She made it to Comodoro!! 

Can't wait to hear from her in a few days when she has her first P-day there!

Week 5! and 5 days until I board the plane for Comodoro Rivadavia! I can't waittttttttt!! The CCM is fantastic, but its not the real work. I can't wait to get out in the real world and actually start teaching people!

This last Friday my district did an English fast for the day. If we said a word in English, we had to do 5 flexiones (pushups). We did so well, and although our Spanish is not anywhere near perfect, it really helped to speak only in Spanish all day long. 

Saturday we had our second/final Proselyting opportunity! Me and Hermana Vernon's area was near the Mar de Plata, and we taught so many people some quality lessons! I was so happy and felt so much more confident in myself and my skills in comparison with our first proselyting experience 2 weeks ago.  We were able to give out 3 Book of Mormons to people and commit them to read and pray about them, and got 3 people to commit to go to church the next day! One of my fav people we taught - a little 13 year old girl (who seemed to be much  older than her years). After getting to know her, teaching and testifying, we gave her one of our Book of Mormons. she was so happy to be gifted the book, that she started kissing us on the cheeks and hugging us and saying that she would read it all! It made me so happy. 

Sunday was such a beautiful day. We got permission to sit outside for a bit in the sunshine. The sky was perfectly blue, the parrots were flying everywhere, and with the temple as our background, it was truly a sight to behold! I am so grateful for this beautiful world! And I love the Sabbath Day so much. I love the opportunity we get to rest from our labors and focus on Christ, and feel the Spirit so often and so strongly.

Monday was a bit of an interesting day..... long story short the gringo elders in the 6week program (my elders and a few others) had a little issue with obedience, so after several meeting with Presidente and a few loving but harsh words that we are on the Lords time, our district got split up and mixed around. So now we have different elders, but it is alright, because I think all of the Elders learned their lessons. Now they ask before they do anything and they are exactly obedient! Lesson to all - be exactly obediente, even when no one is watching, and even if it seems like a small thing. Satan's favorite words are ´¨it doesnt matter, its no big deal, and no one will know.¨´ If you hear any of those phrases before doing something... RUN! :) 

Wednesday I had quite a suprise! Ben Parra (from home) was in Buenos Aires so he came by and gave me a sweet little package from my family! It made my day. I loved all the cute cards and letters, and was especially grateful for the printed out emails of my friends that I had not been able to read. Time for emailing is so so limited in the mission (so that we can keep our focus on our work), so I apologize if I don't respond to emails or only respond with a few lines! I LOVE hearing from you all so much, and I love knowing how your lives are going! So please keep me updated.

Funny facts of the week

EVERYTHING here is dulce de leche. They use it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Its pretty good, and I especially like the Arroz con leche con dulce de leche, and the ice cream that is dulce de leche flavored. LOL!

When we were out proselyting and people realized we were from the states, they kept telling us about all these earthquakes and hurricanes hitting the states and apparently Miami and Florida have been wiped off the face of the earth.... I really hope thats not true, but since we don't hear any news from the states here, I have no idea!

I have had the opportunity to read my scriptures so much these last few weeks, and I have gained so much from them. Its truly amazing how intricate and complex the Book of Mormon is, but yet how beautiful simple it is. As Nephi says, ¨my soul delighteth in the scriptures and the words of Christ.¨ Oh, how I agree with that statement! I could read my scriptures all day long. We listened to a devotional by Elder Bedar yesterday (given in june at the Provo mtc) about the Word of Christ and the prophet Joseph Smith. I have an unshakeable testimony that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon only through the power of God. Not only does EVERY fact line up and prove it, but the book itself proves it. Read it, I challenge each one of you. Even those who aren't members of our Church. Read it for yourself to see if it is true. I can testify without a shadow of a doubt in my mind that it is the word of God, and that by reading the Bible and the Book of Mormon you can learn of Christ and his love for us.

This will be the last email for about 10-11 days because I am leaving for my mission in Comodoro this Tuesday morning. And so my next P day wont be until that next Monday I believe. So don't fear if you don't hear from me for a bit, all is well. 

I love my family! I love the gospel! And I love you all so much. Stay happy and stay safe. Todo esta bien! 

Con TODO mi amor

Hermana Holt 

HELLLOOOO EVERYONE

So this week was suppper great. Nothing out of the ordinary...grinding everyday...

Last Thursday we had a district meeting in the evening that I led. It was super super amazing and we made some great goals for our district. We have kept most of them, including speaking only in Spanish at each breakfast, and being 3 minutes early to everything...

On Friday during my IP (Progressing Investigator experience) I had a really cool experience. These little 15 minute lessons to fake investigators are all in Spanish, and its usually pretty hard to try to get our point across. But on Friday during one of the lessons, about halfway through I realized I had been speaking all in Spanish for like a full 3 minutes with no pauses or stumbling! I got the distinct impression that this was due to the Spirit blessing me with the ability to speak. I felt so so happy and super grateful that I was able to say all that I wanted to say in Spanish! 

Sundays are always super great here. They are still super busy, as is every day, but I love how we are allowed to watch devotionals given by Apostles, and we get to attend super spiritual and uplifting Firesides. 

Monday was just a super happy day. I felt the Spirit throughout the day, and I realized as I just focus my attitude on the work, learning the language, loving the missionaries and people around me, that the Lord blesses us with charity and a
joyful attitude. I hope to be able to live worthy of the Spirit always, so that I can always feel this joy and love for the work in my heart!

