Hermana Katie Holt: mission home

Hola todo!

Sorry I couldn't write yesterday, there was a holiday here or something so the Library was closed! But guess what also happened yesterday? We got a text Sunday that we were having a Zone activity for our P-day.. and that to be ready to go bowling!!! Hahaha yup, my whole zone went bowling for P-day, it was SO fun!! Kinda weird to see everyone in regular clothes, but it was a fun time!!

So guess what... YAN CARLOS WAS BAPTIZED!!!! WOOO!! It was super nice and a lot of the ward members came!! Haha well, his uncle is the Stake President (President Arrocho) who is in our ward and baptized him, and actually, basically all the Arrocho family is in the ward! So they were all there haha but it was really great!! And his mom was super excited for the baptism too which was so awesome to see!! Yayaya for baptisms!!!

With our other investigators though we didn't have a lot of luck this week, but we are hoping to have more contact with Marilin, Nilda, and Sandra this coming week. Everyone was just super busy this past week which was hard! But however, we did find two more investigators to teach who are ready to hear the Gospel!!! One of them we might actually have to teach in English... YES!!! Haha Hermana Sosa isn't as excited for that as I am :) Anyway, her name is Peggy and she is actually from New York and moved here to Puerto Rico like almost 30 years ago without knowing Spanish! Crazy, right? So she has learned over the years but sometimes, especially talking about Gospel things, it's a little bit more confusing for her in Spanish. And she can't read in Spanish! So we are teaching her the Restoration today in English :) and I'm praying it goes well!! The other is Aurora!! She definitely is ready to hear the Gospel! When she was talking to us she was telling us how she has searched and searched for a church to help her feel completely whole, I guess you could say. A church where she would know and feel the truth, all of the truth. Umm, hello!!! We are hear to help you with that :) Gah!!! We are super excited to go back and teach her this week!!

Friday we had our actual Zone Conference and it was amazing!! I love President and Hermana Boucher, they are seriously the best! President definitely has goals for the mission and so we are working hard to try and achieve them. Also, 2 days before the conference they asked if I could help with the musical number.. ahh!! Haha they tried to find me a violin but they couldn't find one so I played the EFY version of I Know That My Redeemer Lives and some of the sisters sang it!! It's a pretty big song and I was super nervous, but all went well!!

So, this week is my last week of training... where has the time gone?! This Saturday (my 4 month mark) we are going to find out about Transfers, who is staying and who is going! Hermana Sosa says I'm most likely staying, which to be honest I am kind of scared about this.. ok I'm freaked out!! Haha but really, I know the Lord is going to send me (or let me stay) where He needs me!! Entonces, vamos a ver!!

I'm sorry I'm keeping everything super short, I have less time today because we have more appointments for the day!! I hope everyone has an amazing week!! The Church is true!!!!

Love,

Hermana Holt

bowling with my district

funny to wear jeans

Yan Carlos baptism

Yan Carlos family

Hermana Boucher-mission president's wife

Hermana Howell

Hey everyone!! Sorry I'm writing so late in the week, these past few days and this past week have been absolutely crazy!!! Last week didn't really end the way we would have like it to, but the work is in the Lord's hands so we need to always trust in that!! Some circumstances came up and we aren't going to be teaching our two families anymore. I am absolutely so sad, but right now is just not the time, so I'm praying that in the future that it will be better! We are still keeping in contact with them though which I'm happy about! So right now, we don't have a lot of investigators or investigators that are progressing, but we are praying that this next week all will go well with the people we have contacted! Also, my dear companion got lice this past week so it took a couple of days to take care of that!! Don't worry, I am completely good - we have checked multiple times!!

So Monday we had a Sisters Training Meeting for all the Sister Missionaries in the mission and oh my goodness, it was amazing!!!! You will never guess who came and spoke to us!! So I was asked to be in a musical number with 5 other sisters and as we were practicing, the missionary that was playing the piano said, "Ok, so before Sheri Dew talks..." Uh, what did you say? Sheri Dew, like THE Sheri Dew? YUP!! Sheri Dew came and spoke to all of us!!! IT WAS AMAZING!!!! And it was a little nerve racking too cause we had to sing for her!! But it went SO well! Wow, that women is amazing. The theme basically for her talk was "Live your life with the help of Heaven." How cool is that? And she talked about the grace of God and how we can use it and recognize it in our lives. The Zwicks spoke too and it was so bittersweet because it was the last time they would talk to us, so they both bore their testimonies. I don't think I have ever felt the Spirit so strong in my whole life. I will forever remember the feelings I had in that meeting, I wish you all could have been there to feel it. This church is true! I can't get over it!!! Afterwards we all went to the Mission Home for lunch!! And what do you know, Sheri Dew came too!! After we ate, she was sitting on the couch and who would want to miss an opportunity like that?? So me, Hna Van Kammen and Partridge all went up and talked to her! She kept asking us questions about the mission and how we felt and what we were learning and all that stuff and after she's like, lets just have a group hug!! AH!! I was in a group hug with Sheri Dew!!!! Hahaha my life is made. But really, the whole experience was incredible. And I am going to miss the Zwicks SO much. They are probably some of the most amazing people I have ever met and have done miracles for this mission. I'm so sad they're leaving but our new president is coming tomorrow!! Woo!! We didn''t get home from the meeting til about 7:30 at night because it's about a 3 hour drive!

So yesterday we were supposed to just get our groceries and email, but when we went to the library to write it was closed!! I was so sad haha, but I know Heavenly Father has his reasons, here's why :) So since the library was closed we went over to one of our newest investigators we had just taught a couple days before, but when we got there she said that she was just about to leave (we are going back saturday though, don't worry!) so we had a decision to make. We could contact where we were, or we could go visit a lady we had contacted and talked to the week earlier, about a 10, 15 minute walk. We decided to go visit the lady we had talked to, and we are SO glad we did! When we first talked to her last week, her daughter (16) hadn't been living with her for over a year because of some reasons and that week she was going to see if her daughter would be able to move back in with her. When we went to go visit her yesterday, her daughter was there!!! So that was a miracle in itself!! And they were going to leave in about an hour, which means we had just enough time to teach the Restoration!! :) So we did, and oh my goodness. The lesson went so well!! They are so receptive, especially the daughter!! She was so excited to meet us and wants to know more about the scriptures and the gospel and how she can change, because she said that she wants to come closer to God!! Haha Hna Sosa and I just sat there, what is happening?! This is great! The ward is having a church "movie night" tomorrow night so we are taking her to it! GAH! Heavenly Father knows everything!!! Hna Sosa and I were talking afterwards and if we didn't go there at that time, we wouldn't have gotten a hold of them!

Oh guess what?! The Elders brought us a car!! Haha well, we can only use it for meetings, like meetings for the mission or district meetings in other areas! But hey, that's good enough for me!! Haha anyway, I'm out of time! A little update on the Spanish though, I have been able to understand a lot more this week which has been awesome!! My speaking still is no where near perfect haha but I'm doing better at forming sentences and I'm trying to legit force myself to talk to people haha but I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn it!!

Love,
Hermana Holt