Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Semana 36: KABOOOOM



Holla at them White Peeps,

Whats up my good friends in the North, where it is getting warmer and warmer every day! How are things?! 

First off I would like to thank the sister of Elder Christopherson for giving our companionship a theme kinda thing, which would be the title for this email! If our week last week would have been any different and not as successful as it was, it would be more like "Spleeesh" if Allyson or Brandon don't catch what that is, I am going to be very disappointed, remind me next week to reveal the answer if you don't get it! 

Anyways, today has been CRAZY! We have talked with TWO GRINGOS!!! Ahhh! It started this morning with Robb Terry, he is from Liberty Utah, and has a big house here in Coyhaique, and is a Mormon! Woot woot! He was super cool, and so I took a picture with him, so I can highlight him as well! Don't forget to tell him about my blog as well so he can check it out! :) The second was just 10 minutes ago, we talked to a 22 year old guy from Arizona, who is REALLY Smart, and so this is another time I am Very thankful for my Awesome Companion Elder Christopherson who is Super Smart, and battled out with the wits! Just kidding, only talked with him in the "smart People" language and I just testified, it was fun! 

Anyways, this past week has been awesome!! Cool Stories to come! 

First off, wow.... Stake Presidency?! I didn't know they were changing, and second off... WOW is our Stake gonna be SUPER BOMB! Super cool that two of them are from our ward! Its gonna be crazy getting Released by President Hutchison or Pres. Bryan! I don't know who the other guy is. But really though, that is SOOO COOL! 

Leaves are starting to change yes, but very slowly, like as if they are used to the cold here hahaha and lots are just pine trees, but when we get better fall colors, oh don't worry Elder Holt will have pictures! 

I will think of other things that I NEED for a package, but its kinda funny, that usually doesn't happen until the day after you sent the package! 

Okay this week... Well how about this, we'll start off with, You know you are doing a Great job as a missionary when the DL, ZL, and APs all ask what you are doing to have so much success! That is Always a confidence booster!! Another? Mom, you talked about Busy weeks, well let me tell you, I still LOVE busy weeks, the best is on Sunday night, reporting our week, and just seeing how much we did! Really though! Even better is for weekly planning on Thursday, the other day we saw how there has been lots of success in this sector, when I first got here, there was almost no names on our planning, and now our plans are FULL!!! Its so crazy to see!! 

This week, though, wow. We really have worked so much! It was the first week I have had 7/7 contacting days since Elder Whitaker! We saw our fruits and blessings as well! It is something that Elder Ballard told us we had to do, was to contact at minimum 10 people a day if we want to see changes here in our Mission, so that is something I have been pushing! 

We worked all week with Isaboth with all the commandments, and Kati won't be baptised this Saturday, and Mirijam at this point also, because they still aren't Married. It hmmmm yeah kinda is expensive, if you just get married by the government I think its like 5 bucks, but by a churchs its like 50. Its not that its super expensive, its just that we are here in Chile, where people are just straight up Lazy, that is why I was sent here... Because before the Mission I was super Lazy, and now I HAVE to not be lazy the rest of my Life because its SO Much better! For example I make my bed, hang up my clothes and clean the bathroom! ;) All things I hated before the Mission.

Also, I gotta nice big Palo this week, and all you who really know me are gonna Love it. I was told by a family this week to "SLOW DOWN!" I was speaking SUPER fast! Now that I can speak my Spanish, I am speaking faster then the locals, so now I am working on talking slower... Again. hahaha I don't think I am mumbling anymore, who will knows, I'll ask! 

