Week 24: Feliz Ano Nuevo

Hello everyone! :) 

What an Awesome week last week was!! Soo to start us off... I got the pictures of my Super Cute Sobrinos! But I can't print them off, so I would like a couple copies X favor! :) That would be super Amable! 

I am just gonna go through the week, On Christmas Eve we had an awesome Christmas Party with the Family Gonzolas, they are Awesome!! They invited our Golden Investigator Geovanni over and we partied all night! We ate MEAT just like on the 18th of September!! It was super awesome!! :) We were aloud an hour more, so we got back to the house at 11 that night, that was a lot of fun! Then here in Chile, since they decide to open all the presents at Midnight, we got to bed at 11:40 and I was awake until 1 or 2 probably because all the neighbors were outside riding their new bikes and screaming, with music blasting from the insides of houses, not to mention my excitement for the next morning!! 

Christmas day came around, I woke up and worked out before everyone else was awake, and then I read the Christmas Story in Luke, while everyone else opened their packages and other gifts, then after I read the Christmas Story I opened mine! I was super happy with all my "Toys" this year! ;) Then in Niki's Package I got lots of Dulces de los estados and so lots of people are happy with that! ;) After we got ready to go over to the Chaipul house! So we went over there and called you guys! That was Awesome to talk with you guys, but by the end of the day it felt like it had already been weeks! We stayed at the Chaipul's all day, and then we took off for the Delgado's that night! The Chaipul's and Delgado's both bought us awesome T-shirts! Don't worry we bought them gifts as well! :) 

Thursday was eh... 

Friday I had an Inter Cambio with our Zone Leader Elder Smithson, that was a lot of fun! I got to go to the district of Rahue Bajo, and that was super cool! I got to meet a lot of new people, and it made me realize that I was excited for Cambios because I would get to meet Awesome new people! I also could understand a lot of the people! And I could talk a little bit more down there!! 

Saturday, hmm oh yeah! We had an Awesome lesson with our Golden Investigator Geovanni! The entire time he was comparing the Bible we use in Spanish, to this new Bible, that is in a language of now days (No Thee, Thou stuff) and he was just saying how much better that it was, this was when I really realized he didn't have a Testimony of the Book of Mormon, because it was ALL talk of the Bible, (no wonder he didn't pass his Baptism Interview) but he has been talking about how he really wants to get Baptized!! So after he was done with all his Bible talk, I whipped out the response of "Have you really been praying??" He said yes, but it wasn't with real intent. So I shared with him my experience that I had when Brandon told me about how he taught his Investigators to pray about the Book of Mormon, and the Spirit was there, and he said he would do it, and it was awesome! 

The next day in church I was talking to him and he said that HE GOT AN ANSWER IT IS TRUE!!! WOOOT WOOT WOOOOT!! I was so Happy for him! So we have a new Baptism date for him on the 18th of January! The rest of the day was awesome! We taught a bunch after church! We have some new really good investigators by the name of Claudio and Ampado, they are together, but not married and have a kid about 1 and a half I believe! They know they are sinning, and say they feel the spirit every time we come, so they are planning on getting married soon I believe and we taught Claudio how to pray yesterday and he offered the closing prayer, it was So sincere, and he was a little emotional after! How cool! Then we taught a 13 year old girl how to pray last night by the name of Laticia, she is from a different sector, but her Mom and Sister live in Camino Real, her mom Isabel is a menos Activa and Sister Cynthia is 15 and a non member, so we are trying to see what we can do with them, and they both accepted baptismal date of Jan 25th! 

Today has been a crazy day! Everywhere we normally go on P-day we just had lines everywhere! Then we stopped in the Office because Elder Whitaker needed to get his Passport/Visa! So while we were in there, I saw this kid who from behind looked like Kevin Hales, so I went to go talk to him, and he stood up and saluted me and then asked "Are you my Cousin?!" It was Elder Gubliken shoota... Can't remember how to spell it.(Elder Gibelyou).. But he was in the office and we talked for 5 minutes and it was lots of fun! So we finally met! I dunno if I ever told you, but Jacie Epperson's cousin is in my Zone also, and he played Water Polo for Bear River! 

