What a Week!

Well Hello Everyone!,

SO this week has been busy, We found lots of new people! Lots of more work and lots of little miracles :) This Sunday was also my performance at the visitor center with about 20 other missionaries. It turned out great, not at ton of people came to the second showing, but it was still great, there were lots of good things that were said, some of the songs were just super great, There was one by sally deford, called Because of him, it was a duet and it turned out great, then there was another that was called "I did not see, yet i believe," the Elder who sang that one was super great! he sang so great, and then there was another, that we all sang, which is come unto Christ, it was the youth theme song last year, it was our last song we sang together and it really turned out great, that was the main theme was Coming unto Christ in our lives! So yeah :) But now i have all my P-day time back, no more 3 hours cut out plus travel time in LA Traffic, it cut more than half of our time out!

This week we found 9 new people to teach, 2 of them cant read, have no true knowledge of anything except of the traditions of their family, then 1 is a 17 year old girl who is super cool and really wants to come closer to God, We found this old guy named *** who is convinced that Catholic is 100 % truth, and then We found this family of 5, 2 teenagers a mom, and 3 little kids. she was super fun to teach, because  she connected the dots herslf of the Restoration, and she had already heard the story of the Mayan history and how they have in their hieroglyphics, a story of someone coming and visiting them in white and coming from the heavens (ie Jesus Christ in Americas) and how  He appeared unto them, why wouldn't he appear unto Joseph smith! so It was great lesson. Oh and a family in our ward got sealed so that was fun! The *** family, they've been members for about 2 years and they finally got sealed. we went to the little celebration  on Saturday night and got dinner, but i think they forgot to plan who was going to serve the food, so when we were sitting down they grabbed us 7 missionaries and told us to help them serve everyone food, so we ended up giving like an hour of service then ate, then went back to our area, but then on our way back to the area, I ran over a nail, and it was in the middle of the intersection so i quickly just rode and then jumped off the bike, but it was too late, because i rode it flat, i got 5 other holes in the bike, so we just went back to the apartment, because i took the time to patch them all, it would have been too long and had to return home anyways. So i've been bike less since Saturday, today im using another bike that was in the garage, and then im going to go and buy new tires because mine are almost all worn out, my back one has like 3 chunks out of it and any little piece of glass or small throne pierces it and then i have to fix the flat. so that's that.

Thanks for all that you do for me! Thanks for your Prayers and love! I feel that Power every day. Sometime you think wow just a little prayer cant really make a difference, but I have completely change that thought being here in the mission. With Prayer comes the spirit. This week as we were walking around, 2 appointments feel through and so as were trying to heading to a former investigators house, I had the feeling to stop by and visit *** a young adult who had basically grown up in the church, So as we were walking by we stopped at the house and found her mom and her mom just starts talking to us and she told us she is a member, so we asked her why she doesn't come to church? She says she works and so we had a long conversation about how its so important to help her kids grow up in the gospel, so we hopefully have some success this week with her and find her in her house. But just little miracles or times when the spirit guides us is when i know that this truly is gods work, if we are doing exactly what we need to be doing and being diligent, then he will guide and put people in our path or put us in their path and let them find the truth!

I love you all!

Elder Hollingshead

ps. if you check out the visitor centers Facebook page, and maybe the mission blog, you might find pictures of the music event!

Zone Conference

 

April 20, 2015

 

Well This week has been... well.... its over. And yeah that's about it. we had the potential of getting many new investigators, but people just don't know how to keep appointments... its really frustrating. But I had a good change yesterday. That's why i love Sundays. Go to church, take the sacrament, pray and then move on. if anything ive learned in the mission is that the Lord is willing to forgive, if we recognize what we need to do different. So we repent. and move on. So thats what i know as a fact and this week there are lots of little things that i want to change about my thoughts and my actions. and mostly not letting my actions and desires change because of what others to do us or with their lives. Change comes with time, but if we never start we will look back to many empty yesterdays.

