My Comp is SO Funny

Dear Family and Friends- 

Things are going well :) I love being here.  

That's great to hear Austin gave a talk on Sunday. I hope he filled the room with the spirit.

Good to hear the building is moving forward. I hope everything runs smooth.

That's really sad to hear that President Smoot passed. I'm sure he will have a HUGE turn out. especially being a mission president, it will almost be a mission reunion. I hope the drive goes well :)

That's really sad to hear about his Sister Kesterson.  I hope her family is doing well.

HAHA My comp is SO FUNNY! the other night he had me rolling on the floor! I had to beg him to stop so I could get enough energy to run to the bathroom cause I was about to pee myself!!!  HAHAHA We have a great time together. I do need to straighten myself up though.  Having fun is great but working hard is also important.

Oh look up how to make pavlova cake. You can make either vanilla or chocolate. It's DELICIOUS! One of our investigators daughters has traveled the world and she made it for us! It's heavenly. You would absolutely LOVE IT!

Can you have Evan send me some gummy worms :) He knows what my favorite kind are and where he can get them. Tell him I love him long time! :D I miss Cassie and Evan.

I miss Sunday dinner with the family.  How is Dan and Angie? I bet the twins are getting big. 

Lars, my comp has a "zipper belt." He got it at Farrells in Idaho falls. it's a CTR clothing item. I think you can find it online. It's the same belt you have from Russia.

Dad, can you make another copy of those Spanish cds, but in MP3 format? :) if not don"t worry about it.

So this past week has been terribly and wonderful! We had no hot water in our apartment from last Wed. to Sunday morning... HORRIFIC. I'm not in a 3rd world country. haha

We had zone conference this last Tuesday. That was great! I really enjoyed being able to be around other missionaries.. I'm so lonely in Big Spring... just my comp and I.. I am glad we get along!

We've been working hard at finding new investigators and setting baptismal dates. We went from 5 dates down to one... NOT GOOD.  The one we have is super solid.  He should be getting baptized in the very near future. Hopefully in a week or two. We've been jumping his date but it will happen soon. 

Well. I don't really have much to say today. I'm sorry. The church is true and I love sharing it.
I hope all goes well through out the week.

Love,
Elder Marshall

Waffles

HEY MOMMA!
Things in Big Spring are snowy, wet, and ULTRA COLD! Not like winters in Vegas!

I am enjoying being with Elder Simpson. Lately I just haven't had the drive to be out working as diligent as I can be. I'm blaming the snow, but it shouldn't slow me down.  We are still going out and working, just not as diligent as possible.. I'll work on it. I don't want Elder Simpson to feel like he's wasting his time out here.

We are working on getting a couple baptisms this transfer, but it seems like they won't happen till the second week of Feb. I pray we will be able to get something to work out so we can get a baptism under his belt.

I love all the families we're working with right now. They're all so great. We enjoy watching them grow their faith in Christ.

There's one family :) The children are members except for the youngest. The Youngest has expressed to us that she wants to be baptized, and the mother and father are working towards baptism too. I LOVE their family. They are so great to spend time with, and help them grow in the gospel. The Mother got a Quad for Christmas and the whole family is now reading on there own. I'm going to try and put some family home evenings together so we can do that with them. I want so badly for their WHOLE family to become active again in church. They are so wonderful. 

There's a 23 yr old that we're working with. We visit him several times a week to teach him. HE has a baptismal date for Feb 4th! HE's so great, and LOVES the church. I love seeing his testimony of the gospel grow.  He has a solid testimony.  Just waiting for time.

I hope Sister Walker gets better! She seems to be spending a bit of time in the hospital recently.
WOW, just about the whole Black family.. Are they all doing better? I miss spending time with Palma. She's great! :) All of the Blacks are great.  I hope they feel better soon.  They will all be in my prayers.

OH! I have a waffle maker:) Did you see it in the pictures that were sent home? I got it at goodwill for 15 bucks! It's just like yours except the handle folds down for easier storage! :D I love it. I'll make a whole box of waffles and then have them to heat up later on in the week :) 

Quotes for the week...

“The missionary servants of the Church of Jesus Christ today are sent forth, not to assail nor ridicule the beliefs of men, but to set before the world a superior light, by which the smoky dimness of the flickering flames of man-made creeds shall be apparent. The work of the Church is constructive, not destructive.” Elder James E. Talmage

Boyd K Packer
"True doctrine, understood, changes attitude and behavior.  The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior faster than a study of behavior will improve behavior."

Marvin J Ashton
"The speed with which we head along the straight and narrow path isn't as important as the direction in which we are traveling."

Finally in our letter from President Augustin he said...

Let's follow the Prophet Joseph Smith's teaching of "being virtuous and pure...  Men and Women of integrity and truth; keeping the commandments of God and then be able to more perfectly understand the difference between right and wrong---between the things of God and the things of men.  Your path will be like that of the just, which shineth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day."


