The importance of keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

Hey Family!

Wow, I've never been so tired in my life haha. I forgot to tell you last pday but once again we were out of water. We didn't have water for another week and a half! Luckily yesterday we had water in the morning before going to church!

We have been teaching lots of people! We have about 9 or so lessons a day with less active members and investigators and each lesson has about 4 or more people. There are two families that we are going to teach today that have daughters ages 9 and 13 that haven't been baptized yet. The families are members, just not the kids. So we should have those two baptisms pretty soon. 

While studying this week and teaching lots of people about the Sabbath day I learned some cool things and was also really grateful for the example that mom and dad set for us in helping us get to church every Sunday. I like what it talks about in Doctrine and Covenants 59:9 about how the Sabbath day cleans us and we will be without mancha (stain??). I can't remember what that means in English but you can look it up haha. It's sad when people choose not to go because we have to see the blessings that they lose. But it's rewarding to see the huge blessings they receive when they go! SO thanks Mom and Dad for everything!

I miss you all and can't wait to talk on Mothers day! 

Love Elder Markham

Some changes and getting excited for Mother's Day!

Hey Family!

I don't have too much time today, but real quick we had a great week. I was kinda sad though because Elder Togisala had emergency changes and went to San Patricio where I was before I came here to Valle Nuevo. My new companion is Elder Hernandez from Guatemala. He has 11 months in the mission and he's a great missionary! Kevin passed his interview for his baptism! Ana didn't because she still has a few things to work on but said he can get baptized this week. 

On Tuesday we went to the temple! It was awesome! I love going to the temple! It's one of the things I love most! I was able to get one of the really big Book of Mormons for Jenifer. She's the less active we found last week that hasn't been able to go to church for her eyes. But we were also able to teach her sister. Her sister is awesome! She has a huge desire to do what is right. They have both been reading in the Book of Mormon like crazy and they understand so well! They both went to church yesterday and I'm sure she'll get baptized in May. She has a date for the 14th.

It's crazy to see the time go by so fast. Everything is going great! I'm happy, healthy and nothing could be better! I miss you all so much! Just a bit more until Mothers day (The only day besides Christmas that we get to talk to Garrett)! Love ya all!

Love Elder Markham

Small miracles that become Big...

Hey family!

It was a pretty good week this week. This week we will be doing Ana and Kevin's interview for their baptism next week! She's ready but just a little scared for the big commitment. Her and Kevin went with us yesterday to church. We are teaching another sister named Linda and her daughter Camila. They are really awesome! Camila is only 8 but she likes to listen. Linda lives with her mom and brother but they don't really want to listen much. Linda said that they would go to church with us Sunday. But when we got to her house in the morning she was sleeping and her brother didn't want to wake her up. But a little after sacrament meeting during the Gospel principles class, they showed up! It was awesome that they came! Linda wants to go to a church to help her daughter. She accepted a date to be baptized  the first week of May! 

We had an awesome experience this week. Last week we were looking for a man named Jose Duran. But he lives in a gated area and unless you have a visit it's hard to get in. So the guy at the door didn't let us in. But this week we found his daughters address in the ward directory and saw that her birthday was Friday. Jose isn't a member. So we went there a little later in the day Friday and there was a different guy there. We said we were going to visit her and gave him the direction. He let us in and said that he thought the last passage was hers. We went down there but as we were walking we noticed that the numbers were too big so we thought it would be another one. As we turned around there was a little girl looking at us and I felt really strongly that we needed to talk to her. I asked her if she knew Alexis and she said she moved. But that her dad (Jose) still lived there. She took us to his house but he wasn't there. I then asked how she knew her. She said that her sister was listening to other missionaries and that Alexis always brought her sister to our church. We then asked if we could see her sister and went back to her house. We met her sister and she started to tell us how she has been wanting to go back to church but her mom doesn't let her because she has an eye problem where her vision goes away suddenly and can't see. Her mom only trusted that her friend (Jose's daughter Alexis) took her to church. We put a visit with her to go back and we are planning on trying to meet her mom and uncle to see what we can do to get her to church. It's awesome how God has helped us to find His children in need. After we talked to her, her sister came out of nowhere again and told us that Jose came back so we were able to meet him as well! He's not a member but he will be soon!

I love and miss you all! 

Love Elder Markham

Continuing to learn and always striving to be better

Hey Family!

This week was a huge learning week! I loved the talks from this week especially the ones in the Priesthood session! I learned more than anything else what I need to change in my life to be a more powerful missionary and priesthood holder. I have already tried putting these things in practice and I've already been able to see a few changes. I'm so grateful for General Conference and the words of the living prophets! And I didn't know Grandpa was a poet! haha....I don't know if you saw the session when someone shared a poem from Edwin Markham...

Well we haven't had water for about a week now. The whole area where we live hasn't had water so I guess while we were out visiting a truck came by and started selling water to everyone. Some members live real close to us so they're going to be helping us out a bit haha.

Rodolfo has his testimony and is ready to get baptized! He believes that the church is true and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God! We are getting ready for his baptism here in a couple weeks! He is doing great! The thing that I like most about teaching him is about the Savior and repentance because the Spirit is always so strong. He has a huge desire to change his life. I can see the happiness it brings him and that is what the mission is all about. Bringing others unto Christ through faith, repentance, baptism and entering the temple. I love being here and being able to help so many people! I love and miss you all!.....like always! haha

Love Elder Markham

*Garrett says they have drinking water...but that's it.  He appreciates things more when living under hard conditions.

Pics sent by Elder Togisala (his mom Amber)

Elder Togisala and Garrett