"The Prince and The Pauper"

On our mission we often heard the question, "If there is a God, why would he allow such suffering in this life." Sound familiar? This would hopefully lead to a discussion of the "Plan of Salvation" but too often people wanted a quick fix one sentence answer. We would then teach the three minute version, explaining that we are here on earth to gain experience and be tested. Abraham 3:25 "And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them." 

I wish I could have explained it better and have often pondered how. Then this morning the story of "The Prince and The Pauper" came to mind. Of course! You all know the story. The Prince, while living the harsh, humiliating life of the pauper, gained EXPERIENCE he could have attained in NO OTHER way. After regaining his throne, he became a great king who then ruled with compassion, fairness, justice and love for his subjects! D&C 122:7 ". . . and all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." 

In I Nephi 11:17 in the Book of Mormon, the prophet Nephi did not know "the meaning of all things" but he knew, and I know—I KNOW—that our Heavenly Father allows us to have these harsh and often painful life experiences BECAUSE of His great love—for us—His children! And IF "we endure it well" we can realize His great promised blessings found in D&C 29:12!

One Year Later

Well it's been a year since I posted! We're home from our for 8 months now. We are still getting settled. Our basement is nearly finished and I've developed Carpal Tunnel in my hands and Plantar Faceatis in my feet. All because I did most of the finishing work in the basement! Well FINALLY I have the time and urge to write again.😀

The Lord Sent Us to Their Door

I thought our family letter might be of interest to my blogger friends this week!

Dear Family,

Last Monday was Memorial Day. We spent part of the day delivering lunches for the local “Meals on Wheels.” No one else wanted to see us and we had no graves of loved ones to visit so it was a very slow day. I think I sent Elder Holt to the grocery store three times.

It was also a hard week. We have been so blessed most days to teach two, three or sometimes four lessons, mostly to lost sheep who are very mixed up people with multiple, difficult problems because of not keeping the commandments. Truly we have witnessed again and again the truth that "wickedness never was happiness!" Way too often people sin because they do not understand the gospel, or take it too lightly as though it is like a restaurant menu, from which they can pick and choose, when, and which commandments to keep. It is very exhausting and frustrating to help people realize the need to repent, and keep commitments! Yet, we have those wonderful moments when people do catch the vision!

Last summer, we drove to a home about 10 miles east of our small Texas town, in search of an inactive member named Richard. No one from the Ward knew anything about him. We found the house, and Richard’s father came to the door and told us he wasn’t home, but invited us in. He explained that his name was Richard also, and that he and his wife Jean had moved in with his son about five years ago. He also said that he and his wife were members, but they had not been to church for about ten years. He gave us information so that we could request his membership records. Several weeks later, we visited him again and met his wife. We encouraged them to come to Church, but they did not show any interest. However, we learned that they were converts, and were sealed in the Temple about twenty years ago. Also, they were very involved in family history then. We continued to visit them each month, and then Richard went with Elder Holt to General Priesthood meeting last October. Shortly after Christmas they came to church and Richard, along with another less active member, came to General Priesthood meeting with him in April.

At our next visit, we showed them a five minute video on the Temple. We challenged them to take the Temple Preparation Lessons and go back to the temple. Jean then shared with us some dreams she has been having about her father and then her mother. In one dream her mother was crying and telling Jean, “I cannot find your father, please help me find your father.” Jean said she absolutely knew the meaning of this dream because she has not completed her parent’s temple work. Well, what a testimony and a relief to know, that their loved ones on the other side are also reaching out to them. As with so many others we have found, we know the Lord sent us to their door.

In the first lesson we taught the Plan of Salvation. While reading D&C 76 about the three degrees of glory, they were absolutely stunned to realize, that to qualify for the Celestial Kingdom, we must be valiant in the testimony of Jesus. (In their hearts they knew they were not living as they should) They had been completely certain, that because they had been sealed in the temple, they WERE going to be saved in the Celestial Kingdom. Much like they had honestly believed that just because they loved and accepted Jesus Christ, they were automatically born again and saved in their old Baptist faith. The shocked look on their faces registered the very tangible moment they truly began to repent! It was an amazing thing to witness! The spirit was SO strong! 