HA You know you have an awesome companion when you come out of the Bathroom and ask "Is it a bad thing if I am singing one of the songs from the Merry-Go-Round in Rollercoaster Tycoon?" and the next thing he does is starts singing a Different song from the Merry-Go-Round! Hahahahaha wow it was awesome! :) 

So listen to this, I had a "Best Two Years" Moment the other day, that Movie becomes more and more real to me every day! It is the life of a Missionary! :) On Saturday we had the interview of Isaboth for her Baptism, at the church, but we realized we didn't have a man in the church, so we started to call every member and no one could help!! So we were in a pickle... So this thought started to grow in my mind that we should offer a prayer! So we were all still thinking of ideas, and I offered my idea, and then the latino misioneros were listo! Elder Christopherson was still thinking of other ideas, and we were all on our knees and finally he joined us, I offered a prayer and right before I ended the prayer, the phone STARTED TO RING! So I looked up, and then super fast ended the prayer and it was a member saying his plans changed and he could help us! It was a Miracle! Super cool!! Then... ISABOTH PASSED THE INTERVIEW!! SO I will be having my Second Baptism, first here in Chile!! :) Okay technically my First in general but I count something else as my first, but it was my First as an Elder! :)) I am SOO EXCITED! And I get to Baptize her!! 

And that was our crazy week in a bubble, there was really much more to it, but yeah, I Love you all so much, and really thank you for everything you do, just know that I am praying for everyone back home and that I really do Love you all! 

Elder Super Awesome Connor Holt Signing Off.


1. Our Zelda Love in a bottle

2. Robb Terry and me this morning

3. The household before cambios

4 and 5 My Love for Abs! :) In Coyhaique Chile



Monday, March 17, 2014

Semana 35: 8 Months to the Date

Hola Gringolandia,

So I just got an email from Sister Bailey that said I have been on my Mission for 8 months, TODAY! Where did the time go... She remembered that today is the day I left, I had to check the date and didn't even remember it was the 17th! I just go by month, but wow... Really though, where has the time gone?! 
Before I know it, I am going to be home, and living the "Real World" Life. 

You know? That is kinda funny, the whole "Real World" saying, I never really got the chance to live in the "Real World" because I left for my mission a Month after Graduating High school! So I have been realizing it a lot lately that, I miss the good ol 801 where Everyone is pretty much Mormon, and everything is just so easy to live! Out here in the "Real World" its the REAL WORLD! Many things happen that just aren't super good, and you have to realize that the World is becoming more wicked Every. Single. Day.

But hey its cool, because we have the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and really with the Gospel of Jesus Christ ANYONE can feel happiness! Because its knowledge that everything will be alright in the end. 

Sorry, that was just my ramble, we were sitting in the park and reading emails on this nice fall weathered day, and it was my thoughts while I was there! 

Q/A The only reason I understood the first part of you letter Mom is because I am a Missionary and my mind is thinking like that, but 24/7 and so yeah... I am not real sure if I want a sleeping bag, as of right now, my three blankets are good. Although because my zipper on my jacket broke on saturday, I need to buy a new jacket to sleep in today... So as of this point I am still fine without a sleeping bag! :) Thanks! 

Yeah our little spider friend was the guy from the wood! And when you started to tell my your banana spider story that is when I remembered! 

Yoda was the pen you guys sent me! And Elder Christopherson took that picture, so I gotta give credit to him, that he is learning the way of photographers! ;) Nah we were just messing around that night, and it turned out well, I just want you to know I use my Yoda and it catches some people's attention! :)

The Girl with the camera didn't come to church... :/ We'll see if I can have more inter cambios and drop palos and them! ;)

Oh yeah, so that's kinda funny that you would mention those two missionaries, because well... I always like to cross streets when the light is red, because I hate waiting... I gotta change that habit, and the other day we were doing some service for a lady in the Branch, and I was in the top of her Plum tree twice! The first time it was windy and the branches were moving lots, the second time in a different part when we got permission to shake the branch! That was lots of fun, but at the same time I heard a huge *SNAP* and I kinda got nervous, but I didn't fall... I got down, and saw that I did split the branch though.... But hey all is well I didn't get hurt and I am still alive serving the Lord! :)

Okay I think that is everything up to this point! 

So, now about our week.... Hmmmm what was good, what was bad... Naw just joking no Bad in the Gospel only good! :)

On Monday night we had an Awesome lesson with another investigator named Mirijam, she lives with her partner named Eduardo, he is a member and wants a calling super bad and is Amazing with the church, but can't because he kinda isn't living the law of Chastity at this point... But that is okay, because they are just waiting on the papers for Marriage and if all goes well, they will get married THIS WEEKEND! Then we put her with a the same date! March 29th! Woooo!! 3 with fetcha! How cool! 

