Week 32 June 8, 2015 Transfer and Re-Transfer

Week 32   June 8, 2015

Good morning to my family back in the states and good afternoon to my family here in France. The events that have passed this last week are too large too large to share with everyone multiple times, so I will do a large email for everyone to read. (Encores je sais que vous parlez angles aussi mais c'est le seul message je vais envoyer en anglais. Toutes les restes don't en frainçais. S'il vous plais, traduisez le message pour les enfants)

Most of the events took place over the weekend, starting with transfer calls. At first I was supposed to go to Vitrolles. It is a small branche next to Marseille. I was so excited when I got the call because Julie H. lives there and she is a wonderful friend of mine! I have heard nothing but good things about her and I was looking forward to spending six weeks (minimum) as part of her family. Then I got another call from President with a change of plans. It was "brought to the attention" of president that "Julia visits Julie all the time in Vitrolles" and therefore I was moved to Dijon... I was infuriated!!! How could this be?? I was leaving my family and going to somewhere that I knew somebody and then I was transferred again to somewhere completely unknown and new to me.... Without anyone.... All alone.... I fell to my knees and wept... I begged God for forgiveness... I didn't know what I did, but I thought I was being punished and I was so saddened.... I felt all alone.... Then, as clear as day, I heard a voice saying to me "My son. What have you done? You do not need to be sorry. I am doing this for you. This is My plan." At
that point I received an assurance that all was well and indeed I would be taken care of and that I AM in the hands of the Lord.

Saturday we went and played boules with Céleste and Mathias and Elena and Sam and I had such a fun time! Merci, Elena! Vous êtes le meilleur :) et, oui! I LOVE ELENA ;) hahaha

Then my last Sunday at the ward of Cannes.... Oh, I dreaded this day.... I was leaving my family.... The place that had taken care of me and given me love and given me a home. Gosh.... I cry now just thinking of them.... Thinking of you. Words cannot describe what you have done for me or the love I have for you. Eternal. I think that would be the best word. We are an eternal family and will be forever, through good times and bad. I know I will always have a home. The testimony I offered was minimal when compared to my feelings....It touched everyone, though. I am so amazed at the way I was able to touch lives. I don't know how, but I did, and I will thank God every day for this amazing gift he has given me.  At the end of the meeting, all of the youth flocked to me. Fr. Perez came and hugged me and made me cry and then I had to talk to all the
beautiful jêune fille with tears in my eyes haha oh those girls are amazing haha and then all of mes garçons ;) haha the youth are where my heart and love lies. They are who I will miss the most. 

Then there was the baptism of Hugo. I was able to participate as a witness and to confirm him a member of the church. Talk about a feeling of responsibility that rests upon your shoulders as a
priesthood bearer.

We spent the rest of the evening at the house of the family of Laurent G. We were graced by Gaël and his mother and also Olivier and his family. Those will be my last memories of Cannes. Bouncing on the trampoline with some of the most beautiful and innocent girls I have ever known, getting thrown around by the boys, and seeing a truly happy family soaking wet as they chased each other around the yard with water bottles, Elena, getting me wet.

Then I went home and wept.

This week has shown me the importance of "Living Where Your Feet Are." Had I not lived every moment with my family here in Cannes, I would have no memories. And, since we all must depart at sometime, whether to another sector or to another life, we must live life to the fullest because you can't change back time. I will never get those moments back, but at least I have a family that loves me. I have left my impression and you have, too. I want you to know that I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! I thank God every day for you! I will come back next year with my parents, and when I do, you better be ready to party!! Haha ;)

Je vous aime! Vous me mounquez!!! Priez pour moi. Il n'est pas facile. Mais avec Dieu et vous, je peux le faire.
Avec amour,     Elder Nick Martin :)

 

She is 13, but she is still pretty amazing! I love her to death!! This is Elena G :) her little sister is Stella and her dad is the one behind her dressed as an Indian for the cowboy night!!

