Your Missionary Sons

Sister Holland,

Your two sons came as companions tonight and had dinner with our family & shared a gospel message with us. How fun that they can serve together! I didn't believe they were brothers until they pulled out the family photo because I didn't know that sort of thing was even a possibility. They are both so happy and are doing great! I took a picture of my son with your sons. My son Jared is going to be a senior next year and plans to serve a mission right after graduation. Thank you for sharing your sons with us! We really enjoyed having them. You must be so proud of them.

Lara Hale

Elder Holland(s) June 25, 2013

Hey Fam!

This week is going to be incredible! I am so excited for Jaromy to arrive on Thursday.  I am very bummed because Elder Rodriguez is being transferred to Great Falls but I know it is where he is supposed to go.  So I found out last week that one of the investigators I was blessed to teach in Three Forks chose to be baptized this Friday!  So Jar we will get to go out to Three Forks on Friday and because of special circumstances she will be baptized and confirmed a member on the same night.  I'm way excited tho cuz Jar will get the meet all the wonderful people of Three Forks.

(Mom's Note) Last Sunday Spencer's companion, Elder Rodriguez's family came to our ward for Sacrament Meeting to see Jaromy before he goes to Montana.  Some of you may recognize the Rodriguez family from a segment on "The District".  Here is a picture of our families together with Jaromy.  Jaromy left this morning for Billings.  He will do entry missionary training and then go to Spencer in Bozeman on Thursday.  We are really excited for next week's letters from both Elder Hollands!  

I REALLY enjoyed the worldwide "Zone conference" we had on Sunday.  That was really cool and I hope everyone was able to see it.  It was like a special edition of General Conference.  Multiple people quoted this but I really loved the quote from Joseph Smith, "After all that has been said the greatest and most important duty is to preach the gospel."  I completely agree.  I have had some amazing experiences teaching the plan of salvation.  When we tell someone that this is a plan that they knew of in great detail and agreed to before they came here to earth  you can see it is their eyes and the Spirit always testifies of the truth of what you are saying.  It is incredible to know that there is a God with you at all times to confirm what you are saying.  I feel like at the beginning of my mission I was very hesitant to say things but that is no longer the case.

Elder Andersen had a great talk and my favorite things he said had to do with prayer.  "Our work begins on our knees."  During our mission tour President Mecham testified to us if we simply say all of our prayers on our knees baptisms will increase and the work will grow even faster.  Jeez that's powerful.

Elder Nelson said, "Missionary work comes alive when we hear remarkable stories of individual conversion."  I feel like the experiences we have are meant to strengthen us and help us continue on our own personal conversion but we must always remember that what may help our testimony can help make someone else's testimony.  Some experiences are meant just for us but for the most part we are to share those things that have brought us closer to God.  A perfect example of this is Boyd K Packer.  I was sad to see his talk because I feel like he was saying that he will not make it until October but what a powerful testimony he bore.  I will never forget the statement he made at the end of his testimony, "I know that the Lord lives. I know the Lord."  I believe he and all the apostles have a perfect knowledge of the Gospel.

During my discussion last Thursday in District meeting I decided to focus on how we as missionaries should behave as missionaries during transfers.  I feel this scripture applies to all of us in our every day lives as well.  At the end of his letter to the Philippians Paul said, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: Every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me." (Phil 4:11-13)

I know this Church is true.  I have it confirmed to me every single day.  I seek that confirmation every day because for some reason if I do not I begin to forget these crucial eternal truths.  Last October in Conference Pres Monson said, "The more we act on our spiritual promptings the more we will receive"and I know this to be true.

Thank you all for your love and support I really appreciate and I feel the strength of it every single day.

Love, 

Elder Holland

Exciting Week! June 19, 2013

Hey Fam!

First off, Congrats Jar you finished your mission!!!  Good job I look up to you tons for enduring to the end and being an exceptional missionary all the way to the last day.  And I am beyond stoked to see you next week!

