Mom and Dad,
 
I was leaving when I got Will's email and thought he maybe could us a little pick me up. We rarely have time to write much just to each other so we stayed and wrote some of the every day things that are funny that have happened lately. Then I realized you'd probably think it's funny too.
 
"On a lighter note, I also had a dream Saturday night that I was being chased by an alligator. Funny, huh? Well, in real life if you run in zig zags then it's harder for the alligator to get you because they follow right in your path, and it's kind of hard for alligators to do zig zags, so guess what I was doing in my dream? Yup, sprinting zig zags! I think I woke up more tired! I often do these days.
 
We went to the post office this morning to weigh a package Sis. Carolan needs to send home. The lady put it on the scale, then she started measuring it so she could tell us how much it would be. Sis. Carolan turned to me and whispered, "she's figuring out the girth." HAHAHA, do you remember that Brian Regan skit? "what's the girth?" "three." "Three what?" "Three... girth units." Oh my goodness, it was all I could do to not completely lose it laughing in the post office. I didn't know Sis. Carolan knew that skit, and it was so funny!
 
Another time this week, we ate at a Mexican hole in the wall place called Juanita's. Those are the best - cheap and authentic. :) After paying and walking outside, Sis. Carolan said, “I wonder if that was Juanita?” Immediately, I was like, "Yeah, kinda like Wendy. 'Allo Wendy! This is Stan and Larry, we'll be dining in the car this evening." I never thought in a million years Sis C would know that too, but she did! oh man, we had a good laugh. It's those laughs that keep me going these days. We only taught 5 lessons this week. Yup, 5. We were aiming for 20. Interesting how we teach about agency all day every day as missionaries, but sometimes one person, or every person is using their agency unwisely! I was ranting about it one morning - NO one had kept any sort of commitment for so long, and a lunch had just fallen through when some elders called to see if we wanted to meet them for lunch. Then they got kinda wishy-washy about the timing, and Sis. C told them, "uh, you might want to keep this commitment or my companion and I are going to go crazy!" They laughed, but we were serious. Lucky for them they kept the lunch ;)
 
Also, did you know Dennis the Menace is real? Yeah, me either. Well, he's my Branch President's son! And I'm being 100% serious, no exaggeration. His looks, the way he walks, what he does, what he says, what he yells, it's out of control! The poor investigator that was sitting behind him yesterday. We have to laugh to keep from crying, which actually, I think his mom might have started to cry a little she was so stressed. I told Sis Carolan later I just wanted to get up from the piano, go over there, grab him and hold him in an iron grip in a chair, I didn't care what kind of fit he threw. I said I probably would have except that the branch president was sitting right in front, and would be facing me. Sis Carolan said, "yeah right, he'd probably think - finally!" tee hee.
 
All right, well there's some of the ramblings that don't really have to do with anything, but I just thought it might bring a smile to your face. Keep your head up. I know you have a good perspective. I also know you're human and maybe you're a tad sad. Maybe not, but I'm going to include what president wrote me (when I was totally depressed when I got transferred). He wrote: "I see lots of missionaries get sad at transfers. That is the price of love. I love my missionaries (you included) more than you can imagine and I know that Heavenly Father loves you even more. I know what it takes to make one strong enough and converted enough to stay on the path called straight and narrow and partake of the fruit of the tree of life and I am committed to put my missionaries on that path... whatever it takes. You are learning all about "love, serve and teach". The neat thing is that you will come to love the people here just as much, I promise!"
 
The Lord will continue to put you on whatever path He has to to make you strong and converted enough to stay. Something came up in ZTM that I was thinking about - how when we signed that paper and agreed to come on a mission, it was like signing into the military. Only instead of telling the government they can do anything with us, we told the Lord that. We gave our lives over, He can put us through WHATever He wants, WHEREver he wants, and with WHOever He wants. This may not be totally applicable to you because I know you know these things. At the same time, it's just a little food for thought. Sometimes we need a reminder.
 
Love you more than I can say, and talk about you all the time! Remember that you are a righteous and powerful Son of God, and you hold the power of God, His authority, here on the earth. And He is SO proud of you!"
 
OK! Now, we're gonna go play some volleyball! Love ya!
Ky

Dear Fam,
 
Gooood Morning!!!! It's a nice rainy and gray (slightly humid) morning here in beautiful Baton Rouge, Louisiana! So I have on my rain jacket - it's certainly getting some good use!
 
Ok, I'm going to tell you about one random experience, and one teaching experience. First is the random experience - how I came to be pushing a man in a wheelchair along the highway. ...

We were taking the on ramp onto one of the main roads when we saw a man in a wheelchair, on the shoulder of the road, shuffling, inching along. I said, "oh man, can we help this man?" Sis Carolan said, "oh, we should! Pull here." We were able to turn down and onto a frontage road and park in a parking lot. Keep in mind we were dressed in more of our missionary best because of ZLC meeting. But we then climbed the bank (including jumping a muddy ditch that ended up being wider than we thought so lots of mud in our shoes - each cream colored) up to the road where the man was. Right as I'm getting to him, someone passing lays on the horn at him (because that's what everyone does here). Golly gee people! So we got his attention and asked him if we could help him get where he was going. He was surprised and grateful, but responded he was homeless. Ok, well we proposed we help him get down to the frontage road -that highway's dangerous to drive on in a car, let alone a wheelchair! So I take the back to the wheelchair and Sis. Carolan walks along side. He asked where we were from and we responded what church. He didn't recognize it, but as soon as he heard Mormons, he put his feet down, literally - I couldn't push him. He turned around to us, and at this point I'm seriously considering that he might shove us away and say he doesn't want our help. Instead, he said, "I'm a Mormon too!" He then reached up to us, grabbed each of us and gave us a hug. Yup, right there on the side of Airline highway. It was one of those moments when I was thinking, "I will literally never be in the same place doing this same thing ever again - I LOVE being a missionary!" From then on he just talked about Salt Lake and temples as we got him down to the frontage road. He ended up being a little crazy and I'm really happy we got him off that road so he didn't back into a car, because he almost did twice. We gave him some water and a granola bar, talked to him for a minute, took off our muddy shoes, and began walking to our car. I've probably never felt so happy with muddy feet before in my life. ... As we drove by he turned in his wheelchair and just held out a peace sign. I will never forget that sight. The whole thing makes for a good story, but the good feeling we had was one of the best. To literally walk in the Saviors shoes, well to try anyway - that's an indescribable feeling. It's the reason I don't ever want to stop being a full time missionary. In another time, I would have driven by, with too many things to do. But here we followed the quote by president Monson we see by our apartment door everytime we leave, “never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved”.
 
