HI GUYS!!!

Wow this week went fast as well! Thursday we got to go to the Buenos Aires Temple and do a session there. It was super super amazing! I love how even across the world, in a different country, you can feel the same Spirit and peace in the temple. 

Oh I forgot to mention last time - I got called as District Leader! So this last Thursday I ran our district meeting, and it went super well. I love my district so much! 

Dude guys - the food here is unreal. For lunch we had this thing called 'tarta' - Idk exactly what it was, but it was so good! and for dinner one night we had FOUR types of meats! That was it - just a giant plate of all these meats. Needless to say, I was in heaven.

Saturday afternoon while we were all in our district classroom studying, the President of the CCM, Presidente Benton, came in and called me to his office. I was super sketched out at first, cause I thought maybe something bad had happened, but he wanted to meet about my progress in the 6 week program. He said some super nice things about me, and told me that I was progressing really well in Spanish, and they might need to give me a Latina companion in a week so that I could progress even more. Apparently I am still right between the 3-week and 6-week programs, just like my MTC evaluator had said originally, so I basically dont fit their program hahaha. But I know for sure it was the right call for me to be the 6-week program. I needed it, and I needed to be with this specific district that I'm with. I can't even express to you all how much I love them and how close we have come in just 2 weeks. I feel like I have known them my whole life! A lot of them dont know any Spanish, so sometimes during personal study time I will go and teach them a lesson about grammar or vocab or something. It's a lot of fun. I constantly hear... ´Hermana Holt... how do you say...´. haha! I have probably laughed until I have cried like 20 times since I have been here. 

So on Sunday we realized something - we hadn't seen the sun in like 5 days! It was quite a sad realization. Not because we werent outside, but because it was so stormy and cloudy! Lightning and thunder and rain for several days straight. I don't think we saw the sun again until yesterday.

On Sunday me and my companion taught Relief Society. There are only 6 of us sisters who speak English and are in the Norteamericano Relief Society group, so it wasnt too hard. We taught a deep lesson about the Creation, Agency, and the Fall. You guys, read the scriptures! There are SO many powerful stories and chapters that we can all learn from. I'm so thankful for the Bible and the Book of Mormon in my life! I don't know what I would do without them.

We had an AMAZING devotional-fireside in the evening by Presidente Aguero. Oh, how I love him! He was an area 70, mission president, and more. He is one of the most amazing people I have ever met! The fireside was all in Spanish and with the whole CCM (all 140 of us LOL), and I understood every single word, and even answered some questions alot! I was so happy.

Also fun fact - I learned that crazy hand snappy thingy that everyone here does! I remember trying to learn it before the mission and could never get it, but now I do it all the time! All the norteamericanos can do it now, so its all anyone does. 

On Wednesday we got to escape (lol) and go into the city of BA for Trámites (visa stuff). It was so cool to be able to hop on a bus with everyone and drive down there. Everyone on the road drives like a maniac and motorcycles don't give a crap about anyone or anything! It was quite a shock. When we were doing trámites, none of us knew what was happening at all because everyone slurs their words and speaks so fast in real life! ahhh! But it was super cool to leave the CCM for the first time since we arrived. I can't wait to get out into the field!

Also super funny fact - I am the 2nd tallest girl in the entire CCM. Thats right. I'M TALL! Everyone here is SO short. I got a kick out of that.

Exercise time each day is super fun - I usually go and run for a few minutes, play basketball with the Hermanas, or do core exercises or something. I think I may been gaining a little weight from all the food they feed us...and its rude to not finish all your food, so the struggle is real.

Well, I am happy. I miss you all alot, but I'm not sad. I love what I am doing. I know that the Church is true, and that the Gospel was restored to the Earth through Joseph Smith. I believe it with all my heart - there is no doubt. I love the scriptures. I read from them every second I can. There is so much I know, and so much I have yet to learn. I am so grateful for the gift of tongues and the Holy Spirit.

