A great start to the transfer :)

Hey Fam!

 

Hahaha I get to stay another transfer in Bozeman!!  So at the end of these 6 weeks I will have been in the Bozeman area for just a few weeks shy of a year :) Half the missionaries in this area are being transferred to other parts of the mission though...  We throw down playing dodgeball every monday so hopefully these missionaries coming in are athletic :) Unfortunately, Elder Rodriguez will be heading to Billings tomorrow.  It has been awesome to get to serve with him again and hopefully it happens a third time!

We had some awesome lessons this week!  I love how my confidence is changing as I become better acquainted with the scriptures.  I am currently reading the New Testament and the Book of Mormon.  I have really taken the promise of the scriptures to heart, "But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak." Matthew 10:19.  I test this all the time and it really is true.  Last week we got a call from a guy named Drew.  Apparently he has a reputation for being somewhat of a Bible basher.  This was the first time we had set an appointment like this that I was really really excited about it.  I love it because I know without a doubt that the Spirit will bring to my remembrance scriptures to help confirm the truth of the message we are sharing.  I have also learned that this does not just happen but you have to prepare for such occasions.  In the Doctrine and Covenants section 11 verse twenty one says, "Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men."  So like all things, we have to DO something first and then the Lord is better able to assist us.  So during this lesson with Drew he brought up many subjects about our beliefs and we were able to show him exactly why we believe what we do from the Scriptures.

I feel that there are so many wrong ideas about what we as Mormons believe and that it is our responsibility to make the truth known.  I have realized with most people that like to Bible bash that they are to one extent or another trying to prove you wrong.  I openly tell them that I am in no way there to prove them wrong but that I wish to prove them right.  My desire is to help confirm what they already believe about Christ and come to a knowledge that because He loves us so much He has Restored His Church once again on the earth.  The most common comment I get from here is, "Show me"  and then I get the opportunity to show how in the scriptures.  I feel if we approach all who are seeking to learn and grow in the Gospel we must let them know that they are on the right path but there is more.

 

I am really excited about this guy named Brad we are teaching.  He struggles with some Word of Wisdom problems and as we were talking with his girlfriend last night she said that Brad told her yesterday, "Hey we should completely and honestly live the Word of Wisdom for the entire month of February."  I literally jumped and gave her a high five because he has decided to do his part in qualifying himself to receive further confirmations from the Holy Ghost.  We have learned that one of his major problems in his decision to be Baptized is that his friends and family do not understand the Church and are very against it.  I especially enjoy the promise of the Savior to those who forsake all and follow Him, Matthew 19:29, "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life."  I know that this is true and look forward to sharing this with Brad.

 

Well, I gotta go now but thank you all for all you love and support!  Talk to you next week! 

Love,
Elder Holland