Santerém 4

This week was fun. Not too much happened funny or interesting to share. However we worked and walked. However, we have had a problem with helping people make it to sacrament meeting this whole transfer and this Sunday we decided we would walk to everyone's house that lives far away. So we woke up at 5 in the morning to walk on the side of the highway to make it to their houses and take them to the bus stop. We thought that the Lord would recognize our sacrifice and bless us, but it wasn't too much of a sacrifice, it was actually pretty fun.  In one of the rivers that passes under the highway we saw an old lady washing her clothes that said she would wash ours for money in the river too, but we told her that's fine we wash our own clothes. (So I guess that's a bit funny and interesting). However, we did end up being able to bring lots of people into sacrament meeting. So moral of the story, the Lord blesses you for your sacrifices by making them fun and interesting.
Also this week we went to Alter do Chão the famous beach here for the last P-day of one Sister going home. It was a blast and lots of fun, but Elder Paredes ended up getting sick and threw up on the bus in a plastic bag that he had to keep in his hands for the rest of the 45 min ride and it was funny. (He is from Chile and loves geography and we have competitions on the US states and capitals). He and my companion are also helping me with my Spanish so that when I visit Machu Picchu I can be fluent. I will try to get all the photos later. LOVE YOU GUYS,
Elder Holcomb

Santarém 3

Hello people,
This week was fun, not anything too interesting happened. One Monday we climbed up a plateau in our area with some members; it was super fun.  Then we played soccer in a sand pit and it reminded me of how unfit I am.
This week was zone conference and because we are far away we didn't meet up with the rest of the mission so it was just our zone, but the missionaries from Obidos, an area down the Amazon that's 8 hours of a boat ride away, stayed at our house.  So we got to do divisions with them for one day and had 4 of us working in our area. I stayed with Elder Bogart, an American from Missouri, so that was fun to spend a day with only an American. He is new in the mission so it was fun to remember how it was when I got in the field and didn't know Portuguese and had a really strong accent. However we taught well and it was fun. Zone conference was fun and we all got to go out to eat at a restaurant. Lots of the conference was about being more obedient and more diligent in working hard. However it was fun to be with everyone and take turns playing songs on the piano and joking around.
We had lots of people going to sacrament meeting this week but the bus that drives and picks up all the members and investigators that live far away broke and so they ended up waiting for the bus that never showed up so that was sad.
However my spiritual thought of the week would be the power of The Book of Mormon. Usually literally everyone that takes time to sit down, learn about the Book of Mormon and then read just a little bit realizes it's true and then wants to get baptized. In the start of my mission I was always a bit scared to use The Book of Mormon in the first lesson thinking that the people wouldn't accept it and always used the Bible to explain things, but The Book of Mormon actually brings the Spirit and testifies of the truth. The Book of Mormon is what makes the church the church and someone who takes the time to learn about The Book of Mormon realizes that and wants to follow. So always take the time to read it and study it and share it with others!
Love,
Elder Holcomb

Santarém 2

Hello people,
This week was a blast and super fast. We worked hard, but one of the highlights was on Thursday we had divisions and I got to be with Elder Bell, a cross country runner from South Carolina, and so it was two Americans working and it was great. We had a blast and talked about running and shoes. Then in the house we stayed at the other two missionaries were one American and one Peruano so there weren't any Brazilians. It was a blast, we had a party, and then when the Peruano went to bed we talked in English and that was fun too. Then the next day was p-day [preparation day, laundry, clean the house, something fun, that kind of stuff] because it was a holiday here so President made it p-day so we went to this awesome meat house. It was like the best meat I have ever eaten and there was just like endless meat and it was so so tasty we forgot to take pictures. Then we were going to go to a tereré store but it was closed, but I will go back because I love tereré and the store has lots of cool stuff for it so I want to buy some souvenirs. Then we hiked up a small mountain and looked out over the river and the city and it was sweet, but didn't show up too well in the pictures.
This week we found some really cool people to teach. One is a couple that sells bananas. We gave them a Book of Mormon and they read the whole thing and say it's true. Another is a kid that was never baptized because his parents wouldn't let him, but now he is 19 so he can be baptized. On a side note there is one guy in the ward that was baptized by Uncle Ben!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So that was sweet to talk to him and see that connection. Now this afternoon we are going to climb a plateau and play soccer so that should be fun. Also we met one guy that is a chess professor so he taught me some fun tips and tricks.
This week is zone conference and next month President [Almeida] is going to go on a mission tour and in February an apostle is coming to the mission so that's exciting news. Spiritual thought of the week is Helaman 10 [vs 4&5]. It is important to align our will with the will of God and when we do that we will be blessed and everything we ask for in our prayers will be given.
Love,
Elder Holcomb

[the following photos are from Elder Holcomb's last area, but someone recently sent them to him]

