life in pictures

Some of the people we were teaching in Manti:

1. Wendy and Sadie! Wendy was LA and trying to come back and Sadie, her daughter, was preparing for baptism. Wendy has such a strong testimony. We met them because their neighbors invited them over for dinner with us and they never came so we just delivered dinner to them! food always softens hearts. 

2. The Braithwaite family. Oh how I miss them!!! I wrote about them when I was in Manti. They are trying to come back to church and have such a desire to learn. It's a huge step for Brian but he would always say, "I know it will be hard, but I know it will be worth it!" 

3. The Spendlove family. Where do I even start. I love this family so much - they are the prime example to me of integrity. It is a combined family and three of the boys are not allowed to be baptize because their biological father will not give them approval. But what do these three boys do? They go to church every Sunday, they participate in any way they can, by bringing the sacrament bread or even holding the doors open for those that walk in. We would always sit at their kitchen table for the lessons and have the greatest most spirit filled discussions. I know there are great things in store for them!! The day they are able to be baptized I will drop everything and come to see them.

I'm going to miss winter in Manti on our little farm :( it's already fully-fledged summer out here!! 

Some more winter of Manti. In the Valentines (our landlord) house they had a fireplace and I was like a magnet to it. Sister Lasalosi caught a pic of me after a very long, exhausting, cold day. 

Eating at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Ephraim with the Valentines! 

What our car would sometimes look like in Manti because of all the muddy dirt roads we had to ride on...

At President's house after our missionary leadership council. 

During our biking days....

The baptism of Ivy :) 

Baptism of Jade Lunt! 

Sister Lasalosi and I on Christmas day :)

washington fields are white

Can you believe that I've already been back down in St. George now for a whole week?! Im still in shock that I'm not in Manti anymore... And especially that I'm back down in Washington Fields. I've only heard of one other sister in this mission who served in an area and then came back to that same area later on. 

Before I go on any further, let me just give you a brief version of the past 6 months of my mission. I served in Washington Fields for 3 months. We had some miracles happen, that's for sure. But not many baptisms there let alone non-members to teach. It was struggling. With 12 wards to cover and spending half of our time in the visitors center, it was difficult to build relationships with the members. I really enjoyed my time there and was sad to leave but little did I know I had no idea what Manti would be like. Get to Manti and it's almost the opposite of Washington Fields - tons of finding, teaching, baptizing, and the members and our leaders were our best friends. Washington Fields had on average 15 lessons per week. In Manti we were able to have 40-50 lessons a week. It was a sliver of paradise. 

 

We thought that I would for sure stay in Manti. We had SO much work going on there that none of us could imagine a new set of missionaries being brought in. Sister Lasalosi was going home so we had predictions of who would come up to be my companion. But then President called and said that I'm leaving... He said that Washington Fields was really struggling. Still. At first, I was really apprehensive about this. It was so hard to say goodbye to those we were teaching and the members we were working with. I don't feel I've felt so close to a whole stake before. Preparing everything for elders to come in and take over was a bit rough. There are just some things you can't convey through the area book. Like how very much we love these people and just want them to not be forgotten and continued to be taken care of!! But I know the elders are already doing great there and it's SO reassuring to know that the members will continue in their missionary efforts there.

My companion I was assigned to here in Washington Fields is Sister Archambault. She actually already served with me when we were in the Washington stake so it was also a bit of a shocker that we were being out back together!! But that was the nice part of the transfer, that I already knew the area and knew my companion and we could just get to work. The first day we were together we went over our goals for the work here and made plans on how we would achieve them. Finding new investigators and working with members and ward leaders were our focus. 

The first few days we were together we prayed consistently for Heavenly Father to help us find a family to teach. We did a lot of different finding activities and were having no success. We decided that we just needed to be a little more patient and continue to pray and act. Lessons were continuing to cancel on us and doors continually shut. We were becoming a little discouraged and cynical but we tried to change our attitudes and keep praying specifically. 

