Last blog post

Here are the last photo's of CamCam from the mission blog, as well as the words the president's wife wrote about  the departing group.

 Nice photo bomb!

 Thank you

to these incredible, valiant, wonderful, powerful missionaries! 

We watched them grow up in the mission. 

They have blessed our lives, the lives of other missionaries,

and the lives of members and members-to-be.

Our joy is full.

We love you and miss you!

Thank you for coming!!!!

Week 95

Well, my dear loved ones, this here, is it, my last big email, this is my last real Pday, next weeks pday is transfer day, and I will be to busy being... moved, that day.

SO! Let us reminisce a bit, I am going to tell you of my last two years, in a nut shell! Well, actually in a library, but, you know what I meant...

Day one, MTC, I loved the MTC, I had an AWESOME district, and a great companion, with the best MTC teachers in the history of the MTC! My comp, Elder Bird, was a wonderful example, and still is! I learned a lot from him about staying focused when staying focused is not always the most fun!

Then came the mission field, I left the comfort of the MTC to go to the most miserable weather this earth has to offer! I was sure I would die, right off the plane! 

I was then shipped off to the wonder... land of Philadelphia Mississippi! And I spent my first 3 months there and in the mission with my trainer, Elder Ashby, Whom, though I did not always see eye to eye with, did teach me a LOT! And will always be, to me, a good missionary. 

After he left, I found my long lost brother, Elder Anderson, he was my second companion, and is now, my best friend! I was only his companion for 1 transfer, but we served around each other for another 3, and will be friends forever! He taught me A LOT OF PATIENCE!! As I'm sure he did all his companions :)

Philly was the PERFECT place for me to start my mission, a small branch, that I love with all my heart, and by far the most success I have seen through out my entire mission, I loved my time there, and will cherish it forever.

After my time in Philly was done, I was sent away to my second area... Jonesboro Louisiana! This would end up being my biggest trail, all 4 and a half months there, were the hardest of my mission, I could blame my comp, but it really was not his fault, Elder Hartwig was not an easy comp, but I gave him way to much of a hard time, and could have worked really well with him if I just let him be my pal. He had a big heart and taught me how to love everyone, I am grateful for those 3 months.

After he left I got another comp I feel sorry for, he came to a dead missionary, poor guy, I probably sucked! Elder Ely helped me get over myself and prepared me for my next area. 

Joneboro was tough, but the members of that small branch took care of me, and are just the best! Also had some of the best southern cooking you will ever find in that area! GOOD TIMES!

Shreveport came next.. And Elder Marcum, who, got a long with me.. but that's about it, in fact, he got so much along with the other Elders that he ended up with a big black eye for most of the transfer, so that was a tough one..

Then I got Elder Adams, and we had a some success together, we just worked well together, I learned a lot from him, the way he tracted was different to me, and something I took with me for the rest of my mission, he is a good friend.

Shreveport was not my favorite area, and my least favorite ward, but it was a nice change from middle of no where to big city.

After Shreveport I was sent to my home! Bay St Louis Mississippi! In the Waveland ward. LOVE THAT PLACE!

I started off there with one Elder Christofferson, Another one of my very best friends! We had almost NO success, but that's just how things go in Waveland, it was tough, but I love that place! Christoff taught me SO MUCH! He will always be one of my best friends. 

Then Elder Mobley came to me, I don't know if I have worked better along side any companion, we just agreed on how to do the work! He is one of my favorite comps, even though he is not a huge fan of me... Its cause I'm white!   

I was with Elder Mobley for only one transfer, then came training! Kinda... Pres told me he wanted me to TRAIN!? He... was out of his mind, clearly.. But he made up for it by making the normal 12 weeks of training only last 6 weeks, I guess I helped by apparently being to flirty with one sister missionary... Blast me and my charm! 

Elder Creger is my mission son, (And now my district leader...) My 6 (shoulda been 12) weeks with him were some of the best of my mission! We worked hard, and never stopped, he to this day thinks I'm a no good missionary, but that's ok, I love him anyways! 

Pres told me I was going to be leaving like week 3 of the transfer, so he gave me a lot of time to decide what I wanted to do, I told him I was DONE being a District leader, (Not a fan of mission leadership, never have been) And that I wanted to get off my knees with all that biking, so he gave me a car area!

STONEWALL!! Which is really just Shreveport again.. 

MY first comp there was Elder Rose, my DL was Elder Anderson! Whom I love, and elder Anderson was training! Making Elder Meyer my nephew! I love him too, that was our district, remember this, cause it comes in to play later, it was pretty much the best district ever! 

Elder Rose was a great comp, we had a lot of success together as well, good times, good times!

