I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go: Two Transfers Gone Already

Bonjour!

I'm super glad you got those pictures from Soeur Chaston, that means I have a few less pictures to worry about sending today! We love our Sr. Couple in this district, they really are lifesavers! I REALLY hope that I stay here next transfer, we'll find out for sure this afternoon. Assume that I'm staying here, but I'll send you another quick email if I'm going somewhere else. The transfer officially ended yesterday, so everything is kind of up in the air for the next few hours!

One thing that might be super helpful is packets of like taco mix or ranch or whatever seasoning packets. We do pretty well here, and Elder McKechnie is a great cook. But it's always nice to have something to shake it up! :) Also, that shouldn't be too tough to fit in. If it is, don't worry about it. I might be getting some new gloves before winter starts, because the gloves I have are like snowboarding gloves, and they just don't really work for missionaries. I actually sent my letter before the pictures, so that's super weird that it came so late. We're writing pretty early today, which might be the way it stays for next transfer. The multimedia center's hours have changed for Autumn, so it generally works out better in the morning for us.

That's so cool that Kylee and Kaitlin are going to be getting their mission calls! I'm super pumped for them! Kaitlin told me that next week I'm supposed to read her email before yours so that she can tell me herself haha. Sounds like the boys are really enjoying school so far! I can totally see Tristan dressed up like that, it's awesome! Also, so cool about the football team! I'll have to tell my Zone Leader, he is from Firth so we always joke about our terrible football teams! I can't believe Kaden is so old! Tell him "Joyeux Anniversaire!" Congrats to Tristan on his calling, I know that he is prepared for it. It is going to be such a blessing for him and will really help him prepare for his mission. (I know I've said this before, but send the boys to Cedar Badge! Every day I am literally amazed by the fact that this program designed by an old Navy man is one of the best missionary training tools I have ever seen!) I haven't seen too much new of Epinal, but we walk past and cross the river all day, every day.

Our Skype leçon was awesome! They're being taught by the Assistants to the President in Serbia, so they really are getting the best of the best! But, they can only do that like once a week, so we're going to continue teaching them, and then the other missionaries will cover the more difficult things like the commandments. Right now they're praying about the 19th of Octobre for their baptism date, and we're praying so hard that they will receive their response! Their son Daga got out of surgery, and everything is great! He seems so much happier and healthier now, and he talks with us and participates a lot more! OH! I almost forgot, they got their legality! They're going to stay here! They called us first thing after they got their papers, they were so excited! I've never seen them so happy before! The next big step is to find jobs and an apartment, because they're still living in the hotel for right now. Keep them in your prayers! We sure love them so much!

So this transfer has been SUPER slow as far as finding new people to teach. All of our potential amis (investigators are called 'amis' or 'friends' here haha) have dropped out on us for 5 solid weeks. So this weekend we were knocking doors (porting) in a super sketchy apartment building on the hill behind our apartment. They use these microphone doorbell things on the outside of the apartment for each person, so nothing is really face to face, which really takes away from our message. So we tried one man, and he didn't say anything, but buzzed us up! We started look at the letter boxes for his name to go to his apartment, but there wasn't one there! So we started at the top floor and said a prayer to help us find a new ami. The first door was a super friendly black guy named Richard. We taught him about the Plan of Salvation, and he got SUPER pumped to have us back to teach him again. Then just across the hall, we met a young man named Nicholas. He didn't have enough time for us to teach him, but we set up a rendez-vous for Sunday night. When we got to his building, we called him to buzz us in, but he said something came up and we had to push the leçon back to 20h. Then out of nowhere, some guy walked up and just opened the door for us and let us into the building, then took off! We started porting again, and found a super cool old guy named Mr. Ferrari! He is a super charitable guy who loves the Savior and wants to do everything he can to follow Him and help others! We taught him part of the Restoration, and we're going back Tuesday to teach him again. After, we had our leçon with Nicholas. He was super open and accepting about what we taught him, and he even accepted a soft invite! (That's basically when you say "When you know if these things are true, will you be baptized?" But you don't set a specific date yet.) He totally said that if that was the way he could follow the Lord, he was totally up for it! So, after a 5 week dry spell, we found 3 new amis in the same apartment building in the last 2 days of the transfer! Wow!

Well, I'm so glad everyone is doing well and that life is good! I pray for you soooo many times a day, and I've really felt your prayers. The Gift of Tongues is so real, I feel like it really is possible to reach my goal of being fluent before I hit my 4 month mark! I love you all so much and I'm so grateful for your support for me! Love you!

Love,

Elder Martin

P.S. Random Epinal Fact: The branch here actually covers a HUGE area, we had dinner at a member's house last night in Lunéville, which is actually about 15 minutes from Nancy!

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Hey we just got the repertoire, I'll be staying in Epinal, but Elder McKechnie is leaving! :( I really didn't want to get step-daddied, but I gotta trust the Président and the Lord! So no worries, my address will stay the same for the next 6 weeks at least. Ahhh! did not expect that!

That definitely ups the responsibility, cuz I do not know this ville well enough to teach it to someone else! I better start studying my map! Ahhh!!! At least I'll still have a trainer, I can't imagine that changes just because it's someone different. This actually has me way more nervous than anything else I've done so far, and missionary work includes lots of scary things haha. Je peux le faire! love you!