Week 3 or something

Now everybody, if you read this at all, it would mean a lot to Elder Martin if you commented. He mentioned with a frowny face that there was once again, no comments for me to report to him.
His letter:

It feels as though I've been out here so long already and have so many experiences! I love being here, I love Arizona, I love the people and I love the gospel! I love teaching, more than anything I just love teaching the gospel! It's so hot, but I love the heat in a way, I hate the water though, that's one thing I don't like. Ugh, gross water.

STORY TIME!!!

Yesterday my companion and I were tracting and this guy comes out and says "Oh, you're mormons huh?" and we were both thinking "Oh dang, here it goes" we ended up having an incredibly good conversation with him! he likes our view on the Godhead, his sister or cousin is a pastor and once told him "It's like you, you are a father, and you are also a son of someone" and he said he told her "Well yeah, but I'm not my own father! you're crazy" he had a good grasp on religion and the bible, but didn't want us to come back... we're going to go back anyway and talk to him some more, he needs to hear the plan of salvation. We had another person yesterday (oh wait, the other story was two days ago) who I talked to and she listened, and afterwards she said she was busy but my companion asked her what question she would ask if she knew we were true representatives of Jesus Christ, she said "Well, I don't doubt that you really are representatives of Jesus Christ" We can't figure out why she would see that in us, but not want to know more!! We're going to go back there as well.

Our investigators are few. We taught the first lesson to someone last tuesday, her name is Sunday. She's only taking the discussions as a birthday present to her friend, but she is incredibly smart!! She talked to us about the pre-existence and the war in heaven and the fall of lucifer, she talked about giants in the bible and the archaelogical proof of their existence today, she believes Joseph Smith was probably inspired, but doesn't believe in organized religion. We teach her again tomorrow. We have one investigator who believes what we are teaching him, but he said he doesn't feel its important to get baptized, and another investigator who says he just hasn't received an answer yet, but is reading the Book of Mormon.

A couple sunday's ago we were in church greeting people and in comes this lady and says "Hi, I'm Shana, I'm just investigating" so we talk to her a bit and make her feel welcome, she sits through all of church and we talk to her after and she says "Well, my friend introduced me to the gospel, but I had a few hang ups with it, but I just had an experience, and now I'm ready to get baptized." We were floored! GOLDEN INVESTIGATOR!!! We asked some more questions, she has a testimony, she knows it is what she wants in her life, she is committed, and there is nothing holding her back. But then we learned she isn't even in our area! ARGH so someone else gets to teach her, but oh well, what is important is that she found the gospel. At my apartment, I was coming back from checking the mail (I didn't get any... slackers... well there are a few who aren't, and you know who you are... the rest of you though.......) anyway... no mail, walking back and this black kid with baggy shorts blaring music, and tons of gold in his ears and mouth comes to me and my companion and says "Will you teach me about Jesus". We first thought he was just messing with us, setting us up for something, but we teach him anyway, and it turns out he really does want to know. AGAIN NOT FROM OUR AREA!!! Two golden investigators, who we have to hand off to someone else.

Well, I love the gospel, I am glad they found it, I am glad I have it in my life. My testimony grows every day I'm out here, when we teach about the Savior, or about Joseph Smith, the spirit is always present, its amazing to have the spirit present so often in my life. I love this experience so very much!

Elder Martin