MTC Week 6 - The Blessings of Patience and Obedience

YEEESSSSSSS! I get a sweet brother in-law!  Good job Eric!  Now just hold off the ceremony for 23 months ; ) Nahh. That's awesome.  The missionaries here in the computer lab gave a little cheer when I announced that to my companion.  I'm happy Christmas was good for a lot of people.  I bet it was a really weird not having everyone there but you better get used to it : ) Everyone is slowly moving to the next step and Mom and Dad have done an awesome job in teaching us and guiding us.  I am more than happy to say that I can say what Nephi said in 1 Nephi 1:1 : )  Thanks for all you do and I love you guys.  I miss you all but in  good miss.  Not a bad one where I cry in bed all night :)   I am sorry to hear the sad news.  It's a sad thing but there is good in it.  I don't understand His plan as much as I would like to but He has a plan and we just need to have faith and courage.  Thanks to everyone who sent Christmas cards : )  I miss you all and I will do my best to get back to you all.  This last week is going to be crazy busy but I will find time.

So, this Christmas was unreal.  It was probably my favorite so far.  The only thing that could have made it better was if you all were here with me.  Christmas Eve was an awesome night.  We got to hear form Elder Evans of the 70.  He and is wife shared the perfect message for a Christmas Eve.  It really made me think of others and what I could do to uplift those I know.  They spoke to us about communication.  How vital communication is.  He shared us letters he and his Dad exchanged and how while he was on his mission he read things he had never known before.  His wife shared her story about her first Christmas away from her Elder Evans.  He just left on his mission and arrived in Japan 1 week before Christmas.  She waited Christmas eve staring outside waiting for a package she was surely going to get.  She watched the snow fall and as time passed, her hope of getting a package was falling with the snow.  It had become dark and the amount of snow that fell was so great that there was no one outside.  No cars or walkers.  Her Dad informed her of the news that it was dead outside.  She felt very sad.  She knew that Elder Evans, who was her bf at the time, was probably busy seeing how he just arrived in Japan but she had such great hope that he would send her a gift.  Well, it got pretty late.  There was no way that anything was coming anymore.  She went to bed with her Christmas spirit dwindled.  In the morning she lay in bed, not too thrilled to start the day.  Her Dad entered the room and sat on her bed.  She thought she was going to get one of those loving, "suck it up" kind of talks.  Instead he told her he didn't know how or when it happened.  But when he went to go and shovel the walkway in the morning, he opened the door and and there stood a box from Japan.  He didn't get to say anything else because she was already running to find the box.  She brought the Japanese Doll that Elder Evans had bought for her that Christmas day over 40 years ago.  She explained how important it is for us to keep going when we feel like there is no sense to keep going.  Like that delivery driver who may have spent all of his Christmas Eve delivering every last package on his route so others could have the Christmas they deserved.  It really hit me that these obstacles come into play before us nearly every single day.  I have found that progress and joy is doubled when we do things for others.  It is a different learning experience.  One I am coming to realize is how we truly progress.  The more we learn to do things for those around us, the more we will learn.  Thinking outwards like Christ did in Matthew 4.  After He fasted and was most definitely fatigued, he was being tempted by the opposition.  He had gone through things that we can't fully comprehend.  As we get to verse 11 we read that Jesus knew that John had been cast into prison. Now, Christ has been fasting for a significant amount of time, He has just had a showdown with Lucifer.  I think it's safe to say that He is not likely feeling 100 percent.  Go back to 11 and look at the cool "a" above the word "and".  Travel to the footnotes and read the Joseph Smith Translation.  Even after all he went through, He sent help to go to John.  He was thinking of others, even with obstacles in His way, to help someone else.  That delivery driver that brought that package for Sister Evans did the same thing.  Even with it being Christmas Eve.  Even with the roads being the way they were, that delivery driver sacrificed and thought outwards.  Look at the result.  He made a young girl's Christmas.  Elder Bednar has an amazing talk where he taught a little about the character of Christ.  This being his example of thinking outwards.  So......think outwards and put others first.  I can promise you that you will notice a big change in your progression just as I have seen awesome things happen as I have done this.  

