Dear Fam,

Wow, it has been quite the week! It might as well have been a year, I feel like that's how much my life has changed. It sounds like you had a great B-Day Dad. That's neat you went for a drive, it sounded beautiful! And snow too, wow! There's just something about being up in the quiet, still woods. There's a peace there that you can't find many other places, plus it's good to have time together! I think a drive up the mountain might be the first thing I want to do when I get home. I really appreciated your thoughts about conversion Dad. It reminded me of Elder Bednar's talk this last conference. It's so true. A testimony is a crucial step, but just isn't enough in today's world. You said something in your email I loved: "Teach and invite with the expectation that the Lord's Spirit will work together with your witnesses to move the hearts of those who are prepared to receive the good news of the gospel." As a missionary, I think it's crucial to have that expectation and faith that it can and will happen. That the Lord's Spirit will work with me to bring people to the Lord.

Guess what I found out the other day....I have now lost and kept off 23 pounds! Cool, right? It's slow, but I'm kinda ok with that because that also means it's a real change in my body. However… my new companion's eating habits are totally different that what I've been trying to have, and she's not super excited to be working out in the morning, so please say a little extra prayer for me to help me stay disciplined. I refuse to go back, but I just don't want to stay stagnant, I want it to keep coming off!

We had our ward Halloween party the other night. It was combined with the English ward. It went pretty well, and it was actually kind of cool when we went outside for the trunk or treat!! I couldn't believe it! Everyone kept saying I should've brought a jacket, but oh, the coolness just felt so good!

Another change in the mission that happened - President reorganized the zones in the mission, and we now have an all Spanish zone! I was so excited that it's finally time! It doesn't mean that all the spanish missionaries in our mission are in my zone, but a lot of them are. So I am now in the New Orleans Spanish zone, and the New Orleans English zone is separate. This means that I can become more immersed because all our texts, meetings, everything are in Spanish! I was in a Spanish district, but I now have Spanish ZL's. Anyway, it's pretty exciting. Because they opened a new area for the ZL's, there are now 14 missionaries in my ward. My ward that barely has attendance to count as a ward and not a branch. It's insane. You should see our coordination meeting, there's barely enough seats in the high council room where we meet.

I spoke in Sacrament yesterday. Yes, in Spanish! I realized that my Spanish must be improving because I couldn't have done that 12 weeks ago. :) I spoke about the love of God, and how when we understand the first and great commandment, it becomes natural to follow the 2nd commandment to love each other and have that love of God for others. Hopefully it made sense and they could understand me. :)

This week for me has been kind of a rough one. Remember how I said I had an ear infection, and I was going to get an antibiotic? Well, after talking to our missionary doctor about the degree of the symptoms I was having, Sister Wall asked me to go to the doctor. But then I was called up to Baton Rouge for transfers. I didn't realize how bad it was but when I got there Sister Wall gave me a hug, and she felt how hot my head was, especially the right ear. I actually had a fever from it. Craziness. Anyway, they sent me to a doctor and sure enough it was pretty bad, the doctor couldn't see my ear drum. They prescribed me antibiotics and ear drops, and actually gave me a shot of antibiotics and steroids and had me come back two days later. The pain was so bad that I felt like I couldn't think, it felt like I, literally, had a knife in my ear. I didn't know what to do though because with a new trainee, it's not like you can't not work! But that's what happened. President called to see what had happened and he just had me go to bed. So this week, I feel like I wasn't even a missionary, haha. Ok, I was human :) Still annoying. To make a really long story short, I've also lost hearing out of that ear too. ... Today the pain is better, and I'm hoping a few days more and my hearing will come back because it's really unnerving to be half deaf. My ear drum never did burst, so that's dandy :) ... Wednesday night my new ZL's came over and gave me a blessing. I asked them to in Spanish, and that was a really neat experience. What an amazing language. And it allowed to me really feel the Spirit. Welp, I wanted to tell you about that, but I don't seem to know how to give the short stories of stuff, so now you know all of it. I figure you'd rather know anyway.

