Harvest!

Hello family!!

This week has FLOWN by! Where has the time gone?! So much has happened but it all kinds mushes together haha. Lots of lessons - lots of learning! I was released as Sister Training Leader yesterday, and as much as I loved the opportunity to serve; I'm okay with the relaxation I've been able to have. It seems so weird that tomorrow I'll be getting on a plane, flying back to where it all started: Southern Alberta! Everyone keeps thinking that I'm sad to be going there but I know that if God wanted me to have a visa - I would have a visa. There is no such thing as a coincidence and our God is a God of miracles. I can't wait to go and find out why I have been called to serve in Calgary.

This week I have really been trying to focus on humbling myself, submitting myself to Heavenly Father and letting Him in. It's hard for me to realize that I can't do everything on my own; that it's not about how strong I am, It's about how strong I can BECOME through God. I am so blessed to have such a strong family at the MTC. My district, we really have become a family! The Farmington, New Mexico elders left this morning. It's definitely a lot quieter, without the colourful Elder Rigby. We work together like a family, we study, and read the Book of Mormon and kneel to pray. I am going to miss these diligent servants of the Lord something fierce. I know that they are going to be freaking awesome missionaries. I know that their testimonies will bring MANY unto Christ!

 So we have an inside joke kinda thing is our district. When someone throws shade or burns them, we call it a harvest (this came from Elder Luddington.) So we were in the store and we saw these HARVEST pins and necklaces. Well of course we all had to get one! They're so awesome! So I took some pictures of all of us, individually, with our HARVEST pins and necklaces and I think they're pretty sweet. We do joke about the harvest thing, but for me the pin serves another purpose as well. As said in D&C 4: the field is white. It is ready to harvest. I know that God is preparing people for me to bring the Gospel to. I know I'm supposed to be here! I am so glad to have this time to serve him with everything I have!

I honestly can't really remember too much of what I've done this past week- as I said it flew by! It feels like my last P day was yesterday!

Oh yeah I forgot to mention that a couple weeks ago we got to hear from Bonnie L. Oscarson! It was so awesome! We always have exceptional devotionals- twice a week :)

Also on Saturday we had a district volleyball tournament! It was probably the most fun I have ever had playing sports. And you know what? I didn't even suck too bad! I love having the opportunity to take care of myself not only spiritually everyday, but also physically! I have actually never had such a good time taking care of this temple God gave me as I have on the mission!

Oh yeah! I saw Elder Sulzen and Elder Ellis and even Sister Burgess (from YSA) here at the MTC! It was so great; I was starting to feel left out because everyone and their dog went to high school with each other here since they're all from Utah!

I will send pictures! I dont know if you want the individual ones of my district but I'm going to send them anyways 'cause I took them and they're nice and I love them :)

I love you so much!

Sister Holt​

District with President Kezerian, their branch president.

Turn Outward When the Natural Man Would Turn In

Hello family! 
This week has been kinda funny! People kept saying just make it til Sunday and all was fine and dandy all the way til Sunday. Then Tuesday came. HAHA I think sister Rhoton and I were cursed for feeling like everything went so well the first week by having a tougher second week! I am still in love with the MTC and it will be hard to leave (especially since it looks like I'll be going back to Canada). This week had a few more struggles. I guess we didn't completely foresee all that was entailed in the calling of 'Sister Training Leader.' 

We have spent a few long, late nights working with some of the sisters. I can honestly say that I love these daughters of God. They are so brave and so strong in coming out here despite whatever challenges may be before them! I have been blessed to be able to grow close to and serve the sisters in my zone. I love this work. It is God's work.

It was the days I was most struggling with myself; frustrated that I could not concentrate or teach as well as I would have liked to, thinking that I was not good enough, that these beautiful sisters turned to Sister Rhoton and me for help. I was able to do as Elder Bednar suggested in 'The Character of Christ' talk we saw last week. I turned outwards to serve the people around me, instead of focusing on myself and my problems. My testimony that the Saviour knows me personally grew this week. He knows how I feel and exactly what I need and when I need it. All will be well if we rely on Him!

Other than these few struggles, this week has been amazing! Our district has grown so, so close together! I sincerely love them! We try to finish up our planning early every night so that we can sing hymns together before we go back to our residences for the night. One night this week, we sang all 9 verses of Book of Mormon stories. About halfway through we started to really get into it. There may have been a little bit of dancing involved... but don't tell ;) and then out of no where Sister Chamberlain started beat boxing!! Oh my gosh! It was the most amazing thing anyone had ever seen! So, so funny!!!

Our devotional this Sunday was a musical devotional by the Nashville Tribute Band!! It was life changing! Mom, you have GOT to hear this music. They have the most beautiful, spiritual songs and it's all super great country! So good!! The last song they sang hit me especially hard. I don't quite remember what it was called... something like the hardest tears I had to shed? anyways it was about this person's mission experience; bringing people to Heavenly Father and the Atonement of our Saviour. You have to get their album! so amazing! It really deepened my testimony of the work I am doing here and my purpose!

I love you all and the church is so, so true!

Sister Holt


Here is a link to the song Christina refers to:
The hardest Thing I've Ever Loved to Do

Sister Holt, Sister Rhoton, Sister Buckway, Sister Chamberlain

Sister Holt, Sister Allred, Sister Rohotn

Sister Longson, Sister Holt, Sister Hathaway

Exact Obedience Brings About Miracles

Hello my family! 