My feet in the water for the first time and probably the last. 

My Friends!

Courtesy of Elder Ghirelli :) at Eden Roc

My friends, When the sun sets, without fail, it will raise again.

**I just love this picture!

Week 30 May 28, 2015 Sun Beats Down on Us

Week 30   May 28, 2015

It has been an interesting week to say the least! We had a meeting on Monday which is why I couldn't email then. But better late than never I guess! I will try to figure out a way to send more pictures.

Gosh I am tired. The sun beats down hard and it is only May. I will need to start drinking more water I bought some vitamin c the other day! Hahahaha oh I am stupid.... I popped it open and threw a pill in my mouth. It exploded. I started choking.... Apparently you were supposed to put these pills in water to let them dissolve... Hahaha let's say that the next time, the pill tasted a lot better.

So I wrote something really nice to dad. It is very powerful and personal, so you can read it there, but not everyone else.

We have been trying to do a lot of less active work here. Now I wish I had been a better home teacher. I don't remember if I said this, but we have about 35 less actives and 11 actives. The main reason why the branch in Antibes isn't open yet is because there is really only one member that does any work in the sector. I brought it up at ward council and I hope there will be some action, but we will have to lead it. Thankfully we got a member from the other sector say he would work with us. That's good. I talked to him later and he expressed the same sadness that I feel towards the inactivity of the members in Antibes.

So my voice of warning is to do your home teaching and be their friend. Don't just go once a month. That is minimal. Christ didn't just do the bare minimum. He defended below all. The least you could do is stop by two or three times from your way home from work and check up on your families and show them that you care, and show them that God still cares. If you have not yet watched the new Mormon message "LIFT" yet, I highly recommend it.

Remember that I love you and I am extremely thankful for your prayers. My soul is stirred when I think of all that you do for me. "No greater love hath any man than he who lays down his life for his friends." Thank you for your sacrifice for me. I love you eternally.
Love,    Elder Martin :)

Week 29 May 18, 2015 Gelato on the Rivera and Cannes Film Festival

Week 29   May 18, 2015

Yes this week was better, I would say! I ate some gelato for you :) I will send the picture on Wednesday because I don’t have any of my picture stuff with me right now. I also bought you an official key chain of the Cannes Film Festival! I have been able to go these past few days. it is a really cool experience!! just like being in Hollywood!! so thrilling and... oh man words don’t even describe it! there is nothing else in life like it! so cool! but I haven’t personally seen any stars and I really don’t have a chance, either... we are pretty far away and there are a lot of crazies in the good spots! oh man haha but it so cool!

We have been getting a lot of sun recently and it is really great :) well halfway great. I like being darkened, but man I have a horrible tan.... right at the elbow and then half way up the neck because of the collar.... talk about ugly haha then again I am not going to be going around without a shirt, so I guess nobody will ever know! and I will come back during the winter when everyone has lost their summer tans! it will all be ok haha but gosh I am so tired.... the sun drains you, that's for sure.... 

I have found a really big project to see if I can’t work on! I want to try to get the name of the church out into the public eye, in a good way. I have a guy who has connections with the city and some nonprofit organizations here in town and I want to try to get a giant service project for us to happen. I will have to be the one to start this because the members in my sector drag their feet. I hope they will get on board, because it would work so much better if the church members here did this and continued doing this. (we have about 35 less actives and about 11 active members in my sector.) but this has excited me and I am pumped and I hope that I can get the permission from the right people to do this!!

well I really miss you though... I have thought more about you all more recently then I ever have... I even have dreamed about you guys. I really miss you... I love you a lot! I will talk to you later!!

Love

Elder Martin :)

This is me eating the gelato :)

Just some STAGED walking.

Week 28 May 11, 2015 Elder's Birthday, Mother's Day & Mom's Birthday

Week 28   May 11, 2015

I LOVE YOU MOM :) YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!

