so much and the lives of the people that accept our message. It amazes me how many people are so closed they won't even listen to what we share and they miss out on so much in their life. They are so afraid it will make them happy they won't try. I am grateful that my heart has been softened and I have the message starting to grow within my heart. I pray that the seed I have planted will continue to grow so when I leave my mission it can be strong enough to stand against fierce winds. It's coming along and I am grateful for the many examples I have in my life and the strong trees around me that stand as protection against the winds. Thank you all.

I love you all,

Love Sister HOlt

Be happy and keep smiling.

Howdy (7/26/10)

2010-07-26T15:10:00.000-07:00

Hello family/friends

Today is a very beautiful day here in California, it's about 80 and I'm loving it. There is a cool breeze comin in and life is great. I am eating a cinnamon roll from walmart for $.50 can't get better than that and we are about to play a sweet game of scatter ball. Yup LIfe is great here in Carmichael.

The Training is over. 4 days from 9-4 everyday. I was exhausted but man did I learn a lot. I am so grateful I was able to go to those meetings. Now I just have to go share it will all the sisters in the mission. ha easy right. 4 days of learning and i teach them in 1 day exchanges. What I learned there has changed my mission and will change my life forever. The Prophet and his counselors really are inspired. SO is President Jardine. He is such an amazing man, best mission president in existence. They have changed the way they do things. Zone Conf. will be happening every quarter, every 3 months, along with interviews. crazy that is going to be different but it will give us more time to go out and work work, work, work. I am so excited. I have really noticed a difference in my mission already and the way I teach people.

They taught us things we already know but the focus of what and why we teach has changed. We teach the Doctrine of Christ (2 Nephi 31) we teach everything to help them receive personal revelation. Really just everything. I have learned to listen to the spirit better. I have a long long lo-----------------------ng way to go until I know how to listen to the spirit but I can recognize when it is speaking to me. Missions are SUPERB I love them. everything about them makes me want to shout for joy.

So because I was in meetings most of the time I didn't get to teach a lot of people but we did teach a few. Dawna (our hearing investigator) she is great. She came to church and loved it, learned a lot and showed us something really cool in the bible the Epistle of Jude it talks about Christ's church being mocked. Because people don't understand it. and many other things. She had never read that before and at church she felt like she should read Jude so she did. And it clicked to her. Because her friend that is a member said that he doesn't know any of his neighbors because the one that would talk to him moved and the others wont' becuase he is a mormon. then she read this chapter. and it amazed her. The one true Church will be mocked. Our church is the church that is most outwardly mocked because people don't know anything about it. she loved it and she felt really good about that. She is getting baptized on August 10 between Sister stoddard and my birthday. Aug 9 and 11. So we are going to have a baptism then a birthday party that day. So cool!! I am super excited. It is going to be so fun. She just needs to quit smoking then we are set to go. She is getting there. sSo pray for her.

Bobby is our man from the 80's he has long blonde hair and it is so beautiful. I love it. He cracks me up. But he came to church yesterday and loved it. we will see him again this week and his daughter so hopefully things will go somewhere with that one.

Something funny that i never mentioned. My responsibility in the marshallese branch was what??? RS chorister. Yup that is right there were 5 of us there and I was the one teaching all the marshallese how the hymns sound. THey will never learn with me. But I got to go back for a marriage and baptism. it was wonderful they were really happy to see me and it was good to see everyone again. I miss them lots.

Life is great as always and I can't wait to try the new things i learned this week and see how it goes. Wish me luck and pray that i can be an effective teacher to help the other sisters learn this material.

Love Sister HOlt

Time for a letter (7/20/10)

2010-07-26T15:09:00.000-07:00

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.

Jolok Bwod (7/13/10)

2010-07-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

another week. I have been transferred and have been saying bye to all my people and spent too much tijme with them and have no time to write now but next week i will write you a long letter for sure. last nothing letter i promise. but i was called to go to stockton with my baby sister hansen but then something happened that sister badger needs to stay in stockton so i am going where she was going to go... Carmichael. My old area. i will be there for 1 transfer and then i'm off to stockton. so my new comp is sister stoddard. she is a sweet heart. I will write more later. MIracles happen just so you know.

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling.

It's 104 degrees today (6/28/10)

2010-07-08T17:02:00.000-07:00

most exciting news...july and august NO NYLONS and when its above 100 so today i am bare legged and loving it. life is great. on to more important matters... The church is true and I am a happy missionary.

We had a great week with lots of success and beautiful people i got to meet. Richard Blessed the Sacrament yesterday and he is so---------o happy. He was grinning from ear to ear and so was I. He really loves the Gospel and loves to serve now. The blessing of being a missionary.

Sorry there is not a lot of time but yesterday I got to go to a baptism in the deaf branch.. it was so fun the members were shocked to see me. I miss my deafies they are wonderful people and they are so loving. All of them begged me to stay but I had to leave it was really hard. But the lady that was baptized, Brenda, in april I knocked on her door with Sis Georges (we were on exchanges) and I told her to come to church she said sure so she came. At church we asked if we could teach her but she said she was too busy but she would keep coming to church so the next week she was there. We kept trying to teach her but nope, then I got transfered and they finally got in to teach her and she felt the spirit and was baptized. Missonary work is a great thing and it's a testimony to me of talking to everyone because most of the time it's the ones you think won't change are the ones that do change. The elders had a baptism on Saturday. A month ago about the elders were out tracting and they saw a bald head over the fence so they started to talk to him. he was smoking a cigarette and said "I'm busy now but you can come back some other time." they thought he was just saying that, but they went back and he was just baptized. You never know who is prepared for the gospel. He quit smoking after 40 years. about 22 cigs a day. THats a lot. He is solid, has a great testimony and is funny funny.

Well a little insight to transfers... President has NO idea what he is going to do. I only have 5 transfers left so i have to be placed wisely because he wants to go to a few places before the end of my mission. So i can stay where i am, or go to stockton or to manteca. that is all i know!!

ok i have to go now but I love you all and hope you have a great week. Thanks for the love and support and letter and email and everything you do!!

