Merry Christmas!

Hey Fam!

This week was awesome!  I got to go to Billings for our Christmas Zone Conference and then on tuesday we got to go to Helena for a meeting so we got to do quite a bit of traveling this week!  I am still learning but I def feel much more confident in my snow diving now :)  But for our Christmas Zone Conference we got to do something fairly unique.  It was all done like a traditional Christmas program with tons of music.  It was really cool cuz some of the people here serving as Missionaries are incredibly talented. They had all sorts of instruments and sang all day.  The Spirit was very strong and I really enjoyed singing.  Haha I know yes that was me talking... Singing was fun :)  

We have had some difficulty finding people to teach since pretty much all of our Ward went home for the holidays.  I guess that is just the joy of serving in a University Ward around the holidays but we still have great faith that the Lord will provide us people to teach.  We did get to teach a guy named Ty for the first time this week and he is preparing to be baptized on the 18th of January.  We have 2 others that are preparing to make the covenant to serve the Lord in january and we are very excited for them as well :)

Last week I shared a little of the experience I had being able to give a blessing to a man on 2nd Ward but I feel the need to expound on it a little more.  We were able to witness a miracle last week.  This brother ad come up to me during the Stake Christmas program on Sunday night and had asked if before the night was over we could give him a blessing.  He had told us, and I remember this when it happened, that about 2 months ago he was driving in his work truck when he had a terrible headache come over him and he had lost consciousness for a short period of time.  He told me that night that he was losing hearing in his right ear and had many other side effects of that experience.  He said the doctors had done tests on him four days earlier and he had suffered from a minor stroke.  As he described this experience to me I felt very strongly that he would be healed of his infirmities.  I told him I would find him later with my companion and give him a blessing.  I then went to seek confirmation of the impression I had felt.  I went into a classroom all by myself and told Heavenly Father I felt and believed he could and should be healed this night and I felt a confirmation that it was true.  We then went and gave him a blessing of healing and I was able to tell him that his body would be completely healed and restored to its proper working order.  I knew that this blessing would happen but that it would be on the Lord's time table.  On tuesday afternoon I received a call from this man.  He told me that he had been to the doctor that day and that they had no explanation as to what had happened.  The doctors can find no evidence of a stroke or any of the multiple side effects his body was displaying only a few days before.  He has been completely healed.  I am so very grateful for this experience because it has helped me to know without a doubt that the Priesthood of God, The same authority that Jesus Christ gave to his Apostles (Mark 3:14-15), has truly been Restored today.  

I have been blessed to see many mighty miracles on my mission so far but  for some reason I feel I should share this one.  I add my testimony that Jesus Christ lives.  He is the Savior of the World.  He loves us all perfectly and does everything he can to heal us, spiritually and temporally.  As we open our hearts and keep the commandments we qualify ourselves to receive more than we could ever imagine.  

I am so grateful for you all and all the love an support you have shown me. I have a giant stack of packages that has tempted me beyond belief to open in my apartment and I just want to say thanks :)  I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and that the Spirit of Christ can be felt at every moment of this great holiday :)  I love and appreciate you all,

Elder Holland

Almost Christmas!

Hey Fam!

This week was AWESOME!  Well, I lost one of my companions, Elder McLaughlin, because he got his VISA and flew off to Brazil but besides that it has been sweet!  Also, it is Christmas and so our ward pretty much went home but we are still finding some good service opportunities so life is great :)

Last night was our stake Christmas Program and it was a great success! There were like 600 people there and many were not members of our church.  They had lots of Nativity sets up and live musicians all over the building.  They had people playing the harp, cello, violin, and piano.  It was a really fun night cuz all the missionaries were the ushers and we really got to interact with all who were there. 

I have been asked to give many blessings recently and I am so grateful every time I do.  In particular, I gave a blessing of healing to a friend from 2nd ward yesterday which changed my life.  I was able to pray before hand and receive confirmation that this person had the faith to be healed and through the priesthood of God he was healed.  He had suffered from a minor stroke and was losing hearing in his ear and it will not be immediately but I know he will make a complete and full recovery.  How grateful I am to know without a doubt that the God we serve truly is a God of miracles.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever and loves us enough to heal us when we are in need.  I will remember this week for the rest of my life. 

Thank you all so very much for all the love and support you give me!  I've received so many packages and letters and truly am grateful.  I love you all!

Elder Holland

It's freezing here!

Hey Fam!

It is beyond freezing here but I have learned the art of layering :) I found out that last week for whatever reason Montana was the coldest place on the planet!  I believe it too.  The coldest I saw it was -35.  I have never experienced my face freezing the moment I walked outside... but I did get to boil water and dump it of my 3rd floor apartment building and watch it turn instantly into snow :)  

This week was fairly slow as far as missionary work goes mainly because I am serving in the University Ward.  It is finals next week and everyone is freaking out and does not have time to spare this week.  Next week break starts and all will be back to normal though :)  

We did get to go to a baptism of a 9 year old girl in 2nd ward that I got to start teaching while I served there.  It was really cool because her father is not a member of the church and her mother is not active in the church but their comments were, "we will let her do anything that is good and is to her benefit as she grows up."  I love and respect them for that.  This Church truly is the "Good News" and when picked apart can truly be identified as Christ's Church because of it's "Fruit". 