So, lets see. Tanya isn't doing well, we found out she's been blowing our lessons off to go clubbing with her friend. So needless to say, her baptism wasn't on Saturday. We'll keep doing what we can. We do have a new investigator, Nancy. We've taught her 3 times total, twice this week, once with a MEMBER!!! That's how missionary work is supposed to be done, and it was so amazing! Plus all the members we have are converts, and almost all in the last five years. That means that everything Sis Garcia had to say was so perfect! Plus her Spanish is perfect :) Nancy has kept every reading commitment in the Book or Mormon, and always has good questions so we know she's really seeking with real intent. In the second lesson we invited her to be baptized when she knows it's true. She's a thoughtful one, which I think is awesome. So she sat and thought for a minute, and then responded yes, but she thinks maybe she should read some more of the Book of Mormon first. :) After teaching to whole Restoration, we asked how she was feeling. She responded good. Hna Garcia asked the good questions - why? Nancy again thought for a minute, looked up and with a little smile responded that she's happy because she feels like she's finally found someone who thinks like she does - Joseph Smith. Pretty awesome.
 
Yestereday during RS, Presidente Estrada (branch president) pulled us into his office and gave us a new assignment - YW counselors! He first said counselors, and then said, well, assistants. Just pretend you’re a presidency and do everything you can to help the YW president (recent convert of 4 years), bring ideas, find the girls, have meetings, have activities, teach, be a friend, do personal progress with them, whatever you have to do. So he gave us Spanish Personal Progress books, and a list of the girls. I've never seen a youth in sacrament before, so we have work to do, and we're so pumped to jump in with both feet! What's happening here is that for youth and primary, our branch is combined with the English ward (which is gigantic), and Hermana Haro (YW pres) has two English counselors. Hna. Haro is doing everything she can, but President said she's so overwhelmed, doesn't speak much English, and they really don't function, and she doesn't receive any help from her counselors. So we can help her with English, help them have presidency meetings, translate, etc. Everything really needs to get to the point where the branch is completely separate.
 
Well, of course this email didn't end up being short. I'd hate to break with tradition! :) I love you all!! Hope you have a fantastic week! Scripture of the day: Mosiah 2:41. That's what we instructed on. Isn't it wonderful that we have a merciful and loving God who cares about our spiritual and temporal needs? He cares that we have things that bring a smile now, as well as the things that bring eternal happiness.
 
Love y'all tons!!
Hermana Marks


Mosiah 2:41

And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Dear Family,
 
Happy March!!! It's been "cold" here the last few days. Don't know why. Sister Carolan told me it's humid, I just can't tell, even though the temperature isn't low like what we'd be used to at home, it feels cold! As in... I had to put on a sweater. So how y'all enjoying the snow at home? :)
 
My week... um, we are right on the verge of having so many new investigators. People are coming out of the wood work and we think that this week progress might be made and everything will work out for us to teach them. So that's exciting. We have yet to teach Tanya so I'm pretty sure she won't be baptized this Saturday. But we have an appointment with her tonight that we think will hold.

We taught Claudia and Greysi once this week. We taught them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We made footprints, each labeled with a part of the Doctrine of Christ. They had "Faith in Jesus Christ”, “Baptism”, “Gift of the Holy Ghost”, “Enduring to the End”, and “Eternal Life." We laid the footprints out on the floor in order, then we moved every one between faith in Jesus Christ and Eternal Life and had Greysi try to get from the first to the last. She of course couldn't jump that far. Then we put all the footprints back in between and had her walk on them one by one as we taught about each one. We really felt like it helped them. And it was great because more of the focus was on Greysi, but we also did it that simple for Claudia. Her mind is so young, and yet her Spirit so wise at the same time.

You know, she also told us she's always wanted to be a lawyer? And I think she has the sass and the smarts to do it too. Also, I won't go into the very complicated and controversial issue of illegals in this country, but I will just say I cannot BELIEVE what she is having to go through to get citizenship. It's the craziest thing. She's at a critical point of it all right now with her lawyer. We thought it was to find out if she was approved to stay here. Nope. It's just to find out if she's approved to apply to stay here. If it's a yes, she has to go back to Honduras (who knows what will happen there) and apply. I know it's the big bad world out there now, and the system is in place for a reason, but I wish so badly that Claudia could come here and enjoy the freedoms of what this country is supposed to be about. That's what my ancestors fought for and payed the price. She literally escaped at 16 from her emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive family to come here - it was her best option if she wanted to stay alive. She's done everything she can to learn English, she almost has her GED, but she can't even drive or get a job, let alone fulfill her biggest desire to go to school, because of the system in place. What happened to the principles the country (like capitalism) were founded on - if people work hard, they reap good things. Well, it's not a fair world, and I suppose we all deal with "unfairness" every day. So I see that side of the issue very up close and personal because it's the people I love. I also see people almost everyday who I wish weren't allowed to stay here, I mean, quite frankly we don't go into the best areas and have to be so careful.
 
On another note, we biked more this week! That was fun! Wednesday we figured we went a solid 20 miles just to get to one place and back. But we felt good! There was just this one part where we had to cross over this 8 lane road, and there are of course no sidewalks, so we were forced to do it with traffic. I would give anything to have a video of that! Later we were sitting in the car at that light, and I told Hna Carolan to imagine two girls biking for all they were worth across that road right then. That gave us a good laugh! :) But the elders in our district saw us that day, sweaty and with mud on our skirts. I think they now have a different level of respect for us. haha :)
 
It's interviews with President this month, and we had ours this last week. President and Sister Wall actually came to our apartment for it, and it was so great! I just love and respect them so much. When they got there, they told us their purpose was to bring hope and love to us. They sure did, just feeling their spirits in our little home was so powerful!
 