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling

Miracles Happen (6/21/10)

2010-06-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

picture time...

1. Richard and Sally the newest members (and priesthood holder) of the branch.

2. Cali gets HUGE SNAILS here. That isn't even that big or that unusual. SICK!!

3. Elder and Sister Stephans at a Father's Day dinner.

4. the one armed man tying a tie.

It's just another week in paradise as I have said before. they say it is an unusual summer here and has stayed rather cool which is a major blessing seeing how i have such white precious skin that burns easily in 110 degree sun. So I am surviving and life is great. This week we have worked so hard and have seen a lot of success because of it. We taught over 20 lessons to non-members and over 10 lessons to recent converts and less active members. We went to see a part member family that has been visiting with us for over 8 months. he was never really interested, he is methodist, so we layed off for a while. but we decided this week to not take a minute for granted. it was 8;30 and we just finished an appt close to home so we thought of someone we could see we said Charles. he lives close and we can just share a scripture with him. So we go and open to a random scripture it happens to be just the thing he is waiting for just what he was thinking about. Alma 34:31-33 a great scripture to talk about. he has decided to give the gospel 2 months. he will do everything faithfully for 2 months and see how it goes. his wife is a less active member and she is ready to get back in to doing things right. yeah for her!!

The Stephans have been a huge help with us. We get to split up and go out with them everyday to teach and see more people. They have so much energy and love for these people and great ideas so we are so grateful for them everyday. We have a lot of people that want to be baptized but they have to do other things first that they are not so sure of... like getting married or seperating or knowing the book of mormon so that is where we stand with most of our investigators right now. They are all progressing spiritually a lot with is what we need and then they can have that firm testimony that they need when they are baptized. Just pray for them that they can have the faith to take those steps they need to before baptism and we will be inspired as missionaries as to what we need to do and SAY to help them gain that faith.

Richard and Sally what an amazing couple. A few of the times we went to see them they talked about their goal being the Temple next year. i am so happy for them. I can't wait to see them go through the Temple. Yesterday they were confirmed members of the Church and Richard recieved the Priesthood. He also wore a white shirt and learned how to tie a tie for the first time in his life. The best part is he learned to tie a tie from a one armed man who doesn't speak his same language. it was really funny. what a success they are. Sally and I have a great connection and i am so grateful for her spirit and faith in the things that she has gone through. Richard is a goof ball and loves to kid but when he talks about the gospel he is as serious as anyone. He knows it's true and he is the definition of a change of heart. He tells us more and more things that he did when he was back on the island. it amazes me how strong he is and his desire to keep learning more. He has more questions than anyone i have ever met.

Basically life is great and my testimony has grown in obedience.. I know how great it feels to be obedient and how much me being obedient can bless other lives. a lot is based on me and if I don't do it than others may not recieve those blessings. how happy i am to be a missionary and to be serving the Lord for such a short time. i can't believe it is already half over. i have to live it up and be the missionary all of you think i am and do my best. i am so excited for the rest of my mission it has been a journey that i hope will never end.

Oh and today while we were waiting for the library to open some elders saw people signing and so i got to sign with them for about 10 mins it was so fun!! I am a little rusty but i think i did pretty good for not signing in 2 months. They also said they would check out the church. It was so GREAT! i love being a missionary.

I love you all and have a great day. Hope to hear from you all soon. Thanks for the letters and picture. i got a package from the primary it was cute so tell them thanks for me, please.

Love Sister Holt
Be Happy and keep smiling

Hello Peeps (6/14/10)

2010-06-14T18:28:00.001-07:00

Richard and Sally's baptism.

We are starting week 3 in this transfer and time is flying by. I can't believe it is time for another p-day.

Ok you ready for the craziness I've experienced this week? marshallese are crazy first of all then try to add doing all of marshallese and then also on top of that doing tongan work. wow CRAZY!!

Richard and Sally: We visited them everyday to prepare them for Saturday, their baptism. Everything was going great, they were reading, learning, feeding us, and playing lots. It was really good then the day before the baptism we go over... this is where Satan comes in. She had gone to the hospital the night before because she was so sick. Couldn't move and didn't know what to do. So we went looking for some nice young men to come give her a blessing.

Ok I need to add part of the story on wednesday the Senior couple that is going to help us with the Marshallese Branch arrived. They are fabulous tons of fun and we just think it is going to be a great transfer with them. ok they wanted to come out with us to get to know the marshallese people. We planned Friday Night because we also had to go to basketball for the marshallese boys. So we decided I could go with the Stephans (SR couple) and Sis Fangupo and Takilang could stay at basketball. ok back to the story...

The Stephans called and I ended up going with them to see some people while we were waiting for the Members to come home so they could give a blessing. We visited some investigators and it was lots of fun. Then we ended with Richard and Sally. We found out the she went and came back with a perscription for anti-biotics. She had a(n) UTI and didn't have any money or a ride to get the perscription. We were talking with them teaching them and reading the scriptures. The Stephans are amazing by the way. Then I talked with Sally and she was crying because she thought she wouldn't be able to get baptized the next day. And she wants to be a good Christian following Christ and couldn't if she wasn't baptized. She is so great I love her to death. The members came and gave her a blessing and the blessing said she would not be healed but she will be strong enough to overcome satan and go to the baptism.

She and her Husband are now baptized into the Church but they are not members... not yet... they woke up late for church and didn't make it to sacrament meeting. They made it to the other classes and did great but they need an alarm clock so they can make it nezt weeek. When we went they were in the shower gettign ready to come to church and so it's hard but they will be there early next week they said. That is the crazy marshallese. I love them to death.

other than that not a lot happened because Sis Fangupo had a tooth ache and a few doctors appts to get those teeth ripped out of her face. So she was in sick a couple times. but that is ok this week is going to make up for it we are going to see lots of new investigators and stuff. We have a lot of investigators and now we just need to figure out what their concerns are so we can get them to come to church I don't get it they say they will come and then they don't. I will never give up never those marshallese will be filling up the chapel before we know it.

