rainy days and mondays always get me happy (2/21/11)

dear readers...

hello its me your favorite missionry SiSter Holt,,, I am here in Sunny California where the weather is cold but the sun is a shinning. It is February you know. I am so happy to be alive and to be doing the things I am doing. Did you know that the Lord Loves us and wants each one of us to be happy and He gave us agency so we are not forced to be happy but we choose to be happy!?! It's true we could be miserable and upset but that is our choice. I am happy because it is my choice. I have not seen or taught someone that comes to us wanting to learn about the gospel in a long time, we haven't had very many returns, we don't have 8 people going to church like we did in November. But I am so HAPPY!!!!!!!! I am the happiest person in the world. Im sure people could shove me around and call me all sorts of names for being Mormon but I am so happy. I love being a missionary and I love that I have the opportunity to represent the Lord. I have the greatest gift anyone could have, a nametag and a blessing.

We met this really cool guy the other day. Sister Cookie and I are going to all the less active members the bishop gave us and if we have a little extra time we go to see one here and there. One night we had a few minutes so we stopped by someones house Rachel and she was home so we chatted with her. It went well we connected and found out she is married now and lives with her grandma. Her husband John grew up in a really hard lifestyle parents were drug addicts and abbusive all the stuff you never want to hear about. He finally escaped into the military that is when he heard about God for the first time. He is hungry for the truth.

We set up an appt to go over again and we went with our Mission Pres Wife Sister Jardine. It was so great we had an awesome lesson he wants to learn more and come to church and pray, read the Book of Mormon. I invited him to be baptized and he said yes. He is going to come to church next week and we are going to prepare him for baptism. If all goes well he should be ready the 19th of March. That would be so awesome. When I invited him to be baptized I have never felt the spirit so strong. I knew I was inviting him purely because I knew it would be a better life for him not because I wanted another baptism or because I am supposed to do it but I felt such love for him and I knew the way I could show him that love was by inviting him to be baptized. This church is all about starting again and having a fresh start. I love it so much. Hooray for repentance.

We had all the missionaries get together and we went out for our area to bring in some of the less active members. This last sunday was so amazing we had 3 people there that were found doing that activity. ahhh its so wonderful. So you see we may not have a lot of people investigating the church but we have a lot of people coming back and that is our focus right now. It is so awesome I love being a missionary. So many wonderful things you get to experience. Watching a member come in a sit next to someone who hasn't been to church in over 20 years and seeing them laugh together is the most amazing experience in your life. It is our Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness. It is our job to help these people find their way again. I have never seen the Plan of Happiness so clearly as I have these past few weeks. IT SO AMAZING!!!!!!!

That is all. I love being with sister cookie she is so wonderful and we get along so well. We went shopping today before sports so we packed our clothes that we were going to wear for sports. When we got to the church to change we were wearing the exact same outfit. hahah how does that happen. That is unity right there.

Well gotta jet

Love Sister Holt

be happy and keep smiling

happy valentine's day (2/14/11)

Dear Readers,

Today is Valentines day and I have the best valentine in the world, Sister Cook. Did you know that Stockton was rated America's number one most miserable city? which is ironic because it has the two happiest people living here. Sacramento was rated number 3 i think. haha Good old stats, obviously they didn't poll any missionaries for that stat. Sister Cook and I are so happy. I love being a missionary. Life truly can not get any better than right here right now. up to this point in my life I have never worked so hard and just kept going. I see little miracles everyday which keep me going. I love to meet people that have a pure heart and sincerely want to do good.

THe other day we met David he is a recent convert of about a year. He just moved to Brookside. He is briliant a mechanical engineer and can do just about any house job repair you could need. He has the purest heart. He wants to learn more about the church and how he can be a better Mormon. He reminds me a lot of Roberto that was baptized in the deaf branch almost a year ago. It just makes me so happy to see people like that and it would be my greatest desire that people would look to me and say that I have the purest heart.... I have a long way to go because I'm not the sweetest person or the most patient. He really just wants to do good and follow Jesus Christ. He is such a great example of child like faith. I could go on but I wont.

Did you know happiness is a choice, it is the greatest choice anyone could make and the best choice to make you happy is to followJesus Christ because that is going to make you the happiest. we are making progress with our investigators. Not a lot of progress but its moving along. Sometimes I wish they could move at the speed i am going but i can't force them to do anything. I am just so happy that is all i can think about right now. No matter what happened this past week I am still so happy. oh something cool I found out Sister Cook is the coordinating sister this transfer and I am training her on it. After half of my mission i finally pass on the responsibility. I am excited for her she will do such a great job. go way above and beyond my standards. she is so great.

happy valentines day... me and my compenero send you a little love for v-day!!

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling....

ps i think i'm fat because i am always eating ice cream.

Hello (2/8/11)

Dear Readers....

