Home Again, Home Again, Safe at Last!

By now I assume (I know, never a good idea) that you know Elder Holmes is home.  He returned with honor and a medical release. 

Don't worry, the red spots are gone, and Chicken Guinea is NOT the reason he came home, just a crappy parting gift from El Salvador!

He is skinny!  But don't you worry, Mama & Madi (and the rest of the family) are on the job.  He will be fat and sassy again in no time!
 
I sure love that boy (I KNOW! He is a man now, but he will always be my baby boy)! And his room looked like his suitcases ExPlOdEd for a day or two...  I am beyond proud of this Elder and the hard work he put in to overcome his recent struggles.  He is a great example of faith and hard work and I am sure his sacrifice is sufficient to the Lord and of course his mom (and family).

Welcome home Elder Holmes! Love you forever!

-Bailey's mom

A guy at the airport told us that this was the BEST missionary homecoming he has ever seen, and he has seen a lot of them... we are NOT reverent (no matter how hard we try)!

Search, Ponder, and Pray!

"I don't have time to get it checked?"  WHA?????  In his email to me he wrote... "I have red spots all over my body. So..... That's awesome." Awesome is NOT the word I would have used!!! I looked up Chicken Guinea, it seems to be chicken pox mixed with the flu... that sounds SUPER fun!

Gasoline in the diesel truck?  Hmmm that sounds familiar! He assured me that the truck recovered quickly. Ha!

I know he LOVES the temple, so I was happy to see those pictures!

He also wrote to me, "Being with the APs has been cool but I still feel like crap. I have been praying and pondering. I love that scripture you sent me from Justin. I am so afraid of coming home but that is what I feel is right."

The scripture he is referring to:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, that when I give a commandment to any of the sons of men to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings.                                                            
                                                                                                                                      -D&C 124:49

Chicken Guinea & Gas in the Diesel Truck!

November 16,  2015

I had changes this week and I am with the APs. We get to do lots of things that other missionaries can't. Plus we get a car. With cool things come lots of responsibility, we have had to wake up early tons and run around this country. We don't really have lots of time to teach.

 

 I think I have Chicken Guinea but I am not sure. We don't really have time to get it checked out but it will go away.

 

It looks like you are all having fun!

 

I love you all!

 



 

 Elder Flores, me, & Elder Agular at the temple

Elder Flores filling our diesel truck with gasoline!!!

Wait... WHAT?

Best investigator ever, he says.  Has lived with a women for 20+ years and she will NOT marry him, he says. He is being held back, he says!  Wait, WHAT?
Of course you know I will pray to soften her heart... anything for my missionary!

We have a car.  Best sentence so far (maybe). I may have laughed out loud when I read that.  The mission office looks nice.  I have asked for some "Fun Facts" but I still haven't got them... good thing that a picture is worth 1000 words. And I am SO glad that he likes his new companion!
If you can't tell, I love this kid! And I love that smile!

-Bailey's mom

The Best Investigator EVER & We Have a Car!

We found out this week that Carlos (The best investagator ever!) has lived with a woman for 20+ years and she will NOT marry him. He said he would talk to her but I am not sure if she will agree. Will you all pray to soften the heart of that lady. This guy has so much faith and such a good heart. He is ready for baptism but he is being held back.

 

I have emergency changes tonight and I will be with the APs. We have a car. Elder Flores is a really awesome guy and he is the lead AP.

I love you all and I hope you have a good week.

 

This is Alberto and Rosio. Alberto is a member and Rosio

is a hard core bible lover but we are slowly softening her heart.

 

In the Office

 

Elder Barwick - Photo Bomb!

My New Companion, Elder Flores

 

Let's Face It... He Likes Madi More Than Me!

I could pretend that I am sad that Elder Holmes likes Madi more than me, but let's face it... she's younger, cuter, smarter, and she is just plain AWESOME!  Well, she's NOT plain, she is far from that, but you know what I mean!  Plus as much as I hate to admit it, she has been far better at sending him letters and packages of randomness (his favorite, well, next to her). So I guess it stands to reason that he sends her more pictures of his cute face than he sends me!  In case you didn't know, when those Holmes boys give away their heart, it's forever!  So here are some pictures of our Elder (mine and Madi's) that I stole from her blog... 

 

 

This is a picture Madi drew of their first date together (I told you she was AWESOME)!

She sent him seaweed... because it tastes good? I wouldn't know but he likes it!

I kind of think this is his attempt to pretend like he is on another one of the many hikes they did over the summer before Elder Holmes flew away from us girls that LOVE his guts! Just a guess...

Our Display at the Cemetery???

It's a good thing I knew that they celebrate the "Day of the Dead" rather than Halloween in El Salvador (thank you Madi), or that might have worried me a bit! I was thinking that they would stay inside for a holiday called "Day of the Dead," so I was surprised to hear that they set up a display in the CEMETERY!!!  Oh my!
Going up one flight of stairs is enough for me and I have two legs, more proof that I am a pampered princess I guess! It is always amazing to me what people will do when they have a little faith!
I feel like we haven't heard about Orlando before... hopefully we will get more information about him in the future, and what is this about papers???
I like the view out his window, I guess all that rain is good for something... AND I find it ironic that he put rusty corrugated tin just like those roof tops up on a wall in his bedroom before he left on his mission!
I don't think he has played a lot of soccer, but lets face it, Bailey has always been willing to try new things, and he is usually pretty good at everything he tries, so I'm sure he is good at soccer too.
Last but not least... Thanks AGAIN for all the letters and pictures!  Anything that makes my missionary happy makes this missionary mom GRATEFUL!
-Bailey's mom