E-Mail 1/28/2013

 

Dearest family,

  The last week was alright. But before we get to that you’ll never guess what I had to eat today. It starts with a D and ends with OG. That’s right this kid ate dog today. We made it our district activity because the Nigerian in our district is apparently pretty good at making. To describe it. It was tough and it kind of tasted like roast. It didn’t smell the best but once it got cooked out a little bit the smell went away. The only thing I really didn’t like about the dog was when I got a patch a of skin. The skin was not nice at all. I will admit I still had some trouble eating it. If we do it again I hope I’ll be able to eat it better. We had it with Agushie stew which was good and Eba. It’s actually really weird to see it cut up and things. Even though it’s right before your eyes it doesn’t seem like it’s real it seems like a halloween decoration. We ate and ahd alvaro and pretty much spent our entire P-day at the other elders apartment. The past week we actually did pick up a couple of investigators. We had sister Rejoice who we’ve known about for awhile but she’s hard to get to see and she always gives attitude. Then we got one yesterday who seems like she is going to be progressing as soon as we get in some lessons with her. She’s the wife of a less active member. I actually didn’t realize that she wasn’t a member until we saw them yesterday. I thought she was just another less active member. Aside from them just seeing a few people trying to figure out what we can do for them. We went on splits on saturday with nkanfoa. With elder willyerd and samai. willyerd came back to bakaano and I went to nkanfoa. It actually reminded me a lot of my first area asuoyeboa. That area could actually do really well I think. We’re still waiting on the new chapel in bakaano. I think once that happens either better or the same I’m finished with this area. Maybe it’s not good to think about but I want to get transferred. If I stay here that would mean Bakaano would probably be my longest served area on mission and I don’t like that at all. Mostly because I haven’t had enjoyment from this area. Sorry you guys have been sick. If it makes you feel better I puked last night. we were just eating some food and talking about whatever last night. Then like a piece of rice almost went down the wrong pipe and then two seconds later I puked out my mouth and nose. So that was nice. Then we finished the night playing Uno.It was fun. Nothing super exciting for this week. I hope you
guys better soon. Talk to you later. much loves.
This your son,
Elder Holder

E-Mail 1/21/2013

Dear Family,

  C’mon the weather can’t be that bad. Everything is going well. I’ve
just been thrown into thought these last two days. I’m not sure what
else to do for Bakaano. I’ve done what I could and now I’m just
waiting to see how things will work out when we move to our new
building. After that whatever happens I might just be finished with
this area.  The only problem with that is I’ll still have roughly
another month before transfers come again. And then there’s still the
chance that they’ll ask me to stay. I don’t think I’ll be able to do
anything more if that happens. the only thing I’m worried about being
this deep in thought is that I think everyone in the apartment is
going to think that something is wrong. They’ll start pestering me
about it. but we’ll see how this next week goes. Sorry you guys got
sick. I started waking up earlier to work out too. It’s actually
paying off. I can do the pec bounce move a little bit. It’s not too
exaggerated but I can stil do it. I’m going to be one sexy missionary
when I get home. Add that to being in Africa and Kaleigh will divorce
her new husband just so she can still hang out around me. yeaah!.
Anyways that means that either Garrett or Devin lost the slap bet but
I don’t remember who. elder Caleb is good. He just has trouble being
focus on what we’re supposed be doing here. He’s still just a bit
homesick. I need to figure out how to get him to forget those things
or I don’t think this area will go anywhere. As for investigators
that’s lookin’ pretty bleak still. I’m not sure if we should still
work on the members and build up strength in the branch or if we
should divide it and do half and half. Another reason I’m waiting to
see the new building to see how strong the branch will be after we
move. Well we got to get a move on so sorry to cut this one short.
Pray for elder Caleb’s family and I’ll talk to you guys next week.
Much love to ya.
sincerly the is am greatest missionary,
Elder Holder

