God answers our prayers

Greetings loved ones!!

The city of Washington is treating Sister Archambault and I very well. Transfer calls are coming up next Saturday so I'm a little nervous! I would love to stay in Washington and continuing working with the beautiful people here. I really feel like this is home! It's so bizarre working in 6 week increments - time flies WAY too fast. My 9 month mark is coming up in a few weeks. WEIRD! It's so strange looking back to what I was like in the MTC and then to now... it has indeed been the refiners fire that's for sure. I never expected how much I would change out here just in 9 months. It will be exciting to see what the next 9 months will bring!

Yesterday I was on exchanges with a Sister in St. George in an area called Morningside. They are full proselyting so we had some time to tract out some different apartment complexes  - and get this - that was my first time tracting! While serving half the time in the VC it's easy to have the remaining time in your area just be all referral work. But I was so excited to tract! We ran in to the most interesting people in some of the most interesting situations! It's fun because at each door you never know what you're going to expect - but you know one thing is constant - you know that at every single door you will testify of the restoration and of Jesus Christ and commit the person to doing something. I'm so glad that that stays constant because testifying of these truths has the power to change any awkward, negative, and unexpected door contact into one filled with the spirit and hope and love.

One home we knocked on was this extremely elderly woman who looked liked she was just about on her last straw... she was very shaky and nervous she wouldn't make it through the day. She told us she was really miserable right then. We tried to start a conversation about things that she is grateful for in the great life she's lived - she talked a lot of about her husband who was a patriarch and her children. She was having a hard time hearing us so we both had to kneel by her feet and talk with her. We shared some scripture with her and bore testimony of the love that Heavenly Father has for her. It was so hard to hold my tears back the whole time. It's incredible how we on earth can feel just a slight portion of the love that our Heavenly Father has for His children. She thanked us repeatedly for coming over and then started to cry and said with a slight smile, "I guess God does answer our prayers, doesn't he?"

I know that God truly does work through His children here on the earth to answer the prayers of all those around us. I have seen it in my own life repeatedly and the life of others.

We also had some time to go to a rest home and talk with a lot of the people there. I even played the piano and we sung some hymns! I feel like I haven't had an experience like this since I was back at home with the family at Christmas time - brought back so many good memories! I can see how all those visits with the youth in the ward and with my family helped me be prepared to brighten maybe some ones day at the rest home yesterday. Again, it's amazing to feel just a very small portion of the love that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father has for each one of those beautiful people we visited with there.

I know that at one point in our pre-earth life we talked with and walked with and loved our Father in Heaven. We promised Him to take good care of His children on the earth. We promised to show others love, that they might feel of His love.

And I sure do love each one of you!!! :)

Love, Sister Martin