April 24, 2012

I love you Heather!

HELLO HELLO

Chelsey Evans... YOU'RE ENGAGED!!!! I knew that I'd be the last cat lady in the bunch! Congrats I love you so much. I need an invite! :)

This week was SOO great! We are getting more and more teaching opportunities as the weeks go by. May 2 is transfers and I'm stressing about it a little because I DO NOT want to split up from Sister Price. We work really well together and are finally figuring out things here, so change is not needed!

Okay, so Paco and Jaclyn: well I LOVE them! We met with them and taught the Plan of Salvation. We were a little nervous about telling them about the importance of getting married and keeping God's commandment by doing so, but it went very well. At the end we were really rushing for time, so we briefly covered getting married here while on the earth. At the end Paco said, "Wait, so we just need to go to the courthouse and then we can live together for eternity?... that doesn't make sense. Shouldn't we need to get married before God?" HOLY AMAZING! We told him that he was exactly right and then we briefed the temple, but sadly, we had to run off because we were late for the next lesson. Paco is sooo prepared, and Jaclyn understood too because it's not like all religions teach the need to get married before you live with each other. SOOO COOL!

We also had another awesome lesson with Phoenix -the 8 year old whose parents are Buddhist. I think I talked about him last week- but so we taught him again, and his parents took him to church and he LOVED it.

Sister Price and I had two awesome experiences this week where 2 different people living in separate homes told us they love it when we came over because their home always feels more peaceful! I love that because IT DOES! The spirit is so strong and so evident when you are talking about Christ, praying, and reading the scriptures and people who aren't used to having the Holy Ghost in their homes definitely notice it!

I just thought that was so awesome, especially because I figured they would say they don't like us coming over because we are so sweaty when we come! Yes... THE HEAT IS BACK! My tan lines are out of this world. Literally, when I get out of the shower I look like I'm still wearing a white suit! HAHA! It's horrible but I love it!

Helaman 15:6 "striving with unwearied diligence" Today I read this in my personal study and it just really struck me! This is exactly what we have to do at all times throughout our lives. I'm so grateful for the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon!

I love you all so much!
love sister martin

April 16, 2012

WEEK OF MIRACLES!!!

If I learn nothing more on my mission it will be that God answers our prayers! We have been struggling to find more people to teach in this area, but this week I'm pretty sure our teaching pool exploded!

Late Tuesday night right before we were about to head in, we were walking around this condo plex and Sister Price spotted a couple sitting together on a bench so we made our way over to them. (haha isn't it funny that on pitch dark nights we are walking up to random people! don't worry we're protected)

We talked with them briefly about the Restoration and shared our testimonies about the blessings the gospel brings to families. Then we invited them to learn more and they said something I haven't heard for a while.... "YES"! Really, that word seemed too good to be true! So we set up a time on Thursday to meet with them.

I really don't know how to describe the lesson we had with them...
the very first thing we asked them at the beginning of the lesson was "Why did you want to learn more" and Paco told us that he just felt like he needed to have his questions answered. These were a few of his questions:

1. Why can't we pray directly to God? Why must we pray to a saint in order for them to relay our message?
2. Why are babies baptized; they couldn't possibly have sinned yet?

It is an understatement to say that these questions blew me away! Then we began to explain about Christ's earthly ministry and the effects of the Apostasy. If there were any doubts in my mind about my testimony up to this point, they were shattered during this powerful lesson! The Spirit was thick as fog and I was not the only one feeling it. After we taught them about the Restoration, Paco and Jaclyn committed to read and pray about the things we talked about. They said also when they knew that these things were true, they would be baptized! Unfortunately, they are not married YET, but this week we will teach them the Plan of Salvation and they will see the need to make that committment to each other.

This is just one of our many amazing lessons this week. I know that I am a child of God and that He loves ME! If you don't know this, then pray and ask... he WILL answer your sincere prayer!

I love you all so very much
love,
Sister Martin

April 9, 2012

Sister Martin's one year mission birthday!

Easter Pageant at Mesa Temple with Sister Price

We couldn't stay away. Loved visiting the Mesa Temple!

Craig, Linda, Crystal, and Heather

Had to find the Cafe Rio in Gilbert!

Heather is mimicking Emily's former picture.

