HOLAAAAA TODOS!

Well, this week was tough. First full week in my first area, in a whitewash, in a tough area. But Its allllll good. The Lord has been blessing me in little ways! 

Biggest highlight of the week - my first lesson! With a man named Ismael. He is SO prepared for the Gospel, its amazing. He met the missionaries because a missionary opened a door for him. Just a small act of service, so simple, but it made him interested in the missionaries and what they were teaching. SO now here we are, teaching him. We taught a fabulous lesson, guided by the Spirit, who brought so many scriptures and things to our rememberance in the moments that we needed. I also was able to recite the First Vision and James 1:5 from memory during the lesson, and add bits of testimony and such! And the gift of tongues is so real, because during the lesson I could understand a lot of what was happening!

Also we went in to a kiosco to buy a bottle of water and ended up having a fantastic lesson with the lady who worked there. We found out she was struggling with her kids, and I was able to give her a Plan of Salvation pamphlet, we talked to her, bore testimony, and she cried out of happiness and gratitude. It was so amazing ot be able to share the gospel in such a small simple way and touch someones life! We are going to pass by her store again this week, ad maybe she will become an investigator. It's amazing how some people are so ready the here the gospel and have been so prepared, and how others are not ready at all. But we are always trying to plant seeds.

The langauge is hard to get used to speaking all the time and understanding. I can't communicate myself super well yet, but I am trying. I am studying alot and askig ALOT of questions! I'm sure my poor companion is sick of all the questions... but she is so patient with me.

This Sunday was my first sunday in my rama (branch)! The branch president (without warning) had me and my comp get up and introduce ourselves and bear our testimonies during sacrament! It was so fun and everyone said my castellano was great for only have a few weeks in the mission. How I love to bear my testimony of the things i know to be true, especially in Spanish! The language is so beautoiful and its so fun to learn new things, new words and phrases to say. 

There are about 100 ppl in my rama, a nice chapel, and the people are freindly. I'm still so not used to having to kiss everyone! It's super funny. 

But apparently there are lots of problems and the rama is pretty weak, so our goal as a district (the 6 missionaries in the area) is to help strengthen and build up the church and the members here a lot. We are meeting with the branch president this Saturday and arranging a training for all of the members that we will be teaching on how to share the gospel, how to give references to the missionaries, how to hold a family home evening, and things like that. It should be awesome! But there is unfortunately alot of pride and discrimination within the ward.. and for that reason there are acutally 100s of inactive members in our area! 100s! So we are going to do our best to strengthen the ward and show our love for the Lord! It will be a process, but I know it can be done.

Also our hot water in our apartment doesn't work.. so we have been showering out of a bucket this week which has been super duper fun. Also, its snowed a bit! and its rains often, on and off. Crazy! 

I say so many prayers each day for help and guidance. I can feel all of your prayers working for me as well, because I have witnessed lots of tender mercies during my days. Like running into an investigator that we had not been able to get ahold of for a few days while we were at the bank and being able to set an apppointment with him for this week... and lots of little things. I know the Lord loves me and is watching out for me. I also know he loves me because of all the trials and tests he is throwing my way. I hate these tests, but I am so grateful for them at the same time because they remind me to rely on the Lord ad not my own understanding, because my own understanding is so weak and insufficient in comparison to His. I am so grateful for the gospel. Guys, the Church is true. The Lord lives. And God loves his children. 

Every time I get sad or discouraged I look outside at the gorgeous mountains covered in snow, towering up in the air.  Nature has always remided me of God and His love for us. Take a minute to step outside and look around you at the beautiful nature that surrounds you.

You guys, we are so blessed in the States. People here live in a decently nice area... not too poor but not too rich. But the houses are about the size of ONE of the rooms in my house back in Cali, and made of wood and chapa. Its insane. And they fit families of 4 or 5 in there, and don't even think they are poor! We are truly so blessed to have things like hot water constantly, a washer and dryer (which i miss having alot), tons of food options in stores, everything LITERALLY at our finger tips. Don't take that for granted!!!! We are so blessed.

I am doing well. Learning lots of lessons and patience, and having joy in teaching the people. I hope I can be the missionary you all think that I am! 

I love you all -stay safe and happy

Hermana Holt