Statue of Liberty y otras aventuras!

Hola!!

We went to Liberty Island on Tuesday! Sis. Dunning, the senior couple sister in charge of getting the sisters to do service there, went through extra trouble to allow me to get my name cleared and figure out transportation for us to do service there! Actually, the Dunnings ended up just picking up Sister Clark and me from our apartment and driving us there! We only live about 13 miles away, but the traffic was terrible!! Poor Sis. Dunning was so worried about getting us there in time, but my companion and I really enjoyed the ride because Sis. Dunning is one of the most hilarious people we've ever met! 

We were stationed in a booth where we helped tourists input their names in a free "Certificate of Visitation" to be emailed to them. We were sitting about 200 yards from the base of Statue of Liberty! We talked briefly with so many people from all over the world- mostly France, but also from England, Japan, China, Taiwan, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Guatemala (yes- I got to use my Spanish skills and it was so fun to be able to connect more with people!) and so many other countries! The only awkward part was when Lady Liberty decided to block the wifi or something and the visitors had to stand there in the cold after waiting in line as the certificate thing would load. But that would give me a chance to ask a few more questions!  

Other cool thing- Ellis Island has been closed down with the museum and everything since Hurricane Sandy hit and destroyed so much, including computer systems in the basement and everything. Since we were late because of traffic, Sis. Clark and I and two other sisters who serve in Jersey City were waiting for the next boat to take us from Ellis Island to Liberty Island (they are separate). Ellis is supposed to be opening up again today, I think, but when we went over to peek in the window, the security guards let us go in to look around! I had gone in about 5 years ago before with a school group after 8th grade and it brought back memories! The history here is so incredible- including the hastening of the work that was prophesied to take place thanks to this amazing country of freedom- and from here to cover all of the Earth! I am grateful to be a part of it! 

Sister Clark from Arizona got a little cold this week... This is how I found her... Haha, Don't worry, we're getting clothes soon and taking out the air conditioners making gaps in the windows soon so it'll maybe be warmer. ;)

We are really working with other missionaries in our ward to brainstorm and make plans to increase the member missionary work in our ward and the involvement of ward leaders! There is no way for all the potential investigators in this area, or anywhere in the world, to find the truth and the members to stay strong without all of us fulfilling our roles as disciples of Christ and fulfilling our callings! I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Martin

News From the City!

Buenas!
Our second transfer in West New York is going pretty well. Something that has helped me manage stress lately is just blocking some time to do some finding using the Potential Investigators/ Formers in the Area Book or putting some of those names as back-ups for appointments. We really need to do some more finding to get new investigators! We are also really trying to use Elder Ballard's talk to push members to do missionary work and refer someone to use before Christmas, and we've started getting the Ward Council and Ward Mission Leader and Ward Missionary involved in that! 

Our investigator family didn't show up at church this week after we tried so hard to prepare them, so that was a bummer. But we'll keep working on it. I am really grateful for the opportunity to train Sis. Clark and that the Lord would trust me to train someone again. I still have so many things to learn, but we are going little by little. This week, Sis. Clark has committed to our District Leader, Elder Cuevas, to lead out in every lesson! Hopefullly this will help a lot because she has been really quiet and I am not very good at holding back when I want to speak. So I'm working on that. 

We are learning so much about faith this month! I'm excited for Zone Conference this week with President and Sister Jeppson!

Love,
Hermana Martin

More Photos from Life in West New York

Noche de la hispanidad



Hermano Concepcion doing showing his passionate patriotism for the Dominican Republic!

Saludos!

Here are some pictures from the unforgettable West New York Spanish Ward "Noche de la hispanidad" night! Best moment: Our second counselor dancing for about ten minutes with the Dominican Republic flag and then laying it on the ground and kissing it in front of everyone. That man loves his country!

Sister Clark and me - American girls!

My companion and I plus two other elders had a good time of representing the United States! Our little table had baseballs, Girls Scout cookies, a Captain American pin, and what-not. I love my country. I also love all of the diversity I am able to be exposed to here! 



Cute little Evelyn in her Ecuadorian costume. She doesn't believe that Hno. Rondoy's braid is real. (It's part of his Ecuadorian attire, too).



El Salvador! Papusas... yum!

 

 



The elders' Mexican investigator got really into the party! She got up and started dancing right in front of everyone! She is adorable.



2. WE LOVE WATCHING THEM DANCE! It pains me to not be able to dance with them as a missionary, not that I really know the meringue or salsa or anything yet. It pains me!!! But we love watching!







Mexico! Aren't they so cute?





Here come the fire trucks before the fiesta! ("The church kitchen is to prepare the food- not cook it!") haha









Ecuador! Fun people!