I hope all is well.
Love,
Elder Marshall

p.s. The hot water was out in our apartment today.. No shower and a lot of cologne... hahaha GROSS! i hope the hot water is working again before 6!!!! :/

I LOVE THIS GOSPEL

Hey Momma,

Things are going magnificent out here. Elder Simpson and I are doing wonderful. We are getting along GREAT.

You know how I've always had a hard time staying focused and keeping on track? Well I'm still bad at it haha. But I am trying to b obedient!

I've decided though, if I absolutely fail at everything as a trainer I hope he learns how much I love the gospel, and knows how much I love him. He's told me that since he's been with me he hasn't been home sick. I'm so glad. I want him to love his mission. He is probably one of the greatest missionaries, yes he has his fall backs, definitely less than I do, but he has a huge heart. I didn't quite understand him at first, but I've look past our differences. 

Things are progressing out here in Big Spring. We are trying to meet with our investigators now that the new year had past and continue to teach them so they will have the opportunity to accept Christ, and feel of His love.

I am so grateful to be able to be teaching this gospel. I know it is true. 

We knocked on a door this past week, and a lady answered, and she started preaching to us about how our church is wrong. I felt stuck in a hole. She was wording questions like she was trying to bash with us, and trying to prove everything wrong. Elder Simpson, LIKE A BOSS, bore a solid testimony, and gave them a copy of The Book Of Mormon to find out for themselves if it was true. I've been out here 6 months, and I had absolutely no idea what to do, and Elder Simpson just felt to bear his testimony. It is so great to have the spirit be able to guide us out difficult things. 

I LOVE THIS GOSPEL.

It sounds like you have a fun new calling :) That may even help in the family, with all of the newly weds we have :) haha

That's great to hear Tyson proposed to Britt, tell them I love them and hope they will achieve their goals together.

Ask Evan if I can play GRAB ---..  with him when he is walking down the isle to bring me my drink! ;) Tell them both I love them.

Tell Dan and Angie I love them.

Tell Lars and Liz I love them.

Tell the Whole World I love them :)

That's so great to hear that Austin is growing up and being responsible :) I knew he had it in him! Tell him to keep being a BOSS. He'll know what I mean :)

I'm glad everything is going well at the office.

I pray for you always :)

LOVE,
Elder Marshall
your prettiest son :)

Senior

Hey Momma, family and friends,

Sounds like everyone enjoyed Christmas. I'm grateful for the time I was able to talk with y'all on skype. I miss laughing with y'all. Happy New Year to Everyone!  

I am still in Big Spring... BS... haha

I am "follow up" training, and have gotten my senior call!  I'm so nervous... I'm serving with Elder Simpson.  He's from Idaho via Las Vegas! :) This is his second transfer,  he is still on the training program so that is why it is called "follow up". I talked to President Augustin last night, he said he felt very impressed to place us together. He also told me how much of a responsibility I have. I don't feel 100% ready for it, but because I know if the Lord has placed us together I will do what needs to be done. 

Things were pretty hectic this past week. I was in Midland for part of it. I went on exchanges with an Elder Porter. GREAT MISSIONARY. We had a lot of fun together, and worked very hard. It helped get me into a really good mood to meet my new comp. 

I did get the walkers package :) I loved it! The letters were SO FUNNY! at least craigs and ryans :)

Congrats to Elder...I mean Gideon Harris.  Hope things are good for him!

It is such a blessing to be out here working as a tool in the Lords hands. I love the people out here, and the opportunity I have to serve them. I am so grateful for this gospel. It brings so much joy into my life and others.

You're continually in my prayers. Even those of you that read the blog.
I love you,
Elder Marshall

Superb Week

Hey Momma!

Merry Christmas!! I can't wait to see, skype you on Christmas.  I love being on my mission!

The Penguin Suit, in the pictures was a gift from an investigator to Sister Tall, and I found out they had it  and wore it for the majority of a p-day. :)

This Past week was superb!! Last Thursday was Sister Keyes last p-day, and we partied all day long. It was very busy and a lot of fun :)

Friday E. Salmond and I had a presentation at a senior center. We sang songs and read several stories about the true meaning of Christmas. It was only to a few adorable little old ladies, but it was great to enjoy their company :)

Monday I went on exchanges with a new elder. Elder Strawn. He's a Spanish speaking missionary, and we had a great day. Together we taught over 7 lessons. We were a little bad at knocking doors, but we decided we were going to teach a lesson at every door step possible. Anytime someone would give us a chance we taught :) It was really great.

Our mission Baptismal goal is 444 and we're at 424! We are so close. The mission is on fire right now, and we are breaking records left and right.

I'm so grateful to be out here serving the Lord. I know that if it is His work and with Him all is possible!

