Homecoming

Thanks each of you for your emails, packages, love and prayers!!! You have made a big difference in Kaylee's mission!  

She arrives home:

Wednesday, October 19th at 1:50 p.m.

She speaks in church:

Sunday, October 23rd

9:00 AM
If you'd like to hear her speak, the address of the church is 3930 W 7875 S in West Jordan

The Last Letter

October 17th

I am lost for words and i don't even know how i can or ever will be able to express my gratitude for being able to represent our Savior Jesus Christ here in New Mexico.

New Mexico truly  is sacred ground. I have been able to witness miracles just as the sons of Mosiah, I have gone through trials and hardships I thought I could never get through, but thanks to Jesus Christ all was made possible.

As i look back on my mission i see my trials and the hard things i had to go through and i can't help but  "to sing the song of redeeming love" The growth that i have made is exponential! I know that the Lord has more in store for me, and that this was a growing process for me to more fully pursuit the potential that God has for me! 

The people that i have been able to meet and get to know, that love for them is eternal. Every member, convert and non member, my love for them is far beyond any that i have felt before!

I can not thank everyone enough for changing my life! I know that there are people here who i have already met. I know that I was able to find those who i promised long ago that i would bring the restored gospel to. And that joy of being able to do so far exceeds any that i have felt before!

My love for my Savior Jesus Christ, is indescribable. I am beyond grateful that Christ gave up Godhood for manhood - for ME. That " He {was} despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:" FOR ME, FOR YOU! 

His sacrifice was the greatest form of love, and i hope with every fiber of my being that this small sacrifice i made for him has been able to show my love for him!

Everything that He has done for me, Making Eternal life possible, the ability to live with my family forever, so return back home with my father in heaven, that he Atoned for me so that i could be clean when i inevitably will mess up, my mission is the LEAST i could do for Him! And i will continue to do EVERYTHING for him!

I love you all and can't thank each one of you enough for your love and support, I hope and pray that each of us can and will be more committed to the Lord and come to find what true happiness is!

Sister Markus 

Letter #77

October 11th

A letter from Kaylee and her mom:

"Kaylee indicated in a response to my email that she really did not feel like writing an email this week. I had asked how she was feeling about coming home.

I have taken a few excerpts from the little she did email to us and thought I would go ahead and email it to everyone so you wouldn't wonder where her letter is

but also to let you know how she is doing. She is a little worried about the transition back to normal life and what that will entail. She did indicate that it had been

a good week. She will be emailing us one last time on Monday before arriving home on Wednesday!!!

We appreciate everyone's prayers in behalf of Kaylee and the support she has received from so many of you and we know your support and prayers is what helped

her finish out her mission! Please continue to keep her in your prayers after she gets home as she makes the transition back to everyday life!  Thank You!!!!!"

Marilyn (Kaylee's Mom)

"So I really just don't feel like writing a weekly e mail....man

ugh,,, I feel like I'm excited to come home, I feel worn out, but I love the people here so much I feel like it will be worse than leaving home, the talk Elder Holland gave that talks about after having heavenly experiences we at some point have to come back to earth...and I don't want to miss this, I love living like this!!!

This week is gonna be hard, but I am gonna work hard!"

Sister Markus

Letter #76

October 5th

Man oh man! This week has been just 100% amazing!!!

Monday- temple !!!!

This is Sister Acton, we are soul sisters!

Tuesday and Wednesday we worked like lions trying to find people to teach. Nothing yet but I know that the lord will bless us!!! :)

Thursday we had a lesson with Kelsey and she is amazing, she is someone the Elders were teaching and shes on date for baptism for Nov. 5th! Keep her in your prayers!!! :)

Friday was Zone Conference and that is always so empowering and uplifting! It is amazing to see the Lords work continuing to go forth!

Saturday-

Oh how I love conference, it is so bitter sweet... everything seemed to sink so much deeper, and I will never be able to express my love and gratitude for my mission. It has been the hardest thing I

have EVER done! And it has brought me more joy than I ever thought possible!!! 