Ok.....for the best part.....CHRISTMAS DAY!  Christmas day we had a talent show sort of thing.  A lot of these missionaries got some amazing talent.  It went from a yiddish bottle dance to, an organ player, other musicians and then a magician!  So cool.  We ate dinner and then went to the Christmas Day devotional.  We got to hear from..........................................Elder..................................David Bednar!  Yes!  It was so cool.  There is no doubt in my mind that he has been called as an Apostle for this people in these days.  He has such a cool way to teach you.  He gave us a 5 minute quick lesson.  Those 5 minutes were short but the things that we learned were great. After he did something that he had never done before.  He had an ipad with him.  He then gave us a phone number.  He then handed out 200 phones to the audience.  He was going to do a question and answer thing.  If you had a question, get a phone and text your question to the number we had.  He would then be able to see the questions on his ipad.  He answered some pretty hard questions but in ways that one could understand and apply. After he spoke everyone left and started walking back to the classrooms to speak over what we had learned. my companions and myself walked out of the  gym doors. We got outside and couldn't move.  People were being instructed to wait for Elder Bednar to go by.  Some missionaries after waiting for 5 minutes or so asked if they could go back into the gym and head to class.  They were allowed.  Some missionaries hopped up and over the retaining wall and tried to get by the security.  They made it but that sucks for them.  I didn't know why people were standing. I thought it was west campus waiting for a bus so I tried getting a shortcut to get on the side walk.  They BYU police informed that I had to wait for Elder Bednar to go by.  I said ok and was asked to come stand in the front of the group.  So I did. I lost my companion in the crowd.  Well, we saw people driving by and waving.  I was looking for Elder Bednar to be driving one of the cars.  I was looking and looking and then bam.....there he was.....walking.....towards us.  He smiled, cracked a joke and then changed his direction directly to us.  I was standing there...he walked up to me, read my name tag, and then shook my hand......I got to shake Elder Bednar's hand after he addressed me by name!  To make it even better....I got to be the very first missionary that got to do this out of the group.  I felt bad for those that disobeyed the security or didn't have the patience to wait.  Elder Bednar shook every missionary's hand that was there; probably about 50 missionaries.  That was a special present that I got that Christmas Day.  Wow.  Overall.....it's safe to say that Christmas here in the MTC is exactly what I expected it to be but even better.  I don't understand how missionaries don't like the MTC.  They must not like missionary work or haven't figured some things out.  

Love you all, 

Elder Holt

MTC Week 5 - Vrolijke Kerstmis!

Some of the new Zone

So, it's Kerst Avond hier in de MTC!  Love that we have our p-day on this day.  We were able to give our teachers presents yesterday filled with candy we had left over and thank you cards. We got another 'Investigator" so now we're doing 2 a day.  Our new investigator seems fairly dutch, believes in something but not necessarily a God and she's really happy with her life.  It was hard to find out what she needed but we are slowly making progress.  This week has a been a good one. 

So remember when I said how Elder Strickwerda and I were asked to demonstrate "how to begin teaching" for a large group of missionaries by speaking with investigators? One guy we got to speak with in front of this group is an amazing guy.  He he is in his 60's I think.  After we opened his feelings up, enough for the other missionaries to invite him to come unto Christ, Elder Strikwerda and I were asked to move to the back where we would watch.  It was hard to not have the chance to speak with him.  I really wanted to learn more of his life.  

