Happy May!

Hello everybody, and HAPPY MAY! This last week was great, and full of miracles!

Monday we were able to play some more basketball with Chris Aubrey.  He keeps coming back for more and more losses.  ; ) (I got you Chris!)  We stopped by a couple of potentials before we went to dinner.  We were able to share a message about faith and the miracles it can bring for not only ourselves, but others too.  This family has 3 teenage sons, so it was cool to see at least on of them engaged and taking it in.

On Tuesday we had to go and inspect an apartment that was being shut down.  We had our weekly planning, and then a couple of potentials and referrals to stop by.  We decided that when we visit someone, to make the most out of our time, and expand our finding efforts, we knock 5 houses on either side of the one we're visiting.  So we've been able to maximize our finding, and do a lot of knocking!  It's pretty fun though.  When it came time for knockout, we had already knocked a lot of doors.  We went to a different area, and for some reason, in this particular place, no one wanted to hear the Gospel or our help, it was a pretty bad spot, not going to lie.  It was a couple minutes before 6 o'clock (when we end door knocking) and we were going to stop early, but we decided to finish it out.  The last door we knocked, someone inside yelled out "come in".  Now, we're not just going to walk in someone's house.  So we yelled back, introducing ourselves, and then someone rushes to the door and says, "Elders! Who sent you?"  We were a little confused.  Jokingly, we said we'd still like to come in, and they invited us in.  It turns out, that it was an inactive family of 10 ish years.  We sat down and talked with them, and this sister told us that she felt that it was divine intervention that we were there and that God sent us.  She expressed her gratitude because they're going through a really hard time.  It wasn't until they talked about coming back to church that she blurted out "What do I have to do to get my 11 year old son baptized?"  We got a return appointment with them, and will have them coming back to church here soon.  It was a testimony builder to see that with our faith, even though it was a tough previous hours of knocking, that this was a miracle for us, and maybe even this family as well.

Wednesday we met with Mary Anne's daughter, Laura.  We had a good lesson about God's love.  She had a lot of questions as well that we were able to answer.  She also made lunch for us again, turkey burgers, this time.  We hit more potentials, and knocked 5 houses either way again.  We had a good knockout, and then had a good big dinner!

Thursday we had district meeting, but nothing else too notable, besides a big steak dinner.  It was delicious.

Friday we had some appointments in the morning, but no one was actually home who we had appointments with.  We had another baptismal interview to do and then we did an exchange.  I was with Elder Garcia, who is one of the Spanish missionaries.  He's a convert himself, and it all started with missionaries simply opening their mouths when his dad was outside.  So Elder Garcia, is really good at that.  Just talking to everyone, no matter what.  It's really cool to see because that is really difficult for a lot of missionaries, including myself.  We visited some people that we were supposed to come back for, and one told us that he couldn't meet now, but his sons want to, so this potential investigator basically referred us to his sons!

Saturday morning we had 2 more appointment, and again, these 2 were no shows too, unfortunately. We did some knocking in the morning.  It's kind of sketchy, because you don't want to wake people up.  But, when you've got nothing to doooo....so we knocked.  We knocked into this guy who is a former investigator, and he wants to start meeting up again, and with his sons too.  Our teaching pool is gradually getting larger!  We exchanged back, and then got to fill the font for a baptism, since we have the keys.  We have to stay there the whole time it fills, so we were there for a while.  The baptism was crazy.  Right as this person (mid 20's) was about to be baptized, her mom ran back and tried to stop her.  It goes to show, that the closer you get to progressing towards eternal life, that the adversary will do anything to stop you.  That's why we also teach 'Enduring to the end'.  We were also able to meet up with an investigator that we found from playing basketball a while ago, and he did what he said he would, so we will be meeting with him again soon too.

Sunday, testimony meeting was really good.  Mary Anne got up and bore her testimony of missionary work, and it was really neat!  There was also another guy that came to church.  When on exchanges last transfer, I ran into him and gave him a church invite card.  He showed up!  It was pretty cool.  We have an appointment with him as well.  Things are going really well here right about now!

Just know the things that you can accomplish with faith.  It is remarkable.  As long as it is in line with God's will, he will grant these things to you!

I love you all!

Elder Martin

" God is preparing people to receive your testimony of restored truth.  He requires your faith and then your action to share fearlessly what has become so precious to you and those you love."  President Henry B. Eyring