Hello Sunshine,
I love my mission. It is so full of great things and is really tough. I love it. This week we had the great privilege to go to the Lord's house. I love the temple. It is so calming and so good feeling. The spirit is felt there and it is a place of refuge. There were allot of people there that I knew. After the session we went out to get half of our mission in a photo. I was able to talk to Elder Robertson and Elder Garcia. Which was awesome. They are great missionaries and are having a great time. Elder Robertson misses Friendswood but likes Galveston as well. He is doing very well and I was very happy to be able to see him. I will get to see him again this week for Zone Conference. Also this week will be crazy. We have an all day meeting, P-day, Planning day, and General Conference. It is going to be a tough week for missionary work.
Let's see other things that have happened this past week. There have been allot of good things that have happened. One of them is very cool. We have an investigator that we have been teaching for a while and has been coming to church every week. We have invited her to be baptized before and she has told us that she is not ready yet. That she wants to learn more. So we have been teaching her. We went over there this past Thursday to have our lesson. We usually talk for a few minutes then start to talk about the gospel and teach. Nothing seemed different when we were talking to her and her member husband before we started to teach. She then took her daughter to bed and came back out. She then said; "Okay let's get down to business. I have decided that I need to get baptized. What do I have to do?" It was awesome. Elder Johnson and I were a little shocked but extremely happy. So we talked to her about it and set a day. She was so excited that this past Sunday in Relief Society she announced that she would be getting baptized on that certain day. That is not like her. It was great. I look forward to that day. I am so excited for her. Also this week we had another lady we are teaching talk about when her baptism is going to be. It will be a few months but she has a great testimony. She has already given up drinking and smoking for months now and hasn't fallen back. I love to see when people are able to see the gospel touch their lives and change them. I have seen many good people be more and more happy the more they give themselves over to the Lord. It is something that I cannot deny and something that is a blessing to see.
Something that I have been really seeing is how doing those small and simple things are not as hard as you would think. Praying, reading your scriptures, going to church, pondering the things you have learned, being obedient, these things just bring happiness. The gospel is ultimately just for us to be as happy as we can possibly be. Every commandment and rule is there for us to be happy and free. Many people see the rules as things to bind us down when they actually make us free. Especially the Word of Wisdom.
I love my mission and I love all of you. If there is anything that I can do for any of you let me know. I know that writing more exciting letters would be one of those things but I am not that exciting.
Today we are going to get some other missionaries car fixed. There brakes have problems. So nothing too exciting today but it will be relaxing to be doing something like this. We usually are playing basketball or something like that. Well I am gonna stop rambling. I hope that all of you have a great week and keep doing your best.
love,
Elder Devon J. Marr
P.S. HAPPY JOELICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.P.S. Happy Easter as well. Make sure you take time to listen to all of the talks given by God's servants the Prophet and the Apostles. This is a great blessing that only a few people take advantage of.
P.P.P.S.
My title has nothing to do with my email. If you were wondering.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Another short email
This email will be short.
We are teaching a great man by the name of John Kanon. He has a great determination to learn and to study as much as he can. He loves the church and really likes that the church makes sense. He is a great man and I love teaching him and being his friend. We have a member who takes us over there every week who really helps us out a ton. He is a worker in the temple and he has a great testimony and gospel understanding.
This week was warm and beautiful. Except for Saturday and Sunday. Saturday we left the apartment and we saw a huge dark cloud. We kept riding hoping that it would go some other direction. But as you can imagine it didn't. We were riding and we were talking to a man in front of his house. He said that he needed to get inside before it started raining and then it started raining very hard. He was nice and asked if we needed a ride. We said yes and he talked to us about how he had friends that have gone on missions and that he ironically had talked to one of them the other day. We are going back over there this week to see him again. He is a great guy and I hope that he is one ready to except the gospel. Sunday was just cold. There has been weather traveling from the west with very strong winds and cold air. It has cooled things off here very quickly.
This Friday we get to go to the temple. I am really looking forward to it and looking forward to being there. Since we only get to go twice a year it is kind of a special thing even more than it already is. I was going to send pictures home this week on a cd but I am going to wait until I have pictures of the temple to send home with it. Sorry this email is so short but there wasn't a lot out of the ordinary that has happened this week.
love,
Elder Devon J. Marr
We are teaching a great man by the name of John Kanon. He has a great determination to learn and to study as much as he can. He loves the church and really likes that the church makes sense. He is a great man and I love teaching him and being his friend. We have a member who takes us over there every week who really helps us out a ton. He is a worker in the temple and he has a great testimony and gospel understanding.
