Dear Family,
How are things on the home front? Things are going well here, We have been pushing really hard to be a good example for our zone. We maxed out at 7 member present lessons and 4 new investigators...I read Elder Hayden's letter about getting 20 new investigators in a week....sheesh. Getting people to church is the toughest part, I wish him luck. We had an investigator come to church for five minutes, because he said he would come, but he had some other appointments so he couldn't stay long. But luckily he brought his ENTIRE family, there is nothing more exciting than teaching a family. They will be coming to church next week. his name is Abel, he's committed for baptism next month. Every time I see him I think of the book Abel's Island...strange. Ahh, Africans, love 'em. I feel like I've got to serve all round the world during my mission, this last week we served in the Congo. In fact, I don't think we have 1 white investigator. Huh. Crazy. Our zone is struggling, there are some teams who are having some personal problems which are affecting the work, but we are still accomplishing our goals. We only missed one, our new investigators. Whew. This Friday we drive to Montreal to report to President Cannon our goals and actuals in Zone council in front of all the other zone leaders. And I hear President Cannon gets his wrath on when you don't meet all your goals...I'll let you know how that goes.
This last week we went on splits with the Assistants... Crazy stuff, got to be an assistant for the day. They are busy all the time. But it would totally be worth it to be Assistant just to live in their apartment! Seriously, best apartment in the mission, no joke. I got to be with Elder Jaquier, he's from france, he was actually in the Liahona the other month (just liahona, sorry) it was fun, we spoke french the whole time. He railed on my french, good learning experience. But hey, I've never served with a francophone companion, I've done pretty good despite that. Elder Jaquier is called to serve here in Chinese, so we had some lessons with chinese people....lost. that was a headache.
Thanks for the Package! I finally got the package, thank you, it was good. Mom, you've got this whole package thing DOWN. I haven't had much opportunity to listen to the music you sent, but I will on the way to Montreal this Friday! Anyways, I have to get going, keep it real down there, Winter is a comin!
Peace be the journey,
Elder Holm (1)
October 30, 2011
October 18, 2011
October 17, 2011
Family,
Things are going great here in Gatineau. We have been teaching more lessons per day than I've ever had in my mission. It's been great fun. I'm most excited about one of our investigators, whose name is Don de Dieu...which is translated to Gift from God. And he has 8 children. I haven't yet met him, Elder Leavitt has told me about him. Elder Leavitt is a blast, we get along great. He's from Alberta and he is super cool and very obedient. He's been a zone leader for a transfer, so this one is a good learning experience, we'll learn together. I've never been so busy in my life, but it is a great challenge.
As Gatineau missionaries, we cover all of Ottawa in french, so all french investigators in Ottawa are taught by us.
I literally cannot think of anything else to write. I've only been here in Gatineau for a couple days... Ah, we live in a basement apartment of some members, by far my most favorite apartment yet. Winter is coming, it snowed in Val d'Or today a little bit...so it's only a couple days away, the snow.
We've been working with the Stake President and trying to find the key to member present lessons. We'll be going on splits with the stake presidency to show him some of Ottawa's most progressing investigators, so hopefully we can find the key.
I really need a new suit, as soon as possible, could you put some money on my card? Thank you so much!
Peace be the journey,
Elder Holm
Things are going great here in Gatineau. We have been teaching more lessons per day than I've ever had in my mission. It's been great fun. I'm most excited about one of our investigators, whose name is Don de Dieu...which is translated to Gift from God. And he has 8 children. I haven't yet met him, Elder Leavitt has told me about him. Elder Leavitt is a blast, we get along great. He's from Alberta and he is super cool and very obedient. He's been a zone leader for a transfer, so this one is a good learning experience, we'll learn together. I've never been so busy in my life, but it is a great challenge.
As Gatineau missionaries, we cover all of Ottawa in french, so all french investigators in Ottawa are taught by us.
I literally cannot think of anything else to write. I've only been here in Gatineau for a couple days... Ah, we live in a basement apartment of some members, by far my most favorite apartment yet. Winter is coming, it snowed in Val d'Or today a little bit...so it's only a couple days away, the snow.
