CHRISTMAS WEEK +

Sorry this email is so late. Our library was closed on Monday and yesterday we had no time to email. So we had to talk to some people and do it today instead. It is raining pretty good and we had our car taken from us for the day. The other missionaries needed it for transfer meeting. So we had to bike in the rain which is amazing. Elder Walker and I are staying together. Which is awesome. I love Elder Walker. There is still a lot to do here in the ward and a lot that I am looking forward to. He is a good missionary and has a lot of love for the people.
 
So Christmas week. Lets see. It was great. We did a lot. Sadly many of our investigators were not around. So we talked to a lot of new people this week. It didn't feel like Christmas week. Tuesday it was 84 degrees and then by Saturday it was 40. A big drop. One part of the week you are sweating on your bike and getting home and turning the A/C on and the next day you are shivering and get home and turn the heater on. There is no consistency with Houston weather. It keeps things interesting though so you are always on your toes. It adds some excitement to, with not knowing what the temperature or weather will be like the next day.
 
On Christmas we gathered as a zone and played games and ate food. There are a lot of missionaries that I am close to in this zone. Some of them are being transferred which is pretty sad but there are still some that I just love. Elder Cayas is here int he zone and is staying. Although I don't get to see him often it is good to see him some of the time. He is a great missionary and one of my favorites. I love that guy so much. He taught me a lot of things being with him.
 
Christmas morning started with gathering as a district to open presents and read scriptures. We had a good time and it was better than last years Christmas morning. I thoroughly enjoyed it. We had these green sweaters that we wore and we looked kinda goofy but it was fun.
 
We also gathered for zone conference last week. Half of it was like normal and the other half was games and the gift exchange. I ended up with this cool flashlight. It was so much fun. President Saylin's parents were there and they are not members. They enjoyed it and President Saylin was very happy that they decided to join us. It made me think about how important the gospel is and that we can never give up on anybody even if they don't want to hear it. My mission president is one of the greatest men that i know. He is one of the greatest examples to me of what I want to be when it comes to my standing with God. You can tell that he obeys the Lord in everything that he can think of and just glows with the spirit. I feel the spirit every time that I am around him and it just makes me more excited to feel what it will be like to stand before the Savior and feel of his countenance.
 
I love you all and I hope that this week goes well for you. Have a great new year and resolve to be better. I love you and I will talk to y'all next week.
 
love,
 
ELDER MARR

Tiles, baptisms, and pictures of the sun

This week has been crazy busy. I cant believe how busy it has been. Then today has been even more crazy. With P-day ending early so that we can have some time on Christmas to relax as a zone. Ahhh P-day. So much to do and so little time. I cant believe that time goes by so fast. It always seems to go fast when you have stuff to do. It's good to though. At least we are always busy with important things to do.

So this past week was a good one. We had a lot of great things happen. The Lord has been so merciful to me in letting me feel of his love and showing me that this is not my mission but his and I am just an instrument in his hands. I know this to be true. I cannot express enough how much I feel like I don't deserve what the Lord gives to me. I am so flawed and all I have comes short of the mark. But he loves me still so much and is patient with me in all that I do. I love the Lord so much and I know that I can do better in all things. This time of year always makes me reflect on the past year and what has happened. I love you all and I thank you for all that you have done for me. I may not write letters or even shoot an email but know that I love you all so much. I wish that I could send you something for Christmas. The truth is that as all missionaries I have no money and I don't have any time to think of what to get people for Christmas. The greatest joy that comes to me is making other people happy. I hope that you all will be happy with what I can give. I cannot give much but I love you all. It seems like time and money are something that I do not have. But it reminds me of the true meaning of Christmas. This time is the time to celebrate and commemorate the Saviors mission and birth. Although he was not born on Christmas this is the time that we spend to think of Him. I try to love him with all that I have and I hope that one day I truly can have my eye single to His glory in its fullness.

I am going to tell all of you what I truly want for Christmas.

I want you to go to the temple.
I want you to find out if this Church and its teaching are the truth.
I want you to go back to church and start attending regularly.
I want you to spend the day with someone to cheer them up.
I want you to sacrifice your time.
I want you to repent and give up that sin that you don't want to give up.
I want you to pray.
I want you to love.

