How's it going!?
One of our newest investigators is Angela. We contacted her daughter and when we came back to teach, her mom was the one who was really interested. Apparently a while back they lived in Kentucky, spoke with missionaries quite regularly and even had a baptismal date - but apparently there was a little tension between the ward leaders and her there and her baptism didn't end up going through. We don't have all the details yet but still trying to figure it all out. She's great though! We taught her the first and second lessons this week with our recent convert John. It ended up being perfect! He was able to relate extremely well because he used to attend the church that she now is attending. They were able to discuss likes and dislikes, and overall he was able to share a powerful, strong testimony about the difference this church has made in his life, his family, etc. I think she really related well with him. We invited her to church, and she came! And even participated in a lot of it. It was great! We're really excited for the progress we will make with her!
We also have another new investigator, a nice young man named Scott. We taught him the first and second lessons as well this week. He said he's really enjoying learning and loves the Book of Mormon. Hopefully we'll be able to set a couple baptismal dates pretty soon.
So those are some of the new people we're working with.
Wow, yesterday was the longest church session of my life. First we had an hour long ward council meeting. (BORING) We didn't talk about anything important and they basically skipped over our report. Then in sacrament meeting all of a sudden bishop tells me I have to translate. I haven't translated in months, but I did the whole meeting and it was decent I guess. Gave me a headache though. Then I was going to our Gospel principles class when I realized our teacher wasn't there. I asked bishop what to do and he said... guess you'll have to wing it. haha… so I did. I taught an hour long class based on the life of Jesus Christ with 5 seconds of preparation. I thought it was terrible but Elder E told me it was really good. So maybe I'm just too critical. Okay, so if that wasn't enough pressure and surprise for the day, I walked in to Spanish class and all the hermanos told me that it was my turn to teach all of a sudden. I just think that none of them wanted to teach, but I did it anyway. So I taught another hour long class in Spanish about the priesthood, and after that my head exploded and I wanted to die... haha it was just too much to do all in one day with zero preparation... but I made it through I guess. Wow it sucked though. Being a missionary is a lot of responsibility sometimes. Some of the hardest work in the world... so prepare yourselves brothas!
In other news, this past week we had interviews with president. Mine went really well. I love our new president and his wife SO much! I can't even explain, they are the two coolest people ever. He just makes me want to be a better missionary. We had a great discussion. He asked me to teach him some of the discussions in my interview and stopped me immediately just to tell me how much he appreciates my Eye contact. He said, out of all the interviews I have done, you and 2 other missionaries have kept eye contact with me, especially when teaching. That helps me to know that you know what you're doing and what you're teaching Elder Holman.
I just want you all to know that things are going great! My comp elder E and I get along great! I finally get him, and we are best buddies now. We have a lot of fun, and I'm really gonna miss him when I leave, we've been growing really close. The work is really picking up and hopefully we have some baptismal dates here soon as well. Success is just around the corner I think.
I love you all tons! Thanks for the pictures you send dad! I love seeing all your faces! Makes me feel at home even though I'm far away haha! You all look great! I wish you guys all the best and I'll keep you in my prayers.
Miss you tons! And love you even more!
~Elder Holman
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Mini Reunion
Hey family! It’s so great to hear from you!!!
I love getting on the computer each week to find a million fun pictures of my beautiful family to look at! It’s always so great to hear from you! Everyone looks fantastic!
So how is everyone doing? I am doing great! The last week has been DA BOMB.COM! Our new mission president is THE COOLEST human being like ever! It’s outrageous. He is so cool. The whole mission loves him. We had zone conference this past week and it was my favorite zone conference I have had thus far. The spirit that President and Sister Jergensen bring to the mission has no comparison. Sister Jergensen grew up in salt lake city and went to Highland High! She went to the U of U to. They are both amazing and I can't say enough good about them. I am so excited to be working under their direction and authority.
In Zone Conference we talked about how important it is to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. We Basically read 2 Nephi 31 and 32, and talked about how unique it really is and that we shouldn't get too carried away with the things that we teach that we forget that our investigators NEED to have FAITH, and REPENT. It was such an amazing Zone Conference. My interview with President was fantastic. I had an amazing connection with him. He told me that my smile was worth a million dollars and to never get rid of it. Man, He's just the coolest guy EVER! And he just makes me want to be a better missionary. So I will be.
