Week of Miracles!!!!!

Well this week has been pretty good.! sorry rephrase that It has been AMAZING!!!!!! you would not believe all the awesome things that happened this last weekend. Where to begin.... Well the *** family is going to be baptized this next weekend. that is, if all goes right this week. but I have no doubt it will. I'm actually very excited for them, I've seen them change so much and I really know that all they are missing to be closer and better is the restored gospel. Its so true that the gospel changes lives. I know it. Also we met with The *** family! so this lesson was kind of a do or die lesson. we were both nervous about it, we both wanted them to start to progress, but they just haven't. so we laid down what we want, what they want, and what they need to do. The lesson actually was going in the wrong direction, we were kind of out of things to say, they started to argue a little bit (** and ***) and then it got quiet. for about 30 seconds. we just kind of sat there and they he looked at us and asked "what goals?"  so from there it was him, we told him what he needed to do, and then we started talking about how he can do it. First off was to get a marriage license. we set a date for the 31st of this month. Also we talked about Tabaco. we didn't get too much goals set, but he did agree to work on it. And they took us to church the next day and they stayed for all 3 hours.... so we are excited but, its going to be a while. But we also had a super awesome lesson with Sandra Sanchez. we brought the other familia ** in our ward. The lesson was sooooooooo powerful. we talked about the plan and focused the last 2/3rds of the lesson on the atonement. We just testified of the power and ability the atonement has in our lives. it was awesome we finished the lesson off with "because of him" the Easter video from the church and they we talked about the visitor center and we will be going this week sometime with her. She also came to church! it was amazing! I love her so much, And she reads lots every time. she read 6 chapters. not even the members do that! That's why I know this is something she wants.

 

We met with ***, she is doing good, just busy so she hadn't read the book of Mormon, so that was sad, but we read and stressed the importance of reading and also church. So it was good, but she doesn't feel ready for her date in  a month. then, we also found an awesome new family. I cant remember their last name, but its *** and *** and their 4 kids. They are super prepared. they both hate the catholic church, and want to find truth. we taught the book of Mormon and they all accepted it immediately. they believed it should be true without even reading it. so that was good, he actually contacted us on the street and we had a very long conversation about the second coming and the signs that are passing, but we told him that we believe we have the true church and a prophet and he was interested and so we passed by. we were afraid he was going to pull us on tangents the whole time, but he didn't and when he did It was actually something important and needed to be addressed. So yeah that all happened from Friday to last night. Super good end to a slow beginning  of a week. so yeah.

 

Thanks for all your love and support. I really feel your love for me out here. I hope you all have a great week! stay strong, keep up the great week. I hope everything goes well with Wayne and Ruth this week and their family. I'm so gald to hear that she is doing much better and I hope it continues to go well.

 

Love

Elder Hollingshead

Dear Brother and Sister Hollingshead,

 

Elder Zerin Douglas Hollingshead has been called to be a District Leader in the California Los Angeles Mission.  This assignment has come to him because he has exhibited high qualities of leadership, demonstrated his obedience, and gained the trust of his fellow missionaries.  In this leadership position, he will be an example of conduct, appearance, and performance to his fellow missionaries.

 

As a District Leader, Elder Hollingshead will supervise the activities of between 4 to 8 Missionaries in his district.  His responsibilities will include demonstrating and teaching missionary skills and attributes to each member of his district.  One of his most important responsibilities will be to interview candidates for baptism to determine their worthiness for this most significant ordinance.

 

Sister Weidman joins me in extending to you our sincere appreciation for your fine son. We realize that your example, training and love have contributed in large measure to his success as a missionary.

 Sincerely yours,

President David N. Weidman

California Los Angeles Mission

Hola Todos!

Hola Todos!

 

