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