All in the Lord's Time

Elder Marshall's birthday is August 4.  
If you would like to send him a card his address is:

 2100 Mitchell apt 11 Clovis, 

New Mexico 88101 

Hey everyone-
So transfer rumor is I am staying in Clovis North with Elder Krizin. I have a feeling I will be with him until the end of his mission, 12 more weeks.  Sister Lao is staying and she is training, and Sister Sekona is leaving :( to Lubbock. Sister Lao is training Sister Peterson. Sister Lao is really stressed about it, but I know she'll do a great job. She is a great missionary

As far as the waiting for Austin's papers goes- Stop stressing about it. I know you are excited. And the longer it takes for his papers the longer before the whole family is together again but the Lord is in charge.  The other day I was talking to Sister Lao about how it took pretty much forever to get her papers in. Her stake president went on a vacation for like 2 months right before her papers got to him, and before that her bishop was taking forever to get them through. We talked about how it was frustrating for her to wait forever, but it seemed to be the right timing. If her papers had been in when she sent them in she may not have ever met the people she had, or even came to this mission. I know the Lord has it all planned out even when it takes forever for things to happen. It's in the Gods hands. Breathe! 

Oh I forgot Laura was doing the surrogate mother thing. That is so neat. I'm sure it is a blessing for them, and those who have always wanted their own children.

Happy birthday to Knox and Soleil! Last Tuesday....

My finger is doing well. It hurts when I bump it and to touch things with it is kinda weird. It hasn't popped off though. I don't know if Terry is still checking my finger. It seems to be healing well. I am a little nervous that the nail will become ingrown, but the dr said, "Let's just leave it the h... alone, and it should be fine."   ......ok.... 

The people we are teaching are well. We are working with a couple right now to help them get married. I feel bad we will go with them to a members house for dinner and then we'll start talking and then the member teaches the importance of marriage. it's been like 7 lessons in a row... It is insane. It is starting to get to the point to where I think they are thinking we are planning this to guilt them into getting married faster. But they are great!

We are working with a couple other people right now.  I am glad we are teaching.  I just hope they understand what we are teaching them.

What would an absentee vote do? Do they even count? or do they just disregard them? I don't really know who to vote for because I can't follow any politics. But, I 'd like a ballot.  I know it's important to voice our thoughts so we can complain if it doesn't go MY WAY!!!

I did get the most recent package. I opened it, then realized I probably shouldn't have... lol I didn't really look through it though.

A couple of thoughts
The other day I realized how some of us say things that are so repetitive in our prayers. We say good thing, but they just seem to stay affixed to something along the same lines. I was listening to one of the sisters investigators pray, and he was so humble when he prayed. He really talked about things that matter to him. He prayed about his wife, things he was struggling with. I know that man knows God. He has a relationship with him. The spirit was overwhelming after he closed the prayer. I know of the power of prayer. God listens. He wants to bless us, to talk to us, to love us. Some food for thought, If love is spelled t i m e, how much do we love God.

Sometimes companionships are hard!   WE are all children of God.  If the other or what he thinks of himself as normal, elders would just remember God has placed us there with that person. It is a commandment to endure to the end. We must endure happily. I know I struggle myself, but I just have to remind myself that I must humble myself as our Savior did in Gethsemane and do what God has planned for me. I may not want to, but it is what God has planned. Not my will, but His will. 

The district is much larger now.  Elder Brown is the DL. I don't know him, but I've heard he's cool. Less stress!

Thank you for everything you do for me. I love you so much. I miss you.
Love,
Elder Marshall 

1 Million Steps

Hey,

A couple good things have happened this past week. We went out and went tracting. We had pulled up in front of a house with a bunch of cars and my companion got a little upset with me because people sometimes freak out when someone parks in front of their house. Well, a man came out to smoke, and I got out and walked up to him. We started teaching and he put out his cigarette. Then he started asking questions and the lesson went well. We left him with a copy of the Book of Mormon and committed him to do a couple things. When we left we went and knocked on several neighbors doors after about 45 minutes we went back to the car, and he was still sitting there reading the Book of Mormon. While we were out knocking we saw another guy out working on his car. He was putting a new stereo in and couldn't quite get it figured out. I hopped in the car and set it all up while Elder Krizin talked to him. We went back a few days later and we were able to soft commit him and his wife to baptism.

I had leadership training this past week on Wednesday. It was pretty good.

My finger is healing pretty well. Still pink!

