¡hasta pronto!

This is pretty wild isnt it? Just like that two years have come and gone. It is true what they say that it goes by super fast. It has been a beautiful experience and for sure something that i think will have a great impact on lots of things in life. 

This weekend they will broadcast the temple dedication of the temple in conception. Even though we are pretty far away it will be a great thing to see how the temple will bless the whole country. One time I heard Elder Bednar say that 'The longer you serve the less able you feel.' And that is pretty true. I have learned lots and I have been blessed a lot.

It is a pretty weird sensation to know that you go home... It is like a transfer but you already know where you are going and everything. But I am excited as well. Chile is cool but Utah is cooler.. haha. and getting cooler every day.... and colder... rip.

Thanks for all of your prayers and all your support. You are definitely the best parents anyone could ask for. I talked about you daily as I would talk to people. You have left and impact not only on my life but on the life of others all the way on the other side of the world. 

I remember that in mission prep that our teacher would always tell us that the mission was like a mini life experience. And that is so true. You are born and you know nothing and you have to depend lots on others to help you and teach you. Then you grow up a little and you kind of figure out what you are doing. Then when you feel like you have it all figured out you realize you actually dont know anything and just learn to trust on the lord.

That is what it is all about anyway, trust in him, do what he wants us to do. Because he knows everything. Especially what will make us happy. He lives and loves us. We have the potential to be like him. Pretty incredible right?

Well I will see everyone soon! 

Elder Holdstock

103

In just a week they will be dedicating the temple in concepción. That is some really exciting news for all of chile. I am sure that uncle Nathan is pretty excited. Who knows maybe one of his converts will be the temple president down there! The general conference was also exciting 12 new temples in the whole world. It sounds like President Nelson doesn't like to waste time does he? I remember when he came to our stake for a special stake conference and we got to shake his hand. He is definitley called of god.  

We are seeing some good progress with the people we are teaching and we are also finding new people as well. Like this week were found a man named francisco and his wife alicia. They listened to missionaries a long time ago when they lived in another part of santiago. They are really great and francisco went to church this sunday. We are excited for them.

funny story.. we are teaching this little colombian boy named Juan David. He is pretty cool and really wanted to go to church on sunday. So we went in the morning to pick him up but his parents had left to go to the feria... or like to the farmers market. And he was locked inside of his patio.. they had forgotten to leave him the keys. His house is inside of some pretty tall cement walls with barbed wire ontop.... But he said nah dont worry about it i will just hope over... so out of nowhere he climbed up the wall and slid down and we went to church. It was fast and testimony meeting and the whole meeting he really wanted to get up and talk. hahaha pretty funny.

Hope that everyone has a super great week!! 

conferenica genial

As always the conference was great! I feel like it went by so quickly. I remember when I was little and we would watch it at home and I always felt like it lasted forevvver. But now I realize that the session is already half over and I am sad because it goes by so quickly. I learned lots of good things. It will be great to have church for two hours. 

We also were excited because Felipe went to the conference and listened and could feel the spirit. The only bad thing is that he asked me what they were saying in the songs that they were singing... and one of my weaknesses is understanding the lyrics of songs.... but god gives us weaknesses so that we can make them strengths haha.

We watched the conference in my first chapel in the mission back in cuatro poniente. So I got to see lots of old friends and catch up a little so that was great. It is incredible how fast the time passes. Like they say time goes by quick when you are having fun.

It is good to hear that the funeral went well and everything. He sure was a great guy. We will miss him but know where he is and what he is doing. 

I hope this week is great for everyone.

Elder Holdstock

P.S. If Jeremy wants to come see me that is totally fine! that would be great. If i remember right it will be pretty early in the morning though. 

PPS And that is great that they found a house! Should be fun.

Give me a sign

I am pretty sad to hear about the news of grandpa. I am sure that he is doing well though. As I was thinking about him yesterday after president told me the news, At first I was kind of confused but then as I started to think a little more it all makes sense doesn´t it? From what I know about Grandpa Tim is that he is a pretty hard and organized worker. I remember that he always like to keep himself busy! I think that is why he was needed a little more quickly on the other side because the Lord is hastening the work and not only here.  

