Transfers

Hello Family,

 

I know Mom and Dad already told some of you, but we got transfer calls this week. I actually knew a little early what was going to happen, but that's another story.

 

I am being transferred, my first one on the mission haha. I'm not going far though, my apartment will be in Concord, BUT my area is really a bunch of areas. I will be helping to open up the new East Bay Mid-Singles Ward, which covers over 4 stakes! So a lot of driving, oh nooooo! California drivers still scare me haha. Also, if anyone wants to send me new music or something for the car, that would be nice! But it will be fun too, I will be training again for the third time now. We are getting a brand new apartment, and Sister Peel (Marianne's aunt) called me and was telling me how new everything was and I have to set up everything even the microwave. I was already told its also only a temporary apartment, next transfer we will be moved to Martinez, which is closer to where the chapel is. I am still reporting to the same stake/zone and even the same district. Now our district will have 3 sets of sisters and 1 set of elders, and only me and the elders (Watanawongworakula and Fleming) are staying, we will have 5 new sisters. There are 30 new missionaries coming in this transfer, at least 32 the next. 5 new areas opened this transfer and 7 the next and 7 the next! It's crazy over here! So it is actually common that Walnut Creek will be getting shotgunned/whitewashed again (Sister Fiefia is going to Union City Tongan program and training!) as many areas are right now. And it's mostly sisters doing the shotgunning. I think they said by the end of summer half the mission will be sisters! Which means like over 100 sisters here I think. It's hard to keep up anymore! But both my daughters, Sister Goff and Sister Fiefia, are training this transfer which already makes me a grandma! :) There is even a sister who has to train after being here only four weeks!

 

So I really have no idea what I am doing as of right now. I won't be in my new area until Wednesday night when I pick up the new companion. I was only told about 50 of these 28-45 year olds are actively going to church, but there are hundreds of names. I will be tracking down these people. And finding I think will be very different than a set area/ family ward. I think it will mostly have to be referrals? I'm a little nervous about that. This ward is currently the singles ward, but most people in it are probably 50 and above. They are getting put into family wards in the next 3 weeks, and the stake president feels this middle aged group needs attention, as that is where most singles go inactive, so they are creating this new ward. Our elders had the singles ward before, so there is somewhat of an areabook, but really I will be working super close with the bishop (whose daughter was actually a good friend of mine at BYU, great family).

 

We also saw a wonderful miracle this week. We were on our way home pumped from a zone meeting we had just gotten out of, and we got talking about how Sister Fiefia needs to still invite someone to be baptized as her training suggests. For some reason, we haven't had that opportunity this transfer. I told her "lets just have faith and ask someone on the street today!" But then we felt prompted to visit Stephanie, a lady I met 2 transfers ago with Sister Goff. She was really interested to learn and find peace from our message but is extremley hard to get a hold of due to her type of job. We knocked and she was actually home and so excited to see us! We knew we were going to be late for our dinner appointment, because we didn't expect to actually get to teach her, but she said lets go outside to the park bench and talk. We proceeded to talk about her life, and she has been feeling so stressed lately she said she had been praying so hard she had fallen asleep right before we knocked on her door! We taught the restoration, gave her a BOM, and Sister Fiefia was able to invite her to be baptized, and she said YES! She even said she notices how happy we are, and she wants that, especially because she wants to start a family, as she is engaged right now. Stephanie is a very special prepared person. She even remembers seeing elders teach her neighbors before. Just everything she shared I could tell how much the Lord is really preparing her to accept this right now.

Also, our bishop met with a part member family I have been dying to teach, but they always cancel on us. He said though, that he got the husband to agree to take the lessons! So even though I won't personally be teaching these people, I am so happy to have left the area in good hands with some good people to teach.

Also, Peter has been changing so much! Zaya says he wants to be with his family more. He is liking church more and more, and has been coming consistently now! He is set for baptism June 29, so since I am still in the same district, I think I can go if I bring an investigator.

So pray I have a mid single investigator by June 29! Pray for me as a shotgun train, in a new area, with no idea what I am doing! Haha. But, my bishop shared with us in Ether 2 about how even though we might be wandering in the wilderness, let the Lord guide us, have faith in Him. I think that will be the main theme of this next transfer! Someone mentioned in the new trainer meeting, "There are only two kinds of days on the mission. Good days and learning days!"

 

Well I really really love you all so much, whenever others ask me about my family and I talk about you, they say how fantastic my family sounds! I know no family is perfect, but I'm so grateful God has blessed me with each of you.

 

Lots of Love,

Sister Martin