Sounds like you had a fun week! Glad to get a good update from Dad finally! I'm sure they did win just for Michelle. Too bad about LOHS, though.
Do you remember me mentioning Sister Beckstrand being my temporary companion between Sister Townsend and Sister Blackburn? Well...we're official companions now! We were both ecstatic to get the news!
Sister Beckstrand and I get along great! She is from Heber, UT. Oldest of 4 kids. Her dad works on carpentry (pulpits, sacrament tables, etc.) for the Church's buildings. Recently he worked on refurbishing a room in the Palmyra temple. Sounds pretty neat! She is a beautiful photographer. Our Church is in front of a very big, open space (rare in Washington!) and so last night we went so she could take pictures of the sunset. It was very stunning! Very fun. We're really excited for the way the work is going in Everson; we're really looking forward to helping it progress and helping the ward meet it's potential when it comes to missionary work. I love our companionship studies; we both really study hard during our personal studies, so when we're sharing what we've learned it usually takes the full hour haha...but we learn a lot from each other! =)
Who is senior companion doesn't matter at all. If you were to ask the Elders in Chaffey ward now they might tell you differently, but that's just the difference between sisters and elders. Sister Beckstrand is senior; she's been out for as long as Sister Taua (13 months, they were MTC companions) but that doesn't mean that you're senior always based on seniority, or on being in the area longer......it's just whoever President decides should be senior and who should be junior. We're missionary companions. That's our philosophy anyways.
That's silly that your Relief Society is keeping the books until Christmas! It's such a great book! I guess they're trying to save on the budget??? Sister Beck's talk Saturday was basically a summary of the main points of Daughters in My Kingdom. I really enjoyed her talk. I really liked how she talked about how the discipleship of women was lost during the Apostasy, and how we need to increase our faith to become the rightful disciples we are as Relief Society sisters. It made me think of D&C 25. I also liked how she emphasized the eternal perspective of Relief Society--focusing on helping families be sealed in the temple.
I also really enjoyed the quote from Sister Allred: "Don't be limited in your views of your neighbor's virtues"
President Utchdorf's talk was my favorite though; it seems like it was everyone's favorite! His testimony of God's love for His children was very touching.
It really made me more excited for Conference this weekend! We'll be watching it in our building; I'm really looking forward to it. While it might be like the Super Bowl for Mormons everywhere....it's REALLY the Super Bowl for missionaries.
Yesterday at church we taught the gospel principles class on the chapter about eternal families. One of our members brought a coworker to church and he really participated and asked some very good questions. We asked him if he'd like to meet with us, and he said not yet, but he did say he enjoyed church and would like to come again, so that's still sounding pretty promising! We had another investigator come...but we're wanting to transition her to the YSA ward (she graduated from high school in June and one of the other girls in the ward she knows has moved closer to town and will be going there as well, so it seems like a good time to hand her over). No Chris or Erik* though! We just saw Erik on Saturday. We have a lesson tonight...we'll have to discuss this with him!
We were also asked to come into senior primary for a little bit and talk about preparing for our missions and the blessings of serving a mission. Our primary is very small...only about five or six boys in senior primary, but they were very well behaved and participated very well.
I'll try and remember to make a copy of my talk from last week when I can. It was very stressful to have to hand write the whole thing...I wasted so much paper with all my drafting for it...
Last night we had dinner with our previous ward mission leader and his family. We had soup and garlic bread and whoopie pies (kind of like cookie sandwiches....they were quite delicious). It was very fun.
This past week we had two investigator lessons and six less active lessons.
I'm doing pretty good of keeping up with my journal. There's a few days from last transfer I need to finish, but so far I've been doing well with this transfer. (I was getting towards the end of my last journal and wasn't going to have room for my conference notes, so I just decided to make the transition at the beginning of this transfer.)
I haven't gotten the package yet. I'm sure it will be soon. Thank you for sending it! (Also, Sister Taua didn't wear makeup, so I didn't give her one of the makeup wipes, but Sister Beckstrand is enjoying them and she says thank you! Sister Taua says that she really appreciates that you always thought of her, too, when you sent me a package!)