To end the night off so great and amazing.....

I GOT TO SEE MY FAMILY!!!

Oh man, oh man ohhhhh man!!!!! I can not express my love for these boys! They have 100% changed my life and I am so happy that they are in my life! WE had SOOOO much fun!!! It was amazing to see them!!!

This week has been good, and I have loved seeing the Lord work his mighty work! I know that good things are to come, and I know he KNOWS how to prepare us!

I love you all!!!!

Sister Markus :D

Letter #75

September 27th

this week has been interesting, we are getting to know the area better, and there are a  lot of interesting people over here. haha

Something that we are struggling with is that when we first meet people they seem interested and want us to come back and then we do and they just need someone to take to and dont actually want to learn. 

but its going good. friday we had a zone training and it was sooo good! president was there and i asked him if bro varela could take us to lunch and he said yes! so i have been trying to get a hold of him to see if that would work! man, i saw some boys riding their bikes like Adrian and i lost it, i was doing sooo good, and then i just missed them so much more than i realized! 

but i am making the east side home! we are trying to work with people, they are all still a little confused why the elders are gone, but they just need to know the sisters are here and we are here to kick it! hahah :)

Women's conference was just amazing! I love conference and i loooved all the speakers! its was amazing! annd i loved President Uchtdorfs talk! he did amazing! 

Sunday was good and busy, are church is at 1:00 so its takes up most our day,

Then monday... WE GOT TO GO TO THEM TEMPLE!!!!

I received the most amazing revelation that has REALLY helped me to know that Heavenly Father is so proud of me, It was such a special celestial moment! 

I KNOW our Savior love us, our Father in Heaven KNOWS what will make us happy, how we can help his kids and in turn help us!!

I LOVE JESUS CHRIST, MY SAVIOR AND REDEEMER!!! I hope you can feel of that love, and let that love in you for them grow!

Love sister Markus 

Letter #74

September 20th

So super cool things have happened. Sister Wade and I have been doing our best to find new people to teach.

Well we met this guy named Justin last week, and he wasn't interested...a few days later we saw him again and he was like yeah this is weird and we told him if we see him another time he has to meet with us and he aid ok so we were like ok see you tomorrow and...we didn't see him, but a few days latter we saw him and he was like ok this is weird. you re stocking me and he walked off. hhaha and these were all in different places of our area!

well we see him another time and we said hey you didn't keep your promise you have to meet with us and he laughed and said ok, we told him that this was God telling him he needs this and that he knows him and knows this will help! we talked about how this is bring him a lot of happiness and he said you know i could use that! so we are hoping to see him soon! :D

Also we met this lady who the night before we met her was looking up the stop smoking program the missionaries have and she didn't want to bother trying to sign up to have missionaries come, and the next day we came! haha how cool! and now she is doing the program and loves it and i bet we will start teaching her soon!

so things are slowly working up here!! 

I love it and love seeing God work His mighty miracles here! 

Sister Markus

Letter #73

September 13th

I don't know if this week was fast or slow. Things are slowly getting better. I think the hardest park is just feeling in the dark not really knowing the area and trying to find people to teach.

Wednesday was trying by people, trying by people and trying by some more people. We are trying a lot of former's and potentials and we didn't see a lot of success.

Thursday:

Tried by people and tried by people. we were out knocking for 3 hours and I got sooo burned, and for that whole 3 hours only 5 people answered their doors! Oh man, but we went to a R.S. activity and got to meet some people. Its going good. :)

Friday:

District meeting and then tried by people tried by people and knocked some doors. The Elders were only teaching a couple people when we got here! haha

Saturday 

We tried by some people, met someone the elders were teaching and she is super sweet and took us out to dinner! That was fun! Still trying to find and figure out the area!

Sunday

Church my most favorite thing. They did a sacrament meeting where people got to come up and talk about their favorite hymn and then we sang a verse! It was cool! Then after church we were able to meet another investigator!

Monday 

We planed our week out and got to have a lesson with an investigator!

