Gabriel

Hello!

Another fantastic week here in the California, Long Beach mission!

This week we got to meet with one of our new investigators, Gabriel, every day! He is progressing really, really well! At first when we were teaching him, it seemed like he might be mostly looking into it to see why his sister, Maria, left the Catholic Church. We have been really blessed to see his heart be softened almost overnight. He knows this is the right time for him and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can help him make the changes he wants to make in his life. He's really amazing and I am so happy that Heavenly Father is letting me be a part of his conversion process.

This week we also had a sad thing happen; we had to stop seeing one of our investigators. This person has been meeting with missionaries for a long time and has told us that she doesn't want to convert and she doesn't want to change her life, she just likes to have us over. It's probably one of the hardest things I have had to do on my mission; drop someone I love. Our purpose as missionaries is to "teach repentance and baptize converts." We have to make sure that everything we do is working towards that purpose, although it might inconvenience us or make us uncomfortable, we're not here for us. We're here to "find those that will receive [us]." Some people just aren't ready when we think they should be, and that's fine because God knows when their time will come. We have to keep loving them and nurturing the seed that has been planted until it is their time. There's a scripture that talks about "continuing to minister"... but I don’t remember where it is, sorry! But anyways, don't give up just because it’s not someone’s time yet. Concentrate your efforts on those who are, but don't forget about the other guys! You never know when it'll be their turn!

We also did some service at this museum of Westminster. We sorted and displayed some hundred year old dolls, so that was pretty fun!

We also got to see 2 investigators we haven't been able to meet with for a couple of weeks! Karie has been sick, but her baptism is coming up soon, so we met with her at her home and had our district leader come over and give her a blessing. She was very thankful and she loved getting her "very first blessing!" We also got to see a 17 year old girl we're teaching named Alisa. She also hasn't been feeling well and has been in the hospital! We're really glad she is doing better and will hopefully be seeing her more.

We are seriously so busy all the time!! We have probably about 4 set appointments a day or more, so we're always keeping ourselves busy and the time is flying!!! I can't believe February is basically over already!

We were super blessed to have 3 investigators at church yesterday! One was Gabriel, and his sister Maria came! She hasn't been in a little while but she has been taking the lessons again with Gabriel and she said it has really helped her remember what she’s supposed to be doing! Also Kerry and Mandy came; they are 10 and 12 and really sweet. It was good to have them sit with one of the girls of the ward their age so that they could make a friend and feel more comfortable next time.

I love this place, I love this work, I love the Gospel. I never have been happier than I am now, doing what Heavenly Father wants me to do. It's kinda funny how we always look for happiness in other things, forgetting that the real and only source of joy is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I hope I never forget that.

I love you!!   Sister Holt

Sister Sherksnas and Sister Holt

Sherksnas!

This week has been so busy! I guess we'll start with last Pday. It was my last day with Sister Greener and it was quite sad. I really will miss her, although I know she is need elsewhere for all her great missionary skills and abilities. On Tuesday Sister Greener and her new companion went to their new area and Sister Pack and I (she's from Reddeer) were companions til we got our new missionaries! I also got the news that I would be driving..... WHAT? I was pretty sure that was never going to happen... but I guess it did, which is super scary because we drive a 2017 Chevy Malibu and its a BOAT and I really don't want to mess that up. So please pray for me haha. So we got the call around 5 to go to the mission office to pick up our new companions and I was pretty sure who would be mine as soon as I saw the girls. Well apparently she felt that too. When they said that I would be training Sister Sherksnas, she came and sat by me and said,  " I was pretty sure you were going to be mine because you have nice eyebrows." ahahha i thought it was so funny. 

Sister Sherksnas is super sweet and she's already an amazing missionary. She totally understands why were out here and the need for exact obedience. I love her already and I know we will only improve from here as companions and as missionaries in general. I am so grateful  for the opportunity I have now to help someone get started on their journey as a missionary. I really am trying every day to teach her the right way to do things, and how to sacrifice for the work. I am grateful for your prayers that support me , i know this would be a ton harder without them.

We did a lot of teaching this week. We had almost our entire week planned by the time Sister Sherksnas got here! We didn't even find time to get her some groceries for a few days, but stuff like that doesn't even seem to matter when you are labouring hard in the Lord's vineyard. Every night we have been getting in just exhausted, and I'm grateful for that. There is no better feeling as a missionary than to feel like you have given your all that day.