I am not perfect at all. I lack in so much and I know that unless it was the hand of God that I would not be out here on a mission. He has changed my life and I still want Him to change it some more. I have much to change and I have much that I can do for the Lord with more zeal and with more sincerity. I will try my best to give of myself this season and think of you when appropriate. I love you all.

I love you all and I wish you all a very happy and merry Christmas,

love,

ELDER MARR

This is my life.....

Again the weather cannot make up its mind. I have shivered this week and I have broken a sweat. There have been days in the high 70's and days in the mid 40's. Yesterday was in the 40's and Saturday was in the 70's. It is crazy. I looked at a pool this week and said to myself that it would feel good to jump in. Then a day later I looked at it and when I thought of jumping into it in my mind I shivered. It is cold today but should be getting warmer. I love being in this weather. You never know whatcha gunna get. Don't worry parents and grandparents I have a jacket. I stay warm when it is cold and I  stay cool when it is warm.
 
If the weather was like this every day of the year it would be a pleasant place when it comes to weather. Now sure there aren't the beautiful landscapes but it is good enough. I do miss the mountains and hills though. It is so flat. Now that I am up near the city more it seems a little less flat just because of the buildings. But it is still flat. There aren't any sky scrapers in my area so no camera shots of a ton of land but it is a nice place.
 
This week we have been teaching some great people. There is so much that we have been doing and that we have been put into. There are many families that we are teaching and that are progressing. This past week we started teaching a family of 9 and a few of their relatives. As well there have been some other families and single people that are showing sincere interest in the gospel and that are gaining testimonies of their own. We taught a lady this week who at first repelled the idea of additional scripture. Then she embraced the Book of Mormon after letting us explain a little about it. SHe loves that book now. When we went over and taught the family they had some of their friends and relatives over. She speaks Spanish and some English and her friends just speak Spanish. She taught them what we had taught her and she testified of the Book of Mormon and told them that they have to read it. It was so cool. She already has a strong testimony and truly wants to follow the Savior.
 
This week was full of great feelings. There have been people who are open to meeting with us, many great spiritual feelings and experiences, and some great things that I have been learning. I felt the spirit a lot in my life this week. Not necessarily the most intense experiences with the spirit but most likely the longest periods of time were I have felt the Holy Ghost in my life. I love being a missionary. Everything that you do has an eternal purpose. Everything is important. It makes me feel a lot more responsibility than I did back at home. I love it because then when we are wiling to give more the Lord gives more to us. President Gordon B. Hinckley once said that we shouldn't use the word 'sacrifice' as much as we do in the church. The truth is that when we sacrifice for the Lord it is more of an investment than a sacrifice. He never lets us put Him in our debt.
 
I love the blessings of the gospel. I look forward to this coming week as well as Christmas week. I would be lying if I said that I am not looking forward to being able to call home. It is going to be exciting. I love being able to talk with someone instead of through emails or letters. Sorry yall always have to read my letters. I am not a great writer and emails and letters really don't convey who I really am. If I was a better writer than maybe it would but for now this is all ya get.
 
love yall and have a great week.
 
love,
 
ELDER MARR

H-Town

A cold week. The weather doesn't know what it wants at all. One day it gets up to 80 and you wake up the next morning and leave your apartment and it is in the 50's. It has been an unpredictable week for sure. You always have to pack some extra stuff in your backpack if it gets cold but you don't want to wear it out because it will be warm. So weird. I always liked that in Washington that when it was cold it was cold and when it was warm it was warm. Here it can jump so much from day to day that you never know what the next day is going to be like. And when people tell you what it will be like you can never trust it because the weather is usually wrong on their predictions. Anyone who lives by the coast knows that. It can change quick.

I love this place though. I miss Pasadena still but I love this area. There are so many people who are being prepared by the Lord and people who we are teaching that are prepared. I feel so blessed to be able to teach so many great people and help them on their path to get closer to Heavenly Father. We have a family that we are working with and the son is planning on getting baptized on the 18th. He is a great kid who shows obedience and is willing to do what is asked of him. He is aware of the spirit and is a good kid. i wish that I could of had the faith and spiritual sensitivity that he has at 9 when I was his age. I look forward to the day of his and his nephew's baptism. About the ages, I don't have time to explain. Luis is 9 and Sonny is 8. Luis is Sonny's uncle. Long story. Anyways, (Do I say that a lot?), I look forward to that day. They are great kids and their family is as well. There are so many people to talk about and so little time. We are working with many people and many who are prepared for the gospel. I love to have these people that we are teaching. Having people to teach is always a great feeling. Especially when they are so willing to follow the Lord.