Anyways, I think that's all the exciting news from this week...Have a good one!
I love you!
Sister Heather Holdsworth
Monday, September 26, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
September 19, 2011
Hello! Sounds like you've had a fun week. Glad to hear at least one of the teams we cheer for is winning this season....
I did get the invitation to Hilary and Austin's wedding. Sister Taua and I were going to ask for permission to go....but we figured that the drive probably wouldn't work into our 1000 mile/month limit on our car...so we didn't ask. ;) I thought it was a beautiful announcement though! I liked the cream and purple they picked out. Can't wait to get the pictures! Looking forward to another package! =)
Well...drum roll....I'm staying in Everson....but Sister Taua is leaving!!! =( We're both pretty bummed. We've really enjoyed working together--in a lot of ways she's the only thing keeping me sane in such a rural area! We've gotten along so well, we're both really hoping for the best for our next companions. But, transfers happen, I guess. Last transfer, our whole district stayed together. Two of the four elders are leaving, including our district leader. Now I have to worry: is the new district leader going to keep having our backs when it comes to our ridiculous zone leaders and their ridiculous desires for a "blitz" (coughsplitcough)!?!?! What will we do if we don't get a caring district leader!?
It's very troubling.
But it happens...so...anyways....
I think in my last email I mentioned that Elder Edwards of the Seventy visited...But then after I clicked "send" I realized that it was that same week that he visited...so I didn't talk about much other than it happened! haha. Well...yes: two weeks ago Elder Edwards and his wife came to tour our mission. The conference we held with them mostly centered around recognizing and following the Spirit. The week before, we were given three topics (don't remember them now) to study in preparation for the tour and then three missionaries would be asked to speak on one of the three. I wasn't asked to speak on the topics, but Elder Edwards did request me to be one of three missionaries to bear their testimonies at the end of the conference. That was very enjoyable.
And, luckily I took some pretty good notes at the conference, because this past week we were having dinner at the Brainard's. Brother Brainard is the first counselor in the bishopric, and this is his month to ask people to speak in sacrament meeting. He was working late, so we were just enjoying dinner with his wife and kids. He called when he was on his way home, and then called back about three minutes later and asked Sister Brainard to ask us to speak this Sunday---I guess everyone had been turning him down, poor guy! So I spoke on, what else? Following the promptings of the Spirit. Sister Taua didn't want to speak, so we cut a deal with his wife that if she sang a musical number (she has a beautiful voice!) and I talked for the rest of the time we'd call it good.
I got a lot of compliments on my talk. It was pretty good. It was really frustrating preparing a talk and not having a computer, though! I wasted so much paper with all my drafts, but it worked out okay!
And it's a good thing Sister Taua got to sing on her last Sunday in the ward. She's been here a full six months. It's going to be pretty hard for her to leave.
So...what else has happened this week...not much else. Every lesson we have with Erik (apparently I've been spelling it wrong...oops), baptism comes up...he knows it's the next step, and he knows he's going to be baptized, but he just keep on telling himself he's "not ready yet." He'll get there though!
Yesterday we also had the mormon.org training for the ward. A few people are being negative about it, but for the most part a lot of people seem to be on-board. Should be really exciting!
I haven't finished my own profile yet. We only get an hour (at most...the library here is weird, so sometimes we don't get all the time we're supposed to..it's a weird system I don't really get...anyways...) to work on it a week...it takes a long time to decide what you're going to say...and then by the time you come back the next week you decide you want to change everything you already HAVE written....it's just a problem.
What can I say, I live a hard life. blah.
Anyways...so...yep. That's the big news: I'm getting a new companion. Pray that we'll have as much unity as Sister Taua and I did! Everson is hard enough as it is; it needs united missionaries!
Hope you enjoy your week! Happy birthday to Kelly, hope dinner yesterday was enjoyable. Is the family still playing Five Crowns or Ticket to Ride or have you found something new??
Keep me posted on everything! Love you all!