Santarém 1

Hello people!
This week was lots of fun! Santarém is a blast and all the members I have met are cool. My companion is new and he stayed one transfer with his first companion, however I got moved to be the second. Since he is new he doesn't know the area or really the people, and his first companion wasn't the greatest with planning or writing things so basically we had to knock on doors all week trying to find people to teach or find members houses haha.  However it is lots of fun. He is from Mexico and his dad is a Mission President so that's fun. We live in a tiny house with four people and one of them likes to run so we are going to start running every day, and I bought shoes because my other ones were robbed in the last area :-(
General Conference was lots of fun. I really like the Young Women President's talk and Elder Bednar's talk. Also the one seventy's talk about the power of conversion in the Book of Mormon. You can really see the power of that here in the mission if someone you are teaching takes the Book of Mormon seriously and reads it everyone wants to get baptized after that and knows it's true. The problem is lots of people don't have a desire to know or change or are scared of the big change it will make in their life so don't want to read it.
Love,
Elder Holcomb

Links (these are to videos, but written versions will be up in the near future):
https://www.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2018/10/media/session_4_talk_5/5845610231001?lang=eng
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2018/10/media/session_1_talk_10/5845338153001?lang=eng
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2018/10/media/session_4_talk_8/5845614426001?lang=eng

Laranjeiras Cidade Nova 6

Hello people,
This week was good. This email will be quick. Our baptisms were moved to the 13th because their grandma wanted to be there so we didn't baptize this week; and then we got the transfer and I will be leaving to go to Santarem Santarem; so I won't be able to baptize any of the people we were teaching. It was very sad news because we have 5 people to be baptized on the 13th. However, I am also excited to go to my new area because it's on the beach and I will have to take an airplane. My new companion is Mexican and his parents are mission presidents in Pueblo Mexico, so probably he is a very good missionary. I was very sad to leave Laranjeiras. The area there is super cool and the members were great but sometimes we have to follow the will of the Lord. Sorry for the short email I don't have much time because I have to catch a plane.
Love,
Elder Holcomb

Laranjareis Cidade Nova 5

Hello people,
This week once again we worked. We found one guy who is super cool. He was outside of his house and called us over and told us that he was taught by the missionaries some years back and went to church and knows that Joseph Smith is a prophet and that the Book of Mormon is true, but then he moved and didn't know where the church was. So we taught him some more and now he is going to get baptized after General Conference on the 13th. It was great to see that miracle after walking all day in the sun.
This week we had interviews with the [Mission] President and it was funny. It was basically:
"Elder do you like to be happy?"  "Yes President, I do."  "What makes you happy in your mission, Elder?"  "Baptisms, President."  "Do you like to be happy only one time every month, Elder?"  "No President, I like to be happy all the time."  "Then baptize every week Elder, I know you can do it!"
It was funny. For the record he isn't all about numbers and baptizing people, but when he got here he made a goal for everyone to baptize every week because this mission is one of the best missions in the world because the church is growing super fast here, but our number of baptisms fell by more than half in the last couple months. So he made the goal and I thought, "what the heck, that sounds impossible to find a good quality new person to progress while teaching others, and have a baptism on Saturday, and continue that cycle." However we started working hard and now it looks like it is possible with the amount of people we are teaching and bringing to church and feeling The Spirit and a desire of change and the truth. So that is cool. It just goes to show that President can receive revelation for the mission and that when we work hard we are blessed.
Oh, on a sad note I left my Book of Mormon, that I had all marked and used teaching people and was like my best friend, at Stake Conference. I was super sad and now I get to go mark everything all over again in a new one.  Oh also, Stake Conference was cool, a member of the seventy came, Elder Martins, and talked so that was fun.
In October the president of the area is coming to tour the mission and will talk to us, and in January an apostle (not sure which one) is coming to talk to the mission. However, we are guessing he is coming to dedicate the temple grounds here and start construction of the temple here, and then also pass by the mission on his way. So that should be fun. Maybe I will get a picture.
Love,
Elder Holcomb

[I sometimes add links to words and phrases in Elder Holcomb's letters, but I've been told they aren't noticeable to everyone so I will start including them at the end as well]
What is the Book of Mormon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLSoH7kfBlY
General Conference: https://www.lds.org/church/events/october-2018-general-conference?lang=eng&cid=HP_TU-18-9-2018_dPTH_fCNWSxLIDyL2-1_
Revelation: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2018/04/revelation-for-the-church-revelation-for-our-lives?lang=eng
and a bonus one :-) https://www.mormon.org/

Laranjareis Cidade Nova 4

This week not too much happened again; nothing too exciting. We mostly knocked on doors. however, we did have divisions and I got to stay with Elder Schafler who reminded me exactly of the typical XC boy. Tall, skinny, and just weird. It was fun. And he did run 10ks in house. We had fun in divisions.
Then the rest of the week was normal teaching people and finding new people to teach. João Vitor, who stopped smoking and drinking last Friday (he told us he partied hard as a final going away from drinking party haha) is all ready for his baptism on the 29th because we had to move it because this week is stake conference. He also brought his sister and his mom to church. His mom wanted to go to church because she saw how much of a change it had in João Vitor. They were cool and we will start teaching them, and he wants us to start teaching his friend too.  So that's awesome we are getting lots of references that we can teach which is always better than clapping at doors.
Happily nothing got robbed this week!!!!
I love you guys and hope everyone is doing great!
Love Elder Holcomb