But as of this Thursday, the Whitaker-Holt Reign in Camino Real, and because its New Years, my New Years Resolution is to learn Spanish PERFECTLY, since my new comp is form Peru... I am staying in Camino Real for another Cambio! Which means, 3 Latinos and me in the house! Woot Woot! No more Ingles! That is gonna be lots of fun! I am gonna have the time of my life!! But hopefully this will Force me to become good at Spanish!! :) I am not as Nervous anymore, more excited! It will be a challenge, but its just what I need to learn the language, to be able to really help progress the work of the Lord here in Rahue! 

Anyways here are some pictures of this past week as well! It was pretty good! Hope you guys have an Awesome New Years, jealous of the fireworks! We have some big ones going off in Central, but its at Midnight, and I dunno if they will let us stay out till midnight... :/ So have fun watching the New York Ball without me this year! :) 

Love you All! 

Elder Connor Holt

This is a REAL BBQ (With out any BBQ sauce...)

Elder Beardall had a cool picture like this, and so I wanted one with little Black boys too! :)

Christmas Morning! 

The Party at the Gonzolas House

Christmas Afternoon! Whitaker *Almost* got his backflip... ;) 

Week 23: Merry Christmas Adam, Merry Christmas Eve mañana, y Felìz Navidad en Miercoles

Hello Family and Friends!! 

Felìz Navidad en dos mas dias! Yo espero ustedes tienen un Bien Navidad con la Familia! :) 

Wow, what an awesome crazy week we have had here in Rahue!! So first off I better answer some questions and ask some that I would like answered on Wednesday! :) 

I do have a Skype account, I think... But I don't remember what my account name is, so I will figure that out today at the Chaipul's when we go drop off our garments today, I will see if I can download the program for Google+ as well then, because we are going to being talking from their house on Wednesday, because it will be a lot better there, and they offered their house back when I first got here to Chile! And time wise, I think 11 sounds great here if you guys are all down for 7 in the morning! Elder Whitaker is planning for 12 and that would work perfect!! 

The fair was awesome!! It actually is every Thursday! People just go and sell whatever they have! So you get fruit and vegies, clothes, turtles, Toilet paper, whatever basically! One of the members has a house there and where we set up the manger was at her house, and then we had the Primary Children be the parts of the nativity, and then we had 10 elders from our zone there singing hymns and then after I got to use my photography skills and take picture of people in front of the manger, and then we got their addresses, today we are going to deliver the pictures and hope to receive new investigators!! :) There are three people from our sector and a bunch from others! :) So hopefully it works!! and then all the people liked it at the end when we sang all the songs in english! Jingle Bells, Rudolph, Let it Snow, and Winter Wonderland! Super Fun! 

Also, since you accepted people on your facebook, will you accept them on MY facebook as well??? Thank you! :) You will see ALL the talents from last Saturday which was a BLAST!! 

Wow, that is super cool with the Missionaries! Sounds like the Switz (we have an Elder from Switzerland serving in our area, mom) had the same problem as me in the MTC, but I Forced myself to eat the nasty food, so I wouldn't die down here, but I haven't had a meal here that I haven't not liked yet! :) So much better in the field than in the MTC! Cami said that she met a guy at BYU that knows Erik as well! So that is pretty cool!! 

Ummmmm about the baptism... Yeah, so hmmm well, there may be a problem... Jovanni may already be a member... We are not sure, we haven't talked to him, but the ZL's think he is a member. So we will find out, besides he failed the interview on Saturday, so we gotta teach him some more, he wasn't as ready as we thought he was, but things are getting super crazy right now... But we have some more investigators!! :) 

You guys are going to be Missionaries as well?! That is super cool! How long do you do that for?? And does that mean you are like how the Hansens were?? Or I can't remember who was like that, but didn't we have someone in our ward doing missions like that?? But that is really cool! :) 

Ummm lets see, what more?? Well on Saturday was the Noche de Talentos, and our acts were AWESOME!! We got a lot of people pumped with our Last one! BUT! I am still not gonna say what it is, because you have to add people on Facebook so you can see what it is! Next week, I'll talk about it, or I'll just talk about it on Wednesday! But it was Awesome! We had 8 investigators there and a bunch of Menos Activos and so we made some REALLY good impressions on people! Okay... I'll spill ONE of them, we played guitars and sang Silent Night, and then Daniela called us last night and wanted us to go central tomorrow and sing in the plaza and she would give candy out to little kids, which would have been AWESOME! But we didn't have time... :/ But how cool is that?! :) Loved it!! 

