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
Jason, I was expecting more pictures!! They are nice pictures anyway. So, about the tree incident...wow!! I guess you won't be so interested in your letters until you get in the house.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if the area over there is doing this missionary program thing, but we are over here. Each auxilary (not sure the spelling) chooses someone to be their missionary representative and come up with ideas to help reactivate members or share the gospel with others. It is awesome!! I am the missionary representative for the primary. All the auxilaries meet together twice a month and we find out how to help the members that might be struggling. We also track what we call "inspired visits." These are visits we make or invitations we give to non-members and inactive members. I enjoy the extra calling! It is a great program. We have a ward mission plan and each auxilary has a plan as well.
We visited Temple Square this weekend. I had forgotten how beautiful it is there. The temple is AMAZING!! They have this new thing in one of the visitor's centers that is a miniature of the temple and has what is looks like on the inside!! So cool!! You should see it when you get back.
You are awesome! Tell your Tongan companion hi for me(in Tongan if you can) and Elder Farnsworth! Both wonderful guys. Remember, "NOTHING can keep this work from progressing..."
Love you!
Christine Martin
Jason is that your new bike?
ReplyDeleteLove ya Mom
Oh yeah, could you send that bike here for Emmy? She saw it and she really wants it. She said, "Jason?? Mama is that MY bike??" She was wondering why she saw you and that little girl bike together. Funny!!
ReplyDeleteMolo e' leilei
ReplyDeleteNot sure on the spelling. But I bet Elder Kavatoe will know. And when you are giving him a fond goodbye you tell him: Ofa Lahi Atu. Or just Ofa atu for a not as deep and fond one.
Anyway, I was thinking about a few things I wanted to say to you, and I don't know if I remember many of them. You are right about the workout thing. We were not required to do that. You are also right about the later it gets the harder it is to find things to do. Often times we would just walk the streets and look for people to talk to. Or we would schedule later appointments with members. Sometimes the last 30 minutes would just be travel time.
So the members there don't feed you? Or do you decline it?
And if you will recall, I warned you about having a companion who wasn't working hard enough, I pretty much warned you about the exact situation you had. Anyway, I am glad you have been blessed with a hard worker now. It is hard and can be draining to have to always be the motivator. I had the role of motivator for about half of my mission.
Did I tell you I am going back to school? I think I did. Well, it is true. I am. So there.
Later dude,
Chris