June 9, 2014 - Brazil

Oi oi oi oi!

Yes it literally has been over a month that i sent pictures. Today i found a computer that actually likes me! ;)

I have absolutely 0 time, but things are good.

Watch the film "On the Lord´s Errand, the Life of Thomas S. Monson" i can´t get over it, it´s so good.

I gave talk in church yesterday, haha i was soo scared, i just prayed that someone would understand what i was saying and it would help them haha. It went better than i thought it would :) I spokeabout patience, and talked about Nephi, and the patience he had with his brothers. What a great example he was. Bah.

By the way, this week, we found these awesome World Cup cups:) i got onewith Porto Alegre on it, it has a little gaucho (cowboy of Brazil) on it.

Read your scriptures!

Love Sister Holden

June 2, 2014 - Brazil

MAY IS FINALLY OVER

May actually went by kind of fast for me haha. 2 months is Brazil, what? ;)

This week... What did we do....

PATRICK WAS BAPTIZED!!!! Man, i can´t even explain how exciting that was.I will never forget the way that i felt as he was baptized. To be an instrument in helping this 14 year old boy, gain a testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Super special. :)

Also we had interviews with the president today, that was good :) He is for sure an inspired man and helped me realize important things haha. Like that i need to stop comparing my mission in Brazil to my mission in Chicago. I need to trust the Lord, but not just a little bit. With EVERY PART OF MY HEART. No doubts, not partial trust. And that i need to wake up in the morning and tell myself, "I will choose to be happy today" because it is a choice, and i can be happy.

AND today, we went to this SUPER LEGAL park! It had tons of plants from all of the world, flowers that look like butterflies, trees that you can punch and not hurt yourself, beautiful lakes that have giant GIANT goldfish. haha. So cool.

Sorry i can´t send pictures, some day i will find a computer that likes me :) maybe.

i will hit my 10 this week. Woot woot! :)

What else.. For real read you´re scriptures, so much strength comes from them. I am so grateful for my testimony of the scriptures.

Love you :)

Sister Holden

May 26, 2014 - Brazil

What happened this week... By the way, computers hate me, and i can´t send pictures this week. :( i look the same.. plus some. ha. but im sorry that i wont be able to send some this week either.

Então..

This week we read the baptismal questions to Patrick and Vinicius! And Patrick is so prepared! Like he has a testimony. Its been really cool.

We had a family home evening with some recent converts and the relief society president, about service :) It was really cool. We had them write down things that other people do that made them happy, then had them read them out loud so everyone knew, so everyone could do something to make someone else happy haha. The things they mentioned were so sweet. One lady just liked going for walks with her husbad. A girl likes when her sister helps her with her hair. Just little things, it was cute :)

Yesterday Giulia came to church!:) (I love her name) and she loved it, and everyone loved her and her little baby. Haha.

This week our branch is having a dance! 60s themed! And the youth are learning a dance and will present it for everyone :) Haha i dont know if we´ll be able to go, but it´s going to be cool for everyone who goes.

This week i had a dream that i was in likea  YSA conference, and 3 couples got engaged haha and i stood up and said, " i guess if i want to get married, i have to go to BYU-Idaho" haha. So maybe i´ll go there :P I just thought that was funny.

Sorry again about the pictures, read your scriptures. 3 john 1:13-14 ;)

Love, Sister Holden 

May 19, 2014 - Brazil

Olá

Hi!! I have absolutley no time, mas, i love you all, things are good. I´ll send pictures one day i promise. We have 4 investigators on date and they are so legit and awesome. I have seen so many miracles.

<3 Sister Holden

May 12, 2014 - Brazil

Mother´s Day, 9 month, Churrasco, oh my!

 

What a week! :)

First of all, i got my first Brazilian resipe :) muahaha. Creme. It was so good. like a pudding, you know, there is no way i can describe it. And i don´t have a picture this time.. sorry...

Remember those boys that we found? like 14 years old? WELL. We taught them the Restoration of the Gospel, and i asked what they knew about Joseph Smith (because they had gone to church like twice before we could teach them haha) THEY KNEW EVERYTHING! Hahah it was so cool! Like "oh, he was14 years old, saw Heavenly Father, was called as a prophet, and given the priesthood. That Joseph Smith? Yeah, i´ve heard of him." Hahaha. It was super cool:)

Also, before i forget, Rogerio wants me to give a hug from him. Mainly for my family but why not share the love? ;) He is an awesome member that we see almost everyday haha. Love him and his family.

MOTHER´S DAY. I ate some cool things... like chicken hearts! And brocili with like lime sprinkled on it, which is super good btw.. something called "Nhoc" from Germany, i loved that! It was pasta-y stuff.

It was a good week overall :)

OH we had a cool lesson with Julia, she has a 3 month old baby girl, and we talked a lot about family and how babies are gifts from Heavenly Father. And she loved the Restoration lesson and accepted baptism!

The Church is true:) Go share it with someone ;)

<3 Sister Holden

PS i had some awesome pictures to send... but i can´t figure out how to send them, so they´ll have to wait for next week i guess, desculpe! :)

Mother's Day Skype

It was so special to be able to talk to Sister Holden on Mother's Day. She was just glowing with happiness and joy. She bore her sweet testimony about the truthfulness of the gospel and the strength of the Spirit. Being in Brazil has humbled her in so many ways. She mentioned that a simple thing like carpet is something that she missed seeing. The homes are usually one room and maybe a sink for the kitchen. We have so much to be grateful for living in the US.

 The culture in Brazil was different. If you only eat firsts at a meal, you hated it. If you had seconds, it was pretty good. But if you have thirds, it was delicious. She mentioned a little possible weight gain. :)

She shared with us her experiences in tears about the faithfulness and love that the members have there. She said that one sister who has a few children was signed up to feed the sister missionaries. They showed up to the home and, like explained above, the sister missionaries were encouraged to eat seconds, while the woman's children sat hungry asking if they could eat yet. Sister Holden was very emotional, as were we all, as she explained that they give all they have and are so willing to serve.

As Sister Holden's family, it was amazing to see the changes and strength that she has gained while being on her mission. We were so grateful to talk to her and see her sweet, sweet spirit.