This week we completed the last lesson. During the lessons on the temple, Richard especially, has been very tearful and grateful that these lessons have reawakened his love for the temple. He has expressed sweet memories associated with the Dallas Temple Open House, and then having their deceased son and two others sealed to them. They have been coming to Church regularly, paying their tithing, living the Word of Wisdom (which they previously weren’t) and two weeks ago they met with the Bishop. They are excited to go to the Temple with us as soon as the Bishop feels they are ready and have a track record of keeping the commandments. We feel it is a great blessing to know them and we are becoming great friends. It is also a great testimony to us that when people truly understand how absolutely essential the commandments and ordinances of the church are, it gives them the motivation to be valiant, faithful, committed members of Christ’s church!

This week we visited our convert Jeannette again. She received her Patriarchal Blessing several weeks ago and it was a wonderful blessing. She had just received a copy of it in the mail and was excited to read it to us. We always knew she was a special woman and the Lord confirmed it to her and us. She is so golden! What joy!

Love,

Dad & Mom

The Third Trimester of Missionary Service

I wanted to share with y'all a letter I just wrote to the Taylor's,(center) a missionary couple who served in our zone at the institute, who have recently returned home. It's a little update on our mission!

Dear Elder & Sister Taylor,

It was good to hear from you. We miss you. The Shanz's were transferred way down south and we aren't going to institute on Wednesdays, so we feel pretty isolated from other senior missionaries. We have invited the new Senior Institute couple to go to Dallas if the weather EVER warms up in North Texas.

A mission is really hard. It looks like we are in Gainesville for the duration. We have been in this ward for a year now, and members are calling Elder Holt "Brother Holt" now. Our ward stretches about 70 miles wide and forty or so miles long. I've (Sister Holt) started to get carsick, so when we get home we are NEVER going on a road trip EVER!

We have visited every, I mean EVERY member and less active too many times to count. But with that all said, we have had some wonderful and amazing experiences. Child birth is a good analogy and we are definitely in the third trimester, and admittedly (though we feel a bit guilty for it) we look forward to birthing this baby and going home. Elder Holt says this is so different than being a young Elder with only his own agenda to worry about. We do miss our children, and especially our grandchildren who still keep asking when we will be home.

Sometimes we envy your set schedule in institute. We really feel like "hunters and fishers" of the honest in heart. It would be a nice change to have someone else set a schedule for us. But we sure love The Lord, and this is a small price to pay for all that He has done for us. We never stop marveling at the privilege and honor and RESPONSIBILITY that is ours to be missionaries for our Savior! As you know President Ames is amazing, and the young missionaries are too. They are such righteous, pure sweet ambassadors. We learn soooo much from all of them! We absolutely adore the sweet you Sister Missionaries in our ward that we work with! We count this whole experience a choice and blessed time in our lives.

Thank you for your kindness and friendship. Your smiles and warmth have always made us feel loved and wonderful. We are certain that you are a great blessing to your family and friends back home. It was wonderful to hear from you!

Love, Elder & Sister Holt

Song of The Heart

I feel impressed to record some things I have learned about the Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In D&C  25:11-12, the Lord instructed Emma Smith, "And it shall be given thee, also, to make a selection of sacred hymns, as it shall be given thee, which is pleasing unto me, to be had in my church. For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.”

From these scriptures I have learned to revere the hymns for these reasons:

1.       They are “sacred” to the Lord, so they should be sacred to His saints.

2.      The hymns are inspired! (“as it shall be given thee”) By this I know they teach correct doctrine.

3.      The Lord considers them “prayers” when sung by the righteous, so we should reverence them as such.

4.      If we do so, singing them (praying them) “will bring a blessing upon our heads.

Through the years I have come to realize some of these blessings. The music is sacred. We know it invites the spirit, why? Because the Lords very “soul delighteth in the song of the heart.” All of us are all drawn−̶-even compelled toward something that delights us−̶-that we love! So it is with the spirit of the Lord.

If we read the words of the sacred, inspired hymns, they testify to our spirits of the doctrines taught. Combine those truths with music and they sink deep into our hearts−̶-never to be forgotten. That is why the children’s hymns are so crucial! Remember how we learned our ABC’s?

If “songs of the righteous are prayers unto the Lord” I believe therefore, that opening AND closing hymns are part of the Invocation and Benediction of every meeting. After an opening prayer, which should be an invocation for the Lord’s blessing on our meetings, we all say amen. This signifies our affirmation and unity in invoking the Lord’s blessings−̶-likewise the benediction. Just as we fast and pray together for desired blessings on a beloved family or ward member, because our combined prayers have greater power to obtain blessings from heaven, so singing the sacred hymns together brings this greater power and they bind us together in unity and love.