It was kinda sad to send Elder Ruzicka home last friday but I am glad to hear he is doing well.  I found out I get to stay here in Bozeman for another transfer!  My companion, Elder McLaughlin, is still waiting for his VISA and will still be here with me but my new companion will be....... Elder Rodriguez!!! Hahaha I am so excited about this! We used to joke that we would one day be back in Bozeman as companions and the day has come!

Yesterday we had our Christmas program in the Singles ward.  The people there are incredibly gifted and shared their musical talents.  We had people on the piano, cello, clarinet, and violin.  The overall message was of gratitude for the Gift God the Father has given us: Our Savior, Jesus Christ.  I have done some real soul searching in the passed year or so to find out, in any given situation, how I can feel the Spirit of the Lord the fastest.  I now know exactly how the Spirit speaks to me and really thought it would be valuable to learn how to bring the Spirit when I am frustrated or angry.  I have learned that a prayer of gratitude ALWAYS works.  It is truly amazing and I have a strong testimony that if we will just take the time to thank God in all we do that we will have the Spirit with us in a greater abundance.  

Thanks so vey much for all you do for me!  I am staying at my current address, 2307 west main street apartment #324, Bozeman, Montana, 59718.  I love you all,

Elder Holland

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey Fam!


This week was really fun!  I was on exchanges in Belgrade and Livingston for most of the week but I did get to spend Thanksgiving Day here in Bozeman.  We did the Food Bank 5K run, "Huffing for Stuffing"  Hahaha wow, I am super out of shape.  I have not run in a while and we are at 5,000 feet here.  I could make excuses all day but the truth is I'm gettin fat and it was hard.  It was awesome though.  There were over 3,000 people there and that never happens anywhere in Montana. We wore our white shirts and ties for the race too!  We definitely got a ton of attention :)  It was really cool and I am excited to see the results down the road. 

The man in the hat is President Heap and his wife is standing in front of him.

We had dinner at our Stake President's house.  President Heap and his family are awesome!  His son is a chef and so the food was incredible.  They are so thoughtful too. They took orders from us a couple days before on what pie we wanted and made 6 pies.  I had a berry pie and it was delicious.  Then we did something I never thought I would do on a mission.  We played Mexican train!  I def did not win but it was lots of fun. 

My companion, Elder Ruzicka, goes home this week.  I will be sad to see him leave but happy for him to move on to the next stage of his life.  He drives to Billings on Friday and then it will be just Elder Mclaughlin and I until another companion is assigned to me.  It is crazy the transfer is almost over again  but I am fairly confident I will still be here in Bozeman :)

Life is great.  I really enjoy how honest most people seem to be here.  There was a guy in Livingston that I got to visit with a month ago who had not been to church in over 25 years.  We had a really cool lesson and I invited him to pick a day sometime in November and go to church.  He said he wasn't going to commit unless he was serious and so we gave him some time to think and he eventually he said yes he will do it.  He came to church yesterday just in time to see his son be ordained as a new ward missionary.  I was happy to hear he kept his word.  As I learn and grow I have realized that we first and foremost need to be honest with ourselves if we are to one day be like Christ.  I feel most of our brothers and sisters here on Earth are deceived because they are not honest with themselves and what truly makes them happy.  If we all would just take the time to truly and honestly evaluate where we are in life we would without fail learn that when we follow the teachings of Christ we are happy. 

I pray that we all will continue to look for others to lift, encourage, inspire, and bless.  And that we can all feel the love of God every day in every way.

Thanks for all you do for me I truly am grateful for the love and great support I receive. 

 

Love,

Elder Holland

Yup, It is freezing here!

Hey Fam!

Well another week has come and gone.  I love it here.  The more I talk with missionaries the more I learn how irregular it is to be able to stay in one town for 8 months. I am so grateful to live here in Bozeman!  It really is a fantastic place to serve.  It has been crazy cold the passed few days though.. Down to single digits which is def not cool.  But on the flip side I do get to finally wear all these accessories like scarfs,gloves, and ear warmers that I have never needed my entire life :)  Life is good.

Sorry I missed last week but we did have a baptism yesterday!  His name is Randy and he actually went home to Arizona to be baptized.  He will be back after the holidays but he is another person that I am honored to be able to know.  He is Navajo and is the first of his family to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  

I got to spend half my week in Three Forks which was sweet!  I love going back and seeing all the people that I got to teach and get to know.  There are people there that are really having a hard time with their current circumstances but chose to accept that God gave them those trials to make them stronger.  I admire everything about them.  I love how my perspective continues to change as a missionary.  

We have another Person who is investigating the Church that has really helped me think of how we can be more like Christ.  His name is Mike.  We have been teaching him for a couple weeks and he has agreed to prepare himself to be baptized on the 7th of December.  He is making big moves towards qualifying himself for the great blessings that our Father in Heaven has prepared for him.  In teaching him I have really thought about myself.  I have been very focused on the subject of self-mastery.  I feel that to be like the Savior I need to allow myself to evolve to exactly what he has taught.  This is a process that I know will take my entire life but I understand how important it is to have a sure foundation.  I know that everything we do initially comes from a thought.  I have really been working to master my own mind and only allow those things that are pleasing to the Savior to enter it.  I had the thought the other day, Can Satan read my thoughts?  First I am so grateful for people like my Stake President , President Heap, who have studied the scriptures all their lives and can help direct me to the answers to questions like this.  He directed me to the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants section 6 verse 16, "Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart."  How grateful I was to learn this!  Wow seriously that makes it so much easier for me to know that Satan has to base what he throws at me by what I do, not what I think.  Yes I also have to take into account that in our pre-mortal existence he must have known me but from here on out he can only throw his junk at me by what I do, not what I think.  This was a powerful lesson for me and I know that it would have been near impossible for me to learn it if I did not have the desire to find an answer and the scriptures to search for that answer.  