When we demonstrated for the new missionaries we learned that he was born in 1949.  He is a Vietnam Vet. and is married.  He lost his leg and is an amputee. You are probably thinking he lost his leg in the war......he did not.  I am pretty sure it was in the 1990s when he almost died from an artery clog or clot in his leg.  This almost killed him .  When  he arrived at the hospital, the workers there called his wife saying that he might not make it.  I think a couple of the doctors there figured if they amputated his leg he could live so that's what they did.  After the surgery he had machines and tubes that allowed him to breathe, kept him alive, and he could not move.  In the sheet that we acquired that tells us about this man it mentioned he had a friend  who hooked him up with the Missionaries.  As we tried to find out about him and his life we eventually asked how he met this friend.  Before he almost died and had his leg amputated, they did not know each other.  This woman was shopping the day of his surgery and was inspired to go to the hospital and find him.  She had never met him.  She did not know anyone who knew him.  She called her husband and told her she was going to be late going home because she had to go to the hospital and find a man named *.  She did just that.  She was going through the hospital looking for him.  As she asked one of the nurses where a man named * was who just had surgery he called and said, " I am he."  Only family was able to visit but this woman was allowed to speak with him.  As she entered the room and pulled a chair beside his bed he pushed the button to raise his back so he could sit up. For myself,  it is very hard to understand what people are going through if I have not experienced it myself.  I don't know what they are going through and I don't know 100% how they feel.  That is what makes the Atonement so amazing.  Our Savior knows exactly what we are going through and because of that, He knows what we need. They started talking.  I don't know how the exact conversation went down but it got to the point where she removed her metal leg and put it on the table beside him. For the next couple of hours they talked and cried.  She told him why she was there.  She told him that his Father in Heaven, God, sent her there.  He came to know God.  He sees the blessings in life.  When we asked him how God has blessed him in his life he stood up and walked in a circle.  When he sat back down he replied, " I can walk."  He also shared with us that God took his leg.  God took his leg so he could help, through his message, other people.  I have yet to fully ponder on his words. God took his leg so he could help, through his message, other people....he learned how to walk again.  He learned how to dress again.  He learned how to walk up and down stairs again.  He learned how to shower again and he learned how to drive again.  He is an incredible man.  From that 5-10 minute exercise I was intrigued and had the desire to know more.  I was given that chance yesterday.  As I was walking into the cafeteria, I saw this man walking towards me.  I waited and when  he was close enough called him by name and asked if he remembered me.  When we got close he recognized my face.  We talked very, very briefly and I asked where he was going.  He replied, "walking." I invited him to come eat some lunch with my zone and me.  He at first said no but I told him to check what the cafeteria had, today was a good day of eating.  He looked, saw shepherds' pie and agreed as long as I was going to help him with his tray.  We got his food and then sat down at a table with the zone.  We talked about what he liked to do.  He is an artist.  He paints.  He loves to paint landscapes and sculptures. He also goes to elementary schools where he teaches children how to paint. He has been painting for not his entire life.  In fact, he started painting I think 10 years ago or a little longer than that.  Not long.  He shared a question he asks to the kids.  "What do you use to paint?"  Of course you say paint, a brush, paper or something like that.  He says, "your eyes."  You have to use your eyes to see what the objective is.  He then spoke about the desire.  He was given the chance to help others and he acquired the desire.  He was given the opportunity to walk and he learned because he had the desire.  He was given the option to learn how to paint.  He couldn't have done it if he didn't have the desire.  This has made me rethink of what , "wanting to do" and "having the desire" are.  Made me think how they are different.  I want to serve a mission.  I want to help others by sharing what I have found has helped me be happy in life.  I really want to but do I have the desire?  Like....do I really, really have the desire.  

I am grateful for this man.  I now know why God "took" his leg.  I am beyond happy that he has followed the direction that he received from the Heavens.  He truly does help people.  I hope we can all find out what God wants us to do.  I am more than positive that my time here in the MTC was the direction I was to go.  The things that have been brought to my attention are things that I never gave thought to but are so important.  I hope that we can spend our time thinking over the word desire.  I hope that we can spend time thinking what God wants us here to do.  We the know the general answer which is becoming more like Him, but what's in between the lines for us.  We always have a meaning.  It doesn't matter how old we are or what we are and what we aren't good at.  Some things to think about.  

Vrolijk Kerst!  Ik houd jullie van en Ik hoop dat wij een geweldig kerstmas hebben.  I probably didn't get the structure or spelling right but I think that's pretty close : ) Tot volgen de keer!  

Elder Holt

On Christmas Day...

