January!

So I told Kelly that Alan Rickman passed away and this was her response:

We were having a meeting with some people in the ward and they mentioned that we lost some celebrities recently and I didn't care until they mentioned Snape and then I was devastated!!! But now he has a chance to learn about the gospel in the spirit world! I love you! Thanks for making sure that I knew! Have we lost any other Harry Potter stars?? Of course we lost Richard Harris, but that was a long time ago and he was our favorite Dumbledore!

Not much has happened this week. We gave a pass along card to an investigator and he told us that he looked at it and it had a number to call to get a free bible and so he called and asked for a free bible. We were trying so hard not to laugh because we knew that his name would show up as a referral asking for a bible which we would then deliver to him.

In our weekly Book of Mormon study class we finished reading about Isaiah in 2Nephi. It was really interesting  comparing what is written in 2Nephi with what is written in Isaiah. I love being able to read from the Bible and the Book of Mormon side by side. I know that both books contain God's word and I am grateful to have them in my life.

Love ya!
Sister Kelly Martin.

Sister Kelly Martin

Oregon Salem Mission

700 Deborah Road, Ste. 260

Newberg, OR 97132

Happy New Year!

December/January

Happy new year!! We got an inch of snow here on Sunday to start the new year off. Everything shuts down when they get snow here which is really difference from Central Oregon. Almost all of the wards in the valley cancelled church. It was pretty funny and slightly bummed at the same time. Sister Drown and I convinced 4 of our investigators to come to church in the snow and when we showed up for choir practice the bishop said he cancelled church. We talked the bishop into doing sacrament and 2 of our investigators came. It was still really good. It was good to start the new year off right. To set new goals and to help others set new goals of their own.

2016 feels like a good one!

I love you all!
Sister Kelly Martin.

T. 8

November.

I have only 5 transfers left after this! President Samuelian told the zone leaders that he has been seriously thinking about taking away the mission cars, He thinks our mission would be more successful. He has encourages everyone to get out of our cars more. So this  week we did. We walked over ten miles. It has been below 40 almost everyday. I wore a pair of boots one day and they were not made for walking. Unfortunately I need to retire them this week. We bundle up everyday before we go outside. I'm totally a Cali girl! Still not used to the cold!

A member gave us some knit hats! I love them!! We have zone conference this Wednesday! We helped the youth in the Sisters branch find over 200 names to take to the temple this week! They had so many names that they couldn't actually do all of them! I'm learning of the importance of genealogy each time.

Not much else to say! I love being out here on my mission! I have had great range of motion in my knee for a long time now! I am so thankful for that!

Love ya! Have a great week!
Sister Kelly Martin.

Awesome week!!

From Kelly's last email she mentioned that her and her companion were speaking in church about missionary work so I sent Kelly an email of a story that relates really well with missionary work that many of you are very familiar with. It is The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley. There are many different versions to the story, but here is a basic one.

"Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up. 

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile. You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water he said, "It made a difference for that one."

I love this story! There may be all the people in the world criticizing you for the things that you do, you may be tempted to quit, but that doesn't mean you have to. My goal in life is to make a difference in the world someway somehow. How do you want people to remember you by? Would you be skeptical about everyone around or the one making a difference in the lives of others?

Anyways back to her email. 

We had a lot of crazy things happen this week. We went to the donut store and my companion and I were going to split a donut (because it's cheaper and healthier) and the guy who was working asked us if we were missionaries and we said we were and he gave us our donut for free! Amazing!

We also went to Newberg for iPad training for Sister Clark to get her iPad. I got to see Sister Dibble. Being in Newberg was like being home! The member who took us also bought us dinner. That was so nice of them!

President Samuelian told us that obedience is the "price for safety."

I dreamed about In N' Out one night. Nothing beats In N' Out in California (except Icebergs in Utah).

We spoke in sacrament meeting and our investigator and her dad came! We helped the youth find names to take to the temple! We found probably over 100 names with the youth!

Love ya!
Sister Kelly Martin