................Sister Lauren Holmoe..... .......Tallahassee, Florida Mission....: Week 31

Hello everyone!!! This week would easily be up there for one of the best days of my entire life!! <3 I am just going to start this email out with Ashley’s baptism. Oh it was beyond perfect people! I wish everyone could have been there. We had so much support from the ward, less actives, and our investigators that we had to move the program into the CHAPEL. Lynn Haven has never had a baptism that full before!! I was just so giddy as everyone was coming in; many people surprised me who followed through with our invitation! It was the most wonderful evening. It started at 5 o clock and there was a dinner after. The program was AWESOME (: The speakers were great and we had 2 really powerful musical numbers. One of them was me, Sister Sam, Julie, Amanda and Brianna singing this Jenny Phillips song. Ashley was sitting on the front row just smiling from ear to ear and then shedding a few tears. She looked BEAUTIFUL in her white dress and I just looked at her the whole time with so much happiness!!! The other musical number was the youth and YSAs singing the "EFY Medley". That is by far my all-time favorite song and it felt so good to sing that with amazing people and future missionaries!! There was not a dry eye in the chapel and then we all moved into the RS room where the font was. Sister Sam, Brianna and I were inside the font like up the stairs so we had a perfect view! She came out and just cried and hugged all three of us! I’m getting the chills typing this right now because it was a moment I will never forget for the rest of my life!!!!! Ashley was just BEAMING and SO happy and so clean. Another cool thing about that day was in the morning there was a HUGE storm, thunder, lightning, wind, heavy rains and then after the baptism it was a perfectly clear night. Just like the song says, "I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain." Ashley truly was perfectly clean, inside and out. Her non-member parents came and were really really impressed. We are hoping to be able to start teaching them!! Great people. Brianna then said the closing prayer. (it’s been about 6 years since she’s said one in public). That was an amazing moment. It was the most heartfelt prayers EVERRRR. Oh it was amazing. One of our less actives got so emotional she had to leave the baptism early because the spirit was just piercing her but then she came to church the next day! (: The confirmation was beautiful. After she was confirmed she even looked different. Just a whole new glow about her!!!! The gospel of Jesus Christ is true, the Priesthood authority is real and there was no denying that. We also had some recent converts bear their testimonies while Ashley was changing and that was really special to hear as well! SO many good things!!! I'll never forget any of it! <3 I'm soooo grateful I was able to be a part of Ashley’s conversion and will continue to be for the rest of my life! She and Austin are planning on turning in mission papers at the same time within the next 2 years. So many good things to come in that girl’s future and so many generations to save!!! BLESSED (:

Last Monday one of my prayers was answered and it was AMAZING. I had been praying to be put in SOMEONE's path and as we were walking out of Gulf Coast College from emailing, this guy named Jonah comes up to us and asked us if we happened to have a BOM on us. I almost started laughing because that just NEVER happens! I thought I was getting PUNKED haha! But no, it was real!!! We talked to him for a while and he is so interested and so we are planning times to start teaching him. When moments like that happen I am just so grateful for the power of prayer!! It’s real!

We had some awesome lessons this week with some of our investigators we haven't been able to teach in a while. It was GREAT!! More good news is Teresa came to the baptism and church on Sunday and is ready to start taking the lessons again. Stella is scheduled to be baptized April 5th. (long ways away because of divorce and marriage)! This lady I've been trying to teach since JULY, finally followed through with a scheduled appointment and we taught her! So many great things!

Megan had her baby! Pyper Maiumi (Japanese)! She is SOOO cute! We saw her in the hospital only 3 hours after she had been born! <3 She was 9 pounds 6 oz!!! BIG BABY GIRL! Lots of dark hair! It was really fun for us! Then it made me SOOO excited for my new nephew coming into the world soon!!! <3

Had some great food this week! The best was "Moes". It’s the same atmosphere of Costa and Cafe Rio and they have wayyy good burritos! NOT COMPARING EVEN CLOSE TO COSTA...but still really really good!!!

Thank you for sending me the Christmas Cards!!! That was SO FUN to go through!!! I love my fam and friends back at home!! And my new fam and friends here in the mission field! I am truly so blessed!!!!

Thank you all for all the prayers in my behalf. I TRULY do feel them!!!! I'm grateful for all y’all do for me and hope you have an amazing week!!!! Never forget how much I LOVE Y’ALL!!!! <3/ Sister Holmoe!

Pedicure P-day