Then we found out a problem that Kati, when we taught the Law of Chastity, is living with someone too, but the situation is really hard to deal with, she has three kids, the first two with one guy, and the second with another, and the third has some special abilities, but is awesome! But the guy who is the father of the third son has kids with Other(S) emphasis on the S!!! So he has other kids with other ladies and yeah... So he lives with them all and yeah.... So its kinda hard to deal with, but that is part of our plans this week. 

We were trained to use this new program this past week, that is SUPER Awesome! We can look up anyone in Chile and find out information on them like where they live, phone number, and its just awesome! Then we mark if they are a member or not. So when we contact people if we want to we can look up and find out if they gave us a real address or not. So its kinda cool! The reason for the program is so we can find out where all the members in Chile live, so we will be working with this program now, but hey its awesome! We were working with a list last night, and one house the member moved, and so it was a different guy and so we changed our minds and went into contacting mode, it was really cool! This program is going to help LOTS! 

Another cool story, we contacted this guy last Monday or Sunday and he was outside washing his car with his son, and so we just told him that we have a message for the family that we would like to share with him and his family and he said we could pass again, on saturdaysaturday came around and we called to make sure it was okay, and he said for Sunday, so yesterday we passed by after Lunch and talked with him and his wife! They were super nice! And I feel like they are going to be Awesome Investigators! 

Then last night, I saw the same situation, a dad and his son washing a car, and I got a thought to contact them, and then my other side of thoughts was "there is no way... It can only happen once" but I still went for it, and we ended up having the same thing happen! So we will go back this week and work with them as well!! 

As for the cold (THANK YOU FOR THE GLOVES!) Also with Cami's note, does that mean they came to church with you guys??? 

With the cold we have been doing lots of Service with Leña or in Gringolandia Firewood! I have come to LOVE chopping wood, it is Lots of fun and I feel buff... ;) Ovio (Obviously) I mean I didn't play Water Polo for four years for nothing... hahahaha JUST KIDDING! I really do love it though! Its lots of fun!! :) But it also means, Blisters, wow my hands got beat up this past week, I RIPPED a blister into one of my fingers, but that is only because we chopped like 10 metros de Leña.... IT was AWESOME! 

Anyways I Love you all, we have TONS of work this week, so its going to go by WAY fast! We will find out Saturday if we taught well enough for Baptism! I Love you all and just want you to know that I Know. Without a single Doubt that this Church is true, and that Without the Gospel of Jesus Christ, life would have no meaning and no one could truly be happy, but because we have the gospel, everyone can be happy! :) 

For another week,

Elder Connor Holt

ps a new journal would be awesome, like as in a book Por Favor! :) but maybe two! I try and write Everyday because I never want to forget this, and I tend to forget things if I don't write them down... *Mental Note for Life*

I'm a wood chopping model now!

One of my new mottos



Thursday, March 13, 2014

Semana 34: Who turned the Freezer on?

Yo Gringos up North!!
Como Estan Todos? Yeah, this kid is doing super good except the part where THESE COMPUTERS ARE REALLLLLLLYYY STUPID! So we'll see if you get to see the picture of the huge spider or of the other fun stuff from this past FREEZING WEEK!
But Wow what a week!! Ihop day? How I miss that day! Free Pancakes are the Best!! Who won the competition?? Murray right?!
That is exactly why I brought my Speedo on the Mission! So you couldn't sell it! ;) and so I wouldn't lose em like I feel Brandon lost his... ;)
Standard time for Chile starts in April I think... Not real sure I thought it was the same like it was for Daylight Savings, but I don't really know I am  just waiting till everyone changes hahaha
Mote con Huisillo is AMAZING! :) Its Wheat with Peach Juice and a Peach, yeah that one that I sent a picture of didn't look the prettiest but its AMAZING! :)
Yeah I know Spencer Cheshire! He is in Santiago!! I wrote him awhile ago!! That is so weird to think he has the exact time left that I have been on my Mission! Wow, where does time go! I remember taking his pictures like it was YESTERDAY!
And that is crazy about the airplane!! Grant talked about it in his letter! But that is super crazy!! 

