Wk #13: LAST DAY OF 2015.

HEY USA! How is everybody? As always, I hope that you are all doing SO well and enjoying the Holidays and your families and friends. Really, your families are SO important. Take it from someone who is more than 4,000 miles away from his, they are the most important thing in this world. Mountains can crumble, buildings will fall, and the oceans could dry up, but your family will ALWAYS be your family. That's a promise. Cherish them. Appreciate them and NEVER take them for granted. I did and I regret it more than anything.

     This week was transfer week and it was nuts. But let me tell you that my new companion Elder Fallentine is fetching great. He's from San Diego! We get along so well and honestly I feel like I'm with one of the guys back home. The first thing we talked about was our favorite music and guess what he gave me? A Jack Johnson album he bought here. I knew we were going to be best friends. And the best part is that we are working so hard and actually finding potential investigators everywhere we go. How amazing is it that when we commit ourselves to the Lord, He blesses us beyond imagination? I have been SO happy these past few days and it's all because of our self-consecration to the work and to The Lord. People also tell us that we look like brothers ALL THE TIME. Oh and a lady let us into her house and told us it was just so she could look at us longer. hahaha awkward. 

     We were knocking on doors looking for investigators and we came across a man who is an Adventist and started to talk with his about our gospel. It turned out that he shared SO MANY of our beliefs. Eventually he let us in and we taught him the Restoration. He was VERY open to it and he accepted a Book of Mormon with my testimony of it inside the front cover. Unfortunately he's taking a vacation for a few months and won't be able to be taught by us anymore. But I ask that you all PLEASE pray for him that he'll read the book and find a testimony through it. His name is Yamille (pronounced Shameel)! Thank you all so much. 

     After the trial of our faith we receive the blessings. This profound statement is SO TRUE. If any of you are struggling with things in your life, Hold on. Press forward in Faith. I promise you that the Lord will help you out after you have experienced what He needs you to experience. And just imagine how much stronger you'll be afterwards. I pray for you. I know what it feels like to feel hopelessness. And from that experience, I now know just how much Hope can be found through this gospel and how much sweeter the happiness is. PRESS ON. And I'll do the same.

     I love you all so much. And I'm so thankful for your prayers. They have been the wind at my back and the strength that I need to press on so that I can further build His kingdom on this earth. Thank you. I pray for you always and hope that you all have a great night tonight and an even better year this year. 

     Don't party too hard.. because I'll be in bed at 10:30. Can you feel my jealousy coming through the screen? (; PARTY FOR ME! Remember that if you want to see pictures from my mission you can look at my mission blog! The address is www.eldercadeholmes.blogspot.com!

I love you all!

Elder Cade Holmes.

Elder Fallentine

"This small dog of a spider was the size of my hand. I killed it by hitting it with my shoe... 3 times!"

 

Wk #12: Pictures & a ps.....

"Quiere aprender sobre la Restauracion?"

Hey everyone! Just so you know, My P-day is being changed to Thurdays! So When you dont hear from me on Monday, fret not. I'm still alive, just waiting for P-day. (:

Thanks!

Elder Holmes.

"My favorite pic I've taken in ARG!"

Argentine Sunset

Wk #12: ¡Feliz Navidad!"

"..A prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews- even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world... Wherefore all mankind were in a lost and fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer."  (1 Nephi 10:4 and 6) 

"And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.. And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father." (1 Nephi 11: 20-21)

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." (2 Nephi 19:6)

"...I Beheld the Son of God going forth among the children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship him... He went forth ministering unto the people, in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered together to hear him; and I beheld that they cast him out from among them." (1 Nephi 11:24 and 28)

"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind... He will take upon him the pains and sicknesses of His people." (Alma 7:11)

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief... Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows... and with his stripes we are healed." (Mosiah 14:3-5)

"And behold, I am the Light and the Life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning... Arise forth, and come unto me... That ye may know I am the God of Israel." (3 Nephi:11 and 14)

"And I will be your Light in the wilderness and I will prepare the way before you... And ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led." (1 Nephi 17:13)

     In the spirit of Christmas, it is my hope and constant prayer that we can remember now, and forever, not only the birth of our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, but all that He is. Our Counselor, our Teacher, our Light, and our Savior. May we be found in constant service to Him. May we always show our love for Him.  May we forever strive to live as He did. May we desire to return to his side, under His arm, and in His loving embrace. It is my solemn and sure testimony that He is the Light of the World, and He will forever guide us to eternal happiness. We need only to walk as he walked and follow Him.