E-Mail 1/14/2012

Dear Family,

  All is well. or is it? 2 Nephi 28:25. Anyways all is good. Ya I’m district leader and it’s going to be interesting. I looked at our numbers last night and I was like oh. I’m pretty sure my area has had the lowest numbers for a long time. Mostly because the work we’ve been doing has been things doing different things then those ones. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to help this district. I guess even the district struggles with a few less actives. Aside from that my new companion Elder Caleb is a fun guy. He’s different from any companion that I’ve had before. We’ve had a few shaky days already but I think we’ll make it. We actually have been able to keep the steady increase of members in church. We were still close to 80 this past Sunday. Which is good. My branch mission leader is getting really stressed because we haven’t been able to get new investigators. He’s super stressed about it. And no we haven’t moved into the new building yet. We’re hoping we’ll be in there by the next few weeks. It’ll help a ton. It even seems like just the expectation of having a new chapel is getting people to come. Just people knowing that they won’t have to spend money is getting them to spend money to come to church. It’s a weird concept. Hamatan isn’t as intense as that. Mostly it just gets cooler at night and our shirts and stuff get dirtier because of the dust. I feel like I have to clean my glasses more too. but they don’t envelope entire cities  and stuff. It’s just in general dustier. I won’t lie the storm Gandolf actually sounded awesome. Though I wondered why they would call it Gandolf. It Gandolf the grey or the white. I’m actually surprised I was able to pull a Lord of the rings joke. Aside from transfers we haven’t really had too much of change. Anyways thanks Kylie for getting that information for me. Now I just have to figure out how to do the sheets and whatever other stuff to make sure it happens at the end of mission. I don’t actually have too much information so I’ll talk to you guys next week. Love ya’ll,
Elder Holder

E-Mail 1/7/2012

Dear Family,

 The worst hash happened. I’ve been made DL of the district I’m in. NOOoooooo!!! I just didn’t want to be district leader here. I would have rather have gone somewhere else but I do still get to stay in Bakaano so I can keep working on it so that part worked out for me. Even with all the work we’ve been putting into this place it looks like it might be finally turning around. Yesterday we had close to 80 people in church. Which all the months I’ve been here before the holidays has only been 50 tops. It’s true that we had more during the holiday season but Christmas always gives a member bump. What made me happier is that a good chunk of those were LA’s, some we had been visiting for a long time and others that I’ve really only even met a few times. Our first counselor and mission leader have visiting people too. We hope that this will keep happening especially since we will be moving closer to our area soon. Oh and along with transfers Elder Willyerd will be leaving here to go work in the office. Which he’s pretty excited for because he likes to do that kind of stuff. My new companion is going to be Elder Caleb from Samoa. He had a lds.org spotlight or something. His dad is like a leading pastor in Samoa and Elder Caleb still got baptized and came on a mission. His dad isn’t too happy about it. A lot of his family are like in a way kind of disinheriting him or something like that. He’s having a hard time with it. That’s part of the reason he came to me. Soo I might be calling in a favor from you guys again. If you could be a proxy family for him and email him and stuff so he doesn’t just hate emails. I need to double check his email so if I need you guys to do that I let you know. Our secret combination did happen. And yes my card works. I spent some money already mostly because I owed some people some money.  yes I did get a haircut and I think I did rid myself of the waves. Yes, Elder Mthlane is in this mission but I don’t think I’ve met him. These last few weeks we’ve had hamatan. Where all the dust blows in from the Sahara which isn’t as bad down here by the coast but it finally hit us a little bit and the nights have cooled down alot. I actually put  the fan on a lower setting and pull the sheets up. Even this morning it was actually like cold when we woke to do wash and stuff. I had on another shirt for a good chunk of the morning. Now we’re just getting ready for transfer day. We’re visiting a bunch of people for Elder Willyerd to say bye to. Just wrapping up these last few days. the next transfer will be eight weeks long so that we can be on track with the MTC schedule. If I stay in this area for one more transfer after this one I’ll have an extra two weeks under it too.Eric is doing good. He’s called us twice this past week to ask us for some scriptures to explain things to  someone. The first time it was Word of Wisdom stuff at a friends house. Then it was apostasy scriptures and I’m not sure who that was for. He even came late to church on Sunday. Why you ask? Because he was bringing a less active and a former investigator to church. Eric is beginning to tear up the place with activity. It’s freaking sweet.  That’s all the big news this week.  Oh and as for my glasses. I’m not really sure how long they’ll hold up. They look like garbage right now. Half the paint is off so I have silver mixed in with black. Even I found a paint chip in my eye the other morning. I’m mostly worried that one of the screws in sides of my glasses are going to rust through again. but with what you guys told me I’m not really sure what we could do. I don’t think they really have contact things out here. Or even if I could get my eyes checked to get a contact prescription. I might have to go and try to get new frames but I don’t know how much that will cost or how fast it will be if my glasses do break. Just gotta hope I guess. That’s all I got. Be with you in always.
From the is am best missionary son,
Elder Holder