We've been working with the Stake President and trying to find the key to member present lessons. We'll be going on splits with the stake presidency to show him some of Ottawa's most progressing investigators, so hopefully we can find the key.
I really need a new suit, as soon as possible, could you put some money on my card? Thank you so much!
Peace be the journey,
Elder Holm
October 10, 2011
October 10, 2011
Dear Family,
Well I've got some good and bad news. But before that I got Elder Holm 2's email, and am just blown away by the immensity of the work down there! 20 referrals in 1 day? I haven't received 20 referrals during my entire mission! That's an incredible blessing, to be working in a place where the field is white, and ready to harvest.
Bad news, Elder Dalton and I are flushing out. It's transfers this week, sorry, forgot give you heads up. We are both leaving Ville Marie. In fact, we are both leaving Montreal. IN FACT we are both going to Ottawa. Elder Dalton will be going to Fallowfield as the District Leader, and I will be going to Gatineau, as the New Zone Leader for Ottawa Zone. Strangely enough, I will still be serving in French. I don't know why president has kept me in french for so long, it's usually quite rare. But ah well, I'm grateful!
Our leading investigator (lawyer from Ivory Coast) Bore his testimony to us about Joseph Smith, and he is preparing to be baptized...hopefully the elders who take over Ville Marie will take care of him.
Sorry Family, no big stories this week, we've got a lot of things to do to prepare for transfers and all that jazz. Hopefully better stories next week!
Peace be the Journey,
Elder Holm (1)
Well I've got some good and bad news. But before that I got Elder Holm 2's email, and am just blown away by the immensity of the work down there! 20 referrals in 1 day? I haven't received 20 referrals during my entire mission! That's an incredible blessing, to be working in a place where the field is white, and ready to harvest.
Peace be the Journey,
Elder Holm (1)
October 3, 2011
October 3, 2011
Dear Family,
I hope you all enjoyed Conference! It was one of the best, I believe. We had a lot of investigators come and watch, they loved it. My favorite was an investigator from the Ivory Coast, used to be a really rich lawyer, but since he moved here, his education doesn't count for anything. So he went from a big house with a car and a lawn, to an apartment where all 4 of his kids are sharing a room. But it's safer here, so he is happy. He golf-clapped at the end of Uchtdorf's first talk. And he kept nodding his head at powerful points in the talk, he got really into it. 
We had an interesting experience this week. I am going to type it right out of my journal entry to save time.
Thursday 9-29-2011
--Man what a day, We walked a long time today, through ghetto-ville...knocking in a really sketchy, super dee duper sketchy apartment building. We had some extra time before going to an appointment, and this apartment building caught my eye, so we went in. We knocked a couple doors, nothing. Then we knocked a door, and an african man let us in. I was very nervous about going in, but we went in anyways. As we sat on his couch and listened to the domestic violence that was taking place in the apartment next door, the african was washing some mugs so he can serve us some water. I looked around his apartment, it was bare. So bare, An empty bookshelf, a desk with a laptop, and a coffee table and couch. That was it. No paint, nothing. One light in the room. On the coffee table, there was a notepad with a pen on it. I began to read it, while waiting for the african who was still in the kitchen. The page was half full, and began like this.
"Je regrette rien de rien, Le passé est oublié et payé...."
I don't regret anything, the past is forgotten and paid...
He went on to describe something negative, something bad. And in all caps was a word, that I didn't recognize at first. The last sentence was in scribbled english. It ended as if we had interrupted him when we had knocked on the door.
I really struggled with this letter, I wanted to know what it meant. I understood the words, but I wasn't getting the concept. Then as the African came in, he handed us our water and quickly put away the notepad. Elder Dalton started making small talk, I sat there thinking. Then it hit me, and it did just as our African friend was telling us he was feeling a little depressed as of lately.
It was a suicide note.