This week was fantastic and full of many spiritual insights.  I felt very strongly the need to fast for the people in my area last Sunday so Elder Rodriguez and I decided to fast.  We did not take into account that it was fathers day and there would be food served every hour of church which made it difficult but we held on to our commitment to fast and the result was incredible.  People, members and investigators, came out of nowhere and set up appointments with us! by the end of Sunday this whole week was pretty much full! I know that fasting works and that as we show our faith by acting the Lord is so pleased because he is then allowed the shower the blessings on us that he has been waiting so patiently to give.

We are working with John lots and are teaching him some of the awesome stories in the Book of Mormon and he is writing a new album about it.  I think we are gonna have a few lines too which will be awesome.. haha I never thought I  would appear in a rap song on my mission.. Pretty sweet tho.

John's baptism

Yesterday we drove up to Helena to have my first "Mission Tour" and it was amazing.  Elder Arnold of the seventy and his wife came to speak to us and President and Sister Macham spoke as well.  It was an all day thing and I am so grateful I got to be a part of it because I learned tons.  Elder Arnold really focused on the Doctrine of Christ and how it relates to our Purpose as missionaries.  He talked about Real Growth and really went into detail about Baptism.  As a group, we were able to read 3 Nephi chapter 11.  I have read this multiple times but was able to see it in a new light.  It is crazy to think that this is the first "Sermon" of Christ when he appears in America and he mentions Baptism how many times? 13 Times! Christ does repeat things all throughout the scriptures but to speak of baptism 13 times in one single chapter is a very Bold statement of the importance of baptism.

Sister Mecham Spoke about the Talk, "An Attitude of Gratitude" By president Monson.  That talk is fantastic and incredibly powerful and I suggest all to read and ponder it's message.  He said. "We can life ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude.  If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then Gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues."  Fantastic talk, READ IT!  and then Sister Mecham said, "Until you are grateful for the things you have you will never get the things you want."

Elder Jaromy coming home - mom's hug

Pres Mecham, like always, blew my mind. he spoke about revelation and how if we have faith we believe in revelation.  he said, "Revelation. Seek it, Trust it, Do it."  As i try and do my best to implement the teachings of those that God puts in my path I am learning more each day how heavenly father works.  I loved it when pres Hinkley said, "The Lord will Never tire of confirming gospel truths." Even though I know some things are true I can ask in prayer and he always confirms those things to be true to me.  What a blessing it is to live in a time where we have the Gospel restored in its fullness. If we chose to we can all receive revelation and the knowledge and power that comes to those who have chosen to be disciples of Christ.  I love this gospel and know it is true.  I love you all and look forward to hearing from you next week and most importantly seeing Jar!!! 

Love ya,

Elder Holland

Another Awesome Week! - June 10, 2013

Hey Fam and Friends!

This week was really cool.  The weather has finally decided it is going to be summer so we have been spending a little more time outside, enjoying as much Vitamin D as we can soak in.  It is like 75-80 and the sunrise/sunsets here are unreal. I love it.  And we got to visit with lots of less active families who live up at the base of the mountains so it was very scenic and just had me in a fantastic mood all week. 

I finally got to go to the Lewis and Clark caves today! They are so awesome and they go on for like a mile! It is really cool and besides the salt mines we went to in Germany it is the biggest cave I have been in.  Totally worth making the trip back just to see it again.

On Saturday John got baptized! It was such a powerful experience and thankfully lots of his family members, who are not members of the church yet, were able to attend.  They could feel the Spirit bear witness to them that what he was doing was correct and that the proper authority was there to baptize him.  As he entered the water I don't think a single one of his family members wasn't crying, it truly was a touching experience.  Then I had the opportunity to confer upon him the Gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday in sacrament meeting.  Wow, what an experience!  I do not even really remember the words that I said but I know that I had help as I gave him that blessing.  To see his progression and the man he has become because he allowed the gospel of Jesus Christ to penetrate into every aspect of his life is truly incredible.  I feel honored to be a part of his conversion process and I always make sure he knows that his testimony and dedication has and continually does help me with mine as I continue in my own conversion process.  I will be forever amazed at the joy that comes from living the way I now know my Heavenly Father wants me to.  The way I decided to live even before I was born.  I have lived a "Worldly" Lifestyle and now the life of disciple of my Savior, Jesus Christ.  There is no comparison.  At first I thought this would be hard but as I live the commandments I have learned that these concepts of Christ are not new things that I am trying to instill in myself but things that are already there that I just have to recognize in myself.  I also know that these qualities exist in every single human being here on earth. It is just up to each one of us to individually choose if we are going to let them be manifest in our own lives. 

