Faith in Every California Footstep: Transfers!

Hey all!

This week has been pretty great :) We started teaching a new investigator... well kinda haha, and we got to visit a bunch of really sweet less-active members :) And yes... I'm already being transferred! I am heading to Beach ward in Huntington Beach North stake and my new companion is going to be sister Greener. I haven't met her yet, but I'm pretty sure she came out at the same time as I was supposed to arrive in California... so that'll be interesting! But I'm sure we'll be fine! It's been good here in Long Beach East serving in the Atherton ward! Lot's of really sweet old people, Leisure World days are the best days! (for those of you who don't know; leisure world is a 55+ community and it's just full of old people and a golf course and stuff like that- its pretty sweet.) Today we even get to go to the Leisure World potluck and lead their holiday sing along! I love it!

So this new investigator that is kinda an investigator's name is Kasen. He's so sweet. He's 9 years old and he would have been baptized when he was 8 (meaning his family are members) but it just got put off so long, waiting for family to cooperate, that now he needs to be taught by the missionaries! He really is the sweetest, most eager kid! Our first lesson, he just kept saying how much he loved it! I could tell he was really feeling the spirit and that is so important! We committed him to read every night in preparation for his baptism. The next time we came back, he had read at least one chapter every night and he was stoked to meet with us! He had so many questions and deep insights. I really have grown to love him a crazy amount and I'm sad I have to leave him! He really is a special boy- I know he will amount to great things one day! Through my experience teaching Kasen, I have come to really realize the importance of teaching eternal, spiritual truths at a young age. I am so grateful for primary and the blessing it was in my life (when I went haha). I definitely want to teach my kids the missionary lessons in preparation for their baptisms! I feel like he just knows so much more! He's so ready! so eager, to make covenants with Heavenly father!

Other than that, our other investigator, Gayellen, got out of the hospital this past week but is too weak to go out and we can't meet in her house... so we dropped off some food and have been giving her calls, but we hope we get to see her soon! She really is a sweet lady. We saw a couple people who are having problems accepting the gospel in their lives because of social or doctrinal situations that have come up. It's so sad for me to see this! Everyone has times when they experience doubt, everyone gets offended. It's so important to remember where the foundation of our testimonies lie; in Jesus Christ. I have not been converted to my bishop, or brother Joe down the pew, or even church leaders. This is a perfect church carried out by imperfect people! But at the center and the head of this church is someone who is perfect in every way. Jesus Christ is who we are converted to. We know this is his church! Everything else is extra. There is no doubt or trial that could change that fact. My MTC companion told me something once that hit me pretty hard. She told me a stroy of when she was struggling to feel the Saviour in her life. She was telling her dad about and he said, if you can’t feel him, who moved? Who changed? It certainly wasn't Him. We're the ones who change, Christ is constant! It's up to us to find out how we can fit back into the puzzle that is the church of Jesus Christ. I really do love this gospel. I love my Heavenly Father, and I know he is so aware of me!

I sang in church on Sunday and I'm pretty sure it didn't suck! haha I really am sad to leave this ward!

Have a great week everyone!

Love, Sister Holt