In a finding effort, and to work on teaching / contacting skills, we have a goal as a district to dedicate one hour every day to just that. Nothing else. I don't care how long I am a missionary and talk to so many people everyday, my heart still races a bit when we contact... you know, in SPANISH! :) But we started this last Tuesday. We planned our time to be in a trailer park that we found that is almost all Spanish people. Gold mine!! We went right as kids were getting out of school knowing that we would see more moms out. So we just parked, bags on shoulders, Book of Mormon's in hand, and started walking. We had some great experiences that day! And we were so nervous! But the Lord blessed us for our obedience to his commandment to "open your mouths" and blessed us with a positive experience. More than that, He blessed us with people to talk to who responded well and feel prepared. I don't have time to recount them, but I will say that we placed more Book of Mormon's in that hour than we ever gave on any other day together, taught about it, and have return appointments. The rest of that day was different. More people started talking TO us! Librarians, cars that would stop as we were walking, etc. I'm gonna repeat something I heard a little while ago, "when we are obedient, the Lord brings us to people to teach, when we are perfectly obedient (i.e. opening our mouths at each opportunity that the Spirit directed) the Lord brings people to us to teach”. So yay for continually working to overcome fears and seeing that the Lord is always just waiting to bless us!

... I'll share a little something that Sis Carolan and I were talking about this morning in companionship study. It's out of John 15, verses 14-16. Well the whole thing! But mainly 14, "ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." Verse 15 goes on to talk about why, and it is so powerful. I testify that our Redeemer and Lord really is our friend. Sis. Carolan and I were sharing goals Saturday night, and I was talking about my ever increasing desire to become a better disciple of Christ, worthy to represent Him. Out of the blue, I had to biggest smile, and even a tear in my eye, as I felt my testimony of the Savior literally burn within me. I haven't had many moments like that ever. My conversion is full of very quiet whisperings of the Spirit, but here I felt the burning power of the Holy Ghost. As you know, there are not words to properly describe those feelings (in any language!). So it will be sufficient to say that what I do know is that Jesus Christ lives. There is no greater peace that comes than knowing that. His love changes the world, and it changes our lives in a very personal way, if we let it. Search for that love and friendship in your lives each day, as I will, and we will be able to "put off the natural man and become a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."
 
I love you all!
Hermana Marks

Good Morning!!
 
Mom, thanks for your email!!! Don't worry that it's short, it's just good to hear something. Sis. Carolan and I are SO excited about the necklace for Greysi!!!!! She is going to LOVE it!!
 
Tanya...well, both her lessons fell through so she's still a little confused. One time it was legit, she had to work late unexpectedly. But we're not really sure what happened because our phone isn't always working. So we'll find out.
 
Claudia still has as many questions as ever. We were able to finish teaching the Restoration. She won't commit to a date, but said she'll be baptized when she knows it's true. Then one day we texted her to see how she was doing. She wasn't good. Some stuff happened with a call with Greysi's dad that made her think that he's going to try to take Greysi again and go to Honduras. Scared her real bad. ... Then we didn't hear from her. Sometimes when you don't hear from people, it means  they got deported. But then we finally heard from her at the end of the week and they're all right. I don't know how Claudia lives how she does, in constant fear. She can't get a job, she's scared to drive. But she puts up with it because Honduras is worse. But she couldn't go back anyway without getting thrown in jail first. She can't get her lawyer to make progress on her papers. Oh, it's insane. And so messed up. This week all her questions were about temples. Her husband helped build the one here, and he told her that when he was done, someone told them he had to leave right then, and he wasn't welcome back. So... that doesn't help the appearance of "secrecy" in the temple. But she showed up at church yesterday (we have Greysi to thank for that) and one talk was about prophets, and the other about temples. Perfect! But after she said there's more questions. She's a tough cookie.
 
Probably the most exciting thing that happened last week is that after a lesson we got stuck in a rainstorm Saturday night. And the word rainstorm just doesn't seem to quite cut it. As in that after the 15 foot dash to the car, I was wetter than if I'd showered. And then the roads on the way home were flooding so fast, it was scarier than driving in a blizzard! But the senior couple in our district lived not too far away, so we made it there and waited it out.
 
You know how you were saying that last week was the same as usual, that's kind of how I feel about my week. We did set some really neat goals together for the transfer, so that's awesome. ... but know that I'm doing really good! We got a couch this week from someone we helped move, which means it looks like someone lives in our apartment! We tried and tried to clean it, but we're just gonna put a sheet on it and try and find some cheap pillows. So that's cool.
 
I might trust Sis. Carolan more than I've ever trusted anyone before. It's so awesome to have a companionship where each is perfectly comfortable around the other. It lets you move on to bigger and better things. I'm studying the New Testament along with Jesus the Christ, which means I LOVE my personal study everyday!!! I just look forward to what's gonna blow my mind next! And, I only read the Book of Mormon in Spanish. It's difficult, but I think I might be understanding more.
 
Ok, I went back and added some stuff so it's not as short :) I hope you're all doing well. Love and miss you!
 
Love,
Hermana Marks

Hey Everybody!!
 
It has been such an amazing and FULL week that I don't even know where to start! We got to go to the temple on Valentine's day with our little branch! We did baptisms and confirmations (since most aren't endowed) and then a session... which actually no one showed for, so we just had a nice session. :) It was great to go.
 
Yes, we are staying together this transfer!! Quite honestly, thank goodness!!!!! Sis. Carolan is helping me in such great ways. And she's a real friend. I know because she prays for each of you, and specifically too. She knows that you are what means everything to me!
 
