Week 1 in Olhão! (with pic!)

Bom Dia Familia! 

This week I stayed in Sacavem until Wednesday with Elder Leung, saying goodbye to some investigators, and then Wednesday morning we went and picked up our greenies! Elder Leung received a finalist on the voice. I can’t remember his name. I received Elder Macedo! He was born in Brazil, lived in Orem for 5 years and then moved to Spain this past year, so he speaks english, Portuguese and Spanish. He is helping me a lot with my Portuguese but at times it´s a little difficult to understand his Brazilian accent! They use lot of different words over there!

We took our bus to Olhão, and got thrown into this whole white wash thing! The sisters in the city helped us out a little on where our area is. The elders before left us 2 couples and a lady they were teaching to get in contact with. We did some visits here and there this weekend and it has been fun getting to know the members of the ward and trying to set some things moving! There is a good amount of youth here. The church and the members seem to be really excited for missionary work right now which is awesome! We taught a couple, Domingos and Maria, who have been waiting for their marriage papers to arrive. I believe we will baptize them this transfer, after we plan a little party for them and all this Friday. We also taught a couple of lessons to some less actives and made some friendships with them. This week I´ve felt a lot of responsibility thrown on me with my new comp, training, new area. This area is a part of the Algarve, like my old city Beja, so it seems likes it’s a little harder to find people to teach. It’s more similiar to Beja than Sacavem. We just have to keep the faith and our Heavenly Father will lead us to those who will receive us. Elder Macedo is a good missionary and teaches well. I’m trying my best to make it a good transfer for him and have things planned!

Saturday we moved a recent convert Sonya to a new house which was kinda fun! We don´t always get to do too much service so I´m always excited when we have that!

Sorry this email is a little jumbled! Anyway my new district includes Beja, Tavira and then Olhão. Elder Veiweg, who lived in the same house as me last transfer, went to be comps with Elder Sutton in Olhão and elder Sutton is our new Zone leader. Beja is 3 hours away so the missionaries in Beja have to either skype in or phone call in for our district meetings! President did a lot of mixing up this transfer. Elder Macedo and I live in a good apartment in a poorer part of the town. We are ready to see some baptisms this transfer! Lots of kids, going to work with them, and super excited for Christmas! 

This week we arrived in Olhão and didn´t really have anything to do for thanksgiving, but I sure did think about all the things I´m grateful for. My list doesn´t stop, and it of course starts with my family in first place. I think about you guys every day. I want families here to have the same thing we have, through the great gospel of Jesus Christ. I remember a while ago, mom challenged us to just offer a prayer of gratitude, and told us how amazed we would be with how long our prayers would end up being. It´s so true. I love you all and love hearing from all of you!

Elder Holmes

Foi Transferido! Um Marcado Também!

Ola! So this week was a little diferente and I am being transfered, again haha! President is doing like 14 whitewashes and is going to have me train! I think the kid I am training, Elder Barreara, is from Portugal, which will be good! He will help me with my portuguese, but we will see! He might be... and then it´s all on Elder Lee Sauce´s portuguse with my little verdino! haha We are going to go to Olhão! Which means ´´Big Eye´´, apparently. Yep back to the Algarve (where Beja is). Should be good! Bummed to leave Sacavém though, and here is why!

This week Elder Leung had some practices on his violin for this Concert they are putting on in a branch here in Lisbon next week on thanksgiving day. So we went to some practices a couple times this week, we also baked some cookies for Dulce´s son Telmo (who is the cutest thing ever, dang mission rules I can´t pick him up or tickle him haha) Which was fun! Had some good lessons with her and she seems to be progressing!

Another good part of the week was our lesson with Saní! He likes to talk a lot, and at times it is a little tough to get a lesson going but he shared with us how much we meant to him. We had called him the day before, and just said how we would really love to see him, and apparently that comment really hit his heart hard. Made him feel worth something. Love the guy and he made us feel like we are really touching lives here and there. I guess we do more than we think we do!

The highlight of the week though was our good friend Mario! He was contacted by the missionaries some 35 years ago or so. He remembered the missionaries when Elder Leung and another comp contacted him a little bit before I got here. Anyway, we passed by his house for the first time this transfer, he let us in, and we had an awesome lesson with him.  He came to church, as well, and loved it! I have loved the members here who really do a great job of including our investigators in the lessons, making friendship with them, and just over all inclusive. He loves to talk and was telling us after church sunday night how he now knows where it is, loved it, and will be there at 9:30 the weeks to come. We were talking a lot about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and pretty much he just started asking us when and where he could get baptized, how Christ was baptized. Literally an elect! So crazy that he was contacted so long ago, and that is why he let the missionaries talk to him again when they recontacted him several weeks ago. Excited for him to be baptzied this sunday, even though I´ll be in Olhão!

