Hi!

First off, the wedding sounds beautiful! And I’ve been able to see a few random pics from it, and it looks beautiful too! I was thinking of them that day, and even wore black and red, just for good measure.   It sure was strange to not be there, but I am predominantly just so happy for them. I am super excited to meet Mariam when I get home. She sounds amazing, and like she’s really made William happy, which is all I could ask for. Dad, that video was amazing! I cried. But I always cry... the engagement pictures were so pretty. They look great and happy together. It’s cool that so many people were able to make it. I’m sure Sherry missed it, and I know all the grandparents definitely did. But what an exciting time in our family’s, life!

They will have fun in Oregon, I’m so jealous! Lol. I’m just joking, but I do miss the coast. It’ll be nice to be able to go back over there soon. It’s nice of Mariam’s grandma to set that up for them. And Mom, it sounds like you have your work cut out for you with the Sandpoint reception! I would help if I could! I guess I’ll just pray it all goes smoothly  

I am so grateful for our eternal family. And I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be in the work of helping make them right now. Because even though I missed the chance to be there on Friday, I’m getting to try to help some of our other brothers and sisters figure out their own way to the temple. What a joy!

Dad, thanks for your insights and comments about submitting our will to God’s. I love your line, “We give up nothing when we give up our will. We gain everything, in fact.” I have definitely seen that in my life. Though, I’m still learning so much. I think a lot about what it really means to be humble and to submit ourselves to Him. Especially when we feel like we are, but things are still hard. How he blesses us at times by allowing us to hurt.

Everything has been going so well this transfer. This week we had a few more cool miracles, and felt a lot of joy in that regard. Jake’s family finally got home, and they’re so cute. I’m excited to get to know them more.

We did get transfer calls this morning, and I’m officially staying here with Sis Walker until I go home. I’m happy about that. There’s a really sweet lady here who is going to make us matching Tongan dresses for next Sunday, so I’ll try to remember to get a picture:)

I hope you have a great week! I love you so much.

All my love,
Sister Erika Marks     

I just wanted to send this real quick. It’s another poem I wrote this week. Mom, you’ll be proud of me, I’ve actually titled it   

Love ya!


Because I Love My Lord

For many years, I prayed, I studied
To know the truth for me
And with this knowledge, came this duty,
My sacred responsibility.

So I prepared, I grew in favor
The truth became my sword.
For when He called, I would be ready
To labor for my Lord.

With quiet apprehension,
The time finally arrived,
I sent in my application
To wait for His reply.

A trust, a letter
A formal call to serve.
His voice rings in the eleventh hour-
I’m called to His vineyard.

The day finally arrives,
My future waiting at the curb.
I hug my parents one last time,
And gather up my nerve.

They place the tag upon me
My future now to start.
It’s on my shirt awhile,
But forever on my heart.

I wish I could describe the honour
To wear Christ’s name each day
For when I don that little tag,
I pledge to serve His way.

His was isn’t easy.
There’s thorns along the path.
But these thorns are much smaller
Than the plaited crown He hath.

The deeper valleys bring higher peaks
And joy like none before.
I see light pierce the darkest lives,
And feel, with them, to soar.

“How long is left” a dear friend asks
“One month” is my reply.
Yet, wasn’t it only yesterday
I hugged my parents ‘bye’?

For while I lived to serve each day
The clock was ticking on.
The highs, the lows, I felt them all,
But now my time is gone.

I step off the plane with honour
And hold my parents tight.
The tears express my feelings,
As my words are trapped inside.

After years of labor side by side
With The Holy One
It seems a flash of lightening,
He smiles and says, “you’re done”

So I take off the beloved name tag
But find things are quite the same.
For while I was busy helping others,
I’m the one that changed.

In years from now, I’ll reminisce
And smile at how I’ve grown.
With joy I’ll teach my little kids,
To love Christ in their own

~Sister Erika Marks
March 2018~

Hey hey hey!

Okay, first off, I’m sooo excited for William and Mariam! I can’t believe they get married in 5 Days. Wow. That is so exciting. I still can’t believe sometimes that I have never actually even met Mariam... it feel like I have. And I am so happy that they get start their own life together. I am forever grateful for Mariam bringing back the old William and making him happy again. That alone makes me love her. And how exciting to have another sister! I’m happy for them.