This week we had a few successes. We did quite a bit of service... which kinda got in the way of our proselyting, but i won’t let that happen this week. We have a couple new investigators that bumped into this week that seem promising. Many of which have talked with missionaries before and met with them regularly.
The Iowa City Stake put on a program for the last couple of days called: "Called to serve". Basically they call and set apart the priest aged young men in the stake to go on a mini mission with other missionaries in another area for 3 days. Really cool idea I think! I wish our ward did something like that! These guys got tags and everything. It was really cool to give them an idea as to what missionary work is really like. Like I've said in the past... Often when we look at missions or we think of missionary, it always seemed so glamorous to me... I just always pictured two missionaries with the biggest smiles in the world that could never be wiped off. But missionary work is a lot more than that. In fact, it is truly THE HARDEST WORK I have had to do my whole life. It is not easy. But nothing could beat the rewarding feeling of success after all you can do to help someone come unto Christ!
Okay so... coolest experience ever! Last night in Iowa City there was a show called: "Our Story Goes on". It was a musical put on by the Nauvoo Pageant cast. It was AMAZING! But even cooler than that, as I walked in the door and looked to my right.. I saw a really familiar guy, and I sat down next to him and said: "are you from Salt Lake?" and he looked at me strangely for like 5 seconds and went crazy! He was one of the directors from a brand new year. In fact one of my my favorites of the 6 or 7 that were in charge. His name is Paul! He was so insanely excited to see me and I was so excited to see him! He is the Director of the Nauvoo Pageant and says that I HAVE To come try out after my mission! He started getting so excited, and he told me a way cool story. He says that David, (the head of the media department of the church), never ceases to tell the story of me coming to the brand new year audition. How the first time I showed up in jeans and a Hollister shirt, and at the callback and when I showed up in a suit. He said even if I couldn't have sung a note I would have been in it no question because of how I presented myself and showed how much I cared, but he was very excited when he saw that I could! haha apparently he tells that story at a lot of auditions! Really cool! Okay so anyway... then I go sit down on the front row and the actors start to shuffle onto the stage.. All of a sudden I see a guy Named Jeff who I was in Treasure Island with. You know that scene with that guy I shot while I was climbing up the ship? It was that guy but the one from Koopers cast. He was the one that didn't look as much like a pirate as the one in my cast.. i dunno if you remember. Anyway, he was so excited when he saw me. And then others came onto the stage, Paul Cartwright who I was in treasure Island with and he was involved with a Brand new year! Shanti, Emily, Brandon, Jen,(Brand New Year) All these people I know it was SO FREAKIN' COOL! It was so good and they could see me on the front row for the whole show so they kept winking at me and smiling, it was so cool! After I went up and talked with all of them, and for some reason The whole rest of the Nauvoo cast knows me?!?! I don't know how but they all came up and they were like : YOU're skyler Holman?!?! It was like way crazy. A total rush and wayyy exciting! They all told me I need to come do the pageant after my mission. Ahhh.. the show was so good.. it made me wanna get up on the stage and start performing like crazy. But it’s all good! The mission is even better than all that, and the rest of my life can wait and stay on hold until I'm done serving the lord! But boy am I excited to get back to all of that.
Wow, Missions are just crazy cool! I love it out here! Things are going great! :) I hope things are going well with my family back home! I miss you and I pray for you all the time! Love you all so so Much!
Con mucho Amor,
~Elder Holman
I love getting on the computer each week to find a million fun pictures of my beautiful family to look at! It’s always so great to hear from you! Everyone looks fantastic!
So how is everyone doing? I am doing great! The last week has been DA BOMB.COM! Our new mission president is THE COOLEST human being like ever! It’s outrageous. He is so cool. The whole mission loves him. We had zone conference this past week and it was my favorite zone conference I have had thus far. The spirit that President and Sister Jergensen bring to the mission has no comparison. Sister Jergensen grew up in salt lake city and went to Highland High! She went to the U of U to. They are both amazing and I can't say enough good about them. I am so excited to be working under their direction and authority.