Okay, now for my week! First off, yeah the earwigs are still everywhere! But I have found fun ways to kill them... Burn them in the Match Box, let them drown in boiling hot water, or Freeze them in the Freezer! Its quite fun! :)
The next part is kinda sad.... Someone turned on the Freezer, which means, our 3 months of Heat is gone..... It is officially FREEZING! And its not even Winter yet, Yesterday I was bundled up in my Scarff and looked like a Ninja! Which is what I really am, just a Ninja disguised as a Missionary! ;) (I have a photo)
We got our Wood for the winter this past week! Which was a TON! Literally.... But while we were organizing it on Friday Morning, we found a friend. I can't remember what we called him... But we found a Mini Taranchula!! It was super fun! The Latinos were playing with him and his web, I was taking pictures and it was just lots of fun! Huge though... Glad I didn't find him in the house.... But he was A LOT bigger than those that jump outta holes!
Okay here is the cool part! We had inter-cambios with the Latino Elders twice this week! On Tuesday I went to the other sector with Elder Sanchez and we had an awesome lesson with a family who is less active! The dad and Son are Bomberos (FireFighters) and the daughter is a photographer! And all of them are Crazy like me!!! They became one of  my favorite families INSTANTLY! It was an awesome night, and the parents came to church this past week, and I told the daughter to bring her camera to church to show me her pictures (hint hint wink wink) So she'll come to church! Hopefully it works!
On Saturday we had another inter-cambio and I was with Elder Colque this time in my sector! Oh wow.... What an AMAZING day!! It was sooooo cool! We taught two amazing lessons WITH Members!! The first was to a man named Christian! He is the Pareja (boyfriend that lives with you) of a less active! We went there to talk with the mom of the less active who is also less active! Mom is named Marta and daughter is named Pia. Pia like three weeks ago, wanted NOTHING to do with Elder Christopherson and Me, and it was just fun. But we got there on Saturday and noticed there was a man in the house (Christian) so I asked if we could come in and share a mormon message for like 10 minutes! Two Hours later... We had a first lesson taught and answered MANY questions, he said he was going to go to church with or without Pia the next day with Monica! So that was super cool! Then in the end we tried to get him to pray, and he said he would on Monday! But Pia ended up praying and then after she got up and said "You need a Book of Mormon!" so she ran over and pulled out a Stack of em, and looked through them all and found one without a name and gave it to him! It was super cool, after the prayer how she just instantly changed!!
Then after we went up to Carlos (-A) Sandra (Inv. 2 years) and Isaboth (Inv.) I told Elder Colque that I wanted to teach them the Plan of Salvation, I have wanted to teach them this since the beginning of the time that I got here to Coyhaique! Also Sandra and Carlos aren't married and so she can't get baptized, but she WANTS both! But we taught the Plan of Salvation and at the end I read John 3:5 right after explaining the three kingdoms which says that if we aren't Born again by Water and by Spirit we can't enter into the kingdom of God! So we did that and I challenged Isaboth to Baptism, because we have been thinking that if she gets baptized maybe that would get the parents to get married so Sandra can get Baptized! She then asked if her Catholic baptism wasn't Valid, and in a very nice way we taught how they don't have the Authority! Then she was getting more excited and asked if Maria (Rec. Convert) was Baptized, and after she asked if this meant she would be a member? She got super excited!! :) She technically didn't say yes, but I knew she was going to! She said she would think about it.

Then yesterday at Church, after Sunday School we were just sitting around a little bit and talking with everyone, she came up to me and motioned to me to listen, she told me she had a secret and said she wants to get Baptized, she then told me she wants ME to Baptize her! After she went over to Elder Christopherson and said that she wants him to give her the Spirit! How COOL is that!?! Her date of Baptism is on the 29th of March! The week after Cambios! So I hope that I don't get Transferred!!
Pretty much I have just been sooooo happy! Because we now have two  people with the date of March 29th, and its cool, because they are REAL dates, I have seen the Gospel change their lives and this is the first time in the Mission I have seen that!
This Gospel is True, it brings TRUE Happiness, and its the Only way that we can Live together FOREVER with our Families!:)
I Love you All, but I got a town to go Baptize!
Peace Out Fools,

Elder Connor Holt









Monday, March 3, 2014

Week 33: Earwigs and Advice?