Thank you so so so much for making that video! It was better than I thought. I figured it would be because you are #BOMB   at that type of thing, lol. I shared it with the zone and they loved it, and we showed the stake RS President and she loved it too! So, it was a hit. I kinda wish I would have asked the elders to record in their proselyting clothes though... it’s kinda weird to have them in street clothes. Oh well! It’s cool. And mom, you should totally memorize one of those beautiful documents! I’m planning on memorizing the entire Proclamation now that I did the paragraph. So, it should be cool! I was going to try to memorize The Living Christ, but never did. So that’ll be next for me!

So, Jai was able to come to church, but she rescheduled her lesson (again) for tomorrow. So, hopefully it’ll work. But she’s doing well, and it seems like she and her husband are acting again to be able to work toward the temple sealing. That would be an amazing day!

Dad, I think it’s so great that yesterday was calm enough that you got to minister as the Lord would on that individual level. And also, way to follow a prompting. It has to be one of the best feelings in the world, knowing that God asked you to do something, and you did it! I have had a few really powerful experiences with that this week, and am so grateful for His guidance. Sister Walker and I have been working really hard on being as open to spiritual prompting as possible, and acting in them as fast as we can. Let me tell you, it has been an amazing week! There’s probably a cool story from almost every day that I could tell y’all about when we decided to just DO everything we thought that Heavenly Father was prompting us to do.

I want to share only one of those stories though. It was Friday night, and literally EVERYTHING had fallen through... we had had two appointment that night we were excited about that both canceled, and the afternoon hadn’t been much more of note. So, by 7:30, we were out of set plans and was about to commence drop-bys to try to find someone home and willing to talk to us. The first person that came to my mind to visit was Ulu.

Side note: have I told you about Ulu? She’s in her 40s, has 5 kids (which are all baptized) and she just separated from her “partner” which has been a really hard time for her. She’s Samoan, from Hawaii, and has been coming to church for many years. But, she’s never been baptized... she has a date for mid June that we’re trying to push up for her...  anyway, I love her. It’s hard to keep set lessons with her. So, drop bys tend to work best.

Anyway, back to the story... we decided to just do it, even though we were also both not sure if she’d even be home. But she was! And more than that, we knocked on her door at just the right time as she and her oldest daughter were talking and struggling to process everything that has happened lately. Really, they were looking for peace. We talked for a bit, and shared a few verses from Alma 58 (one of my current favorites chapters. It’s about deliverance from our enemies, and the patience it requires, you should go check it out). Anyway, we ended up calling the senior couple in the ward, and he came over with the bishopric second counselor and gave them both blessings. It was Ulu’s first ever, and the spirit was so strong! It was such a special moment. Especially because we knew it was exactly what the Lord wanted. And though it wasn’t what we had planned for that evening, it was so much better. I am so grateful for the Lord guiding us and for seeing his hand in my life to bless others that way. It has to be one of my favorite parts of being a missionary!

I’m excited to watch some of those home videos when I get back. And tell Gned I miss him  also, tell Buddy “hi”. I’m so happy he is still doing well. I’m pretty sure he’s never going to die. He will just be with us and our family forever.

Do y’all think you’ll get a new puppy when Buddy passes? You know, for the grandkids?   Especially now that you might actually have grandkids in a few years?

I hope y’all have a good week. I’ll let you go now. I love you so much! And I pray for y’all every night.

All my love,
Sister Erika Marks     

P.s. “ Mawage. Mawage is what bwingth uth together today”   

I’m so sorry my letter last week was such a skimpy email. I’ll do better this week. How is Buddy doing? Will he still be there when I get home? I hope so! I miss him   

I can’t believe that William and Mariam are getting married in 2 weeks. That blows my mind, actually. I so so so wish I could be there, but I’m predominantly just so so so excited for them! Did Will and Mariam make wedding announcements? And if so, did they send me one? Because if they didn’t, will you please have them do so? I really want one  

It’s kinda fun because on the 16th here, one of our recent converts is getting engaged. But you know how the Tongan people are, nothing, even an engagement, is small, so they are naturally throwing a huge eating just so he can formally get down in one knee. They are planning on going to the temple next November (her one year mark), and I’m sooo happy for them! While I’m at the party, I can act like I’m at William and Mariam’s reception! Speaking of eatings, yeah, Vaitai was there at the one a few weeks ago, but I didn’t get a picture or anything with him. He’s not LDS, but just related to half of Euless, lol. It was fun.