This week was warm and beautiful. Except for Saturday and Sunday. Saturday we left the apartment and we saw a huge dark cloud. We kept riding hoping that it would go some other direction. But as you can imagine it didn't. We were riding and we were talking to a man in front of his house. He said that he needed to get inside before it started raining and then it started raining very hard. He was nice and asked if we needed a ride. We said yes and he talked to us about how he had friends that have gone on missions and that he ironically had talked to one of them the other day. We are going back over there this week to see him again. He is a great guy and I hope that he is one ready to except the gospel. Sunday was just cold. There has been weather traveling from the west with very strong winds and cold air. It has cooled things off here very quickly.
This Friday we get to go to the temple. I am really looking forward to it and looking forward to being there. Since we only get to go twice a year it is kind of a special thing even more than it already is. I was going to send pictures home this week on a cd but I am going to wait until I have pictures of the temple to send home with it. Sorry this email is so short but there wasn't a lot out of the ordinary that has happened this week.
love,
Elder Devon J. Marr
Monday, March 15, 2010
TRANSFER 8
Hi everybody! I have a new companion and he is cool. But before I talk about him I will just mention a little about Elder Robertson. He is in Galveston now and was very excited. I miss him and I hope that he is having a great time down there. He was a great missionary and a great companion. Rhett or rather Elder Oliver is in Silver lake which is in our zone so I will see him three times at the least this transfer for meetings and such. Elder Oliver was very excited to get back to missionary work.
My new companions name is Elder Johnson. He has been in the mission for nine months and is a Spanish missionary. He has been in the city his whole mission. His first area he told me that he never saw anybody besides Hispanics and in his second area was the same. He told me that even in Chinese restaurants the menu is in Spanish. He hasn't prayed in English since the MTC and is having an interesting time readjusting to this area. He still thinks in Spanish so it takes him a moment to respond. He is a good missionary and I look forward to serving with him this transfer. Sadly he will most likely only be with me for this transfer. There were alot of missionaries who came in this transfer and none of them were Spanish. So in order to have them trained in their language they moved out many Spanish missionaries for a transfer until more english missionaries arrive. Back to Elder Johnson. He lives in Ogden Utah and is studying to be a nurse. he already has his associates and is planning on getting his masters. He is very intelligent and a nice guy.
Elder Jones my MTC companion is in our district now. It is great to see him again and to talk to him about the old days back at the MTC. He is a great missionary and is doing very well. Elder Maw who was replaced by Elder Jones, (That makes it sound really bad), has been moved for his last transfer into the city.
So what is Elder Dudgeon's address? I would like to send him a letter. Anyways.
This past week has been alright. the weather is starting to heat up fast. It is really warm and a little humid. Yesterday was perfect it felt like a summer day in Washington. Now is the best time of the year here. Except those who have allergies. Elder Johnson is having a rough time with his allergies. There is a lot of pollen in the air.
Sorry this email is so scattered and doesn't have much information about my area. things are going well. The ward is strong and there have been some people coming back to church. Also our investigators are doing well. We have alot of member involvement here in this ward which makes all the difference.
I love my mission and I love all of you. thank you for your emails and your letters and packages and girl scout cookies and prayers and everything you all do for me. It really lets me know that I am loved. I wish a good week to all of you and I hope that life keeps going well.
love,
Elder Devon Joel Marr
P.S.
The gospel is true.
My new companions name is Elder Johnson. He has been in the mission for nine months and is a Spanish missionary. He has been in the city his whole mission. His first area he told me that he never saw anybody besides Hispanics and in his second area was the same. He told me that even in Chinese restaurants the menu is in Spanish. He hasn't prayed in English since the MTC and is having an interesting time readjusting to this area. He still thinks in Spanish so it takes him a moment to respond. He is a good missionary and I look forward to serving with him this transfer. Sadly he will most likely only be with me for this transfer. There were alot of missionaries who came in this transfer and none of them were Spanish. So in order to have them trained in their language they moved out many Spanish missionaries for a transfer until more english missionaries arrive. Back to Elder Johnson. He lives in Ogden Utah and is studying to be a nurse. he already has his associates and is planning on getting his masters. He is very intelligent and a nice guy.