     I hope that your Christmas is full of love and joy! I pray for your health, happiness, and safety in my every prayer. And I have no doubt that He has heard me. I send my love and prayers always. 

     May we be blessed with the wind at our backs and the strength to press on so that we may further build His kingdom on this earth.

With love,

Elder Holmes

"I wasn't aware that a picture was being taken..."

Wk # 11: Blue Skies in ARG.

Hey everyone! As always, I hope that everyone is well and I hope that you all are enjoying that cold winter Utah life (; It's about 95 degrees right now and it's only 11:00am! Sometimes I wish that I was in the cold winter weather (; This week seriously FLEW by. It really just depends on the week! We still don't have investigators, references, or people letting us share our message with them so that's frustrating! But I never lose hope! And I'm constantly praying for someone to at least listen to our message. Update on the dogbite: It is healing beautifully! In fact it hasn't bothered me since it happened! Right now there's a little bit of bruising but that's all!  

     I'll be honest, it's hard out here right now. I haven't felt like a missionary yet solely because we just aren't teaching right now. One of the zone leaders said this to me last week, "You have to have a lot of faith to be in Millamapu." And he was right. I've been trying to figure out what my purpose is in this area. Because if one thing is true, it's this: Wherever you are and whatever you're doing, there's a purpose. The Lord wouldn't put us out in this world without a purpose in all things. I'm in Millamapu right now for a reason. I just need to find it. Whether it's in our schooling, our jobs, our everyday life, or in our missions there's is always, always, always a purpose. Each and every one of us is an essential part of the Lord's plan. He needs every one of us. So never feel like you don't have some kind of purpose. Especially when things get tough. There's always a purpose. You just have to find it. 

I'm sorry that I didn't have a lot to report on this week. I'm struggling to figure out who I am, who I need to be, and who the Lord wants me to be. It's been one of those weeks that I dragged my feet, but never stopped putting one foot in front of the other! I hope you all have a really great week. I constantly pray for your happiness. It's my constant hope and prayer that you are all safe, healthy and happy. Keep on keepin' on, my friends!

May we be blessed with the wind at our backs and the strength to press on so that we may further build His kingdom on this earth.

With Love, 

Elder Holmes

He was unable to upload any pictures so I told him I'd add the picture of his Christmas package being delivered to the mission home! He's excited for this since we didn't think there was any way to get packages to him! It should be delivered to him personally tomorrow!!!   http://mymissionarypackagesarg.com/

 

Wk #10: Hello from ARG.

Hey everyone! So I don't really have a lot to report on this week because, well, nothing is happening. It's honestly getting hard not having anyone pay any mind to us. I'm thinking that this is one of those areas that needs some seeds planted instead of an area ready for the harvest. It's definitely frustrating, but I keep on going! I'm constantly re-energized by the Spirit and I never regret waking up in the morning.

Some interesting things that happened this week: I got bit by a dog pretty bad. And normally that doesn't matter, but that's because the missionaries who get bit are usually bit by dogs in houses. But mine was different because I got bit by a nasty street dog. It looks pretty bad and they're watching it to see if I need to have anything done with it. I would send a pic but its all wrapped up! They told me to be sure to chain myself up during the full moon too. I'm not sure why (; And this week while talking with the branch president, he said, "Usted tiene el don de lenguas, enserio." Which means, "You have the gift of language and tongues, I'm serious." So that was very comforting to hear. The language is tough, but with a lot of work and the courage to just open my mouth, I improve every day.

