Homecoming Announcement

Goodbye to Tacloban

I can honestly say that these last 2 years have been an amazing adventure.  When I first opened my call and read Philippines Tacloban Mission I was not really sure what to expect.  I can say that the time that I have had to serve here has been one of the greatest blessing in my life.  I love the Filipino people with all my heart.  A sign in Tacloban says "Home to the Happiest People on Earth" and I am proud to be one of them.  I will miss the amazing people that I have met and been blessed to associate with. That has been one of the best parts of the mission is bringing others unto Jesus Christ

I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ here in the last days.  I know that he is at the head and is guiding the Church through President Russell M. Nelson.  Heavenly Father knows each and every one of us and loves us perfectly, even if we aren't perfect.  He has a plan for everyone to come back to him.  I have loved being a disciple of Jesus Christ and it will be difficult to not be spending my time in his service as a full time missionary.  But this is just the start of a lifetime of service.  Love you all, Thanks for sharing this amazing journey with me!  Paghinay Tacloban Mission, permi ha akon kasingkasing

Elder Holmstead

These are the jersey's we created for our Zone.

A typical Filipino style home.

I love Borongan

We had the best video chat with Elder Holmstead.  3 of his friends, Andrew, Elder DeMille (returned Tuesday from Chile), and Elder Sherman (returned last Wednesday from Honduras) were here and got to talk with Wade.  It was so fun seeing them interact together and share mission stories.  They compared languages and Wade said he's going to need to learn how to speak Spanish so he can understand Jonah and Malan.  He told us the first vision in Tagalog and Cebuano and we were all surprised at how different those two languages are.  Oh and he was talking back in forth in Waray Waray with his companion too!  It's fun to think he can speak 3 languages, 4 including English.  Here are some highlights from our chat:

• I have to bear my testimony at my last Zone Conference this week.  There were 5 of us that will be leaving so it was an awesome meeting.  I didn't cry (in case you were wondering) but everyone said I was the most emotional.
• We had a good week of missionary work.  We found 3 new families and 1 new friend to teach.  Please add the Bajado family, Cargando family, Gunda family and Gennelyn Grafil to your prayers.
• We had splits this week with two districts.  The missionary I was on splits with got sick and so did my companion so I spent 2 days cleaning the apartment.  I'm glad they are feeling better so we can get back to work.
• We have so many dinner and lunch appointments set this week.  I guess the key to having members feed you is to tell them that you are leaving soon and they will all want to feed you one last time.  It's going to be the best week!
• The member in our ward from Canada fed us this week and it was awesome.  There was so much Filipino food - it was awesome!
• 17 more days...everyone says I'm trunky but I'm really not.  I'm still working hard and enjoying every minute of my mission.  I love it here!

Love you all,

Elder Holmstead

Last Zone Conference

The member in our branch fed us the best meal this week.

Happy Father's Day

Highlights from our video chat with Elder Holmstead:

• We had an awesome week!  We found 3 new families to teach.  We were going to an appointment that we had with Dominic and is started pouring rain.  He ended up not being home but his neighbor let us in so we didn't soaked. They had been taught about the gospel before so they knew who we were.  The mom had been recently bit by a centipede and her arm was swollen all the way up to her shoulder.  Elder Lazan and I both had the feeling that we should give her a blessing, but we didn't know how to bring it up.  The feeling came again to us both so we just asked her if she wanted a blessing.  She said yes and at the exact moment that Elder Lazan said amen the rain suddenly stopped.  It was so powerful!  We have a follow up appointment with them this week.
• Ricky and Gemmalyn came to church again but we had to bump their baptismal date back to August because of some Word of Wisdom problems.  But they are continuing to work through them so we are hopeful.
• I have my last Zone Conference this week so I will get the chance to bear my final testimony as a missionary to my Zone.  There are 5 of us going home together so it will be an awesome conference. 
• I am working on making custom basketball jersey's for my Zone. Who would have thought I would be using my graphic design skills from high school on my mission in the Philippines!?
• It has started raining again so it looks like summer in the Philippines is over.  It's still so hot and humid.  I'm honestly looking forward to the dry St. George heat.
• Welcome home to my bro Clancy!  Can't wait to see him and hear about his stories from Scotland and Ireland.
• I'm working hard to finish up these last 3 weeks strong.  I love my mission and am so grateful to be here!