Elder Jones my MTC companion is in our district now. It is great to see him again and to talk to him about the old days back at the MTC. He is a great missionary and is doing very well. Elder Maw who was replaced by Elder Jones, (That makes it sound really bad), has been moved for his last transfer into the city.
So what is Elder Dudgeon's address? I would like to send him a letter. Anyways.
This past week has been alright. the weather is starting to heat up fast. It is really warm and a little humid. Yesterday was perfect it felt like a summer day in Washington. Now is the best time of the year here. Except those who have allergies. Elder Johnson is having a rough time with his allergies. There is a lot of pollen in the air.
Sorry this email is so scattered and doesn't have much information about my area. things are going well. The ward is strong and there have been some people coming back to church. Also our investigators are doing well. We have alot of member involvement here in this ward which makes all the difference.
I love my mission and I love all of you. thank you for your emails and your letters and packages and girl scout cookies and prayers and everything you all do for me. It really lets me know that I am loved. I wish a good week to all of you and I hope that life keeps going well.
love,
Elder Devon Joel Marr
P.S.
The gospel is true.
Monday, March 8, 2010
TRANSFER 8
I have been here for three transfers so far. we got transfer calls this morning and sadly Elder Robertson will be leaving. I am gonna miss that Elder. He is a great missionary and he worked extremely hard out here. I have no idea where he is going but time will tell and I will tell you guys next email where he is. I guess that I will be staying in Friendswood for the next 1-2 transfers. I love it here. I would miss it very much if I left. So Rhett Oliver is getting transferred this week. He is going to be spending a transfer in our mission before he goes back to California. He is a cool guy and he will be a great missionary. In other news...
This week we taught more than ever before in a week. I loved it. Usually we have alot of stuff that falls through but this week things all seemed to work out just right. Our main focus was teaching members and helping them be familiar with Preach My Gospel and how to talk to their friends about the gospel. It has been really effective and I have enjoyed doing it. I remember before my mission I knew a lot of the gospel but I didn't really know how to talk about it with others. I admit that I should have read at least chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel and chapter 4. It is a great book and tells you all that you need to nkow to share the gospel regardless of who you are. It brakes it down very simply. So this week in district meeting President Saylin asked all of the district leaders to do what they have done before and give the same training in the whole mission at the same time. We talked about how to follow the spirit more in teaching. It was really good experience and was even mission changing. Instead of preparing a lesson we are now just studying the doctrine and letting the spirit guide us in teaching fully. It is difficult to explain how it works but if you would like to know more ask me about it.
So the weather is already starting to heat up. It has been 70 degrees this whole week with the humidity starting to rise as well as how many bugs are around. I am not looking forward to the heat but if I am on a bike I will sweat away a few pounds. I make fun of myself but I only weight 202. That's not a lot for my size. Anyways. It is good to hear that things for the most of you have been pretty good. Life has been good here.
Elder Robertson and I were riding our bikes in a certain area that we felt we should go this week. No body really wanted to listen to us and it was tough. But on our way home we stopped and talked to a man that was working in his garage. His name is Leslie (a man not a girl). We start to talk with him and we don't really think he is listening. Then when we mention modern day prophets it caught his interest. He asked us to sit down and tell him more. We talked for a half an hour and it was great. He has searched around a lot of places for the truth and doesn't go to church anymore because he can't find what he is looking for. As we talked to him he brought up a lot of good questions and wanted to know a lot of stuff about our beliefs. We told him to read from the Book of Mormon and to pray about it. He told us he would. usually when people tell you they will you usually know if they will or not. I have faith that he will. The Book of Mormon is the greatest tool of a missionary. There are promises associated with it and you cannot prove it wrong or false. There have been many theory's as to where it really came from and what it is but none of them hold. I have been thinking lately about what Elder Holland asks us to do if we want to deny the Book of Mormon. He asks us to come up with a reasonable reason why the Book of Mormon is false. By trying to account of a way that this great book was written. I have tryed to come up with some way that it is false. I know that it is true by the spirit but thinking of how others could see it as false. But the more I read it the more I understand that Joseph Smith or even an expert writer could not have come up with something as powerful and complex as the Book of Mormon there is no other answer than the one Joseph Smith gave.
