Hello!
A little bit of a slower week this week, I mean we were very busy
because we always have backups, but we didn't get to teach a lot of lesson
because of cancellations...
Some highlights from his week were a lesson about faith with a
less-active member named Vaiola. I love teaching her. She is just so great and
eager to learn more, to grow in the gospel and to keep commitments because she
knows how much it blesses her.... now if only we could get some of our
investigators to feel that way hahah We also had a lesson with Jeremy and
Glenn, a member in our ward named Amanda came with us, it went really well!
Glenn was actually going to go and do something else, but he came out and
joined instead, which is a really big step for him! He's a sweet kid, and
Jeremy is doing a ton better! He is ready to get the ball rolling again! :)
Wednesday was pretty busy... We had lessons with Calvin, Dice, Jeremy,
Vaiola, Sister Ceja (less-active member), and Scott (less-active member). We
also got to teach the Preach my Gospel class again to the Priests in the ward,
they are doing so well! We practiced teaching 4 minute restoration lessons with
them, it also gave us the chance to practice, which was nice.
Thursday we had zone conference! Oh man, it was amazing as usual. We learned
about finding, especially having an "urgency" to find. It's
funny that that wasn't really something we were struggling with, until last
week haha I'm sure it will pick up again this week though! Something was
reminded of is that there is a never-ending supply of people who need to hear
the gospel and are ready to receive it, especially here in southern California!
i have never seen so many people in my life! God is always preparing people, we
just need to find them, and that tales work! We can't just wait for them to
fall into our laps, we have to seek! So, I am going to try to be better at
"seeking." :)
After zone conference, we were all jazzed up on the spirit and we went
to a lesson with Liz Zamarrepa; it was so good! We re-established our purpose,
taught a short but very powerful restoration to both her and her sister who was
visiting, and set a baptismal date! It was so awesome.
Friday we had a few really good lessons as well. Ee met with Rosemary,
taught the plan of salvation with Amanda again. Amanda is a recently returned
missionary so she's basically the best ever to have in lessons! Especially
since they were both the first 2 times Sister Nicol has taken the lead with the
plan of salvation so Amanda was a good comfort and help to her I think.
In the afternoon, we taught Demel the plan of salvation with Justin
Ibarra, and later we taught the restoration to a wonderful new investigator
named Julie with her fellowshiper, Sister Huebner. Both those lessons went
really well! Julie's lesson was especially sweet. When we invited her to read
the Book of Mormon she said reading was hard for her... she said, " I have
something called ADD, I don't know if you've heard of it." I just
thought, uh yeah... I've heard of it a time or two hahaha.. This is funny
because I have ADD for those of you who don't know... So I was able to share
how I was able to overcome the challenges I have faced concerning my
learning... impairment? (I feel like it's weird to call it a disability...)
through the atonement of Jesus Christ. It really does cover, heal and prevent
any and all imperfections. Anything that might possible keep us from perfection
can and will and has been overcome by our Saviour. We gave her just a short
passage to read and focus on how she felt as she read it. I am really excited
to meet with her again.
This was just such an example to me of how "weak things become
strong." Never did I ever think that my "weakness" of having
attention deficit disorder would ever become helpful and even comforting to anyone.
I can remember that she just kept saying, "I am so glad I have finally
found someone that understands!" God is good and his plan is perfect!
Saturday was pretty much a bust. We had about 6 lessons planed and we
taught... 2. We were also supposed to have Edward's baptismal interview and...
he didn't show up again. BUT we did get to go to a baptism with Alyssa and
Justin Ibarra, so that was really great, especially since the person being
baptized was in a very similar situation to Alyssa.
One of the lessons we had was with a less-active mom and daughter, the
Shoemakes. They were very sweet and we got to teach a very powerful, short
restoration lesson. They explained that their testimonies were very much alive,
they had just been offended years ago... We told them that we don't care if
they come to sacrament meeting, leave right after and never talk to anyone the
whole time; we were there to help them reclaim the blessings they have lost by
taking the sacrament. As I was testifying to them about the sacredness of the
sacrament and the importance of my covenants, I was overcome with the strength
of a testimony I didn't know I had! More than perhaps anything, I have learned
the importance of the covenants we make as members of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter day saints. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have gained.
Sunday we had about 3 or 4 people that we were positive would be coming
to church, they told us right to our faces not 24 hours before.... and no one
came. It was disappointing, but not as bad as last week... I felt confident
that I had done all that I could. No matter how good a teacher or inviter I
become, I will never be able to MAKE someone do something they are not willing
to do.
After church we saw Jose, a new investigator, and talked to him about
how the gospel blesses and strengthens our families. He didn't have long
though, so we set a return appointment and we will plan to prepare short,
powerful lessons for him to better work with his schedule. Later we saw a
former investigator named Riley, she is 11 and very cute. She wants to start
learning again and we are very excited to see her!
It's funny how on your mission, in a period of 24 hours you can have
both the worst and the best day of your mission.
The Church is true!
Love, Sister Holt
Well - Christina sent no pics but a couple were posted on Facebook
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