................Sister Lauren Holmoe..... .......Tallahassee, Florida Mission....: Week 71

Hello fam and friends!!! Greetings from the beautiful Tallahassee, Florida! I finished the BOM this week!!! WHOO! 3rd time on my mission complete and just like all the other times, I add my witness that it’s true! It truly is the keystone of our religion and should be the keystone of our lives as well! Just like Preach my Gospel states, the BOM has the nourishing power to heal the starving spirits of the world. I've seen that time and time again as we've reached out and shared this book with others. It really is the most powerful resource in conversion along with the spirit. Just as Joseph Smith taught that a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book, I know that that is true and I invite ALL reading this email to either continue reading and studying the Book of Mormon OR to begin. It was a cool experience because I finished the last chapter in Moroni the SAME EXACT day that Shirley did. To be able to share that special day of completing it cover to cover, no matter how many times you've done it, with someone else (OUR VERY OWN INVESTIGATOR TO BE EXACT) was awesome! Yes, Shirley and Rosemarie are still on board. Shirley was able to receive a priesthood blessing for her smoking and she hasn't had one since. We take it a day at a time and I swear I've never prayed harder in my life but it’s worth every one. We actually have been SO busy teaching, planning, organizing, finding, etc that it’s a miracle if we get home before 9:30 every night. What a great way to finish my mission though, TIRED, BEAT, EXHAUSTED, but sooooooooooo HAPPY :)

Zone Training went really well this week. Us and the Zone leaders made a pancake breakfast for all the missionaries before our meeting started. It was great! Then we had random tornado warnings and the city alarms were going off during the meeting but it added dramatic effect :) The thunder was CRAZY loud!! It was my last Zone Training so the departing missionaries and I got to bear our testimonies. #HARDESTTHINGEVER.

We went on two exchanges this week and both were GREAT!! I stayed in Tally on the first one and we had a super cool experience. We were knocking doors since an appointment had fallen through and it was crazy how we even got to this specific neighborhood in the first place but behind one of the doors we knocked on answered a man named Aaron. Now two days previous we had gone through and texted a ton of "potential investigators" contacts that we have never known or heard of in our phone. Aaron just happened to be one of those potential investigators. He showed us the text message and everything. WHAT ARE THE ODDS OUT OF ALL THE HOUSES IN TALLY WE KNOCK ON ONE OF THE PEOPLE WE TEXTED? Clearly, God wants us to work with him. He is a little skeptical but even he couldn't deny the fact that the spirit led us to his home.

The other exchange I had the opportunity to go to Crawfordville for the day!!! Going to Elder Holmoe's old stomping grounds was SO fun!! I looked through the area book and found one of his old teaching records. Can you believe that!? We tried visiting the person but they weren't home. But still, I was on the SAME porch that he probably stood many years ago! I just felt a really cool spirit the whole day being there. LOVE YOU EAZY E!! We decided to go on an adventure that day so we drove to a small town in Wakulla County called SOPCHOPPY! DAD, does that ring a bell!?!?! Long ago you sent me a newspaper article with that crazy town in it haha. And it was sure crazy! Like NO ONE was home so we drove to Panacea, another town in Wakulla County. It was gorgeous and we were able to talk to more people there so it turned out to be a great day! I felt like I was back in Lynn Haven. A lot more southern feel to it than Tallahassee!

We got to teach Francis again this week. I don't think I've shared too much on Francis in the past but I sure do love her! She is one of those classic southern Baptist since the womb but SLOWLY she is starting to warm up to the Restoration. She says she will continue to meet with us until the day she finds something wrong in the BOM....needless to say she's continued to let us in for 5 months now :)

On Saturday night Ms. Kathy Lynn took us out to "Bonefish Grill" (one of the nicest restaurants in Tally) for my "last supper". It was so sweet of her. You can't go out with Kathy Lynn without having loads of missionary experiences so I'm pretty sure all the waiters and waitresses at Bonefish will be at church this week haha :) Then afterwards she took us to get cupcakes and the employees there saw our name tags and donated TONS of cupcakes for us to pass out to our church members. It was SO nice of them! One of them just randomly applied to Utah State because she wants to go to the snow. We had an awesome conversation about the church and I really hope she gets accepted there! So many prepared people, the field really is white and ready to harvest!!!

I LOVE YALL SO MUCH!!! The countdown is starting to become real. It still feels far to me but then I tell people when I go home and they are like WOAH SISTER, THAT’S SOON! I guess it really is right around the corner! I am SOOOOO grateful for all the things happening in the area right now that help keep me focused and diligent! Greatest work in the world. Have a wonderful week!!!!! <3/ Sister Holmoe

ps sorry about the cougs :(

ps thanks for the Disney postcard and letter!!! LOVED it!

ps I would LOVE the conference book, thank you!!!

ps do I need to bring home my pillow?

<3

Lizard in the primary room?!? Happens all the time. Only in Florida!!!

Feng and I :) Watermelon with chopsticks, the best ending to family home evening!

Tally 1 Zone

A member took us to this really nice Thai restaurant! Thought I'd take a pic to remember! The owner said she would take me to Thailand with her to teach the gospel:)