One night while walking through a neighborhood and contacting some referrals, we walked by a park. Sister Archambault suggested that we talk to this family sitting under the pavilion in the park with three kids. We went on over and started up a conversation about their cute baby in the stroller. They were super friendly and after some laughs the husband, Chris, looked at us and asked why we're missionaries and what we do as missionaries. You know, those golden questions always catch me so off guard that everything I have studied throughout my mission seems to come out in the most awkward of replies. But as we answered we started to ask them about their own beliefs. They told us they're from "Flarida" (misspelling intended) and had fallen away from their faith, one Lutheran and the other Baptist. We started to teach them the message of the restoration and oh my goodness, I never thought the spirit could feel so strong in the local park! We left them with a pamphlet and they both expressed their desires in meeting with us again. The Cook family was a direct answer to our prayers. It was hard for Sister Archambault and I not to squeal while walking away from that visit. We will be seeing them in a few days. 

 

We have three lessons with potential investigators tonight so we are super excited!!! I have never had this happen in Washington Fields before. 

 

On to our second goal: member missionary work. This one we were a little nervous about because this is an extremely wealthy area and it's hard to find families that aren't so busy with work and activities to meet with us. After meetings with the stake president and our mission president, we came up with a way to involve the members more. This program that our stake president suggested has been helping immensely to get in the homes to teach members and help them with their missionary work as well as increasing the communication and accountability between our ward mission leaders and us. We have specifically been praying for our 12 ward mission leaders and bishops and have been trying to build more of their trust. As a result, we have been able to receive many referrals and have extremely productive ward councils and coordination meetings. The whole attitude of the leadership is beginning to change! And us as well. The members and leaders are beginning to communicate with us more and are making plans to fellowship neighbors and friends. The Lord is truly working miracles here. He is softening the hearts of many, including our own. We didn't have the best attitude at first, but we are feeling a great change. 

After receiving my transfer call to come back, I kept having this reoccurring thought that attitude determines altitude. It reminded me of the story of when President Monson was a mission president in Canada and the miracle of "Stony Kingston." Look it up :) great example of the power of ones attitude.

 

As I was heading back down to Washington Fields from Manti, the spirit brought to remembrance a chapter in the book of Alma, chapter 8. This is where Alma is basically getting transferred city to city preaching the gospel.  He went to one city, Ammonihah, and the people there wouldn't even listen to the words that he had to say. In verse 10 it says, "Nevertheless Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance."  Despite Alma's efforts, the people hardened their hearts and told him he basically should just leave because he's wasting his time there. (What I always felt like before while contacting people in Washington Fields). So, understandably, Alma leaves the city. He was "weighed down with much sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people who were in the city of Ammonihah." 

 

If he's anything like me, he's probably just thinking that he will move on and find more success in the next area. But then an angel of the Lord appears to him and says (in verse 15), "Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God... And behold, I am sent to command thee that thou RETURN to the city of Ammonihah, and preach AGAIN unto the people of the city." 

 

But my favorite part is verse 18 where Alma SPEEDILY returns to Ammonihah and enters the city "by another way." This verse really hit me that upon my returning to Washington Fields, that I too might need to enter "by another way." Lately, Sister Archambault and I have been thinking that this other way is by Family History work. We still have a lot of pondering, studying, praying, and coordinating to do on this but I know it's not coming into my mind again and again for nothing! 

I am so very grateful to be back in Washington Fields. Especially with Sister Archambault. Before we were only together for one transfer. It was alright, but this transfer is so different now. Instead of being just companions it's like we are best friends working towards the same goals. I love serving with her!! We can talk for hours and I can be open with her about anything and everything. We have the same mindset on goals and she really helps me out in achieving them. Plus, she makes me get up and run with her every morning at 6 :) I need that!! 

 

I know that I am here for a purpose and that the Lord has great things in store for the Washington Fields stake :) sorry this email was so long... I just had a lot to say! Things are going swell and I'm SO excited for tonight! 

 

Thank you for your prayers, they made all the difference in coming back with a better attitude this time :)

 

Much love, Sister Martin 

The Valentines, our landlords in Manti, and their cute dog, Bella!! Oh how I miss the Valentines! They were the best landlords anyone could ever ask for. They are like family to me.

come into the fold

One of the investigators we have been teaching recently is named Pamela. Pamela comes from an extremely rough background of abuse, neglect, and even more. When she moved to Manti she was at a point where she was ready to change her life around and start anew. We've been teaching her ever since I got here. She lived in the Manti Motel for a long time and just recently moved to an apartment a few blocks away.

