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 #36: I LOVE THE GOSPEL!!

Happy Saturday! I hope it's been as good for ya'll as it has been for me!

With Maleek

This week has been one of the best on my mission thus far. So many miracles, tender mercies, heaven sent strength, and laughs. I've pondered on this all week, and boy. I am SO grateful I came on a mission to experience all these things!!

I love my mission so much that every morning during companionship study, after we are done singing, praying, and reciting our purpose and the first vision, I clench my fists, hold them up a little and half yell "I LOVE THE GOSPEL" with gritted teeth. OOHHH I LOVE IT.

But first of all.... HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL THE INCREDIBLE DADS OUT THERE! But most importantly, my daddy!! Oh, how I have been blessed with the best of the best! LOVE YOU DAD!

Found 10 pennies within a couple minutes.... Lucky day for sure!

SO. This week :)

 

On Monday, I had the WONDERFUL blessing of going on trade off's with SISTER ROHWER! Talk about the greatest reunion of my LIFE! You guys. I can't even tell you how much I love her. It was a bittersweet reunion, but an awesome one at that. She's going home this week due to some really aweful health issues. While serving in Callaway together, we had talked about how awesome it would be if we got to serve on campus together, and that we wished that we could be companions at the end of Sister Rohwer's mission... little did we know that was going to happen! And, like always, we had a miracle of a lesson together on campus. The unity just clicked like we hadn't ever been transferred. It was so awesome. I'm so sad that she has to go home, but it's for the better. I love her.

Also on Monday night, I overcame my dislike for dodgeball and represented the missionaries on the court. Terrified out of my mind, I was left as the last one standing TWICE. What the heck team?! And, Our investigator, Antonio, the miracle gator, was there and on the other team. haha it was so much fun though. I love the singles ward.

Speaking of Antonio, he. is. AMAZING. We have had the most INCREDIBLE experiences with him. I am so overwhelmed that Heavenly Father trusts me with him! He is so prepared, and so ready to accept the gospel. He is extremely dedicated to reading the Book of Mormon, praying correctly, he registered for BOTH institute summer classes, and comes to ALL the activities. He fits right in to our ward and is just a solid investigator.

We also got a new investigator this week. His name is Joseph and he is from West Africa. He came to the United States 3 months ago without knowing a lick of english. I have SO much love for him! And admiration. His english is so awesome, he struggles a little bit, but boy. Props to him. We have taught him twice this week, and they have been the most spiritually powerful lessons I have taught. The first time we taught, we invited him to say the closing prayer. He happily accepted and prayed in french. SUPER powerful. THEN we taught him again a couple days ago, and he pulled out a notebook in which he had written two pages worth of notes about the Restoration PAMPHLET. incredible! We started to read the Book of Mormon with him, and he was more than willing to try to read in English. Which, he did incredible. After we finished 1 Nephi 1 we asked him if he had any questions. He went on to say, "So, if I understand it right..." then he goes on to explain the chapter in the most simple, beautiful way. We were both speechless. He totally understood it. We invited him to say the closing prayer and told him he could say it in French again if he'd like. He replied "I think I'm going to try to say it in english today." ........ The most elegant, beautiful, most powerful, sincere prayer I have ever heard in my entire life. Tears. My eyes were FULL of tears. What an experience.

We also had an almost scary moment this week as well, nothing too bad, but we decided to get blessings just for a little extra protection and safety. What an incredible blessing. oh, how grateful I am for the Priesthood, and worthy priesthood holders.

Wednesday night at a dinner appointment, I had quite the "lexa moment". The member was trying to teach us how to throw cards so they would shoot across the room. Of course, I was like SAWEET! So I grab a card, try to flick it (being the only one to try) and what happens? I hit the container of raspberries.... RASPBERRIES WENT EVERYWHERE. If there hadn't been a wall there, they would have flown for MILES. Of course. Only me. haha everyone DIED. Sister Rindlisbacher had to get up and go crouch by the door so she wouldn't pee her pants. haha and the member about fell out of his chair as well as the other member that was there with us. SO. Embarrassing. It's been quite the laugh haha

Cool note: FSU was holding US Open Playoffs! Say WHAT! So we got to watch a little bit while we took a break! It was AWESOME! It made me crave tennis. Those player can serve crazy hard! It was so fun! Sister Rindlisbacher is such a good sport!

Tender Mercy moment: as we were walking to the church (20 minute walk) we were sweating, so hot, tired, and a little bit done with the day, a white car pulled over and rolled their window down. A lady, Tori, said "hey!! are you mormon missionaries?!" since we were, she said "I follow this person named Shay Carl from Logan, Utah! I just want to tell you ladies that you are doing an incredible thing. Keep going, don't get discouraged. You are doing something that will change the world." I was overwhelmed to the point of tears. I have SUCH a strong testimony that Heavenly Father is extremely aware of us, and will send us words of encouragement in all ways, shapes, and forms. Tori... She will never know how much that simple decision to stop and encourage the missionaries effected us.

Also, hello 100* at 9:00 IN THE MORNING and 8:30 AT NIGHT. I wanted to die this week. My walks were full of pleading prayers for strength and endurance to just make it to where I needed to be. That was a miracle in itself that I stayed standing. I KNOW I got help from the other side of the veil.

To end, I want to encourage you to read the talk: "The Path to Palmyra" by Matthew S Holland in this months ensign. I read it this morning in my personal study, and my testimony of Joseph Smith was once again confirmed. I want to share an excerpt from it that says,

 "In spite of failure, mishap, and bitter opposition--and in many cases precisely because of those things--Joseph Smith got exactly where he needed to be to fulfill his mission. So, if now or on some future day, you look around and see that other perhaps less-devoted acquaintances are succeeding in their jobs when you just lost yours; if major illness puts you on your back just at the moment critical tasks of service seem to come calling; if a call to a prominent position goes to someone else; if a missionary companion seems to learn the language faster' if well meaning efforts still somehow lead to disaster with a fellow ward member, a neighbor, or an investigator; if news from home brings word of financial setback or mortal tragedy you can do nothing about; or if, day after day, you simply feel like a bland and beaten background player in a gospel drama that really seems made for the happiness of others, just know this: many such things were the lot of Joseph Smith himself at the very moment he was being led to the stage of the single most transcendent thing to happen on this earth since the events of Golgotha and the Garden Tomb nearly 2,000 years earlier.

"But," you may say, "my life and earthly destiny will never be like that of the Prophet Joseph."

That is probably true. But it is also true that your lives do matter to God, and your eternal potential and that of every soul you will meet is no less grand and significant than that of the Prophet Joseph himself. Thus, just like our beloved Joseph, you must never give up, give in, or give out when life in general, or missionary work in particular, gets utterly painful, confusing, or dull. Rather, as Paul teaches, you must see that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Just as He did with young Joseph Smith, God is shaping and directing you every single day to ends more glorious than you can know!"

I love this gospel, and I love being a missionary! It's the happiest, hardest thing I have ever done, and it has forever changed my life and my eternity.

Love to all ya'll!

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 :)