Hello!
Mom and Dad,  thank you so much for all of the wonderful treats that you sent Sister Price and I in the Easter basket! You are so awesome and all of it was really appreciated! Those peanut butter eggs are AWESOME and might already be gone... haha! I LOVE the calander that Christy made too!  I was so excited to get it, so now I have that one in my bedroom and the other one with inspiring quotes by my desk. Thanks so much for all that you do.

Weird that everyone is here in AZ for Easter, and that I'm not, but its good though. Easter has become one of my most favorite holidays and it is great to be able to celebrate it twice on my mission! I love you all sooo very much. Ohh and I love love love the stationary that you sent me:)!  The cloud one I kept because it was def. the cutest. Ask Heather if she will be still living in the same place next semester because I sent her a latter last Tue. and it will be in her mailbox when she gets home. Love you!

HAPPY EASTER!!!!
So this week was crammed full of small miacles! It's interesting when weeks are like this because when I look back and think about what heppened this week, it's easy to totally skip over all the small and simple things.  I feel like the Nephites in the Book of Mormon after they had already seen with their own eyes the signs of Christ's birth and slowly in time they forgot all the signs and wonders that they had seen. Remembering should be easy,  but it is definitely not. I'm always trying to remember names, dates, places, and most importantly, times in my life where I have had spiritual experiences; where I knew the Lord was leading and guiding me.

In Alma 37 it talks about how small and simple things are "great things brought to pass".  Missionary work is hard sometimes because each week we have to give our "stats",  meaning how many lessons and so on we've had. Well, before getting lessons there is usually a lot of work done first, aka, small and simple things that have to take place. This week was full of that. Days go by that we don't get any lessons, BUT the great thing is, Heavenly Father always gives us little miracles that help us to know He is mindful of us and that He cares. For example .... alot of times Sister Price and I will get done talking to someone or have an awesome conversation with someone and afterwards we look and each other with a huge smile and are just like "OHHH YA, they are Golden", (meaning their hearts are softened and ready to learn about the gospel and accept it) and then... nothing happens or comes of that amazing visit! This could be so discouraging OR it could be Heavenly Father just showing us His love everyday. His love for me is so evident and I am so grateful for that.

This week was a rough week, BUT just like they said at conference, we are just getting "more polished"! I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer and that without Him this life would be pointless.

I love you all so very much!!!
Love,

Sister martin

April 2, 2012

Happy Late birthday Bridget and Happy Early Birthday Pops!  LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU BOTH!
This week was another one for the books!
Slow and steady wins the race, right?  Well in this case it sure will because that is the exact pace at which we are moving. There have been a lot of dropped lessons and such, but there is still a lot of really good things happening, so it's awesome! Sister Price is pretty much a pro missionary and she has only been out for 5 months! We have so much fun together and also are really great together. It's so fun how with every new companion it's different, but so good at the same time.

Wasn't conference just AMAZING!!! wow after watching those sessions we were pumped up and ready to share with the world what we had just heard and FELT!  It was awesome because after hearing the prophet we talked wih this guys for about 30 minutes about the need for a prophet today. There is no doubt in my mind that having a prophet today is completely necessary! It shows how much God really does love us.  I mean we could do it on our own but he loves us so much and He wants to give us every opportunity to have added help and support in the crazy life. ohhh and did everyone hear the Elder say "WRITE THE MISSIONARIES LETTERS"! yep an apostle of the Lord said that,  soo I'm pretty sure you should listen :) haha!

Sooo... mom and dad! Sister Price's bike was stolen this week so I gave her my Walmart one. I hope that is okay.  Not sure if she is going to keep it though because she has long legs and it's obviously not the best bike in the world,  but it's hers for now.  It was so random though, because only her's got stolen and they left my piece of junk bike alone... I guess it's a good thing to not have a good one.

I'm so excited for Easter and for the blessing it is to be able to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ! The Easter Pageant has been sooooo amazing and it's incredible to be able to join with people of all faiths and be able to celebrate the life, ministry and sacrifice of Jesus Christ all together.


I love you all sooo much and I just want to add my testimony that I know that Jesus is the Christ and that "there is no other name whereby we can be saved, only in and through the sacred name of Jesus Christ" How thankful I am to Him!
Take care and Happy Easter!
Love,
Sister Martin