I am so grateful for all of the many things that God has given us in these latter days to guide us.  I pray that we all may take the time to prayerfully search the scriptures for the problems to the questions we have in life.  Because of experience, I can now testify that all questions to life that we need to know can be found in the scriptures.  I have yet to have a question that I need to know that they can not answer.

I get to have Thanksgiving Dinner at President Heap's home! I'm excited and grateful.  I hope you all have a fantastic week!  I love you and am so very grateful for all you do for me.

Elder Holland

Another great week!

Hey Fam!

This week was fantastic!  I am still adjusting to the cold but at least the past 3 days it has been sunny :)  I have learned that Vitamin D pills are awesome and I will definitely be taking them the entire winter :)  

The work here is really progressing!  A couple weeks ago, when we received out iPad's, we were told that we would receive training in the form of exchanges.  We were told every companionship would have an Elder with them for at least 2 days, twice this transfer.  Turns out I am the one who gets to do the exchanges with my zone here in Bozeman!  It started last week and it is actually really fun because I am getting to meet tons of people and am able to help these awesome Missionaries that serve here.  The one downside is that I will only get to spend 13 days out of the next 6 weeks in my own area.  I did arrange the schedule so that I get to be in my area for Sunday though.  I am very excited about this opportunity though because I get to see all the great and many blessings from using iPad's in our teaching.

We have multiple people in my area that will be baptized in the next few weeks.  I am really excited about this guy named Mike.  He was raised in another faith and has found great joy in the knowledge he has gained since meeting with us and coming to church and institute class.

The teacher in church said something profound in our lesson on Sunday.  He said, "The blessings of Heaven are limitless but perishable."  WOW.  I really thought about this and it is so very true.  As we qualify ourselves for the blessings of Heaven, as the scriptures state, we will prosper in the land.  The windows of Heaven are opened and we are filled with the joy that only God can provide.  These blessings and feelings are perishable because as we disobey the Heavens can not send down all that our Heavenly Father wishes to send.  I do not wish to say that in disobedience there is no happiness but I will say from experience that although joy may be felt outside the Gospel of Jesus Christ it is always fleeting.  When Jaromy was here he shared a scripture with me from the Book of Mormon that has become one that I love and share often; Alma 12:10, "And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full."  I love the connection to knowledge and the state of our hearts. 

I am so grateful for the knowledge I have and for the Joy that comes from my Savior, Jesus Christ.  I know that we are all children of God and He loves and does all He can to bless us.  The blessings we receive are limitless but perishable.  I pray that we will all qualify ourselves for limitless blessings that never perish.  I love you all and am so grateful for all the letters, packages, and love you send me, you are the best!  

Elder Holland

Getting Chilly!

Hey Fam!

Well, It is snowing!  And it is freezing!  I bet my skin will be transparent by the end of this winter but it's all good I am enjoying learning a new way of living :)  Things are going really well here!  I love serving with all the college students.  It is very refreshing to spent time with and teach people my own age.  There are many incredible things happening here and I am excited about this transfer because we have prepared ourselves to truly witness miracles.

I was able to witness a miracle this week.  We were driving to an appointment and we got a call from Brother Judd saying that a girl from 2nd Ward had been in an accident.  He said she flew off the road at 60 mph and rolled her car 4 times and we needed to go to the hospital and give her a blessing.  To be completely honest I was actually fairly nervous on the drive to the hospital because I had no idea the condition she would be in when we got there.  When we walked into her room she was sitting upright on the hospital bed and was talking with her mom.  To my amazement not a single bone was broken in her body!  She had cuts all over her arms, legs, and face and had a bruise on her chest from the seat belt but that was it.  She showed us some pictures of the crash and her car is toast and she rolled about 50 yards up a hill before she stopped.  As she spoke I felt this incredible warm, deep, soothing feeling come over me and I had the most amazing confirmation that there were angels there protecting her.  Her mom said as she was rolling she said a prayer and asked over and over for God to stop the car.  It truly was a miracle to witness and I am so grateful that I was blessed to be there for it.

Last week Camille sent me a quote By President George Albert Smith, "Those who are on the other side [of the veil] are just as anxious about us.  They are praying for us and our success." I have been thinking about this a lot especially after having this experience.  I have no doubt in my mind that, just as we are assigned to help people here, angels are assigned by God to do the same.  I know that no matter what we do they are there.  Most of the time they are silent but they are there.  I know that as we keep the commandments of God and qualify ourselves for their assistance that they are then allowed to have a larger influence in our lives.  I have learned this through experience and am forever grateful for those here and on the other side of the veil that help lift, encourage, inspire, and bless me.  I testify to what Russell T Osguthorpe said in the CES devotional last night, "Saying and doing the right things becomes easy as we make promises to the Lord."  As we continue through life in righteousness our tasks do become harder but the help we receive is ALWAYS more than sufficient for our needs. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have and pray that we will all do all we can to share this Gospel with those the Lord has put in our path.

Thanks so very much for all of your great love and support.

Love,

Elder Holland

Found out about transfers this week!

Hey Fam!