I love you all thanks for all your love and support!

Elder Holland

Baptism this week! June 5, 2013

Hey Fam!

So I am super excited cuz we have a baptism this week!   Jaromy is going to get to meet him!  He is incredible and to see how he has changed in just a month is truly amazing.  I have such a testimony of the power of the priesthood.  I have had multiple opportunities to give blessings already.  The power truly does come from God.  For me, because I can see the energy, it is super easy to identify the origin of it.  It is pure and always 100% white, the only energy I have ever seen that is.  But the blessing that it is to have this wonderful gift that is the authority to use the power of God for the salvation of man is almost incomprehensible.  I have seen it in action and the witnessed the healing power of it.  

I am so blessed to be able to say I can stand as a witness that the Priesthood,  the exact same power Christ used to perform many miracles, is here on the earth once again and it is available to all who allow Heavenly Father to bless them with it.  The more I learn about the Gospel the more I feel like I am not just learning, but remembering.  I love the Gospel and have never had a passion to learn like I have when I study the scriptures.  The Book of Mormon is the word of God and, at least in my own experience, answers any question of the soul that we may have. All we have to do is read it.

Thanks for all the love and support I love you all!

Elder Holland

PS - Three weeks from now these brothers will be companions!

Bozeman 2 - May 28, 2013

This is Brother Thornock, the Elders Quorum president in Three Forks!
Such an awesome guy and he did soo much to help the missionaries

Hey Fam!!

Well another week has come and gone! It is crazy how fast time flies when you have something planned every single hour of the day.  But I have never been this productive so its a good thing :)

The weather here is completely crazy.  Today alone it was all blue skies, then raining, then blue skies, then all overcast and  prob gonna rain AGAIN later today.  2 days ago it hailed paintball size hail and it actually was pretty dangerous cuz that stuff really hurts..

They are keeping us busy here in Bozeman.  On Sunday my companion, Elder Rodriguez, and I spoke in Sacrament Meeting, passed the Sacrament, and taught gospel doctrine class (which was a first for me).  It was an awesome week too.  We have tons of opportunity for service here and I love it!  To serve others seriously brings the most joy and I feel very blessed to be able to do so much service.  We went over the baptismal interview questions with John today and it is so amazing to see how someone can gain such a strong testimony in such a short period of time.  To be able to leave all worldly things behind in just a few weeks and committ to living a disciplined life with ease because of your conviction in your belief is really what it means to become a new creature in Christ.  And also we're teaching lots of new people because of him, he tells literally everybody about his faith and it is so awesome.

The greatest blessings come from sharing the gospel, HANDS DOWN.  The coolest thing is when you share the gospel it is like you don't even have to think cuz the spirit basically just fills your mouth with words! I love it and as a practice speaking by the Spirit it only strengthens my own testimony.
It's has been a great week and I look forward to this week even more :) 

Love you all!

Elder Holland


So this is John and he is getting baptized on june 8th.  He is such an awesome guy and he is actually a local Rapper here and is now rapping about mormonist and said we are gonna do a picture similar to this for the cover of his next album called. " I'm a Mormon" Like on those pass along cards we hand out.  Hilarious really but such an awesome guy.

Bozeman! May 21, 2013

Hey Fam!

So I do not have much time at all but just wanted to tell a little about Bozeman :)

 First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAROMY!!!! We will 4sure celebrate when you get up here but hope you have a fantastic day :) 

Transfer day with his new companion Elder Rodriguez, from San Diego!