Haha you ended your email too soon!!! I don’t know what Dexter did!! haha but I am assuming when somebody jumped into the pool, he went wild haha

Happy Birthday :) I love you!!

So how was having the whole family over? good I hope!!

This week was alright. nothing special, nothing big. I did some service and I got to eat a lot of cake and I got to Skype!! That was the best part, I think :) I really miss you guys.... I am having a hard time right now, without you.... I have a robot companion and he is cold.... and freaking awkward.... it stresses me out and today I had to take a pill to stop the acid in my stomach... I think I might have an ulcer.... But yeah.... That is life, I guess....

I really miss having somebody cook for me.... That is really nice. But I have been making some really good meals with chicken and rice or pasta. I have impressed myself often! if you have the right seasonings, you can do anything I guess!

So I bought a blanket today. It is a lot thinner than the giant comforters they have in all the apartments. I will see if that helps me sleep in the heat so I can get some more rest. It was a really cool blanket! huge and it looks like the field of blue on the American flag :) I was like "oh yeah!"Murica!" haha so it should help me! it has the American spirit in it!!

I went to Nice on an exchange and I got to visit this group of Philipino Friends (see photo)! It was just like being in the big bang theory TV show haha they are all drs and in school and working in the universities! they are so witty and I felt right at home! I was there joking and laughing with them :) made me smile so much! just like being with the gang before the mission :) There was Jethro, Kate, Jasmine, Emanuel, Ricky, Elder Wilits, and another guy. This was a really good night!

Well, I am out of time!! talk to you later! I love you!!

Big Bang Theory Doctors

Elder Martin

Week 27 May 4, 2015 Picnic in the Park

Week 27   May 4, 2015

I'm tired... I have an inexplicable sense of tiredness and a weight that is on me pressing on me.... but I am good other than that :) I love you too!!

I forgot to tell you that I got the other two cards that you sent in the mail! I haven't read them yet! I will read them on my birthday this Saturday! I have two meal appointments this Saturday on my birthday! That is insane for France!!! Haha and these people are known for feeding you a lot so I will be well taken care of on my birthday haha 

Skype, though!! That will be on Sunday at about 7 or 8 am your time! you send me an email on which time you prefer and I will check on Wednesday :) I am super happy for this!!

So last week was alright. I got my new companion and I have been showing him the ville. We are assuming that we will follow the pattern that has been set in Antibes and I will stay four transfers (so this is my last) and then I will leave. I hope I leave... I am tired of this ville.... it is killing me... I put so much work into this and all I can contact are tourists...those missionaries in the north of France, Italy, and England better be getting these guys we are talking to!! 

Actually we have ventured into the ville, into the suburbs to try and knock on the doors of those who are permanently here. We had a little luck. We knocked on a door of a 14 year old girl and she talked with us for a long time and eventually took the Book of Mormon from us! Now I can here you all saying "wow, he swooned a 14 year old girl!" haha well not really! We actually offered it to her; she said she wouldn’t read it, but to offer it to the old woman across the way. We worked out a deal with her and said that if they wouldn't take it, she would gladly take it. God had a plan for that girl, because every single woman across the way shot us down faster than a lead zeppelin! So I would like you to please pray for this girl, Alice, and that she will read the Book of Mormon and know for herself that it is true!

We got to eat at the F. Family this Saturday for lunch. They live in a house that as soon as you enter, you feel like you went back 500 years haha He is a huge man with a huge beard (like a dwarf) and the house looks like a medieval cottage! And it is so cool! He also had a knife collection, and let us take what we wanted! That was so cool! haha

I got to go to a ward picnic on Friday and it was at an abandoned airbase that the city of Saint Raphaël salvaged and turned into a giant park. It was the perfect place for kids! we played soccer had a meal and hung out! the ride back was fun because I got to ride in the back with the bishop's kids and joke around and take selfies with them! Oh my gosh I love those kids!! I got to hang out with them more at the ward meal after church. They do one for every fast Sunday! I love that idea! we need to do that in America! but I got to teach these kids a lot of cool things and most importantly be a good role model for them. their parents tell me all the time how much their kids love me :) it makes me smile to know that I am at least doing some sort of good work in my sector, even if I can't see it :)