Teaching her is an absolute joy! Despite attending school at Snow College and working at Walmart, she still manages to have us over and keeps all the commitments we leave with her. In fact, she even goes beyond that!

Just to give you an idea of how awesome she is: She was reading through all the war chapters in Alma and started to question the reason for including all of it in the Book of Mormon. Right then she was going through an awful divorce and issues with school. She prayed about what Heavenly Father wanted her to get out of these chapters and the next time we came over she told us that she knows why she needs to read about all of these wars. She said that she's been going through her own wars lately (overcoming smoking, forgiving, the divorce, schooling) and God was helping her to understand the importance of fortifying herself with righteousness. I feel like we are more of the ones getting taught when we go over!! 

One of the lessons we taught Pamela was about missionary work. We committed her to sharing her testimony and what she's learning about with the man who lives in the hotel room right next to her. The man, named David, is very lonely and loves talking to Pamela outside. Pamela had a big smile on her face and told us that she had already been talking to David about the gospel. In the past when we tried contacting David he has slammed the door on us and other ward members that would come by. Well, that Sunday guess who came to church? Pamela and David. Everyone was totally shocked. He went to all 3 hours! Pamela told us that she would continue to prepare him to meet with us.

As Pamela was in the process of moving, we went over to help her clean the rest of the room out. We got to the door and no one answered. So we went next door to David's (a little hesitant to do that) and asked him if Pamela had already moved. While we were talking we asked him how he liked church and if he had nay questions about it. He told us that he felt weird since he hadn't been to church in 50 years. Later on in the conversation, we asked him how he feels about his relationship with God. He told us that he feels really shaky with God. He then really opened up and started talking about the death of his wife and how now he just feels lost. We testified of God's love and the importance of the scriptures and the foundation they lay for us in life. He told us that he has never been able to read so the scriptures would be useless. We then quickly offered to come to his home and read to him. He was excited about that!

So that was a complete miracle right there. The next week we were preparing for Pam's baptism. She was actually on probation for a few years but we were able to get permission from Salt Lake to have her baptized after a few extensive interviews. So the process took awhile but FINALLY we were able to set a date for her. Her baptism was this past Saturday. She invited David but he was really unsure about going. We called him that morning and invited him once again and HE CAME! button up white shirt, slacks and everything.

The baptismal service was just beautiful. The ward is magnificent and the entire relief society room was packed full of neighbors, fellowshippers, and friends. I have never felt the spirit so strong in a baptismal service before. As Pamela walked into the water the scriptures in Mosiah 18 came to mind.

"As ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;  Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God."

Pamela is the epitome of these verses. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. I know without a doubt that God led Pamela to Manti. I have seen the Atonement in action through this whole process of preparing her for baptism. You can see the change in her eyes and in her countenance.

She received the gift of the Holy Ghost the day after in sacrament meeting. When she came back to sit by us after receiving the blessing she said, "Wow! That was wild! That was just amazing! I've never felt that so strongly!" She was all smiles all weekend. She is a perfect example to me of diligence, humility, patience, and charity. I just love that lady. 

David enjoyed the baptismal service and committed to coming back to church next Sunday :)

What a great weekend it was. I love you all and appreciate the kind words that are sent my way :) I can feel your prayers daily. I love you :)

Love, Sister Martin

a lamp unto my feet, & a light unto my path

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! 

 

....the only other time I've seen snow like this was on Christmas day here in Manti. It's snowing chunks of snow, like the angels are throwing snowballs at us. Every stake here in Sanpete county fasted for snow a few weeks ago and I don't think I've heard a prayer without the pleading for a generous snow pack in the mountains for awhile. It's literally a winter wonderland here. Sister Lasalosi was SO excited - she loves snow! The first time she ever saw it was when she came on her mission. So we come outside ready to get in our car and what's the first thing she does? Nails me with about 6 snowballs -.- 

 

She is so funny. I seriously don't think a day goes by where we are not hysterically laughing to the point our stomachs hurt. I just love that girl - we are getting along really well. One of the best parts of our companionship is that we both love NACHO LIBRE!! We quote it a lot in our proselyting efforts... like "Why have you not been baptized?!" ... just kidding ;) We have so much fun together. 