So things are good, going slow but we will get it!

Love you all!

Sister Markus

Letter #72

September 7th

Man....oh man... 
Wednesday - DONNA GOT BAPTIZED!!!

and that was just the most celestial baptism ever! The spirit was so strong and 

the room was filled! standing room only! I can't wait till next year when she can get sealed! 

honestly the rest of the week was stress! i was so nervous for transfer news and the boys weren't up this week and so if i did leave i would say bye and i was so nervous!

we got transfer news and....i got transferred.... UGH!!!!

you know maybe this makes me a bad missionary that my first thoughts were no! no no no! i DON'T want to leave. I DON"T want to go to a new area for only 6 weeks.... and to make it all better we are pink washing (meaning there used to be elders here.....)

And you better believe that yup they left terrible notes, the house is super run down and gross and messy.... and we are just 100% in the dark and know nothing about the area.

I saw one of the elders that had served in that area and i asked him what would be good to know about the area, and you know what he said?

"that it sucked!"

AHHHHH!!!

And I didn't say goodbye to the boys, and leaving the west side was honestly harder than leaving home, all of you...words can not describe the sorrow and anguish of leaving them...i miss them so much and want to go back home...): (to the west side..)

But i am hoping and praying that things turn around here and are good...

i need to keep telling myself there is something here i need to learn or i can help with...but its hard!

I love you all! 

Sister Markus

Letter #71

August 31st 

1000%, this was the best week ever! ah!! 

Last P-day we went to Laguna burger! Oh nelly, so the Elders serve out on the Laguna reservation and right by Rt 66 is Laguna burger! and it is sooo good, so we all drove out and did that! That will have to be a place to come back to! :)

Wednesday we went on exchanges...

Then Thursday! Ah!

It was a good day, we saw that cute old lady Lucille, who still thinks my name is Marquez, but whatever :) 

Then right after we got out of dinner We got a call. But backing up! I forgot, Donna! Man Donna is just a rock, she has been coming to church every week. Her parents came from Indonesia to be here for a couple months. And she is just awesome. We haven't been able to see her a whole tone. 

But anyways, we get a call from Bishop Wolfley and... he told us that Donna had called him and told him she wanted to be baptized!

I don't remember crying that much for something that brought me such exceedingly great joy! AH! 

Donna Kingston, who has been taught for 6-7 years by missionaries, who when i first got here didn't really want to see us because she knew we'd talk about baptism, who's husband passed away IS FINALLY GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!!!!

I can not even explain my joy! this is what a mission is all about I love it!

I was thinking about it yesterday as we were filling out her baptism record. I thought why do missionaries feel such joy when people get baptized?

Its because you work and labor so incredibly hard, and as you teach these people the gospel of Jesus Christ, your testimony just grows exponentially!! And you have sucha love for the principals and the people that when they "partake of the fruit" inexpressible joy will fill your soul! 

And just to think, ahh this time next year, Donna and Matthew can be sealed to  Brother Kingston! THAT IS WHAT MISSIONARY WORK IS ALL ABOUT!

And ah! i just am sooo filled with happiness, to think that I have just a sliver of a part in helping this family to have an eternal family and the joy that comes... man! I want this  forever!!!

I love my Savior, I have seen him carry me and those we teach! I know he NEVER gives up on us and we need to NEVER give up on him!

I love you all beyond words!

Love, Sister Markus

we may be a little excited with donna and took a picture with her teaching record! haha

Letter #70

August 23rd 

To say that time flies wouldn't even begin to cover how I feel right now! What the holy hannah its almost September?!!
This week really has just flown by. We taught Ignacio and he is just a hoot everytime! haha.

It was cool to see in a lesson we had with him. We asked him "do you know why it is important to come to church?"

And he shook his head no.

