The two musketeers 

Howdy! It sounds like you have had a pretty great week! Full of lots of work but at the same time lots of fun! That is kind of how mission work is too actually. The harder you work the more fun you have. But it is an interesting kind of work. One that is pretty inspired sometimes with out even realizing it. This week I have really focused on that and realizing a little bit more the hand of the Lord in his work. Because at the end of the day we don't really do the work we are just the legs that walk and the mouths that talk but he puts in a whole lot of his part. 

I am glad that you could see Nate and Tanner! That is way cool. It is crazy to think that they are already back! It seems like just yesterday that we were saying goodbye. Hope you made them some cinnamon rolls or something.. they were sure crazy about those.

This week for us has been really great. We even had the chance to go out and teach with President Woodward. He called us on Saturday and told us that he was going to leave with us the next day to teach. So we set up a lesson with one of our investigators named Mercedes. She is awesome. We found her last week and began to taught her. She worked in the Feria.. or the farmers market on Sundays and so wasn't to sure if she would be able to go to church. But as it says in Nephi, the lord always prepares the way so that we can keep his commandments, We talked to a member in the ward that also works in the feria but on saturdays to see if they could share the little tent and sell together. She was excited to have someone there with her. So Mercedes went to church on sunday and felt really good. Then afterwards we went with President to teach her. That was a really awesome experience because he has just such a positive way to teach and inspire. By the end of the lesson Mercedes still wasn´t quite sure if she was ready to get baptized but was pretty convinced that it was something incredible and something she wanted to do. My companion and I went back yesterday and committed her to get baptized. She is doing really well. 

That is one thing that President Woodward has taught me, positive people have a lot more power and a lot more influence on others. I am sure that Jesus Christ was pretty positive so this week try it out. Help everyone feel that positive energy that comes from being a member of his church. 

Man everyone is getting married.... I hope mitchell doesnt even think about it before i get home! haha love you all

Elder Holdstock

week

Hola hola!! 

How is everything going this week? We have had a pretty great one. We planned a really fun activity this week with the ward. It is kind of like what they did in woods cross with the beach party remember? and the plane crashed and stuff like that? We are going to do something similar but nobody is going to die rather we are going to have activities about survival so that will be a real party! It sounds like the world cup is also finished up. There really wasnt much excitement about that this month because chile isnt playing sooo they didnt care at all.

We have been working hard teaching lots of people. We honestly found lots of really great people so far this week. On sunday we took a really old grandma to church she has got to be like 85 years old but was up and ready to go when we passed by to pick her up. It is really awesome to see how it doesnt matter how old how young or what has happened in someones like the power that the gospel has in our lives. It changes them and it makes us better. Shapes and molds us.

I got to go on a few divisions with brazilians this week so I got into my brazilian missionary mode so I could pretend i was in coritiba. haha 

I honestly am not sure about my realease date. The one that they have in the system is october 26 buuut the change ends and everyone else in my group goes home like the 30 of october so i think that that is more likely. But ill drop you a line when I am on the front porch dont worry about it. ;)

Hope everyone has a great week!

Elder Holdstock

Long time no see

Hey hi hows it goin? 

As I am starting to write this email there is a weird chilean guy that is talking to me in english.. or actually trying to speak to me in english. So let me write a little of what he is saying.

"Jesus Christ very back" "Jesus Christ viene very much" "El Señor coming"

hahaha but he gets an A for effort that is for sure. 

I mean he isnt that far off actually. The lord is coming, and this last week we were able to remember that in the zone conferences. We talked a lot about the good news that is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the opportunity that it is for us to really be happy. We are just about done with the really busy part of the transfer and now we have lots more time to focus on our sector and our investigators.

Nicol has been doing really well and went to church this weekend We also were able to do a noche de hogar with her and her husband hernan who isnt like super excited about going to church but he does like us to go over and he loved the noche de hogar. So that was really great.

I cant remember if I told you but I have a new companion his name is Elder Marsh he is from payson utah. So that is pretty awesome it has been over a year that I havent had a gringo companion. He is going home at the end of this change so that means i am killing for the first time in my mission but the good thing is that he is a really good missionary so he is still pretty focused. 

We have heard second hand that the world cup this year has just been a box of surprises! The final is coming up who is everyone rooting for? It sounds like soccer is also going really well for everyone! Mitchell and Sam are going to have to train me when I get home I am pretty slow now....

Speaking of which how was mitchells experience in Brazil?

This past week we talked about spiritual gifts in church and how if we dont have some of the gifts we can ask for them and work to obtain them so that is what i am doing this week. and the invitation for all of you is the same. That is one of the cool things about the gospel is that there is always time to get better and to be better. 

Loves

Elder Holdstock

hi

hey this week is zone conferences so we are not going to have our p day until nexxxxt thursday. But Everything is going well. Has mitchell already gotten home from brazil? How was that? I hope that everyone is doing really well and enjoying the summer!
 
Elder Holdstock

P.S. Franco got the priesthood so that was awesome. And he said he wants to be bishop... so lets go. hahaha