I was taught years ago that when preparing for a lesson, that time is mine. I can take all the time I need. But, when I teach that lesson, the class time belongs to the Lord. It is a sacred time for the Lord to instruct His children. We should only be the vessel! I’ve come to believe−̶-to know−̶-that if our purpose is to invite the spirit and be taught by the Lord, then music is the most important part. I know there are some students in our classes who do not pray on their own, or at least not consistently. How can we fail to give them the opportunity “pray” a hymn to the Lord.  Far too often in church classes, a teacher will exceed his or her allotted time and the person conducting will announce, “Sorry, we don’t have time for the closing hymn.” Then, with children clamoring noisily at the door, we have a hasty closing prayer, instead of a sacred benediction! I believe that just as an opening hymn is a prayer to invite the spirit of the Lord, a closing hymn is a benediction, it is NOT just a song we can skip. The dictionary defines benediction as a form of blessing. Then let’s never forget to “sing a prayer” to bring forth the Lord’s promised blessings! If we do, that closing hymn will seal the testimony of the teacher and the students, and all will be edified together!

  

This Is True! It's True!

Dear Family, (Elder Holt’s Weekly Letter)

I know I have written about Cindy and her progression as she accepted the Gospel, but her story is very unique and I wanted to detail her conversion for you. These dates and events I have taken from my missionary journal.

HIn August of 2013, a young single mother of five small children, moved into her mother’s home. We met Stephanie at Church. She explained that she had been baptized in South Carolina in July of this year. We asked her if she had received the new member discussions. She had not, so we asked her if we could teach them to her because we know how important these lessons are for the retention of new members. We scheduled the first lesson for October 11, 2013.

We taught her the first lesson and her mother, Cindy sat in on the lesson. Afterwards, we scheduled the next lesson for October 14th.  Between these lessons, Cindy talked to her husband, Marshall about what she had learned. Marshall is very much against the Church and talked to his Baptist Pastor about us and received a lot of Anti-Mormon information. Marshall shared that with Cindy. This time as we taught Stephanie, Cindy was in another room. Near the end of the lesson, Cindy walked into the room. She vehemently, verbally attacked us and the Church especially over polygamy, and accused us of being liars.  Sister Holt was frightened, but I remained calmed and finally was able to get her to calm down too. I explained the Church’s beliefs on polygamy and she seemed to accept it. Then Sister Holt said, “Cindy, your daughter has joined our Church. Don’t you owe it to her and yourself to find out what the Church teaches from representatives of the Church? We have lessons that teach the basic beliefs of our Church. Would you like to take them?” She agreed and we scheduled a time to start teaching her. She explained that she was a devout Pentecostal, had spoken in tongues, loved the Savior and was very vocal in her praise of him.

Our first discussion was on October 17th. We taught her about the Apostasy, the Restoration, and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. There was a good Spirit there and she seemed to accept it. She also told us about a problem with her Pastor at her Pentecostal Church and that she had been praying that the Lord would direct her to another Church. We assured her the Lord had sent us to her. We continued to teach her and she came to Church with her daughter, Stephanie for the first time on October 27th.  Cindy has some sight problems and does not drive, so we were concerned about her Church attendance when Stephanie moves out. Cindy lives about ten miles from the Church on a county road.  Also, we ordered a large print copy of the Book of Mormon for her.

Cindy had been sick, so we were unable to teach her for several weeks. Then we taught her on November 21st, and took one of our ward members, Lisa, with us. During the lesson, Cindy explained that she had been reading the Book of Mormon and praying. She felt good about what she was learning, but had not received an answer to her prayers. She explained that because she was a Pentecostal, she had felt the Spirit before and was expecting something stronger to happen to her. I was very concerned about what she was expecting, yet we continued with the lesson. Near the end of our lesson, we showed her a five minute video on the Organization of the Church. The Spirit was very strong during the video, and Cindy began crying. After it was over she exclaimed, “This is true! It’s true! It’s really true! I want to serve in this Church.”  It was a great privilege for Sister Holt, Sister Lisa and I to be there and witness the Spirit confirm to this sweet woman the truthfulness of the Gospel. Lisa told her she too had been a Pentecostal before joining our Church, and she bore a sweet and powerful testimony. We hadn’t realized she was raised as a Pentecostal, and it was a wonderful witness to us, that asking her to join us was pure inspiration! Lisa asked if she could give her a ride to Church, since her daughter Stephanie had moved out, and to join her in singing in the choir. Cindy was thrilled! And our problem of how to get her to church was settled.

