March 17th - I am training!!! Companion #11!

Yea!! Super excited :D   When President called with the news I was sad that Hermana Dominguez was leaving me (we thought we would be together 1 more transfer) and yet at the same time the thought that I would get to train again made me so beyond happy!! I've spent 2/3 of my mission in the 12 week program and after training it will be like 3/4 haha. I love training and I love the 12 Week Program. Super stoked! Her name is Hermana Taya Adams :) she went to the Provo MTC like me and is the oldest of 3 girls. I love her :D  She is 6'1"!  Yeah, a companion that is taller than me. I need to grow!  She is from Farmington UT and is just so awesome, wanna know why? Because she is an Aggie just like me :D we went to USU at the same time. We probably passed each other at some point. Weird, right?

So Tuesday...we went and saw our investigator John and he accepted a baptismal date! It was a miracle because the second I got in the car I began feeling so beyond sick. I was in bed the rest of the day with the stomach flu. I couldn't even drink water, it was so bad. I spent the next day recovering too, but in the evening we went back to work. By Friday I was feeling 100% again. I am just so glad that happened last week and not this week. 

All the missionaries sang "I know that My Redeemer Lives" on Sunday. Super cool to do before transfers (Hermana Dominguez and Elder Tyler left the area). Yeah, I sang a duet at one part with Hermana Dominguez. You wouldn't have caught me dead doing that before the mission. I'm changing....in a good way I think? 

We had so many awesome people come to church on Sunday! The Munoz family gave Danna a ride so they were all able to make it. Also Eric came too and sat with us. El Rio is such a great Branch. I am excited to take Hermana Adams around to meet everyone!!

I got a package from St. David from the Merrills with a necklace from an anonymous giver who said he wanted to remain unknown. In it was a BEAUTIFUL necklace (pictures to come). I seriously wear it every day. I wish I could thank whoever did it! I love it so much!

Well that is about it! Really excited for the adventures to come with training and taking over the area. Love you all so much! Talk to you soon!!

Hermana Martin

Goodbye Hermana Dominguez   :(

More signatures on the quilt.

Welcome Hermana Adams!  :)

The anonymously gifted necklace.

Um, yeah........I have no idea what this is about but here it is anyway!

March 9th - Las Adventuras de Hermana Martin y Hermana Dominguez en El Rio!!

This upcoming week is the last of the transfer so next week I'll be online on a Tuesday. I don't know if Hermana Dominguez and I will be staying together, President didn't give me any hints with our interviews this past week. Normally he gives me something. He did say he will have to move a lot of Spanish missionaries into English because SLC keeps sending more Spanish than we have spots for. I think he saw the panic on my face and said that I will be remaining in Spanish for a long time. Yay :) I hope that isn't because he is worried about my Spanish and he knows I'll lose it in English....hmm...

Anyways, this week! Where to start. Oh, I ate a fish eye. Yep! I got dared. You know me...we were eating with la familia Reyes and she made this awesome fish that...I can't remember the name of it....it comes from Mexico (Pictures to come) and it was way good! And yea, somehow I got dared to eat the eye. I got a video don't worry. It was pretty weird haha.

Our neighbor's cat wandered into our apartment this past week! Super fun haha! Her name is Maui and she only has 1 eye. We had an awesome conversation with our neighbor where she said that she's avoided the missionaries ever since one of the sisters threw rocks at her cat because she kept trying to get by them while they were outside studying. We were SO grateful for the opportunity to help her change her views on missionaries. It was a lot of fun :)

Danna came to church yesterday! Diana Cruz gave her a ride :) she hasn't been to our church in months. So awesome to see her there. 

After dinner yesterday, we had an AMAZING miracle :) we were heading over to see our new investigator John who has been reading the Book of Mormon and believes it is true. On the way there, I just kept getting this feeling (yay for the Spirit). I told Hermana Dominguez, "Is it bad of me if I don't feel good about seeing John? I think we need to go see (a less active family we see)." She said, "Nope, you follow that prompting." So we went over and the parents weren't home, only the kids and their babysitter. You wouldn't believe it though, the baby sitter was a potential 16 year old who we have been texting and trying to go and see! She doesn't live super close to there and we had NO IDEA that they were even friends. We had an amazing lesson on Prayer and The Holy Ghost (I had us do an impromptu scavenger hunt for rocks so we could make prayer rocks) and in the end we set up a return appointment to see Melissa and the family. The spirit in that room was so strong and it was seriously one of my favorite lessons that I've ever had as a missionary. Following the Spirit really does lead to miracles!

I finished the Book of Mormon this morning for the Book of Mormon Challenge given by President Passey last December. As I read the last chapter I just couldn't believe that I was already just about done! I loved then flipping through the book and finding how much the hand of the Lord not only was in their lives but also in mine. To finish my email I want to share one that I loved:

Alma 17: 9 ".....they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth."

Love you all! The church is true. Talk to you soon!!

Hermana Martin

PS - wow that is a long email!!! 10 points for me!