Tuesday I tried Mate for the first time... its a pretty typical Argentine drink that basically tastes like someone threw some cut up grass in hot water. It was pretty nasty. But our teacher promised us that by the time we leave Argentina in 17 months we will all be in love with mate. I dont believe her..... haha!

Wednesday during PE me and my comp decided to play soccer with our district and some latinos... suprisingly enough we held our own and I even scored two goals! haha. Being in South America, I guess I need to sharpen up my fútbol skills so I can play with the natives! 

We listened to this super amazing talk by Elder Oaks on Wednesday. One quote that he said that really stuck with me was ´Temples stand as a witness of our faith in the reality of the resurrection.´ I had never thought of temples in that way before. I am so grateful for the Gospel, for the knowledge that because of Christ's Atonement, we will all one day be resurrected. I am so grateful for this knowledge and for my Savior. Knowing that we all will be resurrected one day and can live with our families for all of eternity gives me the motivation to keep pressing on, and to do what I am doing!

The weather has been better, in fact I think i have seen the sun for like 4 days in a row this week! yay!

Also I found my fav food here - milanesa with jamon y queso and marinara sauce on top. YUMM. 

Each night in our district we do a nightly Insight, which is basically 10 minutes of a testimony meeting, or story time of something spiritual. So last night was my turn, and I shared my mom's conversion story to the Gospel. The story touched everyone in the room, especially me. I am so grateful for the missionaries that shared the Gospel with my mom and my dad's parents, and for their strength that they give me!

I would not be out here in Argentina working for a year and a half if I did not know without a shadow of a doubt that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. I am so eternally thankful for my Savior, my Lord. I hope that each day I make Him proud, and that I can continually improve myself and my character to reflect some of His attributes. He is the ultimate example to look towards in everything.

Take care. Les quiero!!!!!!!!!

12 more days here in the CCM then I'm shipped out to Comodoro Rivadavia where the real work starts!

Mucho amor, 

          Hermana Holt

Hello everyone!

Wow 3 weeks in the CCM! i cant believe it. I feel like I  have been here for years, but in a good way.

Ok so last Thursday we got to go to the temple, because it was PDay. Super awesome!!!!

Saturday was a big big day - my district got to go proselyting in Buenos Aires! We hopped on a bus at like 11am, and they dropped us off at some random streets in the city, and we walked around for 6 hours teaching lessons, talking, and giving out Book of Mormons! It was super super hard, because everyone speaks quickly, but it was so fun to be out in the real world, out of the CCM. THe people are so kind and everyone kisses on the cheek when you meet and when you say goodbye (which is still super weird for me to get used to haha). I got so many blisters on my feet and I was absolutely wiped after a day of proselyting, but it was so awesome and worth it. I love the CCM with all my heart, but I also can't wait to get out into the field!

Sunday was Fast Sunday, and our fast and testimony meeting during church went so well. I always love hearing everyone´s testimonies! It was especially neat, because during the meeting there was this HUGE lightning and thunder storm going on outside, so when people would pause during their testimonies you could just hear the rain pouring and the thunder rumbling in the background. It made me feel the spirit even more, because for me, nature has always reminded me of God. It was a neat experience.

Monday I decided during physical activity I would try running - man was it hard! I did about a mile before I pooped out. But its all good… I'm going to keep running each day so I can stay in shape and stay focused during the day! 

So Monday evening I had quite an experience - after dinner that night I started to not feel so well. After about an hour, I had to run out of class with my companion because a wave of sickness hit me so hard. I barely made it back to my room, and I was so so sick. (mom dont worry it gets better...). After a while I just sat on the ground in my room because I was in too much pain to move or get up. My sweet companion ran and got medicine, and then she got the Elders from my district. 4 of the elders whom I love so so much came up, helped me into a chair, and gave me a blessing. It was one of the most powerful priesthood blessings I have ever heard. Elder Mooneyham was the one who gave it to me. I truly felt like my Heavenly Father was speaking to me through him, as he laid his hands on my head and promised me that I would get better, and many other things. At the end of the blessing, they left, and within 5 minutes I felt my strength start to return. I could walk and stand up again, which I hadnt been able to do for about 2 hours. I know the power of the priesthood is so real, and that God watches out for us. I am so grateful for those Elders and their worthiness to give me the blessing. It was a very trying and tough, but wonderful experience.

Tuesday everyone but my district and one other gringo district left the CCM for their mission! It was super sad and everyone was crying. I am so grateful for all those missionaries that I got to know so well, they helped me so much and are so wonderful. So for all of Tuesday evening and Wednesday, it was just 20 of us gringo missionaries in the ENTIRE CCM! It was super weird and quiet... BUt kind of nice because we didnt have to wait in line for anything! haha!

Wednesday was my companions 20th birthday! Presidente Benton (president of the CCM) went and bought cartons of ice cream, and we all came down to the comedor in our PJs and had ice cream. It was super fun! After, Presidente gave us a little spiritual devotional. 

This morning we got to go to the Temple again. Even though it was all Spanish, I could understand sooo much this time around!! It was great. 

Also we have been teaching our latina roomates some English phrases - I taught them the phrase 'you are obnoxious' and now they say it all the time. haha its quite hilarious. 

Well, I love you all. I hope everyone is happy and healthy!!! I miss you all and pray for you every single day.

MUCHO MUCHO MUCHO AMOR

Hermana Holt

PS I asked her "What does hablo queso mean? I speak cheese??” 

She answered:  "haha yeah i forgot to explain-

it was something Elder Nash in my district said when he was trying to take a picture of the latinos for them.. he tried to say 'say cheese'. we all died laughing