Email - June 3, 2013
This week was awesome! I don't know if I've mentioned before, but last week on Saturday we had a big, free community cookout at our church building. We had a great turnout. Specifically, we had many attend who were not members of the LDS
church. Yesterday, we were able to teach a couple of people that we met there and it went really well! They were definitely prepared to hear the message and they very much have 'real intent'. I'm confident that they will have their prayers answered! We also had a zone conference this last week (my last one on my mission, but who's keeping track?) and it was great! Departing missionaries, in their
last conference, have the opportunity to bear testimony to the other missionaries. It was a really wonderful opportunity, as it always is to bear witness of the truthfulness of the Gospel! I know I go home in about a month, I'm looking forward to working hard to the end! Of course, the reason I plan on doing so is because I know it's what I'm here to do, but the fact that time seems to go faster when I work harder is at least a secondary factor. haha The work is moving forward here! I love you all!
Elder Holmes
church. Yesterday, we were able to teach a couple of people that we met there and it went really well! They were definitely prepared to hear the message and they very much have 'real intent'. I'm confident that they will have their prayers answered! We also had a zone conference this last week (my last one on my mission, but who's keeping track?) and it was great! Departing missionaries, in their
last conference, have the opportunity to bear testimony to the other missionaries. It was a really wonderful opportunity, as it always is to bear witness of the truthfulness of the Gospel! I know I go home in about a month, I'm looking forward to working hard to the end! Of course, the reason I plan on doing so is because I know it's what I'm here to do, but the fact that time seems to go faster when I work harder is at least a secondary factor. haha The work is moving forward here! I love you all!
Elder Holmes
Email - June 10, 2013
Well it seemed like lesson-wise, as many things fell through this week as "fell out of the sky" last week but we still stayed busy (with service, finding, etc.) so the Lord blessed us with a good week overall. I went on missionary exchanges in Prairie Grove, AR with Elder Andra which was pretty cool because that area used to be in the same district as Fayetteville 2nd when I served there so I had slept in that same bed about 20 months previous! Kinda neat that I'm beginning and ending my missionary service in the same zone.
Another parallel is that the only time I have lived in a member's home has been the first and last 3 months of my service. We have been making progress with Val and Kim, two investigators that resulted from the ward's community cookout activity. They have a sincere desire to know the truth and they ask really good questions, which is great as teachers because it shows us that they are paying attention. Time is flying! I'm happy to have the privilege of serving here in Tahlequah in the "latter-days" of
my mission and thank you all for your support. Love, Elder Holmes
Another parallel is that the only time I have lived in a member's home has been the first and last 3 months of my service. We have been making progress with Val and Kim, two investigators that resulted from the ward's community cookout activity. They have a sincere desire to know the truth and they ask really good questions, which is great as teachers because it shows us that they are paying attention. Time is flying! I'm happy to have the privilege of serving here in Tahlequah in the "latter-days" of
my mission and thank you all for your support. Love, Elder Holmes
Email - June 24, 2013
This week was pretty awesome! I was afraid that time would begin to drag on as the conclusion of my mission approaches more near, but so far that hasn't been the case. It just goes to show that the cliche concept of the precious nature of the two years of one's missionary service, is true. I think that the Lord is blessing this area (and the missionaries serving here) as I strive to "sprint to the finish". I say "the finish" but I'm coming to realize that it isn't really a
finish. After watching that missionary broadcast yesterday and hearing
the training from our inspired leaders, I've come to realize that I need to go home and be a part of the greatest generation of
member-missionaries that the world has seen. I am blessed to have been a part of the Lord hastening his work on the full-time missionary side enough that I can now go home and be a part of it on the member-missionary side. I love you all! Next Monday will be the last time I will send a weekly email like this (so crazy to think!) Thanks for your love and prayers! Elder Holmes
member-missionaries that the world has seen. I am blessed to have been a part of the Lord hastening his work on the full-time missionary side enough that I can now go home and be a part of it on the member-missionary side. I love you all! Next Monday will be the last time I will send a weekly email like this (so crazy to think!) Thanks for your love and prayers! Elder Holmes