................Sister Lauren Holmoe..... .......Tallahassee, Florida Mission....: Week 57

Hey family!!! So happy that Mr. RABBIT made it to Tallahassee!!! haha! Funny because I was JUST BARELY telling Sister Bertoldo about Rabbit and then it arrived the day after she left haha! It definitely put a smile on my face :) I needed it!! This week has been CRAZY! Lots of emotions too but overall great! On Tuesday for District Activity we went to the Tallahassee Museum/Zoo. It was so much fun! Gorgeous grounds as well. We saw alligators, panthers, bobcats, eagles, tons more animals, slave homes, plantation homes, and more! It was pretty cool to walk around! I took a ton of pictures! A sweet moment happened there as well. Our District Leader Elder Hammond is getting transferred to Thomasville, GA and as we were at the Zoo a lady and her granddaughter came up to us and asked us if we were all LDS missionaries. We said yes and then she expressed how she wasn’t a member but her cousin was the Bishop in Thomasville where she lives. Then she slowly started crying and told us how her son, who was the father of the little girl she was with, just passed away a few days ago. She asked us to all pray for her and her family. Elder Hammond who is going to Thomasville was able to get her information and she said she would have him and his companion over!!! No better time to teach the Plan of Salvation right??? No coincidences!

On Wednesday night we were able to take some of the brand new sisters out for some real life missionary work!! It was such a cool experience! I had been praying all day that we would see miracles so that this new sister would be excited for the next 18 months and of course God delivered!! She was pretty nervous but she did great! Anyone who desires to serve is called to the work and then God always qualifies those he calls!! We went contacting on FSU campus so she could get a feel for simple "OYMing" and EVERY PERSON WE TALKED TO set up a return appointment! That never happens! Then we went and taught a less active in the chapel and it was such a great lesson. There were about 24 new missionaries and probably 10 or so sisters! One of them was going to Troy so I told her all about it :)

On Thursday morning we got to watch the sunrise at a beautiful lake! We saw REAL ALLIGATORS IN THE SWAMP haha!!! I may or may not have freaked out! It was awesome! They were HUGE! Don't worry, we were safe :) The Jones videoed us talking about our missions and they said they would email a copy to us. They filmed it in HD but they can’t email in HD but at least you’ll be able to see it even if the quality isn’t as good! I CRIED when I was talking! Gosh, I realized I can't just ponder and share feelings about my mission without crying. Then Sister Bertoldo left that day!!! :( Man that was so hard! I love that sister like a sister! I know we'll be friends for life! I hope she’s doing well!!!!

Sister S is here in the area now and things are going to be great! We have lots of visions for this area and our zone. We will be teaching in Zone training on Tuesday and I have lots of great ideas I want to speak on!

We had a cool moment on Saturday night. We were going to visit this girl named Alexandra who we met one time a few weeks ago. The GPS took us to her right apartment complex but it didn’t have the building or door # and we had an appointment with her at 8! Sister S of course had no clue, since she is new to the area, so it was up to ME to remember where she lived....HA! Immediately we said a prayer that the spirit would lead us and then we went walking around hoping I would remember! When we were trying the 3rd door I thought it might be I just knew it was right when we got there but no one answered.....we walked away and then felt that we needed to go back, so we went back and knocked again but no one answered so we walked away again but then we were like.....wait, we need to at least put a card in the door so she knows we tried. As we got to the door about to put the card on, she opened it!!!! HALLELUIAH! We then taught her the Restoration and it was amazing. I love when I can recite Joseph’s words as he recalls the first vision. She really connected to his story and said she wants to know more! She is 22 so we'll have to pass her off to the campus sisters but she’s great!!!!

I was reading a great talk by Elder Holland called, "He Hath Filled the Hungry with Good Things." He was talking about how after Christ fed the 5000 many others flocked to him expecting a "free lunch" and he responded with "I am the living bread." Many of the people walked away saying that wasn't what they wanted. He then related that story to how people today are still walking away, choosing to be spiritually malnourished. But we know that the only way to satisfy ultimate hunger is through Jesus Christ and that is the message we share as missionaries! There are so many people here in Tallahassee who need to be spiritually recharged and who need their wounds to be healed. I hope and pray that they will allow the Savior to help and more specifically allow us to teach them how!!!

I love y’all so much!!!!! Thanks for the emails today! And thanks for the package this week! I needed it! Hard transitions with transfers but it will continue to get better and better! I love the sunglasses!!! Also it was great to hear I don’t have to take calculus!!!!??!?!?!? :) Even if I major in Business I don’t have to????? This is great news! I hope I understood that right!!! Jessica Mullen is awesome. Tell her thanks so much for helping us out!!!!!

Have a great week!!!! Love you to the moon and back!!!!!!!!! <3/ Sister Holmoe!

Me at Marie Livingstons! We got FILETS........BEST STEAK I'VE EVER HAD!

District Pic

Pink dinosaur....why not take a pic with it? ha!

You know I love my lily-pads :)

Alligators people, real alligators!

Welcome to NORTH FLORIDA!! How picturesque is this?

Emma took us to one of the top 3 most expensive restaurants in Tally to send Sister B off! You'd be surprised the amazing lessons you can have even in places like these!