Anyways! Excited for a new transfer. The church is true. This week I read a lot in my free time about sacrífice. This mission is a sacrífice, but like I said when I gave my talk in church before I left, we sacrífice things to show our love for our Heavenly Father. And I do love my Heavenly Father. Everyday, the little sacrífices I make, show my love for Him. He has already given me everything, I now need to give some back.

Commitment to him is the Key.

Elder Holmes

2 Weeks Worth from Sacavém!! (with pics!)

Bom dia America!    (E-mail from today - November 16th).

I hope it was a great week for all of you and that you’re ready for another great one! Here in Sacavém we had a good week. We moved out of our coackroach and fly infested house into a house the sisters used to live in (so yeah it was pretty rad. Quotes on the bathroom walls to lift your spirits, everything clean, not like the Elders Houses, and all these cute things that girls just do! haha  Elder Hansen and I were like 'These are girls that we want to marry, makes the apartment look all cute', but Elder Leung and Elder Veihweg thought it was a little too much...haha) Anyways, the new house is good, I went on a division with Elder Veiwheg in my área which was a good day. We helped this guy with a big jug of water and food up to his house, and he ended up taking us up this Hill around a corner into this little back of the world Africa! It was sick! Awesome view too with these little home-made houses and cottages. Very humbling too for how some people live, and yet they keep the happiness in them.

This week the highlight of the week was that nosso amigo Ulissus came to church with us and seemed to really love it! The ward was sooooo nice to him I was so JAZZED. Literally everyone was introducing themselves, talking, joking around and all and really including him in the lessons. He was even making some awesome comments. One of the members leaned forward and game me a thumbs up during one of Ulissus´s comments, to say pretty much ´´yeah this is a good guy who could be a great member here.´´ Going to keep working with him and get him a date to get baptized. Keep him in your prayers. After church we had  we also had lunch with a member named Joana who had the raddest view of the valley with the Rio Tejo in view. So beautifu. it´s the little things like that the remind me how awesome this world is and just makes it so clear that there really is a God.

In my studies this week and in Church, one thing really stood out to me. While studying about the family, I was Reading 5 things that the Church really encourages us to do with our famies that we believe will truly strengthen them. They are Family night, family prayer, family scripture study, going to church together, and service together. I was like wow! haha I did all those growing up and look at the family I have now! Thanks mom and dad. 5 things so simple that you really applied into our family that truly grew our family closer together. I may not have seen the the long term importance of them at the time, but now it is apparent how much those 5 things truly bond the family unit. The family is definitely under attack right now. People don´t seem to see the importance as much anymore, or even the happiness that can really be brought through a strong family. Sad because family is everything. The most important thing in the world. And here, even though I miss my family, it´s great to realize how blessed I am. This gospel really DOES strengthen familes.

Love you all!

Elder Holmes

E-Mail from November 9th......Sorry I never posted this.  I was out of town!

2 Weeks Down in Sacavém!! And I´m liking it here. This week we had a great Zone conference, President Tavarez came and taught with Elder Leung and I, and we did a division with the Zone leaders! With presidente we went to a man´s house name Saní who´s wife is a member, and a lady named Dulce who has been investigating the church for like 20 years. In both lessons, President just talked about Baptism Baptism Baptism and the temple that is going to be build here in Portugal! In our área actually, and how great of an experience it will be for these families to be sealed for time and all eternity. He is such a spiritual guy and has a good amount of energy. Smiles and all. During the lesson he got Saní up to just give the guy a hug it was super fun. I learned a lot with President and it was an experience for the journal for sure. I learned I need to talk more about baptism in my lessons from the beginning. It´s the first step they will take in this gospel and it is an important one!

The rest of the week, we had some good lessons with Dulce and her family, a little with Sani, and with Ulisus. Sadly none made it to church and so Ulisus can´t get baptized this coming Saturday but we are still working with him. He is such an awesome guy and he truly believes in the Book of Mormon and his teachings. He has a young son Alechandre who cracks me up and really likes Elder Leung and I! Going to try and do a family night with them this week as well!