I love and miss you all so so much! However, I gotta say, I have never been so happy and spiritually filled as I am here at the MTC. I love it here!

So I guess I should start with my trip hahah. So.... where do I start? The first leg of my flight was fine - no issues - then I got to Vancouver. That is where it all began. I was directed to go all the way out of security to get to customs - turns out I didn't have to do that - so I missed my flight because they had also booked my flights way too close together! So I missed my flight and then they may have been able to hold the plane for me if my luggage was going through... but someone in Nanaimo at Air Canada had mis-tagged my luggage... so it was lost in the Vancouver airport somewhere. And then the lady tried to get me another flight, but no airline had any flights to Salt Lake or even connecting flights until 8pm. So I had to wait in the airport til then... so I was in the Vancouver airport for about 7 hours... sleeping, reading Preach my Gospel, walking back and forth on the moving sidewalks... anything to keep myself occupied... I finally got on the flight to Seattle and had a connecting flight from there to Salt Lake City but I didn't arrive until 1am ish and they had lost my luggage....I was extremely blessed to have the Moffatts- the angels they are, take care of me :)

When I finally arrived at the MTC I got my badge, I was assigned a district and I received a companion. I could never have imagined what all of these things would mean to me a week later.

My companion's name is Sister Rhoton, she's from American Fork, Utah and she is way more than I will ever deserve. She is the sweetest, kindest, funnest sister. For reals guys. I love her so, so much. She's pretty shy when it comes to speaking in public, so I guess its a good thing she's got me! Its amazing how a companion can build you up so much and enable you to be the missionary you want to be. Heavenly Father knows us, he knows what we need, and he sent me exactly that.

My district is actually the bomb.com/diggety. For reals. Elder Peery is our district leader, he's the oldest in the district, but only 20 haha. He is so earnest, genuine, and kind. Such a righteous leader. We love him :) His companion's name is Elder Luddington and he's so funny. Oh man, he's from some country town in Utah and he's got really funny slang that we've all kinda adopted in our district, also such a diligent Elder. Then there's Elder Wiggins and Elder Cordes. Wiggins is so smart, he's 19 and has already got a double bachelor in business, he skipped right through high school; so crazy! Cordes was a wrestler in high school, and you can tell haha. He's really quiet but he's got a strong spirit and will to do the Lord's work. Next are Elder Rigby and Elder Lindsey, they're so great. Elder Rigby is like the little golden retriever puppy of the district; typical blond Utah boy, so lively, always brings a smile to our faces! Elder Lindsey is so so quiet and reserved but that man is a hidden treasure, a spiritual powerhouse, too humble to say it :) The last set of Elders are Elder Roche and Elder Hammond. Ha they're always late to everything every day! They're really fantastic though. Hammond is pretty silly but so willing to do what is required of him - ready to serve. Elder Roche is very nice and super funny, kinda distracting sometimes! But working hard, like everyone else, to "forget himself and go to work." Then there are 2 more sisters, Sister Buckway and Sister Chamberlain; they're super sweet :) Both so kind, willing to serve, and most of all, willing to put up with me! (we share a room haha) Our district does absolutely everything together; we  eat together, we play four square together, we go to choir together, everything! We're already a big, usually happy, family and I'm already hating the day we will all leave each other. (none of the elders are coming to Long beach 

:( ) The Elders are so sweet though, they suggested that we start praying in all our personal and district prayers for my visa. So cute.

Everybody kept telling us, just hold on til Sunday. Really though, I am so happy here. I can't remember the last time I've been so happy. The spirit is in every building, every room, every hallway; it's tangible, it's in the air. I have never felt so close to my Heavenly Father as when I have to opportunity to testify of his love to investigators. I know He's there. I know He loves me. It's so hard to communicate that to people who haven't felt that before. It's simply indescribable, that much love, so much that sometimes, as Sister Rhoton says, it doesn't just poke my heart, it pops it, and some spills over from my eyes. I love this gospel, I know it is the true gospel of Christ. I can testify of this without a single shred of doubt in my heart.

Kay, so also, sister Rhoton and I have been called as the sister training leaders for our zone which is pretty cool! We get to serve and love the most amazing Sisters! I already love them so much it's crazy! I can't wait to get more tomorrow when the new missionaries come in :)

Today is our first P day and it's pretty awesome, I gotta say. We got to go to the temple this morning (as a district of course) and I have never been so in tune with the spirit before! My heart was definitely poked and popped. I have never been able to understand the love and attention of our Father in Heaven has for us, I never felt him personally, but I can tell you I did today!!

The last thing I want to leave you with is my new motto; something we were told on our very first day here and that I tell the sisters about 10 times a day and they're probably sick of it. Obedience brings about righteousness. EXACT obedience brings about miracles. I testify of this, I have already seen it take place in my life. This is how I plan on serving this mission; in EXACT obedience.

Sorry if I left some stuff out! Ask questions so I know what to write hahaha!

I love you so, so much, 

Sister Holt

Send Sister Holt a letter!

E-mail:
cholt@myldsmail.net


Sister Christina Holt
California Long Beach Mission
6500 E Atherton St
Long Beach CA
90815   USA

Goodbyes

 Christina flew out from Vancouver Island on August 9, 2016.

The call

On February 2, 2016 that big white envelope arrived with Christina's call to the California Long Beach Mission, English speaking, reporting June 29.  The call date was subsequently pushed back to August 10th.