Well this week has been BUSY!!!!! First off, transfers are this week and......IM STAYING!!!!! and my comp is staying also! So that was good to hear, because I really like him, he’s super cool. but the new big news is that I’m District leader here now...... that one took me by surprise. but I guess it’s what the lord wants, because that’s how transfers are done. Anyways so this last weekend was great. Lots of good things happened. Well first off, we got 2 new baptismal dates. and these people are awesome. One of them was a self referral. It’s an amazing story. It’s weird this area has its good weeks and then a bad one, then some even better weeks then a slow one, but every time we have a good week there are just miracles after miracles. and just like another missionary said not too long ago here. A miracle is a direct consequence of obedience to the laws of GOD. and its sooooo true! anyways so ***. She is super awesome. So she was diving down the road and saw two missionaries and stopped in the middle of the road and then gave them her info and told them she wanted to be taught. So we got the info that night and passed by then next night. It was great! She is extremely prepared and the funny thing is that same day we had training in zone training meeting about setting baptismal dates. So that afternoon we set a baptismal date with Her! She is so awesome. Every single question she had, the restoration had the answer. As my comp said as she started talking. She was really"screaming the restoration" which was true. We stopped by the next day and she was thinking about the message and she said she was thinking and feeling peace she hadn't felt in years. Also we got a new investigator a week or so ago. We also set a baptismal date with her. She is super humble and loving and really wants the best. She really likes to learn and always smiles when we are there! Her name is ***. Then we taught *** and *** then area also awesome. We shared half of the plan of salvation and then focused on families after. She was super excited and loved the fact that we lived with god before. she was like "wow this makes so much more sense, it makes me feel so much more important" she loves it and the more we visit them the more they want to meet with us and learn. Again they are humble. and all the cool people we teach are humble. It is something I have learned here on the mission the importance of being humble. Now I will not say I’m perfect at it. but I do know its role and importance in the gospel. The *** family is doing good. They are super ready we finished teaching the commandments and they took everything just fine. They actually asked about tithing and then we explained it. They are so fun and then they invited us for dinner on Saturday so we had a great fun carne asada this last weekend. but we had to push the date to the 26, so that is sad but I’m 99.99% sure they will get baptized and then also that the whole family will be ready by that time. The kids are super cool. and the youngest will turn 8 on the 26th so hopefully she will be baptized too. So yeah. Everything will go good with them. 

 

so yeah. It was weird, my trainer is leaving the mission also elder tramel and elder roberts who was my day one companion. It’s so weird, but I guess that’s always what happens in the mission always new ones coming in and old ones going out. but anyways. I hope everything is going well with you all. I hope you all have a great week. Time passes fast, that’s all I know, Next thing we know it will be Christmas but yeah. I love you all I hope you all count your blessings and really see all the miracles that happen in your lives because there are always some, maybe not big nor life changing but Small little acts that let you all know that God is there and He loves us all, and has a specific plan for us all. I hope you all Have a great and wonderful Blessed week!

 

Love 

Elder Hollingshead.

what a week!

Hello everyone

 

well this week was very interesting. needless to say, I think the weekend was great and hard.  Conference was great! I love conference! There were lots of talks that were really special and helpful to me. In fact my whole personal study today was reading notes and making goals and 1 hour was not enough time. but anyways things were good.

 

to start off this week was hard. it was hot again, so a little tiring. we started off doing splits on Tuesday so I was not in the area for the whole day, but the day with Elder Mansell was fun. Its so weird to me to be on splits with your old companion who is now your district leader.... anyway we had a fun time. Wednesday we went and saw the rest of the meet the Mormons movie. It was really really good. the movie got better and better as it went on. the last part was extremely powerful. so I encourage you to see it when you all have time. after the movie we went and visited **, and he is doing alright I guess, defiantly not progressing, and he's going to Utah for 10 days for a hunting trip.... so not much of him for a while now. we also saw ***, and they seemed really interested again so we were pretty excited, but after our second visit the next day they seemed turned away for some reason. we watched the restoration video with them on Thursday. and it was super powerful but they just don't understand what we teach, they still don't understand the book of Mormon and we have talked about it so many times.... its frustration, so we will keep trying them, but if they don't start progressing soon, they will have to be dropped.  quien mas..... oh we also taught Lilia and Pablo 2 times this week, 2 days in a row. they really got interested after we taught them the book of Mormon, and even though they didn't read the entire chapter, she understands a lot! he does a little, but he is more than willing to let us pass by and teach about God. the Hernandez family are doing great, we are going to start teaching the kids this week, and then they should be baptized by the end of the month. its weird but he has changed 100% its crazy, I don't even understand, other than he has felt the spirit and knows its true. for the first month and a half, he was just kind of there and didn't really care, he listened but put forth no effort. but now  when we asked him if he was ready for his baptismal date (the 12th) he said he would get baptized but he wanted to come to church one more week. so it will probably be the 19th but hopefully we get the 2 older teenagers to join in and listed too. I'm so happy for them, every lesson is amazing because they love learning! but overall its been good this week.

 

Just keep us all in your prayers, especially for my family right now! The work of the lord will continue, and that's a fact! I love conference and there were many talks that we very needed for me. I loved Elder Christofferson. and also both of President Uchtdorf. They both inspired me in many ways. I hope we all take the time to study conference and learn more of what it means to sustain and listen to a prophet. I Love you all! Keep it up, and keep up the prayers, because I KNOW THAT PRAYERS WORK! Have a great week Everyone!

 

Love

Elder Hollingshead