The Field is White!

FAMILY!

This week has been incredible and full of miracles. First of all, Zaya is now a member! We took her to the Visitor's Center/temple and she was so happy and told us that was her next goal!

 Another investigator, Lucia, is getting baptized on Sunday! I will tell her story next week. THEN we had been wanting Lacie, another investigator, to have a baptismal date. But she was still praying to know for sure, etc and we didn't know what to do everytime she said she had been praying but no answer. She came to Zaya's baptism and everything. We fasted for her last Sunday, and on Tuesday we were texting her when we could meet up. We wanted to meet up to give her a lesson on just taking a leap of faith and just getting baptized because she knows its good. But all the sudden we got another text from her, I look over and my companion sets the phone down and puts her head in her hands. I immediately thought the worst (which is what I learned missionaries do haha) and thought we had lost Lacie. but no! Lacie texted us saying, "I decided yesterday I'd like to get baptized on the 29th". My companion and I started jumping and screaming we were so excited. And her husband is worthy now to baptize her! They are the cutest couple and we are sooo happy for them!! What did I tell you about Walnut Creek? It is truly on fire, full of prepared people! D&C 31:4 says "...You shall begin to preach from this time forth, yea, to reap in the field which white, already to be burned." You notice it doesn't say harvest. During the harvesting process, the burning comes after to purify and put nutrients back into the soil. We are here to help burn the area! We talked to some great people during our "Christmas" tracting, where we hand out Joy to the World pass a long cards on the street or talk about Chrsitmas Temple Hill events. As we help those already found, finding our own, and just working hard, we are seeing so many miracles, and harvest just doesn't seem like quite strong enough a word. So I have been very busy!

The Visitor's Center has been crazy. We have a live Nativity outside which I have been itching to see, and free concerts every night, so its been busy. When I am on "outside tour", we always joke we feel like Salt Lake Temple Square sisters. I go around asking people if they have been to the VC, or I might refer them to mormon.org if they are not members as well. But I like it, because we get to walk around in all the lights and everything. I love Christmas time as a missionary! Everyone seems to be more open to talking about Jesus Christ. Also we get to perform ourselves! On Chrstmas and Christmas Eve, we are singing as a sister missionary choir.

I have my first zone conference tomorrow. I heard we are getting christmas goodies. Also, I get to either call you or skype you on Christmas! I will be sending out Christmas cards soon.

Well I hope all is well at home. Please send more cute christmas family pics. I love you all.

Sister Martin

pictures;

1)zaya's baptism

2)mom, you sent the wrong boots. this is what the rain looks like here outside my front door. the boots you sent would get soaked. becky has matching ones of the ones i need, ask her

3)our district leader gave us each a "snowball" to have a 'snowball fight", since there is no snow here in california. we put our name tags on them

1)Tank, the cat. He was huge and soft and loved me! I wanted to keep him.

2) Us with Lucia at the temple. She is getting baptized on Sunday. This is also what I look like when I am on "outside tour" at the temple.

3) mom and dad will be happy to know, I actually did meet Elder Flemming this week. He was at the Visitor's Center and came up next to us and asked what I thought about El Paso. His parents sent him a picture of me so he recognized me. I made sure to get a picture so you can see the proof. He is also about 2 whole feet taller than me.

4)a crazy decorated house just down the street from our house. we got to see his window displays too, which included a lot of villages, which made me think of mom!