Sunday, December 1st was Fast and Testimony meeting. Cindy was there and near the end of the meeting, she stood up and walked to the stand. Sister Holt and I turned white for fear of what she would do, considering her Pentecostal background. But, much to our relief and joy, she bore a sweet and simple testimony of the Gospel, explained that she was learning about the Church from the Holt’s and asked everyone to pray for her. Our next lesson was on December 3rd. We challenged her to be baptized and she accepted. Because of a severe ice storm, Church was cancelled on December 8th. So we moved her baptismal date forward a week.

On Saturday, December 21, 2013, it was my privilege and honor to baptize Cindy Ann into the Church. Her husband Marshall came to the Baptismal service. We have met with him twice and he seems friendly, but Cindy said that he is very much opposed to the Church. We believe over time and with her example, his heart will soften toward the Church.

Today December 22, 2013 she was confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Bishop Stewart, and was given the gift of the Holy Ghost! After Relief Society, Sister Holt asked Cindy how she felt. With shining eyes she said she knew the Lord had sent us to her home, to answer her many prayers to find a church! Then she added that she felt wonderful! Just wonderful!

Love, Dad

INVITE YOUR NEIGHBOR!

I am so humbled tonight. The last few weeks of missionary work have been really slow. A couple of weeks ago we finally met our next door neighbor, a seventy nine year-old woman. We had met the man she is living with when we first moved in, and many times since. He has always been so nice, very clean cut and pleasant. When we first met him Elder Holt made the comment that he should join us in church sometime. He kind of muttered that he just might. As Ron asked more questions, he admitted that he was living with a woman he wasn’t married to because they couldn’t afford to lose her benefits if they did. They have been together for many years.

Missionary work is hard and scary. Still! I’ve wanted to have the courage to ask him if he’d like to know more about the church because he is so nice, but honestly I didn’t because I judged him. We have lived next door to them for nearly eight months, but have never made the effort to meet his friend, until an ambulance showed up at their door two weeks ago. She came home from the hospital the next day, and is okay after they regulated her pace-maker. So we took donuts over and met her. She is sooo sweet and kind. She’s had a stroke and can hardly communicate, but her spirit just shines. She thanked us profusely.

Well, ever since then I have had a recurring thought to ask them if they would like to know more about our church. But, he has such hearing loss, and she can’t communicate well, and they would be too hard to teach, and they are too old, and I’m still scared to ask, and besides they aren’t married, and . . .

So yesterday, as I was praying that the Lord would help us find people to serve and to teach, the words of the Lord to the Apostle Paul came into my mind, . . . “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” (Acts 10:15 )  It was followed by the thought that our missionary work would NOT pick up UNTIL we invited our neighbors, whom I had judged. Ouch! What a lesson to learn! (One of those dah, moments) Of course, I’m a missionary. Thoughts, like INVITE your neighbor come from the Lord and not just my mind. I told Elder Holt and this afternoon we visited with them. As we went into their home, she took my hand and with teary eyes, kept thanking us for coming!

When we explained that we were missionaries for our church this sweet woman vigorously nodded her head and said I know, I know! As we continued to visit she wanted so badly to communicate something, but she couldn’t find the words. She kept saying, “When I was a little girl.” And then she would try again and again, until she finally got it out, “I’m a Mormon!”

Wow! She is not on the Ward records, yet has lived here for many years.

We asked if they would like to come to church this Sunday and she said with hungry eyes, while vigorously shaking her head, “Yes! Yes!”

He stated that he was a Catholic, but would come. We showed them two, five minute introduction videos, “What Mormons Believe” and “The History of the Church.”  Then he even agreed to take the missionary discussions!

Moral of the story: Random thoughts to do good, always come from the Lord, especially when you are a missionary. And to remember, that now the Lord has asked us to “hasten the work” every member IS a missionary, so when the Lord says invite your neighbor  . . . just do it! I testify that He IS preparing the hearts of so many to hear the gospel, and He is depending on all of us!

Hoorah for Israel!