So Bozeman is awesome.  It's right next to the mountains and is super green.  I met lots of the ward and many of our investigators.  My companion, Elder Rodriguez is awesome and has been working really hard.  We currently have 9 progressing investigators and many have a date set for baptism so the working is strolling along very well here.  We do not speak Spanish as much as I thought but we do occasionally.  The people here are amazing and I was really happy because we had a stake priesthood session last night and I got to see all my friends from Three Forks :)  We are super busy all the time and it is raining like crazy here.  I love it here and am def having a blast.  Sorry I do not have more time to share but I will next Monday Hope all is well with you all! Thank you for all your letters :) 

My new address is 2307 West Main street #120, Bozeman, MT, 59718. 

Love you all,

Elder Holland

Transfers! May 13, 2013

Hey!
It was so fun to four way SKYPE on Mother's day - truly mother heaven.  It was a virtual family reunion - technology is amazing.  Here is Spencer's letter as well as a SKYPE photo.

So I know I just got to Skype yesterday but I'm being transferred! Idk how I feel about this because there are so many wonderful people we are working with in Three Forks and I love everyone I have met there.  My training isn't even done! It is supposed to be a 12 week thing and now i'm leaving during the 6th week.  I'm gonna miss Elder Wilson as a companion.  He is great and has such an amazing heart.  He really does carry the Spirit and I love him.  But I am going to be transferred to the 2nd ward in Bozeman!!  This is where the Spanish branch is and it is right up next to the mountains.  Spring is here and it is starting to turn all green and it is absolutely gorgeous here.  Also, My companion is Elder Rodriguez from SAN DIEGO!!!! He is from Chula Vista and I'm super excited to be companions with him cuz all I've heard about him is he takes the work very seriously and works super hard so we will be on the same page.  Also, I'm gonna be the senior companion which is strange cuz idk if I know exactly what I'm doing yet but I have faith that I will have help in rising fulfill the calling. 

I'm really gonna miss Three Forks tho.  At least tomorrow we have an awesome dinner planned.  Brother Boyd who is a pilot for some high up guy in Apple, is gonna set up dinner for us and his family ON THE END OF THE RUNWAY at the airport.  There is a less active member we have been doing service for in his hangar and he owns a couple planes that do crop dusting and he is gonna do a fly by and dump a couple hundred gallons of water like right next to us... maybe on us idk yet but its hot now I wouldn't mind.  But it's gonna be awesome!

I'm sad to go but I've prayed about it already and I know without a doubt that Bozeman is where I'm supposed to go next.  One of the biggest changes in my life over the past year has been the ability to recognize the Holy Ghost as he testifies of truth to me personally.  There are lots of unseen forces/energies out there that are good and bad that we can feel and recognize but the most important is that of the third member of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost.  I love that I can pray anytime and know without a doubt that the answer I am getting is coming from a divine source.  How incredible is that! The key is figuring out how the Holy Ghost works in you specifically.  We all respond to energy and read things here on earth differently and a testimony builder for me is that the Holy Ghost is different for every person, making him unique to every person.  Just proving once again that our Heavenly Father loves us and does everything he can to help us, if we let him.  I love you all I am so grateful for all of you who have written me and keep my in your prayers.  I feel the strength from them every day and it truly does help me in my purpose in inviting others to come unto Christ.  Talk to you all next week :)

Love,
Elder Holland

Another Great Week - May 7, 2013

Hey all!

Sorry I am a day late. The weather is finally like San Diego here and all day yesterday we were outside (Orders of the Zone Leaders) cuz it was a rough winter and spring is finally here.  But they said we all could e-mail today so here I am.  I am very short on time tho cuz we have lots of people to see.  This week we found a few more investigators and have one more that is progressing so we have 8 investigators and 2 progressing investigators which is excellent!