We did have zone conference this week, and we had a good hour long conversation about motives. Love vs. Duty.... many times both of these missionaries have similar results in an outward aspect, but the inward change and desire is completely different and we talk alot on how our motive to share the gospel changes others around us. If we get 20 conversations just to get 20 conversations, do you think everyone of those people are going to sense your true desire to help them out. But If you get 20 conversations because you truly want to help people out, they are going to feel it and in return actually grow in the gospel in one way or another. If you commit someone to come to church and promise them so many blessings that if they come to church "x" thing will happen in their lives, but we moan and groan about all the meetings we go to how are we supposed to help others see the blessings. Just little though/ desire processes can really change what happens in myself and our area. That was the biggest impact that was taken from zone conference. I love this mission! its been a blast ;) so many good memories. something that has really made me happy is seeing the change that has happened in the Hernandez family. Being back in the same ward is fun to see how people change over time. The Whole family comes to church every week. Ivan the Dad has the Melqusidec priesthood, The sons pass the sacrament every week! they share their testimonies in the class and it just brings Joy to me to see, how it really has changed me and because its changed me i see it change others! I love it all the time.

At zone conference i had the opportunity to play the EFY  medly as the missionaries sang along. But just Before that we watch the conference talk from Elder Holland, from oct 2012 about "the first and great Commandment" And in that talk it talks about exactly that love that we need to follow the savior! I felt the spirit so Much! I love That, I Know that God Cares for each and everyone of us!

I Love you All! hope you have a great week!

Love

Elder Hollingshead

Funny Happenings

April 13, 2015

Well again this week was not super exciting. we've had our struggles. My patience has been tried.... But don't worry about me, its the work of salvation and there's nothing bad about, it :0 I"m still having a blast, but just been a long week and many times i just was frustrated about little things. But today is good. I had a great fast yesterday and it really boosted me up today. The work is just slow, were really struggling to get those new investigators and so Hopefully It will pick up this week. thats what i said last week, but at least we have appointments and lists of people we can visit now. I Think the problem now is making sure they will be in the house. So yeah, were going on exchanges tommorow. So im excited and it will be good :) i love exchanges, not becasue i want to get away from my comp, but just to get to know other missionaries.  Anyways. Here are some fun storries for this week.

Last night, We get home at like 9:10 were putting our stuff down and then i sit in my chair and elder Delgado sits in his and about that same time, I feel a big jolt and Vibration, but only lasted for like 2 seconds. Now since i've felt 2 earthquakes before i knew exactly what that was, And so i told elder Delgado that it was an earthquake. He didnt believe me so we walked out side and then our neighbor also walked out and we came to the conclusion that it was an earthquake, but a really small one. So maybe in a couple of weeks we will have another bigger one. that's what happened last year.

Story #2. so we had dinner at a returning member family. They are super cool. and we get out there and their house is kind of small and there was no man so we just sat outside and had the carne asada, under the tree and porch. And after we were done eating, we were just talking and then we hear this rustling in the tree above us and so we kind of stopped and looked up so we could avoid being hit. we thought it was a branch or something that was stuck in the tree. I was looking up and i saw this brown thing that looked like a branch, come down and it was about 8 inches away from my head. then it hit the chair that i had been sitting in, and rolled to the ground. so i went to look down to see what it was and IT RAN!!!!! Needless to say, a rat fell from the tree and almost hit my head. it was about 6 inches long with out the tail.... The sister freaked out! because it landed right in between me and her.

Story #3. So this is not so much funny, but just a little awkward on what we both did. so we contacted this lady on the street, she was probably mid 20s she told us we could stop by on Saturday, we contacted her on Thursday. So we came by on Saturday, and she was like "im busy" so we just tried to see if we could get in for like 15 min. then she is like well its that i just had my baby on Friday..... Awkward. it didnt seem like she was pregnant, but apparently she was, and on Thursday went to the hospital the next day and had her baby.... And we had no idea and when she told us that, at first i didn't think she was telling the truth, but then i put it all together and believed her, but we both just looked at each other and didn't know what to say to her..... It was super awkward.... But we will be seeing her later this week.

