Pictures

Here are a bunch of pictures of Elder Martin. 

Here they got the golden mop award for having a clean apartment, I believe. 

 He won the cleanest car award here or something.

Week 69

It was a good week, Even though I had on the back of my mind that it was my last! And that made me sad as can be, but yeah, still a pretty good week.

At one point I saw a pterodactyl! So that was a thing! Also saw a dude walking down the street be himself, holding a small puppy in his arms, and a pistol on his hip... I was a little worried..

Also had a odd run in with the Poopoo! We were tracting in this odd neighborhood.. And this random hippie looking dude starting talking and walking with us, and then a cop pulled up and had us all pull out our ID's... I was thinking about saying "NO! You have no reason to ask for that!" Cause I felt like he was just going on a power trip.. But then he had the hippie guy go and stand at the back of the car and pulled us aside and pretty much told us he was just talking to us as an excuse to call in the other guys ID, cause there were drug deals going on in that area, He said it looked suspicious that we were walking with him randomly, cause I guess is one of the main suspects.. haha, good times! 

Had my last DDM, so that was sad, it was a good one though.

That day we were looking for Less Actives, and just typing a few at one point we kinda ran out of LA's we had planned, so I had Elder Creger pull over so I could look a few up and put them in the GPS, there was one on N 2nd street, and I said I think this is kinda close to us.. So I put it in, and WE WERE ON N 2nd STREET! Whoa! Well that's cool, but there's more! The address was 300, I looked up and the first address I saw was 305, WE WERE REALLY CLOSE! I then looked behind us, And found that we were parked right across the street from this house! WHAT A SIGN! I thought! So of course we went right to the house! KNOCKED THE DOOR!!! AND!!!! Nothing... No one answered... What the heck!? Most anticlimactic moment of my life! SO LAME! 

That street that a cop stopped us on? we not far from that earlier that day we tracted into the first ever actually interested person I have ever tracted into! SO THAT WAS AWESOME! He has pretty much accepted everything we have had to say, so that's been great! I finally find a real investigator and its right before I LEAVE!! 

Friday night we went caroling with some members, that was a great time, while doing so we got transfer calls! I would now know where I was going! BUT NO!!! Pres told me they had not figured out how to punish me yet so They were not sure where to send me.. Ok, so that was not really what he said, but felt like it! 

He called again Saturday and told me I will be going to Stonewall, which, is RIGHT next to my old area in Shreveport, so that's odd... But I really got everything I wanted, its a good ward, and car area! so a nice brake for my knees! And I am being dropped, so I wont have to worry about being a DL anymore and just focuses on my own area! I am looking forward to that! ALSO! My DL Is Elder Anderson, whom was my second comp, WHOM I LOVE!!!

So yeah, that's some good stuff! Sunday we sang in the ward choir for a stake thing, it was horrible! haha, good times though! I also gave a talk in church, and that went mostly well, I told everyone to forgive! 

WELP!

I have NO TIME LEFT! 

So LOVE!!!

Elder CamCam Martin!  

Week 68

HELLO!!! So yeah, its been a really warm week! Most days in the 70s, one day it even hit 80! The days cold days are in the 40s, like, the REALLY Really cold days, people call it freezing! haha, I am even cold when it gets down to 50, sad day! 

Anyhow, I have been sick pretty much all week, So that's been lame! 

We had ANOTHER Zone Conference with one Elder Zwick, good guy! I took lots of notes and enjoyed every minute.. And it was a lot of minutes, it started at 1, ended at 830, and most of it was HIM talking, But it was really good! 

Yeah I really don't have anything else to say... so..

LOVE!!!

Elder CamCam Martin! 

Week 67

I can not believe it is already December, MY SECOND DECEMBER! Crazy stuff! Mostly cause its still 70 degrees most days....

We did have some really cold days here and there last week, all of those days spent on BIKES! 

Thanksgiving was great! We had two meals, the first one was with a Part Member family, the parents of two young adults in the ward had us over, they are not members, but we have a good relationship with them. They are active in another church, but still had me give the prayer, that was unexpected! Our second meal of the day was at a members house, but her non-member boyfriend was there! So that was good!

Because no one from home loves me! I got a care package from the family of one of the sisters in my district, VERY THOUGHTFUL AND NICE OF THEM!

Remember that guy I gave a blessing to a few weeks back? And how cool it was! yeah I think he's dead..

We had a Zone conference yesterday, it was good! It was a Christmas Zone Conference, those are fun! AND MY CAR WON THE CLEANEST CAR AWARD! 

I also got the saddest news of my life at this conference, I am getting transferred in 2 weeks! LAME!

Welp, I had a good week, other then the worst news ever! BUT ALL IS WELL!

LOVE!!!

Elder CamCam Martin! 

Week 66

OK! So I call this the week of bikes, cause I cant think of a more evil word! I HATE MY BIKE!