We also celebrated Father's Day in the Marshallese Branch and it was tons of fun. Thewives have this funny song they sing to tease their husbands. They are some of the funniest people i've ever met. I love this little branch with all my heart. I'm gonna miss it when I'm gone

Well time is short so have a great week and I will talk to you next week and thanks for all the letters and email updates I appreciate it so much it was a good week. i love you all

Love SIster Holt
Be happy and keep smiling

Just another week (6/7/10)

2010-06-08T19:27:00.000-07:00

Bula,

How's the family and friends? I am doing great!! There have been some great things going on in the Marshallese and Tongan area. Because we have now picked up the Elders area we have a baptism this Saturday. Here is the story are you ready, it is amazing and really a miracle...

Richard and Sally are both from the Marshall Islands and they moved here about a month and a half ago. They came to be with some family. Back on the island when Richard was growing up he would make fun of Mormons. He would throw rocks at the missionaries and steal their bikes or slash their tires. He would do whatever he could to make them feel bad or to run away. He was terrible and his brother was is a member and he would kick him out all the time and do mean things to him. Richard would get drunk all the time and try to find different women each weekend. His family told him he should date Sally because she was a good girl and close to the family. Well they started to date, dated for almost 4 years then they moved here. The whole time they were dating she would ask Richard to marry her but he would say "NO" because she was married before. He didn't want something used. She would continue asking. Anyway he said he would keep her around and think about marrying her, when really he was looking for an American girl. So that puts us to last month...

The Elders found then and started teaching Sally, she was very receptive loved the church right away and wanted to be baptized. Richard would leave the house and even say mean things to Sally for letting the missionaries in. It was really sad. But one day the Elders caught him and trapped him. They taught a lesson to both of them and when they left Richard told Sally to have the Elders back the next day. MIRACLE... so they came and kept teaching them. It had been about a month since he had beer and he started to change his attitude. Decided he wanted to marry Sally and so Sunday they were Married. Step one to baptism, step two baptize on Saturday!! We are so excited. I love them they are both such amazing people and I have a great relationship with Richard got him to open up and tell us all his concerns. He confessed all he did to us yesterday and how bad he felt for doing things to the missionaries before. He is a great man and will make a great leader in the future. so Step three is the Temple!! It's a beautiful thing missionary work. That's all I have to say.

We have a lot of people we are working with and they either need to get married or they need to get divorced so we are trying to accomplish all of that before we can move on. Pray that miracles may happen and we will find those who are ready for the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!! Because that is what I am here for.

I also need to give a shout out to Mary sorry this is a little late to say Happy Birthday I have to do it on P-days but Happy Birthday you are wonderful and I hope all is well and Krusty Mae in 2 days happy birthday your card is held hostage until I get those pictures so no birthday until then sorry lady. and I made oti today!!! It's amazing Tongan drink that I am obsessed with so I will make it when I get home. it's YUM!! And Mango is my favorite fruit in the world just so you all know how delicious they are.

Well I think that is all I have for today I had a great week with lots of fun and TONS of food. 2-3 dinners a night, how can you go wrong, eh? The Church is still true and I am a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ and it has never been more real to me then it is now. I am the watchman over these people, if I don't sound my trump their blood is on my hands. Missionary work is such a privilege and I am so blessed to be a missionary. Thanks to all of you for your love and support you give to me. I love you all and thank you for the pictures they are phenomenal. I will end saying Paul is the man! The best missionary to walk this earth. i have been studying him recently to learn how I can be a better missionary and WOW I love him and admire everything he did and those chapters mean so much to me now I'm a missionary living it the way he did.

Ok that's all, Love you and hope you have a great week and if you haven't written to me in the past month you prolly should do so immediately!

Ij yokwe yuk, ofa atu, and I love you!!

Love Sister Holt

Be Happy and keep smiling

Transfer Calls (6/1/10)

2010-06-03T15:52:00.000-07:00

Pic 1 Pops here is your picture of me with a smile not being crazy
Pic 2 One of my favorite marshallese families!! the Jordans I love them, and look how white I am haha

Hello and still Yakwe and Bula and Malo e le le,

Yup that's right I'm staying right where I am!! I love it and this is exactly what I wanted. This week has been the craziest week of my life I'm pretty sure. So much has happened. I love my companions more than anything in this world. We have made it through so much. We are covering the Tongans and now we have all of the Marshallese (we had elders in the ward also before) but not anymore. It's gonna be crazy and now we have a senior couple coming to work in the marshallese program they will work with the Less actives and the recent converts. Woot woot.

Lets see we had Marshallese independence day celebration this week and while we were there some members came and told us about part of their family getting into a car crash. It was our Recent Convert Asako and our Investigator Joe. The ones we are trying to get divorced so we can marry them. We went to the hospital to see them (she is pregnant) they are ok Joe's back hurts and the baby is doing good. But we arrived and we asked what we can do to help Joe said "let's pray" it was so good. We gathered in prayer and found worthy members to come and give them blessings. How I love the Gospel and the protection and comfort you recieve from it. The grandma got hurt she is over 80 yrs old and is the mom of most of the marshallese here. she is having surgery on her leg today so pray everything will go smooth.

We were able to go to the temple today and do a session. It has been so long since I have done a session I think since December. It feels so good. I miss going to the Temple so everyone must go to the temple for me. The temple is such a beautiful place and I feel the spirit so strong. I was one of the last to go into the Celestial Room but the feeling I had waiting to go it. I was so anxious I can't even describe I just wanted to be there with all the other missionaries. We are so lucky to be able to go to the Temple. I loved it today with all the missionaries. I love thinking that there are so many young men and women that are worthy to go to the temple and that know the importance of it and want to go.

The other day I was laying in bed and I couldn't sleep, we were all talking and I was playing with the bed above me and it fell down. On me, but luckily no scars just a small scratch. Crazy me you think i would get over my stupid things but I haven't, not yet. and Sister Shumway came to visit and I got to go to lunch with her. It was so fun I miss her guts I can't wait until the time I have to play with her.

We have a baptism this week (the elders taught them before) but Sally has been waiting for so long to get baptized but richard didin't want to but now he told us he wants to be baptized he is just really nervous. So they are getting married and baptized this week. yeah it's so great. I love being a missionary and seeing how happy these people are here. And we took Florence on a temple tour saturday and she felt so good. But she is having a hard time seeing the difference between this church and hers.

