Mas Mas Mas Pictures

Paul is on the left and im by Andrew, they are in the NM mens recovery center! and i LOVE them! they are sooo humble so ready for the gospel! ahhh i cant even explain it... it was hard to say goodbye..

i had to take a picture of a picture, but this was kathleen's baptism when her brother got to baptize her!!!!

Doesn't she just radiate the spirit?!!!!

this is my Ashley! i am pretty confidant that i knew here before this!!! :) 

Ahhh sjlkdfjdsoigheojaklf I HATE GOODBYES!!!! she told me i could come visit her when she moves to mississippi! and that i could live with her, so if i dont make it home after the mission its because i went there! :) She reminds me  A TON of jen Keife! Maybe that is why i love her soo much! she always wants me to hold her little girl!! :)

this is ashley's number fellowship and everyone needs to be like sister ford! She is so lovingly bold with ashley! i think she played a huge part in ashley learning from us!

Bro ford works at the sandia labs, he cant talk about what he does! haha i LOVE this family, sister ford i could move in with her too! so really if i dont show up home, dont look in los lunas or mississippi! ;)

We were going to dinner and the rose garden was having a party for the new year!!!

Pictures of my Albuquerque 

A creepy spider we saw door knocking

Hot air balloons on the way to church

Little Ben! Navajo babies are the cutest things ive ever seen! Ahhhh

Ben and Nalines navajo Book of Mormon!  

Got my lobos hat on ready for the day

they light just half this picture soo cool!

at the boys house! everyone needs the gospel!

they are twins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahhh double love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Lamanite Family

Kaylee's Birthday Pictures

I got spoiled for my birthday!!!!

Katie sent me the awesome shirt!

And this fun package came from Gwen

The banner at Sister Payne’s house

Also the APs called and sang me happy birthday! :)

Letter #48

March 15^th

This was a week of truly seeing God's hand not only in this work, but in each of these peoples lives, including mine!

Tuesday- There is a Part member family we are working with, the dad is active and so is the son and the wife is not a member, her name is Donna. The whole time i have been in this area (5ish weeks) we haven't had a lesson with her! But it is cool because i KNOW she is ready to be baptized. She has been taking the lessons for 2 years and her hold up is fear. Well, we had dinner over at their house and I was so nervous because i was thinking here am, i don't even know her and we are going to invite her to baptism after this and i don't know her...... who am i to do that! But during that lesson she was telling us how we don't know her or her feelings and don't know how to help! This was probably one of the coolest moments on my mission, because the spirit filled the room undeniably, i have never felt it so strong. My chest was burning and i knew, i KNEW God knew her, knew where she was in her life and how she was feeling! We invited her to baptism and she said yes to the 26th of March! Please keep her in your prayers!

Thursday- we went on exchanges, and Sister Kelso was supposed to go to Rio Rancho but they Hermanas called and said i was going to go! It was good, i learned so much as to how i can better myself as a missionary! It was cool because i was with Hermana Saunders and i came out with her! Crazy to think...... who knew that one year later from meeting we would be on exchanges!

Friday- Ah I love Fridays! We have District meeting and all the missionaries get together and ahh! Our District leader is so inspired by the spirit! Then after that we went to go see my boys! AKA the Verela boys! Adrian, Victor, Emillio, and Ray. I love them! I mean ok, this is the hardest part about my mission i have found. You serve and love these people so much that in the end you realize you have just willingly given them your heart. With all the investigators here it is like that! When i think of them all my heart races and I think, how can i help them, what do they need, why can't i just give them my testimony so the hurt and sorrow they are going through will be better!  

It is so hard to see them struggle. We also saw Ben and Nalline. They are having such a hard time! They get so close and Satan just knocks them down! UGH I love them!

Saturday- we had 5 lessons! ahhh sooo good! and we got to see Ben and my boys again! I love them! We have been nice and busy! I love it!

Sunday- We were able to see Ben again and we had 9 hours of church! haha I love it! I love how this mission is changing me. I remember a primary song that at Kathleen's baptism her little great niece sang and it says; 

"I will follow the Lord and do all things in His name. I'll prepare every needful thing. I will walk in righteous ways. When the rain startsto fall on me, I'll be ready for that day."