Happy Father's Day!  Love you all.

Elder Holmstead

Summer in Borongan

Here are some highlights from our video call with Elder Holmstead:

• We were invited to breakfast by a member this morning.  We had empanadas which are like flat dough filled with meat.  Filipinos don't really have breakfast food.  They just eat anything at anytime.
• We did a service project at a garden in Tacloban while we were there for MLC.  It was pouring rain all day so we got soaked.  But it was still a good time.  Then we had FHE at the mission home and ate really good food.  It was an Elders birthday and his parents sent some extra money so they went all out on the food.  I had said goodbye to some missionaries from the Sogod zone since I won't see some of them before I leave.  The other Elders were calling me grandpa at MLC because I'm the "oldest" missionary now. We got back to Borongan at 10pm that night so it was a long 2 days of travel.  
• I had my exit interview with President Argana.  He asked me about my goals when I get home so I've been thinking more about that this week.  He encouraged me to keep moving forward and said if I'm not moving forward then I'm moving backwards.  He also encouraged me to attend the temple often.  I want to be an ordinance worker at the temple when I get home so we'll so how that goes.
• We had exchanges with the AP's on Thursday.  I went with Elder Murphy and we did some good finding.
• Elder Pongan, an area seventy, was at our District Conference.  He had just been to St. George so we were talking about what a great place it is.  He was actually super close to my house while he was there.  He was awesome and gave a great talk. 8-10am was the adult session and 10am-noon was the general session.  They hold it all at once because some people have to drive 3+ hours to the church.
• Ricky and Gemmalyn and MayAnn all came to church on Sunday which was awesome, especially since it was District Conference and not regular sacrament meeting.  MayAnn is still on schedule to get baptized the first week of July so hopefully that will happen.  That would be the best way to end my mission.
• This week we are going to follow up with Marvin and the Estay family.  The Estay family lives far away...we have to cross a river on foot with our pants rolled up to get there.
• School just started here in Tacloban.  It's still so hot.  I'm literally sweating all the time.
• Our mission is getting Smartphones in August.  I'm glad I didn't have to worry about technology while I've been here.

Love you all,

Elder Holmstead

Philippines Tacloban Mission

Me and Elder Lazan

There was a random tank parked in our area so I got a picture with it.

MLC with President and Sister Argana

Last Transfer - New Companion

Here are some highlights from our Skype chat with Elder Holmstead:

• I did not get transferred so I'll be staying in Borongan for my last area.  I did get a new companion, Elder Lazan.  He is from Davao batch and was MTC companions with Elder Ababa.  He is awesome and we are getting along great!  He speaks really good English so that has been nice.
• Elder Nuan transferred out so Elder Spencer got a new companion too.  He only speaks Tagalog and doesn't speak much English so it's been hard talking with him.
• I am in Tacloban today for MLC.  We had to get up at 2:30am to make the 4 hour drive to Tacloban so I'm pretty tired.  We will be having activities today and then FHE tonight with meetings tomorrow.
• Since both of our companions got transferred, Elder Spencer and I actually have beds now.  And we moved into the good closets too so that has been a good change.
• I noticed a sign as we were driving into Tacloban this morning that says "Tacloban - Home of the Happiest People in the World!".  So there you have it, I'm hanging out with the happiest people in the world.  I love it here!
• Francis and MayAnn came to church and are still on track to be baptized.  Ricky and Gemmalyn did not make it to church and we aren't sure why.  They accepted tithing which is awesome because they struggled with that concept the first time we taught it.  They are working through some other problems so their baptisms might get moved until later in July.
• I have my exit interview with President Argana on Friday so that will be crazy.
• We had a dinner appointment this week with a member that has never fed us before.  They fed us a bunch of fish and it was awesome.  Fish here tastes different but I love it!  People have been asking me what I want to eat first when I get home.  I'm not sure, but a hamburger sounds really good right now!
• We have a new investigator named Marvin Gulapa.  He is married to a less-active member but he's willing to listen so we will see how his lessons go this week.
• I Bible bashed with someone this week.  It was more like he yelled at us and gave us a list of scriptures on baptism.  I was all ready to start bashing with him but then I realized it wasn't going to do either of us any good...so I stopped.  The funny part was that I looked up the scriptures he used when I got home and they didn't even match anything he was saying.  
• There is a pastor in town the always rolls down his windows as he passes us and yells "Don't listen to the Mormons."  We always smile and wave back at him.
• This is going to be a busy week.  We get back from MLC on Wednesday, have interviews with President on Friday, go on exchanges with the AP's on Saturday and have District Conference on Sunday.  An area seventy will be there so that will be awesome.  And our zone is supposed to sing a musical number but I have no clue when we will be able to practice.  I put the STL's in charge of it so hopefully they can come up with something good.
• President Argana asked me to set some goals for when I get home.  Here is what I have so far: Study scriptures for 1 hour everyday (30 minutes in the Book of Mormon), attend the temple weekly, go on one date a week and decide what I want to study after the first year at BYU.

Have a great week.  Love you all!

Elder Holmstead

Elder Holmstead and Elder Lazan

Splits with the AP's

We couldn't see or hear Elder Holmstead, but he could see and hear us.  He typed back and forth with us.  The Mills family were staying with us so he got to see them too.  Here are some highlights:

• Elder Buan and I travelled to Tacloban this week and did splits with the AP's.  Elder Ababa and I killed it in his area.  It was fun being with my step-son again. I sat in the front seat of the van again so I didn't get car sick.  We stayed with the AP's in Tacloban.  They just got a new apartment.  It's so nice and clean.
• We got 2 new referral families to teach.  The Estay family was a referral from one of our investigators.  The Cabangisan family was a referral from the second counselor in our branch presidency.
• Ricky and Gemmalyn came to church and are still on schedule to be baptized in June.  May Ann is on schedule to be baptized July 6th but we may have to push it back so she can be baptized with Francis.
• Transfers are this week.  I'm 50% sure that Elder Buan will be transferred and I probably will stay here in Borongan.  It's crazy that this is my last transfer!
• Travis asked him if he dreams in English or Waray-Waray. Good question...I actually dream in Waray Waray.  Elder Tabalisma said when I was with him that I slept talked in Cebuano and recited the First Vision. :)
• I have a hard time talking in English to Americans.  For some reason it freaks me out.  I can talk in English to other American missionaries but not to Americans that we meet in the streets.  The last American that we met was a 55 year old man who had a 21 year old Filipino wife.  I see that all the time here.
• Everyone's vote money is pretty much gone so things are getting back to normal around here.  One family that we are teaching got cement floors for their house so they don't live on dirt any more. The election was for governor and local offices.  The Presidential election is in 2021 and I do not want to be here for that.  It will be crazy!
• We asked him what he is looking forward to when he gets home.  I am looking forward to hot showers, swimming in our pool and sleeping in a bed.  I'm still sleeping on a mattress on the floor but it's all good.
• We deep cleaned our apartment this morning so it's the cleanest it's ever been.
• Am I getting released the same day that I get home?  (Yes)  I emailed Elder Dorius and we are planning on being companions until we get released since we are both getting home the same day.
• Matt Morgan gets home this week.  He emailed me and invited me to his Open House this Sunday - haha!
• I have pictures but this computer won't let me send them.:(

Love you all!

