Elder Martin's Zone

This is my mission Zone.

Very Back Row. Left to Right

Elder Henrie (Zone Leader) Elder Allred (Buckeye District Leader), Elder Hutchinson, Elder King (Zone Leader)

Row Two Left to right:

Elder Budge, Elder Martin (Goodyear Beautiful District Leader), Elder Burrows (our cute little greenie in the zone), Elder Labrum (From Boise ID) Elder Bush (From Boise ID) Elder Cannon, Elder Newton

Row three (Kneeling), left to right:

Sister Swallow, Sister Keelin (From my MTC District), Elder Sieber (Goodyear South District Leader) Elder Neubert, Sister Freeman

Row four, (Sitting) left to right

My beautiful companion Elder Jones, Elder Kavatoe, Elder Pearson

Week 47

It has been an incredible week! One of the best ever!

One of our investigators called us and wanted us to come over as soon as we could. We were hoping she got an answer. Not quite... she has a member boyfriend, and they wanted to confess some sins to us. We advised them to talk with the Bishop, but she said that she had prayed and felt better about things! so that's awesome!

Wednesday we were going to different less active members homes, and there is one we haven't been to ever, because we could never find it. The address simply did not exist! but we finally found the house and the right address! it was the gallegos family. Actually, only the mom was a member. So we went over, and did some ninja moves to get to the door... there were all kinds of obstacles... including electrical fences, but we finally made it. We knock on the door, and this girl answers, but we can't see her cause of the dang security screen (I HATE those things) so we ask if she is sister gallegos, she said yes, and we told her who we were. She invited us to go around back and talk to her... so we work our way through the obstacles one more time, and meet her around back. It wasn't sister gallegos, but her 17 year old daughter. She was very friendly and invited us to come back later. We came back a few hours later, and the Dad met us at the door before we even knocked, I was worried. I thought for sure he was going to just say "No thanks guys, BEAT IT!" But he simply opened the door and invited us in. We went in and sat and talked with the mom and the dad for about 35 minutes, about halfway through the 17 year old daughter came in and listened as well. They have 4 kids at home, and we have an appointment with them this saturday! super nice family, I am very exited to teach them.

Thursday we did almost no normal missionary work. We planned for the week, had a meeting, and then helped someone move! one of my favorite families moved, the Smith family who we have been working with since probably last September. The dad is a non member, and used to really not like Mormons, but I really think the move softened him a bit, it was awesome.

Friday we stopped by a referral that has been so hard to get to. This lady has been so nice to missionaries in our district, but is never home when we go over. She even bought one of the Elders a new bike tire! so we finally got to talk with them, and I love them! we talked for about an hour about the gospel and everything, they are so excited to read the Book of Mormon and to study with us, and even to come to church if they ever can. The husband has some really bad health problems that prevent him from coming to church, cause he is in hospitals 3 times a week, one of them being sunday. But we can resolve that. They have two awesome kids, and they were all homeschooled. We currently are teaching 4 families! I never thought I would teach a family, this is so wonderful, I hope I can stay.

That's all for now.

Elder Martin

Week 46

It's been an interesting week. I had a lesson with this crazy guy who thinks that the Jews are not Jews, but that the African people are Jews, he is convinced. It was an interesting conversation, but it was awesome cause his girlfriend joined the conversation, (who is white) and she loved what we had to say. It's great how the Lord places us where we need to be. We went to visit a less active member and found out they moved, but we had an awesome 30 minute discussion with a lady on her doorstep, she really liked what we had to say. Hopefully it goes somewhere.

We're teaching some great people right now, a couple weeks ago was tough, but this week was awesome, we have had some excellent lessons. We taught Matt Kennedy and he was much more receptive, and the spirit was there, and it was awesome! Elder Jones bore testimony of feeling the spirit, and his wife from the couch said "I believe you! I really do, cause I've felt that before" and then she told us a story she has never even told her husband. I think it was kind of a wake up call for him, cause she said she wouldn't tell him cause she thought he would just scoff at it. It was so wonderful.

I am so TIRED. Physically though, I am beat.

We had another lesson with the foreign exchange student from Russia. Just before we got there I was really upset about something, I can't remember what, but I went in with an attitude of not wanting to put up with anything. She made some stupid remarks, and asked some dumb questions. I was very bold with my answers, and maybe even overkilled a few of them, but she ended up liking what I said, so maybe I should be more angry as I go to appointments. Nah, its more important to be happy.

Well, I'm still here. I wasn't raptured, I missed it! I hope I make the next one. Everyone asks us about that, or did for a couple days.

I love testifying of what I know to be true. I love promising people that if they read the book of mormon, they will gain a testimony that its true. This work is incredible, God is behind us every step of the way. The work progresses despite the missionaries.

Elder Martin

Week 45

What a week.

Nothing has gone according to plan this week. We had a few days where we couldn't work. Satan has been hard at work. In our district we have had probably 8-10 flat tires, and only 6 missionaries, some broken rims, a shattered car window, sickness, tension, everything. It's awesome! we love afflictions and trials in the Goodyear Beautiful district.

On Wednesday our car was not in working condition, so we decided to use our bikes. Let me tell you, I have been in a car my entire mission! I am coming up on 11 months out, and I am NOT in biking shape! Not only is our area a huge area, but we live TEN MILES OUTSIDE OF IT! I wish I brought my camera so I could show pictures of when we left, how you can see some mountains very far off in the distance. We rode right up to those mountains. We actually didn't quite make it. We made it 9 miles, and my tire went flat. So we started walking. But its okay cause someone saw us and gave us a ride. Not only was it a difficult bike ride cause I'm out of shape, but I am convinced that Satan controls the wind! In fact there is a scripture that indicates that is true. We start our journey by heading south, the wind is in our face. We then head north (we went to our apartment and then back the same way) and the wind was in our face! We turn and head west, and the wind is in our face. No joke. The second we entered into our area, the wind picked up intensely, and nearly stopped our progress, we could barely move forward, but we pressed on for the next 4 miles. We taught a lesson, and then had to head back. Thankfully we got a ride back, and even dinner out of it!

