Sister Rachel Holbrook: A picture is worth a thousand words

Hi family!!!!

This week I took almost 100 pictures...so I'll be sending quite a few because they better explain this week than my words. But I'll try anyways! Our adventures this week included laughing to tears and strained abs muscles, one of my most embarrassing moments ever, almost getting struck by lightning (one of the scariest moments of my life), running miles around Nauvoo to deliver a message to elders whom we couldn't find, exploring the basement of the Lyon Drug (you could film a horror movie down there), playing basketball with Elders including ones this week who don't play basketball but can play piano...therefore we played basketball with background music, performing for EFY and hundreds of youth conference people, and visiting a cute Hawaiian couple's awesome house where we got to play obscure instruments that she makes. If that doesn't sound exhausting already, I don't know what does. We seriously did so much this week!

Last Sunday, we had a combined District Meeting taught by President Gibbons. He had just returned from a mission president seminar where he was taught for 5 days by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. And he shared with us his notes from those meetings. Holy cow, it was like four sessions of General Conference in an hour. A couple things stood out to me. Elder Christofferson taught that every soul is a god in embryo. If we would just think of everyone in that light and see their potential rather than their flaws and weaknesses, we would change everything about us. The other thing that stood out is that Elder Nelson taught "A wave of righteousness is sweeping across the world." We are all a part of the wave of righteousness!!! Be obedient so you can count yourself in that wave!

The 4th of July was one of my most memorable holidays EVER!!! We had so many things going on and so many places to play but the highlight of the day was the dance party we had while we did dishes after lunch. It was seriously so much fun and we wore ridiculous aprons and just had fun. If you are ever feeling down or like you are too serious about life, just have a dance party with yourself and remember you can never have too much fun or make too many good memories. Then yesterday was Sister Parkin's birthday!!!! I love birthdays and I love Sister Parkin! And so I made Fudgies and we decorated and had a blast.

Always remember to follow the Spirit. Even if it's something that seems ridiculous or will require a lot of courage, please follow the Spirit. You never know what blessings will come from heeding a prompting. This week at Trail of Hope, Sister Parkin and I led a group down together. At the end, she felt like I needed to bear my testimony to the group. It wasn't for anyone in that group, it was for me. I said things that I needed to hear that night and I needed to hear myself say them. It was absolutely incredible. There is power in bearing your testimony. Don't be afraid to share it!!

Also, remember to write in your journal. Someday you will look back and wish you had written more. So take the time to do it now and you will thank yourself later.

Heavenly Father loves each of you! He loves us more than we know and He has a plan specific for each of us. Sometimes finding that path is difficult and confusing, but I know His plan is better than our own.

The Church is true and I love Nauvoo!!!!

Sister Holbrook

Me and Sister Fredrickson following our creepy basement adventure where we climbed out the cellar doors of the Lyon Drug and then we had to hop a pickett fence in a pioneer dress. Imagine that and then laugh to yourself a little :)

The Hawaiian couple's house where we played super cool instruments!

Fourth of July dishes duty (the 19 year olds) in our superhero costumes

Doing dishes in crazy costumes....with a raccoon. Elder Myers loves wild animals and wanted to show all the YPMs a raccoon...so he went in his backyard and caught one and gave it 4 baths and then brought it to the Bistro to show us. That's a true story! His name is Marchello the raccoon