Well that is all for now I just want to let you all know the importance of obedience and being accountable for yourself. I learned that this week. I know the importance of obedience and the blessings that are received because of it. But you can't blame others for not being obedient and you can't blame them for things not going right in your life becvause you are not obedient. But I know how good it feels to be obedient, you don't have to worry about things because you know you are doing the right.

Well Brothers and Sisters the church is true and my goal from here on out is to not take a moment for granted because it is so short. I can't believe it has been a transfer already. I know I say that all the time but I really mean it. Time has flown by the harder you work the faster it goes. I can't wait to see what the next 6 weeks have in store for me. I love you from the bottom of my heart and I mean that because I have learned how much you have all done for me before my mission and now while I'm on my mission. I don't take any of you for granted anymore. I really appreciate all of you and your letters and help you give me here on my mission. I love you

Love Sister Holt
Be Happy and Keep Smiling

Yakwe (5/24/10)

2010-05-25T10:06:00.000-07:00

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

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

2010-05-17T17:02:00.000-07:00

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

8 months (5/11/10)

2010-05-11T19:43:00.000-07:00

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

Week 3 (5/3/10)

2010-05-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-04T07:32:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-04T07:31:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-04T07:23:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-04T07:22:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-04T07:20:00.001-07:00

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)

2010-05-04T07:13:00.000-07:00

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

BAPTIZED!! (3/1/10)

2010-05-03T15:16:00.001-07:00

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)

2010-05-03T15:14:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-03T15:05:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-03T14:56:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-03T14:45:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-03T14:42:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

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)

2010-05-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

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

Happy Thanksgiving (11/23/09)

2010-05-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hey ma peeps,

ok I have a lot to catch up on... Today is a full prep day and the next couple of weeks my p-days are going to change because of holidays and such...

Tuesday Nov 17: Not much happened we were just meeting people that are less active and such then we had a potential deafie in Roseville so we went up there and tracted for a while. Didn't find them but we had a couple return appts. Bucky I was in Roseville is that weird... Do you know Whyte Ave and Roseville Rd? I was there. Then I got to eat at Costa Vida WOOT WOOT, the only one is in Roseville.

Wednesday: We have english class on wednesdays and so we made some plans since we had so many people come last week. Then we taught our NEW investigators Deandre and Tequila with their 4 kids. Deandre is deaf and they are awesome. We taught our less active Lee Ann help her stop smoking and she is so ready. Then we had english class but no one showed besides our faithful Jeremy... But it was ok because we had a blast with him. end of day

Thurday: More teaching and loving life. I gave a talk in district meeting. We taught deandre and tequila again they are planning on going to church. we tried to contact for 2 hours, which is our goal but it didn't happen we only got about 30 mins... but those 30 mins were precious. We talked to 13 people of those 13 we invited 8 to be baptized and those 8 we invited 6 set up return appts. How awesome is that. 6 returns in a half hour. Can't get better than that.

Friday: We taught a lot of less actives today... we were really late to things so we tried to contact but didn't quite get to it. We had dinner with a young couple, the comuso's they are awesome. It is Sandra and Buck twins in California. I love my life. Except Brian is a little girly so that part is not like buck.

Saturday: I taught Ellen this week she is golden. Her big concern is there is no proof. We left her with Alma 36 to read and help her and her son died when he was young and she struggles with that a lot. So we added a new investigator. the rest of the day we did some contacting and I went to my first baptism as a missionary. Not my baptism but my sisters taught her then handed her over to the elders and they baptized her. it was pretty sweet and I interpreted a lot of it and they understood me!! There is a couple in our stake that has a dinner for the whole zone each transfer. We went there it was delicious.

Sunday: We set up Deandre and tequila to go to a hearing ward near their house becasue a member has a big van and drives all the investigators to church. We interpreted for deandre and it just so happens that there is a certified interpreter in that ward. how cool is that. They don't have enough money to take the bus to the deaf branch so we are thinking the hearing ward is better than nothing. there are so many blessings and miracles that happen everyday. I love missionary work.

Monday: We tracted and tried to find some referals of places with potential deafies. not a lot of luck but we got 4 returns. Then we had dinner with the Steeds... They are a family that i have been to dinner at least once a week with. They are awesome. They are home away from home. Then we taught Casey and Daniel... non accountables (yes meaning mentally, they have handicaps) one has down syndrome Casey the other just has mental handicaps. They brighten my day everytime i see them. Casey's hugs are amazing they are like mom hugs.

Tuesday: We had mission tour with Elder Johnson from the quorum of the 70's. Also my last day with sis shumway. Sad day really I am so sad she has been a great mother. I have learned a lot from her. She lives in Cedar Hills so i told her to come visit hopefully she will soon. Which reminds me Mom there is a lady here, the relief society president of the branch. She sells DeMarle www.demarleathome.com (something like that) she is going to utah to have some parties and I informed that my family would love what she sells so mom give her a call 916-349-2490 End of december is when she going to utah. (anyone else can call her for a party) After the mission tour Sister Shumway left to the airport. It was really sad but i have sis brennan. It is all good. We had a really good day. Got some people to commit to church and the deaf christmas party next week. and we Taught Ellen again. She is so great. She did the whole reading and took notes. We taught her the Plan of Salvation and helped her with her son. It was so good. We left her to read Alma 32 one of my favorites. Hopefully this will help her faith to grow and see the proof is in her actions.

Wednesday: MIRACLE DAY. We contacted found 2 new deaf people one of them let us in and we taught him about the restoration. His name is Roberto, he said he might come to church but we are going to teach him again on friday. also while contacting another man let us teach him right there. We taught him the plan of salvation. He was way cool. He is not deaf so we taught him then passed him off to the elders. Then off to other people to teach. and Dinner. Then to english class but no one showed up so we followed our backup plans. Take christmas fliers around. Tyahna is a girl we met last week and havent been able to contact her again. We went to her appt. The gate was locked. Sis Brennan said a prayer. said, "we need to get in so open the gate in 5 mins." Looked at our watch exactly 5 mins later to the dot, no joke the gate opens. We got in and invited her to the christmas party and a return appt to teach her next week.

