Just Another Week

Dearest friends and family,

I hope you're all doing well. We've been extremely busy, but before I get to anything else, I need to tell you about the baptisms we had a couple of weekends ago!

First off, thanks for keeping Morgan in your prayers. She was not able to get baptized, but her mom did let her come to the baptism, and said that she can go to the Young Womens activities, etc. just not to the actual services. We are still trying to meet her mom in person but we have been having a difficult time. Continue to keep her in your prayers. The baptism was amazing and we took pictures which I need to upload as well. It was the best thing ever to see those girls come up out of the water, and see the smiles on their faces, and know that they are going to be truly happy through the gospel.

Now a little bit about how things are going in our area. I LOVE this area. The ward members are great and love coming out with us. The bishop is SO anxiously engaged in the work. He is doing all he can, including fasting and praying, to help the work along. He loves getting to know our investigators, and coming out with us as well when he can. There are also so many people prepared to receive the gospel. In a couple weeks we'll have another baptism of a man named Dolores who is SO strong in the gospel. He is at church every Sunday. He will be great. We've also found a less active family in which the dad and two of the kids aren't members. We just passed by one day and spoke to the teenage son, and the next sunday the entire family was at church for the entire 3 hour block. They came again last sunday and brought their less active grandma with them as well. We have been meeting with them, and have dates for the two younger children to be baptized (the older one is already a member), and are working on the father. I guess he's had several dates set in the past, but always backs out at the last minute. We'll see.

Our baby hermana is named Hna. Dewey, and she is doing great. She speaks great spanish because she lived in Chile for 2 and a half years with her family, so she definitely doesn't have any problems there. She is the most optimistic, happiest person, and an absolute pleasure to train. She seems to be adjusting well even though we've been working very very hard. She will make an excellent missionary.

Just a fun little side note-one of the members in our ward brought us some really pretty jewelry that they had brought up from Mexico. It's a set of earrings, a necklace and a bracelet. I LOVE it (even though I can only wear the bracelet because the rest is too flashy) because it is so authentic, and I have something to represent the people I have been serving.

Oh, and I would love it, if I could get some mail from y'all during the week. It's great to get emails from you on p-day, but p-day is usually an easy day for me, and it would be great to receive a little letter from y'all during the week to lift me up on those hard days.

Anyway, all is well, and I hope to hear from you all soon.

Sincerely,
Hna. Hollenbaugh

ps. if anyone who is reading this has contact with any of my students from my class last year, please tell them that I love getting their emails, but I'm not allowed to reply. In order to reply, I have to have their home address so I can write a handwritten letter. Thanks!