Week 74

Wow what a week! one of the best ever, I am so excited.  So new companions are in, we have five new missionaries in our zone, two are brand new being trained and are one fire! We had a record month in the Cottonwood stake of 9 baptisms, and we are going to have even more in December, and twice that in January! I am on fire right now with excitement and energy and the Spirit.  My new companion is Elder Davenport, he interestingly enough just came from being companions with Elder Pryor.  Elder Davenport is awesome.  He's significantly taller than my last companion, a bit taller than me.  We have had such a good week.

Monday we finally met with the Dunbar family, we had a great lesson with them, and on Friday a second lesson.  It's a struggle right now, the wife is catholic and doesn't see a need for baptism, and doesn't want to come to church, but she gave the closing prayer, and kind of asked a question and started crying, and the spirit was real strong! it was wonderful.

That monday night we had an FHE activity with the fosters, and it was a lot of fun! oh wait... I think I already mentioned this last week, cause last week I e-mailed on tuesday, I forgot... okay, on to tuesday.  Tuesday night I went and met with a guy named Jason who has been investigating the church for numerous years, he has read Jesus the Christ twice, and read all the standard works, but has a few problems still, he wouldn't tell me, and the guy I brought with me as a member someone who tried to keep us off track it seemed! he did a good job. 

Tuesday morning we had a wonderful breakfast with our stake president, all the missionaries in our stake were there, it was a lot of fun, a few missionaries were a little immature, but its okay cause they got transferred =] ha. 

Wednesday, Transfer day! beautiful day.  We were in a meeting before the main meeting, and I came to the realization that there were two possibilities to be my companion, Elder Davenport and Elder ---- I'll leave it blank.  Well the second elder gave a talk in this meeting, and I just thought "Ugh, he's prideful, he wont do.  I need Davenport" I had heard a lot of good things about Elder Davenport before I ever met him, so I really wanted it to be him.  There were two places where these two missionaries could go.  Surprise Zone, and Cottonwood Zone.  So the surprise guy stands up and is awaiting to hear who his companion was, and I was praying so hard! just knowing that he would get Elder Davenport, but to my great pleasure, he did not! which meant that I would be getting him.  Hurray, it did in fact happen.  Things have been so nice lately, I am loving it.

Thursday we met this wonderful lady named Helen.  I'm trying to be more bold in tracting, so we start talking to her at the doorstep, and I invite us in to talk to her, she's about 90 years old, she said okay but just for a few minutes.  We started teaching her the Restoration.  At first she seemed very hesitant, and not wanting to answer questions, but then the Spirit really came in, Elder Davenport is an awesome teacher, and asked some great questions, we told her the story of Joseph Smith and bore our testimonies, and the Spirit was really strong.  We asked if she believed what we were saying was true, she said she did, and that she wanted to be baptized.  She said that she really wished that her family was there to hear what we had to say.  We set up an appointment to teach her, her daughter, and grand daughter on Saturday, we were so excited.  We got a call friday night, it was helen's daughter saying she wanted us to come pick up the book of mormon and that her mom wouldn't be available for the appointment.  NO!!!! I am a big despiser of Satan!

Thursday we met with a guy named art, that isn't going to go anywhere, but we have had more appointments this week than I ever had up here in cottonwood, Elder Davenport is a man of faith!

Well, its been such a good week, I'll have more to tell next week.

Elder Martin

Week 73

Oh blast, once again it is transfers and I have forgotten my old planner with all the events of the past week!

Okay so here's the news.  I am staying, and I am getting a new companion! we will find out who it is tomorrow.  In fact, almost half of our zone is being transferred, so its going to be very interesting to see what happens.

Last monday was wonderful! President Taylor came up to Cottonwood to go hiking with us in Sedona, we hiked Bell Rock and had a blast! My feet are still not in perfect condition, and hikes always destroy them! this was no exception.  We had a lot of fun, and no one died.  After the hike, we took President and Sister Taylor to one of the host families in our area and we had breakfast but just with our district.  They had a little basketball hoop on the roof, probably about 8 feet up, and we had a great time playing some basketball before lunch with President, then we had Navajo tacos.  Delicious.  This took most of the day.

Things are really starting to look up here! we are teaching more people than ever.  We had an appointment with one guy John, who is CRAZY, he's so awesome though, he knows everything there is to know about guns, and he never ever ever has visitors, so he really likes us, but he's very interesting... and kinda harsh sometimes.  He came in with an M3 (a gun) and handed it to me... it was very awkward, cause we aren't allowed to handle weapons, I showed hesitation, and he shoved it at me angrily and said "Take it!!" good thing for him it wasn't loaded! just kidding... relax relax it was a joke.

We have another investigator Steve who is very intelligent religiously, its great teaching him.  Very open, very friendly. 

Then there is Brian, the 18 year old.  He is awesome! We had such a great lesson with him yesterday, we were talking about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or Lesson 3, and talking about Baptism, and he said "Ya know how you wanted me to pray about this? well I did, and I didn't hear any voice or anything, but I think I got my answer, it was more in how I felt about it, I just felt real good and happy and peaceful" SWEET!!! so we set a baptism date of January 7th, but hopefully we can move it forward.  Brian is the man! we invited him to a family home evening with a family in the ward he knows, who are less active, and also recent converts... we had a really fun time, it was good for him, for the family, and for us!