But yeah, That has been my week! I'm so thankful for your prayers and Support! Stay Strong, and I hope you all continue to get things out of conference and keep learning From living day Prophets. I listened to a few talks this morning, and i learned even more things! its great, i love inspired people! its like God is talking straight to me!

Love you all!

Elder Hollingshead

Ok thanks so much mom. Oh and Elder Anderson is from Mesa??? i had no idea. Ill have to read that talk again, I remembered it being a great one that really spoke to me! Thanks for your love and support, ill always be grateful for it. My companion is the only member in his family, and i really see a good desire, but he still learning a lot. He was baptized end of may 2013, and so he really doesn't have much time as a member, but he really has a great testimony. I love you all.

Nothing Much

April 6, 2015

Well hello everyone! this week has been very uneventful. My new/returned area is alright they just had a bunch of baptisms, but there is no investigators right now, my comp is alright. he's  a recent convert and hes still learning alot, hes been out here for almost 5 months so hes still pretty new and he wants to leave the area really bad, so he hasn't worked very hard lately... so its a work in progress. Its been a long crazy week. We had conference and it was great. I really got a lot of things out of it again. I just love it. one of my favorites was Elder Hollands, Elder Bednar, and President Eyring priesthood.  I really got a lot out of it and the great thing is that I really wanted to learn about the atonement and how i can better apply it in my life, and there were lots of talks that talked about that. it was great! Sorry I really don't have time  to email to day, My companion had an interview with president and then i had music rehearsal so we have about 3 hours to do everything else. thankfully president let us email up here at the mission office :) hes the greatest. Then also It was super great to see a bunch of people from HP again. the Hernandez family was super excited to see me again and he got the Melchizedek priesthood. they are progressing super great! Basically the whole weekend was just conference. 

 

I hope you all enjoyed conference! it was great! i love it so much! And thanks for all the pictures of the new Addition to the family. I hope everything goes well with them!  

I love you all so much!

 

Elder Hollingshead

"Mini" Missionary

Well this week was interesting. we had some pretty fun crazy time. we went on 2 exchanges and it went well. both of them were with trios because there are now 2 of them in the zone. So I went with 2 of the elders in Hollywood and it was fun. they had a super cool couple that got baptized super fast and they are so cool and I feel like he was teaching us, he really just was ready to have the gospel in his life. we literally taught The commandments and laws and ordinances in about 70 min. it was a little crazy but it was needed to be done. Then the rest of the night up there was just crazy, they had their LA English class and then coordination meeting. then we had someone from the mission office call us to see if we could help him that night unload a apartment  and put the furniture into the truck. so we went over for about 45 min and carried couches and mattress and drawers down for him. Then the next day we met with ** and **, ** ***'s kids. They are 17 and 21 and are somewhat interested and so we taught them and set baptismal dates with them. It sounds like they are super ready, but ** is a little shy and doesn't like to talk to us a ton. so that's a problem, but nothing we haven't dealt with before. We also met with this guy named **. he came to church last week and seemed super cool. but the lesson went horribly he's a mix between catholic and Christian. which doesn't really make sense. He doesn't like to listen to us. and so it made the lesson super rough.

 

We haven't had any contact with ** and **. they seem to have lost interest. and they just don't want to meet with us. Were pretty bummed out about that. Then on Friday we got a mini missionary! so each of the stakes select a weekend in the year for the youth of the stake to stay with full time missionaries for a weekend. So we got this Tongan youth named ****. Yes that's a Spanish name (his grandpa is from el Salvador) but he's Tongan. Its weird, but he was super cool. He wasn't so much a "mini" missionary seeing that he was bigger than both of us combined! not really but he was tall and big. Funny thing is that he's going to go to USC and it was right in our area. So he got to see the ghetto side of USC. Then yeah, he didn't speak Spanish so he was a little lost the whole time. but he did have fun. so that took some time out of the area. But yeah we had a fun weekend. Then this week we are going to have 2 special MLC's one for the new video the church is coming out with. and its about easter. so its going to be just like he is the gift. then on Friday. a 70 that overlooks lots of southern CA missions is going to be in visiting the area so we are going to have a council with him for 3 hours on Friday. its going to be Awesome! were excited. and then this sunday is transfer call! so Lets hope I stay for one more! I really hope I do. but I know that saying that is just going to curse me and then im going to go.... so were just going to have to see!