Then one of my most favorite things about being a missionary is having the spirit inspire you on what to share and what they need. I felt impressed to read Alma 36: 19-21

19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.
 20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!
 21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

And we explained this is why we go to church. Because during the week we make mistakes we are hurt and taking the sacrament is healing. i love how descriptive Alma is here, and who wouldn't want to feel such joy EVERY WEEK? We asked him if he wanted to feel that and he said yes. Then afters a long time, he came to church :)

I love seeing the spirit work and convert people! ah!!

Then something else really cool. So we are teaching Aurora and her family! And when we go over there im always nervous because the daughter throws out hard questions and we get off topic a lot and then it comes down to why we even need the bom! ah

well we had a SUPER inspired lesson. (Which is also something i love is when you plan for lessons and the spirit tells you what they need)  Well we read Mark 9: 23-24

 23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

We talked about how sometimes we have trails and hard things that test our faith. But those are things that help strengthen that belief. And man was the spirit there and guiding that lesson! AH it was so cool all of them sat just so intently listening and the spirit guided the lesson to talking about fasting and prayer. And Aurora got soo excited about fasting and man, I love seeing how Heavenly Father knows us so personally and what we stand in need of and that he uses us - too little missionaries - to be such great instruments to help his children! I LOVE it so much! 

Letter #69

August 16th

Seriously this week just flew by!  And it scares me. There is a new family that moved into one of the wards and the husband was asking how long we had been out, and sister Johnson said 1 year and he was like oh man youre almost going home and then he looks at me and said what about you?

I debated if i should say  2 months. :) haha but sadly i told him 16....😰

honestly it doesn't seem real! I know for fact that it is not going to seem real till im off the plane and i see all of you. So weird.

we had a lesson with Ignacio, man i just don't know with him. One lesson he is progressing and the next he isn't. But i know that we need to keep working with him. :)

Thursday was exchanges and yet again learned more patience! haha and we did serve with Lucille! she is the one who thinks my name is sister Marquez! she is the sweetest lady. but very old! haha

we were doing yard work and i knew from the beginning to not ask her for water. So i went inside to get the keys to the car to get water and she says oh! i have water....oh no...

she hands me a water bottel (the elders went over before us one time and said she reuses water botters but doesnt clean them, thes bad)

well she hands me a water from the fridge and i am dying of heat! and it was a brand new one and i thought yes! then she hands one to the other sister... and it was half  used with lip stick all over it! hahaha i felt sooo bad! its was gross! :)

Friday and saturday we got to see the boys and i love them. (just incase you didnt know) they are doing good. but man it is crazy to see little changes in them when they come back. It is such a testimony at how important it is to teach youth and primary kids the gospel! and how needs it is to be consistant in their lives!

this week is looking good! i love you all!!!

remember the love our Savior and our Father in Heaven has for us is constant and Eternal!

😘 Sister Marquez 

Letter #68

August 9th

This week not too much happened, it was a pretty slow week. We had Karen drop us ): The boys are still gone, and Donna is still struggling with the loss of her husband. 

In our Zone training we had on Friday they asked us what the hardest thing we ever had done was. 

Instantly my mind was flooded with things. Losing weight, anxiety, the mission. But Friday was also the day of Brother Kingston's funeral. Donna has been taught by missionaries for a long time now! And she has almost been baptized a couple of times. I am honestly not 100% what is holding her back. But she has been a lot more open to it!

Well we have had some lessons with her and talked about how we are here to support her and help her along the way to baptism. Well after we would have dinner or a lesson Brother Kingston would just look at us with the biggest smile and say, you know, sometimes I just don't think it'll happen in this life. 

After He passed Donna really wanted to know how to seal her son Matthew to him. And so on Friday we went to the viewing and funeral service. We walked in the room and it was such a feeling of mixed emotions of peace and sorrow. Donna's back was to me and she was talking with someone and as she turned around and looked at me and at that moment, that was the hardest thing I have ever done. I will never be able to express the unspoken words as she looked at me and fell on me! As I hugged her all I could do was hug her tighter! 

She showed so much strength as she came to church the following Sunday  AND SHE BORE HER TESTIMONY!!! We walked up to her after and I Ttld her "Donna you're a rock!" and you know what she said, "No I am not a rock, I am weak, but my Savior is my rock and that is why I can stand."