BIG TEX at the State Fair of Texas



BIG TEX Greeting Crowds

What an amazing month this has been! We were asked to help staff the Family History Booth at the Texas State Fair in Dallas—the largest state fair, with between 3½ to 4 million visitors each year, in the United States. Every third day since the last week in September we have driven 35 miles to the train station in Denton. There we catch a train before 8:00 am and travel one hour, then change trains in Trinity Mills and travel another hour to the Fair Park Station in Dallas. After making our way past BIG TEX who towers over the crowds, greeting fair goers with his big booming voice (everything is BIG in Texas) "Howdy folks, I'm Big Tex! Welcome to the State Fair of Texas." We then make our way to our booth, where we spend the next six hours on our feet signing people up for help with familysearch.org   It is at once intimidating, scary, tiring, and then—we meet some wonderful people who get excited, after we finally convince them the service is free! A few have inexplicably found themselves with misting eyes, as they contemplate finding their ancestry! Of course we know why. Anything connected with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints carries a wondrous spirit—of goodness, happiness and truth—which we have witnessed touching so many people since becoming missionaries over six months ago.

I am here to tell you, missionary work IS work. I've never been so tired in my life! (Well maybe) And if traveling 5½ hours round trip, plus the 6 hours at the fair are not enough, every day we spend back in our little town in northern Texas, we have been teaching, teaching, teaching. We have a wonderful baptism tonight. We taught a first discussion with a Pentecostal woman yesterday, who a few days ago literally YELLED at us in terrible anger, for living in sin with multiple wives! Elder Holt amazed me with his ability to calm her down. But I will tell that story another day, except to say that as we taught she was tearful and receptive. Oh my! We have a 12 year old scheduled for baptism on November 2nd, and many other wondrous stories of the Lords hand working his promised miracle!

Elder & Sister Holt (we were asked to dress casual)

Elder Holt got to watch the last quarter of the big rivalry game between
Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns! (Longhorns Win)

View of Dallas from the train



Sister's In Christ

About a month after we were on our mission, as Sacrament Meeting was getting started, a beautiful black sister slipped in and sat in the chair closest to the door. I didn’t know her and so I wanted to make sure I introduced myself. Just before the meeting ended I had a distinct impression to slip over and sit by her. I whispered an introduction and asked her name.

She smiled and said, “I think I’m in the wrong church. I came to pick up my grandchildren from Sunday school, but I’m supposed to be in the Baptist Church.”

“I don’t think this was an accident,” I whispered as I smiled, put my arm around her, and gave her a gentle squeeze.

I then asked, if she enjoyed the service? She replied that she enjoyed it very much, and asked what church this was? I said it was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that she was welcome anytime. She said she’d never heard of our church before, and so I whispered that we were commonly known as the “Mormons” but that was just a nickname. She looked at me with wide surprised eyes, fixin’ (as they say here in the south) to make a quick exit.

I smiled again and whispered, “God bless you my Sister in Christ!” She smiled back with a question in her eyes, and without words, I shook my head in the affirmative. Yes, Mormons are Christian!  She squeezed my hand while nodding her head, and with a big beautiful smile whispered, “Yes, sister’s in Christ!” And then immediately after the benediction, she left.

Now I have not seen her since, but I don't think it was a coincidence she came to our meeting. I believe with all my heart, that my impression to sit by her changed her perception about the “Mormons.” I know I was the Lord’s vessel that day, as He bore loving testimony to His sweet daughter, and I knew He wanted both of us to know, that we ARE literally “sisters in Christ!”

Elder Neil L. Andersen said in the April 2013 Conference. “We are witnessing the miracles of the Lord as His gospel is spreading across the world. Brothers and sisters, as surely as the Lord has inspired more missionaries to serve, He is also awakening the minds and opening the hearts of more good and honest people to receive His missionaries. You already know them or will know them. They are in your family and live in your neighborhood. They walk past you on the street, sit by you in school, and connect with you online. You too are an important part of this unfolding miracle.”

As missionaries in northern Texas, we are literally witnessing these miracles! I testify that we are watching the Lord awaken the minds and open the hearts of good people to receive the missionaries!

 

"Suffer the Little Children" Mark 10:13-16

Friday was just "one of those days.” After being stood up twice, I was so frustrated, I wondered if we were doing any good at all, so I cried. And of course Elder Holt tried to console me. (Bless him he's never been very good at that!)