The other day we were walking up to this home to contact a family and a yellow lab started running after us barking like crazy. AHHHH! with our last two crazy dog experiences we were so done. Sister Lasalosi told me to get on the porch and stay there. So I knocked on this door and when I look behind me she had one of the decorative boulders from the lawn in her hand saying to the dog, "I'm gonna kill you. I'm really gonna kill you!" ...perks of having a Polynesian companion. With her slight death threats and my cooing to the doggy that it's okay, he was probably so confused that he ran off and didn't come back. I really hope no neighbors saw that whole episode...hahaha. 

 

One of the families we're currently teaching is the Smith* family. Emily and Christian (the parents) have 2 cute girls. They have been less-active for years and years. Christian actually hasn't been a member for a long time. We came across them one day meaning to contact another family. we never knew about them before. When we came in they talked to us about why they don't go to church, etc. We told them what our purpose as missionaries is and how the family is central to what we believe. We talked about the blessings their family could benefit from by learning more. They agreed to having us in their home again. We had a great lesson about the restoration and committed them to coming to church and reading their scriptures. We were SO excited that Sunday to see them in church since they have never been as a whole family before. I don't think I stopped smiling the whole meeting. 

 

The next day that we went back to their home was a rough day. Sister Lasalosi and I were on splits from 4-9 pm and four of my lessons already cancelled - no one was home. Which was sad because I was so looking forward to seeing the families we had planned for!! The Smith family cancelled at first but then they sent us another text  and said that they would actually still like us to stop by. (total miracle - rarely ever happens). 

 

When we came over we talked about church and how they felt. Christian said that when he was getting ready to go he expected that he would feel really nervous walking in the doors and have his head down the entire time, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. He hasn't been to church since he was excommunicated so his feelings of apprehension were understandable. Instead though, he said he surprisingly felt like he was walking back home when he walked in those church doors. He told us that he kept his head up the whole time and even sang the songs! And he was happy to see people greet him as he walked down the rows and invite him to class. He told us that he just wanted to stay in that church building forever. 

 

Throughout the lesson he kept talking about his recent thoughts of coming back and being re-baptized. He said over and over again, "It will be hard, but it will be worth it." We talked about the difference his reading and praying has made so far (Him and Emily have been keeping all the commitments we've left them!!) and he said that even though he doesn't totally understand what he's reading and doesn't always know what to pray for, he always loves the feeling he has when he does it anyway. 

 

When we asked him why he has the desire to be re-baptized he told us how not only does he feel like he owes it to his parents, but he wants to do it for himself, and especially for God. 

Our fellowshipper that was with us bore a beautiful testimony of the healing and strengthening power of the Atonement. The spirit was so strong in the room. As we were teaching this family about the love Jesus Christ has for them I felt the spirit like I never have before. I felt complete and total love for this family. I saw in my mind Christian baptizing his little girl, Charlotte. She is now Seth's age. I saw Emily helping the older daughter, Anne, with her personal progress. I saw them in white. I am so excited for them I can hardly express it!!!

I know that Heavenly Father has a great plan in store for this family. 

Again and again, I see the gospel be "a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." And especially in the lives of those whom we are teaching. 

 

I love you all :)

 

Much love, Sister Martin

 

*Names have been changed

beware of dog

WE'RE GETTING iPADS! I think I might've already told you that... but we are just so excited for all the teaching tools we'll have right at our fingertips. I'm not sure what iPad usage all entails, at all actually, but we will be having a whole mission training for them next week in Beaver. Plus, my planners are always falling apart and sometimes I can't even read my own hand writing and the iPads might just solve that...
 