I love you all and I hope that you have a great week. Thank you for letters that I have received from a number of you. Have a great week.
love,
Elder Devon J. Marr
This week we taught more than ever before in a week. I loved it. Usually we have alot of stuff that falls through but this week things all seemed to work out just right. Our main focus was teaching members and helping them be familiar with Preach My Gospel and how to talk to their friends about the gospel. It has been really effective and I have enjoyed doing it. I remember before my mission I knew a lot of the gospel but I didn't really know how to talk about it with others. I admit that I should have read at least chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel and chapter 4. It is a great book and tells you all that you need to nkow to share the gospel regardless of who you are. It brakes it down very simply. So this week in district meeting President Saylin asked all of the district leaders to do what they have done before and give the same training in the whole mission at the same time. We talked about how to follow the spirit more in teaching. It was really good experience and was even mission changing. Instead of preparing a lesson we are now just studying the doctrine and letting the spirit guide us in teaching fully. It is difficult to explain how it works but if you would like to know more ask me about it.
So the weather is already starting to heat up. It has been 70 degrees this whole week with the humidity starting to rise as well as how many bugs are around. I am not looking forward to the heat but if I am on a bike I will sweat away a few pounds. I make fun of myself but I only weight 202. That's not a lot for my size. Anyways. It is good to hear that things for the most of you have been pretty good. Life has been good here.
Elder Robertson and I were riding our bikes in a certain area that we felt we should go this week. No body really wanted to listen to us and it was tough. But on our way home we stopped and talked to a man that was working in his garage. His name is Leslie (a man not a girl). We start to talk with him and we don't really think he is listening. Then when we mention modern day prophets it caught his interest. He asked us to sit down and tell him more. We talked for a half an hour and it was great. He has searched around a lot of places for the truth and doesn't go to church anymore because he can't find what he is looking for. As we talked to him he brought up a lot of good questions and wanted to know a lot of stuff about our beliefs. We told him to read from the Book of Mormon and to pray about it. He told us he would. usually when people tell you they will you usually know if they will or not. I have faith that he will. The Book of Mormon is the greatest tool of a missionary. There are promises associated with it and you cannot prove it wrong or false. There have been many theory's as to where it really came from and what it is but none of them hold. I have been thinking lately about what Elder Holland asks us to do if we want to deny the Book of Mormon. He asks us to come up with a reasonable reason why the Book of Mormon is false. By trying to account of a way that this great book was written. I have tryed to come up with some way that it is false. I know that it is true by the spirit but thinking of how others could see it as false. But the more I read it the more I understand that Joseph Smith or even an expert writer could not have come up with something as powerful and complex as the Book of Mormon there is no other answer than the one Joseph Smith gave.
I love you all and I hope that you have a great week. Thank you for letters that I have received from a number of you. Have a great week.
love,
Elder Devon J. Marr
Monday, March 1, 2010
ZONE CONFERENCE W/ Elder Zwick of the 70
This past week was amazing. We had a zone conference with Elder Zwick of the 70 that was wonderful. We all got to shake his hand and hear him speak. Usually in a meeting like this they ask you to do certain things. He never told us something to do. He just talked and taught and invited us to listen to the spirit and let Him tell us what we can do differently from then on. The spirit was stronger in that meeting than in any one I have ever had before. Rhett Oliver came with us and talked to President Saylin, Elder Zwick, and our stake president. Rhett may be serving as an Elder for a few weeks here in our mission during transfer time. He is a great guy and has such a good testimony of the gospel. He was talking with us this week and told us that when he got back he had fun watching movies and TV and other things but that it is not as satisfying as before. He feels like it is a good thing that he came home for a time because of his leg to give him a better appreciation of this work and being a missionary. He wants to go back really bad.
The meeting was great he talked about having a sure foundation. Having a solid foundation of Christ is one of the most important things. I felt like I need to read more out of the Bible especially the "gospels." Learning about the savior and who he really is is extremely important. A lot of people think that we don't believe in Christ but worship prophets. That doesn't make any sense. We believe in Christ and God just as much as others. We also have even more evidence of Christ's love for the earth and the people on it. I love the gospel.
