Marissa's Mission: OMAR MIRACLES!

Mis queridos,

Two cute 11-year-old girls from different families,
Jasmine and Maritza, who the elders in our ward taught
and we had the opportunity to help them with
preparing before their baptism 2 weeks ago!
Each of their mothers are recent converts, also from the elders' areas,
who were baptized into our ward not too long ago!

There is no joy like sharing the gospel and feeling the way it touches the lives of others!! :) The same investigator who came to church last week, our 24-year-old Mexican friend, Omar, accepted the invitation to be baptized on July 27!! Woohoo!!! He was already so prepared to receive the message of the gospel and came to church yesterday after changing his work schedule for it. He's working on getting a new job so he can keep the Sabbath Day holy! We just need to teach him a little bit and he's ready to go!!

We were wishing that we could just multiply/ recreate Omar and teach all kinds of investigators who are as receptive and dedicated as he is! Then last night we knocked on Omar's door to set another appointment with him, and we found out that he has a SISTER named Azucena who lives there too!! With her husband and their cute baby, Liam!! We talked to her for a few minutes outside their house and then Omar came home and we went inside and taught them a quick lesson, all right before it was time to go home on Sunday night! Omar said that what he has learned about the gospel and the plan of salvation in the past 2 weeks has completely turned around his perspective on life! He taught his little sister, Azucena, who is 22, how to pray just like we taught him in our first lesson! It was so sweet!! :)

We visited a cute member family in our ward this week. Their testimonies are so strong and the Spirit is there in their home so profoundly when they testify of the gospel! We are excited to have Omar and Azucena at a Family Home Evening at their home this week, as well as have them spend time with some of our other amazing members! :)

This Friday I get to attend a session in the Manhattan temple with all of the departing missionaries who go home this transfer (in 3 weeks)! There is a group of about 20 of us-- it's huge!! This will be the first departing missionary experience for anyone with President and Sister Taggart. Next Monday we also get to go on a trip to the Statue of Liberty for one last time!

I have been making a list of goals and things to help me with transitioning out of being a full-time missionary when I get home... I am scared that it is going to be hard, but I thing if I stay strong with doing my daily prayer, scripture study, service, practicing Spanish, and attending the temple, it will eventually all be okay. I am definitely excited to see my family again! But it will be challenging to leave behind the family that the Lord has allowed me to find here! Good thing we can all be together after this life, huh?

These verses from D&C 76 pretty much sum up the gist of the gospel for me...

"And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us-- That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness; That through him all might be saved whome the Father had put into his power and made by him;"

The gospel is true. It makes our lives happy. I'm grateful for the time I've spent out here finding myself, developing a better relationship with God, and learning to love others and help them find the truth! You can do it too!

Love,

Hermana Martin

Having fun at the Perth Amboy bay across from Statton Island...
it's not really a beach that much, but it's as close as we get. :)

Some of my Elizabeth ward friends, hermano Aparicio (Ward Mission Leader) and hermana Graciela (amazing member missionary and friendshipper) who came to the birthday party for one of our New Brunswick ward members on the 4th of July!