Jake is doing great! He got a job this week! And his family is officially coming home on March 16th. I’ve pretty much decided that March 16th is an amazing day.    He has the tickets and everything, so this time it’s real!

I cannot believe how bad the weather has been up there! Doesn’t it know it needs to stop snowing, and warm up?! It’s in the 70s again today, and I am loving it! At this rate, it’ll be in the 90s by the time I come home though, and I’m gonna FREEZE up there! I really thought that it wouldn’t be too bad by May, but it’s looking like I’m wrong. Dang. But at least it’s kinda starting to act like it’ll warm up. I mean, a full 50 degrees! Don’t melt! Lol

I have a special request. Last week I challenged my zone to memorize The Family: A Proclamation to the World. The way we did it was each companionship memorized one paragraph and videoed it, then I was going to put them all together as a single video. However... I don’t actually have the tools (a Mac) needed.... so, I was wondering if I sent the videos and stuff to you, if you would mind putting them all together for me? And maybe adding some soft music in the background? (Maybe Families can Be Together Forever, and Love at Home, if you can find them as instrumentals?) Thank you soooo much! You’re a life saver! I’ll send the videos in a different email. And I can check my email during the week, so whenever you get it done, please send it. Thank you!!!    

Life definitely has its ups and downs, and that doesn’t stop just because you’re serving God. How eternally grateful am I though that He trusted me enough to give me a year and half and so many of his children to help home. Something that I’m growing to love more and more as I draw closer to coming home (under two months now - officially #crazy!) is how that service will never end. I have friends now, and friends I will make, who God has trusted me with, someday I’ll have children and a family, and God doesn’t want me to go home, and just sit around. I’ve been thinking about my Patriarchal Blessing recently as part of a program called MyPlan that the church has for missionaries preparing to return home. Anyway, it continually stands out to me how much God wants me to do! Before my mission I focused a lot in the line that indicated God wanted me to serve a mission, but now, I realize my work in my life will be so much more than just these 18 months. I’m excited to see what the next chapter will hold, and what new things God will ask of me. All the while, savoring and loving every last word on the few pages I have left in this chapter of my life. Because I’m never going to get to come back and rewrite these sentences. My life, my service here, will move on, and then I keep writing. I just hope to make it a good one. ✍

Also, we finally got in touch with Jai! And then she came to church again!!! We set an appointment on Wednesday that I so pray doesn’t get canceled! Lol. She’s finally past her first trimester, so hopefully the nausea will stop. Because that’s a big reason she couldn’t meet with us.

We also have an investigator named Jeri we finally got in touch with again. She’s super awesome and open. Doesn’t really have a religious background, but as we teach her, just seems to absorb it. She’s Samoan, and hasn’t been to church yet, but is super sweet. We are hoping to set a baptismal date with her this week. Fingers crossed!

I tried to make this email bigger since last week was lame... so, I hope you like it! Lol. Sorry it’s still not much. I just feel like an email cannot begin to capture so much if what I am feeling and experiencing and want to share. But, I do my best! And I am so grateful for y’all emailing every week, it means the world. I love y’all so much. You are continually in my prayers. Keep up the good work in Idaho, and don’t have too much fun without me! I love you.  

All my love,
Sister Erika Marks     

Hi everyone!

So, I’m totally going to cheat today and send one email to everyone, because I don’t have any time today! I’m sooo sorry! We ended up actually doing something fun though for p-day, so I’m sorry.

And dad, I feel the struggle of finding stuff to write about... I feel like so many weeks I just write the same thing over and over. But I really do cherish your emails, and am so grateful you email every week!

This was a good week. We had the amazing opportunity to have a mission conference with Elder Uceda of the Presidency of the Seventy. It was so good! He continually emphasized teaching by the spirit, and doing more, talking less. He also stressed the importance of praying from the heart, and also reading the scriptures with your heart. It was super amazing to hear his insight, and to take a minute to really ponder the way I pray, and to recommit to ensuring that each prayer is a real conversation with my Father. Since then, I have felt my prayers become far more meaningful and my relationship deepen with my Lord.