This last week was one of service for us and not a lot of lessons. Claudia didn't talk to us for a few days, but we finally met up and, yeah, she has all those questions, but she and Greysi are doing good. She really did just have some things happen that made it difficult to get back to us. On Wednesday we actually did Greysi's science project with her. It was an experiment to see what brand of paper towel is the most absorbent. It was so fun! She's so smart and it was great. We're going to go see her presentation today at the school. Claudia really liked the heart attack surprise we left on her door. I think she just has so many people telling her different things, she just needed a little love! :)
 
We had a musical fireside that the missionaries put on. It's something that's been coming up for a while, and we've been working really hard to invite everyone. It was a night full of music about Christ. We had a good amount of people who showed up from our little branch! Including Claudia, Greysi, a less active mom and her children, and Jonathan (a potential that we're going to try to start teaching. We met him through English class. He's even come to church once!) It was a good way for them to feel the Spirit. There was a number where the primary children went up to sing "I am a Child of God", And Greysi went up to sing! I was playing the piano, but Hermana Carolan told me that she could see that Greysi seemed to know the words and was singing right along. She's only been to primary twice! I was a part of an opening "Living Christ" number where there was a big slide show of pictures of Christ, and an Elder read The Living Christ while I played an arrangement of “I Need Thee Every Hour”. It was pretty neat. Greysi brought two daises to give us after, it was so cute. At the end, all of the missionaries went up and sang a medley of "As Sisters in Zion" and "We'll bring the World His Truth." It was really quite special. We made Sister Wall cry, and she made President have us do it again after so she could video it. I think Claudia really felt the Spirit during that number. I know she knows she felt something, but I think she just doesn't know yet what it is. There's something about a group of Saints united, or a group of missionaries united. It's powerful, and strong. Sometimes I forget the power we can bring. We bringing the world His truth. One person at a time in lil ol LooeEziana!
 
Now for the two items of BIG news!!!!! As you can see from the picture, we met Elder Perry!!! And it was a shock! Here's how it came about... Saturday there was supposed to be a meeting with Elder Suarez (of the seventy) with just our branch, and then a baptism. That meeting with him was cancelled at the last minute due to an emergency, but the baptism was supposed to be at 3. We got there about 2:30 to set up and practice the piano. When we pulled up to the church, we saw a lot of people in suits outside and there were tons of cars. What is going on?? we wondered. I said, "I feel like there's security here. Why would E. Suarez have so much security?" So we parked and went into the foyer, and one bishop started talking to us. We asked what was going on. He said, "well, that's Elder L. Tom Perry. The apostle... you might have heard of him." haha...um WHAT?! We were so confused. We looked into the chapel, and there, with his back to us, is Elder Perry!!! Woah!! Just him and two other people in the chapel. His bodyguard looked over, saw us outside, and said "Sisters!" and motioned for us to come up to them. We were so surprised! Sister Carolan right there said, "you have your camera, right?" I always do. :) Next thing I know, I'm face to face with Elder Perry, shaking his hand! I was about to have a heart attack! He asked where we were from. He said he's been to Sandpoint! and that it's beautiful! He asked how "our discussions" were going. We replied that yes, the lessons were going good, and that the Spanish was coming along. Right then the other man introduced himself in Spanish, it was Elder Suarez. He spoke to us in Spanish. Elder Perry made a comment that German was getting more rare, Danish was dead, but that Spanish was useful. And... that was pretty much it! We could tell they were going to leave. So I mustered all the courage I could and asked if we could have a picture to send to our families. He was so happy to do it, so we stepped out into the foyer and took a picture. Then his bodyguard person was directing him where to go, and next thing he was gone! Wow. If we had been a minute sooner or later, we wouldn't have had that opportunity. ... I just have such a strong testimony of the restored gospel! I know a prophet lives on the earth. I know there are 12 men who are apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was so cool because I've been studying the life of Christ and His original 12 in the New Testament. So to meet an Apostle was really neat. Wow!
 
There was just one other experience I had yesterday that shocked me almost as much as meeting Elder Perry. It's about a woman I don't think I've ever even mentioned. Her name is Tanya, she's 19 and she lives here with her aunt and family (members). Tanya was an investigator, but really wishy washy. I've met her once in the last 5 weeks, and Sis Carolan only taught her maybe twice the previous transfer. She's been taught almost everything, but really didn't retain anything. We've been trying to keep reaching out, but nothing ever comes of it. Ever. Well, she called us when we were at Claudia's last night. I knew I had to answer, so I did. Plus, she never calls us. I answered, and after the normal pleasantries, she told me she's ready and wants to be a member of the church. She wants to know when she can be baptized. She only speaks Spanish, and I was wondering if I'd understood correctly, but I did. I almost fell off the couch! I asked her if everything was o.k, and she said yes. We know something must have sparked it. We were excited, and maybe a tad skeptical. We believed her, but were very curious to know her reason. I mean, I don't know if anything could have been more out of the blue. I've never even taught her before. So we went over and talked to her about the covenant of baptism, and were really clear about what it means. She wouldn't really open up to why the change. She said she wants to be closer to God, and that worldly things only bring bad things. So something happened, but we think she'll open up as we begin to teach more. Anyway, she was for real! So we talked about meeting a certain amount of times a week, and church, and keeping commitments. She was all on board, and the Spirit was saying she's serious! Wow!! She got a calender and picked the date of March 9. If she does everything she says, it'll work out. I don't know if it'll happen that fast, but it could! If she reads the Book of Mormon like she said, she'll gain her own testimony. Wow!!
 
The Lord truly does work with the hearts of His people. Something that we know, and that we have hope and trust in as missionaries, but to see it, and in this mission, wow. It just isn't a common occurrence. With faith, miracles happen. We've had faith, and sometimes the miracles have been small things. Now we're seeing that the miracles can be big things too. Also, President Hinckley once said something about great things always being done by people who didn't feel quite their best. Yesterday was one of those days for us. Hermana Carolan felt flu sick and achy, my back made it difficult just to stand when I woke up, and quite honestly, we just wanted it to be P-Day. We pushed through, and that's what happened. By no means do I mean that it happened because we were so great, nor do we always receive such noticeable and immediate blessings when we push through, but they do come. I was reading a talk yesterday morning. It was about how Christ taught to "go the second mile." Why is that? the question was posed. The answer he gave was because all the blessings are in the second mile, and we have to go there to get them! And other things happened yesterday, too. We went to appointments where people ran from their deck into their house with five beer bottles, and ignored us. Another locked the door right as we were about the knock on it (uh, you know we can hear you right? :), and another fell through. But I guess those were all in the first mile of our day!
 
I love you all dearly! I hope you have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Marks
 
P.S. Scripture for the day: Mormon 7:33

And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.

Hey hey hey!!
 