I had a big realization this week about the rules and everything we do here on the mission.  At first I was like yea I'm gonna live the rules as close to 100% as I can to prove to the members and everyone who is constantly watching us that I am in this 100% so they will trust me and allow me to teach their close friends.  I found out I was very wrong here.  The white handbook of rules that we have is an inspired book that comes directly from the quorum of the twelve apostles.  Like everything that comes from inspiration it came directly from our Heavenly Father.  As we live the commandments we prove to Him that we are willing to serve and he knows the intentions of our hearts.  We always are told that if we do not have the spirit we can not teach but that the spirit will reveal all things to us.  So in being obedient and following the commandments Heavenly father is the one that tells all who are listening that you are ready and have prepared yourself to help others come to the knowledge of the truth.  Miracles happen.  I have had the wonderful blessing of seeing the Lord's hand in a few of my brothers and sisters lives already.

I love the story of Enos and read it frequently.  If we pray and humble ourselves we will receive a remission of our sins and the joy that comes from letting that guilt go.  But if we turn that desire to our fellow men then, as we see with Enos, verse 12, the Lord says, "...I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy Faith."  I love this gospel and the joy I have because of it.  I pray that we all will follow the example and have a desire to see our brethren come alive through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

I love you all and look forward to talking at 3:00 this sunday!!

Elder Holland

Zone Conference - April 29, 2013

Hey Fam!

 

The work is really beginning to pick up here.  We have multiple people to teach and we should be looking at a baptism here pretty soon.  It's amazing how I feel its hard here, but the Lord strengthens me and truly makes weak things strong.  I have never been able to remember names very well and I know most of the 150 active members names here!

We had our first exchanges with the zone leaders on Saturday while we were helping out at the Rodeo. Yup, I said rodeo.  Haha I thought it was great, as a competitor you can not enter the rodeo without a cowboy hat!  It was a high school rodeo with kids from all over the state so the town just about tripled for the event.  We got to work the admissions stand and hand out tickets and collect money which was great cuz we got to meet a ton of people and we would just move slow while getting their stuff so we could talk to them.  We call it "Trap Tracting" because they can't leave haha ;)  It was great.

Bro Sieler, the ward mission leader,  took us out to dinner at a member's house in Pony and we went up the mountain and checked out some legit hiking trails and he said he's going to take us there for p-day sometime so we can actually hike it! Also, Lewis and Clark caverns open in like 2 weeks and I'm super stoked.  Apparently they go forever and this early in the season there won't be very many people there so we will get a tour guide all to ourselves and an awesome tour.

I am learning the lessons better every day and am loving tracting.  The only thing that's hard about tracting here is the weather.  It can be 70 and sunny or 35 and cloudy all in the same day and the wind is incredible.  But I'm lovin it here I've already met some awesome people that I know I will stay in touch with forever.

I was reading in Mosiah ch4 and love verse 27 how there is an order to everything.  It's like King Benjamin almost says "ok guys remember, baby steps".  Sometimes it's super overwhelming to think about the end goal we are striving for and what it takes to get there but as we take it one day at a time it is muuuuuch easier.  I'll load up some pics now but I'm almost out of time, Thanks for all the love and support and prayers, I really appreciate them!

Love you all,

Elder Holland

Another week already? April 22, 2013

Hey Fam!

I can't believe another week has come and gone.  A mission is a time warp.  I'm glad to hear you are all doing well and I Like seeing all the pictures :)  First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY CUTLER!!!!!! You finally hit the Big 17!!!  Don't let it get to your head haha ALWAYS Remember I can still beat u at an arm wrestle ;) haha well at least for now... I bought some weights and a pull up bar today so hopefully they will help because the members here feed us a ridiculous amount of food and we have a dinner EVERY day. Which is a good thing!  Yesterday we went out to this little town called Ennis and visited the branch there. My companion and I gave sacrament meeting talks which went really well.  There are like 50 active members and they are just awesome people.  It's a little overwhelming at times to meet sooo many new people and then have to remember all of their names and everything about them but I am definitely recieving help from heavenly father in that area which I'm really happy about.  The town Ennis is only 70 miles from West Yellowstone and its incredible out there :)