I love you all, and hope all is well at home. For those who are starting school - good luck! School is great (especially BYU! Go Cougs!)

MUCHO MUCHO AMOR

HASTA LUEGO

Hermana Holt 

Argentina Comodoro Rivadavia Mission 

Hello dear friends and family!

Im alive and well in Buenos Aires Argentina at the CCM! (CCM is the spanish abbreviation for Missionary Training Center). It is so amazing but crazy here! 

Wow I dont even know where to begin. This last week felt so long, but at the same time it blew by. The days all blur together here.

It was such a long flight to get here, I thought i was going to die! we flew part of the day and all night long. I felt so disoriented when I finally arrived a day later in Argentina. From the second I arrived at the CCM it has been GO, GO GO!!!! 

We get up at 630 every morning and have study time and classes and devotionals literally ALL day long. We only stop and breathe when we eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Oh, and the food here is absolutely amazing! I love argentine food. Lunch and dinner consist of some kind of delicious meat (pork, carne, chicken), potatoes, french fries (but different from American fries) or fried rice, or pasta with meat. They serve HUGE portions and its muy muy rica.

My companion is Hermana (or Sister, which is the title us missionaries all have) Vernon from Manti Utah. She is the sweetest and we get along so well! She doesnt know much spanish, so I have had to do a lot of translating for her. But its fun! We have a lot of fun together, quizzing each other on new spanish words and phrases. Shes amazing and so dedicated. 

Im so grateful that I already know the Spanish language pretty well, because it would be so very hard if I didnt! My roommates (4 of them) are all Latina, and dont speak any English. Actually, most of the people here at the CCM dont speak any english. only a few of the teachers, the president, and a few of us gringo missionaries. There are probably about 150 of us missionaries here at the CCM, and im gonna guess like 110 of them are Latino. So its been an adventure for sure! haha! its funny to hear during meal times the gringo missionaries try to talk and joke with the latino missionaries. half the time they just look at us like we are crazy when we try to speak in spanish! haha! but they are all so sweet and friendly and patient with us. 

Ive been so blessed with the ability to understand spanish well. I translate for the gringo missionaries a lot of the time, because none of them know a lick of spanish. I had to give a short talk at a devotional a few days ago in front of EVERYONE (in spanish of course), which was a little nerveracking, but I did it. And afterwards, all the Latino missionaries asked me if i was sure i was from the united states because i spoke like a Latina! Haha! That made me feel good.

Well, we only get an hour to write each week, and man does it go fast. I hope all is well back in the States. Thank you for everyones sweet emails and prayers on my behalf. I love you all and miss you!

I love talking in Spanish all the time. The language is so beautiful, and I can't wait to be completely fluent! 

Oh and funny story - when we arrive at the CCM they are supposed to give you your name badge. I was so excited to get mine, and when they started to give us them, we realized that my badges werent here! They had not arrived here yet because my initial leaving date for my mission had been moved up. I was super sad at first, but after the first day Presidente Benton (the CCM president, who is the most amazing guy ever) made me a badge from someones old one. Then on Sunday mine finally came in. It is such an amazing feeling to put on that missionary badge each morning, which reads "Hermana Holt. I love being Hermana Holt and having this amazing opportunity to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ!

I love you all. Stay safe !

it will only let me send 3 of my pics on this email, so ill send another with the rest. 

Mucho amor, 

Hermana Holt 

My District

Hi family!! I'm alive and well at the CCM in Argentina! I can't read any of my emails right now, but I just wanted to let you know that I am doing well and that I made it here in one piece! Wow has it been a crazy adventure so far!

My pdays are Thursdays, so I will email next week. Sorry! 

I love you all so so so so much

My companion is Hermana Vernon from Utah! Shes awesome! Also all of our 6 roommates don't speak English so thats fun haha

lots of love

talk to you next week

-- 

Mucho amor, 

Hermana Holt