What an adventure filled week!!!
Saturday night we
went with Tira to get snow cones on Lake Ella. I haven't had a snow cone
my entire mission... they don't have them here! But this place was
crazy!! It had over 70 flavors, so many toppings, and it was SO GOOD. It
was WAY fun! Then we played ultimate Frisbee as a district which is
always fun!
Monday morning started out with some
awesome lessons and a new investigator named Fabrice from West Africa.
He's got a really strong french accent, so it's a little difficult to
understand him, but he's super awesome! After lunch we packed our bags
and headed on a road trip to help with an Emergency Transfer....
We spent the night in the
Fairhope apartment, and it is the cutest apartment I have ever seen. Not
to mention, the couch was the size of a full size bed and felt like
HEAVEN.
We up and left early Tuesday morning
to get back to Tally at a decent time (it's a 4ish hour drive, so not
too bad) and on our way home we made some fun little pit stops! What a
better way to spend my 11 month birthday! We went to some pretty redneck
southern souvenier shops, and had some good food breaks!
Anyway,
it was SO much fun, and I am so grateful that I was given the
opportunity to see the mission! We ended up driving through most of it!
Sister Wood and I had a great time, and laughed lots and lots. Great
memories were made!
On Wednesday we got to go
into one of the college classes and do a presentation on Family History.
It was super cool! Then we had a Specialized Zone Training with
President and Sister Smith. Sister Wood and I had the opportunity to
teach at that, and it was a really good experience. We trained on Family
History and what tools Family Search has to offer! The Zone Training
was focused on Family History and "Opportunity Generation Next."
I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
We
have received council from Elder Nielson (who came and toured our
mission) to implement a new form of missionary work. It has only been
done in the Philippines, and they saw incredible success. This has never
been done in the States before! We are taking the focus off of baptism,
and putting it on the temple. We will now focus on reactivation! Our
goal is to make the church here in the south strong. By doing so, we
reach a new pool of potential investigators! By going through the less
active members, we will find more people to teach and baptize, while
reactivating members.
To reactivate members, we will be using family history, which brings me to the next incredible thing.
President
and Sister Smith, as well as the office elders, have spent countless
hours working on something that no other mission has ever had! We are
the first in the world to take this approach and use this. They have
designed and created a Family History Pamphlet, just like the
Restoration, Plan of Salvation, Gospel of Jesus Christ, etc pamphlets
that we use to teach! It teaches the doctrine of Family History and
transitions into the Restoration! IT'S AMAZING.
Monday morning started out with some
awesome lessons and a new investigator named Fabrice from West Africa.
He's got a really strong french accent, so it's a little difficult to
understand him, but he's super awesome! After lunch we packed our bags
and headed on a road trip to help with an Emergency Transfer....
HELLO ALABAMA!!!
You
guys. I LOVE BAMA. I hope to serve there one day! We got to take cute
Sister Brandt down to Fairhope, AL and it was SUCH a fun road trip! The
drive was gorgeous!
We spent the night in the
Fairhope apartment, and it is the cutest apartment I have ever seen. Not
to mention, the couch was the size of a full size bed and felt like
HEAVEN. 
We up and left early Tuesday morning
to get back to Tally at a decent time (it's a 4ish hour drive, so not
too bad) and on our way home we made some fun little pit stops! What a
better way to spend my 11 month birthday! We went to some pretty redneck
southern souvenier shops, and had some good food breaks!
and YUP. I've been out 11 months! WWHHAATT.
Anyway,
it was SO much fun, and I am so grateful that I was given the
opportunity to see the mission! We ended up driving through most of it!
Sister Wood and I had a great time, and laughed lots and lots. Great
memories were made! 
On Wednesday we got to go
into one of the college classes and do a presentation on Family History.
It was super cool! Then we had a Specialized Zone Training with
President and Sister Smith. Sister Wood and I had the opportunity to
teach at that, and it was a really good experience. We trained on Family
History and what tools Family Search has to offer! The Zone Training
was focused on Family History and "Opportunity Generation Next."