I LOVE this work, I know it is not only helping others prepare for the day and coming of Jesus Christ and in turn it is preparing me!

We find out transfers now on Saturday, I love this are and I hope I get to stay in both wards!

Thank you for all you do! I love you all!

Sister Markus

Letter #47

March 8^th

This week has been fast, yet slow, if that's even possible...

so on wednesday;

We taught this guy named wheeler! He's catholic and its hard. because honestly that is what everything comes down to, because if the catholic church is right then that means the protestants and the lutherans and all other churches are wrong, because they are just brake offs from catholicism. and if the mormon church is right, then they are all wrong. So we are making small but GOOD progress with him!

Friday;

we had zone training and oh how i love zone training! They spirit is sooo strong and i just want to go out and help everyone! we talked about about true conversion! and how its so important! and i feel like im no where near perfect conversion, but since i left home, im a lot closer! i love this gospel. i wish so much that i was good with my words but how i feel about this gospel just truly as alma says to sing the song of redeeming love! (alma 5:26) As a missionary my purpose is to help others come unto christ, but in turn while i am helping others, i find myself each day coming closer!

Saturday was great!

We talked about how we need more member referrals! and then on sunday we got a call from a member in the north stake and this is the conversation;

"hello sister markus michas and kelso!"

"hey...........my friend wants to take the missionary discussions....."

AHHHHHH!! 

And so we met her on saturday. ok here is a short run down of the morning.

10:20 we have a lesson with michelle who has two kids which one of them is 9

10:45 invite her to baptism

10:46 she says yes

10:47 we put her on date to be baptized the 26Th

10:50 invite her to see a baptism happening in the RS room

11:00 sees baptism

12:00 sets up another appointment for monday!

HOLY HANNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i know 100% it is because we have been doing our best to be obedient and consecrated!

she is sooo very sweet! we also had 3 other lessons that week! in total for the whole week we had 13 MP!

that is sooo good. when i first came here it was about 5 ish! so the work is growing!

Sunday is the best!

It was fast and testimony meeting! in the 2nd ward we were in we were pretty sad because no investigators came to church... then this cute little boy gets up and is giving his testimony and says

"everybody comes to church!..... well not everybody"

and we just had to laugh since non of our investigators came! hahah

Then this cute native lady got up and not sure what she was saying, because one minute it was english the next it was navajo! hahaha and she talked about her husband being catholic! haha

and that's when she said 

"He's a lifelong catholic. And i tell him honey bun honey bun come to church....but he just reads his catholic bible!"

Then monday we had FHE at the Bitsoies! And i love them! they are our WML and ahh they are great!  we had an investigator over and they made fry bread! ahhh sooooo good! they gave us navajo names! mine is  ii ' aa ' ii  which you say like E ah E! haha it means talks a lot ;)

The work is going good! i love it! oh also we got to go to the temple! AHH i will forever love the temple! i got to sit in the brides room for a little! :) i got to see sister baker and good friends!

WEll i love you all thank you for everything!

Love Sister Markus

Letter #46

March 1^st

Well Tuesday was great! I don't think i will ever have a birthday again as great as that day! After we e-mailed we went to old town and shopped and looked around, that's always sooo fun and i love it! I was able to get a native made ring! ahhh I'm in love! Then we went over to our ward mission leaders house and had dinner! And Sister Payne surprised me and made..... CAFE RIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND IT WAS GOOOOOD!!!!! haha she had a huge Happy b-day banner and a balloon! And she made mom's good oreo dessert! ahhhh it was sooo good! She also got my a mini BOM with a cute cover over it! ahhh I'm so spoiled! I was  thinking how cool it was, that 20 years ago i left my Heavenly Father and he told me that in 20 years I'd be here, in New Mexico just giving my heart to these people! Honestly, it was and forever will be the best birthday ever! 

Wed-- So i woke up wed not feeling the greatest, but i was working through it! Then Sister Gibbons who i served with in Los Lunas (shes now in the ysa here) wasn't feeling good, so we did splits and her comp and a member went out and i stayed with her and my comps went out! We watched Meet the Mormons! It was good, I love that movie! I like the guy from India! It makes me want to go and do that stuff after the mission!

