Week 16

What a marvelous week this has been! One, the weather has been great! two my companions are awesome, and 3 we are all working super hard!

Sorry Emmy, that bike belongs to Paxton, she was not happy that we were going to take her bike!

Malo elelei (I don't know how to spell it either Chris) Fefe haki? My favorite thing to say to Elder Kavatoe is Samoa Fanua Mah'ohne'ohne which means that Samoa is the Land of Righteousness. It upsets him.

Christine, do you get my family letters? I can add you to that list since you are family, but I need your address.

So anyway... this week has been great! First an amusing story, so me and my Companions went contacting at a park a couple nights ago. We were having very little success, no one would even take a pamphlet from us! there were a lot of people there, but no one would talk to us, or accept even so much as a card. Then we found out that we were contacting at an after party... an after church party... an after Jehovah's Witness church party... We promptly left. We had a good laugh about it though, 3 mormons trying to convert 300 JW's good times...

We have been super busy this week, we don't even have time to do very much of what we need to get done! we have 4 wards giving us people to contact, we have 10 or more investigators we are teaching, and we have to find time to contact people to get more investigators. I love it! I love being over-booked. We go on splits a lot and get as much done as we can. On tuesday someone else committed to baptism! Wednesday someone committed to baptism, both on the first lesson, but both are practically already ready to be baptized. One we are passing off to the sisters, we were confused on which ward she would be going to, but it doesn't matter, what is important is that she is getting baptized.

Mid-week we were tracting this street, and this guy came up to Elder Kavatoe with a Pass along card in his hand, and threatened him saying that he better not ever find another card on his door! I chuckled... The guy doing the threatening was not a large man, didn't have much to back it up... not that Elder Kavatoe would ever do anything... but that guy could do nothing to him... A dog attacked him last week... a pretty vicious dog at that... he took a good swipe at the dog, but missed, but the message was sent and the dog backed off... This nice old lady next door said "Get out of there, that dog is a terrible vicious dog!" and then she threw a rock at the dog, it was funny! That same street we talked to another old lady, who called herself Mary Green with red hair and a big mouth! She was very funny, she talked with us for a while, we might go back and see her.

Elder Kavatoe got 2 flats on his bike at the same time... thankfully we also have a car. He looks so big on a bike its quite amusing.

There is a park that we've been doing a lot of contacting at, its really good! Saturday we found this guy sitting alone on a bench, so we went and talked to him, I told him about the Book of Mormon, and usually I say something to the effect of "Would it be okay if we stopped by at another time to share more about this?" which I did with him, then I added "or even right now, we'd love to teach you more now if you have time" and he said "Yes, please do, right now would be perfect!" We then had a wonderful first lesson as he sat on a park bench in the dark. We are meeting again with him next week in the chapel. It was a great experience, we hadn't been having much luck in the park, and it was much needed. That was the same night of the JW incident at another park.

I love this work, I love being able to work so much, as long as I'm working hard things go so well, I'm always so happy! I just love doing what I do.

Elder Martin

Week 15

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you all for the comments, I do looove the comments, I am never offended by getting comments, so feel free to continue =]. Okay, time for the tree story... Since its so demanded...

One day I was checking mail, and on the way back from the mail box, there is a low hanging tree, well I was trying to figure out who sent me a letter since there was no return address, and as I was walking, I walked straight into the tree, it hurt something FIERCE, and even left a big mark in my forehead, I may have received a slight concussion, I was unable to focus the rest of the day, and just didn't feel good at all! it was pretty crazy.

Chris, we do have district and zone activities, we are not allowed to do them every week though, we can only do 2 district activities a month, and I think one zone activity per transfer, last week Elder Farnsworth and I watched the testaments, and played some basketball, the week before we played soccer (I played goalie due to my knee, and was the greatest goalie I have ever known!) and the week before that we played district basketball... its not very fun, or wasn't rather cause at that time know one in my district could play basketball very well. Elder Farnsworth is good though, so next time we play district/zone it will be more fun.

So this week has been CRAZY!! I can't tell the full story he he, but it was great fun... well not really fun, but interesting. I now have 3 companions, and we are covering 4 wards! We are busy as can be and not enough time to do all of our work, we have a big challenge ahead of us for the next 5 weeks to try and cover 4 wards, but we are excited, the other Elder is also an incredibly hard working Elder, his name is Elder Kavatoe, he is from Tonga, he can bench 500 lbs, he's ridiculous. I beat him up regularly though. We have so much fun, the three of us! but the reason we can have as much fun as we do is because we work as hard as we do. My two companions are so funny, and great missionaries!