The first appointment was with a young family of five beautiful children whose parents are recent converts, but have stopped coming to church. They had to cancel for the second week in a row, this time because the family had stomach flu. We have met with them, taught them, and prayed so earnestly for them so many, many times, but the mother is reluctant−̶ feeling that her husband pushed her into baptism when she wasn’t ready. The last time we met, we read with them the story of Helaman’s Stripling Warriors, and then played the primary song, “We’ll Bring the World His Truth!” Those precious children responded in such a wonderful way as the spirit filled their home. But still, they have not come to church.

At 6:00 p.m. we had an appointment with another young family with two beautiful little girls, five year-old Megan and her baby sister. They were just leaving as we pulled in. Had we not arrived at that moment they were simply going to stand us up−̶ which happens a LOT!

Then Friday got even better. At 8:00 p.m., though we were tired, we went to the church to clean with a family who could only come Friday night. They forgot−̶ we cleaned alone! Friday night I was really irritated with all these people! But, before bed as I said my prayers, I felt our loving Lord, gently remind me of how patient He is with all of my faults! Who was I to judge others? My heart softened!

So on Saturday, Elder Holt cleaned the church alone all morning, because another family had to work. Then we both cleaned for several hours in the afternoon because that was when the other family could come. We’re not sure what happened to them. We cleaned alone. But, unlike yesterday, I felt the spirit and with a song in my heart I recognized what a wonderful privilege was mine, to be cleaning the Lord's House for the Sabbath tomorrow, and it felt good!

Megan's family let us come back tonight because I think they felt guilty. She was hungry and whiny and needing five year-old attention, complaining about the TV program playing in the background because she wanted to watch something else, so we struggled to have a good visit. Then we showed them a couple of five minute church videos on the iPad. Little Megan’s entire demeanor changed! She curled up in her mother’s arms listening intently to the church videos! Then she listened as her Dad said they might go to church next week.

            “Oh, I want to go to the classes, can I go Daddy?”

We gave her a Friend Magazine, and she didn’t want us to leave as I showed her the pictures and stories. But, something we must have said apparently offended her mother, who got up and left the room while we were talking. Most likely, Megan won’t be going to Primary. We are devastated! Again.

This missionary assignment is like a Lagoon ride. We’re up, we’re down, we’re spinning around! But, oh how we love the Lord, and love these people! Please pray for Megan and James and Dustin and Brighton and Triston and little Baker! All precious children who long to go to church!

And pray for Elder Grandpa and Sister Grandma Holt!

 

Awesome Sabbath

Well, I am going to repent. I have had friends who want to know more about our mission, and I have been letting Elder Holt write all the letters home to our family. I can't catch up, but I decided to start with now---so . . .

August 4, 2013

 

Yesterday was a hard day. Saturdays usually are. People are always busy, and no one wants to make appointments with us, so we drop in on people that don't want to see us. But, the Sabbath is always wonderful and especially today! I taught Relief Society and showed a couple of the videos from the Missionary Conference "Hastening the Work of Salvation." There was a great spirit and I think many of the sisters are catching the vision. Then tonight one of the wonderful stalwarts of the church set up a teaching appointment with an 86 yr. old friend of his, a sweet, sweet born again Christian who loves The Lord. We showed her a couple of the new "Introduction to the Church" videos (on the LDS Gospel Library version 3.0 for iPad) which always bring the spirit in amazing ways. We shared our testimonies and left with an appointment for next Sunday. We will see, but oh she is sweet. She said the closing prayer and it was wonderful and powerful! Please pray for sweet Billie Dyer!

Amazing Two Months-Talking to Susan

We have been so busy, and I am so tired at the end of the day that I simply couldn't write, but I have been feeling the urge, so I'm going to try to do better.

It has been an amazing two months. I'm starting to call my husband "Elder Holt" but even more amazing we are both now talking daily to Susan. We spend a lot of time with her. She is very polite and has a pleasant enough voice, but too often we simply get frustrated with her. So we unplug her,  and put her away in the glove compartment of our car, because she can't find another address on the country roads we travel! More often than not though, we have to apologize to her, take her out, and plug her back in to get us home, because we are hopelessly lost with NO MOUNTAINS for directions here in Texas. We tried out the other voices on our GPS but Richard and Bonnie were too annoying so we hope Susan sticks with us.

Seriously, we have put a lot of miles on our little red Toyota searching for lost sheep. Some days it is discouraging like last Thursday when we put 99.6 miles on the car and only talked with two people who did not invite us in and were not interested in coming back to church. But, we have had so many wonderful experiences it more than makes up for it! I have a new favorite scripture:

 D&C 84:88 "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."