But holy smokes the work is picking up here.  We have met some great people while tracting and are working with many less active members and are making great progress.  I knew the day would come where I met someone going through something really hard in their life and I would have to testify to them that true peace and joy from their situation can only come from our Savior.  That day came yesterday.  I met a couple that desperately need help and it was really hard to talk to them about what they were dealing with because I have absolutely no frame of reference.  We had a really good talk with them and put a plan in place with goals to bring them to Christ and they accepted the plan and committed to following what we had discussed.  This work has allowed me to humble myself more than I ever thought it would.  Instead of just imagining how God see's us I am actually beginning to have my eyes opened and see his actions EVERYWHERE.  It's crazy I feel like I have lost all worry for myself and can only care for the people around me.  I have never had this perspective so strong in my life before and I must admit it has made me feel the closest to my Savior, even more than in the Temple.  Well, we have very limited time today and I didn't even get to read all of your e-mails but I love you all so much and am so grateful for your support and love.

Love

Elder Holland

Mission is awesome! April 15, 2013

Hey Fam!

This week was awesome. We have a few potential investigators but its crazy how things go haywire once the gospel is introduced to their lives.  It's very evident that Satan does all he can to prevent the gospel from working miracles in our brothers and sisters lives. 

I finally got to meet the ward!  They are so great. Our ward mission leader, Bro Sieler,(Who is awesome) went around and got our dinner calendar all filled up for the entire month!! We are set for food and members to teach.  So a member gave us an idea and we ran with it this week.  I proposed at ward council this week to do a program where each auxillery gives us, the missionaries, 2 referrals a month which gives us 14 more people to teach and they loved it!  They announced it in sacrament meeting and went into great detail about it in elders quorum!  This ward is awesome and very proactive with missionary work and this new mission plan will help us lots in helping this great work progress :)

So my big ah ha moment of the week is I am finally learning how to pray.  We pray all the time but specifically at night before I go to sleep.  Keep in mind this takes at least 15 min to do but it has been one of the biggest blessings in my life and I am beginning to see it bless the lives of others.  So in the prayer I basically just recite back everything I did in the day.  I tell Heavenly father what I studied and ask for him to help me remember it.  I go over everything I did and taught with every person I saw and each time it gives me the opportunity to ask for blessings for that person and see how because I am being obedient the Lord is using me to bless other people.  It's truly fascinating the revelation I recieve as I do this.  I not only see how I can further help others come unto Christ but I can see how Christ has had an influence on me throughout my entire day.  To me I think It is especially important to pray like this after the mission as well because I know that Satan has a gift for filling our lives with good things and doesn't leave enough time for essential ones but this way we can see the essential things that come from our Savior and better apply them in our lives for the next day.  Well, that's my big realization for this week.

I'm super excited for this next week and all the wonderful things I will get to experience.  I see now why it is so important to serve a mission.  These experiences I am having are very possible to have off a mission but would be very difficult to because as a missionary we are literally set apart from the world and can devote 100% of our heart, might, mind, and strength and the relationship I feel I am establishing with my Heavenly Father I already know will be the foundation for the rest of my life, and ALL eternity.

I have pictures but I forgot my camera so i'll send some next week.  My ankle got pretty narly looking cuz it was all black and blue but i'll send pics next week. 

I Love you all,

Elder Holland

First week in Montana! April 9, 2013

Hey Fam!

So this week has been awesome! I love Montana, its such a different place.  I almost have no frame of reference but the people are amazing here.  The town is suuuuper small and everyone knows everyone.  The high school only has 180 kids!! We are volunteering there later today which should be cool.  The weather here is crazy!  The first few days it was soo nice and sunny and then 3 days ago it rained and then 2 days ago it snowed like crazy and today its back to sunny.  Not what i'm used to... but its great.  The wind is ridiculous at times... it will be nice and calm and then out of nowhere it will be like 40 mph winds.  The sunrise and sunsets here are so incredible! I now know completely why they call it Big Sky country :)  The people are so nice and accommodating. Last night was the first night we didn't have a dinner from a member which was nice actually cuz they feed us way too much and its hard to say no.  I really don't want to get fat!  They say the "average" missionary gains 30-40 lbs in this mission.  My mission, to prove them wrong. ;) 

President Mecham and Sister Mecham

But for such a small town its awesome how strong the ward is! I haven't met all of them yet cuz it was conference but I have been going around and getting acquainted with lots of them.  The ward here has about 150 active members!!! They have the biggest congregation in the area and its awesome. 