Oh I'm going to try and send out a package today. I'm putting a couple memory cards in there if you could please get all the photo's off, back it up and then empty them so I will be able to re format them :)
I love you :) Thank you for everything.
Love,
Elder Marshall

Miracle

I'm glad there's some pictures on my blog and facebook. Thanks to Cassie and Aunt Betsy for helping momma.  I try to take a lot of photo's.

I got my Christmas package at Zone Conference. I haven't opened the box so no need to worry :) I don't want to ruin the anticipation. haha There was a sister in my district Sister Keyes, She got her box and opened it right away! haha She's going home next week! She asked her parents to not send anything.

We will be on Skype! :D The bishop in the ward here is going to let us use his computer! Him and his wife are really wonderful people. I love them.

Zone Conference was great. I recorded most of the skits, but the card got full during my skit. I will have to get it from another elder or sister. So I've got another full memory card to send home to you :D 

I got my Christmas package at Zone Conference. I haven't opened the box so no need to worry :) I don't want to ruin the anticipation. haha There was a sister in my district Sister Keyes, She got her box and opened it right away! haha She's going home next week! She asked her parents to not send anything.
We will be on Skype! :D 

The bishop in the ward here is going to let us use his computer! Him and his wife are really wonderful people. I love them.

Zone Conference was great. I recorded most of the skits, but the card got full during my skit. I will have to get it from another elder or sister.

J and E are doing wonderful. We love to spend time with them, and help encourage them to constantly read and pray :)

This last week my comp and I had a miracle. We went WAY across town to knock, and we felt like we weren't supposed to be there, not a bad feeling. So we started driving and we went to the street where we had knocked the previous day (way way way away from where we were), and we got out of the car and started walking. We decided we needed to knock the other side of the street. So we started knocking. We ran into a couple people who had mormon relatives but are DIE HARD baptist. They had no interest in us or the gospel... So we kept knocking feeling a little down. I was praying in my heart that we would find someone to talk to us as we were walking up to a door. We knocked and this lady answered. She was kind, and politely set up a time for friday, and said she was busy. She shut her screen door, and we started walking away. We got to the end of the drive way and I just stopped walking. 2 seconds after I stopped walking she opened up the screen door, and hollered for us to come back. She explained how she couldn't believe that we came by on that day and asked us around back to the screened in porch. When we got there we sat down and started talking, and she had explained to us how she had some depression, and she had been feeling very down and had a lot of questions about religion and God on her mind for the past couple days! We taught her a solid lesson, and set a Baptism date with her! I can't believe we were literally right across the street from her just the day before! Way SOLID.

The Lord will provide when we humble ourselves and open our hearts to His will.

I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. He is the reason we can return to live with our Heavenly Father. I know that through the atonement we can become free from the fetters of sin that bind us, and hold us from our true potential. We are truely blessed because of our Savior and Redeemer. I can't even imagine the pain our Father in Heaven felt when He watched His son take upon the sins of the world. If we truly know that through our Redeemer we will reach our full potential, but it is only through our efforts to repent and humble ourselves, to accept His sacrifice for us, we can do that. 

I love you so much, and I am so grateful for all that you do.
Love,
Elder Marshall

Basketball and Scriptures

Howdy :)

So this week was good. :) We had the baptism of J and E! They're so great! I absolutely love them! heir baptism went really well E. Salmond fell when Juan was coming back up! It was really funny... we all couldn't help but laugh. :D

We had an interesting bible study with them last night. We played basketball and as we all took turns shooting, if you missed you had to tell something about what you know or have learned from the lessons or the scriptures. Afterward we read with them the story of Joseph in Egypt and Potipher's wife and how he interpreted dreams and more. We went over how it's important to stand against what they know is wrong. It is continuously more and more difficult to choose the right. 

Oh L decided I look like I'm from the 50's or 60's, and then everyone else decided I was too haha

Tuesday we did exchanges with the elders down in Midland. I was with Elder Cahoon. He was great. We did a whole lot of knocking, but it's difficult to teach in Midland. The people there are not very accepting or interested in our message. 

As for Christmas We are able to Skype home if there is a member in the ward that has that capability to do. I will have more info next week as to possibly when. I will also be able to call home while we are setting it up. :)

I'm glad you love the scarf! :) (Devon made a scarf for me for Christmas.  It was in a package he sent home for Christmas not wrapped)     I was a little nervous it would be to short.

I figured dad would love the sign and help him realize life is easy when your not in a blender :)(Dad's present was a sign that said You thought your day was stressful and had a fish in a blender) hahaha
Well I don't have much more as of right now :)

I love you, and I am so glad things are going well.. except for austin being sick. I hope he feels better soon. :)

The church is true.  Keep studying the scriptures!
Love,
Elder Marshall