Well that is all for now!! Know I love you all! thank you for your prayers! keep them up haha

Have a good week!     Elder Martin

These are the Bishop's kids. M and C in the back, and D between me and Elder Rellaford

This is Antibes

Week 26 April 27, 2015 Live Where Your Feet Are

Week 26    April 27, 2015

Good news: I am staying on my mission! I also am staying another transfer in Antibes as well. My new companion is Elder Rellaford from Utah. 

So I just want to apologize to everyone for stressing everyone out. It was really... Selfish the way I acted. After that email session, I went home and I cried and then woke up the next day and couldn't stop crying. I was wrestling with God in prayer on the floor, crying, unable to do anything. I was just going to lay there and do nothing... Pathetic. Thankfully God took pity on me. There is really no other way to put this, so I will just say it: I had a conversation with God. I heard His voice and He helped me realize that Julia still loves me, that I still love her, that God still loves both of us, and that He will keep His promise that He made with us. He also told me that the reason I was going through what I was going through is so that I am prepared for the work the He has for me.

This prayer was such an uplifting experience. It helped me realize that I have nothing to be sad about. It also helped me realize some other things, too. I realized that Elder Lago was not out to get me. Elder Lago is my brother, now. I realized he had only been trying to help me, and that he, like me, is only human, and has weaknesses. It makes me sad that he is gone now. He went back home. It was his last transfer. Oh gosh we both cried as we hugged each other. Gosh... I cry now just thinking about him. 

And as I talked with him about my enlightening experience, he helped me realize that I need to have “no drag” and LIVE WHERE MY FEET ARE. I am here in France with these people for only two years of my life. I am only fully serving God as a missionary for these two years. I need to be here in France doing the work. Julia was right. I was distracted. But now that she has helped me by refocusing me, I have never been more happier, more focused, nor more sure in God and His plan for me. I made a family here in the Cannes Ward, and especially with the missionaries here. They are my family for these two years. Well, year and a half now. And I am being me. I am being fun again! No more serious-all-the-time-Nick. I hate that guy. He wasn't fun to be around. Now I will always smile and express my joy with those around me.

This week was crazy! Me and Elder Lago did a lot of awesome stuff together! But I think the best part was just being with him. I really miss him, and it is not the same without him, but now I get to make another happy life with the new missionaries in my life! I am excited!!

I love all of you and I am so eternally grateful that you pray for me and love me, too. I miss you all, but we will have time in plenty in this life to catch up and to be together in the life to come.

Have a great week.       Elder Martin :)

PS: That is me and Elder Lago at the Mission Conference with Elder Kearon and Elder Nielson of the 70. I spoke at the thing, they gave me a mike and I made a comment, and I embarrassed him in front of the whole mission! lol! oh I love Elder Lago! I am gonna miss him!

Week 23, April 6, 2015 Happy Easter and Conference Weekend

So this Sunday was Easter and it was the most special Easter in my life. I got to spend it watching General Conference down in the basement of the Cannes chapel in the genealogy center. The Sunday Morning session came on about 6 pm for us, which is 10 AM MST. We watched and the talks were all very powerful. There were two people from over here that spoke. The Portuguese man who is the regional director of this side of Europe (or something like that) and A Frenchman who is in the Presiding Bishopric. That was cool. But I think the thing that hit me the most was the talk given by Elder Jeffrey R Holland. Before conference started, I wrote down the question, "Who is my Savior?" My question couldn't have been answered more loudly. Elder Holland came up and gave a talk so powerful on the Savior that I wept and couldn't write any notes. This talk still shakes me. I want all of you to watch this with the same question in your mind: "Who is my Savior?"
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2015/04?lang=eng&vid=4154894180001&cid=10

 

Elder Martin


Wait let me take a Selfie!

