Wk #17: Que Tal!

Hey everyone! So honestly this week FLEW by. This whole transfer has just absolutely passed by so quickly, I can't believe it. But really, I'm really becoming the missionary I was meant to be out here. People keep telling me that my accent sounds 100% real, so that's a plus. I feel confident in my teaching and I am definitely using the promptings of the spirit to strengthen myself and those around me. But, I'm ready for a change. I like this area that I'm in, but I've been hoping to see a new part of the mission. I've been out for 4 months next week. That doesn't seem like that much time, but the fact that it has just felt so short is crazy. I look forward to the experiences I will have. 

        We're doing a lot of hard work. But it's good! I'm really proud of the work I have been able to do  in Millamapu. In my 2 transfers here I have been able to see it change from a "dead area" on the mission map to a "growing area".  It's been really great to feel myself changing as a person while changing this area for the better. I've just had to remind myself that I'm on the Lord's errand. So those days we walk miles without contact, get drenched in the pouring rain, or teach a new investigator, I'm on the Lord's errand and there is NO PLACE that I would rather be. It's hard for me to imagine being anywhere else than Argentina right now. I know that the Lord has a work here in my mission for me to do. And so I'll keep working until I see that work to be finished. "The Lord counts every tear that we shed while on His errand and blesses us a hundred times over for each and every one." 

      

      Don't lose hope, press forward in your daily battle, and continue counting your blessings. Keep the faith and press on, my friends. Better days are coming. 

With love and an eye single to the glory of God,

Elder Holmes.

In honor of my old man, Wade.

 

 

Wk #16: Heat Week.

 You don't know heat until you get out of an ICE COLD shower and instantly start to sweat. There is no escaping this heat. And in my mind I was thinking, "It's the middle of January. I should be complaining about the cold." It's hot here in Argentina. 

      I'm still here in Millamapu, and let me tell you.. It's dead. We have literally contacted about 95% of the houses here and found 4 investigators that we can BARELY qualify as investigators. But I've been amazed. In any other circumstance, I'd be depressed, discouraged, and ready to give up. In one day we face rejection at every turn, we get cussed out in a foreign language, and people tell us that we are "brainwashed salesman for a false God". All in the blistering heat of the day. But we endure it all with smiles on our faces. And no, they aren't forced smiles! We are genuinely happy. How is that possible? How can we go through so much trial and still be so happy? Let me be the first to tell you how it's possible. The Light of Christ. It's the feeling in our hearts that says, "Get up and try again." when we fall, the burst of energy and determination we get after being rejected, and the spirit that whispers, "Just knock one more door." after being kicked off of someone's porch. Don't confuse the Light of Christ with the Holy Ghost, they have separate roles and separate purposes. Both equally important, but both so different. The Light of Christ is that light in our eyes. The feeling of joy that others feel around us. It's the converting power of the gospel. It's through the Light of Christ that I have endured with a smile on my face. 

      Argentina was very good to me this week. I have realized how beautiful of a country it is and how incredible the people here are. I also think that the Lord is showing me my progress through the words of others. We were talking to a reference that we got from a member this week and she said that she could understand me (a missionary of 3.5 months) better than my companion (a missionary of 1.5 years). That's when I realized that this week I became very capable of holding a normal conversation with people here and doing it well. I can speak Spanish! It's amazing how blessed we can become when we devote our time to the Lord. 

       As always, thank you for ALL of the support and prayers. I can't even describe in words how much I have felt from them out here. It's hard work, but it's worth it. Es vale la pena. It's worth the pain. Live it up in that FREEZING cold weather and just think of me dying in the heat. We can suffer together (; I hope you all had a great week! Never forget who is ALWAYS there for us. Never forget He that has blessed us with so much. Say your prayers and search for the Light of Christ within yourself!

      Yo espero que todos de ustedes pueden recordar el Salvador este semana. Èl es nuestro pastor, maestro, y verdaderamente nuestro luz en el desierto. Es mediante Èl que podamos hallar nuestro felicidad, propósito, y salvación en este vida. Seguramente Jesucristo es la razón porque estamos aquí. Por eso, nunca olvide Èl. Yo testifico que seguramente, Èl es el Hijo de Dios. Y como yo vivo ahora Èl vive también. También, yo se que Èl quiere ayudar nosotros con cada prueba tenemos en este vida. Porque Èl sabe nuestras dolores. Yo testifico con todo mi corazón que Êl es todopoderoso y nuestro amoroso Hermano Mayor. Yo invito ustedes a confiar en Èl en todas las cosas que hacen. Y yo promesa que Èl es va a ayudar. Yo testifico estas cosas en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

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.

Con tanto amor y mucho calor tambìen,

Elder Holmes

Our Zone! We're like a big old family.

McDonald's in Arg! Yeah, it's exactly the same.

Street selfie with Elder Fallentine

The moon on my side of the world.

 

Wk #15: Buen Dia!