I testify that this scripture passage is literal! We have felt the spirit of the Lord so much in these last two months and it is so incredible! Every day, even on the days when it is discouraging, I feel our service is such an incredible honor and privilege! We have met some awesome people, most Texans are so kind and welcoming. I have a boatload of stories and I hope to find the energy to share them! Pray for us as we do for you. Love and miss you all!

Life is Fleeting

I was just putting on a pair of earrings my husband gave me about thirty years ago! I still have them, love them, they endure and haven't changed at all. It strikes me as strange that I can go to a museium and see clothing and other objects, some in perfect condition worn by famous people hundreds of years ago, and yet the fragile mortals who enjoyed them have long gone!

It reminds me of the scripture:

Jacob 7:26

26 And it came to pass that I, Jacob, began to be old; and the record of this people being kept on the other plates of Nephi, wherefore, I conclude this record, declaring that I have written according to the best of my knowledge, by saying that the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream, . . .

So it is with me. My life is passing like a dream. But when I was young, I thought surely all the new and exciting adventures would be long past by my age, and yet, here we are embarking on a very new, scary, and exciting adventure again! Texas we will soon meet!

Ya'll take care!

Mission Call

Well ya'll, we have received our mission call to the Texas Fort Worth Mission! We leave for the MTC on April 1st and will serve as Member Leader Support missionaries for 18 months. We couldn't be more excited and we realize the honor and responsibility we have to represent the Lord! I pray we can do some little good!

Born Again

I was reviewing some of my old files and ran across this one from last year while I was still teaching Gospel Doctrine in my old ward in Sandy. (I am especially missing my dear Sandy friends this morning!)

My Sunday School lesson was on being "Born Again" or born of the spirit. To be born again we must become like Christ—a pretty tall order! It is something impossible for the natural man to do alone. To be born again—to have "no more desire to do evil, but to do good continually!" (Mosiah 5:2) Wow! Bruce R. McConkie taught that to be born again is a process. Like any other process we "become" line upon line, little by little. How grateful I am to have the gospel, to have the privilege of attending church each week which feeds my desire to do good continually, and reminds me that when I don't do as well I want to and know I should, that I CAN repent!

What a wonderful reminder this is for me, and for all of us to re-examine our lives and answer the question posed to us by a prophet of God in the Book of Mormon: "Alma 5:14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?"

As I have been pondering "His Image" I read an article in Meridian Magazine today (last year) that is a beautiful example of what is NOT Christ's image.

From Meridian Magazine 1/28/11

Friday Minute: Hypocrisy

(Public face, private pain)

By Wm J. Monahan

"The energy it takes to maintain a public facade in order to hide a private reality is exhausting. . . Public facades are not limited to behavior, but also include hypocritical attitudes.

Maintaining a sweet attitude at church while being a sour puss at home leads to spiritual schizophrenia. Such a dual face is unhealthy. It is compartmentalization.

In the gospel of Jesus Christ, disciples cannot afford to compartmentalize. They must not have one face at the office and another at church. They must not justify bad attitudes as a boss that would be unacceptable as a parent or spouse.

When our public persona matches our private character, our smile is genuine and our attitude consistent.

The cure for hypocrisy is straightforward: any power or influence must be maintained “by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:42). Instructively, the Lord’s formula is non-hypocritical by definition, as in “love unfeigned.” (end of quote)

To have His image is to be SINCERE! It is to bring every part of ourselves, every public part—every private part—of ourselves into alignment with the spirit! My daughter-in-law gave me a plaque a few years ago that reads:

CHRIST

The center of our home

A guest at every meal

A silent listener at every conversation

It has been a wonderful reminder that if we could all live our lives so that we could share with the Savior every conversation we have, every book we read, every movie we watch, every song we listen to and still feel comfortable in His presence—isn't that wanting to do good continually? Little by little, with lots of prayer and practice, I hope my eyes can shine a little brighter each day with His love! What an example we have in our Lord and Savior!

You Can't Get There From Here

My daughter lived in Maine and she warned me if I stopped for driving directions while visiting, this is what I would most likely hear: "You can't get there from here." (That's because the roads were originally cow or Indian paths) It's a phrase you hear a lot in New England because they joke about it and apply it to everyday life. It has application in this story I love:

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

I love this story because it has so many applications in overcoming adversity, but it also has a practical application for life in general. When I hear people say, "You can't get there from here" I think well, it just means you can't do it THAT way.

