February 9 2015

Alrighty!! Another week in Magrath down and over. This week was pretty good, we went to the Temple on Wednesday with a returning less active that was pretty amazing! He did some baptisms for the dead :) then the other days were back to the grind and normal, finding/teaching days and then Saturday we did some service at the Evans house... who are pretty much like our family in Magrath for Keith and i, they are awesome. Anyways we had some pretty awful wind and it blew down a tree.... so I hopped on a chainsaw and went to town! still more to do, but it's a start... then Sunday elder Keith and i both gave talks in the Spring Coulee branch.... they went well we both thought, at least that's what the members told us haha. But that was about all, to be honest, this week, Temple was the Highlight... cool fact about that temple, so Elder Chronis my main mandarin missionary homie, his Great Great grandfather painted the Murals in the temple! and man were they amazing! :) so that was a cool sight to see!

Also sometime this week we were out cruising through the back country and came upon this old abandoned house, so we went to investigate.... we ended up seeing an owl and got some sick pictures :) Also President called because I asked if I could teach Jonathan to Prep him for his mission I guess, and I got permission! :) but it was funny because on the phone call he asked what are you doing? "I replied were on a dirt road, in the middle of nowhere, looking for dinner," and he was like "well Elder whatever you do try not to shoot it, run it over, or pick it up on the side of the road" haha we had a chuckle over that one... WELLLLLL that was my week! love ya bunches!

also found this dead deer :P gotta love the great old outdoors!

Elder's Martin and Keith

Owl 

Cardston Temple

Elder Martin @ Cardston Temple

Dead Deer.....

Magrath 1-26-2015

Well My week was pretty good I suppose haha, we did have zone conference so that was nice, Elder Keith got approved for Facebook from President so that's cool. and we have been teaching a good chunk of less actives... had some Investigator lessons set up on Saturday but they were both no shows.... slightly depressing haha, were still organizing the other side of the stake and trying to figure out how the works going to be able to get done... and find and pick up those who the sisters were working with.... We attend usually 3 wards on Sundays... then on the following week switch and on occasion we try to get out to Welling, Del Bonita, and Spring Coulee on the other Sundays. were fed every night which is sweet.... going to have to stay fit though! haha, Ya.... it was cool to see Connie's Niece, finally got to meet someone who knows people back home! It's cool haha.... Today for p-day were all meeting in Cardston, the whole zone should be there so that will make things fun :) other than that, life is good.... as far as living, no we dont have or own space... except our bedroom... were on the look out for an apartment, we have permission from the mission housing coordinator to start the paperwork so were excited haha. But life's great! :)

Border

Roads around Magrath pretty hard on Cars.... Hard to keep 

Clean

home made Funnel cake at Brother 

Abe Wolvers Jr

Magrath Transfer Jan 19 2015

Well, first couple of days in Magrath haven't been so bad! haha.... I thought Taber was small, well Magrath has about 2,500 people in it! and its a stake and were covering the whole thing! That's pretty crazy. We have a little Subaru Impreza.... hopefully it holds up haha they are just so cheap and the roads out here are horrible. I live with Elder Keith my Comp and the Spackmans.... also a cat named Lucy and a dog named Heidi :) still have a place to do laundry so that's nice... and they do stock the fridge so I shouldn't have to spend to much money! :) they are really nice people, brother spackman is in the Scouts Canada board so he is a fun guy to talk with.... we have a lot of less active work to do, and organizing since the sisters just left and we are taking their area... were looking for investigators right now haha, i think there is like 10 non-members here it seems like, so this is going to be fun! I do like small towns! I'm sure I forgot information.... sorry but it's going to be a fun transfer! 

Also thought i would let you know i bought work out bands called TRX since weight sets are not allowed anymore... don't know why i didn't buy them earlier but they are awesome... they were 90$ but they do help! gotta stay in shape! :)

He said he gathered a crowd.....lol

His Chinese Elders Elder Chronis and Abunuwara from his

last Zone in Calgary

First post for 2015

Elder Martin's Latest Email...... I think DTM is District Training Meeting for those interested.....lol

Well this week was interesting..... Monday was the usual P-day and Tuesday with DTM then we went to High River for a DTM and THEN in the evening i got to see Kevin the RC.... he has been super busy and hasn't been going to church much, the ward is working with him but it was so great to sit and chat with him, were still great friends. Wednesday we were Downtown until dinner and then came in early for New Years Eve and all that shenanigans haha, Elder Smith and I played some Intense rounds of chess! On Thursday we had a move to do... it was cold ha like -15C yippee! then we had to drive all over the zone to get Car gas information because on Friday we drove alllll the way down to Lethbridge for some Mission Leadership Council! :D i love driving a good distance! on the way back we got caught in the middle of a snow storm.... the wind and snow was awful i felt like i was in the millennial falcon going into light speed haha. slowest i hit was 40k soooo we were crawling but we made it to Okotoks just in time for elder smith to do a baptism interview For Larry who got baptized on Sunday!!!! it was the coolest baptism ever, we filled up the chapel! Truly amazing stuff. Larry's family was baptized 6 years ago and he said he would support but never join... well now he joined, his son who is leaving on his mission in 9 days baptized him, and will confirm him next week! also he will be serving in Ventura California.