Hello my beloved friends and family! I don't have a ton of time today so unfortunately I have to be a little bit shorter in my words. But an update on me personally, I'm doing really well! Better than ever, in fact. And I owe all of that to the Lord. Truly, when we rely on Him and put all of our selfish thoughts aside, He ALWAYS helps us. The main thing is being humble enough to ask for and accept the help. 

      I heard something interesting this week. A group of missionaries were talking and one of them said, "Yep! These are the best 2 years of our lives!" And I thought about that for a second and realized that as true as that is, it would have been a lot more true if he would have said, "Yep! These are the best 2 years for our lives." I love the idea of having new experiences and becoming fluent in the language. I love the idea of living in a foreign country for 2 years and learning this new culture. I love the idea of dedicating my life to the Savior for these long, hard, and rewarding 2 years. And I love the mission. Yeah, it's going to get hard at times. But in the end I will have grown so much. You can't grow without growing pains. If you are considering serving a mission here's my advice: Just forget about yourself and your worldly desires and DO IT. That's what I did and I'm only in my 4th month and I have learned and grown SO MUCH. I never would have learned the things I've learned without this mission. "May we ever be found doing the work of the Lord." - Thomas S. Monson. These are the words that answered my prayer about a mission. I hope they can help any of you who are thinking about it. 

     Thank you all for everything. I'm so grateful for your support, love, and prayers. I can't express just how grateful I am through words. I pray for you all every single morning and night and I won't stop anytime soon. I send my love.

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

Elder Holmes

 

 

Wk #14: What a Week in ARGENTINA!!

I fed a tiny horse this week

¡Hola y buen dia de Argentina! Can you believe that I'm a whole Hemisphere away? I still can't sometimes. But this week was different. I began to really love not only Argentina, but the mission altogethger. I thought about home less and less as this week went on and focussed more and more on the work. What a difference it made! It also helps that Elder Fallentine and I are pretty much best friends out here! He's such a stud! And I'm convinced that we would have been best buddies at home. We're having such a fun time and working SO hard! It's been amazing to see the fruits of our labors just in the short two weeks of hard work. We are making memories every single day out here and learning a ton with every moment that passes by. We have 4 investigators and even more potential investigators. I have had so much fun this week and the best part is that I feel in harmony with the Lord and His will. This week we walked 5 miles in the pouring rain (Laughing all the way HA HA HA.), Made the most American lunch ever because we missed home (Burgers, fries, and Coke), found a woman who prayed for help from God THE MORNING that we showed up at her door, and got SCHOOLED on the soccer field by a bunch of Argentinians. It was such a great week! But the thing is that it passed SO fast. I can hardly believe that I'm sitting in this computer cafe again already. Time flies when you consecrate your life to the Lord... Or having fun.. Or something like that (;

      

      I learned something really important this week. In fact, I learned A TON this week, but two things really stick out to me as I write this email. The first is about Faith. Like I have said in the past, faith has two parts. Firstly, have the faith. Believe and desire to believe. Trust in the Lord and just very simply have faith in Him. And secondly, REAL faith requires action. For example, I had faith that the Lord loved me, had a greater plan for me, and needed me specifically, so I acted on that faith and went on a mission. Through doing this, I showed the Lord my faith and strengthened it 100 fold in the process. The second thing I learned is that being happy is a choice we make. When we choose to be happy, we will be happy. I learned that the hard way, unfortunately, but learned it nonetheless and I'm grateful for that. But most importantly, these things go hand in hand. Because really, having faith is a choice too isn't it? So my challenge to you all this week is this: Choose to be happy. And please, choose to have faith. Faith doesn't just happen. We grow it, cultivate it, and prepare it for something greater. I promise that you're life will GREATLY improve. Maybe not when YOU want it to.. But when the Lord wants it to. And it's better that way. I promise.

     

      In closing, I want to give a shoutout to my STUD LITTLE BROTHER SI. I heard his version of Baby Ducks that he performed at his assembly and was blown away. I literally teared up listening to him perform it. I'm so proud of Si and so proud that he absolutely killed it. If I would have been there to see it in person, you already know that I would have been the first one to give that guy a standing ovation. He asked me if he could perform the song and I gave him permission, so no worries. (; Way to go Si! You made your big brother proud. And no.. The baby ducks didn't fly this far south just to get warm.. (; 

I love you all and as always, I wish you all the ABSOLUTE best. I pray for you always and I hope that you are all living your lives to the fullest. God didnt give us these lives so that we could sit around and live them halfway. TAKE THE INITIATIVE AND DO SOMETHING AMAZING. What a beautiful gifts our lives are. Don't let life happen to you. Get out there and experience it. I love you all! ¡Que tenga un buen semana!

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.

Con amor,

(as the Argentines say it) 

Elder Olmez

Another Guitar!

If I can remember right.. This is what America is all about :)

This is how HOT it is. That's my upper body in our freezer.

Working in the LITERAL pouring rain. What an awesome experience!