That's me in a Bentley! :)



Me and Elder Lago

Week 22, March 30, 2015 Happy Birthday to My Sis Mysti!!

Happy Birthday to my oldest sister, Mysti. She just had her shoulder replaced so I am praying for her recovery.  Wow that sounds a lot like Lyon and Paris! Here in Antibes it is super nice and I can't stop smiling! The sun works a magic in me :)  (We, Mike, Jake, his friends and I went on spring break to Long Beach, Wa and Nick and I were comparing the weather on our beaches.) 

 
 

Mom's door from Astoria Oregon

His door from the French Rivera...he wins.

This week was pretty uneventful.... a bus caught on fire on Tuesday, I got sick with a head cold, and a lot of walking around trying to talk to people and spread them the gospel!!

 

I bought Dad a present today!! I don't know how I am going to get it to him though..... It's a tricky one....

 

I am busy all the time which is good! I feel like I am actually doing work!! I really am so thankful for Elder Lago. Seriously. I feel like he is my brother and we joke around and beat each other up. It's really fun! I am enjoying myself so much and I am having a great time!

 

Today was actually a really cool P-day! We got to visit and look at a couple of Cathedrals and it was free, too!!

This is the Cathedral that overlooks Cannes. It is the one with the clock tower I love taking pictures of.

We went to the beach and swam! Ok.... maybe we didn't swim, or go on the beach... There are starting to be tourists and that means it is hot here for them and so they are in bikinis and that's not good for us. So we now have to stay away from the beach unless it’s the morning when we go on our runs. But it really is beautiful here!!! They have been getting ready for the Cannes Film Festival!! If I am here next transfer, I will be able to go and see that!!! soooooooooooooo awesome!!!!!!!! I can take pictures of the red carpet and all the stars!!! hopefully I see Clint Eastwood!! that would be sick!!!!

I am excited! 5 months is a long time!! It has already been one year since me and dad went to conference together and threw up from all the excitement!! That seems like yesterday!! It will go faster and faster!! You will be picking me up before you know it!!  

Love you!!!!

These are my two "girlfriends" in the Cannes ward haha they are pretty good friends of mine and they are characters!

Week 21, March 23, 2015 Working Extremely Hard in Antibes

So my new comp, Elder Lago, and I are working extremely hard to get Antibes back on track... The effort and nurture that is required for this ville has been lacking. Let's just say that me and E Lago have done more work in this past week than was done in the past two transfers. So naturally, I am exhausted. When I come home at night I can barely stay awake! But I have progressed so much! I have a couple of things that motivate me to get up and get going.
 
I need to develop the qualities of a perfect husband. I still have a lot of work to do, so that's why this is one of my motivations. The second is to give away an entire box of copies of The Book of Mormon. That's 24! By myself!! And Elder Lago has the same goal! So we made it a friendly competition, and the first one done wins a prize! We haven’t discussed the prize, yet, but we will make it good! I am in the lead, too!! I have given away 2 and I have 3 others that I need to deliver to people who have asked for them! This is really good because it forces me to go off by myself and learn how to talk to people and is the best way to improve my French! And it helps me win haha ;) 

My challenge! And I challenge you to give away a book of Mormon!! Everyone!!! All of you in the family!!! I will follow up next week!!!!

But I am stressed out about something, and I don't know what it is.... I wake up at 4:30 and roll around until I have to get up.... I have been losing more hair.... Yeah.... I don't know what it is because I am really happy. I don't know. I guess I will just be bald.... Dang....
 

Monday: After emails we helped the new Sisters move their entire luggage into their new apt! They got Pink Washed(this means both the sisters got transferred to a new location) and now they are really stressed out about it! Haha but oh well, there are lessons in every trial.