As far as Elder Smith and i are, were plugging along... searching/cleaning up our area book and are trying to find investigators, but 1 member says he has someone in the works to meet with us, now its only a matter of time! so were excited!! but ya that's my week! :) Love you!!

Elder Smith and Martin

Getting ready to take Elder Lloyd to Mission home so 

he can go home

Christmas present from Daniel 

Have too love the Beard calendar 

Ice Sculpture

2015

Martin and Smith..... who knows

These pictures courtesy of  Sister Cheyenne Mortensen that Elder Martin just sent her that was taken last February..... obviously he thought he looked pretty good in her hoodie  lol 

Merry Christmas everyone

Alrighty so this week has been pretty exciting i guess you could say.... basically the only thing that we have done this week is what we call Operation CC. Which consists of the Christmas cards that we made for the entire ward, and cookies that we made to go with the Christmas card when we visit less actives! I will be sending the letter and Picture here this week, sorry that i've been slacking in that department. So this week we ate at Bro Okeys house.... he is part owner of the company called Cardel Homes, its the family business, and he let us sit in his Ferarrie FF so that was pretty sweet haha, he wants to take us to his company warehouse one p-day and let us see the other cars he has so thats neat! Then we also had the YSA christmas party, Even though I moved out of the YSA ward (I think I told you that haha) I was still invited to come and it was sooooo well put together! They re-inacted "how the grinch stole christmas" and Brody... the less active I taught  was the Grinch and man was he AWESOME! other than that, that was pretty much my week.

 

Brody and Elder Martin

Cool lamp according to Elder Martin.....LOL

Life Is Good

Alrighty then.... where do I even begin with this week well, Tuesday we had Zone training meeting, that went alright I suppose haha, when you get 26 missionaries together it can tend to get a little hectic. But the training was delivered nonetheless! Wednesday we were able to head downtown for some good contacting... I placed a Mandarin Book of Mormon in Chinese!!!! it was awesome haha then we had our mission Christmas activity! all of the zones in Calgary met and we ate pizza and then the secret.... We got to watch MEET THE MORMONS!!!! can I say WOW! what a spectacular film! very well promoted and put together! :) very touching stories. My favorite would probably have to be The candy Bomber, and then the coach, then missionary mom! Oh backtrack to Tuesday, a member in the ward took us to her friends house who is looking for god in their life, and we were able to comfort and teach them and pick them up as 2 new investigators! they are sweet, Leo and Juana! from Columbia. So on Thursday we went back to teach them more, we talked on the atonement and the Plan he has for us, also gave them both blessings! :) come Friday we had interviews with president and we delivered mail to the zone. It was a nice comforting interview and reassuring in my eyes, President is a very inspired man!

Saturday came, and we attended our Stake Presidents Father's Funeral, he was 93, and an amazing man, it was a wonderful service, he reminded me of the Candy Bomber in a way, he received the DFC award. or the Distinguished Flying Cross. he served as a bomber in WW2 for the English air force... he will be missed. we then helped set up for the ward Christmas party and then WENT to the ward Christmas party and Leo and Juana also came with their 2 kids who are about 14 and 12. Then sunday church came, and sundays are usually all the same, we did go Visit Leo and Juana, gave them a Christmas basket before they leave for Columbia for the Christmas season! they were in such happier spirits then they were on Thursday, Its amazing to see the lord play a role in the lives of others! So that was pretty much my week in a nutshell! it was a pretty great one! :)

Elder Smith and Elder Martin changing a light bulb

for the Sisteres

Elder Martin

Elder Smith and Martin's Christmas Picture

New Companion, and new Ward...... Canyon Creek

Alright onto this week! Transfers were INSANE!!!! For starters we have a new assistant and he has been out 8 months! no leadership experience except for training. President has gotten rid of the whole "ladder" leadership nonsense.... it is more in-tune with the lord now and he calls who the lord wants to in this mission as leaders..I'm excited! Elder Smith is an example of that also he went from Senior comp to Zone leader! pretty exciting! :) So Coming from the brethren Elders and Sisters no longer should be serving together in the same ward, so president moved me out of the YSA ward and replaced me with Sisters there, so there is 2 sets of sisters in the YSA ward, and I am now in the Canyon Creek Family ward! I was a little bummed and saddened by that, but its OK, the lord wants me here, I'm going to find out why and get to work! starting from scratch basically! :) should be fun!!!

Qing and I (recent convert)

Elder Campbell (my son) and his greenie Elder Reynolds (my grandson)!!!!

less active Alicia and the gang! Sister Harris and sister Hassan (Harris is home now) and Elder Baker!

Daniel, Elder Baker and I