In Zone Conference we talked about how important it is to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. We Basically read 2 Nephi 31 and 32, and talked about how unique it really is and that we shouldn't get too carried away with the things that we teach that we forget that our investigators NEED to have FAITH, and REPENT. It was such an amazing Zone Conference. My interview with President was fantastic. I had an amazing connection with him. He told me that my smile was worth a million dollars and to never get rid of it. Man, He's just the coolest guy EVER! And he just makes me want to be a better missionary. So I will be.
This week we had a few successes. We did quite a bit of service... which kinda got in the way of our proselyting, but i won’t let that happen this week. We have a couple new investigators that bumped into this week that seem promising. Many of which have talked with missionaries before and met with them regularly.
The Iowa City Stake put on a program for the last couple of days called: "Called to serve". Basically they call and set apart the priest aged young men in the stake to go on a mini mission with other missionaries in another area for 3 days. Really cool idea I think! I wish our ward did something like that! These guys got tags and everything. It was really cool to give them an idea as to what missionary work is really like. Like I've said in the past... Often when we look at missions or we think of missionary, it always seemed so glamorous to me... I just always pictured two missionaries with the biggest smiles in the world that could never be wiped off. But missionary work is a lot more than that. In fact, it is truly THE HARDEST WORK I have had to do my whole life. It is not easy. But nothing could beat the rewarding feeling of success after all you can do to help someone come unto Christ!
Okay so... coolest experience ever! Last night in Iowa City there was a show called: "Our Story Goes on". It was a musical put on by the Nauvoo Pageant cast. It was AMAZING! But even cooler than that, as I walked in the door and looked to my right.. I saw a really familiar guy, and I sat down next to him and said: "are you from Salt Lake?" and he looked at me strangely for like 5 seconds and went crazy! He was one of the directors from a brand new year. In fact one of my my favorites of the 6 or 7 that were in charge. His name is Paul! He was so insanely excited to see me and I was so excited to see him! He is the Director of the Nauvoo Pageant and says that I HAVE To come try out after my mission! He started getting so excited, and he told me a way cool story. He says that David, (the head of the media department of the church), never ceases to tell the story of me coming to the brand new year audition. How the first time I showed up in jeans and a Hollister shirt, and at the callback and when I showed up in a suit. He said even if I couldn't have sung a note I would have been in it no question because of how I presented myself and showed how much I cared, but he was very excited when he saw that I could! haha apparently he tells that story at a lot of auditions! Really cool! Okay so anyway... then I go sit down on the front row and the actors start to shuffle onto the stage.. All of a sudden I see a guy Named Jeff who I was in Treasure Island with. You know that scene with that guy I shot while I was climbing up the ship? It was that guy but the one from Koopers cast. He was the one that didn't look as much like a pirate as the one in my cast.. i dunno if you remember. Anyway, he was so excited when he saw me. And then others came onto the stage, Paul Cartwright who I was in treasure Island with and he was involved with a Brand new year! Shanti, Emily, Brandon, Jen,(Brand New Year) All these people I know it was SO FREAKIN' COOL! It was so good and they could see me on the front row for the whole show so they kept winking at me and smiling, it was so cool! After I went up and talked with all of them, and for some reason The whole rest of the Nauvoo cast knows me?!?! I don't know how but they all came up and they were like : YOU're skyler Holman?!?! It was like way crazy. A total rush and wayyy exciting! They all told me I need to come do the pageant after my mission. Ahhh.. the show was so good.. it made me wanna get up on the stage and start performing like crazy. But it’s all good! The mission is even better than all that, and the rest of my life can wait and stay on hold until I'm done serving the lord! But boy am I excited to get back to all of that.
Wow, Missions are just crazy cool! I love it out here! Things are going great! :) I hope things are going well with my family back home! I miss you and I pray for you all the time! Love you all so so Much!
Con mucho Amor,
~Elder Holman
Adventures at WalMart
HEY You guys!
Wow another week has just flown by again! Happy late 4th of July! Did you enjoy it? I hear and saw that you went to the cabin! Oh, how I miss that place!