Thurs--So there is a Part member family here, and the wife isn't a member! Well i haven't really met her but i feel like she is prepared and ready and everyone in the ward keeps thinking of her! Well we had this super awesome lesson planned went over and she was busy! She has been busy ever since i got her....so we were pretty upset, then our dinner canceled...hahaha so we went to dinner and we were talking and then our night appt. canceled...oh my lanta! but then we had a thought, maybe that one lady isn't busy! We text her, she says shes over at a friends...sgj;aldshg;lUGH! But then we think and say, hey what friends might she have in the ward that she could be at? hahahaah so since we are missionaries aka stockers, we found which friends she was at, and it was a member!

hahaha so we went over for a "member visit" and we walked in and this lady says "Oh hi sisters! I feel like I'm being followed!" and we just told her, oh well, you know, the Lord just tells us were to go! AND HE DOES! That was a good lesson for the non member and for the family! :)

Friday we had district meeting! and i love it! Our district leader has been out for 4 months and he is soo inspired and great! :) We had a zone fast on wed to get new investigators that will progress because

we have a quarterly goal for our zones that by the end of march we will have 14 baptisms. Right now we are at 10! It was soooooo good! We see people progress and ahhh we as a whole zone got 16 new investigators and talked to 492 people in one week! 

The power of fasting is real!!!!!

Then  Saturday! This was part of the miracle from the fast, we need four more baptisms, and there is one this Saturday and we needed three more. Well a recent convert just moved into our area and he wants us to teach his 4 boys! One of them is 8 so its not a convert baptism but still! ahhh Heavenly Father provides!!! But these boys are the sweetest! They are 14 12 10 8 :) it was fun to teach them, the dad grew up catholic and the mom doesn't believe in god!./.... i am forever grateful, that i have a family that knows and has the knowledge of the restored gospel! These poor boys have grown up not knowing that they have a Heavenly Father, not knowing that through all the hard things in life ie there parents divorce, that their Savior Jesus Christ knows how that feels and knows 100% how to help them! This is a huge reason why i came out! And i am forever grateful i get to help these sweet boys come to know all these things!!!

Then after that lesson our member took us to dinner, ok, well on about Friday or Thurs. I was telling Sister Kelso and Sister Michas that i know sign, and when i did my papers i didn't put i know sign and i have my whole mission wanted to meet someone who was deaf so i could sign with them! Well ask and ye shall receive! hahahah At the end of dinner 4 men sat down close to us.... SIGNING!!! Oh my lanta! hahahahahahaha well i heard this saying that you have 3 seconds to act on the impression of the Holy Ghost before Satan tries to come in and change your mind! And it is soooo true! But i did it! I went and signed with them! but I was scared because i haven't signed in a year! But Heavenly Father 100% helped me remember! They were all so sweet! Two of them were visiting from Florida and New York! It was a good experience! :)

Sunday....since we cover two wards and with all our meetings we are at church for 9 hours...i forgot what 3 hours of church feels like....hahaha we had a lesson with Aurora and her 3 kids. She loves the bible, but is scared to read the Book of Mormon! But we had a super awesome lesson and she really felt the spirit! We read 3 Nephi 11! she said they would all start to read it! It is so cool to see Heavenly Father just work through these people and help them! 

Yesterday we got to teach Ben and Nelline ! They are a part member family! and ... THEY ARE NAVAJO!! oh man i love them! They have a son together. Naline is a member and Ben isn't... they are wanting to get married soon, and we are teaching Ben! Its great! My most favorite thing is teaching natives! ahhh because do you know how cool it is, or even just talking to a random person on the street and find out they are natvie and asking "hey is there a story with in your family and tribe about a great white spirit visiting your ancestors?" and then they say "yes...?"

and we show them the Book of Mormon and say, "well this is the story of your family members meeting the great white spirit who is Jesus Christ!"

AHHHHHH coolest mission ever!!!

I know i needed to be here since i never really read the Book of Mormon, and this mission just grows your knowledge and faith in the Book of Mormon!

Sorry this letter was long! I love you all,

Love Sister Markus :)

Letter #45

February 23^rd

Man it is soo weird to think that I am 20! I'm not sure I know how to!