 

So we found out about transfers this week!  Thankfully I will get to stay in Bozeman!!  I am switching wards though.  President Mecham would like the zone leaders here to be in the University Ward so I am moving from 2nd Ward to the University Ward.  It is sort of bitter sweet because if I had it my way I could easily spend my entire mission in the 2nd Ward.  We currently have 2 people that will be baptized in the next few weeks and have recently found others that are on that path too.  Thankfully I will be able to still work with the missionaries that will be replacing me there :)

 

So like 3 days ago it was absolutely gorgeous here.  We really did have 2 days of "San Diego weather" And now it is 26 degrees, snowing, and the wind is blowing at like 30 mph.  Welcome to Montana.  But I am adjusting and gearing up for the next few months.  

 

We spent a good chunk of the week transitioning to doing everything on our new iPad's!  They are great and it is so nice to be able to share a short clip from an Apostle or the Prophet during a lesson.  I look forward to seeing how these devices will help the work of the Lord progress.  This truly is His work and now that I am a missionary I feel that the best way to know if it is true is to be engaged in it.  As we are we truly can see the fruits that Jesus spoke of and the Spirit testifies of truth every step of the way.  

 

I love the Gospel and am so blessed to be here in Montana to serve these beautiful people.  Thanks for all your love and great support.  I love you!

 

Elder Holland  

Tomorrow in the Bozeman zone we will be receiving iPad's!

Hey Fam!

This week was a little different.  Well first off I got some sort of Montana bug and really did not feel all that great for a few days last week.  But then for the last few days I was able to go up to Livingston to help the 2 missionaries there.  Livingston claims to be the 6th most windy town in the United States.  I believe it.  It is a tiny town right in the middle of the mountains and it is seriously cold there!  In the winter they usually have 75-80mph winds!  The siding on lots of the houses has been blown off... So yea it was a fun experience.  

Tomorrow in the Bozeman zone we will be receiving iPad's!  I am very stoked about this because they will really help in spreading the Gospel here.  

This is the last week of the transfer and I am beginning to wonder of I will get to stay in Bozeman another 6 weeks or will I move on to another place.  It is crazy that I have been here for 6 months already but I have loved every single day.  Thanks again for all the love and support!

Love,

Elder Holland

Baptisms!

Hey Fam!

So this week was incredible!  Paul and Heather were baptized!  Everything went really well and the Spirit was really strong at both baptisms.  I am so grateful I had the opportunity to be here for this part of both of their lives.  

We heard some awesome news this week!  Our mission is part of the new pilot program to have iPad's!  We will be getting them in the next few weeks but I am waayyyy excited!  It will seriously take teaching to the next level :)

Things are going really well and I am actually enjoying the cool weather.  It has not dropped down to suuuuper cold yet but from what I am used to it is pretty stinkin cold here... 

I don't have much time today to write but thank you for all your love and support!  

Love,

Elder Holland

I am so loved and truly do appreciate your love and support.

Hey Fam!

 

This week was incredible!  It was definitely winter for 2 days but then it changed it's mind and it's now 45 and sunny .  Can't really complain because it is absolutely gorgeous here.  

 

This week was full of miracles from Heavenly Father.  An investigator that I have been able to teach for the last 5 months will be getting baptized this weekend!  He had an incredible thing happen to him this week.  He has been investigating the Church for 10 years and was hard to work with at first but he has now allowed himself to progress to a point where he allows God to answer his prayers.  As a logical thinker, I still think it is kinda funny how we sometimes think God will answer us if we have not qualified ourselves for that answer.  He has worked very hard and has been diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord these past few weeks and the Lord rewarded him with a miracle.  His entire issue with the Church is knowing if the Priesthood is Restored and if we truly do have a Prophet today.  We had invited him to fast last week to be given an answer to this prayer during General Conference.  He decided to fast on Sunday.  Unfortunately, on Monday he found out that one of his relatives had passed away and there would be a funeral service held this last weekend, in Salt Lake City.  That very same day a Bishop from another ward, Bishop Larney, felt impressed to call and invite him to conference.  Somehow he had 2 extra tickets to the Sunday sessions and Priesthood session.  Because he qualified himself for an answer, the Lord was able to work a miracle and allow him to see and hear the Apostles and Prophet live.  We have not had a chance to see him yet but I know that he received his answer and will be baptized this weekend.  I am so grateful for this formula that we have to allow God to work miracles in our lives.  I have seen it work in many of these amazing people's lives here and know that if we will only qualify ourselves to receive the blessings the Lord has in store for us that the windows of Heaven will literally be opened and we will feel the Joy he sent us here to earth to feel.
 

Heather will also be baptized this weekend, we are super excited for her.  

 

One other miracle happened to this guy named Dave we have been teaching.  Dave was very less-active for most of his life.  In the passed 5 months we have been able to read the entire Book of Mormon and about a third of Doctrine and Covenants with him.  His faith has truly increased and he just recently began to qualify himself for all the blessings God has prepared for him.  He is very blessed as it is but I have been able to see even more blessings appear in his life.  He has had a terrible addiction to cigarettes for most of his life.  He has recently decided to quit and it has been very hard for him. We got to go visit him yesterday and he told us how he had gone the entire day without smoking a single cigarette.  He said  he woke up and made it till about 10:00 a.m. until he just had to go buy a pack.  As he stood up to leave his home there was a knock at his door.  His neighbor was at the door and said, "Hey Dave! I know we do not usually hang out but the Firemen are having a free breakfast until 11 this morning and I feel like I should invite you, wanna come?"  Dave said yes.  He had a great time and somehow completely forgot about the urge to smoke his cigarette.  