We had some YUMMY food that night! One set-back was that someone was preparing food in the kitchen before the activity started and set the fire alarms off! We all had to wait outside and four West New York fire trucks showed up with the firemen all suited up and everything! But it was all taken care of before most of the people showed up. We must have looked like a funny sight standing outside with some of our members decked out in their traditional Latino attire! 

Sis. Clark and I also set up a table in the church with pamphlets, pass-along cards, and Books of Mormon and talked to some potential investigators that night. 

 

Brick by Brick

Lately, I have been fascinated by the demolition of this giant building that's been going on across the street right outside our apartment. When we moved in, I noticed how vacant and scary-looking it was and thought it should be taken down. Next thing we knew, there were a few workers with cranes going after it!

Sometimes missionary work seems overwhelming to me. But I think it's kind of like this building- as long as you put in a full day's hard work and do the task that's been asked of you for that day, that is all you need to do! You get paid the same. The job might seem impossible, but little by little, progress is made and little miracles happen. And you have a clearer and clearer view! There's my parable for the day. It gives me a little bit of comfort.

Embrace the Hastening of the Work!

Familia y amigos,

Some highlights of the week:

1. Zone meeting: It is impressive to witness a group of about thirty 18 to 21-year-olds standing one by one and sharing how their Christlike characteristic of LOVE (our last month's focus) has grown, and then each sharing our goals of how to develop FAITH this month! We are aiming for 5 baptisms in zone one. It is going to be a month of miracles.2. Powerful lesson with our investigating couple, Hermano y Hermana Amaya. We had two incredible member team-ups who really complemented each other as they taught and bore powerful testimony. It is always SO much better when we work with the members. Hermana Amaya really opened up more to us and everyone of us could feel the Spirit so strong!

3. Took a bus down the road to visit an amazing older woman in our ward who lives in a care center. Afterward, we went to track down some names of less-active members who the bishopric gave to us. One told us that she used to be Mormon, but be was baptized too fast, and she doesn't want anything to do with it anymore. She kissed us on the cheek and told us never to come back! About a minute later we passed a white man on the street who called at us and said, "Congratulations!! It's about time there were women Mormons!... I'm Jewish, but congratulations!" We have crazy lives here, to say the least.

4. We've really been struggling to find and keep any progressing investigators lately. A few weeks ago, we passed a man sitting by a fruit stand and drinking out of a coconut. I said something like, "That looks good!" and he had his friend who owned the fruit stand give us coconut drinks and two bags of oranges. This week we went by the stand and saw the owner there with his wife and darling little girl. We gave them a short message on faith and his wife said we could come back the next day. One our zone's "faith calendar" for October, the day's challenge of faith was to invite 3 people to be baptized. We prepared a lesson during studies and shared it with the cute family that day. They accepted to be baptized on Nov. 17! Miracles do happen! We aren't able to meet with them very often right now because of different work schedules, but we are excited to keep meeting with them!

Let me introduce to to a couple more of the people we love in this area:

1. Hermana Cordova (Ecuador): tells us repeatedly to ask her for things as if she's our mother; sends us home with toothpaste, hair clips and groceries; shares a powerful testimony of God protecting her and her kids throughout their lives.

2. Hermana Almanza (El Salvador): Loves to laugh and call my companion, Sis. Clark a little "pollito" who follows her mother hen (me) around everywhere! haha She has been inactive for years, but just came to General Conference for the first time and is getting excited about reading the Book of Mormon! ("It's like a novella!")

 

If you didn't watch General Conference... repent and watch it! It was SO good to hear about prophecies being fulfilled and how we can better our lives today. I appreciate it so much more as a missionary. The world needs faithful Latter-Day Saints! I am recognizing more than ever that that needs to be my personal role and top priority always. I am learning more that why and how to put God first-- it is the only way to happiness!

I love you all! Embrace the hastening of the work! Sometimes I struggle to stay positive, but I know it's all worth it in the end and I cherish the memories I've been given these 8 months (as of yesterday!) that I've had on my mission!

Last Monday, I got a call from my former companion, Sis. Stansel, down in the area of Hightstown! One of our investigators, Hermano Solaris from Guatemala, after maybe 10 or so years of investigating the church-- finally got BAPTIZED!! He has has known the Church is true for some time, but he knew he'd have to sacrifice working on Sundays in order to be baptized. When I got the news, it was probably one of the happiest moments of my life! Plus what made it even better, is that our recent convert, Hermano Alejandro, is the one who baptized him!! :) That night, I felt like I could relate a little bit to all of the Book of Mormon prophets who collapse with joy!
During a prayer that Sister Nava gave at our last lesson together, Hermano Solarise had a vision that he saw a huge, white building all lit up! When I showed him a picture of the Salt Lake City Temple, he said that that was it!! I know he is going to the temple someday.

Love,

Sister Martin