I FOUND A GUITAR. After 2 months of not playing, let me tell you, it was SO good to play. I heard it in the distance and grabbed my comp by the arm and said, "Elder, We're following the sound of that guitar. And I'm gonna play it." haha. So anyways, I put on a mini concert in the street of Argentina complete with John Mayer songs and some good old Kodaline. And now the two guys are potential investigators. It was so nice.

In 3 Nephi 11:14 I found a simple and beautiful truth. In the first line of this beautiful scripture Christ says this: "Arise, and come forth unto me." This stuck with me. May we arise from our trials, our sadness, self-doubt, insecurities, and our sins and go forth unto Him. In and through Christ, we are made whole. Through Christ, we find eternal and celestial happiness.

I love you all and pray for you always. Have a great week and I'll talk to you on monday (:

May we be blessed with the wind at our backs and the strength to press on so that we may further build His kingdom upon this earth.

Elder Holmes.

Pure joy!

Wk #9: Hello Loved Ones!

Hello my friends and family! I hope that this email finds all of you in health, happy spirits, and in continued service to our Savior! How amazing is it that as Latter Day Saints we have the the opportunity to be a light to those lost in the dark!

     What I have to say this week is something that I feel very strongly about. It's been a personal lesson I've learned (and am still learning) in these short 2 months. Simply put, it's this: When we ask for blessings we have to be willing to put forth the effort to receive them. For example, when we pray for humility, the Lord doesn't just snap his fingers and say, "Ok you're a humble person! What else do you want?" He puts trials or experiences in our lives that will humble us. We have to be willing to endure these things. Faith is a two part process. first we have to have the faith (duh.) And second we have to show our faith with action. If you ask for humility, prepare to  be humbled and endure it with faith. If you ask for patience, Prepare to have something (or someone) in your life that is going to force you to learn patience. 

     Alright, I'll stop preaching now and talk about my actual experiences in ARGENTINA! (; Wow, what a week. I can't tell if the weeks fly by or if they are dragging on. It's odd. A lot of it is because my Spanish is still struggling and it has become very challenging. Either way, soy siempre aprendiendo! I taught my first lesson this week and it was an awesome experience! Sure, the guy laughed in our faces about Joseph Smith, but I still had the experience to teach. I haven't touched a guitar in 2 months and I'm dying inside. Seriously it's eating me alive haha. I'm still dealing with the culture shock, but it's getting better! It helps when the people are as amazing as they are. They're so loving and generous. 

      As always, thank you for your support and prayers. I was lifted up this week and brought to new heights. And I believe that it's because of those prayers.Yeah, this week was hard. But it was better. And I come closer to Christ each day. I hope all is well. I love you all! I pray for you always. 

     May we be blessed with the wind at our backs and the strength to press on so that we may further build his kingdom upon this earth.

Con amor,

Elder Holmes

Fell asleep during personal study! Pure exhaustion.

The chapel he meets in

The streets after the downpour

Wk #8: ARGENTINA IS BONICIMO!

Hey everyone! Can you believe that this email is being sent from another country? I can´t. Right now I'm sitting in a computer gaming center listening to people play Call of Duty and on the radio the song, ´¨Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down¨¨ is playing so obviously I'm singing along and jamming. (; 

Argentina is beautiful. It's definitely different, but it's amazing. When people say there's a culture shock, they mean it. It's been probably the hardest week of my life, but it´s been so rewarding. My Spanish has grown so much just in the last week! I still have a hard time understanding people when they speak super fast, but so many people say, ¨¨Usted habla bien Castellano!¨¨ (You speak good Spanish!) They can't believe it when I tell them I only have 1 week in Argentina!  The food is SO good. The meat is so good and there´s always so much of it. Also the bread is better than any other bread I have ever had. I wish you all could try some of it. EMPANADAS ARE SO GOOD. And the pastry shops here are 10x better than the garbage donuts back in the States. Yáll think Krispy Kreme is good? those things don't cast a shadow on the stuff they have here. 

