Back to the 'Hood'

Hi everyone.  In Nick's letter below, he references a talk that I sent to him.  It really is an outstanding talk.  For those of you who are interested in either listening to it or reading it, I am including the following links.   The message is inspiring and is well worth the 32 minutes!

1.  To watch the talk on youtube, click on.... http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1966&view=2

2.  To pull up and read the talk, click on ....... http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1966

Enjoy!  And as always, thanks for loving and supporting Elder Holmes.  He feels of your love and support, as do we.  

Love you all......  Carolann 

Now for Nick's letter........

From: Nicholas Holmes <nicholas.holmes@myldsmail.net>

Subject: back to the hood

Quick birthday shouts out today to Auntie Claire! Hope you have an awesome day on the 28th and that everyone spoils you like they should!! 

So this week was another week as usual. A crazy week that just flew by!  It feels like I'm writting e-mails daily, not just once a week, the way that time really flies by so fast! 

I think I told you about that family that we found recently that are super awesome! Well yesterday they were at church and they absolutely loved it! The wife, Claudineia, loved relief society and has already made a ton of friends. The gospel principles teacher (I think that's what its called in english haha) is super awesome and gave an really amazing lesson on the atonement!  She's this little japanese lady and she's so funny and teaches the class so well! It was a way good lesson and I shared a little bit of that talk that I love so much by Brad Wilcox! I read it once before the mish and then mom sent it to me and it's sooo good!  For anyone who hasn't read it, you gots to! The example with the piano lessons puts the atonement in a perspective that's so much easier to understand! Sorry to mom and dad for not practicing the piano as much as a should have! haha!  It's always a good thing as a missionary to have a good gospel principles teacher! After we had sacrament meeting and it was a super good meeting as well! So for sure they were feeling the spirit a ton! And their daughter, Geovanah, is 8 and she LOVED it so she will for sure help them continue to go to church! They are a super awesome family. The only problem is that they work and study a ton so we don't get to visit with them as much as we'd like, but for sure they will be baptized! The wife was asking a member what she had to do to get married in the church and got way excited to hear about the weddings! Both of them have a small problem with smoking but they will stop for sure! The only downer of this whole thing is that I was transferred so I won't get to help them through to their baptism! But hey, I'll recieve the blessings for finding them, right! Keep them in your prayers!

So yes I was transfered! Last night the secretary called and told me that I was transferred, which I'm way excited for, but at the same time sad to leave Embu! Embu is great and I will for sure miss the beauty but the favela is calling my name! I was also called as a zone leader as well! I've learned I have to be careful saying this because apparently here in Sao Paulo `líder de zona` is the same thing as 'a pimp'! haha! Not quite the same kind of zone!  I don't know where I will be transferred but I know that I will be opening an area, which adds a little more fun to the new responsibility! Tomorrow we will go to the mission office for transfers and I will figure out where I will be serving! Transfers are always nuts I love them! Elder Ely was transfered as well, and was called to be an assistant, so he left this morning, and his comp will just stay with us untill tomorrow! It will be weird not having Ely in the same house after 6 months together! But now he will be accompanying as a zl which is sweet!! 

Sounds like everyone had an awesome week this last week in the mountains! Sounded like a blast to have everyone together! And sounds like this next week should be filled with some fun stuff as well. Remember to send some pics! I know I need to get better with the pics, too. I'll send some next week! 

Remember that general conference is here in a couple weeks and that the general authorities prepare their talks for months! Make sure that you are all preparing yourselves spiritually as well, so that you can listen and learn to the fullest! Love you all!

Elder Holmes