We had interrupted his writing of his suicide note. I instantly started sharing our message of happiness and, panicking, testified of a loving Heavenly Father and the purpose we all share as his children on earth. Elder Dalton followed my lead and we promised this man that he is loved and that he has a purpose. The spirit was very powerful, very present. He wanted to know why God would let bad things happen, why life is so hard. We promised him he could be happy the rest of his days if he aligned his will with the Savior's. This african man told us that he was waiting for God, for something, before we had knocked. He said he's not sure, but he thinks we are wait he was waiting for. We told him we know it. We are seeing him again next week.
The atonement is real. The gospel really comes into play, becomes a rule of reality, once people reach that stage where it looks like there is no escape. I am very grateful to have been there, because no one knows what could have happened if we weren't there at that very moment. And through faith in Jesus Christ, we can all be pulled from the deepest depths. The 3 affects of faith, as found in the bible dictionary, give great insight to this as well.
2nd Corinthians 4:8,9,6
Peace be the Journey,
Elder Holm (1)
P.S.
Thanks for the pictures pops, I love pictures! You're looking thin as well pops, keep up the good work! Mom, I'm excited for the package, and I bought a new, european satchel bag. Yup. A fashionable piece of work. I split the cost between the cash I had and my personal debit card, just so I can have a reserve of cash on me. More of the cost went to the card. I'll try and send some pictures soon.
We had an interesting experience this week. I am going to type it right out of my journal entry to save time.
Thursday 9-29-2011
--Man what a day, We walked a long time today, through ghetto-ville...knocking in a really sketchy, super dee duper sketchy apartment building. We had some extra time before going to an appointment, and this apartment building caught my eye, so we went in. We knocked a couple doors, nothing. Then we knocked a door, and an african man let us in. I was very nervous about going in, but we went in anyways. As we sat on his couch and listened to the domestic violence that was taking place in the apartment next door, the african was washing some mugs so he can serve us some water. I looked around his apartment, it was bare. So bare, An empty bookshelf, a desk with a laptop, and a coffee table and couch. That was it. No paint, nothing. One light in the room. On the coffee table, there was a notepad with a pen on it. I began to read it, while waiting for the african who was still in the kitchen. The page was half full, and began like this.
"Je regrette rien de rien, Le passé est oublié et payé...."
I don't regret anything, the past is forgotten and paid...
He went on to describe something negative, something bad. And in all caps was a word, that I didn't recognize at first. The last sentence was in scribbled english. It ended as if we had interrupted him when we had knocked on the door.
I really struggled with this letter, I wanted to know what it meant. I understood the words, but I wasn't getting the concept. Then as the African came in, he handed us our water and quickly put away the notepad. Elder Dalton started making small talk, I sat there thinking. Then it hit me, and it did just as our African friend was telling us he was feeling a little depressed as of lately.
It was a suicide note.
We had interrupted his writing of his suicide note. I instantly started sharing our message of happiness and, panicking, testified of a loving Heavenly Father and the purpose we all share as his children on earth. Elder Dalton followed my lead and we promised this man that he is loved and that he has a purpose. The spirit was very powerful, very present. He wanted to know why God would let bad things happen, why life is so hard. We promised him he could be happy the rest of his days if he aligned his will with the Savior's. This african man told us that he was waiting for God, for something, before we had knocked. He said he's not sure, but he thinks we are wait he was waiting for. We told him we know it. We are seeing him again next week.
The atonement is real. The gospel really comes into play, becomes a rule of reality, once people reach that stage where it looks like there is no escape. I am very grateful to have been there, because no one knows what could have happened if we weren't there at that very moment. And through faith in Jesus Christ, we can all be pulled from the deepest depths. The 3 affects of faith, as found in the bible dictionary, give great insight to this as well.
2nd Corinthians 4:8,9,6
Peace be the Journey,
Elder Holm (1)
Thanks for the pictures pops, I love pictures! You're looking thin as well pops, keep up the good work! Mom, I'm excited for the package, and I bought a new, european satchel bag. Yup. A fashionable piece of work. I split the cost between the cash I had and my personal debit card, just so I can have a reserve of cash on me. More of the cost went to the card. I'll try and send some pictures soon.
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