Sis Walker is amazing. We had a really good conversation the other day, and since then, I feel like a weight I didn’t know I was carrying is off my shoulders. I feel happier and more determined in the work than I have in weeks, and am so excited to finish like a champion, with all my effort, strong and fast. That being said, I’m also excited to be home to help with projects and do a list of other things I’ve been compiling!

I can’t believe y’all are still getting snow! It’s 70 degrees and sunny today! But it was RAINING all week. Seriously, a downpour every day. I have some cool pictures (I think) and will send them.

Lol with the curling... what the?! I didn’t know y’all had gotten into that... but it sounds fun. And I wish I could have watched these Olympics. I love winter Olympics. But, that’s life. It’s a small sacrifice!

Sorry I’m out of time. I love y’all soooo much! Have an amazing week.  

All my love,
Sister Erika Marks     

Hello!

Well, I’m really not sure what to tell y’all this week... it’s been a good week, but nothing much has happened...

Oh! I figured I should let you know I’m an Eagles fan now, lol. On Saturday there was a big fest for number 72 on the Eagles team, Vaitai, because apparently he’s related to half of Euless. It was super Fun! They tried to make me eat mussels, but I dodged that bullet! I’m not THAT comfortable with Tongan food! Lol. It looked like I wanted to throw up.  

Sis Walker is loved by these wards, so that’s good to see! And we are continuing to get along really well. I keep getting asked by ward members how much time I have left. It’s weird. I should just tell them I have however much time as God is willing to give me! And refuse to give them an actual time.   

Thank you for telling me about Abbey. She actually emailed me, so I have responded, and hope she continues to do well. That’s such a hard thing to be a part of. My prayers go out to the family of the girl that passed. And I’m happy to hear that William and Mariam arrived safely in Rexburg again. It’s kinda a crazy thing, isn’t it?

I’m happy to hear you had a good birthday! It should be super fun to go to Spokane! Did the poem make it there yet? I guess if not, I just gave away what I “got” you... oops! I put it in the mail last week. Oh! I got the package, thanks! I love Juliet. She’s cute. And I’m happy to get my new debit card. Thanks for getting me the fun one  and also, Dad, I would love to see the video when you’re done making it! Please send it to me! 

I really don’t know what to tell you about besides the feast. Things have been going well here, but there’s really no one new we’re working with right now that I could tell you about. Or even any cool finding stories or anything. Just a pretty normal week, I guess.

One lady in the ward here is a Zumba instructor, and on Thursday, we did a Zumba RS activity. It was so fun! I think I might take up Zumba when I go home. Seriously, I loved it!   

Um... spiritual experience of the week! We had a lesson with Jake, and we were re-teaching in the restoration. At one point, we asked him about why it is important to have a prophet today, and he commenced his testimony about how it just makes sense. He talked about how even way before he met the missionaries, he just couldn’t believe that God didn’t speak anymore. He also spoke of the peace that he feels now, and how grateful he is for it. He keeps telling us how he tells his friends, and how they wish they could have it. They can! But I don’t know if they will accept it yet. But, it’s cool to see how Jake is sharing what he has found. Anyway, I wanted to share because as he spoke, I could just feel the spirit so powerfully reminding me of the truths I know, and testifying of why I’m out here. I really love the work!

I love you so much! I hope you have a great week!

All my love,
Sister Erika Marks     

Okay, for the record, Texas is a total scaredy pants when it comes to winter. Everyone talks a big game (“oh yeah, we get ice storms” “oh yeah, Texas has the weirdest weather”) but in reality, they just shut down everything if ANYTHING is threatening... they literally canceled church yesterday because it had a 56% chance of snow.... wow. They called it “inclement whether” lol. Meanwhile, in Idaho....     ☃

Also, right now Tonga is getting hit with a Hurricane! I think it finishes passing this afternoon sometime, but isn’t that crazy? Jake’s Family is still there, so he’s been keeping us updated about it. I hope everyone is okay!  Update: Actually, Jake just texted and said everyone is okay, but the Village got trashed... at least it’s over.

Anyway, I’ve had a good week! Sis Mapa made it home safe and now I’m with Sister Walker! She’s the best. She’s from a tiny town called Penaca, Nevada, close to St George, UT. She’s been out for 9 months, and yeah, I know her from before. She actually used to be a sister I was over, and we went on exchange twice together. I was excited when I found out she’d be my last (probably) companion. Though, if I had my wish, I would go whitewash train somewhere for my last transfer...   it’s not gonna happen though...