Well, it has been just a great week. I mentioned how much of struggle training can be last week. But it is truly getting better! I think I may have been a little too intense when he first got here. But I'm trying to be more like myself and still maintaining myself as a missionary and I think that is helping quite a bit with our relationship. He's a really chill guy, and I think I worked him a little too hard the past two weeks, but we've had some great successes!
We met many people this week. We've still been tracting like crazy, we talk to so many people, it's insane! Like every single person we see we talk to! But it’s really opened the doors to more teaching opportunities and so we are looking forward to it. We have like 7 new investigators, and they are all pretty legit people. We had the coolest experience the other day. We went to Wal-Mart to buy a scale for our apartment. While we were in the isle, there was this guy who worked there making things look nice and elder E said, hey which one of these is the best scale… and he looked at us and said: "the one that lies to you" haha... I thought that was pretty funny. He then showed us some of the positives and negatives, and after kind of went back to work. But shortly after he hesitantly looked back at us and said: Now I have a question for you. Who are you guys? I see you every day, walking door to door, in the hot humid weather in your slacks and white shirts, and it’s crazy. What are you guys doing? I responded and started to tell him about how we are missionaries, that we give up 2 years of our lives to come out and share what we know to be true. He suddenly got more interested and we ended up having the whole first discussion in this isle of the store. We asked questions, answered his, I even quoted Joseph smiths first vision to him. It is such an amazing thing to be a missionary. Only on a mission will you experience the things I have experienced. I love it. He said he was very interested, he's changed religions several times and is looking for truth he said, and he told us that he thinks what this world needs is a prophet, and we were able to testify to him that there was! It was amazing. He told us he wanted us to stop by his house in two weeks so we can teach him more. I think he will be a great investigator. His name is A. Pray for him. Oh and I weigh 172 pounds right now... I'm fat :(
We also bumped into several Spanish folks this week, and taught them a Little to. I met a guy named nick and he was blown away by the book of Mormon, especially when I told him it was another testament of Jesus Christ! He was like : I want one of those books! So I gave him one right away! He said: I can't believe they don't teach us about this stuff in church, or even history classes! haha it was pretty funny.
We met and spoke with so many people this week, it was really amazing. We had an amazing lesson With A…, a lady that we met while tracting. We came over and had the whole first discussion with her and she loved it. She has changed her religion so many times because she feels that the doctrines always change and that the churches change in order to meet there audience. She says she believes we should have to make a change to come before God, not the other way around. We couldn't agree with her more! There is a church here (I call it the great and abominable) Called Calvary church. It is literally held in what once was a BIG Kmart. Over half the town goes town goes to it. It’s awful. I hear it’s a entertainment church…basically a rock concert centered in Christ and the bible every time you go. A… went there, but feels that doctrines and traditions change to much with the times, and she is looking for something that stays the same (except when changed based on Revelation) since its organization. cough cough (our church). She was very excited about the Book of Mormon and hesitant at the same time. She left for Texas for 2 weeks and said she's read it on the way, and when she gets back we can talk about it. She's amazing. I have a great feeling about her, and I think we'll have some great success there.
Being a Missionary Rocks! There are some nights that I come home so overcome with joy and with the success we have that I feel like I'm in heaven! There are also nights you come home and want to die because of lack of energy or you are sad because you had little success that day! The Mission is a roller coaster of Emotions. But the BEST experience I've had in my life so far. I love it.
So we got a new President last week. President Jergenson. I haven't met him yet, but will this week. Kind of exciting, but a bit sad. The Talbots were amazing. You should go to their homecoming!
We have all of our new mission boundaries now, Nauvoo included! I'll have to beg my president my last transfer to serve in one of your areas dad if we have any of them! Where did you serve again? cuz we just got a ton of Illinios!
Well, I don't have much more news! That’s all the excitement for this week! It’s been great! I hope my family is doing well! It’s always nice to get a letter from you! (hint hint)
You are all in my prayers and I love you all so so much,
Con Mucho Amor,
~Elder Holman
Wow another week has just flown by again! Happy late 4th of July! Did you enjoy it? I hear and saw that you went to the cabin! Oh, how I miss that place!