A cool story from this week. We ate dinner with the Stanton family. With the Stantons who live with Sis. Stanton's mother. She is in her 90's. She talked to us at dinner about when she was a young member of the church. She knew every member that lived in the Houston area from part of Louisiana to Victoria. Now there are about three missions that cover that space. Which covers about 21 stakes if I am not mistaken. That blew my mind. I was totally shocked. The church has grown so much. It just makes me think that in 80 years there most likely will be at least 60 stakes in the area I have heretofore mentioned. That would be soo cool. To be a part of that expansion and helping all of those people is so cool. I love my mission and I love being able to help people do and follow what matters most.

love yall and have a great week,

ELDER MARR

P.S.

If Brother Brett Jensen is reading this congratulations on the engagement. Also Elder Breeze says congrats.

New Area

New adress

8100 Stone #307
Houston, TX
77061




That's right a new area. I was shocked this week to receive a phone call on Tuesday from President Saylin. He talked to me for a few minutes and told me that he had an assignment for me to fulfill. He asked me if I would accept an assignment to go to the Broadway area. It was quite a shock. A few days before Thanksgiving in an area that I love and with a companion that I work great with. But the Lord had a different plan. One of the apostles once said that "this is not your mission, it is the Lord's." So things happen that don't make sense to the natural mind. But I know that the Lord is in charge of this work and that he will give revelation to those whom he has chosen to let them know His will. In this case President Saylin followed the Lord and has sent me where the Lord needs me to go. I already miss Pasadena. I border my old area so that makes me miss it even more. I pray that Pasadena keeps growing and building. This area has great hope for the future as well with many people who are prepared for the gospel.
 
I am now in Broadway. It is a fairly large area bordering on the east side the whole of Pasadena 1st ward. It is a little nicer in spots and also closer to the city on the other end. It is different and a lot more populated. I enjoy it from what I have seen of it so far. This area has had 21 convert baptisms in past year. That is quite a bit for this mission. I am so excited to be int his area and find more people who are prepared for the gospel. There are so many people who are sincere and willing to meet with us and listen to our message. We spoke to a man  this week on the street named Carlos. After talking with us for a few minutes he told us that he is interested in being baptized. Upon coming back and having our first lesson with him he told us that he knows there are things that he must do so that he will not continue in sin after baptism and will stay clean. He is making large strides and he is a sincere man. He is just one of the great people whom we have just met this week. There are people who we are working with and many others who we haven't met yet who we are excited to meet and help progress in the gospel.
 
My new companions name is Elder Walker. He has been out for about 8 months. He is a good missionary and loves the people. We both get along very well. He has my same dorky sense of humor. He is willing to work and we both are looking for ways to help this area explode. I am excited for the future. Sadly Elder Richardson however is no longer my companion. I will see him on Friday though so that will be sweet. He is a good guy.
 
We had a good Thanksgiving with the Sifuentes and Franklin families. The Franklins are wonderful. He is a temple worker and is so strong in the gospel. He told of his conversion story at dinner and it was awesome. He was looking for all of his life for the church which had prophets and apostles. Then he found it and followed it with all of his heart. There family is awesome. So loving and kind. The dinner was good too.  Yall know that I love turkey.
 
So it has been cold and rainy this week. it was really raining hard about 2 minutes ago but now has slowed down a little. It reminds me of home a little how the weather is here in the winter time.
 
Well I love yall and I hope that all is well. I care for you all and I wish that I really had time to write letters. I don't just say that I really never have any time. But know that I would write to you all if I had the time.
 
love,
 
ELDER MARR
 
P.S.
HAPPY WEEK AFTER THANKSGIVING

HUO JI DAY!!!!!!!

Cold, hot, cold, hot cold, cold, cold, hot. The weather here will not calm down. It won't make up its mind either. I never thought that the temperature could be in the high 70's low 80's and then you wake up the next day and walk outside and it is in the 50's. It has been crazy. You never know what to prepare for. It could be anything. today it is in the 70's but it is extremely humid. So weird. Texas just wont calm down. It keeps life exciting though.
 
