Namaste!

Namaste! Kai-Se-ho!

That is, Hello! (welcome) How are you? In Hindi. We come across a lot of Indians, and I have honestly learned A LOT from them about everything. Pretty nutty. This week, the weather was pretty bad, and it's cold, and we lost a few investigators. But we also carved some pumpkins, met some sweet people, had some spiritual experiences, and had the primary program. pretty sweet.

 

Tuesday morning it was raining, then snowing, then rain-snow, then rain, then snow... etc. It was WAY cold, and my face was numb. Welcome to Iowa. Also, Two investigators dropped us because they want to be catholic (and comfortable). We walked up to an appointment in the cold precipitation and they didn't answer the door, so we walked to our RC (recent Convert, the quadriplegic) who is a stud and watched some conference with him. THEN we were invited to go to a YSA activity to fellowship someones friend, so we went, and got to carve pumpkins! It was sweet. As for the friend, he was muslim and not interested AT ALL in anything we had to say. but hey, SWEET PUMPKIN.

 

Wednesday we went and gave the same RC a blessing because he was sick after going through surgery. Then we went on exchanges! I went up to Story City with Elder Fiso. We did some service at a thrift store like D.I. and got to sort through the things that were donated. Honestly, it was pretty sweet. They had a TON of random stuff that was SO COOL. I could never work there, i would spend so much money. I bought some way nasty ties for dirt cheap too. Then we went to dinner at a members, and taught a way solid lesson. THEN we went to a Part Member, Less active family. They are from Mexico and speak spanglish. SOMEHOW we were able to communicate really well, and I even could understand their spanish. My spanish was, well... bad but THAT'S OK because it was really fun and we taught a WAY sweet lesson to them. The father (who's not a member) was getting GRILLED by the spirit, and Elder Fiso said that they haven't had a lesson like that with them before. I just felt insane Charity for that family, i wish i could go back more often and teach them!

 

Thursday we had district meeting, and i played an organ that had EVERY SONG prerecorded in it, so I just acted like i was amazing at the organ and sang along, it was a good time. We went tracting and came across this guy who who could NOT pronounce his name so we're calling him GGW. We knocked on this door with some people from India, one was muslim, and one was Roman Catholic. I started doing some submarine teaching (teaching principles and setting the stage for a lesson with casual conversation so you just FIND yourself SOMEHOW teaching instead of talking. :D ) haha and we ended up teaching them the Restoration! It was SOOO Sweet. Through the spirit, we were able to teach two COMPLETELY DIFFERENT religions, and apply what they know and believe to what we had to say. It was crazy, I honestly have no idea how we did it. They wanted to take a picture with us, so we took one! SOO SWEET! I love tracting SOMETIMES.

 

Friday we taught the Woman from Moldova, and it was a way good lesson, but she said that she didn't have any time for us to come anymore. She works 2 jobs, and rides the bus, and 10 other things that are legit, and so she said, "I don't know when I can be taught still." It's a shame cause she was soo sweet, nicest woman ever. We will go back, and try and teach, and if nothing else, I want a picture with her. I think in Moldova/Romania RED is a very popular color, because her entire apartment is red, and she is wearing red every single day. Red pants, shirt, hoodie, and jacket. It's awesome hahaha.

 

Satuday we went to teach some MORE indians and they just talked and talked and talked about india. I could write a dissertation on India and their history of invaders, languages, cultures, and religions. Then we went and taught another guy who is super Oriental, and meets with Jehovahs Witnesses. We taught the Plan of Salvation, and HE ASKED THE BEST/HARDEST QUESTIONS EVER. We totally underestimated how much he knew, and he asked REALLY good questions that led PERFECTLY into the next subject. He too, is very busy, and it has already come to the point where he is going to decide between us and the Jehovah's Witnesses. We tried to help him understand he needs to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, but i don't know how well it sunk in. That night, we were tracting again and a lady and her fiance let us in. They loved missionaries, and it was way sweet to talk to them. BUT her fiance is moving, so the sisters are going back over.

 

One of the people that we contacted on the street is being taught by the sisters, and has a baptismal date! SOOO CRAZY!! It's insane. We give a lot of referrals to the sisters, and they do a great job in using them.

 

Sunday was the Primary Program, and as always, kids yelled, screamed, breathed HARD into the mike, but still no one threw up. I laughed a lot still. We taught Elders Quorum, and met a lot of people tracting and have return appointments.

 

I love this work, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a tool in the Lord's hand. I wish i was a SHARPER and more EFFECTIVE tool though, so i'm working on that.

 

Thank you for everything that you have done for me, I love you!

 

-Elder Hollan

 

ps.. we went back to the spidery cellar this week as well.