We got to meet with one of our investigators, Kim, like 4 times this week, which was great!! He is progressing really well, and he is very aware of how much he needs to progress before baptism. He made a goal himself that he wanted to read the whole book of Mormon before getting baptized! I am so happy to see how he grows in the gospel and in his understanding of what god wants of him. Its really humbling to get to see that.

Yesterday at church, we had an investigator come to church tat we were definitely not expecting and it made us so happy to see him there! There was no one to teach the gospel principles class and there were no other investigators so we sat down with him and his sister, who is a member and shared the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ with him. it was a really good lesson, the spirit was definitely felt strong. Thats why I love teaching in the church, its the Lords house so its pretty easy to have the spirit there.

All in all, its been a pretty great week, and I can't wait for more to come! 

Love, Sister Holt

sorry, no time for pics this week! its presidents day.

Transfers :(

Hello all!

This week will be short- It's a holiday so we only have an hour in the family history centre this week.

This week flew by way too fast, and we were CRAZY busy. We actually found 3 new investigators this week- which was awesome! One of them is named Alisa, she's 17 and she has looked into our church before, but things didn't really pan out- but she seems really into it now. She has a ton of questions, which is always good :) Also a less-active member's son's wife is interested in learning more! She's Japanese and pregnant with their first baby. She's very shy but super sweet! Then there's Gabriel, he is a less-active member's brother. He just got out of jail but is seeming to want to turn his life around. He is very genuine and has a strong belief in God. SO all three are pretty different, but all have amazing potential!

We also had 3 investigators come to church yesterday which was awesome!!! Every week, almost all of our 12 investigators say they will come to church, and we usually only get 1....... yeah...... but this time 3 came! We were very happy and we had a great lesson about the fall of Adam and Eve in Gospel principles. I am so thankful for the knowledge I have thanks to the Book of Mormon and modern revelation! I know we have a living prophet on the earth and that he loves us and cares about our welfare. I know he, and the apostles, are special witnesses of Jesus Christ. I just want to tell everybody about the great news we have; the gospel! It makes me think of one of my favourite chapters, alma 29. 

 1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

 2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.

3 But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.

Anyways, as you can probably tell from the subject of my email, we have transfers this week. Sister Greener is leaving me and she is going to Compton! So I guess they do send white Sisters there... pray for me. And her. Hahah, just kidding, kind of. I am staying here in the Beach ward, but I am training a new missionary! I am pretty nervous but I know that even though I may feel inadequate, I am not what I can make of myself, I am what God can make of me. If not, man I would not have lasted this long! There's a quote from an adress from a BYU President... something Worthin or something... anyways, its called failing successfully and theres a quote in there that says,"too often we ask ourselves, am I good enough. The real questions is; is God good enough?" I can testify that He is. He is good enough to make the impossible, possible. I love Him and I know he loves me, and you. Individually and perfectly. I won't stop trying to tell people that til the day I die, and even then I will preach it in the spirit world!

Love, Sister Holt

Sister Holt, Sister Greener, Brother and Sister Capp

More Rain!

Hey all! Sorry this one will be a short one! Not a lot happened this week- to be honest it FLEW by. Before I knew it, it was already Saturday!

Last week for P-day our zone played some football, not quite as fun as last time because there were TOO MANY people! The Elders wouldn't pass to us :( We also went on exchanges this week, I did love that :) It was really a great opportunity to be able to learn from the Sister Training Leaders and to just grow my testimony of missionary work; especially that God is preparing people for us to find! It really does come down to faith. If God has asked us to find people, it’s because they are out there! He does not ask us to do anything we can't do. We and the people we teach, just need to develop the faith to make it happen!

We also had the opportunity to teach a part-member family this week. The mom is a member, but the kids’ stepfather is not, so we teach the kids, they are 10 and 12 and really sweet! We wanted to help them better understand the restoration so we decided to show the video, so we brought the dvd thinking, "everybody has a dvd player, right?" Nope. They didn't. So we spent a good amount of time trying to find a laptop or they also had a portable dvd player that didn’t work... eventually they just got the step dad's laptop and we found it on lds.org...... it was kinda awkward, but hey! I think they got the message!

This week we also had an investigator who dropped us a couple weeks ago text us and tell us she wanted to meet again!!! We are so, so happy! Even more so because this time round, she really is seeming to get it! She is in this 100% now and she wants to do all she can to progress towards baptism :) She even texted us Sunday night, after she had gone to church earlier, and said that today was a really good day for her and she was at home listening to the Book of Mormon! We had had a less than ideal day so hearing that really helped me feel that it’s all worth it! Even if I work every single day, talking to everyone and trying my very hardest and just one person listens to me; it’s worth it!

The church is true!

Sister Holt