Then last night we had a Christmas Devo in the Stake Center!! It was super cool!! There was a Bunch of Singing! They sang a song we sang for Accapella my Junior year, and when they sang We wish you a Merry Christmas, I thought about our song from Mads last year!! But they played a video that was about a family and then how they were having worldly problems, but the little girl found a baby Jesus and then the whole family was happy, it was really cool! Loved it! I think it was by Pres. Monson, I am not sure it was in Spanish, and it was SUPER quiet.... But the Spirit was there! Also?? The Christmas Mormon Message is Awesome!! Although it was super weird, because the Stake President said people could film/take pictures and then clap after all the songs, but it was super Spiritual! 

Then last night we had the elders from Purranque in our house so we had another Elder Fiesta!! Super fun! Loved that, two in one month!! 

Today, we went out and finished our Christmas shopping, and a fun fact is, they close some of the streets here in central, because there is SO MANY people and people just walk in the streets! So that was fun stuff!! :) 

But that is about as much as I have! I am SO excited to talk to all of you on Wednesday!! I Hope Everyone can make it! :) 

Don't forget what this Christmas season is ALL about!! Christ the One who was sent to us and save us all! :) I Love you!! 

Elder Connor Holt

The Nativity at the Plaza Osorno, (these are the angels:))

Week 22: We got Baptized!

Yo yo yo what's up?! Sorry that it is later then normal, technically P-day is over, but we just got back! So now we are writing super fast!! 

This week has been super awesome!!! Like Always!! But first..

Elder Correa was only my ZL for like 3 weeks no more. 

Um no idea on transfers, I won't know until the Saturday before transfers which is Dec 28th! 

For Christmas, I really have no idea the time difference between here and there... I think its 4 hours now?? So I was thinking.... I dunno like around 7 for you guys?? So its 11 here?? Or I am not sure, but on Christmas, we have the opportunity to call the 24, 25, or the 26th but I want to do it on Christmas, because it will make Christmas that much better! Also, we have the Okay for Google+ so you don't have to pay more for a group skype or anything and Ally and Jed can be on from Texas!! But to figure out what the time difference is next week, in your letter, tell me what time you send it, and I will compare it to the time I receive it here!

Other than that, sounds like things are crazy, Dad blew my mind with some of his wildlife facts, sounds like some people are gonna get some awesome info this ski season! Super Jealous you get to ski!! and Ally wrote me an awesome email, said they sent me something! That is exciting!! Thanks Ally, you didn't need to, but this Missionary LOVES mail!! :) 

Ummmmm okay, so first off, we found out that the spiders we play with are Brown Recluses!! Woot! That's fun! So I got a picture of one, after getting it out of the hole!! :) 

 lets see.... On Tuesday we were sitting at lunch and then all of the sudden the phone went off, and he looked at it, and it was the North AP which is our AP and we were joking around it was a Sober cambio, and then Elder Whitaker said "Yeah he is right here" and hands me the phone, so I got away from joking mood REAL fast! When I said hello, I got a "What's Up Man?! How are ya?!" And I recognized the voice, it took me a second, but then I realized it was Elder Walker!!! It was super cool!! They had zone conf. So he called me! :) It feels like I was with him AGES ago!! When in reality, it was a month ago! Where does the time go?!?!

Then we had Zone Conference this past week, that was a lot of fun as well! We got some Awesome info on contacting, and then after lunch we sang a bunch of Christmas Songs in English!! Christmas Spirit! 

That night, we decided to use a method they taught us, (which we were already using) and went to talk to a lady, who was selling a Malpuchi drink (Malpuchi are the native Chileans, like the Native Americans to USA) It was eh... Anyways we got into talking with her, and she somehow came to the conclusion that God is a Brain. It was SUPER Funny, but we didn't laugh until AFTER the lesson, but then she came up to both of us, touched our head, and our heart, and said we were baptized for real.... Right.... Hahahahaha some people have the CRAZIEST thoughts...