 

But yeah, we did get to go to the temple this last week. and I just love the temple! its such a spiritual place! sometimes when missionary life gets busy and we don't have too much time. I always forget to remember the little tender mercies that happen through out the day. One of the things i'm starting to do as of right now is to write in my journal (because its usually ever other or 3 days) I know that's horrible. But at the end of each entry to write down a tender mercy, or a cool story/spiritual experience because I think when we notice them then give thanks and keep them sacred we remember the lord more and how this is his work and everything is from him. So yeah That's my little note today! I love you all and hope you have a great week!

 

Love
Elder Hollingshead

 

***'s Baptism

Well this week was pretty awesome! it was really packed full, but It ended great! ** did get baptized. I baptized him, and it went great! The spirit really was there, and he really was happy, also his wife. she really loved it, she also said that her daughter **(who we taught a little bit this week) is the next baptism. she came to church and seemed to enjoy it. She's a senior in high school and she has a lot of interest in reading the book of Mormon. So yeah that was a great day. we did 2 exchanges this week! One with elder Solano! he's really fun! we had a blast that day! and then with elder Wilson, he's funny. it was really fun. Then also on Wednesday we took like 4 hours helping a companionship out because there was a mid cycle transfer so one missionary left to Torrance, then another came in! so that took a while and then I had to go pickup my bike and  sadly its in pretty bad condition. I knew I shouldn't have left it behind... but I think it just needs a good tune up and it will be in perfect condition. the breaks are shot and it could use a good lube, but overall I think it will still work. But the question is what am I going to do with it at the end? I don't want to sell it because I still want it, but shipping it home costs a lot, but whatever ill figure that out later!

 

The work is doing great! we got 5 new Investigators! and one of them was a miracle. we only had 4 during the week and early Sunday afternoon. so we kept going around and we were down to last 30min and we had just a few more people to try, and as we were going to the last couple. we saw this lady that came to LAE and she waved so we crossed the street and shared a little message and then set another date to come back and she seems really good to teach! so that was a miracle and we got the 5 NI! Prayers work and as long as were diligent we find the blessings!

 

I wish I could write some more, but I'm out of time, we went to a Korean BBQ and it was great, but It took a long time and we need to go pick some missionaries up to do something else real quick. so yeah I just want to let you all know that I know this is Gods work and It truly does bring lots of happiness and I Hope You all feel that everyday!

 

I love you all!

Elder Hollingshead

Prayers

Dear Everyone!

 

Well This week has been pretty busy.... but good. So yeah Tuesday we had MLC, so that took all morning and then it went an hour long so we didn't get back to our area till almost 4, then we had LAE that night so it just took all of our time.  Then Wednesday we were really busy just trying to do some work in our area. then, at night we had a good lesson with Juan cazares. he is super cool! and we taught a little bit more about the book of Mormon and  its importance. Then we had a good lesson with Lesly, she's doing alright, but keeps getting busy with her sick daughter and so she hasn't been able to come to church. Then later that night we had a lesson with Myrna, It was good, but she got a little confused with everything so we told her to read the book of Mormon and it would make more sense, and she did and then we called her back a couple of days later and she said it made a lot more sense! So that's why the Book of Mormon is so Key! Because when people read it, it makes sense. SO yeah, then the next day we had interviews with President. So we got there early to set up, then we didn't leave till 4 so again, it was a rough day to get work done. Then that night we came back, and we both had forgotten that we still needed to plan for ZTM the next morning..... We tried to plan it out, but our minds were so fried and dead we couldn't get anything to make sense so we prayed a ton and then finished planning in the morning.  Thankfully in the morning our minds were refreshed and we quickly planned it out and in 30 min we then gave it back to the zone. It was a little crazy last minute. but it worked out and got a lot of good comments. 