The first night I was here, my companion Elder Rust (Who is so great) and I ate at a member's home for dinner. These people were the poorest people I have ever met. They literally lived in a shed with a stove, a bed, and a dirt floor. 4  people lived there including their children. I couldn't believe it. We made homemade Empanadas with what had to be their only food. When they were all done and cooked, we went to sit at their cardboard table, but realized that there were only 5 chairs and there were 6 people in the house. Everyone was sitting in a chair and I was standing and perfectly fine and willing to stand and eat. The grandfather of the house who was already sitting saw this and stood up, handed me the chair, kneeled down on the dirt floor, and said, ¨¨Please use the chair.¨¨. The patriarch of the house, a person who is respected over any others, kneeled on the hard dirt floor so that I would be comfortable. I was floored. I´ve walked among people who truly have Christlike humility and love. My challenge to you this week is to appreciate the things you have. Comfortable houses, technology, clean water, and even the freedoms we are blessed with in the US. And also, turn outward and GIVE like this man did for me. 

Keep sending those prayers my way. I need them more than ever. I love Argentina, but it's the hardest thing I've ever done. I love you all and pray for each of you constantly. 

May we be blessed with the wind at our backs and the strength to press on so that we may further build His kingdom upon this earth. 

From 4,000 miles away,

Elder Holmes.

Elder Rust and Elder Holmes

Fremont being represented in Argentina

 

 

Wk #7: He Arrived!

Dear Holmes family, your son has arrived in the Great Mission of Bahia Blanca, he is an excellent missionary and he will help thousands of souls here in Argentina, we send our greetings and a photo with the President Cifuentes and Sister Cifuentes.

Wk #6: We are NEVER alone.

The Lord so loved the city of Enoch that he lifted them up to live him him because of their righteousness. Well the Lord so loved the MTC that he blessed us with Chic-fil-a sandwiches for dinner the other night. Trust me.. After you've eaten 6 weeks worth of MTC cafeteria food, Chic-fil-a becomes the best 5 star food you've ever had.

Hello Everybody! Today is my last P-day in the MTC and let me tell you, I CAN'T WAIT. Argentina is calling my name. I'm definitely scared, but I'm ready to take on the real world. Plus, why should any of us be afraid of something in the world when the Creator of the world is on our side? A comforting thought. Some of you might have heard that they are having some trouble with my VISA already. But if you haven't, let me fill you in really quick. They basically had to resubmit my application due to a ridiculously poorly handled error (on the FBI's part). And now I have to wait until tomorrow night to find out if I'm getting reassigned or actually going to Argentina. So please pray that the Lord will put me where he needs me. Whether it's Argentina or Denver, Colorado I just want to be where the Lord needs me right now.

This week I was having a conversation with some other Elders going to South America and they were talking about their missions and how excited they were for them. Somewhere in the conversation, one of them said, "I'm terrified." and the others agreed and started to explain why they were so scared. I kind of just sat back and listened to what they had to say without adding my input. They said things such as, "We're going somewhere where we are absolutely not known." or "Our only family is 4,000 miles away." Among other things, basically what they were saying was, "We're going to be alone.". This bothered me. I wasn't sure why until later when I was thinking about it. I understood the fear and I could relate to it, but at the same time I thought, "I'm not scared like they are." My fear was different from theirs for some reason. And I know exactly what that reason was. I know that I won't be alone. I know that they won't be alone either. Sure, I'm headed to a country where nobody knows my name. Sure, I'm going to a place where I have no family. But I will not be alone. The fact is that none of us are ever alone. I know that the Savior will be right beside me when I can walk, guiding me when I'm lost, and carrying me when I can walk no more. Would an all loving Father really abandon us? We are his literal Spirit children. He wants to be with us. We just have to allow him to be with us. Be worthy to have the Savior walk with you in all the things that you do. Be humble enough to allow him to help you. Be Christlike enough to reach out to those around you and help them. Doctrine and Covenants 100:12 has become my favorite scripture. Not only was it an answer to a prayer, but it has become a constant comfort. It says, "Therefore, continue your journey and let your hearts rejoice; for behold, and lo, I am with you even unto the end." How comforting that the Lord has made us this promise. "...even unto the end." How amazing is it that the Lord loved us enough to feel all of our pains, suffer for our sins so that we might be saved, and endured the heartaches of our trials and still loves us enough to go through them with us again. Let the Lord help you. Allow him into your hearts and I promise you that He will not leave your side. Even unto the end. 