It's just been a rough start with a new companion. And it was kind of hard to go through this week with someone I didn't know. I really really miss Hna Ward. We were only together a transfer but we were so close, and we did WORK together! With everything, it was hard to have the energy to look outside myself to serve Hna. Blauer. I found little ways, but I'm looking forward to a new and normal week where we can work together and build some unity. And it is going to take work because we are night and day different, but she's really nice and everything though. ... I just know I have a big purpose with her. The other two Spanish sisters that came out either already know spanish, or were in the advanced classes at the MTC, and they were put with trainers who are either fluent, or close. So… it's interesting how it all works. I'm still struggling quite a bit with the language, and I'm training one who needs a lot of help in the Spanish department.... I think the main reason I'm in a little funk is because we didn't teach any investigators last week. Awful. Some of the appointments we had fell through, and the others we had we had to cancel the night I was at the doctor. But Mom, we did start the Study Scriptures class Wednesday night (Hna Ward was so sad she missed it by a day!). We had one person come. I wasn't shocked, but we expect quite a few more this Wednesday!

I love you all,
Kylie

Hey Everyone!

It's transfers week!! I have an inner ear infection (it's been going on for a bit, I talked to Sister Wall this morning and she is getting some medicine today for me to pick up at the pharmacy). And Sister Ward is being transferred. It totally surprised us! Honestly, despite trying to keep the bigger perspective, we're pretty sad. I was starting to feel a tad of comfort working with her though, and the Lord seems to keep yanking me and yanking me out of any form of a "comfort zone." All for my good. We thought for sure I'd finish her training, but it looks like I'll be getting another sister from the MTC (we have three Spanish speaking sisters arriving). Because of this, we have a ton to do today, but I feel like it's been a year since I wrote you last, so much has happened! I wrote a good weekly letter to President, and because of time I thought I'd include some of that.

Here it is:

"Happy Transfers Week! From now on I will never be surprised during a transfers week. :) You really just never do know what the Lord has in store. Sister Ward and I, besides becoming really great friends and working well, felt that we had work left to do together, and were confident I'd finish training her. We feel that the work that we felt that we had left to do together must be sometime later in our missions. We sure hope we get that opportunity!

It was a great week. We genuinely enjoyed biking (most of the time :). I'm so grateful to have a companion who is a trooper! The night her bike broke we had just started biking to the church to teach English class. After trying to fix it, we quickly realized there wasn't anything we could do. So we just started walking as fast as we could with our bikes, singing most of the way. It would normally be in my nature to be a tad discouraged, but I didn't feel that at all. I think mostly because of Sis Ward's wonderful example. It was dark, and we were taking a back route to the church we hadn't taken before, so we didn't completely have our bearings. After arriving at the church, we weren't sure how far we'd walked, but figured it was a mile or two. Oh goodness! The next day when we biked that route, we found out just how far we had gone!! I couldn't believe it. It felt like we'd hardly had to walk any distance at all, but it turned out that it was quite a ways. It just goes to show that attitude really is everything. The Kenner ZL's gave us a ride home and after asking and hearing about our day, they were surprised about the things that had happened, and why we were still so happy. But that's life isn't it? We were happy because we're missionaries, because we have the gospel of Jesus Christ. And despite any difficulties, that knowledge can bring comfort to your heart and a smile to your face.

Another day, and I don't know how to say this without startling you at first, so don't worry. But I had a little… collision with a car. Ok, I was hit by a car. Sounds much more dramatic than it was, promise! There was a person who didn't stop at a light as we were crossing. She screeched to a stop quick as she could and so she didn't hit me hard. I just kind of fell onto the hood of her car but was totally fine. I tell you this because it was a miracle. There were angels protecting me, and quickening her reflexes. It would be hard to explain the position of us and the cars, and her, all through the text of this mail, but all I can say is I don't know how she stopped so quick. And my leg didn't hurt much at all later, and it probably should have. And off we went on our bikes. Other than having had a little scare, there wasn't a scratch on us. Another testimony that angels are here with us.

