First Baptism!

Hermanos y Hermanas,

 

Sorry, I wrote a whole email last week with expanations about the Manhattan Temple and everything, but I guess I didn't quite send it. Sorry about that!

 

This week has been insane, as always. Every night my trainee and I get home for planning and have to kind of laugh at our first step after prayer, "Review your day," because every day here in New Jersey is so random and filled with crazy adventures!

 

My very first baptism of the mission was this week! Abraham Alejandro, who we met in the thrift store, has really impressed everyone with his dedication in learning about the gospel and his desire to better himself and follow Christ. I am grateful to have had a part in helping Hermano Abraham come to accept the gospel. We were also really excited that our friend Luis, who was inactive for a long time until the elders ran into him in Trenton a few months ago (and is now teaching the gospel principles class and preparing to start his mission papers!), was able to baptize him.

 

My companion and I asked two of the members to give short talks at the baptismal service, and our friends John and Destiny Fisihetau sang a beautiful hymn for Hermano Abraham. But I didn't think to play the hymns for us all to sing, so I found myself behind the piano during the service, thanking my mother for making me practice piano all of those years and praying that I could get through them without having practiced hardly at all for so long! (Luckily, some of our branch members sing really loudly so that kind of covered up my mistakes:)  Hermano Abraham bore a powerful testimony after his baptism, quoting scriptures and sharing how he has experienced change recently and knows that through Christ is the only was for us to be happy through the trials we have in life. It is amazing to see the light that conversion brings into people's lives.

 

We have been inviting our older neighbor across the hall, a less-active member, to come to church, and he finally came yesterday! We have also been teaching our cute upstairs-neighbor who is in her 20's, and she is a good friend and really interested and we hope to see her keep progressing in the gospel.

 

The Work of Salvation missionary broadcast from the Marriot Center  was really inspiring! I encourage everyone to watch it! We watched it at our branch president's home with the young women's president and the other elders in our tiny branch. The apostles announced that we will be using internet and other technology more and more in daily missionary work to really spread the gospel. There was a huge focus on the members and ward leaders taking responsiblity in arranging for the full-time to teach people who are ready to here. The other day my trainee and I had an experience tracting in a huge apartment complex in the rain, trying to find former investigators and being rejected. It was a learning experience, but hopefully this new focus will lead us to much more productive missionary work that that!

 

Here in New Jersey, the mosquitos are out, my hair is frizzing up a bit in the humidity, and the trees are still really green and the roads twirly and busy! I have come to know the members of our branch quite well, and we are hoping to involve them more and more in our teaching. If I ever mess up on something, though, they are sure to correct me! I am learning a lot as a new missionary and trainer, but my faith in God and the Plan of Salvation is getting stronger and stronger.

 

I love you all! Thank you for all of your support! Please don't let me lose touch with you! I love your emails and letters. Please pray for the missionary work worldwide and remember that we are all missionaries as members of the Lord's church!

 

Love,

Hermana Marissa Martin

President and Sister Jeppson came and met Hermano Abraham before sacrament meeting started and stayed for part of the meeting before going to other meetings. :) John and Destiny were a huge part of making this possible for Hermano Abraham and they sang a beautiful song at the baptism! I love you all so much! Thank you Sister Daniels and Sister Nava for everything! We all love and miss you here in Hightstown! :)