Thurday: Happy Thanksgiving... Today we played softball as a zone against another zone. I did dang awesome. scored 3 of the 10 points, one of them being a homerun. haha and I was playing in a short sleeve shirt and I'm pretty sure I got sun burned today, it's so hot. now I am going to the Steeds house for Thanksgiving. I am pretty excited. I have p-day this monday so you will hear from me soon.Love you all the church is true and there are so many miracles out there. Just look for them.

Love sister holt
Be happy and keep smiling.

YOOOOO (11/16/09)

2010-05-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

Hey ma peeps,

Hello how are you all? Life is crazy but I can't complain in any way. I am doing everything I love. I get to walk around all day talking to people and teaching them about the gospel that I love, how could life be any better? I have no time to write letters ever. Hopefully I will have a little time today, I'm not sure. So the deafies are amazing I love them they have such a spirit about them and they are so humble, in general there are a few exceptions. Oh and I am outside in short sleeve shirts almost everyday. It's starting to get a little chilly at night so I just throw my jacket on and I'm good.

Monday prep day and email. I played capture the flag outside in a t-shirt and it was so hot. It was fun though, my zone is amazing. Then it was off to an ice cream social for deafies. Got to mingle with the deafies while eating, life is great.

Tuesday Zone meeting then we are trying to get Visiting Teaching and Home Teaching to work in the deaf branch because right now we are at 0%. So we made a poster and everything visual hopefully that will bring back a lot of our Less Actives (LA). Then we had dinner with some of the elders at a members house and we taught her the first lesson after. Awesome!!!

Wednesday We taught Scott our investigator about the importance of following the prophet and obeying, specifically the word of wisdom. He has now been to church 3 times we just need to get him to stop smoking and he can be baptized. I know he feels the spirit and knows the church is true. Its just really hard for him to realize why he needs to stop smoking. So please pray for him that he may have the strength to quit. Then we did some contacting had 4 return appointments it is so refreshing when you ask them to come back and they say sure. So when we find people we just inform them the other missionaries will come and teach them because we work with deaf people, and we ask them if they know any deaf people. That night we had English Class, deaf peole come and we teach them english because they have very broken english skills. Ex. Store i goes with brother and enjoy. That describes just about every deaf person. We normally only have Jeremy come, who is amazing he has mental disabilities along with being deaf but has the greatest spirit ever. So we have been trying to get our english class to grow. at the ice cream social we passed out fliers. This week Jeremy was in English class as well as 4 deaf very accountable people. AWWW miracles happen everyday. They are all non-members. They are coming this week too. We are so excited. Pray for that as well.

Thursday: We visited some LA and that went well our teaching appointments canceled and rescheduled. We went contacting at some appartments. We found this little girl, her name Diasha she is this little black girl maybe 3-5 yrs old. We asked her if she knew any deaf people she said yes and led us to the appt. It was a guy about 30 with his wife and her kids. We are teaching them tomorrow, he was very open to the idea. Pray for them. we went around to more houses found some scary drunk and high people then later we found Diasha again we told her she could work with us for the night. She was passing cards around to everyone she saw. We asked her if she knew anyone else that was deaf and she lead us to the next appt. We teach them tonight it is a single mom and her 14 yr old daughter is deaf. Pray they will be open and receptive. Then we went to visit Bonnie a LA that is not accountable but needs direction. We taught her the first lesson. Hopefully she comes back. Diasha was an angel i'm pretty sure.

Friday We planned all morning for next weeks goals and then taught a LA and her mom. we are trying to get her prepared to go on a mission. SHe would be awesome her name is Rochelle. Then we had dinner with a member and went to another deaf social.

Saturday We were at the church all day helping with the Relief Society social because the sister missionaries have almost every calling in the branch. We are the activities coordinators and the interpreters and everything else. So we did the activity and it was stake conference so we interepreted the night session and had dinner and then went home it was a long day but we had some LA come so that was really good.

Sunday Scott came to church, we did a blitz with the zone meaning we all go to a companionships area trade comps (except the sisters) and tract their area. We went and got shut down by every single person. we desided to go to one last place before heading in and that was where we handed out a Book of Mormon and a return appt this guy is awsome I hope all goes well with him. Then we had some birthdays so we took brownies out to the people with birthdays. They deafies are awesome they really are a blessing in my life and some of them are going straight to the celestial kingdom. It's awesome....That is my week and I love my life. Pray for the deafies that they will be active and we can find them.

Until next week oh and write me

SIster HOlt

Be happy and keep smiling.

It's me again

2009-11-10T09:18:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am alive!! Man it's been a week and a half. I am in California!!!! Well my last week in the MTC was fabulous. We had a Halloween party, I dressed up like a rainbow, Blue tights, pink skirt, yellow shirt, etc. It was pretty awesome. It was Brother Kennedy's birthday too (my teacher) so we had candy and played games. My last TRC was exciting and it was the last one WOot WOot!!

First day I sat by a nice sweet lady in the plane and she told me all about her life and I told her how I am in Sacramento to preach the gospel. I gave her a pass-a-long card and it was nerve wrecking. Then I met my mission President and the APs they are awesome I have the best mission ever. Then we went to the temple and looked around the outside and to the presidents house for dinner and training. The next day I met my two companions Sister Shumway and SIster Brennan, Shumway is the bomb and she leaves Nov. 23 I'm gonna die when she leaves I love her, we get along great. Sister Brennan is awesome you know she loves the work and she is dedicated. She inspires me to be better which is awesome. I live in a members home but they are on a mission so it is just us three. We cover the enitire mission and into Roseville a little. The first day here I challenged three strangers to be baptized. I never thought I would be so brave but I did it and now knocking a persons door and talking about the gospel is no big deal. I walk up to people and say hey come to church with me. It's awesome. And my zone is sweet and I have taught my first lesson in sign language and english, Talked in church in english and sign language, interpreted and chatted. I've done it all just about. I love my life. They members here are great and I will be well fed, no doubt about that. You may have more of me come home then what left. But i'm ok with that the food is yum!!!!!!!!!