 

I know that the Lord uses people to accomplish his great and eternal purposes.  This story only adds to the testimony I already have that Angels truly are helping and inspiring men to do good.  I know that the work I am engaged in is of God.  The Church I belong to is truly the Church of Jesus Christ.  I can not express fully how grateful I am for the Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and the quorum of the twelve Apostles.  They are inspired men.  I pray that we may all qualify ourselves to constantly receive the revelation and blessings that our great and eternal Father has in store for us.  

 

Thank you all so very much for your Birthday e-mails, cards, and packages!  I am so loved and truly do appreciate your love and support.  

 

Love,

Elder Holland

Winter is coming...

Hey Fam!

This week was awesome!  The weather is definitely changing... It snowed here for the first time in like 3 months! The temp has dropped down to the 40's  and it has been raining almost every day this week.  I love the rain.  It truly is refreshing when it rains here.  Hopefully everything gets green one more time before it freezes over for the next 5 months...

Thank you so very much to all who sent me an e-mail or letter for my Birthday! Holy smokes I am so loved and truly do appreciate the love and support I receive :)

Elder Ruzicka and I got to go to a leadership meeting in Billings this week.  It was fantastic!  It is so amazing to see the love and dedication that the leaders of the Church have for those they have stewardship over.  Something that President Mecham said really stuck with me, "If you felt it you already knew the answer, you are just looking for a vehicle."  I love this.  It really helps me to understand how the Spirit works and how we as humans try to understand it.  I often feel something is right but i guess because of the natural man, or just because of the fallen state I am currently in, I look for another confirmation.  To progress I feel I need to continually trust in the Lord and know that, because I have chosen to keep His commandments, that the first thought that came to my mind is the choice I should make.  I am so grateful I have the Spirit as a constant guide and companion.  I believe one of the hardest things is to be able to truly focus on the promptings we receive from Him.  This is something I focus very hard on with every single person I am blessed to teach.  It is a life long process and truly is the vehicle by which the Lord brings joy into our lives.

I am soooo excited about General Conference this weekend!  I have literally been running around telling everyone about it!  I usually open with how I truly feel about Conference, "It is better than Christmas."  People usually look at my kinda funny but thats ok cuz now I have their attention.  I believe that a living Prophet is more valuable than anything on Earth.  This belief only comes to me because I completely understand what a prophet is.  To know that there is a person who has been given the Authority from God to be his voice to the World is priceless.  The scriptures are also priceless because of the same reason.  The only difference is that the prophets in them were given revelation pertaining to problems of their day.  Although there are many prophecies of our day they do not go into the great specific detail I would like them to.  So how valuable is it to have someone who can say, "The Lord says...." because he actually speaks with Him! The problems of today begin to shrink as we listen and obey the words of our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson.  I know that he is a prophet.  I know that he is guided by our Savior, Jesus Christ. I love this Gospel and could think of no better thing I could ever be doing with my time than to serve Him.  

Thanks so very much for all your love and support, I love you all

Elder Holland

It has been an adjustment being a Zone leader.

Hey Fam!

This week was fantastic!  It really is changing around here.  It dumped rain and snowed up in the mountains but the temperature is def dropping.  I feel that winter is around the corner.  It is getting darker earlier which is I have to admit is not my favorite.  I heard in the middle of winter it gets dark at 4:30 p.m.  Absolutely Ridiculous.  It will be an adjustment.

Things are going really well in 2nd ward!  Heather will be baptized this saturday!  I am so excited for her.  I have been so blessed to see her grow from having such little light in her life to having the fulness of the Gospel in her life.  It has strenghtened my testimony so much.  She drank 6 cups of coffee every day for 23 years and quit cold turkey!  Seriously a miracle and a testament of the enabling power of the Atonement. 

My new companions are awesome!  My companion, Elder Rizicka, is from Vegas and we also have a missionary who is waiting for his visa for Brazil, Elder McLaughlin, with us.  They are both great and are very Bible savvy.  I really appreciate that because last night we met with the Presbyterian preacher and they really helped in the lesson.  I am so grateful for the knowledge I have and I love teaching it!  The lesson with him and his wife went really well and we are meeting again next Sunday so I look forward to it!

It has been an adjustment being a Zone leader.  I love how I now have the opportunity to better help everyone, including missionaries.  I feel sometimes missionaries feel they are overlooked because they are constantly serving others but this is an opportunity for me to be able to serve them as well.  I get to go to Billings tomorrow until wednesday for some leadership meetings which I am really excited for!  It will be awesome cuz when a general authority comes we will get to have an intimate meeting.   I hope Elder Holland or Eyring come at one point on my mission. 

But things are going really well here and I am so blessed to be able to spend another 6 weeks here in Bozeman. 

Thanks for all the love and support from all of you,

Love,
Elder Holland

Staying in Bozeman!...... Only in Montana

Hey Fam!

This week was amazing. We had so many incredible experiences and my testimony of missionary work has greatly increased.

First off, I get to stay in Bozeman!! I was actually kinda worried because Saturday I got a call and had an interview to be a Zone leader and so I thought I was going to be transferred... I received a call yesterday during church informing me that the current zone leaders, who cover the university ward, were being transferred and now the zone leaders will get to serve in 2nd ward! Wow. What a blessing. It is going to be a new but exciting experience to be able to help this Zone as we all continue in our efforts to bring people unto Christ.