It's been a great week! How are you all? ... It did my heart good to hear about your temple trip! That's pretty rough to get up at 5:30 on your Saturday, but oh so worth it! And very special that you could do family names. That's really neat that you all shared your testimonies. And that's good you all practiced your etiquette, it's about time! :) tee hee
 
It's really rainy here today. We were going to play something called cabbage ball outside with our district (I don't know if that includes an actual cabbage... :) but now we're just gonna go to the church and play games instead, after we get everything done. Should be fun. Sister Carolan and I have grown so close. It's really awesome. I don't really know how to explain her. Well, I do know y'all would love her! She's just very real. She's diligent and has a great perspective. She's dedicated and doesn't mind doing things, like cooking with me! We actually don't really have anything (furniture wise) in our apartment so we quite often get to have a picnic! (on the floor haha!). She loves creating things out of good food and she's also good at making something out of nothing, whether that be some sort of taco, or something good out of a tough situation! We have a really great trust that we've built.

... We began teaching Claudia and Greysi the Restoration this week. She has lots of questions and so we're trying to find the balance of which one's to answer then, and what one's not to because we know they'll mostly be answered in the lessons we have. So we didn't finish teaching the Restoration (1st vision or the Book of Mormon) during our lesson. Also, she had so much to do this week - we could tell from the MOUNTAIN of laundry she was folding when we got there. She also really needed to clean and do projects around her house that she didn't really have time for another lesson. We kind of hinted that we could help clean, but she did NOT like that! So instead we just showed up the next day in jeans ready to clean. That's what she was doing when we got there, and she tried super hard to not let us help, but she eventually agreed! It was really good to just help her for awhile. The hungry man won't be able to read or pray or do whatever you ask him if all he can think about is how hungry he is. Likewise, the stressed out and tired mom and wife won't be able to either when she has a mountain of things to do. It was a good way for us to show that we genuinely love her and want to serve her.

And then her and Carlos were at church Sunday!!! We'd never even met Carlos before, and last we heard, he did not want to come to church. But they came for Sacrament meeting. We're not really sure yet what they thought, but that afternoon we started getting a lot of weird texts from Claudia about polygamy, Joseph Smith, gay marriage, etc. Oh boy. I'd wondered if she'd try to look stuff up and had told her about mormon.org and lds.org but instead they used Google. Not good. We have a solid friendship so that's good, otherwise I'd be afraid that we'd just stop hearing from her. But we're hopeful she'll just continue asking us. We need her in the Book of Mormon! It's hard to deny truth! Especially since during the lesson we had with her she told us that she's been praying, and then even though she feels silly, she's just been sitting quietly after she prays trying to hear an answer. What faith! She has all the good questions. How is she going to know the real answer when it comes? What if she misses it? So we had a good discussion about that this week while she cooked dinner and taught us to make tortillas. :) We will have to be very prepared when we go over this week for a lesson. She just has such great potential to be so strong of a member so fast that we feel like Satan is working so hard on her and on all those around her to tell her things that confuse her or aren't true. So, we decided, we'll just have to work harder. Study harder and be more worthy of the Spirit so that when we teach, she'll desire to follow our invitations to act, and that through that and her faith, her prayers will be answered and she won't be distracted by other things or give anti material the time of day.

Greysi, on the other hand, is doing AMAZING! At soccer on Saturday I was sitting down on the sidelines with her and we were just looking at the clouds when all of a sudden she said, "I want to be baptized." Ok, that was kind of out of no where. I asked her if she'd told Claudia. She responded that she told Carlos, but that he said she needed her papers. When I told her she didn't, she asked what she does need to do so I explained that. She truly is like the scriptures say - humble, submissive, meek, full of love, believing. She just recognizes something good. Her spirit is so strong, and for a 9 year old too! I asked her why she wanted to be baptized, and the sweetest and simplest answer came, "Well, I believe in God. And I want to be His child." It just melted my heart! So that's my update on my favorite family!
 
I hope you're doing great Dad! Know that I just love you SOOOOOO much!!! You hold such a very dear and special place in my heart. I tell people and my companion about you all the time. Things you've taught me, or memories I have. So thank you! :) Do you still write things in the morning, thoughts that you have? That could one day become a book? Just wondering. :)
 
I hope you all have a fantastic week!!! Mom, and I haven't forgotten that it's your B-day! Look for a card/letter in the mail from me, I just hope it makes it by Wednesday! I hope it's ok that that's what I got you!! I love you all dearly, remember that our lives are made up of moments, so make each one count! It's easy to follow the Savior one day at a time, so remember to do that, and one day we'll find that we've become the people and family we want to be. Sis. Carolan told me something last night that really stuck with me. We were talking about diligence and the little things and she said, "Life by the yard is hard, but by an inch it's a cinch."
 
Love you all!
Hermana Marks

Dear Family,
 
Good morning! How wonderful it was to read your letters. Thank you, I really enjoyed hearing how things are at home. ...
 
Sis Carolan and I really do get along great. We are able to be a lot more active, although, unfortunately, I had a little mishap with my ankle playing soccer on Saturday so I'm a little out of commission. ... We even got an invite to play b-ball today that would have just made my day, I haven't been able to play forever. But that's how the cookie crumbles! But maybe each time a little injury happens I gain a better perspective and learn to remember what I do have control over.
 
Oh Dad, ditto. Reading your letter, I found that I really wished that today I could just spend the day in the shop with you, or even just spell you off plowing. ... I was reading what you said about how the one’s closeness to God can diminish over time with the day to day distractions. I loved what you said about being resolved to do more to strengthen that relationship, ... I had two thoughts:

1. The of the power of early study. It's the very first thing I'm doing in the morning right at 8 am after getting ready for the day. Just this morning I was thinking how powerful I could be if I had that every morning my whole life. ... I really love the part about how an early prayer and study in the scriptures sets the course for the day, and that's the part that applies here. People are always telling me "paso y paso" about my Spanish skills. Or "step by step." I think that it's a lifelong gospel principle that everything comes little by little. We do it every day, diligently, and one day find that we are completely changed beings. I used to wonder why it mattered when I studied. As long as I did it right? Well, on my mission I've found that I need that for my whole day, not at night right before I sleep!