We have biked SO MUCH THIS WEEK!  Brings me back to my Philadelphia days! Only, this time we had no one to talk to! Just did all kind of tracting. It all started when I found that my bikes back tire was all kinds of flat, out of no where, I pumped it up, and it seemed to be fine, but that day we had the car, after we got back home, the tire was flat again, GREAT! SMALL HOLE! I hate those, cause they are so hard to find, well, after MUCH time spent finding it, I fixed it, and was good to go... OR WAS I!! somehow, while trying to fix the tire, (may have been when I or my comp were viciously trying to pump it up with a hand pump...) another hole was made, but this one, was on the valve stem... AHH! I had no idea how to fix that.  The only thing to do now, was go buy a new tube, but!  we had given the car to the sisters for the week by this point! So we had to walk, to a wal-mart, it was a long walk, but it doable! we got back, I fixed the tire, and we got back to normal work... And started biking... AND NEVER STOPPED!

, there was also lots of cold weather with wind this week, so that has been lame.

Well... OH!!! I got a cool one! Remember that one time!? In Philly? When I was biking up that hill! And I said it felt like someone was pushing! Well something like that happened again! Only not nearly as dramatic! haha, I was just lugging my bike up the very long stair case to our apartment. And it was not near the heavy as normal... well, the back end wasn't.. actually, I really had to look back a few times to make sure no one was there lifting it from the back, all I saw was that the bike looked as if someone was lifting it! It might now sound that cool, but it was for me, cause I was pretty dang sick of bikes by that time. 

WELP! HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING!  I KNOW I WILL!

LOVE!!

Elder CamCam Martin! 

Week 65

This week we had zone DDM, Which just means I didn't have to do DDM!!! So I love that! 

I also went on an exchange with the Zone Leaders, I stayed here in Bay and Elder Creger went to Slidell, It was good, mostly, all we really did was tract, but then again, that's all we ever do, EVER!!

Our one investigator seems to be avoiding us lately, so that's been lame! We tract and tract and tract, and nothing ever seems to come from it, I have yet to gain a testimony of tracting, maybe I just need to have more faith in it... 

We did talk to one guy that said he would read the Book of Mormon.. And that he already had once... In prison... So yeah, that's the kind of success we have, people that go to jail! 

We went to see a recent convert of the ward that has not been to church in a while, he was not there, but his VERY drunk father was... This man was drunk as could be, he was a happy drunk though, so that's good, he hugged us both when we left, like, at the same time.. So that was awkward.

I conducted my first ever baptismal interview! I guess that's kinda nifty! She got baptized on Saturday, She is in the sisters area, but really she was taught by the Elders that used to be in that area, it just took here forever to quit smoking, It was a good service, Elder Green, who was here when I first came and taught her, came down to do the confirmation! It was good to see him again.

Sunday was a good one, as always, we were on a LA hunt most the day, when we got a call from a member to go visit a guy who had not been to church in like 20 years! He is not even on the ward roster, anyway, we found his house, and realized we had tracted that house like a week ago! haha, he didn't answer when we went the first time though, so it was not awkward or anything. Now I just know why we were inspired to tract that street! 

My sweet loved ones! This was one of the most spiritual experiences of my mission! I did not expect it at all, I thought it would be a simple give the man a blessing and bounce, not at all! He is an awesome man! Turns out he had been trying to get a hold of us for years! And boy does he love missionaries! Anyhow! That's not what was so amazing, EVERYONE LOVES ME! THAT'S NORMAL! What is not normal, is ME having to fight myself from getting emotional while giving a blessing, never before, have I felt so strongly, via the spirit! that what I was saying in a blessing, was not at all MY words, but the Lords.  Every time I give a blessing I think "Was that just me? Am I at ALL saying what I am suppose to say?" This time I knew, The spirit was SO strong, I DIDN'T CRY!! CAUSE I'M A MAN!!! But I did almost choke up a bit, anyhow, after he said that it was everything he needed to hear. THE SPIRIT DOES WORK THROUGH US!! YAY!!

Welp! That's all I got this time around, 

I love you, I hug you, Amen.

Elder CamCam Martin! 

Week 64

Well this this letter is going to be small and short, cause I don't have much to say..

Its been a long week, but week one of a transfer always is! 

Also, we have done more tracting in 3 days then I usually do in a week! So that's always a good way to slow things down!

We have had almost NO success in our finding efforts, at least not to a greenie, I remember when I came out I thought we would be teaching people all over the place, but that does not really happen in this mission, and it can kind of be depressing when you first get out.

We had one guy that we set up a return appointment with, we went there today at the time we set up, and he wasn't there! Well.. He didn't answer the door... NOT GOOD FOR MY BABY SON!! So, that's lame,

BUT! Both my baby children are doing great there first week in the field! I will send you family Picture next week! Maybe!

I love you, I hug you! Amen!

Elder CamCam Martin!

Week 63

Ok, again, been a quick week, and a sad one, saying how on the back of my mind the whole week, I knew some changes where coming, and not the kind I wanted to see..

Wednesday was the ward Halloween party, and it was a good time, a lot of non members came, and that was awesome! we handed out a few Book of Mormon, and all kinds of pass along cards.

We then were asked to judge the costume contest, AND I HATE THAT STUFF! I will never have to do it again though, so that's good! 

