week thirty-seven: back in business

Hi hi! How was everyone’s week? I hope wonderful. Just melting a little bit in the heat here but all is well 🙂 This was one of those weeks where we did a TON of service and then had little bits of regular missionary work here and there. It was good though.

Wednesday we helped someone pack up and move, and then later went to help a less active member with some yard work. It was so hot outside but at both of those service opportunities, the people were so grateful for the help.

Thursday and Friday we went and helped a less active member of our ward pack up to move. She is a hoarder, and we’ve helped her clean out her house before. But now she has decided she is going to move with two weeks notice. So she enlisted us to help her pack up her whole house and then pack up the trailer once it comes. Honestly, it’s really hard to help her and to do that service, it’s hard to breathe in her house and everyone knows how terrified I am of bugs. But I know that she is so grateful for it and that she really needs the help, so that makes it easier.

In between all the service we had some cool experiences. While walking to visit a less active, we were stopped by these two guys working on a car. At first we thought they were kind of creepy and were hitting on us, but they were asking us what we had to share, and they wanted to read the Book of Mormon. We’re not really sure what will come out of it, but it’s always heartwarming to be able to give someone the Book of Mormon, and know that they have the desire to actually read it.

Saturday was a busy day, it was so great though. We were finally able to meet with some recent converts who we haven’t seen in awhile. They invited us over for lunch and we shared one of my absolute favorite videos “A Shower of Heavenly Blessings” with them. They are going through a hard time right now, and the video hit the husband so hard that he cried. I know that we were supposed to share that video with them that day and I’m so grateful for the guidance we receive from the Spirit daily.

Saturday afternoon, Anthony was baptized!! It was such a beautiful baptism. He was so giddy the whole time. And after he was baptized, he bore his testimony. It was such a sweet testimony. You can really tell that he loves the gospel and is so grateful to have found it. One thing that he said was, “I am so jittery and excited to actually be a member of the church.” 😭 I’m so happy for him. He was confirmed yesterday and it was also so awesome. He’s just great. And his friend, Moises, is being baptized this coming Saturday! Yayay.

Some other baptism updates: first the sad news, we haven’t been able to contact Ginny in over a week. They don’t respond to our texts or calls like they used to and we’ve knocked on the door a couple times and no answer….so we’re trying to figure out what’s going on there. Second, Angela is still super excited for her baptism. But we moved her date to August 13th because that works better for everyone and it gives us time to finish teaching her the lessons. We are so excited!! She is seriously so golden. And yesterday in relief society we had a lesson about temples and she told us she’s so excited to be sealed one day. ❤️ makes my heart sing!

Last night we also had dinner with Angela and her family. It was so awesome to be able to get to know her kids and spend time with them. I’m not sure if they’re ready to be taught yet, but I know that the more contact they have with us, it will help them warm up to the idea.

I am filled with so much gratitude after this week. Yesterday in sacrament meeting I spoke about service, and it just made me realize that although I’m serving a mission, and I’ve been called to serve the people here…they are serving me more than I am serving them. The amount of love that I feel from the members and the investigators is incredible. And most of the time when we are fed, it is by those who have next to no money who I wish I could help so much more than I can, and here they are giving me food. I’m just so grateful for the amount of service and love I have received. Sometimes I feel like my mission has done just as much for me and my family, as it has for the people I have taught and served.

So grateful to be here and to be serving.

I love you all and hope you have an amazing week!

Love,

Sister Martinez
Classic Joe’s pic 🍧