Lately

It feels like I just saw you guys, but then again, it feels like I haven't seen you in eternity. The days feel like weeks here and the weeks feel like days. It's all very strange! 

Speaking of strange... there has been a very creepy one-eyed black cat lurking around the temple apartments. And by lurking, I mean it chases me all the way from the mailboxes back to my apartment at night. And from my apartment to the car in the morning. And it meows ferociously. Scary, right? Well of course one of the German sisters fed it tuna and water!! hahaha gotta love them. But the other day we saw an animal crate by the front office and then an animal control truck... and then a guy carrying the cat... so no more rabid kitty. 

But just to let you all know, this past week has been SOOO much better!! I told President that if he wanted to put me in another trio, go for it. Seriously, even though it's quite difficult and exhausting at times, the learning experiences and growth I have witnessed in us ALL is extremely rewarding. 

And I feel that our area is really improving. And you know why? Shorter lessons, more frequent visits, and PRAYER!!  We realized that we needed to start showing those whom we are teaching how simple and important the gospel is by teaching shorter more meaningful lessons. And I have realized that the most meaningful and spiritual prayers contain many expressions of thanks and few, if any, requests. The more I'm thankful for our investigators and their decision in learning from us, the more my love for them grows, the more our teaching improves, and the more able we are to help them feel the spirit and communicate with Father in heaven. 

Last week in our VC Sisters Training Meeting we had a wonderful training on the Book of Mormon from Salt Lake; they talked about how we can do more than just hand someone a Book of Mormon and commit them to reading it, WE can read it WITH them! Right then and there! It was amazing because later that night two nonmembers participating in the Ironman walked in and I was able to not only apply that training but teach the Restoration in 10 minutes. And now I am teaching them online! It's amazing how when we ask in prayer for opportunities to apply the things we've learned, God sends down experiences for us in 10 fold. I love it. 

And I love hearing about you missionary experiences and what you have been learning about the Gospel of Jesus Christ!! :)

I don't want to share too much more since I will see you on MOTHERS DAY!! :) 

I love you guys :) I can feel your love and prayers all the way down here in St. Geezy - seriously. Thank you :)

Much love, Sister Martin

p.s. Thank you SO MUCH Jackie for the package with food! I have hardly any money down here between laundry, toliet paper, and basic groceries! So I appreciate the to-go food and chocolate :) I ate all the kit-kats in one sitting.... :D heh! 

Madeline's previous district

Sisters serving at the VC! The director and his wife are in the middle. 

They are like my mom ad dad there haha

The Hewstones and me! They are a cute senior couple from Australia (thickest accents you've ever heard) and they went home :( I love all the senior couples!  We have about 12 couples. 

One of our investigators has a little bunny name Roger the Rabbit - SO cute!!

 But when her daughter was playing with it on the floor,

it escaped and darted under my feet and my legs flew up in the air like 5 feet

I squealed like a little girl. The whole family couldn't

stop laughing.... embarrassing. 

An exchange student from China that came in the VC while waiting for her friends who were in the temple - she is Buddhist. She said that she and her mother prayed and prayed to know where to send her for this exchange and they both felt strongly that Utah was the place - how neat is that. I told her that she received that answer for a reason - she is amazingly spiritual for her age.  I gave her a whole tour and she loved it!! We ended it by listening to the Christus in Mandarin. I am now teaching her online and she wrote a little note for Seth in Chinese :)