Week 6

Dear Family and Friends,

Again thank you for the comments and well wishes!

I have had other opportunities to give blessings this past week, and the results were the same, I tried even saying something that apparently the Lord didn't want me to say, I started a sentence, it was pretty clear where I was going, and I was not allowed to finish my sentence, I had to just stop talking and say something altogether different.

Well the work here continues to progress at an accelerated rate, every week gets better, and each week I am amazed at how the Lord works through me as well as my companion! I don't even know where to begin with this past week! When this area first opened when I got here, we had zero investigators, we had no one to teach, we were hard pressed to find things to do, now a month later, we have 6 investigators, a number of less active members, and we are finding new people every day! I learned recently that the Phoenix Arizona mission is one of the highest baptizing missions in the world... or at least the US, it obviously doesn't compare to places like Brazil, but its still pretty high up there, the people here are wonderful and are ready for the gospel! We have over 100 baptisms a month. That's of course not boasting in numbers, cause the number means nothing, its the souls behind the number that matters.

I think I've mentioned a man we're teaching named Kelly, he's a great guy and we went back to teach him this last week, we taught the plan of salvation, it was a great lesson and the spirit was strong. We invited him to be baptized and he Accepted!!! He hasn't gained a testimony yet, but he said he knows he will, and thus he will. We are so excited for him... we'll see what happens when we have to tell him to stop smoking =]

We were tracting on Saturday and I gave my usual door approach, bore my testimony on the Book of Mormon, I don't usually ask the question of "Would you like to learn more about the Book of Mormon" I usually just ask what time would be best for us to come back and teach them more, but I asked if she wanted to learn more about the Book of Mormon... the reason I don't often ask it that way is because everyone always says no to that, but she said Yes! I was shocked, I didn't exactly know what to do, her husband wasn't home so we couldn't go in and teach her, so I asked if we could come back in a couple of hours. We grabbed someone from the ward and came back later that day, we taught the first lesson and it was amazing! She said that her and her husband had been praying to find a church that they could both attend together, and that maybe we were an answer to that prayer! She had a few issues with the church, she did however say she believed that Joseph Smith was probably a very significant prophet. What is wrong with everyone here? everyone says that!!! Yeah it's great to hear, but its so weird to me! If He was a Prophet, than the church he started is OBVIOUSLY true, right? She said that there are probably a lot of prophets though, and that she wasn't sure it could all just be in one church, she thought we were too centered on Joseph Smith, I think she thought the Book of Mormon was about him, we dispelled some of those concerns, and she is excited to start reading the Book of Mormon, she has a great amount of faith and has said that she knows that God will answer her prayers. I'm so excited for her and her family!

Speaking of people who believe us, we tracted into another lady, asked her if we could come back after she agreed with what we taught on the doorstep, and she said no. We then talked about prophets, and asked her why we would need a prophet today, she gave a sunday school awesome answer, she knows we need a prophet today, she believes the Book of Mormon is probably the word of God, and the Joseph Smith was probably a prophet, so we asked again "Can we come back and teach more" again she answered NO! I am still confused!

We are led by the spirit here in Arizona, we prayed where to tract, we found someone to teach, we asked him to be baptized, he said yes... that was Kelly... again we prayed where to tract, we were led by the spirit, we found a family to teach, we taught her that day... every day I see the hand of God in all that we do, He is truly at the head of this work, I know that. Oh I love being here teaching the gospel, I love finding new people to teach, I love seeing families come together in unity because of the gospel!

Interesting note for all the Turleys, I think I mentioned Bob Gibson last letter, well it turns out he also knows Grandma! he was surprised when I told him that she married grandpa, he wasn't a member when he knew them, but he's a member now. Do you remember him at all Grandma? He said he always played baseball with Grandpa, he said he knew your brothers, he went to school with Gene.

Well that's all for this week, It's been a wonderful week, I wish I could tell all the stories, I don't have time though, I had at least 3 or 4 other amazing experiences!!! One involved inviting someone else to be baptized, who said yes, so we have two with a baptismal date right now. But dang it all, none are coming to church!!!! grrr!!

Love you all,

Elder Martin