Happy Thanksgiving

Wow what a week!

I had a really good week of work.  We had some exchanges with the zone leaders and I went with Elder Basulgan.  He is really awesome, we got the short end of the stick and had to go to our area without the bikes so we walked for like an hour and a half to teach one lesson then walk back but it was fun and he taught me a lot on the way.  While we were teaching our less active named Edward, his older brother who is usually drunk came and said he really wanted to hear what we were teaching and wanted to listen next time we came which was really awesome.

Me and Elder Roth have been teaching this big group of kids that are all super energetic and really want to hear our message.  They are super fun and always participate in lesson so that is fun.  I really hope we can get 5 or 6 of them baptized in the next 3 or 4 weeks.  

I finished the Book of Mormon for the first time on my mission yesterday and I went through it looking for examples of seeing people use faith to overcome hard experiences and my testimony has been strengthened so much on the power of trusting in the Lord when we are having trials.  One of my favorite examples in the Stripling Warriors because they had some seriously hard trials but they never wavered in faith and always trusted in God.  It is a true book and I love reading it.  I challenge everyone to read it daily and to watch how much better it makes the rest of your day.

Today is my last day with Elder Roth and we have transfer announcements tomorrow so I will let you know what happens next week.  The anticipation is killing me haha.

Thanksgiving was pretty uneventful because everyone in our apartment was sick except for me.  We basically just chilled and played like ten thousand rounds of UNO and then we bought a chicken and had a feast, Philippines Style.

Sad to hear about Grandpa Christensen.  I will miss him tons, but I know that he will is with Grandma now and is so happy.  The plan of salvation is real and I know he is with me now.

Sounds like the family reunion was lots of fun kinda sad I missed it.  I loved getting all the notes from the cousins, that brightened my day.  

Anyways the work is going well and I am feeling the joy of the gospel.  It is true and it changes lives.

Hinay kamo,

Elder Holmstead

District Picture

Exchanges with the Zone Leaders

Thanksgiving Feast

Pics with all the kids we teach

Video of a little rain storm that came through

1st Baptism!!

Maupay hin duro nga semana!

Malipayon ako para ha mga bendisyon tikang ha Ginoo ini nga semana. Nagkita ako damo nga mga miracles ha aton area.  Syahan, mayada kami han pagpabunyag ni Neljane. Maupay hiya!  

So for all the non-waray-waray speakers that said  that I was super happy this week for all the blessings from the Lord.  We have seen many miracles in our area.  1st we had baptism for Neljane . It was Great!

The day was super stormy because we had a low pressure system coming through the area so it rained and rained and rained.  Our branch also decided to change the time of the baptism to right when the Burauen Branch was having an activity in the room with the font.  It seemed like everything was just going wrong but once everyone showed up we were able to have the opening exercises in another room and then quickly use the font for the baptism.  The spirit was super strong and she was soo happy to be baptized a member of the Church.  Her uncle, Brother Michael, our second counselor in the Branch Presidency baptized her and then she was confirmed in Sacrament Meeting yesterday.  It was amazing to see everything come together after it seemed like nothing was going to work out.

I also had exchanges this week in Abuyog which was pretty crazy because it is only like 30-45 minutes away from Anibong but they speak Waray-Waray S mixed with Cebuano.  I didn't think I would be able to speak or understand anything but I was actually able to understand almost everything that people said and I shared a pretty good amount in the lessons.  One of the members we talked to said that my Waray-Waray was very good, he was probably just being nice but it definitely helped my confidence that I am progressing in the language.

As for other investigators we got referred a part member family that is super awesome.  The wife is a member but her husband is not yet.  We have taught them the first 2 lessons and we extended an IBD and Tatay accepted and the grandpa that lives there so were very excited.  Also their is this group of kids likes to sit and play games in front of our branch president's house and after seeing Neljane be baptized 5 of them wanted to hear the lessons.  We were able to teach them a good lesson and I am hoping that they will be baptized in December.

It's crazy that this is week 12 of my training and next Tuesday we have transfers.  It will be weird to have a new companion and lead the area so that should be a good challenge. 

I wanted to share this scripture verse from my reading this week.

21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting 

nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it 

shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.

I know that this verse is true and that we just need to believe in Christ and not doubt then we will have the power to do all things the Lord needs us too.  I have already seen this work many times in my mission when I know that through Christ I can overcome any challenges that come up.  I love that quote, Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith because if we have faith in Christ we can do all things.  I know this is true.

Love you tons,

Elder Holmstead

Abuyog apartment 

Neljane's baptism

Our little friend that has been hiding from us for a week that we finally trapped and killed

Pesto Pasta Philippines Style Marasa hin duro!!

I didn't have a talk or anything for those blessings of sabbath day and tithing I just wanted to see if anyone had experiences that I could share with investigators.  Thanks for sending me those they are awesome.  

Exchanges, Interviews and Bike's Part 3

Kumusta an kag-anak ko,

This was a really good week.  It felt like it went by super fast which usually means it was a really good week.  I only have two weeks left in my training which is crazy to think that I am going to be leading in 2 weeks.  Hopefully I am ready haha.  The Lord qualifies those who he calls I guess.