Not too much of note happened this week. I realized that I am starting to get use to Tongan food (though I won’t miss it) because we had a dinner the other night, and Sis Walker thought one of the food items was gross, but it didn’t phase me anymore. So, that’s a blessing!

Nothing really cool happening in any front as far as investigators go. We have two non-member YW (sisters) that seem like they might be really interested. Their dad was Mormon, so they want to learn more. The older sister even had a baptismal date once. They’re kinda hard to get a hold of, but I really think they have a lot of potential.

That’s too bad Grandma couldn’t adjust the dress. Hopefully Mariam is able to return it if she has to buy a new one. But how fun they’re home! Everyone must be getting pretty excited for the wedding.

Dad, thinking about what you said about your Patriarchal blessing, and technology, made me think of a cool video called, “prophetic statements on technology” where it’s a collage of prophets and apostles declaring how God is rolling His work forward through modern technology. You would like it. You should try to find it!

Dad, it’s about time you were healthy! That’s crazy you were sick for so long. #OldMan #lol hahaha, sorry, couldn’t resist... but seriously, I’m glad you’re feeling better. Also, did they ever get the truck in? It’s crazy how long it’s taken.

Your home video project sounds fun! It also sounds like a good project to do while adjusting. Kinda makes it seem like we’re almost home. Except we’re little... lol. I’ve been thinking a lot about that recently and how our family is in such a different place now. And then I think about the amount of good is coming out of just our one family, and it blows my mind. Kylie is about to go save lives in Peru, William is about to enter into eternal covenant and start his own family, Garrett and I are serving missions, and you both are serving in the church, and raised this madness! Props to y’all for managing us crazy 4 kids!

I love y’all so much! I hope you have a fantastic week! and happy Valentine’s Day!


All my love,
Sister Erika Marks     

Hello hello!

Yeah, so the big news today is transfers! Drumroll please.... I’m staying! Shocker!   My new companion is Sister Walker, and she’s a total sweetheart. She will get here on Wednesday. She’s currently one of the sisters that I’m over, so I’ve been on exchange with her a few times, and we always got along real well. I think it’s going to be a great last few transfers.

This week was good! Pretty crazy with it being Sis Mapa’s last one. We had a lunch and dinner most days, and even a separate dessert for the next couple... I’m so full. List all the time. I really don’t remember the last time I was legitimately hungry... lol. The Tongans do know how to eat!

It’s been really cool to have a smartphone. It’s nice, but honestly doesn’t really change anything. I keep my iPad, so the phone pretty much just makes it easier to text. The main cool thing is that it has a small data plan, so now if we need to, we can access the internet whenever, rather than just at WiFi locations. It even hotspots if we need it to for our iPads. It’s pretty awesome. 

Also, I love my January gnome! I named him Gnigel, and he’s awesome. I think I win the “most gnomes a missionaries carries with them” award.  

Jake is doing well. He had a hard week trying to find a job and stuff, but on Sunday he had s real break through! Among other things, he found out his tax refund will be coming in about a week, and will be enough to get his family home, officially! So 2 more weeks, with any luck. Though, I’m starting to feel like I’m jinxing it. But it really should work this time. Plus, one of the members just GAVE him a car! So now he doesn’t even need a ride to church. Still no job, but things are looking up! I’m happy for him.

Jai finally came to church yesterday! And we’re still not sure what’s going on with her and her husband. So... we’ll just keep doing our best with them, but the balls really in their court right now.

The other big news is that we set baptismal dates with a couple, Ulu and Leni. He lost his records, so is being re-baptized, and she has been coming to church for years, and just hasn’t committed... the main challenge for them was that they’re living together, but aren’t married... The date isn’t till June (far away, I know) but it’s because they’re waiting till then to get married so that Ulu’s family can fly in from Hawaii for it. But I’m so excited for them! This is such a big step for them. Plus, all 5 of their kids are baptized, and amazingly strong and active in the church. (Well, besides their youngest, who is 7). It’ll be great!

That quilt is beautiful! And how fun to be able to work on it together. Wish I could help! Thanks for the pics. It’ll be a blast to have William and Mariam up for the weekend. Have fun with them!

Well, I’d better go. Sorry, ran out of time. Love you so much!  

All my love,
Sister Erika Marks