2. Of course God has it in His plan to notice you and send what you need to rekindle those feelings of an even stronger relationship with God than that which you already have! I recently re-read the talk "The Laborers in the Vineyard" by Elder Holland... and one quote came to mind while I was reading your email:

"I do not know who in this vast audience today may need to hear the message of forgiveness inherent in this parable, but however late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines. There is no dream that in the unfolding of time and eternity cannot yet be realized. Even if you feel you are the lost and last laborer of the eleventh hour, the Lord of the vineyard still stands beckoning. “Come boldly [to] the throne of grace,”and fall at the feet of the Holy One of Israel. Come and feast “without money and without price”at the table of the Lord."

Now, obviously you aren't inactive, you haven't wandered, you aren't the one that came at the 11th hour. Neither am I. But at the same time, we kind of are, aren't we? Even if we did come early, we each wander, even if ever so slightly at times, in our relationship with God. I sure hope that makes sense. It does in my head, but doesn't seem to on this computer screen! I think you can see what I’m saying though. It's like when I repeatedly struggle with having meaningful morning prayers, or even forget to pray right away because I'm SO tired! Haven't I been taught to pray in the morning my entire life? Haven't I constantly strived, and yet constantly failed when I forget, or groggily send up an "email" prayer, instead of having a conversation with God? Or when I repeatedly (every few months or so) seem to have the same self doubt, I feel like I'm Peter, standing on the same shore with Christ (Elder Holland's talk from this last conference). And I think, "Why am I standing here again?! Why can't I move past this? Is the Savior ever going to wonder the same thing?" And yet, the promise is real, however many times we feel we have messed up (including sins of omission), and however far from God we feel we have traveled, we haven't traveled too far. I know that is true.
 
I kind of went on a little rant there, but hopefully you gleaned something from it. Even if not, I did. :) I learn the most about myself through writing, I think it's one of the reasons I send such long emails. More for me than for you guys!
 
So yes, we did meet with Claudia! Outside of my companion, she has become my best friend here! We met with her twice this week, and she and Greysi came to church yesterday. She opened up to us about her life story and wow is all I have to say! But even if it feels like she just needs missionaries, and not me specifically, I think I've found the reason I'm in Baton Rouge. I don't know why she trusts us so much, she just does. It's made everything we're going to start sharing about the Restoration this week very natural and easy. We got a text from her this morning just wondering how we are. That doesn't happen often! Haha, and Greysi was just eating Primary up apparently, and can't wait to come back. First Sunday's as testimony meetings can be a bit worrisome sometimes, so we're glad all went well! The Spirit filters. :) I'm going to try to include a picture of us with her. Oh, did I tell you the church is right by the temple? Haha so that's the temple in the background of the pic.
 
Love you all tons!
Hermana Marks

Dear Fam,
 
Happy Monday!!! I'm doing pretty good this morning. There's a senior couple here, Elder and Sister English. He serves as the branch mission leader, and she serves in the branch RS presidency. They invited us over for breakfast this morning, so we went early and had fruit crepes. Yummy! It was good to get to know them a little better. They have good hearts.
 
I'm doing better this week, it's taken conscious effort, but I'm being blessed for it. Thank you soooo very much for your awesome emails! They were so uplifting and inspiring really. So I need to give you a better taste of my life here in Baton Rouge :) ... There are 10 missionaries in our little branch, which means that yesterday when it was time to start, there more of us than members. :) Every companionship, except one in my district, is training. So they're all very new and very impressionable. I think we had 50 members in church yesterday!! I'm starting to see that very few people are active, but those who are, they're very strong. We went and visited this family last night, Los Haro and they are so amazing! They are the most put together family I've seen my entire mission. An active mom and dad! That's really exciting, I've known few of those. They came to the states 5 years ago, were baptized right away, went to the temple a year later, and have become nothing but stronger and stronger. They have 3 kids. The 14 year old is named Michelle; I told her that was my mom's name. When I asked her what she like to do she said, "dormir." sleep. Haha, come to find out, she is this amazing painter!! All of the art in their apartment was hers!! Wow!! It was fun to visit them.
 
I had real gumbo this week!!!! I feel like New Orleans was in the South, but is it's own style, and now I'm in more of the "traditional" South. Especially because I was used to a New Orleans accent, but now I can barely understand some people who are speaking English! Anyway, all it was, was rice, seasonings, chicken, and sausage and it was really good! A lady from Mexico, Patricia, made it. Sweet lady.
 
We taught five lessons this week, all to members. It looks like that's what this area usually teaches, and that needs to change. But we found some great opportunities for love and service. I found someone better to sing to than a bunch of fans and Jimmer at a b-ball game. We heard about an inactive family who has an 18 month year old in the children's burn unit in the hospital, so we went and saw them. We wracked our brains for what we could do for this little girl (she just had skin graft surgery the day before). We couldn't really bring her anything so instead we sang the primary song, "I feel my Savior's Love" in Spanish. It was really sweet. Her mom was holding her, and her eyes were just glued to me the whole time. When we went to leave, she just grabbed my name tag and wouldn't let go. So cute! The Spirit was so strong. Is there any other more powerful feeling than knowing that you were the Lord's hands and did what He would have done? I don't think so. And you know, the adversary didn't want us to go. We had a random flat tire that morning which made us late, but for some reason the family was ok to wait, and then it wasn't visiting hours, but somehow they let us go back and see them anyway. And then there was the language barrier problems. But it all worked out as we were determined! I'm so grateful the Lord gave us that opportunity. And we were able to translate a little for them too between them and the nurses, so that was good.
 
My gospel vocab and grammar are getting better and I taught Relief Society yesterday. It went well. It was out of President Monson's talk, Consider the Blessings, from last conference. Dad, I thought that your comment was really interesting when you said that you've noticed in your life that prayers are often answered through the accions and words of others. That's totally what I taught on! It was really fun. There's this quote from somewhere else I was thinking of, maybe a different talk by President Monson, where he says something to the effect, "we are the Lord's hands on the earth with a mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent on each of us." Full time missionary or otherwise, we are all the Lord's hands! He is in the details of our lives, and He does hear and answer our prayers. It is so often through someone else. That is why we must all follow promptings we have, and serve others, no matter how insignificant it may seem. Don't delay! Those promptings are special gifts and I know as we heed them we are trusted with more.
 
