Getting a new car

Well this week was good. I am emailing a little late today cause we had to wash our car this morning (it was pretty dirty) It is going to go to some other Elders in MD. We now have a brand new Aveo with less then 400 kms on it. Kinda scary. I would feel really bad if I were to wreck it. Our old car still only had like 13000 kms on it and hadn’t been to its first service yet and there were kinda a lot of scratches and stuff on it. I am not sure what from. Anyway, but it is cool to have a brand new car.

Well Zone Conference was very nice. There was no question and answer period with Elder Cook, which would have been really sweet. President Wood gave a really touching story about how paying tithing blessed him and softened his fathers heart about serving a mission (he joined the church when he was 21). I have been feeling especially thankful for President Wood this week and the amount of love he has for all of us. 

So I guess the biggest news I have is that next Monday I will be emailing from Cape Town because I will be going there to pick up a brand new missionary. We head back to East London on Wednesday. I will be training him for two transfers. I kinda saw this coming, but it’s still a little overwhelming. It was kinda funny, President pulled me and another Elder out right before Zone Conference started up again after lunch. He told us the news and then told us not to tell anyone. But everyone knew cause we got pulled out and, apparently, I came back in looking very green myself. The APs [Assistants to the President] were kinda laughing at me. So please pray for me, my new companion, and that I will be able to be a good trainer.

Another thing that is causing me a little anxiety is that our area really isn’t doing that hot. There are a few bright spots, but I am little worried. We are really struggling to get those girls to come to church and to keep reading commitments. Last night we went there with Tina and Onke (a powerful fellowshipper). I think they are all stressed about school and we caught them at a bad time. It was really cool to take Tina fellowshipping, she has come along way. She even encouraged them in a very quiet, kind way. So that was nice experience, I think it’s always wonderful to take your recent converts fellowshipping.

Another bright spot is this guy named Daniel who we tracted into a few weeks ago. We went to his “cell meeting” (like a home group bible study) for a few minutes and talked with him. He read James 1:5 for us so that was a good sign. I hope it goes somewhere. We are going to his cell meeting again next wednesday so that will be my greenies first lesson. 

One interesting experience is that I kinda bashed a little with some 7th Days about what day the sabbath should be on. I tried to share some scriptures it kinda went back in forth for a while but I ended up bearing my testimony that we had been called by a prophet to share the message of the restoration on God’s church. I guess the cool thing was that I definitely feel the spirit confirm that we had the authority to preach the gospel. 

Well, the only other thing I can say is that I have been feeling a lot of thankfulness for the opportunity to be a missionary. It kinda scares me that someday I am going to go back to the real world. I love being a missionary and having the opportunity to devote my whole life to God and his children right now. I love you all!

-Elder Martin