Elder Holmstead

Vote Money

Highlights from our video chat with Elder Holmstead:

• Last week was elections so everyone got their "vote money" from all the candidates who literally bought people's votes.  It's totally illegal here but everyone does it.  People just sit outside and wait for their vote money.  "That the crazy world I'm living in here." Direct quote from Elder Holmstead Sadly no one offered to give us poor Elders money...we probably would have taken it. :)
• Loveit, our new investigator, came to church so that was good.  Gemmalyn and Ricky did not come to church because they got vote money and are busy spending it.  Hopefully they will come next week and will stay on track to get baptized in June.
• From mom: I asked Wade what they spend their vote money on.  He said that the Capones bought electricity for their house...and a new TV.  Priorities!
• We went on exchanges last Wednesday with Elder Spencer and Elder Nuan who live in our apartment with us.  I went with Elder Spencer.  It's fun being with another American because everyone wants to talk to us.  They don't think we can speak their language and it's always fun to see the surprised look on their face when they realize we can speak Waray Waray.
• We did a service project this week with some Sisters in our branch.  We helped a Nana clear her yard so she can plant a garden (see pics below).
• A new member moved into our branch and we love her because she feeds us a lot.  She even had Lindor truffles that she brought from Canada and they tasted soooo good!
• I was struck down hard this week.  One of our members, who recently got out of jail, asked us if we would try to find his ex-wife because he thought she got baptized while he was in jail.  We said sure and we went looking for her.  We asked around and we finally found her.  She said that she wasn't interested.  And that's about as bad as rejection gets around here.  She probably thought we were the police because everyone thinks we are the police.  It's hilarous!
• We have exchanges with the AP's this week in Tacloban and I'm excited to work with Elder Ababa.  I haven't worked with him since we were companions.  Should be a good time.

Love you all!  Have a great week.

Elder Holmstead

Service project with the Sisters for Nana

Working hard - pulling weeds

Making some progress

Elder Buan's "carpet roll"

The view from the field we worked on clearing.  Another beautiful day in the Philippines!

Me and Elder Spencer with "King LeBron".  We actually call him LibLib.  He's awesome!

Happy Mother's Day

Here are some highlights from our video call with Elder Holmstead:

• Happy Mother's Day! It's crazy to think this was going to be our last call before I get home but we still have 8 more calls.
• We went to Catbalogan this week for Zone meetings.  We traveled about as far west as we can go in our zone.  It was another long, bumpy trip.  We pretty much went up one mountain and down the other side to get there.  I sat in the front seat this time so I didn't get car sick.  We almost couldn't find any buses back to Borongan.  Me and Elder Buan were running around the bus terminal trying to find a bus that could take us and our entire zone back.  Luckily we found one so it all worked out.
• I had my last interview (before my final exit interview) with President Argana this week.  He asked me to start setting goals of what I want to accomplish when I get home.  That's kind of weird to think about so I haven't started that list yet.  But I'm going to work on it.
• I set a goal to read the Book of Mormon one more time before I go home.  I am in Alma so I'm getting there.  I love Alma 5 and reading about the battles that Alma the Younger fought in.  I am also still reading the Old Testament.  I'm in Deuteronomy so that's going good too.
• It's election week in Borongan so we have a curfew at 6:00pm tonight and 5:00pm tomorrow.  Elections here are crazy.  People will stand on the corner and literally give people money to vote for them.  This election shouldn't be too crazy, but you never know in the Philippines.
• We had one of our investigators at church yesterday so that was good.  Ricky and Gemmalyn weren't able to make it because Gemmalyn had to work.  But they let us know beforehand that they could't make it so that was good.  They are still progressing and we are hopeful they will get baptized in June.  We also found 2 new investigators (Danica and Loveit) so please add them to your prayer list.
• My trainer, Elder Roth, is coming back to our mission this month so it will be fun to see him.  He is actually coming back to see his girlfriend so that's interesting.