Don't worry about the cologne. I would love to have it, but it doesn't matter. I smell good anyway:) 

Oh one more thing I just hit 1 million steps. I'm sure I'm way over that because I don't keep it on all the time, but I just hit it today.

I love you. The church is true. I am grateful for the atonement.

Thank you for everything you do for me.

Love,

Elder Marshall

Three Weeks

June 25

I got the package! Thank you for all of the 'hugs!" They were great to read :) Thanks for the early birthday gifts.  I will put them to good use.  Don't forget E Simpson's birthday is at the end of the month.  You should mail things before transfers on the 24th.  I think that is also his actual birthday.  My district really enjoyed the card games. We played phase 10 for a while the other day. That was a lot of fun. I can't remember how to play nerts... I am going to have to see if I can find some instructions for it or someone can send them to me.

Happy Birthday to the best dad in the world!

Thanks Jessica for the wonderful doodles... they make me smile.

I like my area. I am still getting use to it.  I hate white washing because neither of us know anything about the area, and neither of us know the investigators. Most of the time missionaries pride themselves in white washing an area, but I feel like we have too much interrupted service, but the Lord put us both here for a reason, so we will work.

I'm in a ward. Elder Krizin and I cover basically everything north of 21st and a little bit more, and the sisters cover everything south of 21st. We cover the same ward. 

That's great to hear that Austins papers are in to the Bishop! I'm excited for him. Maybe He'll come to the TLM and I'll train him. :) 

Well I don't really have anything to say. I'm exhausted, and my mind is empty. I am grateful for the gospel. Life is better when the Lord is on your side.

I have a ton of stamps. I am not very good at writing people back. I love them and I want them to know I am grateful for the letters, but I really just suck at writing. If I had to write you once a week I would probably break my hand so I didn't have to hand write anymore... 

I love you,
Elder Marshall

July 2

Hello everyone-

I am sure by now all of you have seen the picture of me with a bandage on my finger.  If not, it is on facebook and thank you Jessica Swapp for taking care of that for mom.  Some things she is great at and others...well lets just say I love my momma. I thought y'all would enjoy the picture. The ward sure opened up to me on Sunday. Usually when someone gives them the "Bird" they close off, but they all loved it. I had so many pictures taken of me!

It is really hard to type.... I finally got good at using all of my fingers and now I can't use one. I am okay :) I am glad Sister Augustin  was able to call and let you know I am alright.  I do feel good at least the Sisters were at our door and could take us right away to the hospital. My Dr was great. She had me come back last night, Sunday, When she began her shift so she could look at it rather than hand me off to someone else. She said it should be fine and it will heal up well. The color was in the tip of my finger so it shouldn't fall off :)

I Don't know if Sister Augustin told you what happened or not. I was putting on my companions front bike tire, and it has disk brakes. (I would send a picture, but I forgot my cord.) We spun the tire to get it to true up, and then I was going to pinch it down to keep it in alignment.  When I pushed the lever down my finger got caught in the disk (there are holes in it)  and it cut me. I have a pretty good laceration and a fracture of the distal phalanx.

Happy Birthday DAN!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope he liked his stuffed shells.  Italian food is what he loves the most. Happy birthday to Uncle Steve and Ha Ora Hewlen, I can't believe he is one, not Uncle Steve!  And of course...Happy Happy Birthday Austin!!

We had a lot of fun this past week. We worked at the food bank a lot to help them get ready for the week they are having off. It is nice to be able to do service.
Sorry I would type more, but it's hard... I keep hitting my finger on the keyboard.

The church is true.  Everyone should hand out pass along card, feed missionary, have discussions in your home and pray for missionaries.
I love you,
elder Marshall

July 10

Hey, I don't have much I want to talk about. I'm kinda frustrated right now. I spent well over an hour in a drs office to talk to him for about 2 minutes. I understand they're busy, but it bugs me. I have never been good at hurry up and wait! My finger is healing well.

My finger is good. I have to keep the bandage off as much as possible. it is weird cause it looks gross, at least that's what everyone else says.

That's good to hear that Austin had a good birthday. The card I sent is pretty funny... Pirates always make me laugh.  I hope he enjoyed it.

I don't have anything super great that has been happening.  

Well. I wish I had something exciting to say... but I don't. I'm really just emailing so you know I'm alive.  

Jesus wants us for Sunbeams...share your light with someone this week.

I love you,
Elder Marshall