On another note, did you know there is a tiger on the LSU campus?! I did not! It's kind of far away but we had to drive over to campus to try to contact someone and we drove right by it. So naturally on the way back, after that investigator (who is from Cuba - was she speaking spanish!? :) brushed us off, we had to pull over and look at the tiger. Unfortunately, he was sleeping, but I saw him. He has this good sized habitat right there in the middle of campus. How cool is that that they have a real life mascot!? I think that might be the first tiger I've ever seen...
 
Ok, I saved the best for last. We play futbolito (soccer) every Saturday at these fields as a way to meet people and build some trust. I never have really played futbol but they're all playing for fun (even though some of them are pretty good), which means I scored! But there's this woman who comes named Claudia. I think she's about 25 and she brings her daughter who just watches. These last two Saturday's we've really talked it up with her. She's funny so we joke around a lot. And she speaks English so that helps. Yesterday she said, "when y'all do your missionary thing, what areas are you in or where do you go?" We told her, then I think the soccer ball came over by us so we had to actually play. We knew that today we wanted to ask her if we could visit her during the week, but a little while later she asked us if we would come over! "Would we mind?" she asked. Haha, it was only an answer to prayer!!! We're super excited because we already have this friendship with her, and there's just something about her. She told us a little bit about what she's been through. She walked here was she wasn't quite 17 (and her daughter was a baby). Then when she got here, the father of her daughter took Greysi, and Claudia couldn't find them for 3 years! How awful. But now she has her back. Greysi is 9, and the sweetest thing, she was helping me with my Spanish on Saturday. Claudia’s now married and her life is quite stable, and I think she knows we have something that she wants. She just doesn't know yet what it is. We're really excited because there's something special about her! She has that light!
 
I don't know what's going to happen to me in these coming transfers, well, or my whole mission. But did I mention to you that it's possible I'll keep training, only in English because there's so many new Sisters coming? We have 11 arriving in three weeks, and President said he doesn't have enough English sisters here that he'll have train... so we'll see. I've always figured a lot of my mission would be to my companion just as much as to the people here, but I'm starting to think that could be a main purpose of mine - helping shape and train other missionaries. I think the Lord knows that I need to learn hands on - and so the way He's training me for what He needs me to do is to train others. I've learned a lot about humility and prayer that way too. Anyway, we'll see. But I think this transfer in coming here is really preparing me for something. Who knows where I'll live in the coming months! Maybe here, maybe not. I wouldn't mind if I got out of a city for awhile. All I know is that difficulties in life aren't just for fun! I'm being prepared for something!
 
I better get going. Your emails were really what I needed this morning so thank you so so so much!!! Y'all are amazing. Thank you for being who you are. I love you dearly. As Bill and Ted would say, "be excellent." :) Or in other words, remember who you are, work hard, eat right, don't take no for an answer, sweat at least once a day, and find yourselves on your knees often throughout each day, and this week, individually and together.
 
Lots of Love,
Hermana Marks

Hey Y'all,
 
Thank you so very much for your emails mom and dad. They meant a lot. I am in Baton Rouge, Sis Walker and I just switched places. This has probably been the most trying week of my mission so far. I must have been getting to the edge of the refiners fire so I needed to be thrown back in. Wouldn't want to be too comfortable! :) God has too many things for me to learn in this short 18 months! So I'll start off with the biggest blessing of the week: my new companion. Her name is Hna. Carolan and she's from Minnesota and she's amazing! We are very similar and I can see already why we're together. She's just been out a transfer so I'm doing the second half of her training... Sis Carolan has been through a lot in her life and we've had a good time getting to know each other and building some trust. She's someone who I feel like I can lean on, which is a big blessing. She had a pretty big surgery done on her knee in the MTC, which means she was rarely in class and the Spanish side is really rough, but she's full of faith!! ...
 
Each of you shared very wise things with me. I believe that I will come to love everything about this area, and I believe that one day I'll know why I serve here. So I have that faith and right now I just want to work as hard as I can everyday so I don't regret it when I leave. I would hate to have a transfer in my mission where I maybe didn't give my all because I was still living in the dreams of my previous area. ... I've been pondering a lot how to be a powerful example. Not someone who says what needs to be done, but just does it in a good way that people respect, and will then follow. I feel like William's a good example of that. Anyway, that's what needs to happen. I honestly feel like that's one reason president put me here - our mission culture needs to be established.
 
Baton Rouge is gigantic. I'm confused all the time, it kind of just sprawls on forever. Also, I drive a minivan because we're the designated taxi service for the elders in our district. I'm the mom of BR! Hah! But really, it takes so many hours a week. We have to leave an hour and a half before church starts pick everyone up and get there. Hoping there's no traffic. Cuts down on proselyting/teaching time but I think I'll be learning how to serve in the way I'm asked, not the way I want. I've learned that there's a difference. Sometimes we have ideas in our heads about how we should serve, or what the best service is to do. But really, sometimes that's not the way that's needed. Sometimes, someone just needs to help all the elders get to church (and hope the mission gets allotted more cars soon :) It's a big lesson for me to learn, especially when it's different from my go-go way of doing missionary work.

President tried to work it so I could go sing yesterday in New Orleans but it didn't happen. Bummer deal. Let's just all go to an NBA game when I get home! President said something I thought Dad would appreciate: something about how when a dad disappoints a daughter he wants to go over the top to make it better. Haha, I thought that was thoughtful but I am where I am, and I'm here to serve the people in the way the Lord needs. But I won't say no to a P-Day in my good ol' Crescent city :)
 
I found out that Hermana Villanueva did pass away right after I left. Her funeral is today. It all happened so fast I didn't even have time to ask if I could go, which is fine. I was sad when I found out. Heartbroken for her family, but very happy that she's not in so much pain. She used to talk about that. Now she can live fully again, and be a missionary in the Spirit World. I know she's busy working, and I'm sure she's doing well.
 
