Week 4

My dear family and friends,

thank you all for your comments! I can assure you that I am fed very well. And this may be of note to those in the family, every time I mention that I'm a Turley, everyone immediately knows a connection, the Turley name here in Arizona is HUGE, some of the most well known people here are Turley's. A Turley started the paulo verde nuclear power plant which is very large. Anyway, I'm famous already here. Oh also something of interest to the Turleys, one of the Elders in my apartment is a Bartlett, He says he knows the name of Joyce and Lester, but not sure exactly why he does. I'll update later on that.

The work continues, and the spirit increases, and my testimony continues to increase! I love being here and look forward to every day. I am always impressed by the members here in Arizona. The Bishops are incredible, and the wards are incredible, the food is delicious and somehow I'm not getting fat! The Lord is truly blessing me in that regard!!!! Must be the lack of a decent lunch.

I've noticed some interesting patterns in missionary work. I think that the Lord places people on the earth almost strategically, every street I tract has a different "theme" if you will. I think the Lord places people based on their spiritual journey. One street I tract will be cordial and kind, but will still turn us away, another street everyone will be rude and just ignore us, another street people will all look through their windows and refuse to answer the door, another street they will come to the door and chew us out for what we're doing, another street will all bring out their bibles and start to bash us... It's fascinating to me that each street really does have a theme or a common factor in how they approach life... there are always a few doors on every street that are different of course, but for the most part one street has similar beliefs and approaches to life.

I had an investigator show up to church yesterday, it surprised us! we didn't even know until after sacrament. It was an amazing experience, it doesn't matter how much we get turned away, how many doors are slammed in my face, how many people laugh at us or mock us, how many people refuse to listen, the second an investigator shows up to church that's all that matters! I'm so excited for his progression, I am positive that he will be baptized, he has an answer just doesn't know it yet! I hope he finds out soon that he knows what he must do.

Well I'm out of time for this week! Thanks for the comments and for listening

Elder Martin

Week 3 or something

Now everybody, if you read this at all, it would mean a lot to Elder Martin if you commented. He mentioned with a frowny face that there was once again, no comments for me to report to him.
His letter:

It feels as though I've been out here so long already and have so many experiences! I love being here, I love Arizona, I love the people and I love the gospel! I love teaching, more than anything I just love teaching the gospel! It's so hot, but I love the heat in a way, I hate the water though, that's one thing I don't like. Ugh, gross water.

STORY TIME!!!

Yesterday my companion and I were tracting and this guy comes out and says "Oh, you're mormons huh?" and we were both thinking "Oh dang, here it goes" we ended up having an incredibly good conversation with him! he likes our view on the Godhead, his sister or cousin is a pastor and once told him "It's like you, you are a father, and you are also a son of someone" and he said he told her "Well yeah, but I'm not my own father! you're crazy" he had a good grasp on religion and the bible, but didn't want us to come back... we're going to go back anyway and talk to him some more, he needs to hear the plan of salvation. We had another person yesterday (oh wait, the other story was two days ago) who I talked to and she listened, and afterwards she said she was busy but my companion asked her what question she would ask if she knew we were true representatives of Jesus Christ, she said "Well, I don't doubt that you really are representatives of Jesus Christ" We can't figure out why she would see that in us, but not want to know more!! We're going to go back there as well.

Our investigators are few. We taught the first lesson to someone last tuesday, her name is Sunday. She's only taking the discussions as a birthday present to her friend, but she is incredibly smart!! She talked to us about the pre-existence and the war in heaven and the fall of lucifer, she talked about giants in the bible and the archaelogical proof of their existence today, she believes Joseph Smith was probably inspired, but doesn't believe in organized religion. We teach her again tomorrow. We have one investigator who believes what we are teaching him, but he said he doesn't feel its important to get baptized, and another investigator who says he just hasn't received an answer yet, but is reading the Book of Mormon.

A couple sunday's ago we were in church greeting people and in comes this lady and says "Hi, I'm Shana, I'm just investigating" so we talk to her a bit and make her feel welcome, she sits through all of church and we talk to her after and she says "Well, my friend introduced me to the gospel, but I had a few hang ups with it, but I just had an experience, and now I'm ready to get baptized." We were floored! GOLDEN INVESTIGATOR!!! We asked some more questions, she has a testimony, she knows it is what she wants in her life, she is committed, and there is nothing holding her back. But then we learned she isn't even in our area! ARGH so someone else gets to teach her, but oh well, what is important is that she found the gospel. At my apartment, I was coming back from checking the mail (I didn't get any... slackers... well there are a few who aren't, and you know who you are... the rest of you though.......) anyway... no mail, walking back and this black kid with baggy shorts blaring music, and tons of gold in his ears and mouth comes to me and my companion and says "Will you teach me about Jesus". We first thought he was just messing with us, setting us up for something, but we teach him anyway, and it turns out he really does want to know. AGAIN NOT FROM OUR AREA!!! Two golden investigators, who we have to hand off to someone else.

Well, I love the gospel, I am glad they found it, I am glad I have it in my life. My testimony grows every day I'm out here, when we teach about the Savior, or about Joseph Smith, the spirit is always present, its amazing to have the spirit present so often in my life. I love this experience so very much!

Elder Martin

Pictures

Elder Martin's mission president wrote my folks and sent some pictures. Here are the pictures.

Jason with his mission president and wife.

Jason with his companion Elder Campbell.

First week in the field letter!