Friday we met with our mission President... I was the first of the day to meet with him, and got ALL the news for my district for transfers. He told me ALL the sisters were staying, Shocking! But that was not all! No sisters are leaving, but we are getting one, The Waveland sisters will be a trio and will be training.. And then President Mcdonough broke my back! By taking form me my back bone and companion Elder Mobley, with no other Elders in the district, it was me and him against the world down here! And now, now he leaves me! And who takes his place? A greenie! A brand new, right out of the MTC Elder, WHY!?!?!   Despite my many pleas to Pres Mac to reconsider, the decision was already made, and I will be left with no one in my district to turn to when I sick of sisters, or members that say they are going to take us out but then do not! OR BIKING! My only hope of living through this transfer is getting a guy that came out pre-trained, (not a know it all) and is not at all in any way going to cause me any more stress then I already will have being a trainer and a DL over FIVE SISTERS! OH how I pray P-MAC has mercy one me! And send me a greenie that will not be the end of me! 

Anyway, the rest of the week has been spent holding back tears! Getting stabbed in the ARM! Helping a young man with his Eagle project! A BLOOD DRIVE! 

And getting pictures with the great members of the ward while Elder Mobley (and maybe ME CAUSE I'LL DIE!) says his goodbyes!

One of said family pictures we got was with the Bishops family, The Grovers! THE FAMILY OF THE FUTURE! I love this family, we had dinner with them Sunday night. and right before we left! Sister Grover came up with the GREAT IDEA!!! To gather her family around the piano and sing "God be with you till we meet again" WORST! SONG! TO EVER SING! EVER! When someone is leaving! Darn that family DARN THEM!! Elder Mobley teared up a bit, I almost did! BUT I'M TO MANLY FOR THAT!! 

Anyway, other good times this week include but are not limited to! Giving all kinds of blessing! like, an abnormal amount.. Kinda weird, BUT GOOD STUFF!

And a very "thank goodness investigators never come to church here" Fast and testimony meeting.. One lady informed us all that "When you bare your testimony, your sins are forgiven!" she then repeated herself just in case someone missed her sacrilegious statement the first time around.. 

Then a lady went up and gave a talk! She even had notes! It lasted about 10 minutes...

There were a few more "What the?" moments so I sent Elder Mobley up there to bring back the spirit while also reminding everyone how to bare a testimony, which usually involves.. a testimony... And really nothing else.. 

WELP! This letter has been WAY to long for the likes of an Elder Martin! SO! I hope i will still be alive to say hi next week!

I love you, I hug you, Amen!

LOVE!

Elder CamCam Martin! 

Week 62

WELP! Another quick week down, and only ONE TO GO! For the transfer, kinda crazy, gone by way too fast, I don't like that..

I hope I stay here, which is odd for me, I never hope for that, but I love this area, and this ward, It is my HOME! I have only been here 2 transfers, so odds are I will stay, The odds are ever in my favor!

Our boy Terrance has yet to come to church... LAME! We didn't even get to see him this week, we only tried once though, the week FLEW by, just past me by.. We were doing some back breaking service on Saturday, and out of no where I was like "OH MY GOODNESS ITS SATURDAY!!" I don't recall most the week.. 

The weather has been getting better..ish, The mornings are nice, so that's good, the rest of the days are hot though, not good! 

We have been talking to this guy, Bro Smith, he is not a member, but his wife is, I may have mentioned him before, he is kind of a PUNK! But we are just trying to get past that hard exterior! And have been talking to him quite a bit, still a punk so far..

WELP I don't really have anything else,

LOVE!

Elder CamCam Martin! 

Week 61

Unlike my baby brother, who has apparently been enjoying the beginning of fall for the last 4 weeks.. It's still summer here, and hot, and hot!!!!

This week has been pretty good though, we had some good times.

I have noticed that one problem the sisters have in this dist is inviting people to baptism! They all have plenty of lessons each week, plenty of  "Progressing Investigators" but never anyone with a date.. I found that odd, cause we try to "Invite with faith on the first lesson" In this mission, plus the first lesson is kinda set up to do that, SO! I had a nice talk about that at DDM, and Challenged the whole district to have at least one person with a date by the next DDM, which is Wednesday.   That included us, which kinda worried me, cause we really didn't have any investigators. But my worries were VANISHED! When we set someone with a date, THAT NIGHT! haha, We are ahead of the game! How blessed you are when you just have FAITH! 

His name is Terrance, he is a good guy we met about a week ago biking home from giving someone a blessing, he had a lot of questions, that WE had the answer to, I love the feeling when someone says, "Why could no one else answer that?" His parents are pastors and he asks them things all the time that they don't have an answer for, but we do, WE DO!

He didn't come to church though, and that's not a good thing we shall see what happened. 

I took some young men from the ward on splits this week, I told them to bring me to some friends! They did so, it was kinda funny to see how nervous they were about it all, I wonder if I would have been the same way.  When we got to the first home they ask if I was going to do all the talking, I said NOPE! And told them I would act like Elder Nelson, (He is an Elder that was here before me that doesn't say words) They freaked out a bit, and that was also funny, I did end up doing most the talking, but they did a good job. 

Sunday was.. entertaining.. allow me to tell you a story.