Hermana Martin and Hermana Dominguez

Yep, I guess this is the fish eye she ate.  Ugh.

Maui the cat that wandered in for a visit.

March 2nd - One month until General Conference!

I don't know why I'm so excited for conference. I'm secretly hoping that they announce that women can now serve 2 years and those currently serving may choose to extend. A missionary can hope right? 

But really, where did February go? I feel like months are like weeks. 

This week...Well I forgot my planner (again) so I'll see what I can come up with!! On Tuesday we did exchanges and I was in Sahuaro with Hermana Budge. She had just gotten sick that day and so she was in bed our whole exchanges. Everyone here is getting sick. I am buying more Emergen-C today. I do not want what everyone has. It is the worst!! Hermana Dominguez was coming down with it too. Pray that I don't get it!!! While with Hermana Budge I decorated like 4 planners and read a lot of Ensigns :P 

I'm already in Mormon with the Book of Mormon challenge too! How are all of you doing with that?

Well...Ah! Okay, we went to the Mesa Temple on Saturday with one of our ward missionaries who is going on his mission to Argentina this summer! Turns out my awesome MTC companion Hermana Walker was in his stake and he is way close with her brothers. Small world! Anyways, we went to a Spanish session and I loved it so much. After, we went to the distribution center and then to Deseret Book. I walked in and said, "I just went back to Utah" haha! I got a journal and some stickers to give away to the kids here. When I checked out they asked me if I had an account there. I gave our home phone number and my receipt has your name on it. I am keeping it, made me miss you really bad! Yeah, I'm weird. The Mesa Temple was absolutely gorgeous! Loved it.

Outside the temple, I actually ran into Cameron Martin from St. David and their family. Haha I just heard someone yelling, "Sister Martin!!" I guess I will be remembered from St. David :) just because we decided we are cousins :P just saying.

Our Zone Leaders that live at our same apartment complex have to move and we were helping them all weekend to move to their new apartment and deep clean the one they were leaving. Yea, glad that it is over with haha. Just goes to show that missionary apartments after being occupied by them for several years get pretty blech.

Love you all!! Miss you like crazy. Glad to see that you all had a great week :) you are always in my prayers. Remember I love you.

Hermana Martin

Mesa Temple

Fruit trees at the temple - you can just pick and eat the fruit!

A beautiful missionary!

Putting the license plate on our new car.

February 23 - Week 3 in El Rio

Weird to look back and think that if I was doing the same thing that I did in St. David that I would be leaving here tomorrow. That was still the weirdest thing in the whole world. Never want to be in an area for that short again. Even a whole transfer in one area would not be any fun!

Loving El Rio. Hermana Dominguez and I are working really hard and we are really excited for this upcoming week. We have lots of plans and are staying really busy. 

This past week we had a couple of adventures! We went and cut and washed some dogs for a member in our branch named Alejandra. She is so sweet. We love going to see her. We also went to go see another member before church on Sunday and she was busy at work trying to get ready herself and her 3 little girls (sound familiar?). So glad we acted on a prompting!! We did her girls' hair and kept them entertained and then we all went over to church together. So great :)

I followed a prompting on Saturday after a huge breakfast that we did at the Munoz's place (way fun!) to go and try a potential named Lourdes. She is really sweet. She kept going on about dreams she has had. I introduced how in the Book of Mormon there is a prophet who also had dreams and she should read it. She thought that was pretty cool. Then she started another dream with the Pope and such. I was not sure where it was going but I practiced my listening skills. In the blink of an eye her dream changed. She was outside wandering and on the other side of a ravine there was a group of people, drinking, partying, and trying to get her to join. When she rejected them, she turned around and saw this beautiful, huge white tree which was the most beautiful thing she has seen in her entire life! Sound familiar? Yea!! Just like Lehi's dream! We then had a great discussion after that about Lehi and the Book of Mormon. She is so excited to read the chapters we left her with. We are seeing her tomorrow. Well, I'm not. We are going on exchanges so I'll just get to hear about it!

I got to see Karina this past week at Diana's house :) I miss El Dorado. So close!! Yet so far. Paulina emailed me this week!! Yea, made my day :) love her so much and everyone else from El Dorado. My 2nd home :)

Love you all so much! Miss you! And I hope you all have an amazing week!

Hermana Martin

Karlena's Girls

February 16th - Week 2 in El Rio

Well, we have had a pretty good week. We had a goal of 25 lessons and we got 26! The last one being a text from a less active member saying we should come over, and getting there at 8:58 last night haha! Yea, we literally have been running at times. We've loved just working hard and focusing on the wonderful people here. We keep seeing people who have been off the radar for a while. We are trying to keep hard at work!

Jeff Stirling from St. David was baptized on Saturday :) When Hermana Blackford called me with the news I just broke into tears! So happy for him :) and he is so excited to go to the temple a year from now to be sealed to his sweetheart :)  It was such an awesome day! I wish I could have been there, but I was for sure there in spirit.