Dear Family and Friends, and those who accidentally stumbled upon this website,

I am here!! I'm in Arizona, let me tell you it is HOT! The members here are amazing, and I'm convinced its because satan's hosts can't handle the heat. It's been over 110 every day I've been here... it once got below 100 at night and it seemed so wonderfully cool! When they wind blows its like having a blow dryer hit you in the face, its way too hot. But its better than cold. I love it here, I love doing actual missionary work all day long! Even if tracting has been almost completely unproductive, just to watch myself as I am walking down a dusty road in my white shirt and tie makes me feel like a missionary, and it fulfills all of my dreams. It's fun. No other way to describe the work other than fun... not jovial levity kind of fun, but its truly enjoyable to do the work of God. I have been very blessed. My trainer is a good guy, my president is amazing and the area is wonderful! It's truly the number 1 mission in the world! and that's from the mouth my president, and he doesn't lie. Also Neil L. Anderson came down a while back and told them things would be changing and they would be getting missionaries that would amaze the President, or something like that, so he always says "The Arizona Phoenix mission is the Number 1 mission in the world, because we have the number 1 missionaries in the world". Apparently I slipped through the cracks and came here anyway.

We were tracting and my trainer would say "okay now its your turn" so my first two tries I would say "Hi we're the missionaries from" SLAM I couldn't even get through my statement... so I left it up to my trainer for a while and he was unsuccessful, I didn't like his approach so I tried again with a different one, finally I got to say what I wanted to say, and for the first time since I'd been there we got a return appointment! it did however fall through, but still. Since then, I've had no luck. There are some serious cactus here! it's awesome, the kind you see on TV, the kind you associate with cactus.

The gospel is true! It can't not be true with the things I've seen and heard and more importantly FELT. I know its true, and I know what I am doing really is the work of the Lord, and He really is guiding His missionaries. Without Him we'd be 100% unproductive. Be nice to the missionaries there, and feed them steak! I got fed steak last night, it was delicious... but don't worry I'm trying hard to not get fat, I'm doing pretty good so far I think.

Elder Martin

In the field

Elder Martin arrived in Phoenix. My mother got a call from the mission president saying that he and the other missionaries arrived safely. Also, they have a mission blog. Check it out. There are several pictures with Jason.

http://calledtoservephoenix.blogspot.com/

Week 2

Hello! I'm still at the MTC, and I'm loving it! the MTC is a beautiful place, the grounds are amazing, and the spirit even better! It's been another eventful week, no apostles this week, but some great speakers, and some interesting happenings. My teacher brother Bunker got hit by a car and nearly died! He broke two ribs, punctured his lung which then partially collapsed, fractured his face, and has abrasions everywhere on his body! he's a mess, and stupid! He came to class 3 days later. Sad note, my good friend Elder Paulson left for home, he couldn't do it, that was probably the hardest day here so far, but the good experiences and the spirit here far outweigh the bad times which are few. Volleyball here is AWFUL not gonna lie, no one knows how to play... I'm not allowed to serve properly either, they get mad. I love MOST of my district... nah I do love them all, but some of them irritate me. But that's normal yes? hopefully so. I'm going to try out for a musical number tomorrow, I'm singing My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee. I'm sure I wont get to sing, since I'm leaving in less than a week, but I thought it would be fun to at least try out. It's best if I don't get to perform cause it would be in front of over 2000 people! I get so exhausted during the day because of the spirit! we had a musical fireside called the Standard of Truth, it was about the Restoration, but it went more into depth on the reformation and the founding of the country, it was amazing and the spirit was so strong, and I gained a stronger testimony of our founding fathers and of Joseph Smith. I love missionary work, I am so excited to go to Arizona and talk to REAL people about the gospel, the spirit is so strong in all the lessons we get to teach to mock investigators, it will be so much better in Arizona. Oh I can't wait!!! Less than a WEEK! Make sure you check out the weather in Phoenix on the 13th. I leave here at 9:52 in the morning, and arrive there at 10:33 Well that's all for this week, I wish I had more time to write more, there are so many great experiences!

Elder Martin

A letter!

Hello readers! Elder Martin wrote home. This blurb he especially wrote for you! He mentioned that the enter button wasn't working, so there are no paragraph breaks. Oh, and the period button always makes two periods. So there are some excuses for him. :)

Greetings people who care! So Here I am finally on a mission, shame on you who didn't think it would happen! nah, can you imagine? I am officially no longer a newbie missionary, its been a week! I am loving every minute of it, well almost every minute, there have already been some trials and challenges.... Companions... The food is making me fat, and the spirit is making me tired! literally, I am so exhausted!! yet I'm getting more sleep than I ever did back home, I am convinced that prolonged exposure to so much of the spirit is making me super tired all the time. Jospeh Smith once said "You get used to it" so hopefully I'll not be so tired soon. I have an amazing district, all very mature (mostly) and all will be excellent missionaries. The worst part about being here is the fact that the Provo Temple is CLOSED for the duration of my stay here at the MTC! Since I've been here, the entire First Presidency has also been here as well as most of the Quorum of the Twelve. I personally saw Elder Nelson and Elder Holland. Both were about a hundred feet away from me, Elder Holland was speaking to a couple and was so sweet and kind to them, and he told them how much he loved them. These men are not just putting on a show, they truly care, they are like that in real life. I can't write a ton right now since I've only got a few minutes left...... also my laundry is waiting for me! I'm so happy for P-day I can finally write letters and relax a bit, not that I don't enjoy studying, I love having so much time to study!! But its also nice to get out of my suit! Speaking of letters, Why haven't most of you written to me eh? What the heck? I need some love, send me letters!!! I don't have peoples addresses I just realized, I don't have friends or family addresses, so send me a letter and I will have your address. I am about to be booted, so I'm outta here! Til next week my friends.. Elder Martin