Lets see... Then we are preparing for an Awesome Talent Show with the ward this Saturday!! So first off, mom I need you to add Camino Real on Facebook, anyone with the last name of Delgado, Chaipul, Diaz, or Mayo! Then you will get a lot more pictures, and videos from Here!! I can't tell you what we are doing, so you will just have to look it up on Facebook after Saturday! :) 

But yesterday we had lunch with the first Jovanni, (yes there are two) the first at a members house, and we found out he now has a Goal of being baptized! His baptism is set for the 28th of December!! Woot woot!! The only thing is, at this moment he lives out of our sector, but he wants to move into our sector!! :) 

Then last night we had an AWESOME lesson with a couple who we contacted week one of this cambio. We talked about the Plan of Salvation, and then the guy went from Not believing in God, to when can we come over next?! It was super awesome!! 

Today, we went on a day trip with the family of Daniela! That was super cool! We saw a lake and 2 water falls! and a National Park! We were on the Border of Chile and Argentina! We met a woman who lives in this super old car and has a facebook page for it! So you will have to go check it out! But she let us get in and take a picture, lets just say, its smaller than a smart car... We drove CRAZY fast on the way home! 170kph woot!! Mom you would have died.... I might move to Chile one day, because they are SUPER laxed on the road laws... ;) Ummm the National park had hot springs and it was a lot of fun!! Lots of Awesome Pictures!!! 

Anyways, we gotta go back to work hard for the Lord for another week, so have a wonderful Week in Utah, and where ever else you are at! 

Love you all! 

Elder Connor Holt

Our Spider friend the Brown Recluse

President Rappleye and me at Zone Conference

Daniela and her boys at the lake. (Husband is on the phone)

Really small car that an Argentina lady drives all over South America

Her facebook page

Waterfall #1

Waterfall #2

Week 21: Utah's Snow/Osorno Burns

Hello! :) 

So this has been another great week of teaching! Just wait to get started with all of the fun stuff! 

First off your letter;

Yepp, sounds like the good ol "Holt's Internet Problem" hasn't been fixed, so I am thinking that after 2 or 3 years of this problem its time to change companies again??? No se, but just a guess! 

8. inches. of. snow................ Boy how jealous I am! I dunno the next time I will ever see snow! Probably not until I get home! But that is crazy!! It doesn't even feel like Christmas here...

Ally told me last week about the Choir, I didn't get a ton of info on it, but sounds like it was awesome!! Man, the directors must have a lot of money if they fly every single week!! 

Couldn't see the pictures. So you'll have to send em to my photography email, or attach em a different way! 

Yeah, find out about the tie, so I can figure out if I need to send a new one of not! Cause that is a bummer if he didn't get it!! 

Grandpa is a Stud! Tell him to hang in their for me and Spence! Tell him I Love him to though for me!! Also, picture?? How is the status of the picture from the night I was set apart with him????

Elder Whitaker is from South Jordan! Sorry I have meant to bring that up for 3 weeks!! 

The Food in Chile, well.... It really is basically the exact same as in the States, just add Mayo with everything and you have Chilean food! But with Mamita, she makes like 5 different dishes, Pasta (my favorite) a couple different dishes with chicken, lentils, and a dish we call slop, which is kinda just everything together! But it is super good, and its always a 3 course meal! 

No. Decorations?!? Now you are starting to sound like Chileans!! What do you mean no boys?? Brandon only lives like 30 minutes away from home! Yeah he is super busy, but come on mom, now our house looks Chilean! Since no one has lights up, and hardly any decorations on the inside!! 

Okay, well that is all that, let me start with last Monday the Zone leaders called and told us that we were Beasts right before we went out for proselyting  hours! Then on Tuesday morning the AP's called us and congratulated us and asked us what we did! So that was a lot of fun! Then this past week we did just as well!! 

 God definitely knows that we want to work here in Camino Real. Last Tuesday we were just walking trying to find a contact's house, and Elder Whitaker looked over at me and said, I have a feeling we are suppose to be here, I dunno why, but yeah... Then we found the contact's house, but saw it was part of the Las Vegas sector, so while he called the Vegas elders I turned around and saw some flowers, and so I started to take some pictures, and when he was done with the phone call in his head he was thinking "More pictures... Really??" hahahaha but he pulled out his camera and started snapping some pictures as well! Then this guy stopped and asked us why we were taking pictures of these flowers? (They were really small and ordinary) Then we got into a conversation with him, and he asked us if we have religion classes, he wanted to learn more about our religion.... Do we have Religion Classes.... UM YEAH WE DO! We set up a lesson the next day at the church, taught him the Plan of Salvation, and then set him up with a Baptism date of Dec 28th! Sick!! Then on Friday we taught him the Restoration and he asked about the Word of Wisdom, and has taken both on super well! And he came to church yesterday for priesthood and sunday school, he had to leave before sacrament, but he'll get that next week!! His name is Jovanni! 

