Tuesday, October 20, 2015

9 months!!!!


Has it been 9 months already. Time has flown by! I still feel like a greenie!

We had a return missionary and his dad (a high council member) and his mom speak in our ward yesterday. Each one gave a great talk, but the one I remember was from the mom. She ran her second marathon last week. She practiced and prepared for her marathon. She found a pacer, which is someone who has experience at marathons and they get a certain time so if you stick with them, you can achieve that time too. Well, on the day of her big race, she skimped on breakfast, nerves and all. Well, by mile 10, she was doing great. Her pacer was encouraging everyone and motivating them to keep it up. Then they started up a 5 mile hill and after 2 miles, she could feel that her energy was burnt out, she slowed down and eventually lost sight of her pacer.  Then doubts started to creep in, thoughts of "Why am I doing this?" "I hate running" "I need new shoes" "I am never going to run again" and just when she thought she was going to give up, she came to an aide station, where the volunteers were encouraging her and cheering her on! At mile 25, she saw her family and they encouraged her!! She made it to the finish line and felt accompanied, yet disappointed in herself, because she knew she could have done better. Yet because of one simple mistake, skimping on breakfast, she got a slower time.

Well she related running a marathon to life. We each chose to come to earth. We prepared for this, we learned and we were excited when it was our turn. Heavenly Father gave us a pacer, someone to show us the way and encourage and motivate us along the way: Jesus Christ. We knew that if we followed our pacer, we would be happy. At times it gets rough and we start to doubt ourselves and our pacer and our coach. We want to give up. Then we get to an aide station and we are given the nourishment and encouragement we need. The thing is, we all cross the finish line. Will we be excited and glad and proud of our accomplishment, or will we be disappointed because we knew we could have done better. I hope we are glad and we celebrate with our families.

I love you all! Love, Sister Kelly Martin

P.S. I met a new missionary and she said that she actually read my blog!!! Thanks Stacy! Keep up the good work!!!

Cute sheep cupcakes! "Feed my sheep"



Portland Temple

Sisters Branch Dutch Oven Dinner :)
I will be starting to put Sister Martin's address at the bottom of each blog for easy access.
Sister Kelly Martin
Oregon Salem Mission
700 Deborah Rd Suite 260
Newberg, Oregon 97132

kelly.martin@myldsmail.net

Last week before another transfer!


I've been out for 8 months now!! Almost halfway! This next transfer marks the halfway point!

On Wednesday, Sister Miller got to go to the temple. Sister Hanna was my companion in Sisters since her companion was also going to the temple. (Missionaries in our mission get to go to the temple with the mission president and his wife the week before the end of their mission.) Sister Hanna and I went to activity days. We got to talk about the articles of faith. 

On Thursday, during our weekly planning, Sister Miller hot a sharp pain in her abdomen and we went to the fire station first and they recommended we go to the hospital and check it out. So after talking with Sister Samuelian, we went to the hospital and spent 4 hours there. They couldn't figure out what it was, but they said it wasn't life threatening, so they released her.

On Friday, we had a district meeting in Redmond and then we had to wait around for another meeting. The sister training leaders were supposed to come an hour early, but they overslept. We spent an hour worrying about them, their companions had the phones. 

Then on Saturday, at 12:30, the phone beeps and she looks at it and says, presidents calling. And I say no he's not, and she says I'm not kidding and she answers it and my heart started pounding so fast!! President extended a calling to me from Heavenly Father to train. This next week is going to be a whirlwind. Sister Miller and I have now memorized a fourth of the Family: A Proclamation to the World. It is an amazing document. The women's broadcast on Saturday was amazing. Lots of amazing revelation from Heavenly Father, The proclamation about families was given at a relief society conference 20 years ago.

At the relief society broadcast, there was a lot of really delicious food! We might have stacked our plates high with food!!!
Glad they're being fed well! :)


I will be training a brand new missionary in Sisters!!!! I'm really excited!! What advice do you guys have for me??
         Tell her to write down everything you say!! ;) 
(The Best Two Years)
     Elder Rogers: Yeah, I guess that's okay. But check with me before you write anything down I've said.
     Elder Calhoun: Should I write that down?
     Elder Rogers: Yeah.
     Elder Calhoun: Okay.

Monday, October 19, 2015

Short Update


We went to an indoor sports field in Bend for Zone P-Day. I'm glad we get to hang out with the Sisters!

Sister Williams, Sister Miller, and I didn't play. I got to catch up with my journal writing instead.




Well since its almost October and Sister Martin is in Oregon and we loved those movies!
We as a mission are going to memorize The Family: A Proclamation to the World in 40 days!




And another week!


This week was a great week. We had a zone training meeting on Friday and then we went and had a lesson with one of our investigators and she told us that we were misinformed about our own religion and the Bible as well as the Book of Mormon. Her heart was hardened and it was really sad because she was closed off to the truth.

We made chocolate covered pretzels for some people in the branch who had birthdays recently and we went to the lava tubes for our sisters p-day.

The message I got from zone training was all about faith. Trusting in our Heavenly Father and our savior to get us through anything and everything. It was amazing! I was reminded of the scripture that says "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).