I had my first baptism! it was completely unexpected! On monday a lady called us and said she wanted to be baptized the next saturday! so she was met with, interviewed and then baptized that next saturday! she had already taken all the discussions a number of months ago/years ago, I can't remember which, but a while ago, she was baptized and it was a wonderful experience, I'll share some pictures! I'll share a few pictures actually.

We have two more baptisms scheduled within the next month, 3 actually I think, but one isn't set in stone completely. two of them are. Oh I just love teaching the gospel, I love seeing the changes in peoples lives! We were tracting and ran into this pastor for a church, he was a great guy and was willing to talk, he challenged us to find out why we were on our missions, he thinks we are here because its expected of us, he asked "Do you REALLY care if I find the truth, or if others do? Do you ACTUALLY care for us?" He said he didn't want an answer but he wanted us to just think about it, find out why we are here. We are going to meet with him in a couple weeks, we also challenged him to really read the book of mormon, and truly ask if its the word of God, he accepted our challenge and we accepted his. As I've been thinking about it, I think about the people I am teaching, and I KNOW why I am here, its for them, its for the Lord, its not for me or anyone back home. I was sitting with a family at church and it came to me that THIS is why I am here, I have seen a huge change in this family, and its the greatest thing in the world! They are why I am here.

My friends, the gospel is true, missionary work is amazing! member missionaries are awesome! (hint hint) I love what I am doing, this week has flown by because of the dedication we have had to working, oh its so wonderful. Oh Chris, the times for working are different for a few different reasons. We are required to workout for 30 minutes in the morning, which I don't think you were, so we don't leave the apartment until 10, and we come back at 9 because its just too late at that point to really be doing much work, after 8 things just don't work so well, people are angry for us coming by, or are in bed, we actually usually get back in at 8, which is when we eat our dinner, instead of taking an hour during the prime proselyting hours we take it during the dead hours.

Now for some pictures. I love you all,

Elder Martin

A plethora o' pictures

Elder Martin sent home some pictures to my folks. My dad then sent them on to other people, me being one of those others. I selected some for the blog, but I don't have the captions for them. So I don't really know what we are seeing. I shall do my best to guess though. (Dad, feel free to comment with what things really are.


Hard to say, but I'm gonna guess that this is Elder Martin posing in front of the MTC.I bet this is Jason's zone, or district or whatever, while at the MTC.
Just some cactusy Arizona desert landscape.
I have no idea what this is, but it's pretty cool looking anyway. Reminds me of the alamo for some reason, though I haven't actually seen the Alamo.
I think we can assume that the inhabitants of that missionary apartment are patriotic, no?
Here it looks like Elder Martin has been tracting on a hot day. Do note the glistening forehead. Either he is sweating, or a vampire.
Here is motivation for each of us to never want to live in that part of the country. This is what the neighborhoods looks like?

Week 14

HI!!! How are you all? Glad to hear it, I'm doing well also thanks much!

Ooooh what wonderful comments, how nice it is to receive them, I would not be offended if I kept getting comments (hint hint).

Oh what a great week its been! I am so excited to be here, and for the work to continue to progress, and it will move at a now accelerated rate. Transfers came, and I have a new companion! His name is Elder Farnsworth from Centerville Utah, he is an incredible missionary, very hard worker, and we get along great! I would be just fine with being his companion for the next year+. I'm learning much, and growing much. I love what I'm doing, and I love the people here.

Chris, you asked about the members. The members here are incredible! I can't wait to do a "Mission tour" after my mission to come back and visit these people, I assume some of my favorite people throughout my entire mission will come from the Waddell ward. I just love these people! I love the investigators we have as well! we have two baptisms coming up that I have been greatly anticipating, I'm so excited for them both.

Last Friday we had dinner with a less active/part member family, we learned they had a wedding at their house (reception rather) the following night, so we thought we'd show up. We came and asked what we could help with, and after much persuasion we convinced them we were serious. We served food. Through serving food, we got to see/talk to over 300 people! too bad we couldn't give them pass along cards or teach them anything, but it was great exposure for us. Plus we were able to build a lot of trust with the family and now we will be teaching them next friday!

So I hurt myself pretty good the other day... we have this bike rack on our car for our bikes (go figure) and they have two arms that stick out the back... well we didn't have any bikes on it, and we normally don't have the bike rack on, but we did and I SLAMMED the trunk shut, and hit my head so hard with one of the arms on the trunk! the worst part was that a screw was on the bottom of it which hit me right on top of the head... I had no idea what hit me at first, just knew I was in extreme pain! Much worse than when I ran into a tree (he he, did I tell you all that story? funny stuff) I was quite disoriented, and OH IT HURT! I am surprised it didn't draw blood, or even just CRACK MY SKULL! It rocked me pretty good. Oi it hurt. It's been almost a week, and my head is still a bit tender.