Then later in the week, we met this old lady named Olga who runs a store, and we went and bought juice from her, he grandson *Jovanni* was there are we started to teach the Plan of Salvation, long story short, afterwards we started to bring up Baptism, and they both accepted for January 4th! Hopefully that goes through, but afterwards Jovanni ran in and grabbed a Book of Mormon he had, and so he has been taught before which is awesome! Hopefully he is ready now! 

We finished the week on Saturday at the house of Daniela! It was awesome to be with them! I Love their family so much! Both sons tried to get me to play Mine Craft with them, which was SUPER tempting, but I was just down to watch them for a bit before we had Once with the family! I am hoping we can get them to come to church before I leave the sector, I think there is a big possibility I will be leaving in 3 weeks at the next Cambio! Wow... That's weird... This cambio is half way over.. Where is the time going?! 

Then yesterday after lunch we went over to the Delgado's and helped them set up their Christmas Tree! That was a lot of fun! Kinda trunkie! But super weird since its like 80 here, speakin of, I got sun burned on my nose the other day since I forgot sun screen hahaha but my tan lines are showing up fine!! 

Anyways, today we have been dealing with all the federal stuff of Chile, I got my Visa this past week, so I went and applied for my carnet today and that was a good 4 hours of the day! But now I just wait, and I am a citizen of Chile for a year! Woot Woot!! But that's what the picture of me is of, the first one, was for my Visa, and the second was for my Carnet! They don't smile here in Chile, so on my second one (the left) I pulled the eyebrow up to make it more fun! ;) 

Anyways, that was this week, sounds like everything at home is awesome! Thanks for the letters and emails, support is awesome!! I Love you all, and hope you have an awesome week!!!

Love,

Elder Connor Gordon Holt

 

This guy is my Grandpa in the mission, he went home today, but has been my Zone Leader for the past three weeks! Grandpa meaning he was the trainer of my trainer, and he is going to be going to BYU in January! His name is Elder Correa.

Our house with Elder Jauregui, Elder Menesses, Elder Whitaker, and me with how long we have all been out. "No Se" means I don't know 

My art skills with drawing haven't gotten any better, but that's what I've done so far with my new art set from Daniela 

Merry Christmas from Elder Holt

My fed pictures from today/

Week 20:Days become Weeks, Weeks become Days

Hola Personas de los estados unidos,

Wow Holy Patonie, what an AMAZING week! Can I specify one thing I said last week?? When you work, Life is GREAT! Like I really don't even know where to start!! We have had so much awesome experiences this past week!! 

First sounds like you had a good 2nd Thanksgiving like we did! Please give my regards to Grandpa and thank him Very much!! Can you guys also find the picture that I took with him the night of my setting apart and send it to me por favor?? 

Mom, way to be a Missionary! Also, tell Sister Olsen that she is a champ for following the spirit as well! Never be afraid to share the Gospel, the worst someone can do is say no. We need to always be inviting people to partake of this wonderful Gospel that can Bless the lives of everyone!! 

Singing in Priesthood was fun! Apparently we weren't suppose to go to Priesthood if we didn't have an investigator, but since the Las Vegas Barrio (ward) and Camino Real had a choir they needed us four elders to sing, so we sang Onward Christian Soldier, and Elder Whitaker and I sang a duet in the 2nd verse! That was a lot of fun! The kid has an Amazing voice!! Ummmm I want to try and sing something during our Sacrament before I am transferred! 

Yeah, holy cow, that package came soooo fast!! I wasn't expecting that, hopefully well... I can't say that or it would give it away! So yeah.... Nevermind! :)

No Necesito mas axe, por que hay axe aqui in chile. I don't need any axe because I can find all the shampoo and what not products from America that I like here in Osorno, now when I am transfered to a different area, I may just need some...

Yeah I will talk to President about Google+ in my interview with him, if it is before Christmas, if not I will just email him before Christmas and ask him! 