But holy smokes is time flying by or what! It seems like just yesterday I was thinking "I wonder what I'll be doing, where I'll be serving, and who I'll be serving with in March..." Well March is almost upon us and I'm so grateful I'm serving in Manti with Sister Lasalosi. I do not think I can fully express my love for Manti and the people here. We are getting to know a lot of people in the stake and have been really close with a lot of members and those we're teaching. I feel like it's my family here. Well, I know they're my family. I know that I'll see a lot of them again if it's never in this earth life. I seriously just love them so much!!!!!
 

We've also had some interesting experiences lately... We were on exchanges in Fillmore last week and the other sister and I went to go contact a family they were teaching months before. We had to go to a members home to see where the family had moved to and she started telling us about their dog and how it's bitten a lot of people. Well, we get to the house and on the front of the gate it says "BEWARE OF DOG." And what do I do? Walk in the gate like no big deal. I was just so eager to meet this family! Anyway, the dog comes running up to us (it's a black lab) with it's head down and tail wagging, kind of a humble approach. so we are petting it and what not and it's doing it's little happy whining. Cute dog. Then we get up to the porch and knock on the door and the dog sits down on the side and puts it's paw up like it wanted to shake our hand. So my companion touched his paw and he put it back down. And then the dog literally went PSYCHO! Remember the movie Old Yeller? And when he got rabies? Well, this dog didn't have rabies but it was acting just like Old Yeller. He started jumping up and down with a literal "wailing and gnashing of teeth." His lips were snarled up and slobber was flying everywhere (gross) and he was barking like crazy trying to bite us. I seriously thought my heart was going to burst out of me it was pounding so hard. We got some huge scratches from his nails practically clawing us. But each time he would lung and try to bite us he would fall back again. Again and again he would jump forward with his jaw wide, and then fall back. I have no doubt that despite by complete stupidity, we were protected. I'm so glad God still cares about me even when I fail to heed his warnings and lack common sense a lot....
 

A girl finally walked out of the door and grabbed a hold of the dog so we could walk back to the gate. The sister I was with got out of the gate and I was still walking out. While the girl was holding his collar, he slipped out of it and I felt like I was about to pass out and be eaten alive. Okay, exaggeration, but the girl told me, "Just keep looking forward and walk like everything is okay. Don't look at him." Despite my insanely wobbly legs, I managed to get out of the gate and then we had a nice conversation with the girl over the gate.

I know I am kind of a wimp and clueless when I am given obvious warnings, but that taught me to be a little more quick to observe and not to rely on my own understanding.
 

I was reading out of the book of Mosiah this morning in chapter 16:12-13. it reads, "Having gone according to their own carnal wills and desires; having never called upon the Lord while the arms of mercy were extended towards them; for the arms of mercy were extended towards them, and they would not; they being warned of their iniquities and yet they would not depart from them; and they were commanded to repent and yet they would not repent. And now, ought ye not to tremble and repent of your sins, and remember that only in and through Christ ye can be saved?"
 

It would've been so easy to look at the dog again while walking towards the fence, to strait sprint it instead of walking calmly and patiently as the girl instructed me. Despite ignoring the warnings I was given, the Lords arms of mercy were still extended towards me. As they always are. "I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts."

He really does love us.

And you can bet your bottom dollar I was praying my guts out that whole time asking for help and forgiveness for my stupidity. I still can't believe I did that...

Repentance, laying aside our pride and acknowledging our dependence on God for mercy, allows us to free ourselves from the bondage of sin. The uncertainty, the miserableness, the gnashing of teeth from the adversary will not be able to limit our freedom any longer when we heed to the Saviors call to "Return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you." And the healing is real. I feel it week after week, day after day and even see the literal change it brings in those we're teaching. The Atonement is my biggest source of strength. From having the energy to get up in the morning, to repenting of my mistakes, to being filled with a love for others that I never imagined I could feel. It's real.
 

Right after that thrilling experience we went to another door down the road and as we were talking to the daughter at the doorstep I took one step back and tripped over a heater (I have no idea why they had a heater on the porch...) and wiped out and burned my wrist on the heater. It was really embarrassing and the complete opposite of graceful. So that was my consequence for relying on my own wisdom with the whole dog thing...