Saturday we went to our good friends the Gibsons, and their grandson was there, we had dinner, and then taught him a lesson! it was not expected, but it was great. I have been here 10 months and I realized that I haven't met everyone on the roster, so it is my goal to make sure I at least go to every single persons house before I leave. I divided our area into 6 sectors, and we knocked out one of them almost completely on Saturday. We have met a lot of nice people, and some not so nice people, but its been good.

I love missionary work, and I love the gospel, there is nothing quite like sharing the gospel with others. We just found someone from tracting that came to church, and so many of the members of the ward knew them! It was a sad testament, none of them had invited them to church, none had invited them to activities, God had to intervene and tell us to specifically tract their street in order to find them. That's happened a couple of times, one the family who knew the people said "We didn't think they were ready, we feel bad now" If you have friends, invite them. Love them, I love missionary work so much, and I know that it will go on whether we do our part or not.

Elder Martin

Week 44

Well, It's been an interesting week. It was great to call home this week! I even called my grandma, it was great to hear from her. We have had an excellent week for missionary work. Mostly... I didn't get much work done though, one of the Elders in my district got sick, so I had to stay with him on occasion, so all appointments could be met, so we didn't get to go out and tract or do normal stuff last week. But the area is exploding right now! there are 14 people in my district (6 elders cover this area) who have a date set for baptism! As opposed to the average of 4-6. It's been so exciting to see the area do so well.

We set a baptism date with Billy Bishop! we are excited for that, the lord is working hard with that family, but so is satan. It's incredible how much satan can do. It's more incredible what the Lord does! Our YSA investigator, Kevin, didn't come to church again! satan is getting to him, he is afraid to come to church. We had a church tour on Friday with him, and the spirit was so strong. He even said "as soon as I walked in the doors I felt tingly" He is so awesome, but he needs to come to church! the Lord is working with him so much. Kelly, the long time investigator has not been doing so well. We're probably going to drop him.

Matt and Sarah and their family came to church this sunday! I wasn't there, but I heard it was awesome. They are the ones who wanted proof on the Book of Mormon, he kept asking "What is it that makes your members want to spend 3 hours a week in church?" and we answer, but he doesn't accept our answer, so he came. We have been worried about it, but he loved it! the primary got up and sang a song and he said he loved that. The lessons are really progressing with them. They agreed to "live the doctrine" for a few weeks. No alchohol or tea or anything. He's a dentist, so he committed us to floss every day and live that doctrine. Easy.

I am the Chess champion of the district. Congratulations to me. I used to be AWFUL at chess, for some reason I'm better... maybe its cause I am a missionary... but everyone else is too. I think its because as a missionary I am forced to think things through more thoroughly, and to think ahead a lot more, and to judge consequences. Or maybe everyone else is just REALLY bad, yeah its probably that one.

Today we might go play chair soccer. I hate chair soccer.

Well that is all for the day...

Elder Martin

Melanie here. Be sure to read the post below as well. It is from last week, and I thought I posted it, but did not until last nigh. Oops.

Week 43

This is Melanie. I must apologize. Elder Martin sent me this letter last Monday to post here on the blog, and I THOUGHT I did. I was wrong, clearly, so here it is a week late.

Alright, well I forgot my old planner with all my information about last week, but I will see what I can remember.

First things first, today was transfer news! I am... STAYING! Hurray! Another 6 weeks in the best area of the best mission in the whole world. I'm very happy. I found out a mere 20 minutes ago. Everyone in the district is staying which is quite convenient because we have an awesome 6 weeks ahead of us. I am so excited in my mission right now.

We had a LOT of meetings last week, and I hate meetings, but I actually enjoyed every meeting from last week. First was a leadership meeting, that lasted for FIVE HOURS, that was overload for me. The effective period for meetings for me is 30-45 minutes, at that point I'm always super excited to get to work and go do things, after that it just gets long, but this time was great. We learned a new approach to use to help people get to baptism. The next day we had a 2 hour district meeting, and that was great! we are all now very excited to go out and get as much done as possible, we have some major plans in the Goodyear Beautiful Distict (Not the actual name, but its what we call ourselves). The next meeting was a 3 hour meeting for the whole mission and we received some excellent counsel from our mission President, it was very awesome.

As far as missionary work goes this week, there wasn't much done. It was too many meetings and car problems. So here is the sad news, I lost my wonderful car. I have had this car my entire mission, a 2010 Chevy Malibu, I loved it. We now have a 2008 chevy malibu that is falling apart. Ugh. It's quite frustrating, but oh well. The tires are bald, the back tire is losing air fast, the breaks are incredibly loud and squeaky, and there are many other issues, but it just gives me more chance to get to know the wonderful attendants of pepboys.

We found a huge spider! I wish I had a picture I could include, we named him Corey. We keep him in a gatorade bottle.

So in my district, of Goodyear Beautiful, there were 3 baptisms last weekend! there are 3 companionships, we all had a baptism, it was excellent. Kieran was baptized in the waddell ward. It went well, there was no worries with the water, he did awesome! then on Sunday morning I found out that I was confirming him! It was a good experience.

The work is going forward, faster and stronger than ever. I'm so sad to see President Beck leave in a couple months, but I am so excited for President Taylor, I have heard some amazing things about him, he has a near photographic memory, he has every missionaries face, name, and location memorized. I am very excited for the next year of my mission. The church is more true than its ever been. I love it, and I am grateful to be a missionary in the service of God.

Elder Martin