Hola All Y'all: December 7th - Enduring Rejection ---> SPANISH PEOPLE

Hola familia y amigos!!!

This week, I finally got a taste of real rejection. On one evening while tracting, we were getting "No's" and doors closed on us left and right and it was the first time that time after time after time we were unsuccessful in sharing a message or getting contact information to come back and teach. I remained chipper outwardly, but inwardly I felt simultaneously humbled and disappointed. I knew it was just that they weren't ready, but I was getting discouraged at the repeated answers declining our message of Christ and the joy of the Gospel. Hermana Acosta said that meant that the elect was just around the corner. She said she wanted to try two houses on the left. I told her if the elect was right around the corner that they were up further, literally around the corner. She laughed but we went to her two houses. Unsuccessful. However, when we went around the corner, we were given the contact information of Angelica, and English speaker, and the next door was Juana and Angelita, SPANISH SPEAKERS (YEEEEEEEEEEES!!!!!), who allowed us to come in and share the video "A Savior is Born" with them and talk about Christ for a while. We are looking forward to visiting with Angelita again soon (Juana went to Mexico).

The other experience was kinda funny. We were contacting at Wal-Martin and a teenage boy in a green jacket kept catching my attention. So I signaled to Coasty (Hna Acosta) that we should contact him. BUT, he was an employee. So as we were making our way towards him, he went into a back room. Ugh. Then he came out! So we hunted him! Then he went into another back room. Hermana Acosta wanted to leave because we didn't if he was going to come back out again soon or not. So as Acosta was starting to walk away, I prayed "Heavenly Father, I'm saying a specific prayer. I need that boy in the green jacket to come out so we can talk to him."

And guess what happened.

Acosta got distracted by something in the bakery area. Which bought some time. And then.... Thomas came out!! So, we went and talked to him. And after saying that I liked his jacket (even though I didn't, it was just what I knew him by), and Acosta getting him to take us to the rice cakes (long story), we asked him if he would have any interest in meeting with the missionaries. Got the phone number. *happy dance* His name is Thomas and I have high hopes for him even though he works so much (I've been to Wal-Martin twice since then and seen him there both times, but was unable to speak with him- only got a wave- He remembered me haha).

The other cool thing this week was going on an exchange on Friday after district meeting until Saturday morning with Sister Griffith, our English STL. We stayed in Huntsville and Coasty went to Bryd Springs with Castagno (Cuh-stawn-yo) (whom I went on a Blitz with the first week here). We went tracting and store contacting. I contacted a Hispanic woman and her daughter by myself because Griffith is English. "You ain't down" was going on left and right. It was way fun.

So many small miracles have occurred from small acts of faith this week. God works in mysterious ways and I'm glad to be part of this great work :)

The Church is true,

The Book is blue,

and God loves you!!

~Hermana Martin

Hna. Griffith, Laurel, Hna. Castagno, Hna. Moline (sisters Thanksgiving party)

4 other sisters in our zone (Griffith, Castagno, Ralph, and Young) were inspired and attacked our door with love notes on the day Sierra got home when I needed a pick me up.