Another miracle this week: an appointment fell through one night. Well, everything fell through that day, we didn't teach one "official" lesson. But we had some finding we wanted to do in a neighborhood as a backup plan, and since it was still light out, that's where we went. We had some good experiences talking with people. We placed Book of Mormons. I am working so hard on opening my mouth! It is one of the hardest things for me - I really don't know why since I know this gospel is true and that I shouldn't fear the opinions of man. It's just a human weakness I struggle with I guess. Anyway, some people were interested, some were definitely not. It was starting to get dark and we had one Book of Mormon left that we wanted to give out. Hermana Ward said we weren't leaving till we placed it, another reason I love her! So we stopped on the corner that we were on, and said a prayer. We asked for guidance from the Spirit. We knew we had placed ourselves where we should be and that we were close to someone we needed to talk to. After consecrating that time, we started walking again. It was a pretty poor neighborhood and some of the apartment doors aren't traditionally placed. Walking by a building, I saw a dark brown door on the side of the building that was tucked back in behind this big bush. I looked back and almost kept walking when for some reason I stopped and said, "that one." We knocked on the door, and a woman answered (english speaking). We could feel her spirit was really strong. After talking for a minute, she said she was glad we were there and that she was having a rough day. Immediately I could tell that something was going on. To make a long story short, she had just gotten home from a funeral of a long time friend and boss. She isn't married and has no children, so she was alone. As we were able to listen to her, and testify of the truths of the Plan of Salvation, the Spirit was strong. She had tears in her eyes. Unfortunately we didn't have an English Book of Mormon, but we were able to talk a bit about it. Wanting to be able to do something for her, Hermana Ward asked if we could leave a prayer with her. The woman said she would love that. So Sister Ward said a prayer, and I haven't felt a stronger Spirit for awhile. We look forward to taking a Book of Mormon back, and referring her over to the English Elders.

It was a wonderful experience. When I felt that we should knock on that door, there was no huge impression. Honestly, I don't know why I said that door. But as Elder Bednar taught us, "be a good girl, be a good boy. Keep the commandments, honor your covenants, and don't worry if it's your thoughts, or the impressions of the Spirit." I love knowing that it was the Spirit working through me. There's no greater feeling! This is my biggest desire, to be a humble and effective instrument in the hands of the Lord. Sometimes it feels like I'm so far away from reaching this goal, so it was wonderful to have an experience where I felt some extra trust, and a confirmation that I am being the best I can be now, and am hopefully on my way to being the missionary the Lord wants me to be. I'm grateful that God knows each of His children individually, and answers their prayers."

...

Jose, Estefani, and Yerandi… I don't know. We've tried to see them. We saw Jose one day at the door and he said a whole bunch of fast cuban spanish I didn't understand. So, I have hope, but I really don't know. We didn't teach them any lessons this week. And it's kind of the same thing with all of the investigators we've found and the less actives we're working with. We've yet to have an investigator or less active at church yet. It'll look really positive, we'll talk to them Saturday night and then nothing. I don't feel like a less successful missionary or anything, I just feel this love that the Savior has for each one of these people. His arms are stretched out wide to them, and they aren't exercising their faith and acting. And they have their agency. We'll keep working and see what happens.

But, Mahala is doing great!!!!!!! She went to the temple this last week and did baptisms for the first time. Since she's not "my" recent convert anymore, I didn't get to go, but she told me about it. She now has a calling in Primary, and she wrote me a letter that was just precious. Maybe I'll bring it next week and share some of it with you. It'll melt your heart :)

... day after day I teach the basics of the gospel. Over and over. And while it might appear naive to the outside world, it really has forced me to focus on the basics. Easier to do on a mission than in real day life with very real problems, and yet there's a comforting thought to it, that when it comes down to it, all that other stuff doesn't matter. We can teach the basics to an investigator in 10-30 mins, and as missionaries and people we spend everyday studying them, and there's enough there to study to last my whole life. There's a complex simplicity to the doctrine of Christ. And I think it's a "complex simplicity" not a "simple complexity." :) Faith in the Lord, repentance, bautismo, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. I think it's interesting.