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY... miracles happen everyday and the miracle comes after the trial of your faith. OH boy it was a great week. Good things are coming our way here in Stockton Cali... warm weather, lots of people, good laughs, and the GOSPEL.

We found a miracle family. We were knocking doors in the Zone leaders apt complex (they asked us to) and it went pretty well. We had a guy answer his doors in his tighty whities and we had some spanish guys talk to each other pretending they didnt understand but Sis Cook knows spanish and talked back it was great got a return with them, and knocked on Adel's door. Adel has a couple of kids, I'm not sure just how many but 3 that live at home and who are being taught about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She had been looking for a church for some time now. She grew up in Baptist churches and got involved and saw the things the preachers did and said and she didn't agree with it. She quit going and would try other churches here and there just to find it was all over. She had been praying for something so she knew which church to join and we knock on the door. Immediately she says "God is this my answer?" we have taught her family 1 time and we are going back tomorrow to teach them again. I pray everything goes well with them because they were supposed to come to church but did not. It may be a slow process but it will be good they will progress. It was such a tender mercy to meet them. Friday night sis cook and I were beaming from ear to ear. It is so great to be a missionary. I LOVE IT!!!

I am short on time but miracles do happen and I have seen first hand how the Gospel and trying to live a Christ like life can bless you in your life. There are some sad relationships out there and it is hard to not be selfish but you are so much happier when you are not. HAAH everyone is right this mission thing really is just a prep for your future as a spouse.

Oh by the way transfers happened last night and...................... I'm staying in STOCKTON AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I am so happy and I get to stay with sister Cook for my last transfer. 6 more glorious weeks with her. Lucky her she gets to be my valentine. eghheheeh It is going to be so great. I love being here and doing what I am doing.

welp gotta run love you all and keep up the hard work at home.

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling.

february (1/31/11)

Dear Readers,

February is just around the corner. I can't believe it time just flies right on by and I have no idea where it goes. Just in case some of you didn't know I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY.... it is the greatest gift I have ever been given. There is so much about being a missionary that you couldn't experience in any other place. This week was much better.

Ron... dearest Ron I love him so much, he will some day have the courage to come to church and see how much it can bless his life. Until then he will be in my prayers. He texted us 2 weeks ago and said that this organization just wasn't for him right now. So we went to his house to chat with him. The spirit was so strong. I could tell that he could not progress right now and there was no way I was going to help him understand he needs to go to church to be happy...(convince him to go?!?)... So I bore testimony that right now in his life he is trying to rid himself of bad habits, if he wants to be successful he needs to replace them with good. He accepted that and said he would work on that and when he gets to that point he will come to church. I told him that his life is not going to get any easier right now because he is rejecting the gospel and that it is going to get hard. So when he is ready we are here and he can call on us anytime, night or day. He agreed and I know he will. A seed is planted and it is growing I just need to be patient. It just kills me because I know the happiness he can have, I have seen how much greater his life can be. Soon he will understand and kick himself for not doing it sooner.

Patricia... that girl just isn't ready to change either. We went over and told her the only happiness she will receive is by obeying the commandments. She promised to come to church this week. She did not come but we told her what she needs to do and explained it so it is her decision now. we did everything we can do and thats all we can. We told her we would start helping her in life when we see her at church so until then....

RACHEL... We watched the Testimates it was so good. She cried and so did I... it had been awhile since I had seen it. But then we talked about the church and Joseph Smith and everything. Her heart is softening before she wouldn't even talk about gospel subjects. Now she is asking all sorts of questions. She is so ready. We have to work slow with her but she is making progress. It is so wonderful.

So the movie Testimates.... sorry if some of you have not seen it, maybe go watch it before you read I am going to give away the ending. It was to most wonderful moment to me. I have seen this movie countless times over and over and each time it's amazing but not like it was this last time. The spirit was so strong. In the end when Jacobs father Helam gets hit and goes blind and they walk to the land Bountiful and Christ comes. Ok so Jacob feels bad that his father can not see Christ because Helam was trying to save Jacob when he got hit. Jacob is describing what Christ looks like when suddenly someone says "Helam!!" and a hand covers Helams eyes. It is Jesus Christ. The amazing part to me is everytime I have watched this I always thought Christ said "Heal him" when I watched it this time Christ calls him by name "Helam!!!!!" the spirit hit me so strong. The Lord knows each of us by name and knows our needs. It is such a powerful message. Out of all the people in the world He can walk up to me and call me by name or whisper to me by name and He knows my prayers. ahhh I love this gospel it is so wonderful.

Ok so That is my week in a nutshell and I love being a missionary. I love my companion we are so happy and it is crazy to me I am to most happy now even though things are not going smooth at all. I am working my hardest and being the most obedient not seeing much success but I feel successful because I know in my heart I am doing everything I can and that is all that is asked of me. I will see blessings in other aspects of my life. I know my Savior loves me and is mindful of the things I am going through and that is why He watches out for me and that is why I am so happy.