I want to thank all of those who have written me Dearelder's and letters throughout my time here. The amount of support I have felt is unreal. The last day I can receive anything is Saturday until 2 pm. And then after that, my address is changed to my Argentina address (If my VISA works out). Thank you all for your prayers and support. They help me daily. I love and pray for all of you. 

May we be blessed with the wind at our backs and the strength to press on so that we may further build his kingdom on this earth.

For the last time (hopefully) in the USA for 2 years,

Elder Holmes

Sewing his pants... love the tongue action. He said he was proud of the outcome! Check out the Star Wars socks. He was very excited to find those in one of his care packages!!!

Weekly Temple Picture

Wearing his dad's trench coat at the temple

Ready for the adventures that await.....

Back of his name tag

Wk #5: Argentina is 1.5 Weeks Away!

Hey everybody! So this week has been a little bit slow so there isn't very much to report on, but things are going really well out here! I'm super pumped for tomorrow because I get my flight plans! Argentina is so close I can almost taste it! The language is coming along and I am definitely living in the missionary spirit.

So something very important I learned this week was humility. The story of Zacharias and Elizabeth really touched me as I studied this topic. (Forgive me for paraphrasing, I don't have my scriptures with me.)  Zacharias and Elizabeth were old in age and could not have children and were very sad because of it. Zacharias was a priest in one of the temples and was hoping and praying for revelation. One day he entered the alter and lit the incense. The Angel of Gabriel appeared to him and told him that he and his wife would bear a child who would bring joy to many people and would be favored in the sight of God. Zacharias said something along the lines of, "Do you not know that my wife and I are old and cannot bear children? How am I to know that you are an angel of God?"  Gabriel said, "I am Gabriel, even he who stood in the presence of God. You will have a child and name him John and until these things are fulfilled, you will be struck dumb for you doubted me and my words." for months, Zacharias was dumb and could not speak. His wife gave birth to their son and the people were upset when Zacharias was insisting that the boy be named John. With a pen and paper Zacharias wrote, "His name will be John." And with that, his tongue was loosed and he was able to speak again. The first words out of Zacharias's mouth were words of praise to the Lord and words of testimony. John would become the same John that would Baptize the Savior. What a humbling experience. His last words before he was struck dumb were words of doubt and his first words after this experience was over were words of testimony. Powerful, right? I've challenged myself to be more humble before the Lord and trust in his plan for me. I invite you to join me too. Humble yourselves and you'll be in the perfect position to be accompanied by the Lord. (This story is found in Luke chapter 1)

I have also learned that something very hard has happened in my family this last week. I want you to know that I am praying for you every morning and night and you are constantly in my thoughts. Turn towards the Lord and let him comfort you in this trying time. The Lord always has his hand outstretched waiting for us to reach back for help. He knows your pain and he wants to help you. Stay strong!

I'll leave you this week with part of my testimony. Friends and Family, I know that the Lord has SO much love for us. I have began to see just how much his hand is in our lives. Out of all of the titles that He, an all powerful and all knowing God, has asked us to call Him, he wants us to call him Father. Doesn't that just show how much love he has for us? I know that He hears and answers our prayers. I have felt the promptings and heard the whispering of the Spirit more so in these last few weeks than I ever have because I have started to actually listen. If there's one thing the MTC does, it makes sure you have a testimony of Joseph Smith. I know that he was the true prophet and truly restored this Gospel. He was tarred and feathered and STILL went out and preached that next morning. May we find the love for this gospel and the surety of its truthfulness that Joseph Smith had. 

"To become something more, we must let go of those things that weigh us down." - Neil L Anderson.

Thank you for your support. Your prayers give me that push that I need to continue this great work. I love you all! May we be blessed with the wind at our backs and the strength to press on so that we may further his work on this earth.

-Elder Holmes

 

**An added note from his mom ..... Cade asked me to add that he was made Zone Leader this week**

Weekly Temple Squad Picture

"This is the first page that I understood almost every word in Spanish."