The call you got was from Aura (from Mexico). She and her husband Eddie (from Cuba) are our neighbors. I have to go so I'll tell you next week about them. I've meant to for awhile. They are amazing people. Each night when we biked Eddie would make sure we were home safe, and often feed us. They're like another set of grandparents. They're catholic.… right now :) Even though you probably couldn't understand her well, she was just thrilled to have talked to you. They think what we're doing is amazing. they're so sad Sis ward is leaving, but they have plans to come to our weddings one day. :)

Well, folks, I've gotta go. I love you each. Have a wonderful week.

Love,
Hermana Marks

It's long, but she is making up for lats

Hello Wonderful Family!!

I was so sad to hear that you didn't get my email last week. It was a pretty good one, if I do say so myself. :)  Unfortunately I can’t remember everything I wrote. I can tell you that I really appreciated your emails.  I’ll remember what I can from last week as well as adding new to how this last week was.

So, from last week ...

I was able to go downtown New Orleans last P-day to the French Market. It was awesome! It was the first time I’ve been able to go downtown. The Market is right on the Mississippi river so that was really neat, and it really is just that - a market. A big one that has everything from alligator heads to voodoo dolls to bags and T-shirts to junk.  It was bustling and quite large. It’s really an historic downtown type area, and boy, is it a different world!!!! I’ve seen that down here in general, but it is crazy. It’s really touristy and there are lots of carriage rides, both by horse and bike. We drove down one of the main streets of downtown and the HOUSES that are there! There are good classic looking southern homes with the pillars in front, and then there are castles! Seriously, I don’t know how to explain the architecture, it’s awesome. There was a legit HUGE Jewish synagogue and there were these houses that looked like monasteries. Super neat. It was just fun to get out a bit and see some more of the culture. And the closer you get into NO the more homeless people you see, and just really hard circumstances. I could see why they don’t want sisters serving downtown. It will be fun to go back someday, it would be fun to try some of the food and music and stuff, maybe take the ferry. Actually, if I ever serve on the Westbank (which I probably will because they opened a Spanish sister area there) then I think sometimes you have to take the ferry!

Conference was great! Each of you mentioned Elder Holland’s talk. I always love his! I really loved that he said that the crowing characteristic of love is loyalty. Really makes one stop and think how loyal we are to the Lord (or what we do to show we love Him) each day through how we live.

One of my favorite talks was from Elder Ballard. I really loved the analogy of the bees. They work so hard throughout their entire short lives, without  individual recognition, just to produce 1/12 of a tsp of honey after their whole life. It made me stop and ask, what is the 1/12 that I contribute each day? Service is the essence of our religion, and it’s so important to LIVE it.

I really loved President Uchtdorf’s talk as well. It hit me when he said that people “often hold business as a badge of honor”. So true, I know I’ve been guilty of that. We often look forward to the end of things. I know I do it with Spanish. I tend to think that things will be better or easier WHEN I know Spanish. But I know I am so much happier when I enjoy the process, although it does take work. So, Erika and Garrett, remember, don’t just look forward to WHEN the season is over, or WHEN you’re done studying and have taken the test, or WHEN you’ve graduated from High School, when, when, when- whatever it may be. Instead, remember to enjoy the process. Work hard each day, in your prayers and in your actions, to live up to your potential, or who God intends for you to be.

On another note, Dad, do you remember how we used to joke about having a driving class for those “special” drivers out on the road? Well, in all seriousness, there needs to be a class for anyone who drives in Louisiana. I wish I would have taken one! I think they love to just do everything different possible here, and so the same with driving. I mean, lights are turned horizontal on the poles, you can turn left on some streets except for between the hours of 7-9 pm and 9-11 am or whatever, and there's the whole canal U-Turn thing.

However… on to this week! We are on bikes this week!! Now we just have to hope we don't get hit (that happened to an elder a month or so ago). We're on bikes as "our consequence" but we're kind of excited. You keep a mile log and receipts and stuff with your car and after the last day of the month, you have 5 days to send them to the office. They have to be there by the 5th. Well, since I'm a new trainer and all, I was never shown how to do it. We thought we did it right and sent it off on the 1st of the month. But low and behold there were some papers that were supposed to go in there that we didn't include. So, the consequence is no car for a week. I felt bad that we messed the office up, but oh well, it was an honest mistake.

