Sixth Letter

¡Hola Mis Amigos!

I had a great week this week and I will tell you why! We had the Mission Presidents Seminar down here this week with the Apostles and Prophets and Elder David A. Bednar came to speak to us on Friday! His topic was being a "Preach My Gospel" Missionary. Him as well as 5 other apostles -E. Oaks, E. Ballard, E. Scott, E. Nelson, and E. Perry! It was amazing and the Spirit was soooo strong!

Its week number 5 and as of this last tuesday our district is the oldest in our branch! Weird huh??? I think it is at least. It's crazy how time works. Being engaged is such a great cause really makes things go by much quicker!

Everything else is pretty much the same down here, and I wish I had more to tell you, but that is really all that is going on...

I really enjoy getting your mail and try to get back to every single one of you, but if I don't, don't hate me for it ;) I know this work is real. I was called here with these other elders in my branch and district for a reason. The Apostles and Prophets that lead our church today are so real and I know that they testify of Jesus Christ and of our Heavenly Father! I'm so grateful to have a loving and caring ward family who supports and uplifts one another.

Les amo,
Elder Martinez

Fifth Letter

Hello Everyone!

Can't believe its already been 4 weeks (1 month) since I first got here! Time flies! The days this week haven't been that eventful so sorry I don't have a lot to write about.

-First of all thank you mom for the package you put together! Everyone loves you and enjoys all the treats you bring!

-This week in the MTC is a new Mission Presidents seminar where mission presidents from all around the world come and get instruction before they enter the field this upcoming July. To add on to that we also have been getting more new missionaries- more than are leaving the MTC so needless to say everywhere you go it is PACKED!

-Our district seems to be accident prone. We have Elder Polevia cut his leg this week from hopping the front gate and totally biff it, Elder Costantino who is from Fruit Heights brake his ankle playing soccer on the field, and I broke my arm trying to climb a tree for gym time...(Just kidding) I really didn't break my arm, just wanted to put that in there to make sure you were paying attention. :)

- I'm at the point where all the days seem to just blend all together down here. Days just go by butthey seem like they go on forever, but its not bad its just different. I think about how much there is to do and how much time there is to do it in down here, so their is always something to keep you preoccupied.

Anyways that is really all I have for you this week, hopefully with the devotional tomorrow, I'll have something cool to share with you on who all was there.

I love you and keep you all in my prayers!

Les amo,
Elder Martinez

Fourth Letter

Hola Amigos!

Its just a great day down here at the MTC! Can't believe its already been 3 weeks! CRAZY! Next Wednesday will be my 1 month anniversary! :) I have some much to talk about but such little time to let you know so I'll try and cover as much as I can!

-The language is definately coming along. Everyone in our district is trying their very hardest to get talking and teaching in Espanol.

-We had President Rosemary Wixom (General Primary President) come talk to us this week for our Tuesday devotional which turned out to be extremely valuable. She had us sing some primary songs but really talked about our root values based all the was back to primary. The Spirit was really strong!

-I appreciate all the letters from everyone- I try to write back as soon as I can while I'm still here in the U.S.! :) Your love and kind words always help me feel strong in the work I've been called to do. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

-So I met an Elder in our new district who's last name is "Rothlisberger". Interesting, huh? So I asked him, not thinking what I thought was going to be true, if he was related to THE Ben Rothlisberger. He is- he is a nephew of Steelers Quarterback Ben Rothlisberger. For all you back at home I will get a picture of him and send it hopefully soon. Just thought I should let you know that I am with greatness here at the MTC! :)

- I know this letter is not super long, but I just want to close to leave you with my testimony. I know that I'm here at this time for a reason. I have learned so much and am grateful for everything I have learned and been taught here. Not a day goes by that I don't thank my parents for how they have raised me and are raising my other siblings. They are the best parents anyone could have. As for my siblings, I love them SOOOOO MUCH! I'm so grateful to have the family I do. I'm grateful for my Grandparents, my aunts and uncles, my cousins, and especially my Father in Heaven and his son Jesus Christ. I thank them for all that I have daily and pray that you know how much they love you. I'm so thankful for this gospel. I KNOW that it changes lives and blesses them.


Thanks for all the support and love!

Mucho amor,
Elder Martinez

Third Letter

Hola Familia!

Everything is going great down here at the MTC! It seems like I have been here for over 2 years now, but the time goes by super quick!

Congradulations Cole on graduating from good ol' high school! That is FANTASTIC! Now that school is out enjoy the summer while you can! Oh, I thought I should let you know that one of your good buddies- Elder Hall from Preston ID is my zone leader and leaves for Bogota Colombia next Monday! He is a really funny cool guy!

To my parents- I am getting my vaccination for yellow fever hopefully today sometime. Not to stress you out but, they should be sending you a bill for the vaccination soon I hope. :)

I sent my first batch of 50 pictures off to you guys today (Thursday). You should get them either Saturday or Monday. I don't know how much I can keep on doing it though because of how much time (takes about a 7 days) and the cost ($7.50) + the cost of shipping. If you want to just send me a memory stick so I can just send them to you until I actually get out into my mission that would probably work best.

