Monday, February 16, 2015

Dentists and boonies and my dying companion

ALOOOOOOOHA everybody!!

I hope you all had a great week! Ours was pretty crazy, but I know my last email didn't really give you any news so I'll try to be a little better about giving you more info.

This week I went in for a root canal and came out of it quite loopy. Sister Stokes is a mad genius so she had me record a video of myself describing my experiences to show to the elders while we were driving back. It's pretty hilarious, but too big to email. So I guess that's something you'll have to enjoy after I get back. Apparently we went to the zone leader's apartment to drop something off and I said some pretty funny things, including calling an Elder Wheelwright Elder WheelWRONG. Then I came home and crashed for about 5 hours and woke up when it was time to go to bed! On the upside, Sis. Stokes got the chance to pack while I slept and the next day I felt like I had more energy than I've ever had before!

Speaking of Sister Stokes, she goes home this week! I'm going to miss her a ton!! My new companion is named Sis. Boulter, and I was actually her STL when I was in the Village, back when she was a brand new missionary. I'm really excited to work with her. She's super hardworking and enthusiastic. 

Also Trey got baptized!! Hayden is going to need a little more care teaching before he knows it's true but I'm sure that he'll get baptized soon. He was baptized with 2 of the elder's investigators so we had 3 baptisms for our ward! It was pretty amazing and extremely well attended. We probably could have moved to the chapel if we'd wanted. President Walkenhorst even came and said a few words. It was a great baptism.



Then we got to go on exchanges in Ada and we had a triple funeral with the three missionaries that were there that are going home. 



And we also got to go to the temple with the Pauls Valley zone, and that was just heavenly!

Overall, life is good. We're teaching a lot of amazing and prepared people. I'm excited for this next transfer of miracles!

I love you all! P. W. shared this scripture at the baptism on Saturday: 

For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people.

The most important thing is Christ. He lives and He loves us. He wants us to place Him at the forefront of our lives, and if we do so He will bless and protect us. 

Have a great week!


~Hna. Holloway

Monday, February 9, 2015

No words minced

ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Usually ideas for emails/blog posts/whatever come to me really easily. For some reason this week has been really difficult to put into words. Let's try a haiku:

Boys almost baptized
Took family to the temple
Taught a new guy too

Well there you have it folks! That was my week! Hope you have a good one! Read your scriptures, say your prayers, go to church, and have a happy Valentine's day! Love you bye!

~Sister Holloway

PICTURES:




Exchanges in Seminole! Got to see Elder Murphy there (old wardie from the Village)



Borchers family temple trip! The boys are so excited to get dunked on Saturday!

PS: I've also been pondering these verses a lot lately. I've been striving to develop charity, but I think that it can always increase!

42 Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.
 43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.
 44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.
 45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
 46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—
 47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

 48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

It's always darkest right before the dawn

Pardon the cheesy title, but that's really how I feel. This week has been infinitely better than last week, and on Friday we were driving to the hermanas' apartment to shower after early morning sports and right in front of us there was the most GORGEOUS sunrise. The colors were just so vivid and bright that there's no way to describe or replicate it. It was a nice little message from Heavenly Father that everything is going to be alright, that everything I was going through was designed to help me trust Him more.

We also got to go to the temple this week, and that was an amazing experience. I think the last time I'd been to the temple was in August or September, so it had been a couple of months. As soon as I walked into the ordinance room I just felt the most overwhelming sense of peace and comfort. I felt like I just gone home, but it wasn't really a physical home. I had gone to my spiritual home, which as a child of my Heavenly Father means the temple. I felt like I was in the presence of God and it gave me a great deal of strength. I also got the distinct impression while I was there that God is trying to stretch me and that he's making it kind of difficult on purpose, but that ultimately it would all work out. I also learned that I really have no idea how to do ANYTHING, but any knowledge and ability that I have was given to me by my Father and that as I trust Him more, He takes care of me.

So anyways, this week was a little slower missionary work wise, but it was a spiritual feast overall.

But we did have some pretty cool miracles:

On Friday we went over to Sis. Komers' house because she broke her foot really badly and can't really do a ton of housework. So we went over to cook and clean and stuff. When we pulled in we saw this guy that was doing some remodeling or something and as we got our of the car sister Stokes gave him a cheery wave and asked "is Sister Komers home?". He kind of gave us a strange look, said he wasn't sure, and then we went inside. About an hour later Bro. Komers came inside and said that as he was talking to the guy remodeling his house (Jeremy) he had asked "so what ward are you in?". Bro. Komers was of course very surprised and asked him if he was a member. Jeremy said that he was but hadn't been active for a long time and actually felt a lot of animosity towards the church. Well Bro. Komers took this lost sheep under his wing, talked with him, and managed to get him to come to church on Sunday and meet the very people that had offended him. All because of a simple question: "is Sis. Komers home?" If we hadn't been there and come when we had (which was late BTW) he never would've seen the sister missionaries and known that the Komers were members. God does know us individually and He looks out for us! The lost sheep cannot stray forever.

There's also this investigator that we have, Skye, who's the daughter of one of our recent converts. She's 12 and definitely needs the gospel, she just feels kind of shy about being around the other young women. We've been trying and trying to help her but we haven't been able to figure it out. Well last week the Young Women went and visited her without us asking them to. Then on Sunday she came to church, went to YW 3rd hour with us, and agreed to go to mutual. I really feel like this could be a turning point for her!

Anyways.

Life is good.

The church is true.

The Book is blue.

I love you.

And Jesus does too!

I hope all y'all have a great week and see miracles!!!

~Sister Holloway

Some pictures:


Disc golfing last week. I was terrible but it was fun :)




Our district at the temple! Yes elders Santana and Mulitalo were eating ramen. Silly elders.

Not to overly beat a dead horse... but I found this poster in the stake center library and thought it was appropriate: