Exchanges!

This week started off with a wonderful lesson with a new investigator named Araceli! She is so sweet. She's 45 years old and she's the best grandma ever. She takes care of her 3 month old grandson everyday while her daughter is at work. She is from Mexico but speaks English very well. We asked if she would prefer meeting with Spanish missionaries but she said no, she wanted us and she wanted to practice her English. She's seriously the sweetest lady ever, so funny too. We taught the whole restoration lesson with her. I felt impressed to talk about how we are literally heirs to God's kingdom because we are His children and that because of the restoration of the Priesthood authority, our families can be eternal. The spirit was very strong and when we went to see her a couple days later, she had been reading the b

Book of Mormon! Seriously, such a dream! You have no idea how many people just never read unless you baby them through it!

We also had a lesson with Gabe, we are getting him ready to receive the priesthood this next Sunday and go to the stake temple day on the 13th! We are so excited for him.

On Wednesday, we had a really great lesson with Megan. We started teaching the restoration but really focused on God is our loving Heavenly Father, and the Gospel blesses families, and the Atonement actually. We watched the new Easter video, #PrinceofPeace, and she had some very profound insights. Megan has basically always gone to church but has to wait until she is 18 to be baptized, so she knows about a lot of stuff. But as we were watching the video, the part where it says, "He turned water into wine", caught her attention. She noticed the stark contrast between the whiteness of the background and the plash of crimson dye through it. She said that it never occurred to her before how impossible that is; turning water into wine. That insight reminded me of Isaiah 1:18 how our sins though they be as crimson shall be white as snow, etc. I had read an article about how the dyes crimson and scarlet were not just made to be colourful, but also colourfast, meaning they could not wash out, making it impossible to make the wool white again. Thus Christ makes the impossible, possible!

We later had a great lesson with Mandy and Kerry, they are really progressing well in their testimonies! I love to see their knowledge and light grow every time we see them.

Thursday, after weekly planning, I actually had a doctor’s appointment! I went to go see a chiropractor for the first time ever! It was cool. I have been having some neck pain, which has been different than the back pain I've had before, so I went to get it checked out just in case it was something that could get worse. The doctor was super nice and a member and so he asked me about the people we're teaching and stuff, it was good. Well it turns out I had two vertebrae out of place in my neck and my hips were out of place, kinda slanted? So one of my legs was longer than the other because of that... yeah haha buuuut, he fixed it all up! I still have some pain in my neck so I might go again but the chiropractor in my ward says it's probably because I grind my teeth in my sleep apparently... which would also explain the headaches...

Also in the public library I'm sitting in right now, there is a couple having a deeeeeep conversation that is not for public places about how he cheated on her..... yeah all us missionaries are sittin around all awkward but its super funny. haha you guys can just read that part, don’t feel the need to pass it on hahaha

So, Thursday afternoon, we had some extra time because we thought my appointment would go longer, so we felt impressed to go see a former investigator named Alex. Alex is the sweetest guy ever! He's about 21 years old, he has a 6 year old, a 4 year old, and a baby on the way. He has not had it easy, that has a lot to do with his choices, but he wants to change so he can be there for his family. He even came to Stake Conference on Sunday! It was an interesting first Sunday for him, but I think he liked it! He's a good guy. Gabe is actually super stoked to help Alex because he came from basically the same background. He really wants to help with Alex's conversion, he and Maria even offered to have Alex take the lessons at their place! 

On Saturday we got to go on Exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders, Sister Allen and Sister Hicks. I was with Sister Allen again! She is so cool, it's always a party with her. The thing is, it's always a party but we always see so many miracles too! We found 5 new investigators in 1 day together! It was so awesome! I wish she'd come to Beach sometimes, just kidding...

Sunday at Stake Conference was really great, like I said, Alex came! So did Karie, and Kim was there! But he has been in and out of town so we're not technically teaching him right now, but it was good to see him! Getting Alex to Stake Conference was an ordeal though! We went to his house at 9:15 so he could follow us to the stake center and he was just getting out of the shower so we waited for about 15 minutes and then he comes out and says, "oh yeah, by the way, I can't borrow my dad's truck," and he starts trying to get into our back seat! So we're like," sorry, we can't give you a ride!" We felt bad, but also not, because it was a rule... So we called up Brother Fitzpatrick who came over in a hurry to get him and we made it only 5 minutes late haha, but at least he was there! He sat with Gabe and we sat with Karie, it was really great. One of my favourite messages that were given was about how sometimes people offer for us to go to the seashore but we're too busy plying in mud puddles to go. We don't know how great eternity will be because we are stuck in this mortal world. We need to give up something okay for something glorious!

After, we had a chat with Kim, he is still not ready to progress, so we gave him a chapter to read and told him to call us when he is ready. Next we saw Mirian and when we got there she and her sister were playing truth or dare, so we took the opportunity to play spiritual truth or dare! We put truths like ‘tell us about your baptism’, or ‘who is your favourite prophet’, and dares like ‘sing a hymn’ or ‘say a prayer for someone who is struggling right now’. It was a really great experience when Mirian said a prayer for Nelci, her sister. She prayed that she would be able to overcome the challenges she is facing in regards to her testimony, it was very touching. It also made me wonder, how often do we let people know that we care for them and we are cheering them on in whatever trials they are going through? Do they know we have their backs? That we are there for them?

The church is true! I love you!

Sister Holt

also this morning we went to a cool smoothie shop where they give you the smoothies in these cool glass bottles!