Yesterday was great! Really like the branch her in Sacavém. Lots of members from Cabo Verde or Angola so yeah we stand out like sore thumbs! The branch is great! We had the opportunity to eat with the President Cavoco of Sacavém and his family yesterday. Super nice family. The wife Ceú studied at Byu business college and the sons are preparing to go on missions. So great to see families like them so strong in the gospel. President and Céu are both converts too the gospel! #goals

Love and miss you all. Sorry that my emails have been so short lately these computers here stink in Sacavém! Takes like a bajilion hours to load one picture!

Give cosmo and Koda a kiss for me! And a hug for my mom while you are at it!

Elder Holmes

Transferred!

Yo! This week was a little crazy! Monday night, we taught one of those families in Beja but they weren’t as interested as we were hoping. SO many people just love saying they are religious, but really don’t see a purpose in going to church and stuff. 

Then Tuesday is where it gets interesting! We had a district meeting just in our house, and then we got a call from The executives saying the I was being transfered to Sacavém! What the heck? I was thinking 'is this a joke?' hahah The told me "no its what the president wants!" I didn´t know what to think. We had a good last week in Beja and I was excited for this week to come. We had some good ideas. BUt anyway, I had about and hour and half to pack up all my stuff and take the 2 hour bus to to Lisboa! Edson picked me up at the house (our recent convert that I sent you pics of!) and I enjoyed talking to him right before I left. He is SO strong! He was showing me all these messages he has been having with less actives, his written plans of trying to grow the missionary work amongst the members there in Beja, and all that stuff! He is such a boss! I love the guy and am going to miss him. I gave him one of my BYU shirts and told him to stay strong. He´ll be the president or bishop one day.

Anyways, it was so weird leaving Beja, but even weirder getting to Lisboa, meeting my new comp Elder Leung (good missionary, chinese). This place is SO much different than Beja! Literally a ton of people are letting us in, and I think I taught more this week than I taught in Beja all together. DIfferent as well though because with the people here it’s hard to get them to have real intencion. Our area is a ton of Angolans or Cape verdianos. Pretty much everyone is black. It’s also the area that the temple will be built on. But that is Sacravém!  Anyways the ramo seems pretty strong! I liked the presdeint a lot and the counselors that we got to go do visits with and ate dinner at one of their houses yesterday, as well.

Probably the funniest night of the week, but the weirdest as well, was saturday. Lapas, a ward in lisboa, held a halloween party for all the people in lisboa, but pretty much majority to grow the ward of lapas. All the missionaries were invited from lisboa, so we had like 30 missionaries or so, a ton of food, costumes, music, bunch of members, non members and investigators, and just totally different than my misison experience. I never dreamed last Monday while I was in Beja, that I would be teaching all these lessons and having this huge halloween party (which by the way, I made those oreo cookies and they were eaten faster than you can say boo! haha Literally they were like the treasure of the night! Everyone was asking me how to make them). Not going to lie though, this week has been kinda a culture shock, and weird, kinda hard at the same time. Right when I was getting the feel of Beja, im transferred. I come here and am teaching all these lessons, but it’s so different. All I can say to myself is that I did my best in Beja, and my Heavenly Father is Content with me. I think he knows I learned everything I needed to learn and now it’s time for a new journey. Anyways the halloween party was fun. The president was there with his wife and daughter. He talked to me more there.

Wednesday we had a zone conference with president Tavarez and when we were leaving, he somehow caught me and told me why he transferred me. Apparetnly, Elder Leungs companion has been really sick, so they transfered him to Benfica to be closer to the hospital and with the executives. He told me how Elder Leung is a great missionary, and how he wanted him to have a great missionary companion as well.

This week, we taught an awesome lesson to this Ulysses guy about when Christ came to America, and the first example he shared with us was how he was obedient to the Father, and how we too, using christ as our example, need to be obedient. He accepted to be baptized on the 15th, and seemed super excited. We even had a member there who bore his testimony about his baptism and how special and clean he felt, and the spirit was so strong! Going to teach him tonight hopefully and see what happens.

Anyways, I could write a book what happpend this week, Today we also went to Alvarca, had a buffet with a bunch of elders there at a chinese restaurant! We actually did something on my pday for once! There wasn´t much to do in Beja! I feel like I’m in a completely different mission now! Anyways, so much is on my mind, i´m doing well but just a little flustered with the week. I liked the week, I like the new area, just getting used to the new things, seeing all these elders, hearing all these new things I never heard in Beja, and just seeing how other elders act. It’s all very interesting!  Anyways, I’m excited for this area and ready to give it my best!

I love you all.  