My new companion is Elder Ruzicka and I know absolutely nothing about him currently but I will get to meet him in a few days. I hope he speaks spanish...

We found a new investigator this week that is progressing very well! I was on exchanges with Elder Brown and we were riding our bikes down a busy road and we came up to this guy across the street on a motorcycle. I had this strange feeling to stop and talk with him and then he waved to me to stop. I stopped on the side of the road and he rode over and had a great discussion with him about the Gospel. The next morning we taught him the Restoration lesson and 2 days later we taught him the Plan of Salvation. He came to church yesterday and stayed all 3 hours. I have such a strong testimony of what Alma says in Alma 13:24, "..Angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land..." Soooo true. Mike is proof of that because he is beyond prepared and ready to hear the Gospel.

Things are amazing here and I am pretty much on cloud 9 every single day. There are lots of things that are sad and sorta discouraging but the lesson I have learned so far is that if I keep myself qualified for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost at all time then the bad things don't even phase me because my life is full of joy. I love this Gospel and know with all my heart that Jesus Christ is our Savior and the Redeemer of the world.

Thanks for all your love and support,

Love, Elder Holland

P.s. I met someone who had a pet deer and got to feed it an apple.... Only in Montana.

The Seasons are changing

Wow it is sooo beautiful here in Montana!  It is starting to get kinda cold at night and I feel in just a few weeks it is gonna be snowing.  It is crazy how fast the seasons change... I feel like the winter is gonna be pretty long though...  But I do enjoy seeing seasons.

This week went by extremely fast!  We just went from appointment to appointment and at some point they all seem to kinda blend together.  I really was not that great at time management before my mission.  I am amazed at how much we can fit into one day in the mission.   I never thought what we do could be possible but I am grateful for this skill and hope to be able to take it with me when I finish the mission.  

Time is a funny thing to me.  Since coming home from Zambia I have tried very hard to do as Kathy always says and, "Be present".  This is not an easy thing to do but I have learned that as I do I enjoy life much, much more.  I notice the little things.  I find joy in these things and most importantly, for me as a missionary, I see the signs and people the Lord has put in my path.  

I often reflect on what President Monson said regarding time, We cannot call back time that is past, we cannot stop time that now is, and we cannot experience the future in our present state. Time is a gift, a treasure not to be put aside for the future but to be used wisely in the present.”  I love this.  And it is so very true.

I am so blessed to be able to serve these wonderful people here in Montana.  I feel they have taught me way more than I will ever be able to teach them and I truly do feel that every day I have is a gift.  

Thanks for all your love and support!

Love,

Elder Holland

Service

Hey Fam!

Holy smokes this week was a very tiring one.  I definitely got my fair share of exercise in this week!  We

moved 5 people and moved a guy out of this huge office AND I got to run around in a hay field and load up a big trailer full of hay bails.  Let me tell ya that is not as easy as I imagined it would be but thankfully Pa gave me some awesome gloves that helped a lot :)  There have been tons of fires here and it is super smokey all around.  On monday Elder Salazar and I hiked up this mountain and apparently we went up to about 10,000 ft but it was a place called Sypes Canyon.  It was an incredible view up there and I am glad we did it because we brought our scriptures and did our studies at the top :).  I forgot my camera but I will send pictures next week.

John's family is progressing very well but the date for their baptism's needed to be pushed back but they will all be baptized.  We are going to set the date tomorrow.  It truly is a blessing to see an entire family progress like they are and I am so grateful for the time I get to spend with them.

We have met with lots of people and some of the experiences are very difficult.  To see the adversary work first hand on people who are trying to find truth is very hard to watch.  I was inspired by a missionary in my district this week.  Something big happened and he knew it was going to be hard to deal with this particular problem.  As the problem was presented to him he looked down, took a deep breath, then looked up and with eyes filled with hope said," It's ok, I can do hard things."  As I study and learn about the Atonement of Jesus Christ I am constantly reminded that because of him I too can do very hard things.  It is a perspective I hope to never lose because I really am learning of the power of the enabling side of the Atonement.  I love this quote from Thomas S. Monson, "Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.  Then the doing of your work will be no miracle, but you shall be the miracle."

I learn more and more every single day I am here and am so grateful for all of the trials and blessings that help me to grow.  Thanks for all your love and support.

I love you all,

Elder Holland

Moose Enchiladas!

Hey Fam! 

This week was full of amazing experiences!  First off, I got to eat Caribou and Moose steak, Duck,and Moose enchiladas!  They were delicious! 

On Tuesday Fany and Diana were baptized!  It was the biggest turn out I have ever seen at a baptism

and it went really well.  The only problem was the water heater in the font was broken so we baptized them in polar bear cold water but they were great sports about it.  Because of stake conference they were also confirmed right there as well!  Elder Salazar got to confirm them and he did a fantastic job. 

Wednesday we got to go to the Temple!  Holy smokes that was an amazing experience!  I really missed the Temple and did all I could to prepare myself to have the best experience possible.  We got to have an open discussion for an hour with the Temple President, President Jordan, in the chapel.  WOW.  I loved it and learned so much.  The recent changes made to the Temple were sooo cool!  Such an emotional experience, I loved it. 

