Wk #56: I'm on a SPIRITUAL HIGH!

Andrew

I swear. Every week is the best week of my mission. And that is more than true for this week as well!

I am SO HAPPY. I wish I could express how happy my heart is, but there just aren't words to even start! I have been SO blessed this week with miracle after miracle, and tender mercy after tender mercy, and my life has been changed. Again. ;)

SUNDAY

We had a BAPTISM! Andrew was SO excited, and the spirit was so strong. It was right after church, so the entire ward was there and it was awesome. Elder Dalley and a kid named Birkley spoke at the baptism and Sister Evans and I gave the prayers. We watched short little videos while Andrew was getting changed. He came out of the water SO happy. My heart was filled with joy to see one of Heavenly Father's children take that step into the Kingdom. He gets confirmed tomorrow (PRAY FOR HIM. He went to Atlanta and is stuck there, so we are praying that he makes it back for church tomorrow!!!) We are so proud of him. :)

Mission Leadership Conference... Reunited with Sister Rindlisbacher and Sister Brown. Happy!

MONDAY

We got a new investigator, Kahlil, and boy. Is he prepared! We had an INCREDIBLE lesson on the Restoration, and the spirit was definitely there. We are so excited about him, and can't wait to see what Heavenly Father has in store for him. 

The smiles say it all....

Later that day, we were sitting in the library on TCC waiting for our appointment, and I had the strongest feeling that we needed to go to the food court if our appointment didn't show up. I didn't say anything to Sister Evans, but time went on and he never showed up. Again, I was super prompted. I turned to Sister Evans and told her that we needed to go to the food court because someone was in there that we needed to see. So we grabbed our stuff and speed walked over there. We walked in and there was no one... right as I was about to doubt the prompting (never do that..) I look up, and there he was. WILLIE. You guys. I LOVE WILLIE! We hadn't been able to get a hold of him (he doesn't have a phone...) and we hadn't seen him for a while and we weren't sure how we were going to get a hold of him, and there he was! We asked him if he could meet with us right then, he said yes, and then we had the most powerful lesson on the Plan of Salvation. The spirit was so powerful, and.... We committed him to be baptized.. and HE ACCEPTED! November 28th people!!! HUGE miracle!

TUESDAY

Tuesday we had District Meeting which is ALWAYS awesome, a few appointments and then we got to go to Costco! I had to pick up my meds and it just HAPPENED to be SAMPLE DAY. hahaha Yep. We may or may not have walked around and eaten samples. It was awesome. We also found ginormous teddy bears that were like 10 feet tall! It's always a good place to be!

We also had our MLC this week, but it was a retreat! Twice a year they have a retreat where all the leadership in the mission go and have a bonfire and play volleyball and hang out at the mission home. It was SO fun. I LOVE the missionaries here. I'm surrounded by incredible people. We had a way good time. All of the STL's got to spend the night in the mission home, which was AWESOME. Even cooler than that, Exactly a year ago I was at the MTC on my first day in FL. Pretty fun!

WEDNESDAY

A pig neck in the green beans for flavoring they say... a good reason to avoid green beans I say!!! GAG!!!

Wednesday we had MLC (the actual leadership training) and boy was I spiritually uplifted. I am eternally grateful for President and Sister Smith. They have changed my life. I swear they are perfect. But Sister Evans and I had the opportunity to teach at MLC. We created a new exchange report that President loved so much he wanted it implemented mission wide. So we got to train on that! It was a super awesome day. 

THURSDAY

We got to meet with Melissa super last minute, and yet again, another miracle lesson! We taught her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it finally clicked for her! It was a really great lesson, and... We committed her to be baptized too!! YUP! She accepted... Her date is also for November 28th! We are SO excited! She is such a sweetheart and definitely deserves the blessings of baptism!

We also got to meet with a less active named I-Jah. I LOVE I-JAH. We had an amazing lesson with him, and HE'S COMIN BACK!!!! I'm SO excited!!!

FRIDAY

I was on exchanges and had a sister from Perry at TCC with me! It was super fun.

We got a new investigator named Malia... it's not spelled that way.. but I can't remember how to spell it. Anyway, she is way interested and is so excited to learn more. 