This email is jumbled because I'm still a little jumbled. Ok when I talk about people they are all going to be deaf unless I specify that they are hearing. Scott is our investigator, he is awesome he has come to church and has been taught about the restoration (lesson 1) and the plan of salvation (lesson 2) we are now going to challenge him to keep the word of wisdom, he has a smoking problem. he has come to church twice and is doing great. We have high hopes that he will be baptized by the end of the month. Also yesterday we met a women named Elen, we know she was prepared to hear the gospel. She loves her coffee and her catholic religion but she is awesome. We have been searching for her so we went sat. afternoon and she was home. She said if she was to change religions she would only join the LDS church because they have all been nice to her and she likes that religion. She is living with a mormon, her sons friend just got divorced and is living in her basement for a little while. This saturday we are going to teach her and then she is following us to the church for an enrichment activity. AWESOME. We have hopes for her also. THen we have LeeAnn she is 24 she is so sweet but she has a smoking problem, she was baptized 11 years ago and has been smoking ever since. she has 2 felonies and is so ready to turn her life around. SHe came to church sunday and we have taught 2 lessons already. Next we teach her to quite smoking.

I get to walk around talking to people all day, how great is my call? I have also been hit on a few times but we just passed those people off to the elders so no worries. Also some of the people in the ward didn't get my name right from the begining so no matter how much I try to change it they call me sister hot. But what can ya do? If they are not deaf we don't teach. I have a red car it is a carolla 2010 so nice. when we got it, it had 27 miles on it.

Our goal for our zone is to have 11 baptizims for November so please pray that we will be able to accomplish our goals and we are focusing on part member families to be able to do that. And if there is anything specific you want me to talk about next week write me and I will answer your question.

That is all from me right now. OH obviously my p-days are now monday and on transfers our p-day changes to tuesday just so you know. that is about every 6 weeks.

Be happy and keep smiling
Sister Holt

Week 6

2009-10-15T20:54:00.000-07:00

Hello world...

I have successfully completed my first lesson in sign language. It was awesome, I felt really good. Now I teach lesson one in sign this week... and with a different companion, Sister Ramey, she is just like Sandra so I basically love her to death. We have great fun and she is a hard worker. I celebrated my one month day already can you believe it. And I am on the countdown of days that I am here... 27 I think? It is amazing.

Ok so happenings from this past week??? We have blue box every saturday night and Elder Lingam is in my district, He is amazing, he blue boxed the Atonement. Blue box is basically charades you can't use any signs its all body language, facial expressions, and classifiers. It was amazing, he acted as though he was Jesus Christ in the Garden. He went around the room to each person and showed as if he was taking our burdens off of us and placing them on him. He was crying and acting as if the pain was so terrible. The spirit was flourishing throughout the room. I couldn't believe it, when he came to me I didn't want him to take mine for fear it would hurt him more. A great experience for me to learn. The spirit has been out of control this week, Sunday was really amazing many experiences that have really touched me.

One of my new favorite books is Jesus The Christ. I read whatever part is interesting me at the moment and it is so amazing. I've obviously been really interested in the atonement lately so I have been reading that section. It is a great book. A lot of insight into Christ's life. I really do learn so much here it about kills me.

LINDSEY JAMES is at the MTC and I saw her and her family. It is so weird to me to see her. I think she is still a little in shock but she will be great. I'm really excited for her. Two of my old roommates have left for their missions now and I'm really happy for them, they were so excited. Sister Khadgi (from Napal) and Sister Hiashi (From Japan), they are both at Temple Square so if any of you go there look for them. And tell them I say hi. They are so sweet. The day before they left Sister Khadgi gave us a head massage with this delicious oil. It was wonderful, I slept like a baby that night.

Each week at the temple we have some other regulars that come the same time. One couple is probably in their late 70's early 80's. The man can't dress himself and he struggles controlling his hands. He goes every week and He stands there while a temple worker dresses him every time. It is such a testimony to me to see this man who is so devoted to the Lord that He goes every week to the temple even though he can't do it alone. He knows the importance of it and I am so greatful for his example. He is the sweetest man and I can tell that he truley loves the Lord.

I hope all is well with you. I wouldn't know because I'm still not hearing from anyone but MOM and DAD... I dunno but I will pray real hard that this will change and I will get my letters about the Atonement. Just don't email me because I don't have enough time to read it. I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Love Sister Holt,
Be happy and Smile

Week 5 (Last weeks letter that didn't send) - Letter from Heidi

2009-10-15T20:53:00.000-07:00

Another week has come and gone. It has been a great week especially with conference and all my other activities that I have been doing here at the MTC.

A few of the things that have been going on are the TRC was good, it was a wonderful learning experience to teach with a new companion. I am back with Sis Low which I am really happy about. We get to teach the plan of salvation in Sign Language tomorrow. I am really excited, it is beatiful to watch the creation in sign language and also so real to see the atonement in sign language. I am excited to get better at showing both of these events to make it come to life for my investigators. I guess that is what the next 5 weeks are for... My class has changed to only ASL we are not allowed to use our voices in the classroom and we pick days that we can not talk at all.. it is really hard because not everyone in the mtc uses sign but we can get the point across most of the time. Also for the Relief Society conference we weren't able to get an interpreter for our deaf sister or closed captions so we had to interpret it for her. What an adventure, I'm not sure how much she got from the meeting but I learned a lot. It was fun...

Every tuesday we have a devotional and this past tues Sis Low was havign a rough week and she has been singing "Where Can I turn For Peace?" When she woke up she said if the church is true We will sing that song in one of our meetings. For the Devotional we had a hymnal fireside. Missionaries got the opportunity to get up and pick a song they wanted to sing. We sang that song, what a tender mercy for her and a nice reminder to me that this is the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love it... Also another thing is conference, I loved it everyone was so amazing. Sunday session was my favorite. President Monson is truely a prophet of God and he has the ability to speak to each individually. I loved his story about his birthday and the Warm Fuzzies. I am striving to accomplish a warm fuzzy a day. He is amazing. The other is of course Elder Holland, how strong and powerful is he? Everything he said shot straight to my heart. I was touched by everything he said. He has helped me have more confidence in my mission work and my desire to preach the word, to DECLARE the word to the world. I have continued my study of the Atonement and I really have learned so much, I would like to ask all of you that read this is you would write me and tell me what you know about the atonement and bear your testimony of how it has helped you in your life. It will be a great strengthener to me and help me in my teaching.

I am excited for the Fosters and their new home. that is great news I hope all goes well with the house. I haven't really heard from anyone else so please write me I only get letters from mom and pops which is so very lonely. But it's ok because I am really busy, but letters would be nice.

We have been focusing on pre-earth life and the creation in our teaching this week and I would like to tell you about that for a minute. After we practice teach other companions we always challenge them to go outside and walk around and look at the beautiful world God created for us, for you!! It reminds me of a special experience that I had in Bear Lake, on our hike back from Bloomington Lake. Ashlie was in the lead and she was walking fast and I was a bit behind her, walking alone. I decided to pray and I asked the Lord to remind me that this is His work and that He is real. As I was praying and looking at the beauty around Mom called from behind and said, "Heidi here they come..." I turned around and my nieces Mae and Kari were running towards me. I kneeled down and opened my arms as wide as I could. They started to slow down and I said, " Come on you can do it, run faster." They ran so fast and both of them gave me the biggest hugs I have ever had. Then my mom not too far behind ran up and gave me a hug. It was a beautiful reminder that my family is a family given to me from God. That I was able to have that experience in nature where it was just my family and me. There has never been a moment in my life more precious than that. I want all of you to try it. Try going out and praying asking God for that comfort that this world was created for you. I promise He will answer you with more than you ever expected. I know because He did for me.

I am so thankful for this Gospel and the life I have because of it. I pray you all have a great week and enjoy all you do. Lindsey James I will see you on Wednesday...can't wait... Mom good luck on your lesson sounds like it will be amazing, but that's because you are. I love you all

Love Sister Holt
Be Happy and Keep Smiling...

Week 4

2009-10-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

This week has cruised by me, I really don't know how it is another p-day. In the MTC we say that the days feel like years and the weeks feel like days. It is the truest statement ever. I love the MTC still though it is the greatest place, I learn so much and it amazes me how much more I learn in a week. I am so happy!! The Gospel is true and I get to share that with as many people as I see. How cool is that? I'm very excited.

I have the best teachers in existence I'm sure of it. all of them are so knowledgeable and they love teaching, you can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voice, they have such passion for this gospel. It is wonderful to see. We have gospel doctrine questions that we get to ask every once in awhile and those are some of the most powerful times of the MTC. I am in aw after every discussion. This week we talked about the Atonement because we are studying lesson 2 (Plan of Salvation--Amazing) and Brother Cropper explained it in such detail no one could speak, He described to us how Christ is both mortal and immortal so his body can die but he can also overcome death. The pain he felt for each person was MORE than enough to kill a person but Christ had to tell his body to keep going. He could have died during the first 3 minutes but he didn't He kept going because there was one more soul, me, you, your loved ones, he couldn't stop because he loves all of us so much. Then he suffered the same pain on the cross because he had to do it without the help of God and after that he allowed himself to die so we could be with him again. He literally GAVE UP the ghost, he could have chosen not to die. He loves my Parents and my family, friends more than I can even imagine and he did that so I could be with them forever. It's so amazing that one person could be so selfless and full of love. But the best part is after he suffered all that pain, when he was at the lowest of the low, he felt to most joy. He had so much joy because he knew the atonement was complete and that he could have his brothers and sisters with him forever. That is where he gets his joy. I LOVE THIS GOSPEL, I LOVE JESUS CHRIST! and my teachers are amazing to share this with us and not be afraid to get emotional even though they are all Men.

Another awesome event this week was I get to go online once a week and talk to people about the gospel. One man got on whose dad had just passed away, we wanted some words of wisdom, he didn't have a religion and was just looking around. I was able to talk to him about Jesus Christ and how he feels his pain and was crying with him when his dad died. It was amazing to listen to this man's life and how a few simple questions helped him just a little. He wants to know more so Tomorrow morning I am getting back online to talk to him and help him with more questions. I am so excited. So please pray for him, pray that he will get back online and his heart with be filled with understanding and that he will listen. I am so excited and it fills me with such joy to tell people about the gospel. Even if they think I'm crazy, I know I might be crazy but not about the Gospel. That I know. This week I have changed companions for the weekly teaching practice so I will be teaching with Sis Ellsworth, her companion is Sis Call (the Deaf sister) they have been struggling with planning, teaching, and staying on topic while teaching. So they asked Sis Low and I to split and help them understand how to plan. (sis low and I are over planners I think, our teachers are always in aw when they see what we have planned they thinks it's awesome and we love planning.) So please pray that the spirit will be with us as we do that, especially Sis Low because she has to do it in Sign language. That will be next week for me.

The Temple is great and wonderful and beautiful I love it. We were able to do a session this morning. I know how much the Lord loves us. How merciful he is and what he does so we can return to him. It is amazing. I can feel so much love around me when I am there. It's a magical place, Try to go there as much as possible you will be blessed, I promise.

All of our english elders have left and we have new ones that will leave before us again. It is very exciting i know. I'm almost to my hump day in the MTC though. WOot WOOT. I've made a lot of great friends here. They are wonderful example to me and have the sweetest testimonies. I will love them forever and remember them always. This is such a great experience. I hope all of you have a wonderful week and enjoy conference this weekend. I am so excited for it, one thing i have done to prepare for it is I have read King Benjamins Address in Mosiah 2 and studied how the people prepared for his speech and I am doing that myself. I also have a list of questions that I have had for a while and I will wait to see if they are answered. It is great to do and I suggest anyone do it that wants to get a little more out of conference and to go to bed early so you stay awake for all of it.