Do we have that kind of attitude in the mist of trials and dispair? 

I can not stress enough the importance of the gospel, of the peace that comes and even more important of temple marriages! The Lord KNOWS what will make us happy and bring us peace and the temple is 100% a key to peace!

I would invite you all to go to the temple more, and really count your blessings that pour from Heaven!

I love you all! Please keep Donna and Matthew in your prayers!

Hermana Markus

Picture Update

Pictures and a video from August 2nd

the drinks from brother Garcia

we decided to make egg rolls 

yup :) 

kimchi!!!  

I love this video, but something I love more is that Christ right then didn't heal that man. He could have. But he asked him to walk and to go and wash in the waters. And how hard that must have been to walk who knows how long, and not being able to see. But then he was healed! 

That is the same with us, we have trials or hard ships and Christ helps, but doesn't always instantly take it away, and he may ask us to walk blindly for a moment, but the promise is always there, if we act, then we can be healed! :)

Letter #67

August 2nd

Man this week is, probably the craziest yet! 

So last week all the boys came down and it was amazing! I love when all 4 of them are here! But they were going to have to go back with their mom on Sunday and the other boys told Adrian that he was going to have to come back too! Well he wrote a letter to the judge saying he did NOT want to go back and man, Bro. Varela let me read it and oh my goodness! My heart breaks for that boy!

Well Brother Varela said he felt really confident that all would work out! So Tuesday was the day of the hearing if Adrian was going back with the mom or Brother Varela...

Words can not express how broken my heart was when brother Varela called saying the judge said Adrian had to go back to live with his mom... UGH!! Brother Varela has been really struggling because Adrian had been living with him for 2 months and then to have him ripped away...ugh!

Please keep him in your prayers.

Also more sad new... There is a part member family that I think I have told you about. Her name is Donna Kingston and she is pretty much a member, she comes to church every week, has a calling. She is awesome. Her husband is a member and they have a 9 year old son who is also baptized. We have worked with her a lot and so have past missionaries, for years. 

But it was hard because after we had dinner with them or a lesson as we were leaving Brother Kingston would tell us, "you know, i just don't think its going to happen in this life."

And I never understood why he would say that but, on Friday he passed away!  Oh my goodness....

It was soo hard! One of the first things she was calling and asking members about was how she could get Matthew (their son) sealed to the dad... and it's just crazy that Brother Kingston kept saying "not in this life.." ahhh all I know is that Heavenly Father Works in crazy ways!

Keep them in your prayers!

But cool tender mercy story!

So it was the end of the month and we had no more miles to drive! So we had to walk. We walked to our apartment all the way to the stake center, which is 5 miles!! woo!

So we were walking and it was going good, but then once we had about 2 1/2 ish miles left I was dying! It was blazing hot, and there are a lot of hills! This really nice guy pulled over in a truck and asked if we needed a ride...I wanted so badly to say yes! But we kept walking. Well we pass a circle K and I thought ahhh .89 cent drinks! Yes! But then we didn't have our wallets...ahhh! So we stopped and took a short brake and kept walking. Right before we were about to cross the street the spirit says "Sister Markus, you have a $20 in your bag, remember!"

Ahhh yes! I remember Grandma Markus sent me $20 and I haven't used it! So we hurry and start walking over to circle K where we see Brother Garcia (Lexie's dad!!) and he said, I was driving up the road and I saw you walking and then I saw Sister Markus leaning up against the wall and I thought, "OH NO.... SISTER MARKUS DOWN!!!"  So he went to Smiths and got us water, Gatorade and ICE CREAM! oh man how awesome! It was soooo nice! He felt bad he couldn't give us a ride, but then just has we were leaving other members pulled into the parking lot and asked if we wanted a ride! MAN!

