Hey What’s happening Holman clan!
I can’t say what’s happening holman clam because star doesn’t like me calling you all clams ;) Whooo this week flew by, me and my comp are working like crazy in this area, there’s always a list of me to be taught and not enough time to do it! It’s actually super nice to have more investigators then time, I think its every missionaries dream. All we do is run from house to house and teach, and when we start to run low on investigators a miracle always happens…someone in the ward tells us they have someone ready to be taught, or we just happen to clap the right door and find someone super interested in hearing what we have to say! It’s awesome!
This past week we taught like crazy Something that was exciting is we were teaching an investigator and her family that was living with a family in our ward for only a couple of weeks. They listened to almost all the lessons and loved what we had to share the only problem was, they needed to head back to there house and there weren’t missionaries in this area or a church. So two Sundays ago in the church our investigator shook my hand and told me to have an amazing life and mission, and that she was so thankful for all that me and my comp did for her…she recently had the death of her father in the family and we taught her all about gods plan and how it truly was not the end…we also taught her how to access the help of Christ in her life, and how to be changed because of it…well in the church we said goodbye, thinking it was the last time we would see each other…well when she went back to her house she broke her leg, and needed some extra help so she came back to the members house, and we started teaching her and her family again. They have fechas or dates to be baptized the end of February, and they are all super excited for it!
This past week also i have been thinking a lot about my time here in the mission, i can’t believe that I’m coming up on a year here. Sometimes it feels like just yesterday i said chow to you all…haha and sometimes it really does feel like its been a year, but mostly this week i was thinking about how quick the time has flown by. It’s incredible. I also thought about all the things that i want to accomplish on my mission and only have one more year to do it. This past week something clicked I don’t know what it was, but my studies started to be more sincere, i feel like i taught with extra power, and i felt the spirit so strong this week. Something clicked with in me, I was extremely grateful this week to be able to be a missionary, to share this work with the world, and i felt the Holy Ghost so much more then I ever had. I felt so happy to be in church to share the gospel, me and my comp were always joking around but getting things done at the same time, while putting every thought and breath towards the work. I can’t quite explain it, but i had never felt the spirit more these past couple of days for such a long period of time. All people would have to do is start talking about the gospel and the spirit would confirm the truthfulness of what they were saying as well teach me in the process.
This past week i was reading in the scriptures and something struck me so strongly as i was reading. I was reading in the 17 chapter of first Nephi verses 49-51- in these verses Nephi has just been commanded to build a ship and his brothers begin to murmur and complain, Nephi’s response is the following: 49 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto them that they should murmur no more against their father; neither should they withhold their labor from me, for God had commanded me that I should abuild a ship. 50 And I said unto them: aIf God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should that I say it, it would be done. 51 And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannota instruct me, that I should build a ship?
I thought and pondered about Nephi response to his family and thought that i can apply this in my mission. The lord has called me to teach his children in Buenos Aires Sur. He has commanded me that i am to speak Spanish, and that i am to teach with power and authority bringing others unto Christ. And he has also commanded me to be happy doing it. He has commanded us all to loose our life in Christ and if we do this great Christian paradox will be brought to pass…we will find out life in Christ. If the lord has commanded me and us to do so many things then it means that there is a way to complete and apply this commandment in my life. This past week i felt that so strongly that i have been living my life in a way that i can teach people with power and authority, with the holy ghost as my constant companion. I felt that he has helped me with learning a difficult language (I’m still learning but he is still helping me) and i feel that i am helping others come unto Christ because of his help.
Its my prayer that when we learn what God wants us to do in life and with our life that we can trust in him to help us do this. I hope that we can respond like Nephi and say that if god has commanded me to do all things I could do them. I know that the lord loves his children, and wants to help them return to live with him. I have felt his love so strongly in my short time here…and more importantly i have seen his love expressed. The lord will always provide a way to complete his commandments, all we have to do is trust in him, and have the faith to allow his helping hand enter our lives.
Yesterday Maxi, the investigator i baptized last week, was confirmed as a member of the church of Jesus Christ. I felt so strongly the love the lord has for his children when i placed my hands on his head. The lord will guild us and will not abandon us, if we trust in him we can do all things as Nephi said -and if we follow what the lord has commanded us to do we can become a true disciple of Christ…
A quote that i love that my president sent me says,
The word disciple comes from the Latin [meaning] a learner. A disciple of Christ is one who is earning to be like Christ—learning to think, to feel, and to act [like] he does. To be a true disciple, to fulfill that learning task, is the most demanding regimen known to man. No other discipline compares … in either requirements or rewards. It involves the total transformation of a person from the state of the natural man to that of [a] saint, one who loves the Lord and serves with all of his heart, might, mind, and strength” (Chauncey C. Riddle, “Becoming a Disciple,” Ensign, Sept. 1974, 81).
I am so grateful to be a missionary. It has given me the opportunity of a life time to become a disciple of Christ. I’m grateful for the transformation process that has taken over me through the Holy Ghost this past week, and i hope that it will continue this next week!
Whoooo well I’m out of time! Sorry for the serious letter! Hahaha to lighten it up, some drunk came up to me yesterday and tried to convince me he was Jesus Christ, about ten minutes into his conversation to himself, he got confused and said he was Noah and he was building a boat and that i needed to come with him before the flood! I asked my comp if i could go, but he said no.
Well i love you all and I’m so grateful for you all! You’re all in my prayers! Its crazy to think that I’m coming up on the big one year mark! Before you know it ill be back in the states kickin’ it with you all! Love you! My god be with you this week!
Con mucho amor,
Elder Holman
P.s. the reason im late writing today is cuz me and my district took an hour bus ride to go visit Wal-Mart and go bowling there! It was awesome! I sort of felt like i was in the sates…until i saw the prices on everything…its just a little bit more expensive here! But know i can say i visited Wal-Mart in Argentina! Whoot whoo!
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