At different times during the mission I have actually taken some time to read a little bit about him just in the few pages that you could print me before I left about his conversion to the church. I am always so impressed by his story which is such an example of faith. As he was investigating the church the missionaries invited him to pray to know whether this was the true church and whether he should be baptized. Like a good investigator he accepted and then acted upon the invitation of those missionaries. Though he prayed and asked for a sign to know whether this was the true church he said that it never did arrive. Now acting on his faith he made a decision to put his faith and hope before his doubts and be baptized. He said 'how would I ever know if what they were telling me was true If I didn't do it?' 

I am sure grateful for that example of courage and faith. That decision didn't only affect his life but the life of many others including mine. 

Interesting that just this Tuesday I was teaching the plan of salvation to one of our investigators named felipe. Usually when we teach we dont go into tons of detail about the spirit world or the work on the other side because people get kind of confused and lost, but Felipe asked us.. what happens with people that never were baptized or taught the gospel on earth. So we happily explained to him how it is possible that those in the spirit world also hear the good news of the gospel. We told him that there were also faithful missionaries teaching the gospel to those that were searching it. And I am sure the Grandpa was already doing it. 

Give Grandma Janet a big hug for me! 

love,

Elder Holdstock

quick hi

hiya just dropping in a quick hello because this week has been pretty full and with just about zero time! Send my well wishes to grandpa tim.. I am for sure praying for him. I hope that he will get better quick so he can still shake the car when we leave from his house! I hope this week will be a good one for everyone!! 

Elder Holdstock

Happy Chile

Well being with a mexican companion is helping me understand the true definition of chile... which is spicy. They literally eat everything spicy.. Remember when we went to california and we bought some fruit in a cup from a mexican guy that was on the side of the road with his shopping cart? And then he grabbed out like a salt shaker and started throwing some sort of red powder on the pineapple? Yeah that is because they put chili on everything. So this week my companion bought pineapple ice cream... and we eat it with this sweet chili sauce that he brought from mexico... haha 

But we have done other things this week besides eat obviously. Lets see here.. Saturday night we did all the changes and monday night a group from the mexico MTC arrived. Early in the morning on Tuesday the missionaries from the Chile MTC also arrived and we ate breakfast with them in the chapel. President assigned them their trainers and they headed off to their sectors early so that they could enjoy 18.

18 is obviously a pretty big celebration in chile it is like the 4th of July and everyone always does barbeques and just chills our all day. There is also a big tradition of dancing a dance that is called the Cueca... it is pretty funny you will have to search it on youtube. 

Since it was 18 it was kind of hard to get our people to church because everyone went out of town but the good thing is that everyone is already coming back!

I hope this is a good week for everyone!!

Elder Holdstock

Taco

Well these last few weeks have flown by! Yesterday I was even in divisions with Elder Anderson, who was in my same room in the MTC. Today he is in the temple because he is already going home this week. So that means that the time flies when you are having fun!  

Chile is getting ready for the biggest weekend of the year! The Fiestas Patrias. It is like the fourth of July but without fireworks... so obviously not as cool. THis year It falls on a Tuesday and they always give the day before and the day after as a holiday as well. (The Chileans are pretty good at giving themselves holidays) So That means that people will have Saturday, Sunday, Monday Tuesday, Wednesday as a holiday and most people are asking for thursday and friday off of work as well to just make it a nice 10 day vacation! haha so that is good for them but rough for us because all of our investigadors are leaving santiago for like a week and a half. rip

But we still have lots of people that will be around town to be able to teach. Like Milagros and her family. Who are making really good progress, Sara as well. We met a man named Adrian in the street the other day who went with us to church this sunday. 

Fun Fact : We took two people to church this week that have pacemakers.... so thanks to president Nelson they are still alive to be able to go to church!! 

There was a house in the ward that caught on fire, and so the bishop this week in his talk talked about how we can protect ourselves against the spirtual fires. It was good! I hope that everyone has a really good week!

Elder Holdstock

P.S. we are getting into the swing of the whole mexican food thing for sure... We made our own tortillas and everything.