Letter - July 15, 2013

Bonjour!

I got the package, it was perfect :) Even better than I could have hoped! It sounds like you've all been working so hard (except maybe Tristan... What an awesome High Adventure!) I'm so glad everyone is having fun. I got the package from Sister Nielsen, it's great! Elder Devine and I have the same Meal schedule and the same Gym schedule, so I get to see him at least once every day, which is great! I don't think he realizes how much I appreciate and need the big bro hugs every time I see him. Makes the day a little easier :)

I will try to send out Thank you's, but I don't have a whole lot of stamps, so I'll do what I can. I get an hour-ish of email then as much time as I want to hand write letters. I'm so glad that the Priests had a good time, I miss them and I'm so glad that they're bonding. That solid base will really help them to prep for a mission. I'm so glad Kaden is reading those books (The Work and the Glory), they helped me to really gain a testimony of the Restoration, which is important, since I teach about that every day! Just remind him to also read the Book of Mormon and gain a testimony of that. That is the MOST important missionary tool we have!


I'm glad you got the sod and didn't get a speeding ticket :) (Umm....LONG story)  Every time I start to get homesick I just think "I sure do miss them and love them... So I better get back to work so they can receive those blessings!" That helps me through any hard times. I'm glad that my work is bringing you blessings, that is a big part of why I'm out here. I love you guys so much!

Congrats on your calling, that is awesome! (I just called called to be a Ward Missionary over Social Media)  I know that the social media aspect is going to open doors that I can't as a missionary. It will go into locked doors and gated communities and the missionary work is going to explode! I would just tell people to testify, testify, testify. You can argue doctrine to try and convert all you want, but only pure testimony will change hearts! (I have a story about that later).

Tell Cami congratulations from me if you see her, I was sorry I couldn't be there! (His good friend is getting married in two weeks)  From here on out I'm gonna try and write one immediate family member and one extended family (as in Steve's family one week, then Mark's, or whatever) including the Martin side. That should help keep it under control :) I'm excited that I get to testify to people over the blog!

Ok, here's a summary of the week-

We got a new investigator, named Laeticia. We had a brief lesson plan but didn't use any of it! We got in and then the Spirit took us a whole different direction! We taught about prayer, in French, for 30 minutes without notes. I definitely believe in the Gift of Tongues and the Direction of the Spirit! We play Floor is Lava in our Residence Hall all the time, which is great!

We got a new district with 6 elders. 4 are going to the West Indies, 1 is going to Halifax, Canada, and 1 is going to Washington D.C. French Speaking! the first day we convinced them that I was from France and didn't speak any English, which was great practice for me! I 're-introduced' myself the next day, and we all had a good laugh. They are awesome, it's nice to have another district of all elders, since we were the only ones for a while.

As zone leaders we've been to lots of trainings and meetings, but mostly we just feel so much more compassion for the missionaries in our zone. It's very powerful. So Sunday was the big day this week! On our temple walk, we ran into a woman with her family, and she served in Paris! Talk about divine timing! We talked to her for a few minutes. 

 

Between the MTC and the temple, there are two protesters with large painted crosses every Sunday when we walk. One was super friendly and asked where I was going on my mission and thanked me for being a servant of Christ. The other one, though, was super rude. It was like he just wanted to fight about doctrine. He was yelling at us that we didn't teach about Christ or believe in Him. I just looked at him and calmly said, "I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I love Him, and I will spend every day for the rest of my life testifying of Him and His Atonement for us." That quieted him down, but as we were walking back to the MTC, he started yelling that we were all going to burn for eternity because we were blasphemers. He said that because we believed that we could become like our Father in Heaven, we were teaching the vilest blaspheme and had to repent of our sins. At this point there was no reasoning with him or testifying, he wouldn't even listen, he just kept on yelling at the missionaries. Super Christ-like, right? Oh well, I prayed for him that his heart would be softened and that a set of outstanding missionaries would be able to teach him someday.

In choir that evening we sang Nearer My God to Thee, and our director explained the significance of the lyrics in a way I had never heard before. He said that when Jacob (Israel) was chased from his home by his brother Esau, he lived in the desert and slept on a rock ("My rest a stone"). While he dreamed, he had a vision from God ("Yet in my dreams I'd be, nearer my God to thee"). In the vision, angels showed him a ladder descending from heaven they showed him each step ("Steps unto Heaven"). Brother Eggete explained that those steps were the temple endowment. Jacob received his endowment in the desert from angels. When he woke up, he built an altar and called the place Beth-el, or house of the Lord. That's why we write "The House of the Lord" on all our temples!

Anyways, just a super cool insight, but I really miss the temple. Provo is closed until after I leave, and my body and soul ache for it. Tell people at home to attend the temple as often as possible, because it's more precious than we can ever realize! I didn't realize how sacred and beautiful it was until I realized I won't go again for 23 more months.

This morning, I woke up at 230 to say goodbye to our Tahitian elders. I'm going to miss them like crazy, they have been such good examples and friends to me. I had to sign off their check out sheets since I'm zone leader, but the old ZL gave me this super nice blanket since it's so warm in Tahiti. We also got a bunch of church pictures from them. I bought cases for my french scriptures this week, so I spent $22 on my card, I may spend a few more dollars today, I have a really small package that I need to send.

I love you all, and I love this gospel! My testimony is tested and strengthened every day! I know without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and friend, and that this Church has been restored by God! I KNOW that it's true!

I love and miss you all so much! Just like Elder Nelson, I hold your picture every day and cry because of how much I love you and how much that love has grown since I left. I pray for you dozens of times a day and love you so much! Have a great week, be safe, and be missionaries!

Love

Elder Martin

p.s. I didn't have any pictures this week either, so no worries :)

I almost forgot, I ran into Elder (Jarrod) Cook, he gave me a huge hug from you! Tell Dad sorry I couldn't reply to both emails, there isn't enough time, but I love him and miss him so much! Could you send me the sheet music for "Come Thou Fount"? It should be somewhere in my room, but if not could you find a copy and send it? We all want to sing it super bad but it isn't in the hymn book. I also forgot an MTC fact, so

Fact- There are secret tunnels under all the buildings in the MTC that go around the whole campus and up to the temple. but..... they're apparently off limits to missionaries. for now.... haha.