Unless you know what it is like to have no miles and to be walking 4 miles when its 100 degrees out side, you will never know how big of a tender mercy that is! Heavenly Father is soo aware of his missionaries! haha

So its been a crazy week but good!  I have seen Heavenly Father in this work so much and how much he truly carries us through our trials!

I love you all!!

Hermana Marquez  (everyone here thinks my name is Sister Marquez)

Picture Update

ok so this story is cool, its long so im ganna just be short

So remember how Elder Ah Loy gave me that blessing and said that there was someone I was going to help with my anxiety? Well, months and months later I found her! LEXI! It's one of the members in our ward, their daughters name is Lexi and she left on a mission and struggled really bad and I have been able to really help them.The mom told me she knew I was here for them and Lexi! ahhh so cool, but Lexi just came home from her mission): so we made her this!

This is all of us in one picture perfectly! Ray constantly loving on my, Emilio just sweet and then there is Brother Varela running off to answer his phone or do something, Victor is "too cool" to be in the picture and Adrian just being tired and me trying to love them and talk to them :) hahaha

me and my little brother adrian :)

Letter #66

July 26th

This whole week I just was freaking out about leaving. I have been here now for 6 months and only two transfers left, there was a good chance for me to leave. But something that is so cool about this area is I know that I am here for not only the boys but other people too, and members!

On Wednesday:

We got a new investigator named Tom from Taylor Ranch which is super exciting because we haven't had a ton of luck with Taylor Ranch! So we were super excited and he seems really interested! :)

Then...

MY BOYS!!!! Oh man it was like seeing family! Like ahhhhh!!!! I love those boys sooo much! And I was more than excited to see them! Its great when I first got there we were just talking and laughing and ahhhh I just sooo missed that! But something super sad is there has been SUCH a change in those 3 boys...It breaks my heart. And it opened my eyes to see how much Adrian has changed. He understands and gets the gospel more than I think he realizes! Just the way he acts and just the spirit he has with him.  Those other boys, being with their mom for 2 months... its sad..... they swear more (which they never used to) and just the way they act! It's a huge testimony builder that KIDS NEED TO GROW UP IN THE GOSPEL!!!!!!!!

The next day we saw Ignacio our new investigator, Karen, and the whole time I was just freaking out because I feel like a huge part of why I am here, is the boys and Adrian! I just feel like I'm not done helping them yet. Well, Saturday came and Adrian's mom was making him come back with all the boys on Sunday... and he was so upset, they have a hearing tomorrow, but for right now he is there with his mom and it just breaks my heart... its so bad! But I thought well, this might be the last time I see them... so we took a ton of pictures. And I just felt peace that everything was going to be ok. 

I GET TO STAY ANOTHER TRANSFER! ahhh how crazy is that!? 5 transfers, 7 months! woot! I love it! It is home here and it would have been too hard to leave the boys like that! 

I am super excited and I know good things will come of this transfer!

love you all!!

sister markus

Letter #65

July 19th 

This week really strengthened my testimony of fasting! 

Wednesday we saw Aurora, and she struggles with the Book of Mormon, and missionaries have been teaching her for a while. But they are a family who I just know would benefit from the gospel. That is something I love as a missionary, is that even if these people don't get baptized, I ALWAYS learn something, even if they don't want to accept something my testimony builds. Something I have REALLY learned while I have been in this area is the importance of raising a family in this gospel! And there is no other way! The world is too hard and there is too much sorrow that comes with not having it! And so that is something I love! I LOVE THIS GOSPEL...yes I've become that missionary, oh well! :)

Thursday we went on exchanges and I learned patience......