But, let's back up. Remember Derek? The one who is like WAY prepared? yeah. So, he didn't want to meet with us this week (which made us SUPER nervous) and hadn't heard from him. We had texted him on Thursday night and had just let him know that we were thinking about him. Well, friday I wake up and see the phone lit up, so I go and look, and you'll never believe what it said... it said "I believe. I want to be baptized!" WHAT!! Talk about a good morning! So, we moved our schedule around so that we could see derek. We did Family History with him which ended up being way sweet, and then we took him on a church tour. I have never been so overcome with the spirit in my life. As we reached the baptismal font, I was fighting back tears, and so was everyone else. We had a really powerful conversation, and then.,... we committed him to be baptized. He has had one crazy experience after another telling him this is true. So guess what... that's THREE baptisms on NOVEMBER 28th!!!! 

I KNOW I am supposed to be on TCC for Derek. The spirit has testified that to me time and time again. My heart is so full of gratitude that the spirit led us to him a few weeks ago. Heavenly Father has definitely been blessing us this week, and I don't feel like I deserve it, but I'm very humbled and grateful. 

You guys, this gospel is so true. I can't express how much love I have for the blessings of the scriptures and prayer. Never in my life have I been more converted to the gospel then I have this week. I know with every thing that I am that Heavenly Father loves His children. He knows them, He blesses them, and He wants them to return Home. I know that my Savior lives, that he has suffered for me specifically and that I can use that to be strengthened. I know that this church is true, and I will never deny that or fall away. I love this gospel, and I will defend my God at all times and in all things and in all places. 

I love you all with everything that I have! I hope you have a week full of blessings. ya'll are great.

All my love,

Sister Holmes :)

 

Wk #32: S E V E N

Seven months. Where did that go?!

 This week was so great... as usual. :)

--> We taught a super awesome guy (we will call him "A" for short!) A is a rugby player at FSU. We contacted him and two of his friends while walking around campus one day. WE stopped them from their run and invited them to learn more about the gospel. A seemed super interested, so we called him and set up an appointment. We taught him the Restoration, and it was AWESOME. He accepted everything and the spirit was super strong. Well, he left and we were talking about how the lesson had went when all of the sudden he walks back into the Institute. The first thing out of his mouth was, "Um... do ya'll tow cars?" We were like, huh?! HIS CAR GOT TOWED FROM THE CHURCH! haha Talk about panic. So, we called the senior couple that works in the institute, and luckily they saved the day, but we definitely had some "bonding" moments with him that day, BUT he was totally awesome about it and was excited to see us again. YAY!!!

-->Sadly, we had to say goodbye to cute Sister Mathison! Poor girl did NOT want to go home! But, we were able to go out to dinner with President and Sister Smith on Tuesday night (where I tried calamari... and it wasn't too bad!!) We spent the evening with them, then said our sad goodbyes to Sister Mathison. 

-->We walked for H O U R S around campus this week, and met some pretty awesome people that we are excited to contact and teach! 

-->We also taught an atheist. First time for both of us! AHH. I have never been so grateful for the spirit in a lesson! I also have never been so grateful for the Book of Mormon. We're praying the spirit touches his heart!

-->We ate lunch at the COOLEST place on campus called the Sweet Shop. I had the best PB&J croissant in the world! SO so fun. I LOVE CAMPUS.

-->I stepped foot onto the FSU Tennis courts! My craving to hit a tennis ball has never been stronger. And it was SAWEET to be on those courts!

--> Sister Rindlisbacher and I laughed so hard yesterday that I almost had to lay down on the sidewalk because I couldn't breath. haha I've been blessed with awesome companions.

-->Speaking of companions... We're getting a part time comp! So it'll be a part time trio! say WHAT! SO.... A sister from Carro, Georgia left for her mission (Idaho), but had to come home from the MTC for some medical issues. So, President Burton, the stake president, called President Smith and told him that he really wants to keep this sister involved with the missionaries as she goes through her doctor's appointments and gets that figured out. So we get a call from President Smith (panic moment) and he told us that he has felt very strongly that she needs to be with Sister Rindlisbacher and I. 

      Out of all the sisters in the mission, I am SO honored that Heavenly Father and President Smith trust us to help this sweet sister! She will be staying with us a couple days/nights a week and being a third companion! Then the days that she isn't with us it'll just be Sister Rindlisbacher and I. I am now training two cute sisters! YAY! 

-->Update on my feet: They are good :) Modern day medicine is a HUGE blessing! 

-->Also, it reached 98* this week with humidity... and it's only May.. H E L P (written on a car window by a not so excited sister...)

