The Gospel is something that brings only JOY!

Hey Ya'll.  Thought summer was over?  You thought wrong!  It's supposed to be near 110 this week...JOY!  Hopefully where you are it's a little better!  This week was great!

Monday night we had our normal meeting- it wasn't so normal this time.  Being split Zone leaders/trainers, Elder Kerr and I went to the meeting, and put our two trainee's together for the rest of the night!  They hadn't even been in the mission a week, hahah!  It was good for them though!

Not much happened on Tuesday, but on Wednesday we were able to have zone conference.  They are always great.  We had a really good training on church attendance, how to make it more effective throughout the week.  Side note, in our mission, we have what's called the "miracle hotline" and when we see miracles throughout the week, we text them to Sister Henrie and she puts them on a mass email so we all see these miracles.  Well during this training, we were aked to put a #PerfectlyPlannedParty on there, to see how many miracles came from this church attendance efficiency.

Thursday we had a really good full day of proselyting!  It went well, but it was best near the end of the day.  We had a lesson with Xante and her friend Robert.  We brought a member that fit perfectly, and the lesson went so well.  We asked the member, beforehand, to invite them to church, and she did.  They both accepted, so it was awesome!

Friday we had the new missionary training follow-up meeting thing, so we spent a couple of hours there.  Even though it's my third time going, I still learned something new again!  We were able to do another booth at the mall.  We were able to talk with a lot of really cool people.  We were able to snag this guy named Dezzy, and teach him a bit.  We invited him to flip anywhere in the Book of Mormon and allow it to speak for itself and see what stood out- he just happened to land on 3 Nephi 27.  We were able to keep teaching him, and eventually got a return appointment.  He said that if he could find out that Christ's one true church is back today, it'd be a miracle for his family!  So cool!  He doesn't live in our area, so we'll pass him off, but still such a cool experience.  You really can share the Gospel anywhere- someone's doorstep, or in a loud mall, they can still feel the Spirit.

Saturday was good too, not too much to talk about though.

Sunday, however, was awesome!  We were able to have Xante and Robert at church today for their first time!  It is always so cool to see someone experience this!  The members swamped them and helped them feel welcome and sat with them too!  It was also really cool to see the joy of Elder Nykamp.  Him seeing people make these commitments and coming to church after working hard getting them there- it pays off.  The Gospel is something that brings only JOY!

I'll give you some food for thought-

1) Look up Admiral McRaven- "Make your bed" commencement speech.
2) A quote from President Ezra Taft Benson, referring to the Book of Mormon- "There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a SERIOUS STUDY of the book.  You will find greater power to resist temptation.  You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path."

I know that to be true, I've seen it in my own life.  It is contingent upon you, and your serious study of the Book of Mormon, BUT that is a promise from a prophet of God.

I love and sorta miss you all!

Elder Martin

"The Book of Mormon will change your life...A young man or woman who knows and loves the Book of Mormon, who has read it several times, who has an abiding testimony of its truthfulness, and who applies its teachings will be able to stand against the wiles of the devil and that youth will be a mighty tool in the hands of the Lord."  

President Ezra Taft Benson