 

Then we went on exchanges, I went with elder Santos, he's a great elder, and his companion is struggling a little bit, but he's working hard, so we had another lesson with **, we watched the restoration video and talked about the word of wisdom. All is good, He's super ready and then we had a great lesson with the ***'s! this is one of the first lessons where they didn't argue in the lesson, It was really powerful and we taught about the importance of prayer. They all committed to pray morning and night everyday! That was about it though, we then were talking and realized ** is super ready and so there is no reason we shouldn't move the date up. So we talked to him last night and he is all for it, so he is going to get baptized this weekend! yeah super quick, but he is ready and really wants to do it.  So we even asked president on what he thought, and he said go for it, if its what he wants. So that's what we did. Then ** and ** both came to church! they are progressing pretty well. And then yeah we have just been busy with meetings. Then also we are closing down LA English. its not very productive anymore so president told us to shut it down. so 2 more classes and its gone. never again will it be heard of.... not really but at least for a while.

 

Well I love you all so MUCH! thanks for your support! Keep Praying, and praying and then pray more because it will be of the Greatest importance in this life!

Love, :)
Elder Hollingshead

Singing in the Rain!

Well not actually singing in the rain, but it did rain and I did get to sing this morning.  it was weird... and awesomely fun! I miss choir so bad. but its ok. Fun story though,  one of the missionaries in the choir is from phoenix and he actually was in Allstate our last year and was in the same choir as me. It was that awkward moment when you probably met someone before, but never realized it until like 2 years later. But yeah he's super cool.  Then also it rained a lot last night and made LA super cold. So hopefully it warms back up a little bit :0 I'm going to die when I get back to AZ...

Something Super cool! so our zone was selected to try out a new Book of Mormon Contacting. So there is a Member in the Palos verdes stake that was a mission president in the Finland mission and got home the end of last summer. He is So cool and he had this super cool way to contact with the book of Mormon that completely changed their mission. That mission was have very little success and by the end there were so many changes that it make the whole mission super cool! So In Chapter 5 of PMG there is a list of Questions that the book of Mormon answers. They are called the "questions of the soul". so what we do is take that list and make a copy and put it in the front and then have people select one question and then give them a book of Mormon to read and answer their own question. But yeah. so we have been trying it out in our area. its alright. so we are the test group and we need to give a presentation tomorrow at MLC,  so that will be fun. So that is our fun new thing this week.

But yeah so we set 2 new baptismal dates, and they both seem super solid new investigators. ***. he's super great, has had lots of dates and missionaries teaching him before, but he recently got cancer and he was told before one of the surgeries, he might not live and he realized he was never baptized so he wants to get baptized now and he really seems more into it and not just a one time thing, he wants to live the gospel. He's really great and he came to church! and then we met with this lady named *** she is super cool and actually is looking for a church, she got baptized like 6 months ago, but after that the church moved locations and it is super far so she stopped going and started to not like some of the things the pastor was teaching, but then she saw us and wanted to talk and so we talked about the restoration and committed her to be baptized and she sounds like she really wants to come to church. Its so Great! so that's what's new. Hopefully we continue to find new investigators with this new contacting strategy.

This week its been hard sometimes. I feel like there are so many things that have change about me, but the more changes that happen, the more I realize that there are so many other things I need to change and it kind of gets overwhelming.  So now it just a thing to put those things on a list and make a good plan to study and work on each an every one of these goals. I hope that it will make a great finish to an awesome Mission. But those 5 or so months are going to go by fast so its now to work on and make it all better.

I love you all! I hope it all goes well this week and get some of that cold weather we got :)

Have a great week!

Elder Hollingshead