 I love and miss you and hope you have an awesome Christmas : ) We had an amazing devotional last night on Christmas Eve.  Made me really feel the Christmas spirit.  Our speaker, Elder David Evans, spoke about communication.  It is so important how we communicate with people whether it be with our words, actions or gestures.  Communicate that which uplifts and does not corrupt.  He also brought something up that I think is so important.  If we read Moroni we can read epistles, letters, that are written from father to son.  Elder Evans shared some letters he and his dad exchanged while he was on his mission.  It gave me the thought that words that are written stay still and in place longer than words that are said.......I know....deep eh!? haha Basically it's nice to receive letters letting you know that you are appreciated.  I am going to start doing this more and I hope that you will start as well.  Gifts are cool but a heart-felt letter.......now that is a precious gift.  Write letters to those who have blessed you.  I know that it will help them and give them a little bit of that Christmas spirit. 

I want to say that my time here in the MTC is amazing.  I know I pretty much say that every time but it's true.  It's hard to pinpoint every blessing we have been provided when we are in the real world.  We have so many distractions whether it be work, school, tv, sports, friends.......pretty much anything.  Here in the MTC, I have been able to see blessings and been directed to things that I did not pay attention to.  I am one of those missionaries that knows that God is there and He is listening.  I haven't had a dream or revelation or spoken face to face with God but he has answered my prayers on more than one occasion and that is more than good for me.  I have come to know that our Savior, who is our greatest gift, is living today.  He bled and suffered so that I could right my wrongs and become a better and stronger person.  I sustain all of our prophets, apostles and church leaders.  We are hand picked by God according to our desire, diligence and love.  The more I read Het Boek Van Mormon, the more I can understand its realness.  This book is not a book of man.  The words are revelation from God.  It is important to show love to everyone we come across....just as the Savior did for many on this earth and just like He does for us everyday.  If you say that you can not see His love....you do not have the desire to look because I can tell you He does love you and he helps you more than you realize.  Share the same love that Savior has for everyone.  Say Merry Christmas to those you cross paths with.  Help someone with their groceries.  Spend a couple minutes and ask how some one is doing.  Be better than your best.  Some of us are very fortunate to know that we are loved by God so much that he sent his only begotten Son to fulfill the Atoning sacrifice.  Spread that message and love to those who do not.  That is my favorite Christmas gift and I hope that we can all remember that If it was not for the love our Father in Heaven and His Son we would be a lost cause. 

I love you.  I miss you.  I am happy and I hope that you all are Happy.  Please don't get lost in the presents and the temporal things that really don't matter.  They are nice and I know that we are excited to get things but remember the greatest gift of all time : )  Remember what He did and what He does.  Remember why He came to the Earth.  I love Him and I can say from experience that He shows his love back.  All we have to do is ask and seek.  Vrolijk Kerst.

PS....I challenge all of you to write a letter to ones that you love dearly.  Write a letter telling them how much you love them and how grateful you are for them.

--Elder Holt

MTC Week 4 - Learning about Leadership

  From Left...Elder Holt, Elder Leon, Elder Strikwerda, Elder Ames.

So all of our Danes and Swedes have left to the field.  It's a sad time...even though we've only known them for the short amount of time here...the bonds that are created and going through many of the same struggles learning a language make it feel like we've been kicking it forever.  With this change Elder Strikwerda and I have been called to lead our Zone as the Zone Leaders here in the MTC.  It's kind of crazy how things happen like that. Since I arrived here at the MTC, I've been trying to learn how I can become more of an awesome leader. I say more of an awesome leader because being the older one of the group I noticed that what I said and did impacted how others acted.  If I allowed myself to take part in the activities that weren't bad but not really what my branch president would give thumbs up to, others would see it as acceptable.  The trend had the potential to become a zone thing. I was starting to see the "role" that I played in the zone even if I didn't have a called position as a leader.  I had to learn how to correct the things I had taken part in, lead by example and try my best to figure out how I could help the other guys see the same I did.  This was not easy...especially when being the "nice guy" wasn't working.  I learned that being the "strict guy" didn't always work either and sometimes the end result made it worse than before.  As I thought about this stuff I came to the conclusion, so far, that there are 3 types of leaders.

