6/11/12

Hello Family and Friends!!

Things have been silent on my end in the blogosphere lately, not for a lack of wanting my loved ones to know how I am, more so because things are super busy, even on P-Days!

These last few weeks have been awesome! This is the beginning of the third transfer now for me in the field, I am still in Clarksville, Indiana and I couldn't be any happier. This area has not always been the most golden area in the world, but Elder Baker and I are slowly starting to change that, or at least we hope! There really isn't like putting in a hard day's work for the Lord and leaving it all out on the table. Some days are more effective than others, but I am learning how to give it all I got. These past weeks have been pretty awesome though!

We are to the point where people are coming to church now, they feel more comfortable with the members and are beginning to learn more dynamically. It is so fun to watch people learn more about the Gospel and to have members get excited about the work as well.

Something that I have learned more about lately is really just desiring the salvation of others, I say that kind of flippantly, but it really is something so pivotal and something that truly can be worked on. To have the love that Christ and Heavenly Father have for these people isn't always the easiest thing, but the more I am able to really see them as my brothers and sisters, the more I want to share the gospel with them and do it naturally and lovingly.

We have continued working through the random trials here and there. Every day in a mission is a bit of a microcosm of all the things we learn while we are out here. Some days start off awesome and end off on a rough note, but more often than not a day will start out really rough and then it will all come together in the end. One of, if not the biggest thing I have learned while I have been out here, is that attitude affects everything - it seriously makes the difference. There is usually at least one thing that makes the day feel productive and worth it for me, some days way more than that, but the thing is that sometimes that doesn't happen until right before we head in for the night. So, I am positive that at the end of every day I will be happy and know we are working hard, and I will be that much more grateful, every day - without a doubt that will come. But, when no one is listening or all of our appointments fall through, it is really hard to keep a good attitude. It is an interesting conundrum, when all is said and done - we have learned a lot and helped others, we might not see all the fruits of our labors, but at the end of the day, it will be worth it. So, it really gets down to just forcing myself have a good attitude some days and waiting it out until that one ray of hope shines through.

We currently have a few different people who are progressing rather well with everything, one lady in particular is from Cuba and was never allowed to go to church while she lived there, so since she has been here she has been looking for a church. She has come to church three weeks in a row and already has such an amazing comprehension of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It is only a matter of time until she makes her decision to be baptized, and i cannot wait for that day. A lady in her late sixties and it has taken this long for her to really feel as if she is living up to her potential as a follower of Christ and a true believer, I just know that she is so much happier now and it makes me happy to know that.

The weather really has been great lately, it warmed up for a little bit, but we have been so lucky. We are in a car while traveling, but tracting and then trying to talk to people at parks and whatnot only becomes more bothersome when it is icky humid. So, I am way grateful for that.

Elder Baker and I are doing great and working hard. We are extremely blessed to be here in Clarksville together and I know that great things await!

Also, today is my 5 month mark! CRAZY! It seriously feels like I just got here, time flies.

I love you and and I thank you all so much for your support and your prayers! Do work and love the Lord!

Elder St. Martin

6/4/12

Hello All!

This was another great week in the Great Kentucky Louisville Mission!

The weather has cooled down because there have been some pretty nasty storms lately. Green skies is a fair sign that a tornado is coming and the skies were pretty green this last Thursday. I was on exchanges with our District Leader and it was definitely a blessing in disguise because tons of people came out to look at the sky and we ended up being able to talk to a lot of people. All was well though, it came down SUPER hard for an hour or so and a few tornadoes touched down, but that was pretty West of us.

So, the weather has definitely been a tender mercy this week. A lot of people went down to the different waterfront parks by the Ohio River, right across from Louisville, to enjoy the weather and play, so we were able to talk to tons of people this week! There is a promise that if we individually contact 10 people a day irrespective of tracting or teaching, that convert baptisms will double, from Elder Ballard. So we have been taking that and running with it.

A lady we talked to on Tuesday came to church yesterday. We got three people saying they will call us and come to church and then we had an awesome impromptu lesson from a student at University of Louisville and he will be meeting with the missionaries there sometime this week. Now, the promise is not that each of our areas will double, but the mission as a whole will. That in and of itself does not leave a whole lot of room to be selfish about who teaches who and especially for us because all of these people are English people. So, it really is helping me to evolve into a full time missionary. Especially this week I have really learned how to start a conversation with anybody about anything. And, most of the time it ends up being fun and a good talk, a lot of them are the ones who ask us what we are all about. The truth of the matter is that the more we open our mouths the more opportunities Heavenly Father has to use us, so its all about maximizing those opportunities. And, it isn't a big deal because I write a lot in my journal and so far have remembered everyone's name with who we have talked with extensively, so when baptism reports come out, at least I can see if any of these people took the plunge. It really is so exciting though. Last night Elder Baker and I were bummed out because an appointment fell through and we were trying to not be anxious for P-Day, so we lugged ourselves down to the River to talk to people. But, it was such an awesome experience. We ended up talking to like 32 people in an hour and a half, and most of those were awesome conversations. One of them asked me if we have tons of FB friends because we talk to so many people and I said that I didn't think so, but he has my name now, so i think he will add me. So, if nothing else, I will have a good FB friend base when I get home.

This week really was awesome though. I continue to really change as a missionary and sometimes I hear myself talk and am really taken aback because it does not sound like me at all.

Also, on Wednesday we saw a Beaver down by the river, that was pretty sweet.

And some kinda crazy guy in downtown gave us a tupperware container with something called "bath salts" in it and told us that he would have a lesson with us if we came by with that container sometime during the week, so that will definitely be a pretty weird lesson, but its all good - he looked pretty thin and malnourished so maybe we can get him some food or something, sometimes we just have to face that people are hungry and look like zombies. He was from Miami and said that a lot of people look like that down there but that the bath salt stuff helps out. So, even though people are kinda crazy, we gotta love them.

We are still working with Rodrigo and Esbida who have baptismal dates for the end of this month, they are pretty awesome people, but he gets plastered on Saturdays and won't wake up for church, but he told us that he wants us to be persistent with him, so we shall be persistent.

Also, a really sweet older lady named Aida who is a refugee from Cuba has been coming to church these past couple of weeks. She really loves it and we have been able to have an awesome Spanish Gospel Principles class with her and several members from the ward, they really enjoy coming in. All of them are either converts or return missionaries, so they all take their turns really being bold and telling her that this is what God wants her to do. We basically just sit back and enjoy the show. I feel strongly that she will accept everything, so I am hopeful for that time.

This is the beginning of the third transfer, Elder Baker and I are staying together. My guess is that we will be here for two more transfers together. Which means I will probably leave Clarksville towards the end of August, I would say most likely.

But, President did tell me at interviews that he has a lot riding on us up here so we are super excited for the challenge and the responsibility.

I love you all and thank you for your prayers and your support. Thank you Mom and Dad for all that you do and the packages you send and your emails.

Love you all,

Have an awesome week!

Love, Zac