I love you all and HAppy FEbruARY!! TOmorrow

Love Sister HOlt

Be happy and keep smiling

hello (1/24/11)

Dear Readers...

hello so things are a little slow right now most of our people we were teaching are now avoiding us or not acting on what we tell them. It is really hard to see these people change and not for the better... I'm not sure what is going on but we are staying strong and not letting it get to us. We are now looking for the families that are ready to accept the gospel. That is our goal now it to FIND FIND FIND families and anyone who has an open heart. I am really excited to see what the next few weeks bring.

I am really grateful for the trials and hard times that I have because it just builds my faith and I see little tender mercies from the Lord that let me know He is there watching me and letting me know that there is an end and we will find people to teach and baptize. It's Stockton it is full of people that are looking for something better. We are going to find them.

We have met quite a few people that are great really see potential in them. One of our favorite members is trying to get his wife involved. She is so great she really loves us and is starting to open up, we haven't taught her anything but we are going to try this week. We are going to watch the Testimates and then teach her about that. Hopefully all goes well. Her husband is totally in with us and excited about it. The Casper family, JC and Rachel. I LOVE THEM. They are such wonderful people. She has been asking a lot of questions about the Church and the Temple and all sorts of things.

The Caldwell family is having a really hard time right now. A lot going on in their life and needs some prayers in their behalf. Please keep them in your prayers and I know they can get through this if they just stick together and keep their focus on Heavenly Father. They are strong.

I went on exchanges with the sisters in the Deaf Branch and up in Folsom. It was lots of fun to see all of my friends from there. We went to a RS activity for the deaf branch so we could interpret and it was so fun. Some of the members saw me walk in and the RUN over and give me a huge hug. It was so wonderful. I miss the deaf branch a lot. It is such a great place to work. And working in Folsom we got to go to Activity Days and tell the kids what it is like to be a missionary and they all got to ask questions. It was interesting to know the things that they didn't understand or were curious about. They are so cute and a lot of them want to serve a mission.

Well just keep in your prayers that we will have success in our efforts to find people to teach and that they will want it themselves and not have to pull it out of them. I can feel it coming soon some one out there wants it we just need to find them.

I love being a missionary and going home so exhausted I can't even keep my eyes open. It feels so good. And it is starting to get warm again. We had our first week of spring weather. it has been high 50's low 60's all week. And should continue to get warmer.

I love you all

Love Sister Holt

Be happy and keep smiling

january (1/17/11)

Dear Readers,

Hello this has been quite a week. There are some people that we are teaching that I really love so much.... they are really working to change their lives and want to follow Christ, then we have some that just enjoy our company... We had a really great week teaching people this week and had some really great lessons. Everyone was set up for church they were all coming with no doubts. We call the first person... nope not coming.... next.... not home and not answering phone... next...stayed out too late and is too tired.... next... no answer..... very disappointed I feel what could I have done better? As we drive to church one of our investigators, Eric, is walking to church.............................Hallelujah every no is worth it to see his desire and his testimony as he is growing closer to the Savior. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!

We have been pretty bold this week with a lot of our investigators telling them they have to change or they know the outcome. And some of our members. It is a great feeling to just get it out there and tell them what they need to do and when they do it I can see their life change. They come to church so happy and proud. The Caldwell family is doing so good. It makes me so happy. They have been smoke free for over a week. And they have been reading the scriptures every night. They may not be getting much knowledge from it but their house is happy and their lives are better just from reading and going to church. I know how important it is to read everyday. It can really change a persons life if they would just take it seriously and really want a change in their life.

Then we have some people who are not working so hard to change their life and you can see that they are not nearly as happy as they could be. It is really sad I wish they could just see what I see, what Heavenly Father sees, they could be so happy and so just I don't know have JOY!! I really hope that they will soon, some day decide to change and come closer to the Lord. Just follow the simple things we have taught them and that's all it takes. The Lord will do the rest.

Lydias baptism was wonderful she looked beautiful. saturday she came out with us all day from 12 to 9 and just went to all the people with us. She loved it and I hope it will help her to continue with her testimony knowing what is true and what she should be doing. I pray so hard now that Lillian has been exposed to so much spirit that she will follow it and she will start to come to church and be happy. The gospel is so happy I dont know why anyone wouldn't want it.

So that is my week in a nut shell, people doing good and people not doing good.... hahaha but this week we are going to get them to change and help them to progress if they don't we are going out to find people that will progress.

The church is true and I love being a missionary and this week is going to be great I just feel it.

Have a good week....
Love Sister Holt
Be happy and keep smiling oh and President has asked that we don't talk about how soon I go home, because we all know its soon so just keep encouraging me to do my best and when it comes it comes. Until next week I bid you farewell.....