I love being led by the spirit! we were driving in our car, and as its a new area, I'm the navigator as E. Farnsworth drives, well I was directing him and he randomly pulls off on a different street, and I said "What are you doing?" he said "Oh, ya know, we're just following the spirit" or something to that effect, indicating he felt inspired to go there. We tracted the entire street, and didn't meet anyone of interest (except a Jehovah's Witness... that was fun) our last house we ran into a family that was less active, they've been here since April but their records were never moved into the area so the ward had no idea. After meeting with them we knew that was the reason why we were on that street! Oh how I love the spirit.

Two nights ago we came home and saw this guy laying down right in front of the office of our apartments... we didn't know what was going on... so we went and grabbed our mail, and on the way back asked him if he was alright... no answer... he was breathing though, so we asked louder, we kicked his feet, we tried to rouse him as much as we could, but there was NO answer whatsoever, no response, nothing. So we called the non-emergency police, who transferred us to the Fire Dept. We told them what happened, and less than five minutes later we hear sirens, and I was thinking "Oh blast... it's not that urgent... oi vey, don't turn on the sirens" but they did... and they come screaming into our apartment complex. Oh, we were sure he was just drunk passed out, which he was... they came and they said they've seen him before, he was homeless and had done this before... so they said we could go... an ambulance came roarin' into the complex as well, and the a police car as well! I felt strange being the cause of so much commotion... meaning I called them and they responded... strangely that very night earlier in the day, I somehow accidentally pocket dialed 911!!! Oops.

We have some new investigators we're teaching and are excited to teach... we might drop kelly =[ he's just not progressing and doesn't want to progress. We're trying to contact everyone who has been taught in our areas in the past. I love this work! I love the church, I love being a missionary! I'm so grateful to be here in this area with Elder Farnsworth. I just love my job! The church is true, its all so true!

Elder Martin

Week 13

Greetings from STILL hot Arizona! All last week its been over 100 degree's, even over 105 a lot of the days. It's OCTOBER!! Should this not end yet? I was promised it would. I feel betrayed. This week is supposed to get into the 80's! I'm so excited. The other day we went to an early morning Service project at 6 AM, and it was 77 degree's, it felt incredible! we rolled down our windows, and actually got COLD! how ridiculous is that? I'm worried for when I come home, I plan on attending BYU-Idaho, so I will literally be making a 140 degree temperature shift!

Not too much to report, all my appointments this week cancelled on us, yes literally every single one of them! without fail. We tried to go back to JoeJoe's... did I tell about him? the most vile of sinners? Ha, what a guy, I did not enjoy talking to him the first time, My comp said he's pretty much a lost cause, but we persisted anyway, and we have an appointment to teach him, so hopefully that will go well. we were supposed to teach him last week, but again everything cancelled.

How about that conference??? What a powerful piece of enlightenment! I truly loved it, I felt the spirit so strong while listening to those men speak. I have never enjoyed conference more than I did this weekend. I especially loved Elders Holland, and Scott... Elder Scott's talk made me stop taking notes, I just couldn't keep up, so I decided to just enjoy it and do a deeper study on it when the Ensign comes out! How powerful! I loved President Uchtdorf's Priesthood talk on Pride! Wow I have a lot to work on. I took more notes on that talk than I've ever taken on any talk ever in my life. I'm not a note taker though, so its not a ton. I love President Eyering, he gave 2 powerful talks! I just love that man. How about that call to missionary service by the Prophet? Whooey, that should increase the numbers, it BETTER increase the numbers. If any young man was "thinking" about going on a mission, this conference should have made up his mind for him. It is our priesthood DUTY and OBLIGATION said the prophet. Or scratch that... It is our DUTY and OBLIGATION, said the LORD. So, problem solved, no one has to question whether to serve or not anymore. Awesome. Only 38% of worthy men in America serve missions, and only 13% worldwide... Almost an embarrassing statistic! (that's of course only including church membership he he)

So Transfer news came today. I am losing my trainer, but I am staying in my area. I'm very glad to stay here, I love Goodyear Arizona! I love the wards I am serving in. I love everything about this place. I love being a missionary and am very grateful to be here when I'm here. The Lord has blessed me abundantly.

Hey, does no one read this anymore? Where are my comments? Sheesh... I need some love.

I love you all,

Elder Martin