El Don del Espiritu Santo.

Hola Familia y amigos!  Como estan?  Hope you all had a fabulous week and enjoyed the INCREDIBLE conference.  We went on a hike this morning so just got back it was SO beautiful.  I forgot how much I miss the fresh mountain air and hiking :)  I don't have much time but i'll tell as much as I can...  I hope you all got to listen to Conference...it's like a missionary's Christmas!  I learned so much and hope you did to.  Some of my favorites were by Elder Christofferson and Richard G. Scott.  Couldn't help but notice the focus on families this conference.  And never before have I seen so many struggling broken families, so I can see why.  Families can be forever.  We managed to get an investigator and a young girl we are getting to come back to church to come to conference.  This girl is 19 years old and was baptized when she was 12. She hasn't had much support from her family so she hasn't been to church much at all.  She came to like all the sessions with us...she has come to lessons with us..and I am trying to get her to go to BYU.  She is also like our Spanish teacher :)  After the last session of conference she was almost brought to tears...realizing how much she wanted this for her family.  The blessing of the Gospel to families is unbelievable.  I don't think we quite realize it.  In between one of the sessions we took Aline with us to go teach an investigator.  The investigator wasn't home.  But a woman walking by was amazed that we were so friendly and said hello to her.  I gave her a Mormon.org card and she was like oh that's why your so friendly haha.  Then she went on to tell us that she had talked to missionaries before and really liked what they had to say.  She began to tell us how low she is right now...she is addicted to heroine and just found out she is pregnant.  She lives with 2 alcoholics and has no idea how to get out.  I could tell how much she wanted to change but felt so bogged down by the bad in her life, she felt there was no way back.  And that is how Satan wants us to feel~like there is no way back.  She told us, running into us, was just tells her how much her Heavenly Father really does love her even in all the bad stuff she is stuck in.  Aline told her "I am just coming back to church and I can relate to how you feel...I've felt like there is no way back after the things i've done."  But there is.  We all joined hands in the middle of the apartment complex and had a prayer for this woman.  After that, I thought...how many people I walk by everyday that have the pain and need of help like her.  And I almost didn't give her a card.  She looked in a hurry...fear tries to set in.  But NEVER should keep me from talking to anyone no matter how busy they look.  Because no one is to busy for a message of salvation, that is for sure.  They just don't know it yet :)

One of the things I liked most about Elder Christofferson's talk was how he talked about how God lets adversity and trials in life knock us down, out of love because he wants us to build ourselves up STRONGER.  I have seen that more than ever in my experiences the past months.  When you feel down and out...be grateful.  It is only making you stronger.  That is what I am trying to realize ever single day.  And also realize how much I have been given.

Remember Abraham the little boy we've been visiting with brain cancer...he is becoming our third companion!  The little guy can barely walk and every time I go over I can see how sad he is because he can't go out and play with his friends...but he slowly walks with us over to his neighbors houses who speak Spanish to introduce us.  One of which turned out to be one of the coolest lessons i've had completely guided by the spirit.  Learning to recognize when the Spirit is speaking and when I am speaking or psyching myself out is always a struggle and something I am trying to master.  We sat down with Betty and her daughters..one of which was just born and miraculously lived after the doctors told her she wouldn't.  We were planning on teaching about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon.  We sat down and the plan of salvation was running through my mind...as she was telling us the story of her daughter.  I tried to talk myself out of it because we didn't have much time and "I" thought they needed to understand the Book of Mormon.  The Spirit which is smarter I listened to and we dove into the Plan of Salvation teaching to THEIR needs...asking questions...and never has Spanish come so effortlessly.  The spirit guided that lesson because we listened.  Even when it didn't seem logical.  The story of our lives right!  Listening when it doesn't seem logical.  Your gut feeling always knows what is right.  

Yo se que el espiritu santo es real y es nuestro guiador en esta vida.  No necessitamos tener miedo...tenemos la guia de dios por medio el espiritu santo.  Solamente Dios sabe lo que es mejor por cada persona en sus vidas.  Solamente Dios y su Salvador Jesucristo.  Estoy muy agradacida para tener el don del espiritu santo.  

Watching conference I also realized how much respect I have for our Prophet Thomas S. Monson.  He has given so much of his life to the work of the Lord.  And I realize as a missionary, the life of a True Disciple of the Lord can be a lonely one.  Althought our Savior is ALWAYS there, we are so human and at times sub-consciously rely on ourselves.  Relying on yourself without the support of your family and friends, your normal comfortable life will break you down.  Becoming a true disciple of the Lord also requires us to strive for perfection.  Living Celestial Laws in the world is so stinking hard!  And it should be.  I can't even imagine the trials our Prophet faces every day...after seeing the trials I face as a missionary, a Representative of the Lord (which in comparison I am sure are so small).  I am so grateful for His sacrifice so that we can have the guidance of our Heavenly Father in these crazy last days.

Con Amor,

Hermana Holland