Elder Holmes

Just Mixing it Up Here!

GOOOOOD MORRNING UNITED STATES!

Always so weird to think its like 4 here and and like 10 in the morning there! Hope all is well and everyone had a great week! Here in Beja, it has been raining a lot. It isn´t as hot though as it used to be, and this week was definitly a different one!

The other elders were in Lisboa all week because Elders Simpson is sick, so we had Beja all to ourselves. We have been thinking of things to do differently here, as it has been very difficult to find new people to teach.  So this week we took some time to think of some fresh ideas! We decided to put service cards in a painting store. We also decided to pass by a hospital and ask for any service or if we could put our name and number somewhere (weren´t too successful with that. Apparently there is some Portugal laws mumbo jumbo haha) We also started teaching english every Thursday and Saturday night which was fun! And my favorite of the week, we are trying to make more friendship with the people here, especially the youth. We were thinking of things we could do to promote english class, so we decided to cook 50 cookies, print out pass along cards for english, and just go out and talk to kids and give out cookies during their lunch hour!  It was a little strange at first to us and to them, but by the end, the kids were loving it and throughout the weekend we kept running into kids that waned to talk to us more. We are hoping in the future, after more friendshipping with them, and maybe some soccer playing, we will be able to teach their families and bless their lives. A little longer process, but hopefully we will see fruits in the future! We are thinking of doing the cookies again this week, and not going to lie, THIS STUFF IS TOTALLY ELDER HOLMES! hahaha! I was laughing with them, messing around about Justin Beiber, and let’s just say that I liked it. Here in Beja, the missionaries have been here for a while and that is why we need to mix it up a little bit! 

Anyways, we taught a student here at the college, Nelson, probably 25 or so this week and he seems pretty interested. He had already recieved a book of mormon when he grew up in Largos, so maybe this is the time. Seemed interested, felt the spirit, and are hopefully going to work more with him this week. These other two families we contacted might have some potential too! We have one lesson with one of these families tonight and are trying to schedule the other family later in the week. We contacted one of the families by really just playing with their dog (haha)  It was a shitzu, and looked exactly like COSMO! The guy loved talking to us. Even talked to him about shitzus choosing one master and how Cosmo chose my mom and how whenever I was home alone with Cosmo, he loved me, but the minute mom walked in the door, he would book it to her! This guy said how true that was with his son, and I even showed him a picture of cosmo and koda and then testified about eternal familes. Potiential I think! The other family, who we are teaching tonight, some older elders had contacted them. We found them on the street one night this week and talked to them for a while. By the end we were laughing. The little girls thought we were funny, and when we were walking away we heard them say how nice we were. Melted my Heart. 

This week we also learned how to make rice!! One of the girls that came to english class, her mom owns a restuarant and is friends with our member Antonio! We have been befriending the daughter and now the mom and so we were asking her how to make rice that doesn´t stick. She gave us her secretes, we made a 5 star rice bowl one day, and thanked her by bringing her some cookies. She was pretty pumped about it to say the least. They are always so surprised when we say we made the cookies! I guess we are just trying to grasp the hearts of the people of Portugal with Momma Holmes' Cookie recipe! They sure don´t have them here in Portugal!

Edson gave his testimony in church yesterday and just killed it! The guy is incredible. It´s like they should just make him a bishop already. He is supposed to move back to Brazil here soon though but I just love the guy. Had a little lesson with him last night as well in president ruberval’s house. He is already doing a great job sharing the gospel and is even trying to help less actives come back to the church. 

This week was a good one! Hopefully it will be a great one this coming week as well! Trying things new. And having fun! Being myself. The gospel is so true and truly blesses lives. Love you all!

Elder Holmes

Never Give Up!

Olá familia!

This week not toooo much happened in Beja besides Tuesday night!! Edson Melo, who has been investigating the church forever, and has all his kids and friends in the church (kids in brazil, friends here in portugal) got baptized!!! It was such an awesome experience and I was just so happy for him. He isn´t in our area, but I´ve had the chance to teach him while on splits and while the other elders have been sick or what not, and have just created a relationship with him at church every sunday and even around Beja! He is such a great guy and Tuesday was a special night for him. We, the four elders, had the opportunity to sing ´´Nearer my God to Thee`` at his baptism, and we had a decent turnout of members that got to come for it. 