Friday poor Sister Johnson was soooo sick.. and I mean dying. And I have found I am cursed and that Sister Johnson is full of love and puts up with me, because poor her, she would tell me whats wrong and how she doesn't feel good, and I would just laugh. She is so funny and that's all we did Friday, was laugh! :D She's doing better :)

Saturday we saw Adrian and I swear I love that family more and more every day! One time we were talking to Adrian and he was telling me about people at the skate park and i just turned  into his older sister and I just am like " you better make the right choices, don't be dumb, don't smoke that, don't say that, don't watch that, hahaha and he said "why do you care so much?" and I said, well I am sorry, I just love you too much and then he laughed and said "love me a little less" hahaha We just laughed! But he's soo good! He knows whats right and he's doing good, he's a 14 year old boy :)

Sunday we had a ward council fast for the boys that things would work out and that Bro Varela would get the boys and things would be good, and in my fasting I also said, (I haven't seen them for two months) and I said Heavenly Father, even if they don't get to get baptized now, I just want to see them. I love them and at this point I just need to see all my boys! Well, we found out that Bro Varela had a court hearing on Monday! AHHH we were freaking out, and we called in around 2:00 and you know what he said... "Sisters, I'm on my way right now to Reserve to get the boys! Can we see you tomorrow?!"  AHHHHHHHHHHH I cried, and cried and cried some more! They are my family and I just miss them soo much.. I think I might miss them a little bit more then home right now! haha sorry, but WE GET TO SEE THEM TONIGHT! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH what a tender mercy! Because you know I would love for nothing more than to see them all get baptized, but I think Heavenly Father has a different time table than that. And I KNOW that everything works out PERFECTLY when God is in charge!

I love you all! Transfer news is this Saturday and then they changed it so next week will be a Monday P-day! :) love you love you love you!

Sister Markus

Letter #64

July 12th 

2 Nephi 33:3"But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great worth, and especially unto mypeople. For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them;and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry."

The boys didn't come up this week. Ugh, I have finally found what the hardest thing and part of missionary work is. It is that you come to these different places and you find people that you know you knew in the pre existence and you love them unconditionally. A love that is so deep, and then you serve them, pray for them, teach them and you want nothing but happiness for them. But then you see them in a deepening trial that just breaks your heart! 

As I have been on my mission I have truly come to know and understand how amazing and special this gospel is as Lehi said:

 " And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to bedesirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit."

It seriously kills me when people don't want any part of this gospel. Why would you deprive yourself of such joy? 

Ben and Nelline have been still struggling, he got in a fight with Nelline's brothers and was flown to UNM. He's doing better, Brother Varela doesn't have the boys and the mom is trying to guilt trip Adrian about being with his dad, not sure if we are going to get permission from the mom about the baptism, and when we were talking to just  Adrian the other day, he's not sure if its true and its not really on his top of the list of most important things. AHH that about KILLED me when he told me that! But I have to remember he is a teen age boy and he is 14 and when I was 14 I wasn't 100% converted... ahhh I just want him to enjoy the blessings of the gospel!!

Then it makes me think I don't want kids.... haha..... because it would be so scary to know if they are going to be converted! Ahhh man I just love this gospel and EVERYONE needs to taste of that great white fruit!

I LOVE my mission and I have learned a lot! I want to so badly carry these peoples burdens and not let them suffer, but then I am reminded that, that is why we have a wonderful Savior. Who I am sure EVERYDAY is begging each of us to just please use his Atonement and to let him carry us! I can only imagine what our Heavenly Father feels with children who don't have the gospel or who have gone a stray and are lost!

But I am eternally grateful that they are constantly there, I'm forever grateful for this mission and how hard it has been! Wow, who knew I'd say that, but I am! I AM GRATEFUL MY MISSION HAS BEEN SO HARD! Because if it wasn't, I wouldn't be who I am, or where I am today!

I love you all more than you will ever know! Thank you for the prayers and support!

Sister Markus

Letter #63

July 5th

This week was great! I just laughed and laughed, which is the BEST! 

So it is sorta nice that only Adrian is up here because then we are able to teach him what he needs, since he is 14 almost 15! So we have talked a lot about the for Strength of Youth and it has been good!

Thursday...oh that was crazy!

So we only have so many miles we can drive a month and the Zone Leaders made us drive to the zoo and so we didn't have anymore miles for the month. and so ... we walked.! Oh man killer! So many hills and miles we walked and walked and walked! We walked to Adrian's lesson and when we got there we were just dying! But we had a super good lesson, and then we walked back. It was a good 3 miles one ay! ahh dying! We got to our members house for dinner and we just sat on her couch and died! hahah its was sooo hot and I got sooooo tan! yup tan! Not burned...... who knew it was possible!?