This past week was a good one. Elder Richardson got sick though which was not so good. He is doing better now. Luckily I haven't cough what he has yet and he has been sick for a few days. My immune system is pretty strong so I hope that I can fight off whatever is in the air. He has been pretty messed up the past few days. But like I said he is doing good now. It is starting to go away. Besides his sickness there have been a lot of people getting sick. Probably because of the crazy weather. Who knows.
 
This week we had a fireside in Friendswood. It was really great. The speakers were wonderful and hearing their testimonies always touches my heart. Being in the Friendswood building also touched my heart. As we drove through Friendswood on our way to the church my mind went back to one year ago when I first arrived in Friendswood. The memory of eating Thanksgiving dinner at the Livesay home is still fresh in my memory. It literally feels like last month. I can remember the food and where I sat at the table. It is such a strong memory and it feels so recent. My life seems to be flashing before my eyes. Not that I am dying but that time just goes fast. I ,almost can't believe that it was a year ago that I was in Friendswood. I spoke to the missionaries who are currently serving in Friendswood and spoke to them about the work that was going on there and I asked them how the a family that I worked with while I was there were doing. They made me feel such joy when they told me that they are extremely active in the church. It made me so grateful that the Lord has giving me these experiences in my life to be able to help others join the church and receive testimonies of their own. I am so grateful that I am able to be out here sharing the gospel and doing what matters most for these people.
 
With Thanksgiving this week I want to end my email with some of the things that i am most grateful for. I am so grateful above all else that Jesus Christ sacrificed himself for me. That because of him and what he has done that I can be forgiven and that I can change my ways and be able to live with God forever. The fact that someone loves me so much that he was wiling to take upon himself all of my pains and all of my problems and help me with them. I am also so grateful that I know the truth and that I have been privileged to be a member of Jesus Christ's church. What a blessing as well to have direction from Him through prayer and through a prophet. I know that this is the true church and that you can get closer to God by following the teachings of His church than any other way. This is the Church of Jesus Christ and I am so grateful that I have it in my life.
 
love,
 
ELDER MARR
 

DISTRICT STAYING TOGETHER!!!!

This is the first time on my mission that the whole district has stayed together. We thought that some of us were gone for sure. But we are all together. I am sooo happy. This district has been one of my favorites. They all love to study and love the gospel so much. I have learned a lot from their examples and their knowledge of the doctrines of the gospel. I am sooo happy that we will be staying together for at least one more transfer.
 
This week has been crazy. The weather has been just like Washington. Cold and rainy and overcast. It is highly abnormal for the weather to be the way it is here in Pasadena. I have enjoyed it. Makes me feel like I'm at home. Plus no humidity. That has been a huge bonus. The rain though does get cold. I wish it didn't rain as much as it is has been. I don't mind it, but I do when I am on a bike.
 
This week we had several exchanges. Elder Oliver spent a day with me because Elder Richardson had an interview in Sugar Land. We had a good time and taught some great lessons. I love Elder Oliver and I look forward to hanging out with him after the mission. Utah is filled with so many of my close friends. I have also been hearing from Elder Jensen. My companion in Angleton. He is doing well and is planning on going to school. I heard from him last week.
 
On another exchange we exchanged for 48 hours. It was with the Broadway North missionaries. Elder Breeze was with me. He trained Elder Richardson. He is a good missionary and we clicked. I had a great time.
 
To be honest I spent all of my time in other emails and my email to the mission president so I have no time left. This past transfer it has been one of the greatest of my mission. The people are progressing and we have to much to do. So many things that we still must do to expand the kingdom of God here in Pasadena. I pray that this transfer goes as well as this past one. I love how much work we are doing and how much we have been able to accomplish.
 
Even though you all really don't get what I have done this week it was a good week. It would take far to long to say everything. I look forward to being able to share stories when I get home and have time to talk.
 
On my exchange with Elder Breeze we taught a man that has such a good heart. His health has been very bad lately and he is doing his best to follow God. It strengthens my testimony to see someone so service oriented even when he has every right to sit and not meet with us or at least to do nothing. He gave us a pint of ice-cream each that he had picked up just for us to have. He does not have much money, his health is bad, he is older, and he went out of his way to do something for us. The greatest attribute of all is love. He didn't take thought for himself but for us. I wish that I could have more of the love that this man showed to me.
 
I love yall,
 
ELDER MARR