As the Sacrament song was being announced a young girl started walking out, very nonchalant. As if there was no problem, but there WAS! She came from the right and crossed over to the left doors, as she reached the middle of the middle row, a little something was discharged from her mouth.. "WHAT THE?" Was all I could think. Her had shot up to her mouth and she just kept on a walking.. WALKING! I feel like I would have been in a mad dash at this point, but here nonchalant..ness.. continued, and she did get pretty far with out another eruption, kinda impressive, but alas, her step was WAY to slow, and the projectile vomit made yet another appearance! Right at the doors! The amount of the substance was far grater this time then the first, both her hands just couldn't contain it! 

She was gone in the blink of an eye, (her pace finally quickened) And after a few gasps from the witnesses, a few of our finer members followed after her, as to assist in her trial! And one boss man Bro White took quick action in acquiring the appropriate items for clean up, and made it all disappear! 

Now we were sitting in the front row of the overflow, which is why we were able to witness the whole thing, most the congregation had no clue! Funny thing is, right before Sacrament meeting started, I said to my comp, "We should probably move up" But then decided not to.. How grateful I am, Cause the journey of the unexpected vomit does not end here! There is more! The Sisters were sitting on the back row, and the far left side.. heh! Right before the end of the song, Elder Mobley turned to me and said "Look at Sister Davenport.. On her back.. Is that?" AND IT WAS!!! A nice big chunk of the stuff, gently laying right under the sisters shoulder. I was forced to immediately bury my face in my hands, so as to not let any members see my burst in to quiet laughter right before the Sacrament prayer! I almost had to leave! 

The entertainment of the meeting did not end there, but the rest just had to do with REALLY slow special musical number by a sister, that ended like 12 times! And the LONGEST CLOSING HYMN EVER! 

Welp, young ones, We are ALL brothers and sisters in the work, our love is sure and our fight is pure! 

I love you, I hug you, Amen!

Elder CamCam Martin! 

Week 60

SOOO not a lot of time to write this week, both our libraries are closed so we had to come to this LAME one in Pass.

 

This week, just like every week this transfer, has been nothing but biking, I have come to the point where just getting on the bike hurts, so that's a thing.

 

The other day we were biking home in the dark, and got VICIOUSLY ATTACKED BY THOUSANDS OF BUGS! It was NASTY! A feeling I can not put in to words, Just imagine if you will, quickly biking trough a NEST of gnats or some such bug, and the horrific feeling of all of them making contact with your FACE! All I wanted to do was scream! BUT I COULD NOT OPEN MY MOUTH! Or I would have choked to death on all the bugs!

 

There is this way cool thing they call "cruising the coast" that they do down here every week, its just a bunch of like old school cars REALLY nice cars driving around the coast all week! So we went to a few of the events put on by that and talked to people for all over the place! There were cars from 40 different states there! So that was cool, Some really nice cars, it was a good time for sure!

 

We still don't have any real investigators, This is a tough area, but we wont stop looking!

 

WELP! HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

MUCH LOVE!

Elder CamCam Martin!

Week 59

SOOO!! on Thursday morning we got a call from a member, she said she was leaving the area, cause a HURRICANE WAS COMING!! The excitement in my voice when I said "REALLY?" threw her off a bit, so I continued "what... oh no.. scary.." 

After talking to other members it seems it was not going to be to bad, just a 1, or something like that, anyhow, it was still exiting! A hurricane is a hurricane! I was to hit Saturday night! And there was to been ALL KINDS OF RAIN! Thursday through Saturday... The rain never came.. Friday, STILL NO RAIN!!!!! SATURDAY!!! NOTHING!!!!!  KAREN WAS THE BIGGEST BUST EVER!!! And from now on every time I meet someone named KAREN! I will have to exclaim! "YOUR NOT WHAT I EXPECTED!"   Stupid storm! pathetic! 

Anyhow, other then that failure! It was a good week, kinda slow, but a good one. We met with a bunch of "returning members"  ha, anyhow, there are a lot of people down here that still believe, but don't live accordingly, I think there was a talk kinda about that, they are just not truly converted.  So we have a lot of work to do.

How bout them Prophets?  Conference was great! No big announcement, not even a temple, so that was different, but I loved it none the less, I cant wait to read all the talks over again.

Themes, 

:Throwing down and a certain group of ladies that think they want the priesthood, and think that there is not "equality" 

:Looking forward and NOT back, forgetting past mistakes and living day by day striving to do better.

:THIS CHURCH IS THE LORDS CHURCH! Not mans, This to me was the real focuses.  So many people want to "change with the times" But the doctrines of the Lords church will not change! 

As I have been reading in the last few chapters of Alma, and in Helaman, I have felt that there will start to be contentions with in the church, because people will feel like the church is not keeping up with "the times" just like these women that seek "equality" but do not recognize the necessity of differences between not only men and women, but all people in general. With out differences there would be no opportunities to learn from one another. 

But just like in Alma and Helaman, the Lords prophets never led the people astray! I feel like now, more then ever, its is vitally for us to cling to the words of the prophets. 

There were many great talks in this conference, Inspiration and personal Revelation come from Holy Ghost when we study the words of the Prophets.