 

Eight of the less-active families we've been teaching came to church yesterday. Sister Lasalosi and I were just overwhelmed with excitement and joy to see them there!! We went to the eight ward yesterday because we had a speaking assignment there (and I also got to play "O Diving Redeemer" on the viola again!) and while we were singing the opening hymn "Dear to the heart of the Shephard" while looking out into the congregation to the families that we've been working with filled my heart with a love that I can't even put into words.

 

I'll tell you more about the people we're teaching next week :)

 

I love serving. I love the message we have to share. I love who we represent, Jesus Christ. And I love all of you :)

 

Sister Martin

short and sweet

Our mission is getting iPads in the beginning of March!!! 

Pics:

Manti sunsets = bliss

Manti temple = eternal bliss

We had a meeting in STG last week - Sis Lasalosi and I went on temple grounds for a bit reminiscing those VC moments :)

grace

I still cannot believe how warm it is out here. I will admit it is a bit nice not having my toes freezing cold the whole night and defrosting them in the car heater.... not to mention being able to teach on someones doorstep in this nice weather (Like when it is a single man who's home we can't go into). But I do miss the perks of being allowed into someones home because of their pity on us caused by the cold weather. Manti, however, is in great need of snow on the mountains. So it's a struggle. 

We had a wonderful weekend this past week and the weekend before. On Friday, we went with some of our investigators to see Elder John Groberg speak at snow college. He's the missionary portrayed on the "Other Side of Heaven" in Tonga. The neat part is that Sister Lasalosi's grandma knew him when he was a missionary there!! He spoke about trusting in the Lord (which was perfect for two of our investigators we brought with us, Pamela and Jessica who are overcoming some addiction) and showed some clips from the movie. He spoke and made some jokes in fluent Tongan - so of course none of us could understand except for Sister Lasalosi who was just cracking up at it! It was so funny! We were able to meet him and take a pic with him. Neat experience. 

 

Then on Saturday night Elder Bednar came for the adult session of stake conference (last, last weekend). Wow. I just love that man. I remember when he was first called as an apostle. His first few talks about being offended and the parable of the pickle I have never forgotten. He speaks specifically and boldly, yet lovingly. And it's fun to hear him outside of general conference because his personality is hilarious! He explained the reason of why his personality doesn't show all that much while on the stand in general conference. He said, "If you had 16 minutes to deliver a message from God to the world, you wouldn't let your personality get in the way either."  The theme ofSaturday night's session was "Individual and families are blessed and the Work of Salvation is strengthened by ministering though the ward council." 

 

He spoke of councils in the ward, the family, and between husband and wife. He told us that holding a council is a setting for the means of receiving inspiration and revelation. He said that we begin this meeting with the end. "Don't get so caught up in the mechanics of the means, but the beauty of the end." He continued to explain that the end is our saving ordinances. In depth, he expounded upon our covenants and specifically defined agency. I think you might find this interesting, but agency, as he described it, is the ability to choose to make covenants with God. After you choose to make covenants, you can only choose to increase your obedience in keeping them or brake them. Once we make covenants and brake them we are not using our "agency" but are defying God and His laws. As we exercise our agency righteously, we are transformed. Our agency is enlarged. 

 

And my goodness it is so frustrating at times to see those whom we love brake their covenants. We are teaching many ex-communicated members recently and it's clear to see Satan is really tactful at making them think they will never be worthy to make covenants with God again. At times I feel the way Jacob did when he described his feelings of soberness speaking to the Nephites. He notes that he was "weighed down with much more desire and anxiety for the welfare of [their] souls." Sometimes I wonder if I'm a bit too sensitive with how I feel in regards to the welfare of the souls of those whom we're teaching. But I know that Heavenly Father loves them. I feel it when we teach them. I envision them in their full potential. I pray and plead that they will be able to recognize the gentle promptings of the spirit. And at times it seems as if not a single thing is changing. I need to increase my patience and reliance in the Lord and His timing.