Tuesday: We visited a less active and her son. Apparently the son is really good at cooking and wants us to return so he can cook for us! I am not going to pass that up! After that we went and contacted a little bit. We did some area book work (we have A LOT of that to do still. it has been neglected for a long time). 

 

Wednesday: In the morning we did some contacting! Today a few Italian girls came up to us and contacted us!! It was so funny!! They waited around for us to finish talking to a woman and then they approached us. They were obviously interested in more than our answers haha I mean we are a pretty handsome équipe!! Hahaha :) I am getting better at my French! Slowly, anyway. Then we rode bus lines and did some scouting for some neighborhoods to port. A pretty quiet night until choir! Then we sang a song that is too difficult for the ward members. I hope it gets better.

 

Thursday: Thursday we went contacting in the morning and I gave away a Book of Mormon to a woman named E. She was on vacation visiting her daughter, but she seemed receptive. I hope that she will be touched later and remember. Planting seeds. Laying the path. Then in the evening, we went to D. B.'s house! He has the cutest little family!! His daughters are adorable and his wife is so sweet! They are actually moving to somewhere in British Columbia this May so I want to visit them after the mission! D. was actually born in Canada when his parents worked there for a couple of years. That is where they were introduced to the gospel!!! So cool!!! And then they had to return and relearn all of the terminology when they got to France because the words are very different haha 

 

Friday: Today the Assistants to the President came to Antibes and helped us in our attempts to find amis!! It was so cool! So we had 5 missionaries on the street all day talking to people and getting numbers! It was so great! In the first half of the day, I took the car and hunted down some people that were in the area book that we couldn’t call. Elder Huntsman is a very good driver! That was when I met a Chinese man named J. L. He was so cool!!! He wanted a book of Mormon and I told him I would come back and give him one in Chinese!! Then I switched and was with Elder William Montgomery from Georgia! Oh man! This guy is so cool!! He is a super missionary and I just felt comfortable around him and I had this happiness that was so great!! When I was with him, I saw this group of girls, and I told him, "Hey, let's go contact them!" So without even thinking about it, I walked up to this group of 10 girls and started talking to them. I got nothing but blank looks..... Because they were all Italian and didn't speak French hahaha so we tried to talk with them but just ended up telling them to have a wonderful day because we couldn't communicate with them! But that impressed E Montgomery so much! He was impressed with my faith! Towards the end of my time with him, he sat me down near a fountain and had a heart-to-heart with me. His words I will never forget. "Elder Martin, you have a lot of faith, and your faith will carry you in hard times. When you are a leader, a senior companion, a trainer, a district leader, you have to make sure that your faith keeps you going because even if you don't want to keep going, others will be looking to you for strength and guidance. You're going to be a great leader. The mission needs you. Keep up the good work." That made me realize that God has not forgotten me. He still needs me and has a work for me to do. I need to be ready for Him. 

 

Saturday: We contacted and I met S. from México!! I told him we will be stopping by to give him a BoM in Spanish!! I am so happy e Lago knows Spanish!! Then we went porting and met some really cool people. I found the middle aged people of Antibes!! They are at the bus stop Roi Soleil!! Hahaha 

 

Sunday: Church was great!!! Oh man I love the youth of the ward!! All the young men look up to me, literally! Haha no but they see me as a brother and treat me as one, too!! I got a wet Willie yesterday for proof!! :) Then we went over to the Famille T. and we had them teach me the first lesson because S., the wife, is a recent convert! She did really good!! 

Monday: Cleaning, emails, shopping soon, and then I have to go on a train to Saint-Raphael because Elder Lago goes to Lyon for a conference!! Wish me luck! I will be with a missionary just one week in his mission haha!  

 

Thanks for everything!! I love you so much!!!!  

Elder Nick Benjamin Martin :)



I was so hungry I ate the sun!



Morning Mangos on the Edge (must be code for I'm exercising on this wall by the Sea)