Welp, my loved one! That is all I got for now,

LOVE!!

Elder Cameron Martin.

Week 58

WELP! Week one of the first transfer with nothing but SISTERS!! is over, and it went mostly well, I like most of them, so that's good! 

Because Sisters are too perfect to ever have to ride a bike! We don't really have a car anymore, and its not been easy, cause we can't ride with the sisters, we have had to bike to meal appointments, miss some, and really all we do now is bike, ahhh privileged problems.. 

So for the amount of tacting we do here, there are not any cool stories that come from it, it is a very different experience down in these parts.

We did talk to one lady while tracting this week that said she watches BYU TV all the time, I was like Huh? Then WHY ARE YOU NOT A MEMBER!? So there could be something there, 

Really all the other people that actually talked to us, came to us! So that's been cool, talked to some kids in wal-mart, and while we were biking back from a meal appointment some guy flagged us down and we had a good convo with him, but all them, like really everyone down here made the statement.

"Well, as long as you believe in Christ is doesn't matter what church you go to!" I have found that MOST the people down here (other then Catholics and J-dubs) don't really believe that the church they go to is the one true church! They just know for a fact that the Mormons are wrong! haha, good stuff.

Sunday was good, the relief society had some big thing so all the women went to that for 3rd hour, and we along with the Elders went and helped with the primary, Oh how those kinds love Elder Martin! It was a good time, All the other guys sat off to the side, but I was right in there with all the primary! HA! I even got to lead them in a few songs. 

There were an abnormal amount of  investigators there too, and what a weird day for them to come, first, in sacrament we sang "In Our Lovely Deseret" Worst song EVER! And for some reason the southerners LOVE IT!!! This is the second time they have done it in this ward alone! I HAVE ONLY BEEN HERE 7 WEEKS! Anyway, and then for the men that came they went to the primary with us, so yeah, weird day for them I'm sure.

Anyhow, I hope this much longer then the OTHER Elder Martins letter was a good one!

LOVE!!!

Elder CamCam Martin!    

Week 57

I HAVE NO TIME!!!! So I will have to be quick. 

Here in the bay change is on the way, Tomorrow is transfers! Time has gone by so fast this transfer! Too fast! Anyhow, Elder Green, the DL is leaving, and Elder Christofferson is leaving, my comp, and Elder Mobley, Elder Greens comp, and trainie! is going to be MY comp, and they are whitewashing that area with sisters... yeah, So it will just be me, Elder Mobley, and 4 sisters... yay... 

The fireside went really well! Everyone did a great job, the spirit was there! And everyone had a great time! a success!

I WILL TRY TO SEND MORE LATTER! 

LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

AND I'M BACK! 

The Library was having trouble so we were kicked off, and just went to another Library..

On Wednesday we went to the Bishops Storehouse. That was a great time! The Elder in charge there is from Caldwell! So that's cool.

On Thursday, I was all kinds of sick, and my back/neck was hurting pretty good, that night was sleepless! Its was horrible! My head, my neck, my back, even my arms were hurting pretty bad. In the morning I had all the Elders give me a blessing, that's saying a lot for me, I really had to be humbled! Then I called the Mission presidents wife to get a Chiropractors visit approved, So she called missionary medical, and.. they did not approve it!!! Punks! I was told to just put heat on it, So I went and got a hot pad. And slept on it, it helped, but today its pretty stiff back there again, so yeah..

We helped this guy this week who is opening an arcade! WAY COOL! We spent a most the day helping them move arcade games from his house to the building he has for it. He had some pretty cool stuff, It was a good time.

That's really my week, so, LOVE!!!

Elder CamCam Martin! 

More photos

I found these pictures on the mission blog. 

Week 56

This week has been a blur, actually, this whole transfer has been a blur, ITS ALMOST OVER!! went by to fast..

I'm not sure if I told you about the Martin family? we have been meeting with them this week teaching them a bit, they are all members, a single mom with 3 girls, I call them all my little cousins! haha, anyhow, the oldest.. thinks she doesn't believe in God, and all that jazz, so that's the main reason we have been meeting with them, well, last night she said she didn't want to get her testimony back.... so that was a thing, and once again, we have no teaching pool.. 

I'm not sure if I already told you about an investigator we had, Ruby, we were meeting with her a few times a week, she moved.... Then we had an investigator named Tammy Riddle, she was kinda crazy, and ended up telling us the "God" needed her to do some things that she could not do in this church... so.. she dropped us, and that's pretty much how our life has been this transfer!  That and a lot of doors slammed.

on Saturday we went to do some service, cut down a big tree and chopped it up and hauled it off, as we were throwing branches and such things in trucks we were informed that "this stuff is covered in poison oak, so be careful" WHAT!?!? We all kinda stopped and looked around like that should have gone more like "Yeah we ended up not messing with the tree cause it was covered in POISON!!!" But we kept right on working, and that stuff definitely got on us, yet, we are all fine, not an itchy person among us! So that's cool! 