Sister Heather Holdsworth
I did get the invitation to Hilary and Austin's wedding. Sister Taua and I were going to ask for permission to go....but we figured that the drive probably wouldn't work into our 1000 mile/month limit on our car...so we didn't ask. ;) I thought it was a beautiful announcement though! I liked the cream and purple they picked out. Can't wait to get the pictures! Looking forward to another package! =)
Well...drum roll....I'm staying in Everson....but Sister Taua is leaving!!! =( We're both pretty bummed. We've really enjoyed working together--in a lot of ways she's the only thing keeping me sane in such a rural area! We've gotten along so well, we're both really hoping for the best for our next companions. But, transfers happen, I guess. Last transfer, our whole district stayed together. Two of the four elders are leaving, including our district leader. Now I have to worry: is the new district leader going to keep having our backs when it comes to our ridiculous zone leaders and their ridiculous desires for a "blitz" (coughsplitcough)!?!?! What will we do if we don't get a caring district leader!?
It's very troubling.
But it happens...so...anyways....
I think in my last email I mentioned that Elder Edwards of the Seventy visited...But then after I clicked "send" I realized that it was that same week that he visited...so I didn't talk about much other than it happened! haha. Well...yes: two weeks ago Elder Edwards and his wife came to tour our mission. The conference we held with them mostly centered around recognizing and following the Spirit. The week before, we were given three topics (don't remember them now) to study in preparation for the tour and then three missionaries would be asked to speak on one of the three. I wasn't asked to speak on the topics, but Elder Edwards did request me to be one of three missionaries to bear their testimonies at the end of the conference. That was very enjoyable.
And, luckily I took some pretty good notes at the conference, because this past week we were having dinner at the Brainard's. Brother Brainard is the first counselor in the bishopric, and this is his month to ask people to speak in sacrament meeting. He was working late, so we were just enjoying dinner with his wife and kids. He called when he was on his way home, and then called back about three minutes later and asked Sister Brainard to ask us to speak this Sunday---I guess everyone had been turning him down, poor guy! So I spoke on, what else? Following the promptings of the Spirit. Sister Taua didn't want to speak, so we cut a deal with his wife that if she sang a musical number (she has a beautiful voice!) and I talked for the rest of the time we'd call it good.
I got a lot of compliments on my talk. It was pretty good. It was really frustrating preparing a talk and not having a computer, though! I wasted so much paper with all my drafts, but it worked out okay!
And it's a good thing Sister Taua got to sing on her last Sunday in the ward. She's been here a full six months. It's going to be pretty hard for her to leave.
So...what else has happened this week...not much else. Every lesson we have with Erik (apparently I've been spelling it wrong...oops), baptism comes up...he knows it's the next step, and he knows he's going to be baptized, but he just keep on telling himself he's "not ready yet." He'll get there though!
Yesterday we also had the mormon.org training for the ward. A few people are being negative about it, but for the most part a lot of people seem to be on-board. Should be really exciting!
I haven't finished my own profile yet. We only get an hour (at most...the library here is weird, so sometimes we don't get all the time we're supposed to..it's a weird system I don't really get...anyways...) to work on it a week...it takes a long time to decide what you're going to say...and then by the time you come back the next week you decide you want to change everything you already HAVE written....it's just a problem.
What can I say, I live a hard life. blah.
Anyways...so...yep. That's the big news: I'm getting a new companion. Pray that we'll have as much unity as Sister Taua and I did! Everson is hard enough as it is; it needs united missionaries!
Hope you enjoy your week! Happy birthday to Kelly, hope dinner yesterday was enjoyable. Is the family still playing Five Crowns or Ticket to Ride or have you found something new??
Keep me posted on everything! Love you all!
Sister Heather Holdsworth
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
September 12, 2011
Well....it sounds like you had an exciting week! I'm sorry your shoe broke on your trip to Catalina, but I'm glad it didn't stop you from having fun.
Sounds like Jon did a really great job on his talk! Good for him! I'm glad he was able to go on the two week mission; I'm glad he's looking forward to serving a full time mission in a few years.