Anyways some of the highlights of the week was that we got Neljane interviewed for baptism so she is officially set for Saturday for baptism. I am super excited because she seems so happy and ready to get baptized and now she is telling us that she wants her friends to get baptized too.  So now we got some more teaching to do haha.  

We had exchanges this week with our zone leaders.  I went with Elder Johnson who is from Tennessee and he goes home in 2 weeks.  He is a super good missionary and gave me a bunch of good advice about how to be more effective in finding and working as a missionary.  I definitely have had some awesome zone leaders throughout my training which is a major blessing.  We explored Mayorga which was cool and rode their bikes through a rain storm.  

Also we had zone interviews in Tolosa which was pretty fun.  We had a big training by the AP's about exact obedience.  I have been working really hard to stay exactly obedient at all times and I have already seen miracles.  One of them was that on Sunday our branch finally got to business and set apart a ton of people to callings which is a miracle because they haven't set anyone apart since I have been here.  After the training I got to talk with the Elder De Mesa and Elder Kuehne, the AP's, for awhile while we waited for interviews.  They told some good stories from the mission so that was a good time.  I got my health checkup and I have gained 6 pounds in 6 weeks, the filipino food is getting to me haha.  But I am feeling healthy and good so that's a plus.

Oh and we are getting new bikes again.  President Argana said he wanted us to have some good bikes and now we are getting actual mountain bikes that will not break, because I already broke my new bike 

We had a really good week teaching.  We got a referral of this family that lives with a member and we have already taught them about the restoration and the plan of salvation and they seem really interested.  They really want to get baptized all they need to do is get married, big problem here with lots of investigators, but they seem really dedicated to it so I will let you know how that goes.

I got my package too.  It was a great day.  Those brownie things that you cook in the microwave is amazing.  And the pants work great.

One request for everyone who gets this email.  If anyone has any experiences of receiving the blessings of keeping the Sabbath day holy or paying tithing I would love to hear about it.  Thanks

Missionary work is going great.  I'm loving it here in the Philippines.  It is an amazing place even if I still can't understand people most of the time.

Love you,

Elder Holmstead

Mayorga Beach

Family Photo: Me, Elder Roth and his trainer Elder Kuehne, the AP 

The Biggest Banana I have ever seen

New bikes (and I mean actually new bikes!) I just got this after I sent the group email, it is like Christmas.

Tolosa Zone follow-up training with assistants to the President, health and blood pressure check with Sis. Argana and interview with Pres. Argana (11-9-17)

Zone Conference and Fast Sunday

Kumusta an akon kag-anak?

Maupan ini nga semana.  Elder Roth was sick at the start of the week so we didn't get to do much work but I got to give him a blessing before the start of zone conference and he has been fine since then.  The Priesthood is truly the power of God to help others be happy and experience the blessings of salvation. 

I think that God knew that we weren't able to do much finding this week so he blessed us by having investigators just show up at church and we were like sweet.  We got to teach them in Gospel Principles, which we teach every week now which is a pretty good experience.  We have taught about Eternal Marriage and Temple Work and Family History Work.  I have been thinking a lot this week about the temple and the amazing blessings that come from it.  I definitely miss not having a temple just down the street to go and feel the Spirit super strong.  I hope that one day we can get a temple here in Tacloban because it would bless so many members that have to go all the way to Cebu for the temple.

Anyways, we had zone conference this week which was super awesome.  It was in Tacloban so we got up early and traveled there.  We got some training from the AP's about setting good goals and focusing on key indicators which was good stuff.  President Argana showed us the areas that are achieving the Standard of Excellence and they were all sisters areas so us Elder's need to step it up haha. We also got a bunch of training about using our time wisely and making sure we are being productive but also not doing to much to overwhelm us.  And then we ended with training about disaster plan and stuff.  We are betting that a natural disaster is happening soon because they literally talk about being ready for a typhoon at every single zone thing.  

We taught Neljane again this week and we have to push the baptism until two weeks because we have to finish teaching her and get an interview with the zone leaders so it is a process but she is super excited and ready so it's all good.  

I forgot to mention I got my package from LBC last week so they actually come pretty fast.  Hopefully my USPS one gets here soon.  We have zone interviews on friday so maybe I will get it then.  I am loving all the American candy because they don't use enough sugar here so everything kinda tastes bland so it's been great feasting haha.

Sounds like Halloween was crazy as always. Sadly they don't celebrate that here, but they do have this thing called All Saints Day where everyone goes to the cemetery for the whole day so that was pretty crazy. I am excited to see where all my friends end up on missions.  We are already all over the world so it is awesome that even more are going out.  

Work is going great.  I am loving the mission life.  Sometimes it is really hard and days are discouraging but those are the days that I feel the love from God and I am strengthened.  Philippines is the best.

Hinay kamo ngan Ginhigugma ko kamo

Elder Holmstead

Sunset in the Philippines

Sunset in the Philippines 

Our second counselor serenading us 

My new bike

Zone Conference Activity October 30, 2017

Zone Conference lunch October 30, 2017

Tolosa Zone Conference October 30, 2017