My area, three forks, covers 7 zip codes! So thankfully we have a truck! It's a 2011 Chevy Colorado 4WD and my companion doesn't have a license so I get to drive which is legit.  My companion has autism and ausbergers (I know I just butchered that word) but he is incredible.  there are some challenges to this but the benefits FAR outway them.  He has the most incredible memory of anyone I have ever met! He remembers every person he has ever met, their name, address, phone number, EXACTLY what was said when they met and muuuuuch more, it's incredible.  I love him. He and I are practicing 100% obedience and are already seeing the blessings for it :)  We have some investigators and less active members we are working with and if all goes to plan we should have a few baptisms here in a few weeks.

Tracting is awesome.  The people here are so funny, its hilarious.  Yesterday we were walking into home depot in Bozeman and the snow was flying sideways and it was 25 degrees and this crazy looking guy walks out, walks up to us, and screams, "Well the birds sure hate this today! I talked to the black fin red tailed hawk at my house this morning and he said he hated it!"  I couldn't help it, I just busted up laughing. 

Sorry this letter is late my p-day was yesterday but we got stuck waiting at the church for the new transfers from Billings but apparently there was a storm and they were a few hours late so we got permission to e-mail today,

We were playing dodge ball at the church yesterday preparing for this charity tournament we fund raised for this weekend and I rolled my ankle pretty bad.  Its swollen like a baseball currently but I already received a blessing and i'm confident it will heal soon :)

There are only 2 missionaries called as Spanish speakers and they are in my zone! I met them yesterday and one of them is from Guatemala and the other is Elder Rodriguez who is the son of the Rodriguez family in "the District".  They are very close to me and a bunch of elders basically told me at some point I will get to serve as a Spanish speaking elder which is awesome :)

Sorry this is so long, there is still a bunch more I have to say but i'm outa time... oh but we live in a little room attached to a house, The Price's, who are very nice and generous people and its a little different.  All we have to cook with is a hot plate and a microwave.  We have a fridge and access to laundry which is great. 

But I've been really thinking about why I feel so close to my Heavenly Father and my Savior all the time since I have been here and I finally figured it out.  We pray at least 15 times a day.  And that is it.  Obedience to the commandments is important but prayer is the key.  I know that as I continue to become closer to my Savior that I will be able to see Him work miracles for the people here in Montana. I am so excited to be here.  I know this Church is true and the truth is available to all who want to know through sincere, heartfelt prayer.

I love you all & I'll report back next Monday!

Elder Holland

MTC #3 - March 30, 2013

Dear Family,

The MTC is an absolute time warp.  I can not believe I have been here a week.  Tomorrow the new recruits arrive and as Zone Leaders Elder Cupp and I will be doing lots in their orientation.  There are only 2 new districts coming, 11 Elders and 8 sisters total.  It is very exciting tho!  We have had many teaching opportunities with different people.  It's amazing how the Spirit guides even when its just a role play.

Today we had an incredible experience at the TRC with an actual, real investigator!  We didn't know what to teach and we were planning for the lesson yesterday and we prayed as a companionship (around here we are known as the "triple combo")  to know what to teach this man, Javier.  We all got different things but I got Africa and my conversion story.  At first, I was very hesitant about that because it is a very personal and sacred thing to me but as the lesson went on I felt more and more that I needed to share.  The man, Javier, is from Madrid, Spain and he moved here 4 years ago.  So we already had tons in common and we talked about how he came to decide to meet with the missionaries and I just kept thinking, "wow, this is ridiculous, it's like I was meant to be here right now".  He kind of gravitated towards me the entire time and finally he asked me why I was here and when I knew it was true.  So I told him about Africa.  It was incredible the Spirit was so strong and to close the story I had him read Moroni 10:4-5 and he was moved, to say the least.  We committed him to read the Book of Mormon and we actually get to meet with him and follow up with him on Thursday.  It was such an incredible experience and a great kickstart to real investigators in the mission.