Congratulations on finishing your personal progress! One of our Elders' recent converts is working on hers; she's doing really great. It really is an inspired program. We don't have a very big young women's--just three girls--and the girls' attitude definitely matters when it comes to their personal success in the program. We have two really amazing leaders, and the girls pick up on their attitudes towards the program as well. I'm sure that there's at least some of the girls that look to your example and want to learn all they can when it's their proper time to learn it. That's very frustrating about the YW not coming to your activity. But you are right: we get who we get, even in the Church. It's too bad that some of the girls don't seem to understand the purpose of Young Women's better, but I'm sure that those that did come appreciated your help with their personal progress.
We had a pretty good week. Chris told us she's been thinking about baptism and that she's decided she wants to be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church! It's so great to have an investigator commit THEMSELVES to be baptized; it shows that they've done all their work and studying the gospel, and that they really understand it for themselves. We need to still nail down a date for her to work towards (she and her member boyfriend she's living with need to get married...) but she's sure she wants it. She knows it's true! =) Hoorah!
Eric is doing really well also. We met with his girlfriend's parents yesterday (also members) and as we were talking about how baptism is his next step her dad said "Oh....you know, winter's coming on, and they do all their baptisms in the river, so you really should be making a decision soon....It'll be pretty cold" haha, Eric knew he was joking, but it was still pretty funny. Eric knows he's going to be baptized, he just needs to admit it and get baptized already!
Yesterday we had a great regional conference broadcast. Elder Steven E. Snow of the Presidency of the Seventy spoke about the importance of the Holy Ghost (a great prelude to our lesson on the Holy Ghost with Eric in the afternoon). Then Sister Dalton spoke about the need for faith and virtue in our lives (great for our unmarried couple). Elder Holland spoke about how our homes, meetinghouses and temples can be places of spiritual strength and havens from the evils of the world. Then Elder Packer closed talking about the power and truth of the Gospel. (Both being extremely perfect for our two solid investigators that were at Church, and our flaky investigator that was also there!)
I especially enjoyed Elder Holland's talk. He talked about how if he was sent on assignment anywhere in the Church, and could only ask the Saints one question to gauge their spiritual, physical and emotional well-being, he would ask if the Saints worthily held and used a temple recommend. I thought that was pretty profound. He also said, "An LDS home is the laboratory of the Lord where children learn faith, hope and charity." That really resonated with me from Elder Edwards' words last week in our zone conference, when he talked about how the focus of all our learning on our missions is preparing us to raise the next generation. I just love how it all connects.
Well, that's pretty much all the updates from me! Next Monday I'll be letting you know if I'm getting transferred or staying here another six weeks. Should be fun.
Hope you have a good time at Hilary's wedding! Tell her and Austin congratulations for me!
Love you all!
Sister Heather Holdsworth
Sounds like Jon did a really great job on his talk! Good for him! I'm glad he was able to go on the two week mission; I'm glad he's looking forward to serving a full time mission in a few years.
Congratulations on finishing your personal progress! One of our Elders' recent converts is working on hers; she's doing really great. It really is an inspired program. We don't have a very big young women's--just three girls--and the girls' attitude definitely matters when it comes to their personal success in the program. We have two really amazing leaders, and the girls pick up on their attitudes towards the program as well. I'm sure that there's at least some of the girls that look to your example and want to learn all they can when it's their proper time to learn it. That's very frustrating about the YW not coming to your activity. But you are right: we get who we get, even in the Church. It's too bad that some of the girls don't seem to understand the purpose of Young Women's better, but I'm sure that those that did come appreciated your help with their personal progress.
We had a pretty good week. Chris told us she's been thinking about baptism and that she's decided she wants to be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church! It's so great to have an investigator commit THEMSELVES to be baptized; it shows that they've done all their work and studying the gospel, and that they really understand it for themselves. We need to still nail down a date for her to work towards (she and her member boyfriend she's living with need to get married...) but she's sure she wants it. She knows it's true! =) Hoorah!