We have three investigators on date (they're brothers - the Spendlove family) who were so very excited to meet Elder Bednar. They were studying his talks prior to his arrival here in Manti and even wrote out their testimonies to him. They were able to receive permission to meet him as a whole family. The Spendloves were SO excited. It was so cute!! We sat with them the whole time. Others that we're teaching that went to the stake conference texted us later telling us how much they loved it. Nothing made me happier that day than to look out into the audience and seeing our investigators sitting with their fellowshippers. 

As our new stake presidency was assigned, there was no doubt that the hand of God was within the whole process. Elder Bednar explained how a new stake president is assigned. it was so interesting! When he got up to the stand he said, "We did not come down to Manti to pick a new stake president. We came to see who the Lord had chosen to be the new stake president." I highly respect the former and new stake presidencies. They do so much for us. It's fun working with a whole stake because you get to have a lot more coordination with the presidency. 

 

Yesterday, Sister Lasalosi and I spoke in one of our wards and the theme was how the hymns of the church have influenced our missions. The whole sacrament meeting was about music. And Bishop arranged for me to have a viola to play!! I was SO excited. Yet a little nervous since I haven't played in awhile... But I got together with Sister Barclay - who was just called to serve alongside her husband as mission president in Bulgaria. Her picture should've been in the church news this month. Look out for their name and the Fifes! That's another in our stake that was just called. Both the Fifes and the Barclays are more than we could ask for here to help us with the missionary work. Both were the counselors in the former stake presidency. But ANYWAY Sister Barclay accompanied me on "O Divine Redeemer." My goodness she plays beautifully. I felt like I was playing with you all over again, Mom! When she played I felt like we had been playing together for years. Which was such a tender mercy because I was really worrying about playing with short notice and felt really rusty at first. I started to pray a lot for Heavenly Father to help strengthen my fingers and bring back to my remembrance different shifts, etc. My goodness He sure did answer that prayer. It felt good to worship through music, especially the viola. Since my instrument can't play out the text of the piece, I read it aloud. (And mom it made me realize how grateful I was that you had written it in before for me in my music!) 

Ah! Turn me not away,
Receive me tho' unworthy;
Hear Thou my cry,
Behold, Lord, my distress!
Answer me from thy throne
Haste Thee, Lord to mine aid,
Thy pity shew in my deep anguish!
Let not the sword of vengeance smite me,
Though righteous thine anger,
O Lord! Shield me in danger, O regard me!
On Thee, Lord, alone will I call.
O Divine Redeemer!
I pray Thee, grant me pardon,
and remember not, remember not my sins!
Forgive me, O Divine Redeemer!
Night gathers round my soul;
Fearful, I cry to Thee;
Come to mine aid, O Lord!
Haste Thee, Lord, haste to help me!
Hear my cry! Save me Lord in Thy mercy;
Come and save me O Lord
Save, in the day of retribution,
From Death shield Thou me, O my God!
O Divine Redeemer, have mercy!
Help me, my Saviour!

As I pondered the message of the lyrics throughout the week my heart was softened by how often the Lord has come to mine aid. How often he has heard my cry. And how merciful he has been to me. In times of fear, temptation and uncertainty, He has been and always will be my rock. The words of Alma 34:15 come to mind, "Mercy... overpowereth justice." In a world with shifting values, this eternal truth provides an anchor in my soul. God's grace is sufficient for all. 

To top off the weekend, we had the opportunity to hold a baptismal service for one of our investigators. I know for a fact that in the ordinances administered to us through the priesthood, the power of godliness surely is manifest. The spirit was strong, tears were shed, and lives were changed. I love the people of Manti and the marvelous work that God is allowing to come forth here. 

Elder Holland came to Richfield recently and something he said in the leadership meeting really stood out to me. He said, "As saints of the latter-days we are unique. We are the ones that will prepare the church of Jesus Christ and hand it back to the Savior when he comes. What are we going to hand back? How is it going to look? Will he recognize it? Will he recognize you?"

I love you. Thank you for your examples, your prayers, and your love for our Savior.

Much love, Sister Martin

 

With one of our recent converts, Tamra, who recently moved back to Oregon. We just love her to death. She always rode around on this cute blue bike and you could always tell where she was at because her little blue bike would be there!