Stonewall was a good place for work, but never really felt like home.

Then... Well, I wont even talk about the next transfer... 

AFTER THE TRANSFER OF UNSPOKEN! I was transferred (best transfer call of my life!) To the LAND OF WEST MONROE! You may know it as the place they film Duck Dynasty!  

I was with Elder Clements, I think that's how you spell it... My first time back on the bikes! DAY ONE KILLED ME!! I couldn't even sleep that night it hurt so bad, a few days latter Pres came to town and gave me a blessing, (In which he pretty much told me to suck it up..) But the biking become MUCH more doable, SO WE BIKED ALL OVER THE PLACE!! IT WAS THE BEST!
I used this transfer to teach Elder Clements what NOT to do when someone tries to tear you down... I just was a little less patient with rude people at that point in my mission.

I spent a grand total of 6 weeks in West Monroe, but in those 6 weeks, it became one of my favorite areas, I love that place, and that ward, I will always remember my time there fondly.

SOMEHOW! I managed to get sent to the place in the mission that is WIDELY known as the best place to finish your mission, and I joined Elder Anderson, and Elder Rose in the Hattiesburg district, and Elder Meyer was not far away as he was in our zone, and we saw him weekly, SO THE BAND WAS BACK TOGETHER!!! 

My last Companion has been Elder FIsher, I could not have asked for a better person to end my mission with, he has helped me make my last 3 months the best I could make them! 

Hattiesburg really is a great place to die, (that's mission lingo for end!) Small, but great ward, good people, good work, LOVE IT HERE! 

My mission has been a roller coaster to say the least, I have been fed well! (TO WELL!) I have been shot at! I have seen miracles! I have been attacked my BIG DOGS! I have been told that I should not go down a road cause that's where people go to die!! (I want anyways..) AND THAT WAS ALL JUST IN MY FIRST AREA!!! 

I know everyone says the mission is the best two years of their life... I'm not going to say that, I have never been one for being fake, but I will say with out a doubt that this has been by far, the best two years FOR my life, I have grown more in this these two years then probably the last 10 years... And not just cause I got fat... 

I could not have done it with out all the people I had on BOTH sides of the vale (mission lingo for home and the field) taking care of me! THANK YOU!!!! 

I love the south! I LOVE THIS MISSION! Just a bunch of misfits! I LOVE YOU!!! 

I have one more week to prove that I can do anything! PRAY FOR ME! 

Always remember to smile! And keep your Camcamian levels high! 

MUCH LOVE! For the last time,

Elder Cameron Aaron Martin. 

Week 94

This week Elder Fisher got super sick, so we had a rough one, but the zone was challenged to do some things this week, so WE did get that done, mostly just a lot of tracting... That was... fun.. 

We knocked on this one door, and this old lady was inside, and she was like, "OH! You want to talk about Jesus? SURE! Come on in! I put one foot in the door and she YELLED!! "YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK ABOUT JESUS? I THINK YOU NEED TO GET THE (insert bad word here) OUT OF MY HOUSE AND GET THE (again) OUT OF MY SITE AND ON YOU WAY!!!" So I was like, "But MAM! That doesn't make any sense!" She then yelled some more and we left, haha, crazy old people. 

Well, that's all the fun I have this time, LOVE!!

Elder CamCam Martin!

Week 93

WELL!! Not much going on last week, again, but we did bike for the first time! Elder Fisher dont like to bike, and, well, its hard on me, so we never did it, just walked everywhere, but when we biked we found 20 bucks! Biking is my new best friend!

We have a zone meeting, not a zone conference, just a meeting, like a distinct meeting, anyways, one of the DL's in the zone knows me well enough to know Im not afraid to speak my mind, so he asked me to help him as he kinda threw down on some lame stuff happening in the mission, well, when the time came, HE CHOKED! Said like one thing, haha, I took care of it for him, wasn't even something that really mattered to me, but did to him... The things I do for people.

Um, not much else to say, so here are some pics for maybe the first time ever from me!

1. My Dist last transfer.

3. Me looking good with some sisters! Ha, they all love me..

4. Lunch selfie!

Week 92

So this week was ALMOST crazy! Almost, there was this one day, that nado sirens went off! AND IT GOT NUTS!! But nothing happened.. I was sad, SO CLOSE! I took lots of pics but I don't have a cord for this new camera to send stuff, thought I did, I was wrong, I will get it next week!

Other then that not much going on, our top investigator MOVED! So that's a thing, a lame thing.

On Saturday, which, was the best day EVER! For.. many reasons, I randomly saw a family from the Waveland ward that I love! I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE THEM! Goodness, I love the way I get blessed sometimes, what a loving Heavenly Father we have!