I have no doubt this is the true church of Christ.  It is incredible how much more of an eternal perspective I have now as a missionary.  All things are possible through Christ.  This is the best thing I have ever done.  I am leaving here really soon!

I leave for Billings on April 2nd!  Tonight we have a devotional where they say a GA will speak and I'm praying Elder Eyring will show up!  We have another GA on Sunday for Easter which I am pretty stoked about.  I appreciate all the letters and love from the family and I will check back in when I can!

I love you!

Elder Holland
PS - I just saw Bro and Sister Wright at dinner and again at the devotional!

MTC #2 - March 30, 2013

Hey Fam!

First off thank you to all of you who have written me or sent me packages. I really appreciate it! the MTC is going by very fast and I hardly ever have time to write anyone back for all that I am receiving but I will write as soon as I have time!

Every day is an amazing experience here. I learn so much and have been writing down as much as I can so I can remember later.  We had our in-field training yesterday and it was cool cuz some of the teachers of my classes were the guys from "the District".  One thing I learned is the importance of preparing the member before you go to a lesson with an investigator.  Pres. Kimball said, "No mission can reach its full potential without member help."  The work is progressing extremely fast but we need to make sure we involve the members properly. 

I love this one by Joseph Smith,"Doubt and Faith can not exist in the same mind at the same time." Enough said.

We had a pretty good devotional on Tuesday by Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge who was just released as the area authority for Chile! I wonder if Jaromy ever met him... but it was great. He made the connection with the gospel using symbolism which was awesome because it made a logical connection to the gospel in premise conclusion form.  He talked about using the premise A-Destination/doctrine (why?), B-Route/principles (How?) leading to C-Conclusion/application (What?).  It was really good.

Also thank you Heather for sending me the story from Merek.  it was such a great story of what kind of missionaries we need to be and how we need to love one another.  I read in to my district as an example of how we should all strive to be and it was moving. Thanks

Also I head to Montana on Tuesday, the 2nd! so the next time I e-mail I will be out in the field ;)  so mom I will be calling from the airport sometime tuesday morning :)  also I have not taken many pictures but the sisters have and they are gonna send them to you!

gotta go talk to you all soon!

Love ya, 

Elder Holland

MTC!! March 24, 2013

Hello Family!

Well the MTC is awesome! I don't know if I have ever studied this hard in my life but I love it.  I sent a letter home by mail yesterday but I think this will get to you faster.  This place is seriously like a time warp.  Today is day 4 and i seriously feel like I have been here for a month.. not in a bad way tho.  I am in a trio and my companions are Elder Cupp and Elder Beck.  They are both great and have strong testimonies of the gospel.  Elder Cupp and I were called yesterday as the Zone leaders so we will be set apart for that tomorrow after sacrament meeting. I am learning the incredible power of prayer and how prayer is a key element to our continuous conversion.  I love the def of prayer in the bible dictionary and how it says as we are converted to the gospel it becomes natural and instinctive.  Soo true. 

All day today it has been snowing! i love it I think God is just getting us ready for Montana.  So like 2 weeks ago we sent 24 missionaries to Billings and my group will be 16 so the work is progressing in Montana!

Well im running out of time and wish I took the time to learn how to type faster before now but I guess I'll figure it out ;)  I love you all Very much and am grateful for all the letters I have received via dear elder and as I have time I will write back!

Also please tell Pa thank you for the reference book he slipped in my suitcase I can tell he spent lots of time on it and it is helping me lots in my studies :)

Talk to you all next week!

 Elder Holland