"We found a way to have fun. It's basically Tennis."

Dancing in the snow

 

Wk #4: Hey Everybody!

Hello friends and family! It's week 4 here in the MTC and I'm dying to get out! It's great and all, but I'm just ready to start the work in Argentina. The week FLEW by though so that's good. So after I sent my last email I had a few people ask me why I'm so personal and honest about the harder side of the mission. I was told that most missionaries report on only the good parts of the mission and save the hard parts for personal emails to the family. I do it because I want you all to know that this work isn't easy. It's hard and there are times that I want to give up. I want you all to know that IT'S WORTH IT. I feel the same way that Alma does in Alma 29:9. I don't want any of you to think that I'm a perfect missionary without problems. Because that's far from true. It's hard, but worth it.

      With that being said, this story from this week perfectly sums up what I'm trying to say. We teach real investigators as part of our training in Spanish and in teaching. Right now my companion and I are teaching an investigator named Olga. She's super great and a really nice lady, but she says that she's lacking something in her life. We tried to explain the Gospel and the Restoration, but she just didn't understand. She had extremely difficult questions like, "Why is it important to believe in God?" and "What's different about the happiness you get from God and the happiness I feel from my family, work, and school?" and "Why would I change my life so much for your church?" These questions stumped me. I became frustrated because everything that I tried to say to explain it to her didnt work. She just became more and more confused. We were able to answer her first question and help her to understand the Doctrine behind it, but she just was having a REALLY hard time with the second one. Feeling very angry at myself and very humbled, I asked The Lord to help me and give me guidance on how to help Olga understand this. It would have been hard to explain in English, let alone Spanish. So I was searching for my answer in the scriptures and it hit me.. Grandma Dixie. Feeling very inspired and feeling so much love from Heavenly Father, I went into the the next lesson with Olga prepared to help her. So (in Spanish) I said, "Olga, I'm going to try and help you understand this question in the best way that I can. You asked what is the difference between happiness from God and happiness from school, work and family. Let me tell you a story. My grandma Dixie died about a year ago. And a lot of people were very sad and it was definitely hard for a lot of people including me. But at the same time, I felt happiness." She gave me the most confused look I've ever seen. So I continued, "Olga, I felt happiness because I knew that she was with Heavenly Father. I knew that she was happy and in a better place. Because I know that God has a plan for us. And I still feel happiness because I know that my grandma Dixie is with me every step of the way. She's helping me with my mission, Olga." Olga looked at me with tears in her eyes. And that's when I felt it. Grandma Dixie had her arm around my shoulder. I could feel that familiar love and comfort that only she made me feel. (If you knew Dixie, you know exactly what I'm talking about). I knew that she was right there with me. So I said, "Olga, my Grandma is helping me right now." And Olga said, "Yes, I know. I can feel her too." I finished with this, "This is the happiness the Lord can give us. The happiness that you feel is the same as the happiness I feel. It's from our loving Heavenly Father. He wants us to be happy. He wants YOU to be happy, Olga." She understood this concept, asked me what she was feeling (Which I explained to her was the Spirit.), and asked me to teach her more. Unfortunately we were out of time and had to close it up, but it was definitely a powerful experience. When we walked out of the room my companion looked at me and said, "Holmes, what in the world did you say in there? I couldn't understand one word of it." The whole time I was speaking to Olga, I was being racked with chills. And what I didn't realize is that I was speaking fluently. The TRC managers watch our lessons and give us feedback and when they got to me they said that they have never heard such eloquent Spanish from someone who just learned the language. And all I said was, "The Lord's words, not mine." 

     I testify that as soon as we lose ourselves in the service of others, miracles are placed before us. It was by the power of the spirit that I was able to get through to Olga in this way. What a humbling experience. I want to leave you all with a challenge. Do something for someone everyday without them knowing this week. And just watch your happiness grow. I promise you that you will become happier and feel more of the Spirit in your life. I love you all and I'm so thankful for your support. I pray for all of you everyday. "May we ever be found doing the work of the Lord." - Thomas S. Monson

With Love, 

Elder Holmes

Childhood buddies..... Elder Tyler Lusk & Elder Holmes

 

 

Wk #3: I've Seen Miracles

Hello everybody! First off I just want to thank you all for the birthday wishes, letters, and packages. It made the day so great! And it really meant a lot to me!