He also told lots of stories about the general authorities. Especially President Hinckley and Elder Irering. He talked about how much energy President Hinckley had and how he was like a young man in stamina. There was one story he told that I really liked; President Hinckley was going through the different sessions of dedicating the Nauvoo temple. Upon leaving the temple there were some 2000 people outside just wanting to get a look at him. Elder and Sister Zwick were with him at the time. He told them to go and wait in the car if they wanted. He then told them that he just wanted to shake a few hands. 2 1/2 hours and 2000 hands later they left to the airport to go to New York. Elder and Sister Zwick were invited to fly on the same plane that President Hinckley was going to fly on. Immediately when you were allowed to take off your seat-belt President Hinckley got up and said; "It's time to exercise." He started stretching and walking up and down the plane doing different work outs. They were shocked at his energy levels. When the plane landed Elder and Sister Zwick went with President Hinckley to drop off their luggage. Then they took the car to the Hill Cumorah. You can drive almost all the way to the top. But not President Hinckley. He asked to be dropped off at the bottom and jogged to the top. They were amazed at his energy and stamina. They thought surely the Lord gave him this strength at this time. The whole time Elder and Sister Zwick were exhausted and couldn't imagine how President Hinckley could have so much energy if not a servant of the Lord.
This week has been pretty good apart from the amazing zone conference. I was excited to get a copy of Blaine's departing talk at church. I hope that he has a great time. I know he will work hard and do a great job. Something else I learned was how missionaries are called into there missions. But that will have to wait for another time. I love my mission and I may very possibly be getting transferred in a week and a half. Most likely one of us will be leaving. But who knows what the Lord wishes for this area. I trust that President Saylin will do the Lord's will here and will send me where the Lord wants me to go.
I love you all and I hope that this week goes well for all of you.
love,
Elder Devon J. Marr
P.S. Heleman 5 "SURE FOUNDATION"
The meeting was great he talked about having a sure foundation. Having a solid foundation of Christ is one of the most important things. I felt like I need to read more out of the Bible especially the "gospels." Learning about the savior and who he really is is extremely important. A lot of people think that we don't believe in Christ but worship prophets. That doesn't make any sense. We believe in Christ and God just as much as others. We also have even more evidence of Christ's love for the earth and the people on it. I love the gospel.
He also told lots of stories about the general authorities. Especially President Hinckley and Elder Irering. He talked about how much energy President Hinckley had and how he was like a young man in stamina. There was one story he told that I really liked; President Hinckley was going through the different sessions of dedicating the Nauvoo temple. Upon leaving the temple there were some 2000 people outside just wanting to get a look at him. Elder and Sister Zwick were with him at the time. He told them to go and wait in the car if they wanted. He then told them that he just wanted to shake a few hands. 2 1/2 hours and 2000 hands later they left to the airport to go to New York. Elder and Sister Zwick were invited to fly on the same plane that President Hinckley was going to fly on. Immediately when you were allowed to take off your seat-belt President Hinckley got up and said; "It's time to exercise." He started stretching and walking up and down the plane doing different work outs. They were shocked at his energy levels. When the plane landed Elder and Sister Zwick went with President Hinckley to drop off their luggage. Then they took the car to the Hill Cumorah. You can drive almost all the way to the top. But not President Hinckley. He asked to be dropped off at the bottom and jogged to the top. They were amazed at his energy and stamina. They thought surely the Lord gave him this strength at this time. The whole time Elder and Sister Zwick were exhausted and couldn't imagine how President Hinckley could have so much energy if not a servant of the Lord.
This week has been pretty good apart from the amazing zone conference. I was excited to get a copy of Blaine's departing talk at church. I hope that he has a great time. I know he will work hard and do a great job. Something else I learned was how missionaries are called into there missions. But that will have to wait for another time. I love my mission and I may very possibly be getting transferred in a week and a half. Most likely one of us will be leaving. But who knows what the Lord wishes for this area. I trust that President Saylin will do the Lord's will here and will send me where the Lord wants me to go.
I love you all and I hope that this week goes well for all of you.
love,
Elder Devon J. Marr
P.S. Heleman 5 "SURE FOUNDATION"
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