So about the progress of the "one-upper" Elder, it is getting much better. I saw him for who truly was the other night after our Tuesday night devotional. While he was sharing with our district what he had learned his hands were shaking a little bit; I think he was just nervous but this feeling came to me to just love him for who he is. It was a major learning experience for me here. I saw this fake and insincere elder as just someone trying to do his best to be accepted.

Every week it seems like the numbers of missionaries we get are more than the people who are leaving. Lines for meals are longer, lines to use the bathrooms are longer, EVERYTHING. We just barely got a new district in our branch who are all Spanish speaking, but are leaving for Canada. The next district leaves Monday for their own missions but it just seems like we are getting more and more people.

Sorry to hear about the wonderful JB Allen. It's a good thing I left right before you started having problems :) Everything will work out one way or another.

Jackson be careful with the Red Car. Do well and study for the driving test and you will be fine- Just make sure you focus!

Thank you so much for the package of goodies! I don't know when I'll be able to eat the sardines but I'll try to find somewhere and time:) As far as gum goes, I can't have it. They don't want you to chew gum in the MTC, mints are fine, but no gum. Thanks though :)

I love you guys very much and hope everything is going well with each and every one of you! I know this gospel is true and I know that I am here at this time for a specific reason. I love my mission and am glad to be here.

Les Amo,
Elder Martinez

Second Letter

Hola Familia!

I still can't figure out how to attach these flippin pictures to my email! I heard that they don't allow attaching them to your email until you are actually out in the field! Anyway I've been trying to do it with my computer skills but still haven't been able to attach them. They have some sort of add-on to all the computers here. Prints of photos take 2-3 days to develop! So if I do send you some I'll get a bunch- I'll save them up for one big email- would you like that?

Anyway I have a lot to talk to you about:

• We have started teaching two investagors- one we follow up with every week until we leave, and the other we meet in a separate building and teach them for that day. Its nice to start gaining that experience before we actually leave. It's hard to do it in Spanish, but they are easy on us because it is our first lesson we gave.
• A member of my Branch Presidency advised us to get like a mini 3x5 photo album of our family so that when we get out in the field, we can use it as a conversation starter. So could you do that for me?
• I had a great learning experience for yesterday as we were teaching one of our investigators- who is also our teacher- "Juan". I am the junior companion in our companionship but I do most of the talking because I can understand and speak it. My poor companion is having a hard time understanding the language and you can tell he is just having a difficult time. I talked afterward with my teacher on what I could do to help him, and we had a lesson on Elder Holllands talk in the MTC from 1999 on missionary work. To sum it up he basically said "In missionary work, the lenguage of the Spirit comes first, then the lenguage you are asked to speak." It was great for both of us.
• My companion got sick the other night-poor guy! It was just like Sunnie that one night when we were playing pool and he just got up and went to the bathroom. I stayed behind to help him out, he felt bad, but I assured him that we all get sick and that is why I am a companion to him- to help him. He was really grateful and thankful for my help.
• We had another Elder in our district who just wasn't to well at all- spiritually, physically, and mentally. He was questioning why he was here and the purpose of the Church. He literally did not eat any of the meals for 4 days! After Sunday night devotional he was fine! Brother Allen, the MTC director, talked about the purpose of missionary work and why we were here. He also talked about enduring to the end and to stick with your mission, never live with the regret. It was amazing he knew who he was, why he was here, and where he was going. The Spirit truly testified of missionary work.
• People I have seen since I've been here:
• Mark Homer
• Jeff Clawson
• Connor Johnson (tanners cousin)
• Darren Hill
• Marshall Hall
• Kye Davis
• Parker Harris
• And a lot more I can't remember at this very moment. Needless to say, you see everyone here, which helps!
• Thanks for sending the doughnuts! Everyone loved them and were sooo grateful for them. There was not one missionary who didn't say "thanks". They also want to say thanks to you mom.
• Keep on sending the letters. They really are like GOLD! The Dearelders are perfect and they day you send them is the day I get them! They keep my spirits up and don't ever think that I will get sick of them :)
• Sunnie, make sure you are updating my blog. Take my church email address off the message as well as the "NOTICE" message at the bottom. Let me know if you are able to handle it okay. Thanks love you!
• You probably already know this with the other letter I sent you but I guess I need the "Yellow Fever" vaccination. I didn't have it on my records that you sent with me, but Lisa said that I had got all that I needed. Weird? Would you look into that for me mom or dad- thanks!
• Please let my deacons and the priests quorom know how much I love this gospel. Missions are hard, but they are also sooo rewarding. You grow in all ways-spiritually, mentally, physically. There is nothing better than serving a mission. Let them know that it is hard- but what things in life that are extremely valuable not?

I love you all very much,

Elder Martinez

Matthew 10:22