Hermana Katie Holt: Week 43: Go to the temple!

Hola a todos!!

Well, yesterday was MLK Day and the library was closed so here we are writing today! This week went by super duper fast and Heavenly Father continues to bless us with small miracles every day.

This past weekend we had Stake Conference and it was super good! Saturday was the normal meeting with the adults, and then on Sunday Presidente y Hermana Boucher came and also the Temple President and his wife (the Dominican Republic Temple) came and spoke to us. It was super spritual as he invited every single one of us to make it a goal to make it to the temple this year - to prepare ourselves daily for the blessings and experiences we will have as we worthily enter the House of the Lord. Now, let me just say that it is one of the hardest things EVER not to have a temple here!! Going from living almost my whole life 5 minutes from a temple, to living an island away makes me REALLY appreciate the temple more. Meeting members here who sacrifice time and money to make maybe one trip every couple years or so to the temple, opens my eyes a lot. One of the members we met with this week has a husband, who is a member also, but has been in a hospital bed for more that 20 years in their house. Because of the condition he has, he can't walk, and only sometimes can sit in an electric wheelchair, but not for a long time (only to eat). Last year he told everyone that he was going to take a trip to the DR temple. As we talked with him he told us how so many people literally told him that it was a nice goal to have, but that it physically wasn't really something he would be able to do. That didn't stop him! He cried as he bore his testimony of the miracle that happened. Him and his family prayed hard for weeks and miraculously his body was able to sustain the plane ride and 8 HOURS inside the temple sitting. My companion and I couldn't help but shed tears of gratitude as we pondered on our experiences we have had in the temple. Please, take time this week and go to the temple. How blessed we are to live in these last days with the restored gospel and priesthood! That we can take part in these sacred ordinances and feel our Heavenly Fathers presence!! And for some of us, the temple is SO close. We must take advantage of the spiritual help and guidance He is so willing to give us. All week I had the quote form President Monson in my head..

"Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. "

It is so worth it to go to the temple and I can't WAIT to go once I get home!

Well, everything is going well with the investigators! We taught the Restoration to Elsa's family and it went SUPER duper well! They weren't able to make it to church because it was in Toa Baja but we are praying for this weekend! Also, Julio and his family should be coming to church this sunday to!!

Also, we met the daughter of one of the old investigators that the Sisters used to have. When we stopped by to see if the mom was home, her daughter came out and let us in. We watched the DVD Finding Faith in Jesus Christ and it went super well! She is super sweet and speaks English perfectly!! So we talk in English :) She has 2 precious kids that are learning English as well! After the lesson Hermana Lara told me that it was a miracle lesson because the daughter has never been open when they were there before with her mom! I hope and pray that she progresses in the Restored Gospel!!!

Anyway, it's time to go!! I hope everything is going well!! Have a great week!!

Love,
Hermana Holt