I guess I've just felt really weak this week. I've learned a lot about prayer. Which was a goal I had when I started the mission, so I guess it's coming about! You know how when I was a kid and away from home I would get homesick? ... I would be fine, and then start crying.  I learned that meant I was homesick. I haven't felt that on the mission yet for home but it's about the best way I can think to describe how I've been feeling for New Orleans and the people there. It's crazy.

We work here in a little branch and the people are, of course, amazing. We had 3 women in Relief Society. We meet for Sacrament in a RS room. I was asked to get up and give my testimony on Sunday. I was still nervous to talk in front of people in Spanish, but it went well! Better than how I did 5 months ago! It will be wonderful to get to know the people here more.
 
Sure love you each. Thank you so very much for your prayers. I can feel that strength coming to me. Otherwise I wouldn't have had the motivation to get up at 6:30 this week when I'm beat, physically and emotionally. It’s just one of the many extra ways that I feel strengthened beyond my capacity.
 
I love you each dearly!!

Love,
Hermana Marks

Hey Everybody,

It was such a blessing to get on and read your emails! Especially today, I really really needed it. Thank you so very much. We saw so many miracles this week. All the normal hard/weird things (like a member just deciding at the last minute to not pick up our investigator, and not calling us. How is that even possible? :) but we also saw so many miracles. Like one day we went to the church at 1:00 for language study with our zone leaders. No one is ever at the church in the middle of a friday afternoon, but this woman pulled up as we were getting there. She started talking to us, telling us that she's been Catholic her whole life even though some of her family is Mormon. At this point I'm really confused. Then she says that she went back to Honduras for the holidays, and she got baptized! This is only 6 days before we met her!! Her name is Blanca and here she is at the church trying to find a bishop or something because nobody was answering the phone. Well, that's cool that we just "happened" to be there. We gave her a church tour and had a good experience. She lives in our area and we are so excited.

On the 1st of January, we tracted into a woman named Marta. She invited us back but none of those times have never worked. So we knocked on her door again Saturday night and she was there. What's funny is that the first day she opened the door, she only opened about 2 inches (people do that a lot here). I've noticed that each time she's opened it a little bit more. Well, she let us in and had time for us on Saturday. She is 75 but seems like she's 55. She's been Catholic her entire life and has worked cleaning houses downtown New Orleans for 20 years. We got to know her a little bit and just taught the Restoration. Completely in Spanish. Well, it's almost always completely in Spanish, but sometimes I have these amazing experiences with being able to speak way above my abilities in a lesson. I leave and I wonder what just happened. We have a return appointment with her this week.
...

But I'm actually really sad today because I found out last night that I'm being transferred. ... I can't really describe how just heart-broken I am. Part of the problem is that it completely blind-sided me (about a week ago president said that he needs all the Spanish sister areas to stay as they are for a bit because of how much crazy moving around there's been). We felt so safe that we would stay, and we were so happy to both be here this next transfer, that’s when I took the call from our District Leader (right as we were going into a lesson last night). I forgot that it could even be about transfers. I thought he was just calling about a combined FHE we were having later that night. So that's kind of a shock. The timing all feels completely wrong. I found out last week I was kidding myself, I've definitely given 100% of me to these people and this area. I just about start crying when I think of each person that I'm leaving. It feels like 50 different people broke up with me! I'm even gonna miss all those dumb, weird looking mutated duck things that live in the median canals on all the roads. I'm gonna miss New Orleans! I would have been happy to stay here for 7 more months. It also means I won't be singing at the NBA game, and I won't be here for the super bowl. Which I guess is kinda lame but it's really all about the people I'm leaving.

There's this woman I haven't told you about. She's one of the few strong members. Her name is Hermana Villanueva. She's in her 70's but she's so funny and sassy. She's from Honduras and she loves to dance and sing. She was diagnosed with cancer about two months ago. About a month ago she decided she wouldn't be taking chemo but that she was ready to go home. We've been helping her a ton.... She has 4 kids who have gone inactive and a while ago she told us that she wanted her passing away to be a missionary effort. So we've been trying to help her write her testimony in Book of Mormon's for her children, and we're singing at her funeral. She was supposed to last until March (for her daughters wedding) but she took a turn for the worse. Tthey moved the wedding to the end of this month, but that might not be good enough. The point of this entire story is that I'm not gonna be here for her funeral - awful.

Let alone telling Eddy and Aura last night. Aura, the most positive and funny person ever, just started crying. I was too. But I took the opportunity right there to bear my testimony to them that there's only one thing that would make me live this lifestyle of craziness. Because they really don't understand. I think it was good, although Edy is mostly just mad. I really will be staying in contact with them forever.

All of that being said, I still have my faith that transfers are inspired, I know in my mind that I serve where I do for a very specific reason. But none of that changes how my heart feels. I always thought I would finish my mission in Baton Rouge, but it looks like that's probably where I'm going. And I'm not gonna sugar coat it - I don't want to. The end of dad's email told me to stay happy. I'm trying. It's just so hard. What I wouldn't have given to be able to call you last night. So anyway, sorry to be depressing, but I just had to be real with what's going on.

I wanted to share in detail just one of the many miracles that happened this week, it's a simple one. Yesterday we were teaching our investigator Caroline. We got there and she didn't keep her reading commitment. So we began reading it with her (3 Nephi 27). We thought we would just read part and then go on with what we had planned. But we really wanted her to know how important this was so we read the whole thing with her and discussed it as we went. We each felt the Spirit so strong, just kind of a quiet something that was there. The Book of Mormon, with it's pure truth and doctrine, is just so powerful! I've always known that, and it was just really special to be able to watch someone else begin to feel it. As soon as we finished she told us she needed to start from the very beginning. Like right now! We just wanted to leave so that she could read like she wanted to! I am converted to the Book of Mormon. I've always wondered at what point one may say that they have gone from a testimony to conversion. But I am. It's the reason I'm here. It's the reason I do what I do. And it's the way I'm able to do them. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. It is the way to peace and happiness in this life and the next, and I can't imagine not charging my batteries with it every day.
...

I'm gonna go, there are a lot of things to do today, and a lot of people to stay good-bye to. Please keep a special prayer in your heart for me that tomorrow I will have peace and be able to move forward with a smile.

I love you each dearly,
Hermanita Marks