WELP!

That's all this week, LOVE!
Elder CamCam Martin!

Week 91

HELLLO! Well, week one of my last transfer was good! We didn't have the car for most the week, so we walked all over, and yes, I sang the whole time!

Its been a good week, our main investigator came to church again, he has a lot of issues other wise he would be baptized by now, but we are working very closely to him, and that is going rather well..

Did I mention last time that Elder Creger is our DL? You don't remember, but I trained Elder Creger! Its weird having him here.

Um, I have no time today, but know that i love!

LOVE!

Elder CamCam Martin!

Week 90 or something

SOOO! Today is the first day of my last transfer, so that's a thing... I am now the oldest missionary in the mission, and BOY is that weird! 

Micheal our top gator came to church again, that was good!

SO! Let me tell you a story, a story of love, a story of fear, a story of tears, a story of joy, a story of friendship, a story of hate that guy, a story of MISCALLS! the story of, "THE EVENT" that's what we are calling it now.

I must start by reminding you have Elder Fisher, he is my comp! He is great! 

Let us go back a few weeks, to interviews, where pres asked us both what we wanted to do THIS transfer, we BOTH told him we wanted Elder Fisher to stay! He said M'kay and all was well! (OR SO WE THOUGHT!)

Well, the weeks went by and soon transfer calls were upon us! But no worries, RIGHT!? Elder Fisher and I were staying together, HE WAS GOING TO KILL ME! We had already made some awesome plans for this transfer, PLANS OF EPICNESS..NES! PEOPLE WERE GOING TO WRITE BOOKS ABOUT US!!!! And by people, I mean an apostle! Either that or an apostle would have to come to the members and fix all that we broke... ONE OR THE OTHER! But regardless, it was going to be AWESOME!  

Well, Friday come, and we already know how we are going to answer the phone when the AP's call, (In this mission the AP's call if you are staying, and pres calls if you are leaving)

The day is going, no calls are coming, but that's mkay! BIG MISSION! Takes some time to get us all.

BUT THEN! The sisters tell us about how the AP's already called them!! FEAR! strikes in! I don't even know what to think, but we still fill MKAY! Cause they forget to call people sometimes.

THEN! THE CALL! From one Elder Joseph, a brother of mine in Shreveport! He calls, I say "WHAT UP HOMIE!" He asks.. "Do you know Elder Fisher?" NOO!!! WHY WOULD HE ASK THAT!! Turns out, they already got called too, and some Elder in shreveport was told they were getting ELDER FISHER!!! NOOOOO!!!!

ANGER! Elder Fisher bounces, and I pursue! We walked, and WALKED! A few screams, we, are NOT happy!

BUT THERE IS STILL HOPE!! Elder Joseph could have been joshin us! So we go about our day.

Then the call come... a ring on the phone, a vibrate on my chest.. (I put the phone in my front pocket)

I take out the phone, I don't want to look... ITS PRES!! I TOSS THE PHONE!! We sit, in fear, hoping it just goes away. It won't, IT KEEPS RINGING!!! .... I don't answer... 1 missed call..

I called him back, unhappy! He answers, I say "President! You are not supposed to be calling! I AM NOT M'KAY WITH THIS!" Then I hear his calming voice, and all at once, I feel a calm, a sad calm, but a calm.

Then after calming me down, he tells me I don't look like a horse, and proceeds to give me the bad news. "You will be getting a new companion.... ELDER (#&*$@*&!!!!" (No need to know his name..)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! This was the worst news ever!!!! EVER!!!! 

We get done with pres, and I start screaming! WHY WOULD HE DO THIS TO ME!? DOES HE NOT WANT ME TO MAKE IT!?

So we called the other Elders, to go to their pad, to cry with them, and have ice-cream, there were other reason for being VERY sad as well, in fact, made me punch a metal wall... But we won't get into that, cause we don't talk about these things!

ANYHOW! That night was the worst.

THE NEXT NIGHT!! Was the best, we called pres back, and told him about how I want to WORK my last transfer and DO NOT want to do it alone! AND HE HEARD US OUT!! 

We then tell him about how Elder Fisher and I had PLANS!! And he told us to pray, and call him back the next day! 

We did both those things. And when we called him back! HE SAID WE WERE STAYING TOGETHER!!! MORE SCREAMING!!!! AND THIS TIME IN THE RAIN!!!! 

SO HAPPY!! So I will die the way I have always wanted to, HAPPY!!!!! 

WELP!! LONGEST STORY EVER!!!

LOVE!!!

Elder CamCam Martin!