My time is up but I love you all dearly and there are a few of you I haven't heard from yet but I know you will write me I have the faith. And send pictures and candy and whatever else you want to.... Have a great week and please always remember who you are and what you stand for.

Also dearelder.com is better then emails because reading emails takes my precious emailing time so I can enjoy them better if you dearelder.com it and I can also keep them with me becuase i can't print emails. It as easy to do as an email. Lindsay F did it and it was wonderful. Thank you for everything I love you all and hope you enjoy

Love Sister Holt
Be happy and smile

2nd P-day

2009-09-25T17:12:00.000-07:00

Welp, I made it another week. I can't believe it is already P-day again... Time is flying by. I taught my first lesson last friday, it went really well the volunteer said it didn't seem like our first time teaching. Sister Low and I feel we have a few kinks to work out but I think we are handling it quite nicely. It is wonderful here weather is beautiful and my companion is just like me so we never disagree on what we want to do. I couldn't be happier. Thanks to everyone and their letters/emails. It is really nice. But I do need pictures from Sierra's, Foster's, and Flammer's... Maybe while DeAnne is out there we can get most of the grandkids or something. Hope the blessing goes well today, and that you are all having fun.

The other day in class I was the designated translator for the deaf sister we have in our distcrict. Wow is was amazing, I actually did it... I don't know how clear I was but I was able to get across what everyone was saying. That was such a blessing to do that. I feel a lot more confident in my signing then I thought I would by the 3rd week.

It is so weird all the English Elders that came the same week I did leave on monday..:( I still have 6 weeks, but can you believe that 6 weeks and that's it. I'm so excited for Lindsey James to get here, you will love it babe...

I have learned so much about myself and what I want to be and how to change that since I have been here. I know it's only been 15 days but man the time you spend learning about yourself and how you can make yourself better is so effective and meaningful. I love all the experiences I have had. My district is really close and I have come to love all of them, the elders work so hard and have such amazing testimonies, and they cry more than me. They are precious and will be amazing. As well as the sisters I will miss them when they go to their different places. They also leave a week earlier than I will so it will be sad and empty for a week, half of my district will be gone.

We have 2 new roommates, Sis. Hiyashi from Japan and Sis. Khadgi from napal. they are both going to temple square, I am so excited for them. Sis Khadgi has an amazing story. Her dad was the first person to be baptised in Napal and he was able to baptize all his family. Now sis khadgi gets the opportunity to go on a mission. Isn't the gospel amazing. We are all so blessed.

My sign name is an H handshape and you hold your hands up and flip your fingers in, this is my sign name because it is also the sign for sarcasim and bouncing around jokes. one of my teachers loves my sense of humor so he thought that was fitting. Now everyone does it and It's pretty funny. So I don't think I will lose my sense of humor. Don't worry. My teachers are all amazing, there are things that I relate to with each one individually so I feel I am really lucky in that aspect. And I can talk to them about anything.

Life here is wonderful I couldn't ask for anything more. Except letters. keep sending and really check out dearelder.com it's a wonderful program. I love you all and hope all is well with you. Flammers have fun in Utah, Sierras I need to hear from you, Porters hopefully hayden can say more than meow now, Holts I hear jaden is walking now?, Bennetts I hope all is well with little baby and i need to hear from you too, Fosters how is the house coming along? I love you all Friends and Family Until next week...

Love
Sister Holt

1st half of letter

2009-09-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

"Hey Everyone,

Today is my first P-Day... I think that officially makes me a missionary. So coo-ol!! I'm sure mom is freakin out because you haven't heard from me yet but I'm alive and so so so HAPPY!

Thanks for the letters I've recieved so far they are wonderful, and the pictures Jen. Please continue writting me. It's better to get letters because I can get those anyday where emails I only get once a week. You can also go onto dearelder.com and write to me and it comes like a mailed letter. So you should check that out. Oh and my proposed date to ship out of the MTC is November 11th.

MTC is awesome I absolutely love it here. I couldn't ask for a better experience. My companion is absolutely the best. She is perfect for me. Her name is Sister Low, pronounced like Cow. She is really so good for me. She really loves to use sign language and it helps me to use it more and be more comfortable with it. The MTC food I think is supposed to digest but no no it doesn't. It's not bad and I get lots of cookies. My old roommates are really awesome, they all went to Romania, they left monday morning. It's amazing how close you grow to people you have only known for such a short time. There is one other sister who leaves to Romania in 6 weeks she is from England and I just love her. We got 3 new roommates last night that are international going to temple square and one that is going to Monglia so that is exciting, I don't know them very well yet. And I got to go to the Provo temple today. It was amazing, so great to go as a missionary."

2nd half of letter

2009-09-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

"I HAVE A NAME TAG!!! My favorite thing so far. It's beautiful. And the cool thing is, is that it says American Sign Language on it so for all the devotionals and firesides we get front row because one of the sisters in our district is deaf so she has an interpreter. On Tuesday Elder Holland came and spoke. It was a beautiful talk, best I've ever heard. He talked about not coming home with any regrets. My mission should be the most important thing in my life when I come home. He really pumped me up for my mission. To study hard, read my scriptures, learn to serve the people, and learn the language, the best I know how. That is what I am striving to do at the MTC. I can't wait to be in the field. I'm happy for you that are reading the B of M keep it up.

Thanks for all the support you have given to me I am so happy here and I can't wait for the next 18 months of my life. Keep writing letters and keep sending pictures. I love you all and wish you the best. Let my babies know I love them and think about them everyday.

Love Sister Holt"

i leave...

2009-09-03T21:08:00.000-07:00

ON WEDNESDAY!!

FAREWELL

2009-08-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

2009-08-15T23:41:00.000-07:00

OHIO was fabulous and i had so much fun

River likes to give the stink eye

Jocelyn likes to be silly

Brandon is well... (Brandon)
DeAnne is my sister and beautiful

(foto by Joc)

Kirtland

makin cookies with the tots
I saved the best for last, so cute

Thanks to the Flammers for flying me out to Ohio and all of the wonderful things we did while I was out there. It was amazingly fun and I love being pretend mom sometimes. These kids are so fun and adorable. I really miss them, and their parents too, they're pretty great.