I have felt so much happiness this past week, and I am so grateful for that. A lot of people email me and say, "Sister Holmes! How are you doing?! How are you REALLY doing. I know missionary work can be hard, and I want you to know that I am here for you. It's not always the funnest thing." And different variations of that. For those emails I am EXTREMELY grateful. More than words could ever say. And yes, while it's not always easy, when it's hot and I'm tired, when I have a difference in opinion than my companion, when the gospel is rudely rejected, when appointments cancel, I am still SO happy. 

HAPPY:

Have

A

Positive

Perspective.

You are blessed!

I can honestly say that everything about missionary work right now is amazing. I am happy, I am healthy, I am great friends with Sister Rindlisbacher, and I get to share the gospel all day everyday! How much greater can life be?! 

Take today to ponder the blessings, to see a light, and to lift those around you. As you focus on someone besides yourself, your burdens will ALWAYS be lifted. 

I love you all! Thank you for all the kind emails and letters! 

Love the happiest Sister in the South,

Sister Holmes :)

Wk# 31: The Week Full of the Unexpected!

Still the happiest sister in the south during the this week full of the unexpected!

 

Man. Heaven bless the creators of Skype! Technology these days is a huge blessing! It was SO good to see everyone. Goodbye's are the worst, but it was definitely much needed!

This week was full of unexpected lessons, new investigators, procedures, and rain!

Summer semester at FSU started on Monday, so there were FINALLY people walking around campus! It made the days go by much quicker. We were able to meet so many awesome people. There were so many who were receptive to the message! Huge blessing.

We were able to meet with 5 recent convert/ less actives this week which was super awesome, and I love them all! This ward rocks. Gotta love the singles ward!

As we were out contacting this week, we came across a man waiting at the bus stop. We talked to him for a little bit and asked if he had ever seen missionaries before. After he had replied with no, we shared a short message with him and asked him if we could set up a time to meet with him. He responded with "How about right now?" OKAY! As we taught the Restoration the spirit was so strong and he had incredible questions that were leading into the Plan of Salvation. We ended up setting a return appointment and are meeting with him next week. Heavenly Father is definitely preparing people to receive the gospel, and that was made extremely clear to me through multiple experiences this week!

We also had an appointment with a guy that we had contacted on the street. We weren't sure how solid he was, but to our happy surprise he came to the appointment and even brought a friend! We had a very powerful lesson and they both wanted to keep learning. It was a huge blessing! I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK!

As we have walked, and walked, and walked...... and walked... and walked... I have acquired a beautiful blister covering my entire heel on the bottom of my foot! So, I promised mom I would go get it looked at because it was looking like it was getting infected. So, I did just that. Called the mission nurse, tried a few at home remedy's that didn't work, and ended up going to the doctor. I was quite anxious to go since the receptionist was a little on the unkind side over the phone, but I was a big girl and went anyway. The doctor was SO nice and I'm 98% sure he was a member, but he surprised me with the sentence "Looks like we're going to do a little procedure today!" WHAT THE! So, I went with it and ended up having a chunk of my heel cut off! haha then the nurse asked me if I wanted to keep it... I said yes.... haha so that's what the picture is. Me holding a little cup with my heel in it! Okay, it's just a thick slab of skin, but ya know. My comps and the doctor thought I was so weird, but I know mom would be proud! ;) It actually feels a lot better though. I'm just trying to be careful so I don't create another blister on top of the raw skin.

We also had a massive rainstorm this week and got DRENCHED. Lovin the southern rain!

We had Zone Conference yesterday, and it was the spiritual push I needed this week. I LOVE PRESIDENT AND SISTER SMITH. What incredibly Christlike people they are! I learned so much and left spiritually filled. We also talked about hurricane prep which terrified me out of my mind. so that was fun.

To end, here are some thoughts I've pondered this past week.

So often we find ourselves unhappy. Unhappy in some aspect of our life, whether it be ourselves, those we love, our circumstances, or our unaccomplished tasks. We find ourselves wishing for the better, hoping for a difference and pondering on the sorrow. Why? Why do we dwell on those things that weigh us down, those things that pain our hearts? "Keep your faith high and your head up!" Take a deep breath and look up. Look at the tender mercies Heavenly Father continually places in your path. Look at the blessings that have come from the things that you DO have. We have been blessed with the knowledge and tools to be happy. Pick up the Book of Mormon, pick up your journal, and let the spirit fill your soul with everlasting happiness. See the good in all. Find the happiness hidden under frustration, and "let that desire work in you." It is through our Savior, and our Savior only that peace can come. Forgive those around you and forgive yourself. Start today with the decision to love, to live, and to go forward.

I love you all!

Sister Holmes :)