We had a great lesson with a man named who married a member and has been investigating the Church for about 10 years.  We read 3 Nephi chapter 11 together and had a very Spirit guided discussion and, I had not planned on doing so originally, but I invited him to be baptized next month on the 28th and he accepted!  His wife was just glowing and soooo happy.  I am very excited for them :)

 
Stake Conference blew my mind.  Elder Jack Ward of the Seventy was incredible.  All of the speakers prepared very well and our Stake President, President Heap, was moving as usual.  President Heap spoke of those in the medical field and brought to my attention a few things.  He related the treatment of his mother who passed away about 2 months ago.  He talked about how most people were there to, "treat" her but a few were there to, "heal" her.  Are we helping others by treating or healing them? I hope it is for the latter.  He related the church building to a hospital and made the connection with the Chapel and the ICU.  He powerfully reminded us that we go to church to be healed and Sacrament is the means by which we become whole every week.  Elder Ward was amazing too.  we had a discussion for 20 minutes on D&C section 4:4.  He talked about how the "Field is white already to harvest" but the way the lord harvests his crop is with a "Sickle".  A sickle is a one man tool and is done one person at a time.  He asked us, "what Sickle do you have to use  to touch others?"  He also said ,"While you are in it only, your sickle is within reach of those within your field."  It is so very true and I agree 100%. 

I believe in revelation.  Jaromy had written down a talk for me to read.  I printed it but had not read it.  It is called,"Moroni's Promise" by Elder Gene R Cook.  I read it Sunday morning.  We had a appointment to meet with an investigator just before Stake conference started.  We had planned to teach the Plan of Salvation but as I read this talk I felt very strongly that I should teach "Moroni's Promise" instead.  We went ahead and taught the principles outlined in the talk by Elder Cook.  The Spirit was present and the lesson went very well.  The main point we focused on was perspective and how we need to have the right perspective when attempting to receive revelation to qualify for that revelation.  I challenged her to have the correct perspective as she went to stake conference and she accepted.  To my surprise for the Sunday session Elder Ward spoke on perspective and how we have a mortal perspective but we need to gain an eternal one. As he spoke it was confirmed to me that the feelings I had to invite her to consider the perspective she had came from our Heavenly Father.  It was the Holy Ghost preparing her, through me. 

I know the work I am engaged in is the work of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.  They are one in purpose and their purpose is to bring all of us home to them.  I love this Gospel and thank the Lord every day for the time that I am blessed with to be able to share it as a full-time missionary. 

Thank you to all of you for your love and support, 

Elder Holland

... amazing how the Lord provides people for us to teach

Hey Fam!

This week was awesome! Elder Salazar is really an amazing guy. Even though we are 5 years apart we are connecting really well and his desire to learn in the Gospel is amazing. We have many investigators that are progressing really well. Tomorrow Fany and Diana are going to be baptized! And because of stake conference this weekend they are also going to be confirmed at the same time. I am really excited about it and know it will be an experience. I will never forget.

It really is amazing how the Lord provides people for us to teach. Through kind of a strange meeting and because of an incredible member here we are now teaching a youth pastor of another church. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the knowledge I have from it. As a youth pastor there were still some fundamental things he did not understand. At one point in the lesson I said we are all children of our Heavenly Father and we are created in His image. I was shocked when he said he had never heard that before and asked me where in the scriptures it says that (Genesis 1:26). I love missionary work soooo much because I get to be there to watch the light turn on. To see Christ enter into someone's life and change them. I am so grateful for this opportunity to teach because every single person I have taught has helped strengthen my own testimony. I am super excited for this coming week and all the miracles I can see coming to pass. Thanks for all the love and support :)

I love you all,
Elder Holland

New Companion!!

Hello Family and Friends,

Jaromy came home to San Diego last Friday.  It is wonderful to have him back and we have enjoyed hearing more about both of his missions.  The photo is at the airport with Jaromy and Cutler.  We want to invite anyone that is interested to attend his homecoming talk this Sunday at 9:00 a.m. at the Stake Center on 12835 Black Mountain Road.  Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support of Jaromy and your continued support of Spencer.

Warmly,Teresa

Hey Fam!

This week was a little bit of a roller coaster with Jar leaving and my new companion arriving but the work is still progressing forward :).  He was kinda surprised cuz day 1 we taught multiple lessons and just in his first week he has already taught the Plan of Salvation, Gospel of Jesus Christ, Word of Wisdom, 10 commandments, and Law of Chastity.  We kinda hit the ground running but he is doing well.  His name is Elder Salazar and he is 19 and is from Las Vegas.  He is very excited about the work and we are working well together.  

We still have 2 sister baptisms set for next week,.  They are progressing well and both have work off all week this week so we will have lots of time to make sure they are 100% prepared for their baptism :)

John's family is still going to get baptized on the 7th of september and I am sooo excited for them.  It will be a huge event that I know tons of people are gonna come to see :)

We got to go out to a farm to help a good friend, Brother Judd, move and he has a gigantic mule and a horse we got to play with which was awesome.  It was funny cuz Elder Salazar has not ever really seen cows or livestock so he was freaking out on the drive there at all the cows & horses which made me laugh quite a bit.  

But things are well here in Bozeman.  It is all brown on the hills again and it appears as if fall is almost upon us.  I enjoy seeing seasons tho :)

Thanks for all your love and support! Love,

Elder Holland

I'm staying in Bozeman!!!

