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My companion and I finally got the soundtrack for "The Lamb of God" and we have been listening to it like crazy! I highly recommend it, especially if you like "Wicked" musical type sound, but this is cool cause it is religious!

But with that, there is a song about the disciples debating who would betray Jesus. One line really struck me, it said "Is my faith so little, that my soul would cease to burn?"

Sometimes as adults I think we wonder why we don't feel "burnings" of faith and the Spirit as much. There was a talk on Sunday about how incredible faith we have as children, and the miracles we would see, such as finding lost things, etc. I remember such times myself. Why is it that as adults we have to work so hard everyday to even rebuild our faith? Her talk was called "faith, focus, finish". She discussed how faith is even more of a choice as adults. We can choose to go just enough and say we did and go right back to our comfort zone, or we can do what is necessary to nourish our faith everyday and press forward. Then the talk right after went right along with that about choosing to be a pioneer. I liked how he mentioned that sometimes we don't think about how many people actually chose to stay and not go west. How today, we need to accept any calling no matter how big or small, and realize we grow the most when we have the biggest challenges, and in the speaker's case, it was going on a mission. It was so hard, and he didn't want to go, but because his bishop advised him to, he did. He said through that hard mission, he reaped the biggest rewards, such as a testimony of the Restored gospel, learning how to interact with people, even a religious education of sorts. So will we reap the biggest rewards from the biggest challenges. Yes we will have concerns that come up, that is when you get on your knees. We have to look at these challenges as opportunities to become our best self as we test our potential more and more. 

Miracles This Week

We drove all the way out to San Pablo to contact some people. Turns out we couldn't get a female to visit one young man and the rest of the people we tried were all not home. I was thinking, surely this can't be a waste of precious time and miles. I kept thinking there has to be someone we needed to see. As we were leaving the last house on our list, we were walking back out to our car when I saw a man who looked hispanic. I knew the area was well known for Spanish speaking so I wasn't sure what to say. Luckily, my companion just turned right to him and tried to give him a card and start talking. He looked at us and couldn't understand, I started to walk away, but my companion said wait, he went to go get someone. Sure enough, he came out with his two sons. They spoke perfect English and we had a great conversation ending with an invite to learn more from missionaries. They agreed! They especially wanted a Book of Mormon, to be delivered as soon as possible.

Also, I don't know if I emailed you about this story. But quite a while back in Walnut Creek, Sister Hewett and I had been eating lunch with our ward missionary and her nonmember friend. We had met this friend before, she had been to church and some activities I think. We were always really friendly to her, and she was super nice. Our ward missionary had been trying really hard to invite her to church things all the time, but also knew it had to be the right time. Well during this particular lunch, we had a great conversation. I mean, it was so full of the Spirit I do not even remember what was said, except her describing taking a few lessons from other religions' missionaries. I strongly felt to just ask "Well, have you ever learned from LDS missionaries before?" She replied "Well, no I haven't actually." So I just said "Would you like to?" There was a pause and she then said yes! She gave us her information and we sent it to the elders in that area. After a month of struggling to contact her, finally the elders began teaching her. Well, just last night she was baptized!!! These elders happen to be the ones sharing our new church building, so I have been able to keep tabs on her lately. Sometimes you send out referrals, never to know what happens to them, so this was a blessing and tender mercy of the Lord. I was so so so so so happy to hear she made it! This was truly a manifestation on what the broadcast "Hastening the Work of Salvation" was all about! Invitations of love on the members part, and then utilizing the full time missionaries.

This work is true, the Lord is preparing the hearts of men to receive His gospel.

Much love,

Sister Martin