30 day challenge completed :)

Hey Fam!

This was crazy awesome!  I completed the 30 day challenge!  It seriously was one of the hardest things I have ever done. It sounds strange to say it is hard to go 30 days without saying anything bad about anyone but it is!  I feel I learned the lessons I needed to learn and will keep implementing them in my life as I go forward from here. 

 

The missionary work is going really well in our ward. We currently have 5 people who are preparing themselves to be baptized on a specific date.  We are always super busy but that's just the way I like to be :)  I just love being a part of this work because I get to see a piece of the perfect timing of God in the lives of so many.  I have seen so many miracles and just incredible things there is no way I could ever say this is not the Lord's work.

 

One of the sisters, Sister Gold, who served in the YSA ward got transferred to billings last Saturday.  She had been in that one area for a little over 10 months!  I serve in 4th ward but we also cover the YSA ward so she was a big help because she knew everyone.  Elder Bishop came to pick her up so we got to visit for a little bit.  I love the missionaries out here and def feel like I have made some great life long friends.

I am so grateful to still be serving here because we got to witness something amazing this last Saturday.  An investigator, who was baptized last April, got to baptize his son!  The son asked me to speak on the Holy Ghost so I used an object lesson. I cooked up a potato and wrapped it in foil.  I told him the potato was the Holy Ghost.  I held it by an oven mitt and threw it to him and told him to throw it back when it was too hot to hold.  Ha-ha thankfully it didn't burn him but he threw it right back.  He said it was super hot! I asked him if I were to throw it at him again if he would know immediately what the feeling was and he said yes.  I then gave him a pair of oven mitts and told him these represent the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  I threw the potato at him and he was able to hold it for the remainder of the talk.  I believe the Gift of the Holy Ghost is of the greatest gifts God has given us in this life.  To have a compass for our entire life priceless.  I know that as we keep the commandments and live in a way that the Holy Ghost can be with us always we will always be warned of things that can be damaging to us. 

Next April this family will be sealed as a family in the Salt Lake Temple.  You better believe I will be there!  They already have the appointment reserved with the Temple.  I love how as this family has continued in prayer, scripture study, church attendance, and all they can do to bring themselves closer to Christ they have a peace and a protection that can only come from God. 

I LOVE being a missionary.  someone pointed out to me last week that I just hit my 18 month mark as a Missionary which made me kinda sad but I am so grateful to have another 6 months as an Emissary of Jesus Christ!

Thank you all so much for all your love and support!  As it happens, my birthday will happen like 3 days after transfers so I do not expect anything but if you are going to send anything my way it would be best to send it early or just wait till after my birthday when I know where I will be.  I am turning 26 in 2 weeks... haha dang I'm gettin old!

Love,

Elder Holland