Hello Family and Friends,

This is Jaromy's last week in Montana with Spencer so I am also including his email.  Jaromy comes home Aug. 9th.  I will forever be grateful to President Mecham for allowing Jaromy to spend this time with Spencer.

Much love,
Teresa

Hey Fam!

This week was incredible and there were many miracles that took place :)  But first off, I get to stay here in Bozeman for a while longer!!! I was actually really concerned cuz you never know if you are gonna stay or go and we have some amazing things happening here currently so I am happy to report that I will be staying :)  Also, my new companion will be arriving fresh from the MTC so I will get to be a Trainer this transfer!  It is very exciting but also kinda nerve racking at the same time.  I know it will be fine and as I am obedient this new missionary will follow suit but I just understand how important it is to start out doing things right from the get go because it will help shape the entire mission.

We were able to present the new Ward Facebook plan to the ward council yesterday! It went really well and was actually very entertaining.  Like half way through the power point presentation the High Priest group leader goes, "Wait a minute, What is a Facebook"  Haha and Jar and I laughed for like 30 seconds cuz he was totally serious.  But it went really well and I know it is going to help synergize the work with the members and missionaries.  There are soooo many benefits to Facebook and I know it will be a gigantic leap forward with missionary work and we will see the results very quickly :)

We had multiple people moving in the ward this week so we were running around helping out.  The people here in this ward are so amazing and continue to blow my mind every week as I see them show Charity for their fellow men.  They truly are followers of Christ and I love them for it.  This Sunday we had 11 investigators show up at Church! The ward was amazing at welcoming them and making their experience one that allowed the Spirit to touch them in a way that they have a desire to return.  7 of them were members of John's family and they are all currently recieving the missionary lessons!!  It is soo exciting to see their progression and I am evercome with joy for John because he is going to get to baptize his entire family.  We were trying to make arrangements for them all to be baptized in their prospective areas (Most live in montana but not in Bozeman) But President Mecham just said that they actually all can get baptized here and so tomorrow we are going to try and set the date for all 7 of them to be baptized on the same day!!  It  will for sure be a day I will never forget. 

I am soo grateful for the time I have had here with Jaromy and I know that this experience will be something we will both cherish forever.  I have learned loads from him and maybe he learned something from me but I def feel like he has been the teacher here. 

I love this work and look forward to every single day because I truly do get to see miracles happen :) I love you all and am so grateful for all your love and support!

Elder Spencer Holland

-

Hey Family! 

Anyway, this week was a great week and we saw many different blessings in many different forms. Personally and with the investigators. 

First with the investigators, we have been teaching John's family and things are going reallly well.

They are all doing great and they all accept the teachings that we have taught them and are super excited about everything.  They have all accepted the challenge to be baptized but we haven't been able to extend them a specific date because they all live in different cities near bozeman so they should be baptized in their respective wards. Well yesterday I called and talked to President Mecham and I took the opportunity to ask him about John's family and he said that they could all get baptized here in Bozeman 2 at the same time- all together.

But another miracle is that John's ENTIRE family came to church! All of them! And two of his really good friends. Apart from them we had the wife of a member that isn't a member but she has been taking the lessons but not since I have been here because she has been too overwhelmed with finishing nursing school (but she just finished last Friday so it should open up her schedule quite a bit more)  and we also had a Mexican family come to church so in total there were 11 investigators that came to church which was a record for both Spencer and I.  In Chile the most that ever came was 10.
But the teaching is going really well and I am excited for Spencer for the next transfer and his mission. He is really a great missionary and is trying his best. He is learning fast too so he will be the person that all the other missionaries look to for guidance.

Anyway, it has been amazing to be here. There have been some challenges and some great things that I have learned. That is just the mission, there is the best of both worlds. But it is amazing, the transformation that Spencer has made in his life. It is truly a miracle what has happened with him and I am so glad to have been blessed enough to come out and witness it first hand.

Miracles happen all the time, if we just have the eyes to see them.  

Anyway, I will see you all on Friday! Have a great week, its going to fly.

love,
Elder Jaromy Holland
For the last time this time. 

I am blessed to be a part of their lives...

Hello Fam,

This week was amazing.  We have lots of people to teach and it is so exciting to see people progress in the Gospel.  The most amazing thing is what is happening with John's family.  So we have been teaching John's friend and his son and his niece.  But we have never been able to sit down with his mom or his sister. Yesterday that all changed.  For whatever reason we came to teach and they decided to listen to a lesson! We taught the Restoration and at the end they both accepted the invitation to be baptized! I am so stoked for John cuz he is going to get to baptize his entire family!!  It was such an amazing meeting and I am so grateful that I am blessed to be a part of their lives.

I have been thinking a ton about how just being an example to others can bring those we love the most to the knowledge of the Restoration of the Gospel.  At the end of the lesson I asked John's mom what changed for her; Why did she decide to meet with us today?  She got all teary eyed and looked at her son and said it was because of the changes she has seen in him.  It truly was a precious moment as she then committed to read, pray, and come to church as a family next week.  

I know that it does not matter if we are investigating the Church or if we have been members all our lives, if we Read, Pray, and go to Church the light of Christ will never diminish in our hearts.  The energy of the everlasting atonement will always be a part of us and will help us in all aspects of our lives.  I Know the Church is true and all things are possible when we allow God to bless us.  

Thanks everyone for all your love and support :) I love you all

Elder Holland

Montana!