This week as been a growing week. I have learned a lot and learned how I can better myself as a servant of our Heavenly Father. I am soo grateful for inspired leaders! I have amazing Stl's and ZL's and DL! 

I am falling in love with the mission. And honestly I don't want to come home,,,sorry!

The past few nights I have had dreams where I am home from my mission and I just cry! It breaks my heart to think about it. I feel like I have just given my heart to these people and I feel the love that Christ feels for them and how could I possibly leave them?

You know I have thought about it, and I know that that is one of the big reasons why I served state side! It is because Heavenly Father knew I was going to fall into too deep of love with these people, that I had to be able to see them often!

The area is slowly progressing, we are teaching a man named Ignacio and he is soooo sweet! He is in his 70's and oh he's the best! He doesn't have the best hearing so you kinda have to yell at him! But it makes for being bold even more intense! haha he has a fear of water, so that is hard, but hopefully there will be a baptism soon so he can see it!

Also Ben and Nelly.... so its sorta a part member family, they have a son together but they aren't married and live together, both native! But Ben has some really hard trials and drinks a lot! And with in the last little bit its been hard for him, we have  had some good lessons and its cool to see how the spirit can touch people no matter what, but that it doesn't have as much of an effect on those who aren't in tune with the spirit!

We have a family who is worried to read the Book of Mormon because they love their bible and Catholic faith! 

Each day Heavenly Father makes me more glad I was born in the gospel in a loving family! I love you family and all you do thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you all,

Sister Markus

Letter #44

February  16^th

The weeks go by so fast its crazy! I have learned a lot this week. When I first got here I felt like I was not a good missionary, that I wasn't good enough and all that stuff. It is hard because one of my companions is very strong and its her way or the highway. But I am soooo glad that I have an inspired STL. We went on exchanges this week, and you will never believe were I went....

I went back to Rio Rancho! My heart broke as I got there because i love this area, it is so sacred! But i feel like i left it broken. One of my companions who I served with there, all she talks about is the baptisms that happened, the good that happened and I just felt like I had messed up Rio Rancho, but it was good to go back,

I feel like and I hope I did my best, and you know if the only person I helped in Rio Rancho was me, then fine. I learned a lot there and a lot happened that made me truly love and understand the gospel a little more!

I have been finding more and more joy in the gospel and there is such a happiness! One day all 4 of our appointments dropped! But I felt sooo happy and sooo good! I want to feel like that 24/7!\

AND YOU CAN BECAUSE OF JESUS CHRIST AND THIS GOSPEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you all! Thank you thank you for all your prayers!!!

Sister Markus

Letter #43

February 9^th

Honestly this will  be a short letter, not much has happened... still trying to learn the two wards and area, I feel like a brand new missionary, and I think I'm in culture shock  from Los Lunas to here?!

SO DIFFERENT! But I still love it!   

We are teaching some people but we are really trying to find new people to teach, I can tell if we work hard good things will come!!

Well sorry again this is short and lame, just kinda pulling along and trying hard to learn every where!!

Love Sister Markus

Letter #42

February 2^nd

So it was a 7 week transfer, and they are now on monday and not tuesday!

i got transfered.....they put elders in los lunas and my heart breaks! it was truely a sacred place! the things that happened their! i didnt know it was possible to love people so much like that!!

rio rancho has part of my heart for sure....but Los lunas has more! The things i learned and the people i met, it is amazing to think how the lord, out of anywhere he could have sent me in the whole world, knew to send me to NM, first to Rio Rancho then to Los Lunas! ahhh he is truly a loving heavenly father and as much as he wants his children here in nm to progress, he still cares about our progression and knows what we need!

I am forever changed because of Los Lunas!

I am now serving in the Taylor Ranch and Cottonwood Heights wards! And to make it even better, i am in a trio back with Sister Kelso and now sister Michas, yup! Sister Markus and Sister Michas! hahaha :)

This area is VERY differnet from Los Lunas. i feel liek culture shock! Its very very nice! But still an amazing part of the Lrods vinnyard!

i am excited to see what will come! I feel like i declined as a missionary, but i will come back up and be the missionary the Lord needs!

there is a POWERFUL talk by Elder Holland and its called the first great commandment! you all need to read it!!!! :)

Well i love you all!! 

Sister Markus