My card?? Destroyed, Lost all my pictures from the Mission and before the mission.... Yeah I am kinda bummed. But there is a computer wiz in the ward who can probably get them back, I am Praying, but if not your right, I am here on a mission, not for the pictures. If I wasn't on a mission I would probably be furious! But since I am on a Mission, its probably why I am not super mad!! 

Okay, this week... Lets start with the Chalk activity last Monday, that was Super cool!! Daniela bought me a note pad and some crayon type things to draw the pictures of sun sets I did have, but now I have to take new sunset pictures, but she is an artist, (hence the reason we invited her) and so we drew the Plan of Salvation on the street, and we had many people stop and ask us what we were doing, and we ended up having these kids help us! It was a lot of fun!! Ummmm then we taught a couple lessons with it! We asked the ZL's if we could change our weekly planning on Thursday to go redraw it, because everyThursday there is a fair by this street where most people from Rahue come to! So there would be a lot of people to see it, but they didn't let us, so we are hoping for maybe this Thursday! 

Then on Thursday we had a good lunch with Mamita, it wasn't Turkey, but the Chicken was super good!! Ummm that night we had an awesome lesson with Daniela's family! It's really funny, they are the only family I have seen so far that has an xbox, and her sons of the age of 13 and 8 always want me to play Halo 3 with them hahahaha but sadly I have to politly decline. :/ Oh well there is always xbox live in a year and a half right?? ;) Anyways, we ended up having Once with them, and then getting to know them better, and giving them a Book of Mormon! It was super awesome! I think we are planning to go to an old person center this week with Daniela because she wants us to share our message with someone she knows! So I am super excited about that, and the Delgado Family are going to invite them for a Family night!! Yeah!! We forgot it was Thanksgiving until about 10, so we forgot to order Pizza.... :/

On Saturday was the Priesthood and Adult Session of Stake Conference and so all the elders in the Zone came up, we ended up having 2 elders from Reo Negro and 2 of the 4 elders in Purranque stay in our house, so we went from 4 party animals to 8 party animals! It was an awesome night! We ended up buying Pizza that night, but it got there late, so we didn't get to bed until midnight! It was super fun!! 

Yesterday still Amazes me when I think about it!! We had lunch with the Famila Azocar, and Hermana Azocar is a menos activa and but they are sooo awesome!! Hermano Azocar works in Puerto Montt and so he is away from the family all week, and only home on the weekend, but right at the end I felt a prompting to ask him to help us with a lesson. So I asked and he said sure! After I realized that Marta (the house we were going to) was a member and we really didn't need him, but I still felt like it was right to have him with us! So the time comes and we pick him up and go to Marta's, but when we get there her Mom says that she isn't there, so we end up asking if we can give her a small message, and she said sure! So we go in and sit down (Marta and her Sister Nicole are both Menos Activas and their Mom isn't a member) Nicole joined us as well! We ended up giving a message on the Book of Mormon, and EVERY time Hermano Azocar spoke I felt the Spirit SOOO STRONG!! It was So cool!!! Then right at the end after we had challenged them to read some parts, I remembered the first time I really prayed about it, it was when Brandon told me about what he told his investigators to pray before thank Heavenly Father for the opportunity to read and ask for the Spirit to be there, then read, then pray again and ask your questions and find out if it is true or not. That was the VERY undetailed story of how I first felt the Spirit of God. Anyways, I was planning on sharing that, but then Hermano Azocar starting talking, and he shared pretty much THE EXACTLY SAME THING!!! It was SOOO COOL!! Ah I Love this Gospel!!!! :)

Wow, I honestly don't know how to describe my feelings, like that is only half of the week, but we worked SOOO hard! The ZL's and DL were both Amazed by our Numbers, I AM amazed by our Numbers! And you know what? This week is going to be JUST as good if not BETTER! 

My name is Elder Connor Holt, I am a Servant of God and I bare Testimony of Jesus Christ, I know he is our Redeemer and our Savior, and the only way to get back to live with our Heavenly Father again, is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Te Amo Mucho, and can't wait to talk to you in about 3 weeks! 

Elder Connor Gordon Holt

Plan of Salvation

Elder Whitaker, Daniela and me with our Marvelous Plan of Salvation

The little fuzzy caterpillar on our doorstep yesterday

Last night's sunset-GORGEOUS