I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
(I can't remember if I've talked about this in an email already... so if I have, I apologize.)
We
have received council from Elder Nielson (who came and toured our
mission) to implement a new form of missionary work. It has only been
done in the Philippines, and they saw incredible success. This has never
been done in the States before! We are taking the focus off of baptism,
and putting it on the temple. We will now focus on reactivation! Our
goal is to make the church here in the south strong. By doing so, we
reach a new pool of potential investigators! By going through the less
active members, we will find more people to teach and baptize, while
reactivating members. 
I am SUPER pumped about
this. The spirit has definitely testified that this is the key to
unlocking the south! It's going to be awesome.
To reactivate members, we will be using family history, which brings me to the next incredible thing.
President
and Sister Smith, as well as the office elders, have spent countless
hours working on something that no other mission has ever had! We are
the first in the world to take this approach and use this. They have
designed and created a Family History Pamphlet, just like the
Restoration, Plan of Salvation, Gospel of Jesus Christ, etc pamphlets
that we use to teach! It teaches the doctrine of Family History and
transitions into the Restoration! IT'S AMAZING.
Heavenly Father is definitely hastening the work here right now! We have so many new incredible tools to use! BLESSINGS!!!
Wednesday
night we also got to teach Dena! I LOVE HER. She is definitely
progressing, and we are still praying for October 10th as her baptism
day!! Man, she is incredible.
We ate at a member's home that night as well and had Pork Chops. YYUUMMMM. I love eating normal food!
Thursday
we taught lots of lessons and then I went to Crawfordville, FL on an
exchange until last night! It was super fun, and we got to ride bikes! I
haven't ridden a bike since I was in Callaway. Do I want to chop my
legs off? You better believe it! It was way good though, and the weather
was gorgeous! I also saw the most disgusting bugs there. I gagged. Yep.
Gagged.
And tonight is the General Woman's
Broadcast! I AM SO EXCITED! I can't believe General Conference is
already here. I also can't believe that Elder Scott passed away! It's
going to be a very eventful conference!
Robert
D. Hales once said, "There has always been a desperate need for the
steady and reassuring voice of a living prophet of God: one who will
speak the mind and will of God in showing the way to spiritual safety
and personal peace and happiness...A characteristic of prophets
throughout the ages is that, regardless of the consequences, they have
had the strength to speak the words of God with plainness and
boldness...With the restoration of the priesthood in 1829, there was a
restoration of prophets in this dispensation. Living prophets are
leading this church today. The greatest security of members of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints comes from learning to
listen to and obey the words and commandments that the Lord has given
through living prophets. I would hope that the world would understand
the importance of having a living prophet on earth today...If we listen
to the prophets of this day, poverty would be replaced with loving care
for the poor and needy. Many serious and deadly health problems would be
avoided through compliance with the Word of Wisdom and the laws of
sexual purity. Payment of tithing would bless us, and we would have
sufficient for our needs. If we follow the counsel given by the
prophets, we can have a life in mortality where we do not bring upon
ourselves unnecessary pain and self-destruction. This does not mean we
will not have challenges. We will. This does not mean we will not be
tested. We will, for this is part of our purpose on earth. But if we
will listen to the counsel of our prophet, we will become stronger and
be able to withstand the tests of mortality. We will have hope and joy.
All the words of counsel from the prophets of all generations have been
given so that we may be strengthened and then be able to lift and
strengthen others...Our spiritual safety lies in turning to the clear
voice of our living prophet. If we listen to his voice and obey his
counsel, we will be able to live as Christ would have us live and endure
to the end so that one day we, along with our families, will return
back into the presence of our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus
Christ."
I hope and pray that we can heed to
the council of the leaders of this beautiful church, for how blessed are
we to have the church that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, established.
I
love this gospel, and I love President Thomas S. Monson. I know he is
indeed the living prophet in these latter days. I support him, I believe
in him, and I follow him.
I love you all so much, and I truly am grateful for each one of you!
All my love!
Sister Holmes
Also... My next P-Day will be Monday October 5th, due to General Conference that weekend :)