Hello Everyone!!

first things first *You are here (took me a whole day to figure out) took Elder Christopherson like 5 seconds... But I LOVE the Shirt!!  

Wow, its sad how at this moment I really can't think of what I was going to write at all today...... So! First I will answer questions! 

Crazy about Ukraine I heard a little about it last night from the members! That is super crazy! 

Mom, you gotta hug your older son for a son hug sorry, and from my count you only have 16 months left until you can get one from me.... 1/3 of my mission is gone... How crazy! 

Sister Cardenas?? That is super cool!! Tell them I miss them so much and can't wait to come back and visit them!! :) And ask them who are the missionaries in Camino Real right now?

In this area? Yes, there is a Mamita in every area! But this area, we have been cooked by a member up to this point, but the Mamita returened today, so starting tomorrow we will eat with our Mamita!! 

Missionaries here in Coyhaique? Well in coyhaique there are 10 but in a total of 16 in my zone, we have the smallest Zone by 2 missionaries! 

Okay that is all the questions that Ï could find!

Soooooo If you are afraid of Earwigs? Yeah, don't come to coyhaique. They are E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E. not joking. I have found them in the Sink, I have found them in the Street, I have found like in my cake, I have found them by my feet. Really, they are Everywhere. But they have big pincers and apparently pinch you here! I dunno... 

Anyways with this past week, we have worked a lot with contacting new people, we have done a lot of contacts and that was super great! We met a girl last Sunday whos named Evelyn, we spent a lot of time teaching her! She is my age and she is from Osorno, but after the 3rd lesson, I don't think she is very interested anymore, but we have a good picture! She is short, so she stood on a chair, and then I was STILL taller then her! ;)

We had an Awesome activity Friday night! We had a Noche de Hogar in the Capilla! In the church we had a family night! It was super awesome! We had a lesson on the family and it went really well! We had like 5 investigators there and we had 5 in church yesterday!! 

Then on Saturday we had like two days notice, but we had an awesome Zone Conference! We had time with our President and his wife who came down to Coyhaique! And it was super cool! :) We talked about the conference with Elder Ballard and health! So it was super sweet! I seriously love getting to listen to leaders!! After we got some mail, I got two letters and a lovely package from home! :) Thank you for the extra shirts and candy as well! The shirts really are cool! The Fat Boy shirt just makes my tongue water...

Sunday night we had a crazy time, Elder Christopherson and I had splits, he went to teach investigators, and I went to teach less actives, my lesson I found out the less active doesn't have a testimony AT ALL of the Book of Mormon and Elder Christopherson's lesson was crazy because this is a house of investigators of two years, and the sister who we met the other day and gave her a book of mormon, the sister was there and she read... JACOB 5! and pretty much UNDERSTOOD it! I just finished Jacob 5 today and it took me a week and a half, and with out the study guide of Brother Pond I would have died!! But really though it was super crazy, so we will see how things go with her! 

Today for lunch we went to a Pizza place! It was a buffet and all you can eat pizza for like $14.00 it was awesome! I ate the most with 16 pieces! Super yummy! And still? Somehow I don't have more weight.... and when I come home? I will be eating more than just Cheese pizza I can tell you that! 

Anyways, I really just want you all to know that 3 Nephi 5:13 is my scripture, and is the reason I am out here in Chile, I am here to bring the Salvation of All souls, and I know that everyone else can too! I Love you all! 

Thanks for the support in all ways! 

Elder Connor Gordon Holt

(last week) I was cutting the grass, so I will never again complain on cutting the grass with a lawn mower ever again! 

1. Evelyn and me, I am still taller! HAHAHA

2. A cool poem on my cup of juice!

3. still LOVE puppiesç

4. LOL Lots of Love Mom

5. Pizza today with the Boys! (Elders)

6. My SUPER COOL TSHIRT (Thank you!)