Side note from Wade's parents: We got Elder Holmstead's flight plans last night.  He will be flying home July 10th, arriving in the Cedar City airport at 6pm.  He actually leaves Manila on July 10th at 8:10am, travels for over 24 hours and gets to Cedar that same day at 6:00pm.  That's going to be the longest day of his life!  We are so excited for his return, but are enjoying every last minute that he has in the Philippines.

Thanks for all your love and support!

Zone training in Catbalogan

Matching ties and watches

On our way to Zone Training in Catbalogan.

Posing with our matching watches at a local restaurant.  They had the biggest and best burgers around!

MLC in Tacloban

Here are some highlights from our video chat with Elder Holmstead:

• MLC was the best!  We did some fun games including a trivia challenge of the Missionary Handbook which my team won.  It's always a good time seeing Elders from my batch and past companions.
• While I was in Tacloban we went shopping and I got a sweet machete.  I'm hoping it will make it on the airplane ride home.
• I got sick on the bus ride back to Borongan but I'm feeling great now.
• Ricky and Gemmalyn came to church again this week so that was awesome.  We are going to teach them this week about tithing which has been a hard concept for them so we are hoping it goes better this time.  They are still on track to get baptized in May.
• I have been studying the Old Testament lately and I'm enjoying it.  The mission has definitely taught me how to study.
• Fast and testimony meeting is interesting here.  If anyone talks for more than 2 minutes, a member of the bishopric will tap them on the back which means time is up.  They will also tap someone if their story or scripture does not relate to testifying of Christ.
• For p-day this morning we had a fun adventure.  We traveled to a village, crossing the bridge in Borongan, (see pics below) and picked coconuts.  We mixed the coconut milk with sweetened condensed milk - it's so good!
• This is going to be a busy week.  We have Zone Conference and interviews with President Argana.  It's my last interview before my exit interview. WHAT!?

MLC with the AP's, Zone Leaders and STL's

MLC with President and Sister Argana

Elders from my batch.  We are all going home together.

Elder Murphy, Elder Laitenen, Elder Ababa and Elder Holmstead

Borongan District

More pics of Borongan District

Kids of a family we are teaching.  They are the best!

Birthday dinner celebration Filipino style

The Capones family.  Their kitchen is on the right behind them.

A random vehicle burning down as we drove by.  No one was there to stop us - we could have walked right up to it.

Bridge we crossed going to the village to pick coconuts.

Another beautiful day in the Philippines.

...and another!

On the back of the trike as we headed into the village to pick coconuts.

Survived the Earthquake

Here are the highlights and pics from our video chat with Elder Holmstead:

• We had a big earthquake in Borongan this week.  I was talking on the phone with some Elders in another district when I started to feel the earth shake.  The Elders I was talking to asked if I could feel that.  They took cover under their desks while me and Elder Buan ran outside.  It was long...it lasted 30-40 seconds. Everyone was safe and nothing happened to our apartment.  That is the 6th earthquake that I have been in since I was transferred to Borongan.
• I am in Tacloban for MLC today and tomorrow.  I woke up at 2:30am this morning so we could catch the 4:00am bus.  The bus ride was rough and I was car sick for most of the drive.  But I'm feeling fine now.  We are going to go shopping and do a few things while we are in Tacloban City before our MLC meeting.
• This week we have District meetings on Thursday and Friday so hopefully we will still have time to do some work in our area.
• We had lots of investigators come to church yesterday so that was awesome.  We have several that are on track to get baptized at the end of May so we will see what happens.
• We have two new investigators, named Benji Allera and Emmanuel Celajes,  Please add them to your prayers.
• I tried teaching someone we met the lessons in Cebuano, but it has been too long since I have spoken that so I struggled bad.  It's crazy how fast you can lose the language if you don't use it.  We will see if I can test out of the Cebuano class at BYU.
• There is a pizza place in Borogan that serves huge pizzas.  One pizza fed 10 Elders - it was huge!  The cost was about $3 per person. It was the best!
• One of the Elders in my batch just got his flight plans.  We will be going home the same day.  He will arrive in SLC on July 10th so that should be the day I get home. I haven't seen my flight plans yet, but they should be coming any day now.  My companion lovingly reminded me today that I only have 10 weeks left.

