Holy cow. Biggest week ever.

HOLA!

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! A lot has been going on for me in the past week here in Nueva Jersey!

Cosas que pasaron:

Monday: Packed up everything in West New York to get ready for Transfer Conference! I miss Sis. Clark and the people of West New York, but it will be okay...

Tuesday: Got transferred to Elizabeth, New Jersey with an awesome Sister Training Leader companion- Sister Willis from Colorado!

Wednesday: First full day in Elizabeth. Meeting with my new District.

Thursday: Thanksgiving! "Turkey Bowl" sports with the missionaries in Newark in the morning. Weekly planning. A nice dinner at a member family's home, also with the Relief Society President, her husband, and cute little daughters. After, we stopped by another home for a more casual, buffet-style dinner in the living room with a less-active family.

The freezing cold Turkey Bowl with my new companion, Sis. Willis, and Sister Hendrickson.

Friday: My birthday: Opened a package from home and my ward in the morning with companion and roommates!  1st Mission Leader Council meeting with Pres. and Sis. Jeppson and all of the zone leaders in the mission. We talked about how we're doing as far as statistics in our mission, were trained on how to teach investigators about how to receive answers through prayer, and were introduced to the mission theme for December, to "always remember Him." They all sang Happy Birthday to me at the end.

Same day- my first exchange as a Sister Training Leader! Sis. Willis left and I brought another sister back to my brand new area for an exchange! Pretty crazy! The sister I was with is basically perfect and reminds me of Snow White. We taught a less-active family and the smoke alarm only went off once during our day together... (We didn't celebrate a whole lot on my birthday, so my companion made peach cobbler with ice cream for me this morning). :)

Saturday: Taught some great lessons with Sis. Willis! An investigator who has met with missionaries for years accepted a baptismal date for Dec. 29! We are excited! We talked about faith and the Atonement, and she prayed right there with us at the end of the lesson to Heavenly Father to know if this baptismal date is right for her.

Sunday: First church experience in Elizabeth! It's a place with character, that's for sure! The members are great, and many shared really inspiring testimonies in Sacrament Meeting. There is a Spanish ward here and an English branch! The Sunday School, Relief Society, and Priesthood meetings are combined with translations (by the missionaries/ others), and Sacrament Meetings are separate. It's very unique.

I love you all so much! Thank you for your support and encouragement!

Love,

Hermana Martin

Sunday dinner at the Canabarro Family's home

Dinner with the Fallas Family

Answers to some of Mom's questions:

 1. Thanksgiving and birthday was pretty good! It was kind of sad to be in a brand new area on my birthday... but some fun stuff did go on. :)  I wrote about it in the email.

2. New address: 167 Elm St., 2nd floor. Elizabeth, New Jersey. 07202

3. Ok, I got your package (thank you, thank you!), Noni's and Grandpa's package (love the gifts!) and the package from the SC 11th ward youth (so awesome)! I received G&G's birthday letter and $50 too. I think that's it... Sis. Clark said there are 2 packages and 4 letters for me back in West New York! So I will ask her to send them with her zone leaders to a meeting I'll see them at on Friday. That should work.

4. My companion is Sister Brooke Willis, from Colorado. She is awesome! I feel like we are on fire when we teach together! She is 22 and only has 2 transfers left in the mission. She is SUPER obedient and hardworking. I love her. She reminds me of Mandy a lot of the time.

5. Our new place is pretty nice. We room with the English sisters in our area. We live above an older, Cuban lady in a two-story house. This area is so much more neighborhood-like than West New York and it's actually pretty cute.

6. I had a meeting and my first exchange already. This Friday we are teaching the new district leaders about how to be organized and work with the sister training leaders in order to support the sisters they are over.

7. I LOVE MY BIRTHDAY GIFTS!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I really like the dress, the suitcoat, the shirts, the iPod, and everything! You are the best! Sister Jeppson complimented the white ruffly blouse. Love you, Mom!! Thanks for always thinking of me and taking care of me.