Saturday was super fun! We were out walking around and we had to go to the bathroom and so we went to the Holley's! I love them! It was the twins birthday and the theme was finding Dory! So I went swimming! 

And then to top off the week.................

ok so most people we talk to think that we are nuns which is just funny! But anyways, we were driving down the road and I saw a nun! I  really wanted a picture with her! Sister Johnson was super embarrassed and i just said come on she will be nice!

haha She was soooo nice! It was great! Yesterday we got to see some fireworks and it was a good day.

now are you ready............

THE BOYS ARE COMING UP THIS WEEK!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MY BOYS, VICTOR EMILIO AND RAY!!! I HAVEN"T SEEN THEM FOR ALMOST 2 MONTHS!!!

ahhhh Brother Varela told us and I just cried! I miss them like crazy!!!! So with them being up here for the rest of summer (and hopefully forever) all we need is permission from the mom!!! ahahaha!!! 

Everyone pray for them!

I am so excited I love them more than anything!

Thanks for all your love and support! 

Sister Markus

​

Pictures!

Pictures from a trip to the zoo

Fencing with Adrian!

Letter #62

June 28th

Man I swear, the weeks go by so fast, its kinda scary!

Monday:

 We planed and that always takes forever! But we got a new investigator!! Yay! Her name is Karen and she's in her 70s! Super sweet and so far we have had two lessons with her! I really like her!

Tue:

That was really fun P day! We went over with Ben and Nelline and made fry bread so we could have Navajo burgers with the zone! its was way fun! Then after that we went with members from the ward and Ignacio got a blessing. Man I am having a hard time knowing if he is progressing or if he's just enjoying the visits!

Wed:

No one in our area was home... we knocked on doors and no one was home haha

Thur.

We saw Adrian, man I LOVE that boy! He's doing good, he's a teenager but I still love him!

Friday we tried to stop by a ton of former's in Taylor ranch because we don't have a ton investigators in that ward, but no luck..

Saturday:

We saw Adrian again! And we were having a lesson and Brother Varela loves to collect random things and we were talking and all the sudden I saw two fencing swords in the corner, and long story short... Adrian and I fenced! haha IT WAS SO FUN!! :D

Then super cool, we were out knocking doors, no luck no luck, then we knock this door and a guy comes out, says he's heard about the church from a friend at work, she just left on a mission and gave him a Book of Mormon! SWEET! And he said we could come back over so we asked when and he said that night! ahhh yes yes yes!..well he ends up being a YSA,,,, but still super cool!

Sunday: These are my favorites, so to be honest. Back home I wasn't excited about going to church, but I think that's why on my mission Heavenly Father has had me go to at least 2 wards to start liking it! haha

But I just feel like Sunday is a feast for my spirit! I LOVE it!

Then yesterday we saw Adrian again, hoping to get the boys up here! It's CRAZY! Still haven't heard from the Bishop in Luna to see if he's talked to the wife, Brother Varela is trying to get the boys its crazy and hard! 

Then, Ben and Nelline,.....sjlakfjlaskgalshglkasjglksdajglskagas

Long story short they are getting divorced!.... UGH it is so bad and too long to get into, but this is why its so important to marry in the temple and to use the ATONMENT DAILY! ugh its so hard, I feel terrible for them, mostly Nelline... PLEASE PRAY FOR HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then today we went to the Zoo!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahh that was fun and its SO much better than Utahs! 100%

And we get a discount because I'm from NEW Mexico :D

Hoping and knowing this week will be full of miracles! Sister Johnson and I are like the same person and laugh constantly, she's a big tender mercy! I love her! :)

Thanks for all you do! I LOVE you all!!!

PS... in this pictures is one of the STLS (Sister Bishop)

Hermana Marquez