Well, it has been just a great week. I mentioned how much of struggle training can be last week. But it is truly getting better! I think I may have been a little too intense when he first got here. But I'm trying to be more like myself and still maintaining myself as a missionary and I think that is helping quite a bit with our relationship. He's a really chill guy, and I think I worked him a little too hard the past two weeks, but we've had some great successes!
We met many people this week. We've still been tracting like crazy, we talk to so many people, it's insane! Like every single person we see we talk to! But it’s really opened the doors to more teaching opportunities and so we are looking forward to it. We have like 7 new investigators, and they are all pretty legit people. We had the coolest experience the other day. We went to Wal-Mart to buy a scale for our apartment. While we were in the isle, there was this guy who worked there making things look nice and elder E said, hey which one of these is the best scale… and he looked at us and said: "the one that lies to you" haha... I thought that was pretty funny. He then showed us some of the positives and negatives, and after kind of went back to work. But shortly after he hesitantly looked back at us and said: Now I have a question for you. Who are you guys? I see you every day, walking door to door, in the hot humid weather in your slacks and white shirts, and it’s crazy. What are you guys doing? I responded and started to tell him about how we are missionaries, that we give up 2 years of our lives to come out and share what we know to be true. He suddenly got more interested and we ended up having the whole first discussion in this isle of the store. We asked questions, answered his, I even quoted Joseph smiths first vision to him. It is such an amazing thing to be a missionary. Only on a mission will you experience the things I have experienced. I love it. He said he was very interested, he's changed religions several times and is looking for truth he said, and he told us that he thinks what this world needs is a prophet, and we were able to testify to him that there was! It was amazing. He told us he wanted us to stop by his house in two weeks so we can teach him more. I think he will be a great investigator. His name is A. Pray for him. Oh and I weigh 172 pounds right now... I'm fat :(
We also bumped into several Spanish folks this week, and taught them a Little to. I met a guy named nick and he was blown away by the book of Mormon, especially when I told him it was another testament of Jesus Christ! He was like : I want one of those books! So I gave him one right away! He said: I can't believe they don't teach us about this stuff in church, or even history classes! haha it was pretty funny.
We met and spoke with so many people this week, it was really amazing. We had an amazing lesson With A…, a lady that we met while tracting. We came over and had the whole first discussion with her and she loved it. She has changed her religion so many times because she feels that the doctrines always change and that the churches change in order to meet there audience. She says she believes we should have to make a change to come before God, not the other way around. We couldn't agree with her more! There is a church here (I call it the great and abominable) Called Calvary church. It is literally held in what once was a BIG Kmart. Over half the town goes town goes to it. It’s awful. I hear it’s a entertainment church…basically a rock concert centered in Christ and the bible every time you go. A… went there, but feels that doctrines and traditions change to much with the times, and she is looking for something that stays the same (except when changed based on Revelation) since its organization. cough cough (our church). She was very excited about the Book of Mormon and hesitant at the same time. She left for Texas for 2 weeks and said she's read it on the way, and when she gets back we can talk about it. She's amazing. I have a great feeling about her, and I think we'll have some great success there.
Being a Missionary Rocks! There are some nights that I come home so overcome with joy and with the success we have that I feel like I'm in heaven! There are also nights you come home and want to die because of lack of energy or you are sad because you had little success that day! The Mission is a roller coaster of Emotions. But the BEST experience I've had in my life so far. I love it.
So we got a new President last week. President Jergenson. I haven't met him yet, but will this week. Kind of exciting, but a bit sad. The Talbots were amazing. You should go to their homecoming!
We have all of our new mission boundaries now, Nauvoo included! I'll have to beg my president my last transfer to serve in one of your areas dad if we have any of them! Where did you serve again? cuz we just got a ton of Illinios!
Well, I don't have much more news! That’s all the excitement for this week! It’s been great! I hope my family is doing well! It’s always nice to get a letter from you! (hint hint)
You are all in my prayers and I love you all so so much,
Con Mucho Amor,
~Elder Holman
TRAINING
Hey family!
