Hey y'all!

First off, thanks so much for your emails every week! And thanks for being so interested in my investigators and stuff, I love being able to share what I can. That being said, unfortunately I'm way short in time today. We made the mistake of doing the district p-day activity before emailing, and now p-day is almost over! I'll share what I can, though a lot may have to wait till next week.

I'm loving being companions again with sister Day! Also, I think I found my travel buddy when I go to Europe in a few years! J We've actually made some crazy schemes for when we're back home, so it'll be fun to see which of those actually come to fruition (if any).

It is so weird to think that odds are I'll be transferred in a few weeks. My guess is I'll leave at the end of this transfer in the middle of April. I have mixed emotions about that idea. Ready to move on, but also never really ready to leave those you love. I've definitely grown attached here, and it's incredible the amount of charity being in a mission gives you for those you serve. Who'd have thought that 5 months here is going to be almost harder to leave than my years in Westmond? J I also would love to remain companions with Sis. Day for an extra transfer. I mean, who knows? Maybe I will be! Haha :)

I'm so grateful for the time that Sis Martin and I had to be companions. I know that I grew and learned a lot during our time together and from her personally. She's a great woman, who is in the right place. The Lord watches out for us, and we are truly on the Lord's errand.

So Jennifer just showed up at church 2 weeks ago. Completely alone! We were able to chat for a bit, and it turns out she was taking the lessons is California before she moved, but for some reason we never got a referral for her. Anyway, her sister is a member in California, and finally talked her into coming to the church, so she did! We've met now a few times, and we think that she should have a baptismal date by the next lesson on Thursday. We're hoping for mid-April! We invited her to pray about and pick a date last time we met, so we'll just finalize that this time. She's so awesome! Seriously, a golden contact (hopefully). I hesitate to say that until she's in the water, but she is pretty great! Hopefully I'll still be in Azle when she gets baptized!

Sorry, I don't really have time for anything about any other investigators today...

I love y'all so much! Thank you for the updates about everything, I love hearing it! You are in my prayers, daily. Thank you for the prayers y'all send my way.

Love forever,
Sister Erika Marks ❤☀❤

MOM NOTE: Sorry I am so behind, but I am going to try to work a bit each day to get caught up!

From Erika:

Wow, I feel like I have a ton to tell you this week, but I don't really know how to write it all. First off, this was probably the scariest weekend of my life. I really wish I was joking. So, you know how Sis Martin has fought a migraine for over a month now, and she's super susceptible to concussions? Yeah, that makes a bad backdrop for what happened. Friday night, we had a late dinner with some nice members (the Butler's) a lovely little family with two small boys. All during dinner, Sis Martin's right side had gone out; however, we weren't too worried about it, because it's not anything new (unfortunately). After dinner, we went back to the church to do some studies we are behind in, because sis Martin wasn't up to being in public any longer with her side. It was about 8:15 when we got to the church. We were walking into the church, and Sis. Martin was leaning heavily on me, because her right side was dead, and her left side was weak. Her left side gave out, but I caught her before she fell. But again, her left side went out, but this time I couldn't catch her. She fell, and hit the back of her head hard on the pavement of the parking lot.

I immediately asked her if she was okay, and if she had hit her head. She said no, but when I tried to get her up to finish walking into the church, she said, "No, just let me stay here. I'm tired. I'm tired." She kept repeating, "I'm tired" over and over, and wouldn't or couldn't answer me when I was talking with her. I didn't know what to do. I tried to call the mission nurse, but she didn't respond. So, I did all I could think to do. I picked her up in the fireman-carry, like the one we learn at girl’s camp, and walked her back to our apartment across the road. I kept making her talk and wouldn't let her fall asleep. I knew she had gotten another concussion, but it was scary when I asked her who he president was, and she said she didn't know. It was even scarier when she didn't know what year it was. It was like I was caught in some bad movie, or she was pulling some awful prank. But she wasn't, and she really was hurt. I was so scared, and it was all I could do to keep it together enough to do what needed to be done.

Back in the apartment, I was finally able to get a hold of the mission nurse, and she had me call a member to bring us to the ER. I called Sis. Butler, as she lives close, she had said to call if we needed anything. I bet she didn't expect me to call that soon though, and especially not with a, "will you come take us to the hospital?" She was an angel, and came right away. I managed to keep Sister Martin awake (I made her count over and over) and we walked back down to the street to meet Sis. Butler when she came by.