I got your awesome Valentine's Day package!! Yeah, made our day :) thank you so much! I'll send another letter out probably tomorrow or the next day. Made both of us really really happy :) Thank you!

We've been teaching a couple of new investigators and working with many families in the ward. We are seeing D. a lot :) a 13 year old whose family aren't members. She is such a sweetheart! Love her to death!

We are going to A.H.'s place on Tuesday to clean her 10 dogs. Yea, it should be a blast! The elders are going to come help us. There are some that bite. Hope I don't end up with them. They live in a small trailer and we think this will help them out a lot :)  We hope this will help a lot.)

Hermana Gastelum took us for our appointments in Mirana this week. Trying to save miles! It was a lot of fun! She took a different way back and we were able to drive right though the Saguaro National Park! I'm keeping a list of all the things we need to do when we are all here in Tuscon, and that is DEFINITELY one of them. 

I finished Alma for the BOM challenge and started Helaman. I am loving it! I may finish before Pascua. Oh well! 

Love you all!! Talk to you next week! 

Hermana Martin

At the gem show

Can't believe she got to this National Park before we did!

With Hermana Dominguez in Saguaro NP

With one of her young investigators

February 9th - Semana #1 en El Rio

Estoy en espanol otra vez!! Si estoy tan feliz :) ya puedo ver una diferencia en mi espanol porque estoy hablandolo mas. Una bendicion :)   (I am in a Spanish area again!!  Yes, I am so happy   :)   Already I can see a difference in my spanish because I am speaking it more.  A blessing.  :)  )

That's it for Spanish for now haha. Yesterday (first day at the church) at the end of Sacrament Meeting there was a little time left so they asked me to come up and introduce myself and bear my testimony.  Oh man, don't know why it freaked me out so bad.  Probably because in the mission I've only given 2 talks and gone up to bear my testimony once. I don't like crowds. But it went surprisingly well!  Didn't have too hard a time with the espanol.   :P

El Rio is a lot of fun :) I already really like the members here. I miss both my last 2 areas but I know I'm here for a reason. This area has not been doing as great lately but I hope that my greenie fire will be able to help this area :) 

I am back in my old Zone. It is like I just went on a short vacation haha. Super glad to be back in the all-Spanish Zone. Spanish pride! After Zone Meeting this past week, I was close to where Hermana Maciell now is and so I went to go see her. Oh she was so happy!! I love my abuelita :) she is doing a bit better which I was so glad to see    :)

I'm doing the new member lessons with D.C.   :)   I began teaching her while visiting with her sister in El Dorado.  So it is super cool going from starting to teach her to now doing her new member lessons  :)   Also Hermana M. in the branch went to the temple yesterday to be sealed to her family.  She is C. F.'s mom, Y's wife. So in a year they will all be able to be sealed together! So awesome :)

We're going to the gem show today that comes to Tucson every February. So excited! Lots of pictures to come next week! Love you all so much! Happy Valentine's Day week! JK  That holiday doesn't exist here ;)

Con mucho amor

Hermana Martin

Sierra and Hermana Dominguez

Sierra with her "adopted" grandma, Hermana Maciell

"My companion was going to hair school!"

February 3rd - Leaving St. David already, heading back to Tucson!!

They just can't keep me out of the city haha. It will be very weird going back to a place with stop lights, gas stations, a Walmart haha. It is going to be culture shock all over again. I'm going to be with Hermana Dominguez en la rama El Rio :)  (the El Rio branch)   Just a hop, skip and a jump away from El Dorado. That will be tempting, but I will stay strong ;) I'm excited to go back to Spanish but I've also really loved my time here in St. David. I am hoping this is a long term change.  10 weeks, 6 companions, 3 areas, I'm ready to sit still in one place with one companion for a bit haha! 

So I forgot to mention this, but when I was leaving El Dorado my companions guessed I would be going ASL (American Sign Language) which wouldn't make any sense because there were elders there training. Well I've been interpreting songs and even a prayer this last Sunday in ASL. Yea, it was so much fun! I'm re-determined to get back into ASL after the mission and keep up Spanish. I have loved working with Sister Stover (RS President who interprets most of the time)   :)   Been a lot of fun!

This past Wednesday we taught mutual for St. David and we did an MTC night. We did role plays, had Brother Bailey come in and teach them how to pray in Spanish (without using English haha oh the memories) and then had them write their testimony in a Book of Mormon and challenged them to give it out. Loved working with the youth. Still my favorite thing ever!

I've said goodbye to the few people who I've been able to create a relationship with :) I've loved the people here and I will miss them so much. I'll explain with the pictures haha.

Love you and miss you all so much!! I will talk to you next week and have pictures of my new area!

Hermana Martin

Goodbye St. David

Keeping up her ASL skills with Sister Stover

Tombstone, Arizona

Exchanges with Hermana Ferwerda :) 

She and I are in the same program at USU and even took some classes together. 

Small World!! From Riverton

. . . .and here is the fortune cookie she mentioned in last week's letter!