Sister Nicol

Hello!

Last Monday was my last day with sister Biberston... sad... but we had a lot of fun and we were very busy, as always! I really will miss her, she was very loving and with her I truly learned what it is to serve your companion!

Tuesday I was with the Norwalk sisters for the beginning of the day because Sister Biberston left to Los Alamitos in the morning. Sister Wheeler, Sister Davis and I went to a lesson with a woman in their area and then got an oil change for my car.... it was very exciting haha. After that they had some lessons and It was approaching time for me to get my new companion... so a wonderful sister in my ward, the Relief Society President actually, Sister Altier was my companion for a little while! We went to the mission office at about 3pm... and around 5:30pm I was introduced to Sister Nicol! Her first name is Nicole by the way hahah. She is from Highland Utah. She is also number 5 of 8 kids! She is so sweet and eager to learn and work hard!

Her very first evening we taught 3 lessons. We met with David and Raymond and read some of the Book of Mormon with them, then we taught Dice the Word of Wisdom, and then we met with Vaiola. Her mother was there as well, she is an active member, so it was great for Sister Nicol to meet at least one member on the very first night!

Wednesday we had District Meeting with a brand new district! It was great because our district has been very small... but now that we have combined 2 districts there's about 10 missionaries in it.... so yay!

After District meeting we taught Calvin the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he is progressing well towards baptism, he has a very willing heart. Next time we get to get started on the commandments! We saw Jeremy after lunch and he is doing so well! We taught him the restoration for his after baptism lessons and this week we have a couple of his friends from the ward coming with us to teach him some more. He even found a job opportunity! He is just doing amazing. More and more of his personality is starting to come out as he feels the Spirit and gets really comfortable with the ward. They are doing a great job at making him feel welcome!

Wednesday evening we had a lesson with Sister Ceja, who was baptized last year in March. We have been talking to her for a while about going to the temple and being sealed to her husband and children. She said she has been talking about it with her husband but their car is broken and can't go on the freeway... I asked if that was all that was keeping them from going to the temple and she said yes... so I told her we could definitely get her a ride! We will be starting a mission prep class for her and a couple others in a few weeks :)

This week we were also able to find 3 new investigators through our investigator Deandre. We went to see him and we met his wife Zandra, and 2 of his daughters Simone, and Marzay. They are a very sweet family and I am excited to get to teach them! Deandre's brother just recently passed away so we talked to them about how Heavenly Father has provided a plan for his children! We were able to testify that because Christ's church and God's power have been restored to the earth, our families can be bound for eternity!  It was really great.

Thursday we saw Dice again and Liz, Jacob, and Matthew Zamarrepa. They are such a good family and the boys, who are only 16 (they are twins), are such good boys! They would make the best members ever! They always have so many questions so it's always hard to keep our lessons focused and cohesive... but they are learning well!

On Friday, we had new missionary training! The best part about being a trainer... just kidding... kinda. I love going to listen and learn from President Patterson and the assistants (Elder Bone and Elder Karren). Sometimes you get caught up in all the things you "should" be doing as a missionary, Yes all those things are important, but I love it when I get to be re-centered on my true purpose as a missionary; to teach repentance and baptize converts. I feel like my teaching and our lessons have been more focused on that and we have been able to better help those we teach understand why we are meeting with them.

Friday night we play basketball with some of our investigators and some of the other missionaries and their investigators... it's always a great opportunity because it is the only way we can get Jeremy's brother Glenn into the church! Of course they were both there and some of the elders had brought a new investigator named Mike. Mike is struggling with a few things and it was just amazing to see Jeremy bear his testimony to him of how the gospel has helped him overcome some serious challenges! It may have been the most powerful moment on my mission so far. He just kept telling him that he can do this, God will help him and that he had faith in him. He even added him on Facebook so he could help him out and stuff. It was really cool. Jeremy is such a good missionary. He wants to come teaching with us really badly! So eager to progress, I love it!

Saturday we had a very interesting lesson with an investigator named Soni, he is a very sweet Tongan man... but kind of hard to teach. Sister Nicol was able to bear beautiful testimony of how the Book of Mormon testifies of Christ and how our message can strengthen others' faith in Him.

Sunday was great! Beautiful weather! We had ward council and it was very productive. Then we went to get 3 investigators that we were supposed to walk to church with.... and none of them answered their doors or phones... and then another one texted us and told us they weren't going to be able to make it... So we drove back to the church just in time for sacrament meeting... and at least Jeremy was there! :) He always looks so happy to be at church! Next week he will really be getting the priesthood and we are very excited for him, he is also very excited! He can't wait to pass the sacrament and go to the temple on the 15th of July to do baptisms!

Sunday evening we met with Alyssa... she isn't going to be able to be baptized on the 1st of July... her parents are making her wait. She is holding on to the faith though! She is so cute, I just loved teaching her about temple and eternal families yesterday! She is going to be an amazing missionary one day!

I am just so completely filled with joy every single day! I know there must be times of stress, but I can't ever seem to remember it when I look back, only the good sticks around very long! I can’t believe all that I have learned and become, God truly is good!

I love you dearly!

Sister Holt

Good-bye Sister Biberston :(

Hello Sister Nicol!

 

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