Yesterday we taught the dunbar family, its going to be a bit of a struggle probably with them, but they seem to have great potential, I think they will come around, they have one very rotten little boy though who would not listen to his parents, and kept trying to tear my scriptures!!!

Well, there is more that happened, and more to come next week, I know this will be a great week.

Elder Martin

Week 72

Oh man, I haven't even thought about what I will put in this letter yet.  I hope something comes to me!

Well, the Gospel is truth, this much I know.  I love studying the scriptures, and I love studying from the general conference talks.  Elder Scott talked about how scriptures can become our friends, I love that.  I love learning new insights from the scriptures, or having questions answered by going to the scriptures.  There are some real gems. 

I had a lot of exchanges this week.  It was a good week.  I went with one of the district leaders on Tuesday - Wednesday, always love going with him, Elder Malmberg, he's awesome.  I got sick though, I was reading while in the truck and got real sick. 

On Tuesday, before the exchange, we went to visit an investigator, and she wasn't home... but we did see her car parked on another street... avoiding us... we knocked on THAT door, and no one answered.  We kept knocking, and talked to this guy lewis, I thought he was so promising, he was all tattooed and bearded, he talked to us for a long time, about how he had sold his soul to the devil by ritual and thought he had no hope, and that some churches were showing him how to be helped, but he didn't like everything they were saying... he ended up not wanting us to come back though... dang it! He had a large family too, I've never taught a family.

When I was on exchanges with E. Malmberg, we talked to this small family, just a mom and two boys, one boy is 10, and is super smart and wants to be baptized SO bad, his mom is less active, and doesn't want him to be baptized cause he's too young she says.  He begs and begs her to let him, its really sad, and missionaries in the past were really stupid and ruined some things, so we tried to repair the damage done by dumb missionaries.  We made some progress, she wants to learn more herself, and when she becomes converted, he will be baptized.

We had dinner with a family in our ward of recent converts last week, it was a lot of fun, I love that family they are very humorous.  They love to make fun of Elder Geren for being so short, its great.  We had ham and mashed potatoes and stuffing, oh it was good! I'm going to get so fat this week I know it! we have dinners scheduled almost every night.

Well I wish I had some more time, but alas I do not.

I hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving, and you should probably save some leftovers for me if you could.  Thanks,

Elder Martin

Week 71

I feel drained! But I'm pretty sure its because I just ate macaroni and cheese, and I always feel really tired and groggy after eating that 'food'.  But in life, I am happy.  It's been a good week.  I think I have some answering to do...

So the yellow shoes.  It's a good story don't worry.  They are not mine.  End of story.  Okay I'll tell more.  We had to come down to Cottonwood early for those meetings, and I forgot my shoes up here in cottonwood, so I borrowed the shoes of Elder Buttars a missionary we stayed with.  I'm not sure which picture of me made it look like I was up instructing... so I am not sure what to say about that.  Maybe in Zone Leader Council, but I wasn't instructing, I was singing.  Was it in a church? was I with my companion? in that case, it was during a role play that Elder Duncan called me up for.

We finally found a new investigator! hurray, he's a great guy, not sure how it will go.  He believes the story of Joseph Smith, but I'm not sure he see's its significance.  But I'm really excited to teach him! We've been meeting with another person, Betty, who says she knows me from somewhere... I suggested the pre-earth life.  She doesn't believe in that.  She's very much a seventh day adventist, and its going to be a struggle to get her over some of those things.  She's a sweet lady though and really enjoys us coming over.

I am so much out of time on the computer today... I don't really know what else to write.  Life is good, The church is True! if you don't believe me, just ask me, and I'll tell you it is.

That's all for this week, sorry for a boring letter! I wish I could include more.

Elder Martin

Week 70

Wow, what a week and a half! sorry the e-mail is late, we couldn't e-mail on monday, and we were busy tuesday (you'll understand) and today is the soonest I could do it.

 

So Monday we left to Phoenix and stayed the night with some other Zone Leaders who are AWESOME, I loved being there with them, it was a great time, and tuesday morning at 7 AM we started a hike for Zone Leader Council.  My foot was doing so well at the beginning of the hike, but that did me in.  I couldn't walk by the end (Update, I have a damaged nerve in my foot for those who don't know) so its back to where it was before I saw the doctor, and as even worse for a few days.  Anyway, ZLC was awesome, the spirit was strong and we had some great things to learn.  I sang a musical number of O My Father.  The next day we had leadership training meeting for the full day (ZLC was all day as well) so it was a LOT of meetings! but they were SO good! I learned so much, and we got this new talk from Elder Bednar about being a Preach my Gospel missionary, it was so good and will change my mission.  Then we had a Zone Meeting on Friday to bring all this goodness to the rest of the zone.  It was a week of meetings, and not much missionary work, but that's okay, cause you gotta sharpen the blades.