On Sunday, the other Elder´s were in Lisboa (because Elder Simpson has gotten sick), so we got to assist in giving Edson the Holy Ghost. What an amazing experience and so awesome to hear president Rubervale afterwards welcome our newest member to the Branch of Beja! President Melo was there as well, the 1st counselour of the district of Algarve, and I absolutly love talking to him. He lives in Largos, where elder Collette serves, so I got to talk to him a little bit about Elder Collete, and our work here in Beja. From the words of President Melo, when talking about missionary work here, he just said to never, ever give up. It will come. And to keep the faith. If I had a penny for every time a door was slammed in my face or someone told me they don´t have time or don´t want to hear it, I´d be a pretty wealthy man! (But I am kidding myself — portugal doesn´t use pennies — so it wouldn´t mean anything here in Portugal... but I´d have a pretty sick penny collection CBEAR! haha) 

It is true though. We don´t stop. We keep looking until we find that family. Something I read this week was about a swimmer. How an incredible swimmer says "I kick when I don´t want to kick, I Stroke when I don´t want to stroke!´´ That is what we do as missionaries. We keep going. Sorry this email is so short, but I sure love and miss you all!

Elder Holmes

Take a Step Back and Sharpen our Blades!

Olá Family!  What’s up? Thanks so much for the e-mails.  What a week you’ve had.  On one hand, I am so freaking pumped for Christian!  That is SOOO awesome!  On the other hand, my heart is so sad, just thinking about Rachel’s mom.  I will for sure write both C-Bear and Rachel today!

We had transfers today and Elder Sutton and I are staying in BEJA! Another Elder got transfered out to be a Zone Leader in Setubal so Elder Simpon will be getting a new companion, Elder Sorenson. And Elder Sutton will be the district leader here in Beja! Time to have another great transfer and work hard and smart!

This week we did some more with some less actives and had a good week! One of our less actives sons had a birthday so we baked him some cookies and they were very appreciative. They have a nice family, and hopefully they will be able to have a family night with us tonight with President Ruberval and Sheila!

We also had dinner with another less active named Maria and also our recent convert Antonio! We thought we were just going over there to give her a spiritual thought but we got there and she had a feast prepared for us! haha nice lady, and Antonio seems to be loving the church. I think he really sees that the church is a family and it has truly blessed his life.He has so many more friends and so much more guidance in his life. 

We had a zone conference in Faro again this week on Friday which was great! Just learned more about how to work better with members. President is really stressing the importance of this. And of course, we had to eat at good ol' micky don dons after (MCDONALDS! hahah). Nothing like a fine american hamburger! Elder Braga was very complimentary of my portugese for 2 transfers and asked what I do on my pdays, if I just study the language all day?? hahah I think he was beefing it up a little bit but the language is coming, slowly but surely. Trying to talk as much as I can! My training is done though so now I don´t have as much time to study the language, which I am a little bummed about!

What else, I did a division with Elder Dorius saturday and it was great. There is this man named Edson who all his kids, who live in Brazil, are members of the church, and he has been an investigator for 15 years. He goes to church every sunday and he has all his friends as members. He has been waiting to be baptized in Brazil, which he is leaving for here this month, but Elder Simpson and Dorius had really been feeling that he should get baptized before he leaves. Elder Dorius and I had a lesson with him on saturday that was very powerful and he is keeping all the commandments of God right now. We shared how we know that he has a choice to make, to get baptized before or wait until Brazil which might be harder. He came to church and decided that yesterday wasn´t the day for him, but after talking to his son on the phone, he has decided to get baptized on Tuesday! I am soooo pumped for him. He isn´t in my area, but I have taught him several times and he just cracks me up all the time. I love the guy. Fun to see friends take their first steps in the Gospel. Tuesday will be a good day for Edson and the branch here in Beja!

Lastly, I want to share a story Elder Empee told me at zone conference. He shared how there were 2 men having a race of who could cut the most logs in half. One man decided that he was going to go all day with no breaks, just work, work, work. The other man decided he was going to take 10 minute breaks, sharpen his blade, have a little snack and overall, just have a better time. While the first man’s blade was getting dull and you could tell he wasn´t having the greatest time, the second man was cutting through the wood like butter, with a smile on his face all day. The second guy ended up winning the race. I liked this story a lot because sometimes as missionaries we think "just work work work", but at times we just need to take a step back, sharpen our blades, put a smile on our face, and then get back at it. Not only as missionaries, but just in life in general. Alright, enough with Elder Lee Sauce´s story time. Haha

Love you all and miss you guys like crazy. It was a good week and looking forward to seeing miracles here in Beja this transfer. 

Elder Holmes