Hermana Ward and I continue to get along well. To answer your question Dad, missionary life is… yeah I guess it is what I expected. Well, yes in some ways, no in others. It's draining, but not in a way I know how to explain. It's draining in a wonderful way! Like as a missionary, you're not a normal person because every part of you is taken up with the welfare of the people in the area that you have stewardship over. It's part of the reason I can't sleep sometimes. You're constantly thinking about what you can do to jump start the ward, strengthen the members, find investigators (talking with everyone is difficult - another reason why bikes will be great this week), and the investigators we do have? Oh man, we are constantly thinking/praying about what they need. When it comes to people, we know that we see only the tip of the iceberg, but their Heavenly Father knows the rest of it (that's in PMG... hint hint for FHE, Garrett you should teach the lesson!! I think the iceberg thing is in chap 10 :) and so our job is to figure out what that is and what Heavenly Father would have us do. It's as though you literally don't matter, I could care less about what I need because I feel that if the people get what they need, then I'll be happy!

On top of all this, trying to figure out those needs and show love to those people in Spanish … I didn't expect that part. It's hard. I can't do it in the language much, but by my actions. Like at the potluck between sessions of Conference, instead of helping set up tables (normally what I'd do) I went into the kitchen and offered to help and the sisters in the ward taught me how to form and make tortillas. They laughed at me because I was so bad at it, and I had to do like a 100 of them, (it was really funny - I have a pic to send) but there was an appreciation there that I was trying. That's something that President Wall taught me last week at specialized training. WHO I am makes the biggest impact on people. My life, testimony, personality, and love will make a difference and the rest of it, Spanish and all, truly will come.

We have moved forward on the scripture study class a lot. We won't start this week, but next. A lot of it has been talking to lots of people (and we're having a positive response!) and then in RS yesterday we passed around a sheet to get an idea of the best day of the week for people. We've taken over teaching the English class on Tuesday nights and we love it! Most people who come aren't members, so it's a great service and a finding activity. After that, there's a bunch of people, members and nonmembers, who come play futbolito in the gym and we give a mini lesson before they play.

Yeah, overall I handle the city well. Sometimes it gets to me, but I just figure I'll enjoy it while I'm here. I've certainly learned how to navigate my way through interstate systems because they're crazy here! Yup, this is my "part" of the world now. It feels kinda weird to think that sometimes! And yet, I feel like I've lived here forever. We are all far away from each other physically, but there are no words that can explain the peace that come from being an eternal family, sealed for time and eternity in the temple. The peace that brings can never be taken away from us. When we keep our covenants, Satan is bound, and there is nothing that can be done to take the peace away from being a forever family. :)

Ok, this is turning into an epistle. But here's the miracle for the week:

3 weeks ago we went to a former investigator's house and knocked on the door. They didn't live there anymore but a couple did named Estefani and Yerandi. They're really happy, go with the flow people, and they invited us right in and we taught the Restoration. It was especially powerful when I gave the first vision, the Spirit was there. We left a Book of Mormon. They have a crazy busy schedule, work 7 days a week like most people here, and he commutes. So we kept trying and trying to go back with no luck. Finally, last Sunday we drive by them (they live on the way home) and actually were in our parking lot (we were supposed to be changing to go do some service) when we decided we needed to go over to their house one more time. We did so, and they were home!! And with big smiles, invited us right back in. There was another man there (by the way, people never seem to believe in wearing shirts here, what's up with that? Well, it is hot I suppose...) in about his 60's. He wasn't saying much but I introduced myself and it turns out he is the sweetest man. He name is Jose, and he is Yerandi's uncle, and is out of work so he moved in with them. He had picked up the Book of Mormon and just started reading it. And he is eating it up!! Wow. A lot of people are skeptical, but some just have their spiritual eyes open and ready to identify the truth as soon as they see it. But they really don't know they're looking. We went back for another lesson last night, and he kept talking about Joseph Smith. He wasn't there for our Restoration lesson, so we were a little confused. We asked him about it, thinking maybe he'd talked to missionaries before he came to the states. In fast Spanish, he explained. We gathered that he only knows what he's read out of the introduction, and the testimonies of the 3 witnesses, and the testimony of Joseph Smith. Wow. So we are very excited to keep teaching those three. Each have agreed to baptism, but not a date. It'll be wonderful to watch God's plan for them continue to unfold.