The first is the "Boss" type.  The Boss type leads by ordering people around. People are afraid of him and only do what they should when the "boss" is around.  He designates, sits back, let's everyone do everything and in the end gets the praise.  He then takes that praise and keeps it to himself not sharing the glory with those who worked to achieve the final result.  I kind of feel like the "Boss" leader doesn't have the relationship with those he is around because others see this as a sign of them being better than the others. Kind of a selfish type of leader.  Doesn't care for others but more about himself. I think that makes sense.  If it doesn't.....sucks for you because it makes sense to me : ) To make it more clear imagine "Scar" from Lion King......he is how I imagine the 'Boss" leader. 

The 2nd leader I would say is the leader that works with others and shares the glory but gets caught up in things that he has been called to prevent.  They lead but feel like the friendships with their group and what others think of them are more important than performing their duties.  They miss the whole concept of "leading".  They understand the importance of the feelings of who they look over and that we are all on the same level but that "leading" role isn't there. I don't have a famous name for this role but I feel like this is the most common "leader" we come across 

The 3rd leader is the leader that I refer to as the Christ-like leader.  This type of leader leads on the same level as everyone. They realize that they have a position to help others through example and helping them realize what should be done by this example and how they talk over problems. I wish I could write that better but I am not a scholar.  This leader knows that they can not lead properly just by ordering and delegating.  When we do this it is hard for the person on the other end to receive the drive/desire to want to perform how they should.  Think about it.  When you're told that you're doing something wrong and told to go back and do it again....you naturally want to kick them.  This type of leader thinks how those they are to watch over think.  With love, patience, and understanding they relate to them and without ordering  them; try to make a "click" in that persons mind that will give them that desire to do better.  They try and relate to them. They work and do what everyone else does and use their strengths to benefit those around him.  That goes with every type of relationship out there I think.  Whether it be a family member, a spouse, a friend, a neighbor, stranger, girlfriend, boyfriend, co-worker or your child.  It is important to help them receive that answer for themselves; to help them realize what is being done and then invite them to do better.  Sometimes sharpness is needed and it is going to happen.  That is our nature.  That is not really a bad thing either.  Remember that kid in the class that always talked and was super annoying....people would ask him nicely to be quiet and it would be like nothing was said?  Finally someone told him shut up in a louder tone....this caught the kids attention and he stopped?  Sometimes that is done but the more important thing we need to do is to go back with love.  Be the example.  With love recall the problem.  Recall what we, the leader, could have done better in the situation.  Help them to see what the problem was and this will bring forth the invitation to do better.  The invitation isn't , "I invite you to......blablabla".......no....let's be serious...that is beyond cheesy.  The invitation is setting a goal with the person.  I know you'll figure it out.

That became my goal; to not become the "boss", or the 2nd leader but to become the 3rd leader.  What has helped me to perceive how to do this is "our purpose".  Just in case you don't know what "our purpose"is.....here it is.  "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end."  Something like that.  I know it Dutch but the spelling is niet so goed!  Learning this and applying it to how I teach an investigator has made me realize more and more each day that this should be how I need at everyone.  It's not just a purpose for called missionaries...it's a purpose for all of His children. 

Sorry to end at this point.  Time has run out but I hope you all can think about "Our Purpose" and apply that to your daily lives.  It's a sweet goal and it will take time but it is worth it.  Wish Elder Strikwerda and I good luck with this new call. 

Ooooohhh....there is a Dutch Sister from holland here at the MTC!  She arrives today!  We're so stoked to go speak with her!  So exciting!

------------Elder Holt------------

MTC Week 3 - The Wall

Here at the MTC it has been going good for the most part.  We had an Emeritus of the Quorum of the 70 come speak to us instead of Elder Ballard and he did a sweeeeeet job.  We were all sad when we were heard that Elder Ballard couldn't make it but this guy said it such a good way.  He said, "...you think you're disappointed about not having Elder Ballard here.....How do you think I feel!"  Super funny guy and his message was awesome.  Sometimes those of us who live near a Temple tend to take it for granted. There are families and members that sacrifice so much to get a temple.  Some don''t even have the chance to get to one.  Message of the story......go to the temple as often as you can. 

