Week 36 July 6, 2015 Independence Day

Week 36 July 6, 2015

Independence Day! July 4, 1776!!!‏

This week was a pretty darn amazing week, if you ask me! Wednesday we had a rdv with ... and refined .... date for Saturday the 11th! Oh I am so happy!! XXX chose me to baptize...! I am very honored. This XXX is a very elect XXX. Even our new mission president expressed this. When Elder Douglas and I were talking to president brown about XXXX, president mentioned he felt a fire about XXX that he had never felt about an engagé in his life. We all agree that XXX is a very special XXX and that God has something special XXX!

So on Thursday and Friday, when we had this conference, we went to Switzerland! I have officially been to every country in the mission! And I absolutely love President and Sister Brown! They are the leaders for this mission. I feel that and am certain that the Lord has chosen them. It is a great love and I feel like President Brown and I will be working together more closely in the future.

Saturday we celebrated the Fourth of July with a part of my future family! The famille Paoletti had us over and cooked us meat American style. That family is probably the best family I have met here in Dijon. Elder Ghirelli was very correct about them. Oh and happy fourth!

Sunday was chill. Church was good, and XXX was interactive with the youth in the ward. And today we went around Dijon with XXX and did some shopping. He helped me pick out some jeans with some French style and I bought some scarves for my women haha ok my women are my family members, but still ;) and then we all ate lunch together and had a yummy kebab! They are actually pretty good!

I have a busy week this week. An exchange tomorrow, Thursday is district meeting, Friday we are going to Bienne Switzerland and blitzing there. And a baptism on Saturday!! Yay!!!! So that is my week! I will talk to you all later! Stay cool! 

Love,   Elder Martin :)  

I have enough change to make obama proud!

A super crazy rain storm that hit us out of nowhere. it was much needed!! it hasn’t cooled down in a few weeks!!! more than 90 for severe days!! oh man last night was the best night I have had in a while! so cool and fresh.

This is the family Paoletti. He is the cousin of the cousin of Julia, and she lived in Albi a long time ago and became an older sister in the church to  And their little bébé Alicia :) she is the cutest thing ever!! I would blow on her face and she would shake her head like she was a dog out the car window haha she is absolutely adorable! He is in the military and he let us come over and celebrate the 4th with a bbq! he said he loves fighting in battle with the Americans on his side haha this family is so great!

Week 35 June 29, 2015 The Dream

Week 35 June 29, 2015 

Good morning mom :)

So something crazy happened on the night between Saturday and Sunday. I had a dream and it was very particular. I was back in Pasco. I was with you and dad. We were in a very busy place and things were hectic and it almost seemed like neither you nor dad seemed to care that I was home. You weren't paying attention to me. Then I did something that was really off for me. I leaned over and kissed you on the cheek and you smiled really big.

So I am not a dream interpreter, but I think I am supposed to give you love today.

I really miss you. I really miss having you there for me and having a mom that loves me and will buy me little things to show that you were thinking of me. I miss you going to drive us to places. Here in France we have to walk or take a bus or a tram and it is a pain in the butt. But if I had you, I could be anywhere in a matter of minutes. I am thankful for the fun that we had together. The fun board games or card games that we played late into the night as a family. Here I am learning a new card game and I suck and I take it personally. Haha bad. I am learning how to not take things so personally so that the next time we play cards, we can just have fun and I will know that even if I lose, you still love me haha  I am thankful for your example to me in the church. It is always good to have somebody who would also go because it was the right thing to do, even when we didn't want to. And even though there are a lot of things that we all need working on, you have given me an example to fight back against life when it gets hard and that there is always a way back. I am thankful that you have fought so hard to keep this family together, even when there is contention and fighting. I have never really seen anyone fight harder to keep a family together than you have. I admire that. Maybe one day I will see what you see when I have a family of my own. But thank you for doing your best.

I love you mom and I hope you have better week than I did. I hope that you feel the love of God and you see His and in all things and aspects of your life. I love you so much, mom, and I hope that you know that.

I get to go to Switzerland this Thursday and Friday and member has invited us over for the Fourth of July. We get our new mission president this week too. A lot of change going on right now. It stresses me out. I still don't know what's going on. 

If I could get you a scarf, what color would you like? I love you mom! You're awesome! :)

Elder Martin :)

*a note from me, the Mom.  That Saturday there was a family disagreement, argument, a heated exchange of text and words. A lot of hurt feelings. Mike and I were just so extremely hurt and sad. Our hearts were aching for our children. As I was typing an email to him, he was sending me this email. He truly came to give me some love. He is growing so much! I love this Elder Nick Martin!!

This is an arch in Besançon that was built in 175 ad... also called the black gate

We really need to see this Ville. This town is prettier than Dijon if you want my humble opinion! this is Parc Darcy in Dijon close to our apartment

I am very proud of my American flag :) even put a light on it like in the museums

And me!

Week 33 June 15, 2015 Dijon is Beautiful

Week 33  June 15, 2015

I really.... Don't know what to think... I am so stressed.... I feel out of place here. I have this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach like something is wrong and I don't know what it is..... 

So that is where I am mentally. Physically, it is beautiful in Dijon. The town is really old and it is pretty sick to see all of these buildings that have seen so much. The weather here is a lot fresher than down south. Thank goodness. I can walk outside and not be covered in sweat. But it down poured on us today and left us soaking. The apartment is really nice, too. It is a very nice apartment. Big enough for four missionaries.

My new comp is Elder Douglas. We have been getting along just wonderfully. He is a gamer and so we have been talking about games and his sense of humor is a lot like mine. We have had a lot of fun! He is a really good guy!

We taught a really cool friend of the church on Friday. We gave him a blessing and he had a very spiritual experience. So spiritual, that he knows without a shadow of a doubt that he wants to be baptized. He is golden. His name is Pierre and is 16. Keep him in your prayers!

The members here have been very warm and welcoming. On Sunday, I was asked just five minutes before sacrament meeting if I could introduce myself and bear my testimony. That was normal. Then they continued and asked if I could give a little message on a topic of my choosing since one of the speakers didn't show. That caught me by surprise. I didn't know what to share! Elder Douglas said, "Just share what you have been studying!" Well my studies have been in the general conference of April, 1971 and that's not in French haha so I prayed really hard and felt inspired to talk about the family. I felt the Spirit strongly and so did the members. It was good. One member came up to me after sacrament and said that I made him cry and that I am his son now and welcome anytime into his home. That made me happy that I could be used in the Hands of the Lord like that.

So that was kinda my week. I will let you go. Pray for me. Please. I miss you terribly. I love you so much.     Elder Martin

Me and Elder Douglas

These cathedrals are just massive!!!

This is the main road with all the shops and old buildings. It’s really cool.

This is just a side road.

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!