We were at the hospital until 11:30-11:45 that night, and Sis. Butler stayed the whole time. It was some of the scariest hours of my life. I remember Sis. Martin saying that her neurologist before her mission pretty much told her that if she got another concussion, she'd likely have permanent brain damage. Oh, how I did not want that to be on me. I know that her fall is not my fault, but I can't help but think there should have been something more I could have done to prevent her from getting that concussion. I guess I don't blame myself, but I do wish I could have had better reflexes. I do know, though, that I have not felt the spirit like I did in that ER room for some time. I can't say I felt some overwhelming peace, or any other cliché thing, but I did feel my faith outweighing my fear. And I know that faith and fear cannot reside at the same place.

She got a CT scan, and it came back clear. Thank goodness! They released her, and said she could go back to normal activity after taking a day or two to rest. President and Sister Whitney drove all the way over to Azle and got to the hospital about the same time as we were being released. It was lovely to see them, though, and I'm so grateful they came, even if they weren't there for long. We left, and President gave Sis. Martin a nice blessing before they left back home. We got back to the apartment around midnight, and I was asleep by 12:30.

Saturday was scary because she couldn't remember almost anything. She couldn't remember who I was, though she could remember that she trusted me, even if she couldn't remember why. I had to explain multiple times, different people in the ward, different investigators, and had to relive the past night, as I had to tell her what had happened over and over. She was luckily able to sleep most of the day, but I was almost at a breaking point. I just was so scared for her, and honestly for the Azle area. My brain was going a million miles an hour, and worried she'd get ET'd (Emergency Transferred) out, which means I would probably to, and we'd have to leave all the people we're working with now, and all the thoughts we have about so many different people in the area that we're going to be trying to teach soon (including Joel and Misty).

So, as of today (Monday), we're doing a lot better. She can remember most stuff now, and we're back to dealing with the more physical side effects of her migraines and concussions, which I can handle. It was the mental side of it all which scares me. We have the mission nurse, Sister Burgeson, coming tonight, to help me and her. Right now, I honestly think that she's more worried about me than Sis. Martin, because she's not used to missionaries that can handle this type of stress. To be honest, I'm grateful for her concern, but I'm far more worried about Sis Martin than myself, even if this weekend has been hard. Probably one of the hardest of my life, up to this point, if I'm being truthful. The ward has been amazing support though. Sis Butler of course checked in on us, and the Calaway's have allowed us to be with them today. Sis. Martin has an appointment on Tuesday, and I'm just trying to make it till then. I pray that it helps, and I really don't want her to go home after only being out one transfer.

Anyway, besides that, our week has been good! We were not able to get a hold of Joel and Misty (but we're trying!), but we had a different cool lesson. There's this couple named Dyllan and Breanna, they have a little 9 month old daughter. We actually found Dyllan by tracting! And when he answered the door, he said, "Oh! You're LDS!" You can image how surprised we were! Turns out he is a member, and didn't know there was an LDS congregation in Azle, as he's been less active for a long time. However, he said he and his wife were considering trying to find a church to join. It took a long time to figure out a time to meet with them, as Breanna is a paramedic, so crazy busy. However, last week we finally got a lesson with them! We decided to teach the Plan of Salvation first, rather than the Restoration, and it went great! Breanna has zero to no religious background, in her own terms she, "knows some names, and has seen 'Prince of Egypt'". Haha! Anyway, it went great. One of my favorite parts is she said she wants to know it's true, but she wants to FEEL it's true. Then, once she knows, she said she wants to live accordingly. She doesn't just want to say to believe something, but she wants to live it! I was so excited, I mean, I have a great church for you! Haha! Anyway, we have another lesson set up for Thursday night, and we're looking for some ward members to come out with us.
 
I'm soooo happy to hear y'all are still reading the Book of Mormom everyday, it's such a blessing. I love that every day I have time set aside to read from that holy book along with other scripture and church resources.

Oh! Guess what! Elder Rasband is coming out next week! I don't know why exactly he's in Fort Worth, but he's doing a missionary thing with us on Saturday, then will be at stake conference for my stake the next day! I'm soooooo excited to meet him and hear his instruction. I'm doing my best to be spiritually prepare to sit at the feel of an apostle two days in a row!

Anyway, that's about it from me this week! I love you so much. Your prayers, especially for Sis Martin, are so appreciated and felt. Also, she says, "hi" and "thank you". Love you! I hope you have a great week! Enjoy the spring weather. ☀️☃️

All my love,
Sister Erika Marks ☀️