I have hit my first wall in the language.  Feels like I haven't been learning anymore.  It really sucks.  Our lesson with our "investigator" started off really well but something happened and it turned to crap.  Totally didn't teach though the spirit.  Taught through my thoughts and allowed the lack of knowing the language to mess with my mind.  It's a frustrating thing but hey....I've come to see this "wall" as the Lord saying....alright....step up and lets get you to the next level.  I've learned not to forget all that I have been blessed with, to give thanks and to ask for that help that He wants to give me.  I guess that can be my message to you guys.  Remember Laman and Lemuel and how quick they were to forget their Lord as often as they did.  When times get tough focus on the good.  It's really easy to focus on the bad but is it rewarding?  No.  Focus on the good...remember the good.  Remember that through our Savior, and as we come unto Him, we can receive Joy, Comfort, Peace, and get the strength to push on.  It's an amazing thing to live knowing all of this. 

Another thing I learned is how important it is to live worthily as a priesthood holder and how much of an impact the priesthood has on people.  I say this because I got to give my first blessing to a sister missionary here.  I was scared but learned to have faith and remember that its His work...not mine.  To see the comfort and joy she received was definitely a testimony builder. 

Well, I love you guys and miss you.  I will work hard to have stories for you next week.
Til next time,
Love, Elder Holt

MTC week 2 - Full of Thanksgiving

Well....since I talked to you last, my Dutch has progressed very much.  We are on a new investigator and he is way harder than our first.  If we are confused and don't know what he is saying he kind of shows his frustration haha He is more outspoken and expresses his opinions way more.  I found out that I am older than all of my teachers except 1! haha  I have 5 teachers now so it is interesting to see how much more.....mature than me they are.  They know their stuff.  They speak very well.  Our newest teacher was our first investigator.  She spoke so well that we all thought she was actually from Amsterdam and attending BYU.  Turns out she is from Utah and started speaking dutch exactly how we are so it gives us even more hope. 

We had an amazing Thanksgiving.  To start the day we had a devotional.  The guest speaker was Russel M. Nelson....the dutchies were 5 rows away from him!  It was a really cool experience.  Like what Grandma Sutton said from her experiences with apostles and what not...you could tell when he was in the room.  When he spoke you could really feel the message and understand what he was saying.  It was an amazing experience and it's only going to get better!  With christmas up....who knows who we're gonna get.  After our devotional we had our turkey dinner....It made me miss our dinners at home....it was good...but it wasn't home made and the stuffing wasn't on as a high level.  After lunch we did our service project.  We made 350 200 and some bags of food for children who don't get lunches.  We exceeded our goal and I got to work with my friend from St Albert for the project.  It's really awesome to see people I know and to see how much we have changed.  Sister Rodgers from my YSA ward was beyond surprised when my district told her that I studied the most when it came to language and scripture....haha she knew me a month ago and found it so hard to believe but it just shows how much we can grow if we have the desire and ask for the help.  That reminds me of something Sister Nelson, Elder Russel M. Nelsons wife, said. She read a scripture and I have it written down in my study journal but the message was, It is time to put away the childish things and become the man that your Father wants you to become.  I loved that and that helped change my view so much.  Again, I have the best teachers ever.  We had an amazing experience about the importance of studying.  Our teacher showed us his mission study journal and that thing is beyond impressive.  He gave us tips on organizing...he showed us tricks when it came to scripture study and he showed us what you can become if you serve your mission not for yourself. Other than class, devotionals, and more class, not a whole lot has happened.  I can tell you all that humbling ourselves and just asking for help, showing our love by doing what He asks will help us in ways beyond what we can imagine.  I have learned that and continue to learn that every day.  Sometimes you don't see the progress if you look at your progress daily.  Being here for 13 or days and looking back at the experiences, what I have learned, how I have changed since I got here, are a testimony to that. Just like looking back at our progress in a long term sort of way, we can prepare looking into the future in a long term view.  An interesting thing that I am learning to do is to look at where I want to be in a long time...It will take time but it is possible.  I gotta go but I love you all.  Prepare for the long run...not tomorrow and remember what is important in the long run...not tomorrow.

-Elder Holt