Eric is doing really well also. We met with his girlfriend's parents yesterday (also members) and as we were talking about how baptism is his next step her dad said "Oh....you know, winter's coming on, and they do all their baptisms in the river, so you really should be making a decision soon....It'll be pretty cold" haha, Eric knew he was joking, but it was still pretty funny. Eric knows he's going to be baptized, he just needs to admit it and get baptized already!
Yesterday we had a great regional conference broadcast. Elder Steven E. Snow of the Presidency of the Seventy spoke about the importance of the Holy Ghost (a great prelude to our lesson on the Holy Ghost with Eric in the afternoon). Then Sister Dalton spoke about the need for faith and virtue in our lives (great for our unmarried couple). Elder Holland spoke about how our homes, meetinghouses and temples can be places of spiritual strength and havens from the evils of the world. Then Elder Packer closed talking about the power and truth of the Gospel. (Both being extremely perfect for our two solid investigators that were at Church, and our flaky investigator that was also there!)
I especially enjoyed Elder Holland's talk. He talked about how if he was sent on assignment anywhere in the Church, and could only ask the Saints one question to gauge their spiritual, physical and emotional well-being, he would ask if the Saints worthily held and used a temple recommend. I thought that was pretty profound. He also said, "An LDS home is the laboratory of the Lord where children learn faith, hope and charity." That really resonated with me from Elder Edwards' words last week in our zone conference, when he talked about how the focus of all our learning on our missions is preparing us to raise the next generation. I just love how it all connects.
Well, that's pretty much all the updates from me! Next Monday I'll be letting you know if I'm getting transferred or staying here another six weeks. Should be fun.
Hope you have a good time at Hilary's wedding! Tell her and Austin congratulations for me!
Love you all!
Sister Heather Holdsworth
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
September 6, 2011
Hello everyone!
Glad to hear about the game; glad we won! I'm sure Jake will get it together before Saturday. He just needed some time to warm up. Maybe they're just trying to psych Texas out by making it LOOK like they're "afraid of crossing the goal line"???
We got to hear a little bit about it Sunday from a member of the branch we share our building with. He was talking to our ward mission leader about the game--what a perfect excuse to stop for a few minutes on our way to gospel principles....Our first counselor in our bishopric noticed we were all standing around and he came over to give us a hard time, but we just told him BYU football *is* an essential principle of the gospel....haha
Well...last week our highlight was going to the media training for the new mormon.org initiative in our area. Over the past year, they've been running internet ads and TV spots for mormon.org in 9 areas, and now they're opening 9 new marketplaces for the ads to run. We're going to be one of those! They talked all about the results from the ads in these first areas. They said 54% of all active, adult members were asked about the ads and 100% of the active youth were asked about them...but they hadn't done any training in those areas, so almost none of the members even knew what they were being asked about! Now they're really making a big push to get members aware of what's going to happen, get them familiar with mormon.org, and help show them what they can do to help. A big push is for members to create their own profiles on mormon.org. The missionaries all received training, as well as stake presidencies, bishoprics and ward mission leaders last week...in a few weeks we'll be doing the training for all the adults and youth in our ward during 2nd and 3rd hour. It's going to be really exciting! They talked a lot about how people that are introduced to the gospel through mormon.org and refer themselves to the missionaries to learn more from what they learn there are significantly more likely to be baptized...All I have to say for that is that Dustin referred himself, and he was definitely prepared for baptism! =)
Sister Taua and I are especially excited for this in our area. Hopefully people will see how this really is a good, easy way for them to help their friends learn more about the gospel and to eliminate misconceptions about the Church and they'll get excited for it.
So...that being said...We, the missionaries need to have our own profiles up as well! So could you email me a few of the close ups Sis. Larsen took that I can use for my profile? Thank you!
Another exciting thing...we got our copies of "Daughters in My Kingdom" on Sunday! Have you gotten yours yet? I've started reading it, and it's really interesting!