Some of you wanted to know what my schedule is like so here it is! 

6:30-7:30 Breakfast

8:15-12:35 Spanish Instruction

12:35-1:15 Lunch

1:20-5:30 Doctrine Instruction (In Spanish)

5:35-6:00 Dinner

6:05-9:30 Personal study/Investigator training (In Spanish)

9:30-10:30 Prepare for bed/ go to bed. 

We also have training and teaching real investigators throughout the week. It's brutal. haha. But the days FLY by... at least that's what they tell us. 

This week was the week that I almost came home. The language became seemingly impossible to learn, homesickness was through the roof, and my patience with my companion was running very short. Worst of all, the spirit wasn't with me. I had given up on myself because I thought that the spirit had given up on me. The week dragged on and I seriously contemplated going home. I would constantly think to myself, "If you cant get through your second week here, how will you get through two years?" I became very self critical. One of the days we had personal study time and in a stroke of Divine Intervention I turned to Doctrine and Covenants section 84:88. What I read changed my perspective in a matter of seconds. Guys, the Lord has promised us with angels on our left and on our right to bear us up, and he always keeps his word. After this experience I became more confident, I began to study harder, and started to become more obedient to the MTC rules. I was filled with the Spirit. I realized that the Lord will NEVER give up on us. His hand is always stretched out waiting for us to grab hold. He wants us to fall down so we can have the chance to reach back for his hand, take it, and rely on him for help. I'm doing SO good now. I love it here and I'm learning so much. You wouldn't believe how much Spanish I've learned in 2 weeks. It's incredible. 

My mailing address: 

Elder Caden Holmes

NOV16 ARG-BABL

2007 N 900 E Unit 96

Provo UT 84602

SEND ME LETTERS (;

I hope you all have had an amazing week. Keep your heads up and be happy. We fall so we can learn to rely on the Lord to help us get back up and try again. I pray for all of you all the time. I miss home, but wouldn't leave here for the world. I'm becoming a missionary. I'm becoming the missionary the Lord wants me to be. May the Lord bless us with the wind at our backs and the strength to press on so that we may further build his kingdom on this earth.

With love and a fist bump,

Elder Holmes

 

Wk #2: Week 1.

Hello everyone! I've completed my first week here in the MTC and I've gotta say it's been great! The time has FLOWN by. It feels like its been 2 days since I left, but it has been a week. In one week I have learned to pray, bear testimony, and hold a steady gospel conversation in Spanish. The gift of Language and Tongue is REAL. I'm conversational in a week and that's amazing to me. We've been teaching investigators that only speak spanish and the language just flows right through me.

 The food is good, but we eat so often that I usually skip one or two meals! My dorm building is hilarious. They are all so funny. And they're all constantly singing which is great because I just join right in. I miss my guitar so bad. I'm the district leader in my zone and love being the guy everyone comes to for help. I have found a love for service this week. And praise the Lord Hallelujah no one snores in my room. Also, I've been given the nickname "Papi de Azucar" (Sugar daddy) because of how much candy I have! haha. Also I've been named the crier of my group because whenever I feel the spirit.. I cry. 

You guys, this work is incredible. There's nowhere on earth I'd rather be than in the Lord's front line. I miss home and all of you, but this is where I have been called to be. And I wouldn't change it for the world. Keep sending your prayers my way. I need them. The work is hard and being away is hard. So send those prayers my way please. Also, PLEASE use dearelder.com to send me a letter every day! It's so nice to hear from you all. Thank you all for the Birthday wishes! It was a great day for me here in the MTC. Well, I love you all and can't wait to report to you all every week.

 Oh, and yes there is a tree that smells like orange cream soda and the orange juice will kill you.

With Love, Elder Holmes