3001 Natal!

What is up family??

I'll start by wishing Scott a Happy Birthday and hope he has an awesome day! And remember that you are never too old to have a birthday party!! haha 

Things went way well this week but the week seriously flew by! It feels like I just wrote you yesterday! Anyway, yesterday we had a baptism of one of our investigators named Tiago! He's 18 and way awesome. We have been teaching him for the last few weeks and he was pretty stoked for his baptism yesterday! It was way cool too because his mom didn't think he was ready but he was convinced that he was totally ready!!  Both his mom and sister showed up for the baptism as well, which was so great.  We talked with them and are  going to try and teach them as well!

As for that family that we were teaching with the father and the three daughters, we still are teaching them and they are awesome! The dad hasn't been to church yet but he promised he would go next sunday! The daughters have been coming every week though, but the one we contacted in the street, isn't legally married so that's the problem we have with them right now. We need to get them married! Her husband is actually a member, but hasn't been to church for a super long time. He wants to return and he came to church with her, as well! Way cool because Renata was looking at pictures of the temple on google for an hour apparently and says she wants to me married in the temple!!  So, we will still work with them. It just might take a little longer!!

On Friday we had a meeting with the entire mission which was a surprise because no one knew about it!  It was so great.  Gosh President Pinho is so great! The whole meeting was about our plans for the month of December which is 3001 baptisms! haha crazy huh? The goal is all centered on the talk that Elder Ballard gave about how if everyone extended a hand to just one friend, the missionary work would double! So from now until the end of December, we will meet with two families everyday, active and less active, and invite them to participate and invite just one to come to the gospel. It was a way good meeting and it's so true! If every member invited just one friend from now until Christmas, the amount of members would double! Way crazy to think about that!  Everyone was excited after the meeting. President Pinho has a super good plan, really well thought out and inspired!  So the next few months will be busy for sure!!

As for mom's surgery, I have been praying for you for sure! I hope that everything continues to go well and that you can return to normal! I will continue to pray for you for sure! We get to go to the temple every 3 months so that's super awesome! We're not allowed to play any sports at all anymore!  This rule was set in place right before I got here, which is kind of a bummer, but it definitley has its reasons. A ton of missionaries were returning home with knee problems and stuff and the first presidency suggested no more basketball or soccer, so no longer! It's kinda hard because every church I've seen has a basketball/soccer court outside and they play on it a ton! It's good for us, though, because p-days are pretty relaxing and chill! Well have fun in Hawaii. That sounds like a blast! Man living the life!! Oh and someone asked about our bishop. He is so great and super funny! He is super good with welcoming new members into the church. You can definitley feel the love he has for every one! 

That's pretty much it for me. Hopefully I answered a lot of your questions!  Thanks for all the support and remember to take up Elder Ballard's invite as well; between now and Christmas, invite one person to come unto Christ! Super easy and the blessings that will come are incredible! 

Love you all! 

Elder Holmes