Yesterday was district p-day. We went out to Birch Bay in Blaine and went on a short hike to visit the "beach" (all rocks, no sand). The Elders were pretty amusing, as always...
What are you planning for the bathroom? Make sure to send me pictures of it when it's all done! =)
And...transfers are coming up on the 20th. We're feeling pretty sure that Sister Taua is going. =( We'll have three MORE sisters coming in...18 sisters! So exciting!
Elder Edwards of the Seventy is also visiting this week for another conference. We'll be divided up between the north and the south, so it won't be the WHOLE mission, but it should still be a really neat experience. Then stake conference is this next weekend for us. Woohoo!
Sister Taua and I both really appreciated your packages. The Elders were also all very jealous haha. Sister Taua really appreciates that you always think of her when you are sending me things =) I really appreciate the towels--I was thinking about buying a second towel, and now: no need!
Well....I think that's about everything. I'll try to get the phone number for Dr. Call this week...Thanks!
Love you!
Sister Heather Holdsworth
Glad to hear about the game; glad we won! I'm sure Jake will get it together before Saturday. He just needed some time to warm up. Maybe they're just trying to psych Texas out by making it LOOK like they're "afraid of crossing the goal line"???
We got to hear a little bit about it Sunday from a member of the branch we share our building with. He was talking to our ward mission leader about the game--what a perfect excuse to stop for a few minutes on our way to gospel principles....Our first counselor in our bishopric noticed we were all standing around and he came over to give us a hard time, but we just told him BYU football *is* an essential principle of the gospel....haha
Well...last week our highlight was going to the media training for the new mormon.org initiative in our area. Over the past year, they've been running internet ads and TV spots for mormon.org in 9 areas, and now they're opening 9 new marketplaces for the ads to run. We're going to be one of those! They talked all about the results from the ads in these first areas. They said 54% of all active, adult members were asked about the ads and 100% of the active youth were asked about them...but they hadn't done any training in those areas, so almost none of the members even knew what they were being asked about! Now they're really making a big push to get members aware of what's going to happen, get them familiar with mormon.org, and help show them what they can do to help. A big push is for members to create their own profiles on mormon.org. The missionaries all received training, as well as stake presidencies, bishoprics and ward mission leaders last week...in a few weeks we'll be doing the training for all the adults and youth in our ward during 2nd and 3rd hour. It's going to be really exciting! They talked a lot about how people that are introduced to the gospel through mormon.org and refer themselves to the missionaries to learn more from what they learn there are significantly more likely to be baptized...All I have to say for that is that Dustin referred himself, and he was definitely prepared for baptism! =)
Sister Taua and I are especially excited for this in our area. Hopefully people will see how this really is a good, easy way for them to help their friends learn more about the gospel and to eliminate misconceptions about the Church and they'll get excited for it.
So...that being said...We, the missionaries need to have our own profiles up as well! So could you email me a few of the close ups Sis. Larsen took that I can use for my profile? Thank you!
Another exciting thing...we got our copies of "Daughters in My Kingdom" on Sunday! Have you gotten yours yet? I've started reading it, and it's really interesting!
Yesterday was district p-day. We went out to Birch Bay in Blaine and went on a short hike to visit the "beach" (all rocks, no sand). The Elders were pretty amusing, as always...
What are you planning for the bathroom? Make sure to send me pictures of it when it's all done! =)
And...transfers are coming up on the 20th. We're feeling pretty sure that Sister Taua is going. =( We'll have three MORE sisters coming in...18 sisters! So exciting!
Elder Edwards of the Seventy is also visiting this week for another conference. We'll be divided up between the north and the south, so it won't be the WHOLE mission, but it should still be a really neat experience. Then stake conference is this next weekend for us. Woohoo!
Sister Taua and I both really appreciated your packages. The Elders were also all very jealous haha. Sister Taua really appreciates that you always think of her when you are sending me things =) I really appreciate the towels--I was thinking about buying a second towel, and now: no need!
Well....I think that's about everything. I'll try to get the phone number for Dr. Call this week...Thanks!
Love you!
Sister Heather Holdsworth
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