It's been a very interesting week. Training is one of the hardest things I think I've ever done, Other than Spanish. It's fun, but hard. Mostly because when you train it's kinda like you're the only missionary. You have the game plan, you know how to talk to people, you know how to teach, you already know the environment, and for a new missionary it’s not the way. I think Elder E is catching on though. Hopefully. It's been a very LONGGG week. Just before elder D left, we dropped the majority of the investigators we were working with as of a result of their lack to keep commitments. So, in a way, I feel like I'm starting over, which can be a rather overwhelming feeling sometimes. I really want elder E to have the teaching experience, but how can we when we have barely anyone to teach? We have pretty much tracted the past whole week. It has been fun but tough at the same time. We made about 14 return appointments for this week after talking to more than 150 people. So about 1 for every 10 we get someone semi-interested. The odds are kind of against us that’s for sure, but that doesn't mean there is no room for miracles. I just know things will start picking up soon... I think my heavenly father is just testing my patience a little, which is good. I need to be more patient :)
Okay another Highlight for this week? We went to NAUVOO! HOLLA BACK YA'LL. I LOVE NAUVOO! We went with the Marstens and the Halls. We went and did a session and then after? We went and saw VOCAL POINT! It was way sweet. They are really really good. I wanna try out for it after the mission for sure. Elder E was friends with one of the guys in it so that was way cool. I totally wanna try out for that for sure, it was so much fun! Maybe they will be there next year and we can go see them as a family? Huh? That’d be cool? And watch the sunset on the Mississippi! Lets plan on it. There is like 2-days worth of stuff you can do there, so we can go all out… wow that’s only 352 days away! Like 53 weeks? That’s insane to think about...
I'm a year out, so If I can learn as much as I've learned this past year this next year, I should be JUST fine. oh, I did a Spanish Baptismal interview last Thursday... it was kind of intense, just me and a Mexican dude.. haha but It was a good stretch for my Spanish, and he passed the interview so he got baptized yay!
So ya, well, I think thats all the latest stuff with me! I love you guys so much! You rock my world! Hope all is well at home!
Con mucho amor,
~Elder Holman
It's been a very interesting week. Training is one of the hardest things I think I've ever done, Other than Spanish. It's fun, but hard. Mostly because when you train it's kinda like you're the only missionary. You have the game plan, you know how to talk to people, you know how to teach, you already know the environment, and for a new missionary it’s not the way. I think Elder E is catching on though. Hopefully. It's been a very LONGGG week. Just before elder D left, we dropped the majority of the investigators we were working with as of a result of their lack to keep commitments. So, in a way, I feel like I'm starting over, which can be a rather overwhelming feeling sometimes. I really want elder E to have the teaching experience, but how can we when we have barely anyone to teach? We have pretty much tracted the past whole week. It has been fun but tough at the same time. We made about 14 return appointments for this week after talking to more than 150 people. So about 1 for every 10 we get someone semi-interested. The odds are kind of against us that’s for sure, but that doesn't mean there is no room for miracles. I just know things will start picking up soon... I think my heavenly father is just testing my patience a little, which is good. I need to be more patient :)
Okay another Highlight for this week? We went to NAUVOO! HOLLA BACK YA'LL. I LOVE NAUVOO! We went with the Marstens and the Halls. We went and did a session and then after? We went and saw VOCAL POINT! It was way sweet. They are really really good. I wanna try out for it after the mission for sure. Elder E was friends with one of the guys in it so that was way cool. I totally wanna try out for that for sure, it was so much fun! Maybe they will be there next year and we can go see them as a family? Huh? That’d be cool? And watch the sunset on the Mississippi! Lets plan on it. There is like 2-days worth of stuff you can do there, so we can go all out… wow that’s only 352 days away! Like 53 weeks? That’s insane to think about...
I'm a year out, so If I can learn as much as I've learned this past year this next year, I should be JUST fine. oh, I did a Spanish Baptismal interview last Thursday... it was kind of intense, just me and a Mexican dude.. haha but It was a good stretch for my Spanish, and he passed the interview so he got baptized yay!
So ya, well, I think thats all the latest stuff with me! I love you guys so much! You rock my world! Hope all is well at home!
Con mucho amor,
~Elder Holman
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