MTC: Half Way Mark

Hola,

Thank you everyone for the letters and love.  Hope all is well, the Junior Sharks are winning, Hollys soccer games are going well and Alex is getting those college apps in!! 

Another week has flown by..i don't know how it happens so fast.  I think today is the half way mark...another month. WOW...although this one went by pretty fast.  But now it is really time to step it up because in about a month I have to go teach people in Spanish.  En Serio!!! By the way I apologize for my muy malo(very bad) spelling.  Like for example until a week ago I thought Espanol was spelled Espagnol...Oh dear.  That is okay, we learn as we go right.  And that is one thing you im learning well here.  We make mistakes and we learn from them.  Don't beat myself up...as hard as it is for me:)

My focus this week has been STAY POSITIVE.  It is hard to realize how many times during the day we complain when we are aware of it.  So my teacher challenged me to stay positive in not only what i say but in my thoughts and he promised me my Spanish would improve.  I decided this week to really try and step it up with Spanish because I felt like I was falling behind some people in my district understandable considering I knew nothing coming into it...and Hermano Barrio came to me yesterday and said my Spanish was much better than last week.  Positivety, or a conscience effort to be positive totally works. And so the quest continues to stay positive.  

Funny story, last night we all took turns teaching our teacher as an investigator IN ESPANOL...in front of the class.  One of the Elders in our district is extremely terrified of spiders..bugs etc...so the window was open and a companionship was teaching the lesson.  A HUGE moth flew in and he started freaking out...like really freaking out.  It was quite endearing I must say.  We all got a good laugh out of it. 

We watched a talk the other day given here at the MTC  by Elder Bednar.  Could have used this talk about a year ago..would have saved me a lot of overanalyzing.  The topic was the answer to the grand question, "How do I know if it is the Holy Ghost (The Spirit) telling me something or just me?"  And the answer is as simple as this: Press forward with Faith in Jesus Christ.  Be a good girl or boy, follow the commandments, do your best and you will end up in the right place at the right time.  And things will work out in ways you never thought possible. 

We can't just sit around waiting for an answer...analyzing and analyzing..which is what I tend to do:)  We have to act.  Go forward making the very best decision you can and when you look back you will realize how much the spirit really did guide you.  He gave us our agency for a reason.  Sometimes I forget that and want someone else to make the hard decisions for me.  That is no good.  Get to work and you will find yourself in the right place at the right time. 

Last night we had this awesome lesson by an Hermana who served in the Dominican Republic until she got sick then spent most of her mission in New York.  She grew up as foster child most her life and then became extremely active in the Baptist Church.  She taught youth groups against the Mormon Church, knew her Bible inside and out.  But she had a best friend who was LDS.  Her friend would always invite her to church but she would always have an excuse.  They finally made a deal and she went.  At church the missionarys gave her a Book of Mormon and asked if they could come teach her at her friends house.  So they came and taught her and for an hour she told the missionarys how she could prove everything they said wrong with Bible and they were going to Hell.  Wouldn't want to be those Elders.  As the missionarys were leaving the house one of them (the quiet one) turned around went back in and said to her, I don't know why I am asking you this, but will you please follow the example of Jesus Christ and be Baptized.  Her answer: "YES"  She didn't know why she said it but it was a moment where she couldn't deny what she knew was true.  The night before she had read the BOM and knew it was true.  However, she was in denial because she was so active in her church and she was engaged to a Baptisit Pastor...NOT GOOD!  Her heart couldn't lie in that moment when the quiet Elder asked her the question.  The Lord prepares people and if I can be brave, not afraid to ask or say things that seem so unrealistic...I will see the power of the Gospel more than ever before...even more the power of God.

Well i only have 5 minutes ahahhahah! Anita Kathryn and Paige I met the Morrells!  They are so nice seem like a great family.  Thank you for the note Anita-love the Espanol.  Anne and Mike if you are reading thank you SOOOO much for the package! The cookies are amazing as usual.  All of it is perfect you guys are amazing, I love you.

El Evangelio de Jesucristo es verdadero.  Yo Se.  Dios nos ama. 

The Gospel of Jesus Chrsit is true.  I know.  He loves us.

Con Amor,

Hermana Holland