Love you all,

Elder Holmstead

My district at the beach playing frisbee on p-day

One of the beaches in Borogan

The view of sunset from the porch of the Capones home

Some of the Capones kids

The Capones family.  We are teaching Francis (tatay) and May Ann.  This room is their entire house.  The sleep on the mats that they are sitting on.

The daughter of a family in our branch that feeds us every Sunday.  They are the best!

Staying in Borongan

Here are some highlights from our video chat with Elder Holmstead:

• I'm still here in Borongan with Elder Buan and I couldn't be happier. We received 4-5 new missionaries this week so we were busy on Tuesday picking them up and getting them to their new areas.  Several of them came from Sogod, which is about as far away as you can get from Borongan.
• This week was "Holy Week" in the Philippines so we weren't able to do much work.  Thursday everyone was off work, Friday was the same since it was Good Friday.  On Saturday and Sunday everyone went swimming at the beach.  We are hoping that things back to normal this week so we can get some teaching done.
• A couple of our investigators are close to baptism so we hoping to get them committed to a date in May.
• May favorite part of Come Follow Me this week was reading the daily scriptures about the last week of the Savior's life.  I read every footnote in Matthew 26 and it was cool to see how connected the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants are to the Bible.
• Today (p-day) we are getting together as a zone to play ultimate frisbee on the beach so that should be a good time. 
• Elder Buan lovingly reminded me that I have 11 more weeks until I go home.  We asked him if he was getting trunky at all and he said, "I love where I am at right now and am enjoying the work so much."
• Next week is MLC so he will be heading to Tacloban next Tuesday.

Happy Easter everyone!  I love you all.

Elder Holmstead

Philippines Tacloban Mission

Exchanges with AP's

Here are some highlights from our video chat with Elder Holmstead:

• I had exchanges in Tacloban this week with the AP's.  I was with Elder Murphy from my batch.  We set a goal to testify to 30 people in one day.  The most I have ever done in a day is 22 so I knew we would have to work hard.  And we did it!  We spent all day testifying and we met so many new people.
• General Conference was awesome!  Some of my favorite talks were Elder Stevenson from the Priesthood Session, Tad R. Callister, Elder Bednar, Brook P. Hales and of course, all of President Nelson's talks.  We only had about 5 members at the church on Saturday morning for the Priesthood session, but then more filled in throughout the day.  We had a pretty decent turn out on Sunday for those sessions.  A lot of members go on vacation during conference week.  We did not have any investigators attend conference so we will be working extra hard with them this week.
• I loved the music at conference! The BYU choir was the best and probably some of my favorite music I've heard at conference. I am going to download it so we can listen to it in our apartment.
• Elder Buan affectionately keeps reminding me that I only have 12 weeks left.  This is crazy!
• Elder Buan's brother got released from the hospital.  Thank you for all your prayers.
• I am in a trio this week because an Elder in our Zone went home.  The new Elder is from Tonga and he's a big guy.  He's awesome and we are having fun together.
• Transfers are this week so we are going to be busy getting new Elders settled into their areas.  I think (and hope) I will be staying in Borongan with Elder Buan.
• The weather is so hot.  We took a trike bike from our apartment to the internet cafe because it's too hot to walk.  Even though the cafe is only a 5 minute walk.  I'm constantly sweating.

Side note from mom - Elder Holmstead looks so good. He is healthy, happy and always has a big smile on his face. We love talking to him and are so grateful for the closeness that it has brought our family. We will be reading the daily scripture about the last week of Christ's life from Come Follow Me together as a family this week.  Wade reminded us that a family that prays together stays together. It was a good reminder of how important our family prayers are and how they help us stay close.