A dear friend once told me that I could take $10 and make it look like $100. That's because I've been a donkey down a well so many times. I've also been told I'm creative, innovative, tenacious, determined, stubborn, and on occasion I've even been told I'm like this determined animal, when a matador waves that red flag at him!

"Trouble With The Curve"

We went to a movie Friday night. Ron was excited to see the baseball movie "Trouble With The Curve" starring Clint Eastwood. He was ready for an action flick that would "make his day." The movie was about baseball, but more than that it was about a young woman's relationship with her aging father.

I listened quietly while he voiced his disappointment at the crass language, and how slow the movie was, but he was surprised and taken aback by my reaction. I was mad. Really mad. I haven't felt that mad for a LONG time. Like Ron, I wanted action, but not pretend action. I REALLY wanted to punch someone. Specifically MY parents. You see I AM "Mickey" the daughter played by Amy Adams.

Mickey felt abandoned by her father Gus (Clint Eastwood) who sent her away at the age of six to live with an uncle she barely knew after her mother died. Then later he sent her to a boarding school, when all she ever wanted was to be with him, and to please him. What really made my blood boil was the fact that Mickey's father would NOT talk to her. No explanation—no reason—he just wouldn't talk.

To be abandoned is a terrible thing. It takes away a HUGH piece of who you are, not just as a child, but for the rest of your life. The worst thing is the feeling of not being loved. How do you ever trust, how do you ever really know you are loved, when the people who gave you birth just throw you away seemingly without a look back. Yeah, that's me.

The movie had a sweet ending. Gus finally opened up and let Mickey in—let her understand WHY! 

I met my father on only three occasions in my adult life before he died, and the last time he actually came to my home.  When I asked why, he freely explained some things—gave me a chance to see his perspective—to understand and begin to forgive. When I hit forty, during my mid-life crisis, I called my mother asking for the same thing from her. I just wanted to know what happened. I needed to understand WHY? She called me a liar and hung up the phone. I sank to the floor shaking and crying. From that moment I quit trying to have a relationship. In my heart I wanted—I NEEDED her to come to me, to call back—to talk to me! She never did. I learned to live with the fact that my parents truly didn't love me. 

If Ron was stunned at my reaction to this movie, I was even more so, because I truly believed that I had forgiven them. I went to bed Friday night very troubled.

Then I had a dream.

Oh, how I wish I'd had a pencil and paper on my nightstand like Elder Scott has counciled us so many times. I didn't, and I was too sleepy to go find one so I don't remember details, but I KNOW I felt the sweet, sweet spirit fill my heart. I awoke with peace, a feeling of being loved, and a phrase from Isaiah running in my head:

Isaiah 49:15  Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands . . .

Now, as I write, I realize that my anger is a stage of grief. I know about grief! I haven't stopped grieving over the loss of my parents love, but I have forgiven them! In spite of it all, I have had a great life. I have a wonderful husband, wonderful children, and I have ALWAYS had the Lord's love.

He NEVER forgot me! And that is enough!

Wonderful Wardles

All this busy day, while I have been shopping for Webelos craft supplies, (yes Ron and I were called as Webelos leaders in our new ward), I have been thinking of the wonderful Wardles. Darla and Robert have been our dear friends for thirty years, and all through those years we and three of our children have remained the best of friends, even though we only lived next door to them for six of those years.

We were privileged and blessed to live in their basement apartment this summer while our home was being built. We felt surrounded by complete safety and love! I can't imagine heaven will be any different than being surrounded by and associating with, such wonderful friends!

Thank you and God Bless you dear friends!

Mortality & Tile

We are nearly finished with the tiling in our new home! Yay! This is a picture of our dry fitting on the floor of our wonderful friends the Wardles we are staying with. They are so incredibly kind to us. We are so blessed!

 

In Tibet, ancient ruins of temples were discovered with walls of beautiful, colorful murals, which had deliberate mistakes or imperfections painted into the designs to signify the perfection of God and the mortality of man. 

 

Well, our tile has those—though not intentional. I might show an after picture, if I ever have time to take one. Anyway, now whenever I look at my tile I will think of the Tibetians, and rejoice in the perfection of my Lord, while recognizing my mortality and need for His atonement! (Man I wanted this tile to be PERFECT!)

 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tibet/painting.html

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