Seek to strengthen your testimony in the Savior every day. Elder Bednar taught us in Conference that in these last days a testimony won't be enough, so strive to be on that path to continuing conversion each day. I finished the Book of Mormon again this morning, and without a doubt I know it's true. I wouldn't know how to live my life without it. I wouldn't be on a mission without it. I said a special prayer this morning telling Heavenly Father that I know it's true, but to please allow the Spirit to impress its truth upon my soul and heart even more so that I may with more power, testify of its truthfulness, so that others may come unto Christ. It's hard to do through an email, so I'll just leave it in simple language. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know Christ came and ministered inthe America's in His resurrected and perfected state. Because of His life we may each have eternal peace, progression, joy and peace. I love you all.

Love,
Hermana Marks

Transfers are next Wednesday, so I am in week 5 of training.

Hey Ya'll!!

I spent most of my time, well actually pretty much all of it, writing to Will, so this will be shorter than normal.

I don't know what's with time down here. Like that it's OCTOBER! And it's still a billion degrees out. How are the colors at home? Is it cold yet? Apparently I live in a jungle, though I did feel a breeze for a sec this morning so I'm hopeful that it will cool down. ;)

And a little shout out to Kristina, Gary and Evan. I got the SWEETEST package ever from them! There were pics of Evan, letters, and a Green Eggs and Ham book. When I saw that I was so confused. Kind of like, what am I supposed to do with that? But then, I started reading it. Kristina wrote her own version, and pasted it over the original words in the book. It was SO cute!  It was all about Mr. Lurch and the Mormon church. It was so awesome!! Plus they put in a ton of junior mints, my fav. Yummy. Plus our district is gonna love it when we take some to them! Well, that is, if we decide to share haha.

Last night we went to a members house for a visit we had set up and they straight up just weren't there. Always fun! :) But that's the life. We're working on coming up with some different activities/classes for activation/retention in the ward. We just need to pump love and excitement into this struggling ward!! We went to the RS broadcast in Spanish Saturday night. When it started it was just us and the RS President. By the end, three other sisters were there, so we have a LOT to do. There are TWELVE missionaries in this ward, and we know that's for a reason. They should put us to work!! But they kind of don't, so Hermana Ward and I decided we're just gonna be more proactive.

There's already an English class, but we have some other ideas. Like a family history class. I really don't know how to do it myself so I need to learn. But PMG talks about how much that helps with activation and retention so we figure we should do it!!

Also, a lot of our work is with the women here. There are so many single women, or women whose husbands aren't active or home much that the Elders just can't get in to see. So that's were we come in. What we're finding though is that even amongst the active women, they don't read the scriptures. In large part because they don't understand them. We've had some timidly tell us that they just don't understand it and that's why they love it when we're there. So we want to start a Book of Mormon study class where they can come, we can read together and discuss it. Then they could ask questions, discuss it amongst each other, learn to think for themselves, and we'd be there to explain stuff too. Then they'd make friends! And we could work on our Spanish! We're just trying to do anything we can because both of us are just so new, so we don't know any better so why not? :) Next step is to meet with the RS President and hopefully explain our ideas correctly in Spanish. And find, meet, and work with the Family History Consultant.

We're having a potluck between sessions of conference on Sunday. We're really hoping it will help people to come!!! I'm not sure potlucks is really something you do in Honduras...but we're doing it here! All I know is that the sisters LOVE to cook, so it'll work. We're super pumped for Conference. I told Will that I feel like it's the super bowl of our mission, well, that and Christmas. Getting an investigator or less active (well, actives for that matter) to come to conference? That would be so sweet!! You can't deny the power you feel when you listen to living apostles and prophets teach.

Alright folks, that's it for today. Love ya tons! Enjoy conference, learn something new. Even though I badly want to listen to all of Conference in English, we'll be watching most or all of it in Spanish. so my goal will just be to soak up what I can (I understood about 40% during the RS meeting) and not get a headache from concentrating so hard!

Love ya tons!
Hermana Marks