 

Now the best part of the whole week + is that we had a visit from Kevin R. Duncan of the Seventy! Wow, what a powerful day that was! We had to wake up at 4:45 so we could get down to phoenix by 7:30.  We had a leadership meeting at 8 with him, and he asked me specifically many questions, and then he asked Elder Pierson my District Leader even MORE questions... Elder Pierson is such an awesome missionary, Elder Duncan asked him something to prove a point.  He asked "How many progressing Investigators do you have right now?" most missionaries probably have between 2 - 6, a few 8-10.  Elder Pierson has 12-13.  Elder Duncan was not expecting that answer, but praised Elder Pierson for his hard work.  It was a really good meeting and I took tons of notes.  Then we went to the bulk of the meeting.  The Spirit was so strong throughout! just little things would bring the spirit in abundance.  At one point he called me and my companion to the front to do a little role play! That was fun... I guess... He talked a lot about how to do things, and then a lot about Faith to do things.  I am so on fire with missionary work right now, I am ready to baptize all of cottonwood! I know that good things are coming, we just need an increase of faith.  All things are possible, I know it! Faith is powerful, it is incredible! One of his big things that he talked about was just loving everyone, loving our investigators, and moving from "Non-members coming to church = converts to anyone we get to come to church = converts" We are here to lift everyone we can.  I am so excited for the gospel, I am so excited to be a missionary right now! My faith has been lacking, but this has been such a huge boost for me, its time to baptize thousands! and bring back thousands as well.  Sheesh, there aren't even that many people in cottonwood... more will have to move in so we can baptize more!

 

Elder Martin

Leadership meetings

There were a couple events that Elder Martin went to recently, that the mission president's wife blogged about. I stole pictures from her blog again.
From a leadership training, Elder Martin, with his companion, Elder Geran, and the other leaders of their the Cottonwood zone. (I think.)

I think it was November 1st that there was a zone leader conference thingy, where they hiked Sunrise mountain. Here are some pictures from that. Jason in the guy in the black shirt, wearing the bright yellow shoes. 

 

 I take it they then went to the presidents house, or somewhere, for food and lessons. And it looks like Jason taught.

So there you go! It's a good thing the president and wife take pictures, otherwise we'd never see any!

Stay tuned...there should be a letter from him coming today.

Week 69

Well, I wish I could report a super exciting week, but I unfortunately cannot! It was good though.

 

Monday night we did another FHE activity with a family, we played four square.  It was a lot of fun.  ummm... hmmm what else happened...

 

So Isay has been interesting.  I'm worried, cause he says no matter what he is going to be baptized on November 19th.  Problem is, we wont allow it, so I assume he may end up trying to baptize himself... and that could be real interesting.  The week started out real bad with him, we went over on tuesday and he was still very upset and giving us a bunch of Book of Mormon verses that supposedly prove why he can't be disallowed from being baptized for being on probation.  We provided counter scriptures, and he said "show me one scripture where someone wasn't allowed to be baptized" So I showed him one in Acts where Peter tells a group of people to repent and be baptized, and then he tells the sanhedrin to repent and be converted, so that by the time judgement comes they might be able to be forgiven of their sins... we explained that they weren't allowed to be baptized in this life for their works against the Savior and their responsibility in his murder.  He didn't like that, he said "Well that was wrong of Peter, no one can say that... that's why there are so many churches today! ya know what, I bet that every time someone is told they can't be baptized, they just start their own church.  Maybe that's what I will do!" So we flooded him with apostasy scriptures, showing it to be a BAD Idea. 

 

We went over Saturday and he had calmed down considerably, he has a lot of questions, and still argues, but he wasn't as contentious, and is more willing to learn and listen and pray.  We're again a bit excited about him.

 

Saturday we did a service project, the stake one.  It was fun I guess... but I didn't get to wear a helping hands shirt =[.  But it was still good.

 

Thursday and Friday we stayed in all day cause Elder Geren has been sick.  But it was good, I got to learn a lot of great things.  Number 1 was a statement made by Joseph Smith, something to the effect of "Weary the Lord, until He blesses you." That is my new theme.  There are righteous things that I desire, I want people to teach, I want more faith, so on, and thus I will ask until I receive, there is a parable about it as well in the bible.  The Lord WANTS to bless us, but according to the Bible Dictionary, the highest of blessings are conditional upon our asking for them!

 

I love that all prayers are answered.  I love that everything that we teach in this church are TRUE.  One investigator we have... or rather a recent convert who is less active, told us of an article she read by an LDS guy about how you dont' have to be fully engaged in the church, about how there isn't just black and white, about how you can stay on middle ground, still live how you want and go to church and pick what you want to believe.  AH! It was horrible, who would write such an awful article! I hate the philosophies of certain LDS members of the church, they go against the Apostles, they want to keep a summer cottage in Babylon! The Savior himself said that we are either hot or cold, and if we are lukewarm, he will spew us out of his mouth! sounds like a poor way to live.  I wish everyone would just be obedient to the commandments of God, life is SO MUCH BETTER! that's my rant for the day.  Don't be stupid, just do whats right.

 

Elder Martin