I really don't remember if its was last week or the week before.. so I may have already talked about this, but we went to this leadership training thing, its just another missionary meeting to go to, but it was really good, I learned a lot, and we got these cool new books! they just came out to help all the new missionaries, but they are AWESOME! And its going to help a lot! there is also a new rule! NO BACK PACKS!!!! AHHHHH!!!! All new missionaries have to buy satchels! HAHA! I get to keep the back pack, but that's just for now, they may just make us make the switch too.. and I would hate that! 

ANYHOW! I am running out of time, sooo..

LOVE!!!!

Elder CamCam Martin! 

Week 55

SOOO! I still have no idea what to say here, for real all we do is tract, and the people whose doors we knock on, suck! things like "I don't know anyone that would want to here THIS message" or "I know about the Book of Mormon, I know about it.." IN THE MOST CONDESCENDING MANNER POSSIBLE!   are often said, and often, I bite my tongue, and bite it hard! but the grip on my tongue is starting to loosen, and my ability to NOT flip people of when I want to is just about GONE! So I'm just a little worried about that..

BUT! last night we there was this awesome stake priesthood meeting! And it was ALL about giving the missionaries something to do, and our ward seemed pretty inspired by it, so that's good, also, we planed a fireside, something I have been wanting to do for.. well, sense I got on a mish I have wanted to put on a fireside, but this is the first time I have had a whole district be very on board with it, so that should be really good. Its for the youth, and we have told them to invite a friend, and made it very clear that they better! haha, I'm really exited about that. 

Welp, I guess that's all for this week.

LOVE YA!

Elder CamCam Martin! 

NASA

Here is the picture that Elder Martin got when he went to NASA.

Week 54

HELLO FRIENDS!

I'm not sure if I have ever told everyone this before, (I have) but I hate tracting.. I just do, I think it is the most worthless use of a missionaries time, (as far as actual missionary work goes..) SOOO!!!  THAT!  Is what we have been doing all week, and all last week, and just that's really all we do, is tract, cause there is really not much else we can do, All y'all need to ask the missionaries in your area if they tract.. (hint, in Idaho and Utah, they don't..) If they do, give them people to see, cause, tracting is the worst!

It is really hot here, and wet... and I am soaked when we get in every day! so that's a thing.

I love getting fed, I really, really, love it. The members here are great at that. 

I have been having the lamest of all lameness of letters as of late, I just don't know what to say, I mean I feel like y'all just know the life of a missionary now, and its just boring.. really, I'm bored just thinking about it.. the life of a Mississippi is not very exiting. other then the crazy people we meet, but I have told you about all of that so much already.. So tell me, how can I make my letters longer, and at the same time, readable? 

Anyhow, The church is true, the book is blue!

I love you I hug you, Amen.

LOVE!

Elder CamCam Martin. 

Pictures

I found a couple more photos of Elder Martin from the president's blog. These are from transfer day.

Look! He's ALMOST in this picture.

 Looks like he's chatting it up with a sister...

Week 52

WOOOOOO!!!! I LOVE IT HERE!!! I have not even been here a week, and it is my favorite area! its so cool! and, the ward, like, does not HATE US!! IT'S CRAZY!!! WE ACTUALLY GET FED! WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT! I love it here.

So, I started this new thing, where I would write cool things that happened in the days in my planner, and then my journal, welp, I forgot both.. so, NEXT WEEK WILL BE A COOL LETTER!!!

um.. have done a lot of tracting, so that's been a thing, we also have met all kinds of LAs, just doing a lot of good ol work! 

I love my district! well.. I love the elders here, the sisters are kinda mean.. but that's ok, I love the Elders, Elder Christofferson is my comp, and then there is Elder Green (DL) and Elder Mobley, all good guys.

um... dang I don't know, its been a really good week, this week should be even better!

I guess that's all I got!

LOVE!!!!

Elder CamCam Martin! 

Week 51

TRANSFERS!!!

So, I WILL be moving! I am going about as south as it gets in this mission, to a land called Bay St Louis MS!

My Comp is Elder Christopherson! WAY COOL GUY!! Cant wait! really! I am so exited!

anyhow! this week, um.. this week... has been SO LONG! AND LAME!!! nothing cool happened at all...

um... I don't know, We did a lot of service... again... in the 110 degree weather! so that's a thing!

I did some packing, still have some to do...

I have not gotten a single LETTER OR SING OF LOVE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS!!!

I don't really know, really we have just been getting the area ready for the new guy.. Elder Adams will be training. So that will be good for the area.. I guess.

I have truly loved this place.. ok, i kinda liked it.. but its was a good place to be, nothing bad.

um... I'm sure I will have MUCH more to say next week!

LOVE!!

Elder CamCam Martin!

P.S my new address is...

1508 waverly drive

Bay St. Louis MS 39520!!!

LOVE MEE!

Week 49

HELLO ALL!

This week I had lots of cake...

 

I KNOW I had some great time stories, that I do not remember at all.. but that's ok, you will get so things that will be a good time..

Whilst tracting this week, we met the first man I have ever met that had a problem with the church cause of its past with back folk and what not, he said that "Before either of you were even born, your church taught that WE! (black people) were a RACE! (that caught me off guard..) and that we were not able to receive salvation!" He was one of them guys that you are just NOT going to get through to, like, what he know is just right! and there is no other truth! so, he still believes that that is what Mormons at one time believed, I didn't want to fight with him to much about it, kinda wished I had a black missionary there though, not that that would have helped at all, but would have been better...

