So last week elder Mejia went home, that poor guy, it is a scary world out there. But because I cant stay up here alone in my new comp got here the night before. His name is Elder Taukiuvea, he flew out with us to Mozambique. He is a transfer older than me, but had to wait a transfer in america for his visa. He is super awesome I only have one picture of us, but it is a selfie and not super great, so sorry. He is from logan and his parents are Tongan. But yeah, back to last monday, as it was elder mejias last monday we had a family night. It was super fun, we made a little campfire, and taught the jovems how to make smores, and then we set up the projector and watched conheca os Mormons, Meet the Mormons, it was a lot of fun. I also made some lemonade as we wanted to show them a couple of american things. But yeah, it went well, they brought a non-member and we will try to teach him as well. They got in a food fight with the marshmallows, not sure why as it had to have been super hot, but they did it nonetheless. Tuesday-thursday were pretty normal, we just did missionary things, and Elder Mejia packed as well. Thursday night we picked up Elder Taukiuvea, and on friday morning we sent away Elder Mejia, and then we got to work. We have made plans to work hard and baptize a lot. In our area as well as in our zone as we are the zone leaders. We are the smallest zone, but we made a goal to be the highest baptizing zone in the mission, so we have our work cut out for us, not because it isn't possible, but because we need to help the other missionaries find some faith. But we expect a lot of baptisms and we are excited to be a part of it. Sunday was good it was testimony meeting and we had a new family come which was awesome, we have been getting quite a few referral's as well, we are trying to get this branch divided, and we really think that we can do so. Yesterday was a holiday, day of the worker, and so the city shut down including our internet cafes, so that is why we are emailing today, but for my spiritual thought, here is something I was pondering about while our computer was getting fixed so we can do skype this weekend. I was thinking about the priesthood and the sealing ordinance, and the new and everlasting covenant. A few months ago a recent convert of mine received the Melchizedick priesthood and we visited him later and elder stewart commented, there is such a different feeling about the house right now, I didn't pick it out, but it was there. I started thinking about my situation and how my father the priesthood holder passed away. While I still held the Aaronic priesthood, I thought the higher priesthood and its influence had left our home. I looked forward to the day I would be ordained and the priesthood could be back again. Only now looking back do I realize that although the holder of the priesthood was gone, I never felt the influence of such priesthood leave. I recognized today the power of the sealing. Although my Father was not physically there, he and my angel mother are sealed throughout time and eternity and even now as they are separate they are still sealed together and to us. I recognized that my mother blessed us through the priesthood, not by the laying on of hands, but through the authority and decisions she took as she presided in her family. Finally I realized how grateful I am for a mother who understands the priesthood so much that she delegated some of her rights and authorities to me(calling on people to pray, and things like that) that I might learn how to exercise the priesthood correctly. Now back to my thoughts of wanting the priesthood in the home again. I did, receive the higher priesthood, and about 3 weeks later I left my family and for a while I thought that its influence would not be there again. But I learned today that I am wrong. I am also sealed to my faithful mother. Who through her faith will continue to preside in our family by the power of the priesthood. While she doesn't hold it, she exercises it daily, as she pleads the Lord for blessings for me and my siblings. As she makes decisions for the benefit of our family, and as she through her faith, prayers, and righteousness puts a protective barrier between our family and the influence of the adversary. So with this weekend being mothers day, I express my gratitude for a Mother who took a step of faith in being sealed in the Temple of The Most High, to my father, a lucky man to have her. I thank the Lord for a mother, who taught me a lesson about the order of the priesthood, a lesson that took me years to learn. And for a mother who today lives righteously enough that we her children receive constant blessings as the Holy Priesthood blesses us through her righteous use. In todays world many women ask for the priesthood, even some women who have participated in the Sealing ordinance, not recognizing that one must not possess the priesthood to call upon it to bless our family. So in todays world I ask for more Gina Holt's. Women who are courageous, faithful, loving, virtuous, trusting, honest, kind, women who understand and/or have faith in Sealing ordinance, women who dare to raise children in todays world with faith in the power of the atonement, women who have a personal relationship with our Savior, women who can put up with children like Elder Holt, women who respect the order of the Lord, women who keep on trying, who never lose faith, women who love their children enough to punish us, who take the disrespect that comes from ornery prideful teenage boys and turn around and tell us they love us that same instant, and women who are genuinely amazing in every aspect. Call this a Missionary's Tribute to a mother, but I do not have space sufficient to write how I feel about or how much I love the Angel I know as Mom. She has dealt with this old boy for 19 years, and she still loves me even more than I love myself, how I dont really know. A lot of missionaries talk about marriage and the girl they want to marry and how hot she will be and what she will be like. I personally am still scared to get married and dont really know what kind of girl I want to marry, I hope she is good looking, I hope she knows how to cook, I hope she rubs my back in church, but these and millions of the qualities I look for exist in my mother, and I hope I find a women like her one day to be my eternal companion. If you see her this week, give her the biggest hug for me, because I have a missions worth of hugs built up and I cant wait for the day that I can give them to her.
Love,
Elder Anthony James Holt
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