 

Had a hobo give me a hug.. which is odd, cause I have yet to give him any money, even though he has stopped us on our bikes a good five times asking for some.. He lives at a car wash..

 

We had Interviews last week! that was a great time! always good to meet with pres! he told me that I would be transferred next transfer, no idea where, but I will only have a few more weeks left here, which is fitting, I never seem to spend to much time in one area. I am very ready to leave the city, I have loved it, but, its time to get back to the country!

Here is a picture from the president's blog from those interviews.

 

MAN am I hungry.. really, have not eaten all day, we really can only eat once a day these days.. haha, end of the month I have no money left, and of course, we NEVER get fed, I would not be sad if someone wanted to send me a package full of food or money or some such things.. that would be ok!

 

I have come to the point where I just stare at a package of ramen for a good 10 minutes trying to decide if it really it necessary to eat.  

 

Did I ever mention the time my mother, my ONLY mother, mistook me for her OTHER missionary son, and told me to have a great time in Tennessee? well, that happened again, only this time it was my ONLY FATHER! No worries, he just told me happy birthday, even though that is a month away, and asked if I got my birthday package.. the answer of course being NO! all though, of someone wants to mistake me for my much younger brother and send me a late birthday package, again, would NOT be mad about that.. as long as you correct the mistake come my actual birthday, and send me and even bigger birthday package!

 

I had a dream that I got attacked by a dog, actually, many dogs, and HUGE dogs, kinda scary, I told the other missionaries, but not Elder Huntsmen, didn't want to scare him..

 

 

WELP! I guess that's all from me today.

DONT FORGET THAT I ALSO AM ON A MISSION!!!

LOVE!!!

Elder CamCam Martin.

Week 48

Well, I did it! WE DID IT! ONE YEAR! I MADE IT!!!!!

So, for the year mark, and Casey's actual birthday, I had a baptism! yep, Rylee Gates, She was supposed to be baptized last week, but for some reason that did not happen.. who knows, well, I know, it was 'cause her mom had to go to the hospital.. so, yeah..

ANYWAY! that was a thing and really cool! Other then that we had your average week, other than when I was with one Elder Huntsman again, and then some dogs came out of nowhere, ha, he really, really does not like dogs, ha, good times, good times.

So we had this investigator, she was interested, things were good, up till she came to church.. and then, while her kid was in nursery, someone brought her child to her, cause the child had a dirty diaper, so, Sarah, the investigator, had to change her own kids diaper... OH NOOO!!! So somehow that meant that God was not in this church, yeah, anyways, I had zero sympathy for her, so later that week when we were to go see her, we went on an exchange, so as to not allow me to be... TOO bold, turns out that was a good thing, she was nothing but hostile to the missionary that went in my place, and some other things happened, that, I would have been.. bold with... haha, anyways, we will still try to mend things there, cause you can never give up! I will just have to bite my tongue.. her roommate is cool though! so that's good!

For church yesterday, the primary did this thing at the beginning of sacrament meeting, it took place of the normal song, they walked around the chapel and sang... and it was really weird...

The mission President was there, and for the second time EVER! we walked in a little late.. The president also happened to be there the first time that happened...

WELP! That's all for now!

LOVE!!

ONE YEAR!!

Elder CamCam Martin!

Week 47

Welp, just like my young brother, I have had a slow week.

We spent a lot of time at hospitals, giving all kinds of blessings, so that was a thing.

One of those blessing was to the mother of the girl that was GOING to get baptized on Sunday, she had some kinda panic attack at church.. so, the baptism did not go on.. Hopefully we can do it next week..

We had a zone fast last week, that was kinda cool!

We are still getting used to our new area, its a very different side of town, but we will get it.

I kinda hate our new apt! Nothing works and everything leaks! Its driving me crazy, We might not even be in it anymore by the end of the month..

Our washer doesn't work, it puts water in, but stops there.. I spent hours trying to fix it myself, only to spend a few more sitting on the floor next to it, wondering if there was an easy way to KILL it...

The next day we told the front office, when we got back, they had just done what I already did.. and fixed NOTHING!

I was rebuked in a zone DDM... they told me I talk to the sisters too much... so... yeah, I guess that's a thing...

WELP! ha, I have not much else to say this week... other then LOVE!!!

Elder CamCam Martin OUT!

Pictures

I found some photos with Elder Martin on his mission blog from that last zone conference he spoke of.

Week 46

HI THERE!

So I am trying to think of pretty much ANYTHING to say.. but really nothing is coming to me..

Last week was Zone Conference, but I think I already talked about that, it was good, learned a lot, I am kinda a fan of being 20 minutes from the church that holds Zone Con,

I went on a quick day exchange with one Elder Huntsman, we ended up knocking out side either one of our areas, so that was sad, we had to give all the people we found to some sisters.. That has NEVER been a concern for me before, seeing as how my last two areas were as big as all 7 around here, and then some..

OH! Elder Huntsman is very green (just got out like 4 weeks ago) and also a black guy! So, its stands to reason, that he is rather terrified of all things DOG! I too was once frightened by the beasts, but, one day I prayed REAL hard that I could... like.. I don't really know, but it worked, and now dogs don't even come near me, they FEAR ME! I love it, SO, back to the story, We were knocking on this door, when we hear the very deep loud bark of a HUGE HE MAN DOG! We could here it, could not see it, never before had I seen such fear in the eyes of the young Elder Huntsman, (other then that time there was an AWESOME thunder storm... he also has a fear of lightning... and LOVES grape cool-aid...)

I went to knock a second time, and then saw the BEAST out of the corner of my eye, as it ran across the yard. (don't worry, the yard was fenced.. which meant nothing to elder Huntsman) This dog was a MONSTER! still barking, but still mostly unseen, The beast had Elder Huntsman right where he wanted him.  Before I go on, let me give you the lay out of the house. It has a detached garage and connecting the garage and house was a small green fence, so as to protect the world from the creature on the other side. The beast stops barking.. silence, the glimpse of an unseen creature from the underworld as it bolts through the window between the house and garage leaves Elder Huntsman backing away slowly, then suddenly and with out warning, as if it came straight out of some horror movie script, the beast SLAMS against the small green fence drooling and barking ferociously at the sight of Elder Huntsman!  Although, Elder Huntsman was NOT in sight for very long, I must say the boy can RUN! I don't know if I will ever again have the opportunity to see a missionary running full speed down a street, but I sure hope I do, it was quite entertaining. If I had not been on my knees laughing I probably would have been pretty startled as well, I mean that dog came out of no where, and I must say, his head was bigger then my torso! Add to that the fact that the thing had MURDER in its eyes, and it was quite the frightening experience..

ANYWAY! That is far more then I expected to write, hope you enjoy!

LOVE!!

Elder CamCam Martin.

Week 45

It was another great week,

We still don't have anyone that has REAL potential, but we are making REAL headway with the ward, so that is really good.

We did a lot of service this week, and that has been... hot.. but good,

There are a lot of changes that are going to happen in this mission, and its very interesting, to say the least.

We had our zone conference yesterday, and for the first time, I did not have to drive 2 hours to get there! more like 15 minutes.

I has been all kinds of stormy! when its not hot, its raining, one day there was all kinds of flooding and what not, I could not even SEE, I was driving..

This has got to be the most boring letter I have ever done!

I don't even know what else to say, umm... THE CHURCH IS TRUE THE BOOK IS BLUE! ... ahh, love is a good thing.. An Elders bike was stolen, that was a thing, jokes on then though, it was very broken.

WELP! this was sad, but it really was a good week, I guess I need to start bringing my journal again, so I can remember ANYTHING!

LOVE!!!

Elder CamCam Martin.

Week 44

So apparently this area I am in has a bad rap, like, no one thinks work can be done here, so last week I had a lot of motivation, and Elder Adams and I went out and DID WORK! and, we led the mission in numbers, now, I have never cared about numbers, and still don't, but, it felt good to be able to prove all the doubters wrong!

 

It was a fun week, we got wet every day, either by the buckets of RAIN! or from the extreme heat making me sweat like crazy.

 

We talked to A LOT of people, and knocked on A LOT of doors, most everyone was really nice this week too, its kinda funny how different things are depending on where you knock, if we knock on like kinda higher end houses, they know exactly who we are, have talked to us before, and tell us right of the bat that they will chat with us, but never change, but if we knock in the HOOD! they have never heard of the Mormons!  So we spend most our time in the hood, mostly cause we live in the hood, I have no idea why either.. I have heard gun shots.. everyone we talk to tells us to move! like, this convo happens all the time "where do you live?" "In the shirewood apartment's," "MOVE!"  Just like that, they don't even say we should try to move, just, straight, MOVE! so that's interesting.

 

We were on bikes all last week, so even though my knees hurt, we biked all day every day! LIKE A BOSS!

We almost died a few times too! I don't know that ANYONE knows how to drive here.. One day on the bikes was spent mostly screaming from all the many close calls.

 

The other Elders neighbor likes them a lot, but is an avid... Mormon hater... anyway, he invited us all to a "bible study" with him the other day, it turned out to be a "the Book of Mormon will drag you to hell" study... that's common, so I know how to deal with it, the other elders kept trying to explain to him that Joseph Smith did NOT write it, but he was just not getting it, like most bapt... people here in the south, so I just put an end to it by sharing my testimony on the Bible and Book of Mormon, and told him that Christs blood was good enough for all of us, and there was no argument there, he said he was just concerned for our salvation and wanted to make sure Christ was number one to us.. I expect that he was told many a time that J Smith is number one to us and Christ is just in there somewhere, you would be shocked the things people think we do and don't believe down here, and for some reason, explaining that we believe in the Book of Mormon AND the Bible, and the the Book of Mormon is NOT our Bible, is really, REALLY hard.. You would think that that would be and easy concept.. 

 

ANYWAY! We really did have a great week.

LOVE Y'ALL!

Elder CamCam Martin.