MARTINEZ FAMILY MIRACLE!!!!

Week 45, Transfer 7

Area: Yuba City (Tierra Buena Branch)

Compañera: Hermana Park

MIRACLES EVERYONE!!!

Last Sunday the whole Yuba zone fasted together for our areas and the zone as a whole, and boy, has God answered our prayers and used us as instruments in His hands this week.

Had so many amazing little interactions with people through a Facebook girls' Bible group I'm in! I've been able to share pieces of the gospel with them and help people who are struggling find light through Jesus Christ!

Had a lesson with Rosa's kids! They're all members, but she's been wanting us to come over more often to just help give them some extra spiritual umph, so this time we made Book of Mormon reading charts because their self-set New Year's resolutions are to read the Book of Mormon every day this year.

Drove out to Wheatland for a dinner! Personal miracle here because we got to drive through some of the prettiest fields and pure open space I've seen in a long time... There's a little too much concrete in Yuba, so it was a nice break.

Found 6 NEW PEOPLE THIS WEEK! We've been averaging 2... if that lately. Talked to tons of people and found lots of not-interested people, but we found 6 genuinely interested people this week!

Met Maria. She lives across the street from the church in Yuba and I guess has been a hidden gem. Missionaries have found some very not-interested people there before, but we knocked her door last week and had a return appointment this week where we found out her husband passed away a long time ago and she's very lonely. Testified of the plan of salvation and that she can truly live with her husband again. Read a scripture about the resurrection and it touched her so deeply. These people truly are coming out of the woodwork to hear God's message.

MET THE MARTINEZ FAMILY!!!!!!

Longggg story short, José reached out to Elders in Gridley asking for missionaries to share a message with his family. They sent us his info because we're in Yuba and found out José's family is really struggling with the loss of their dad and brother and the struggling health of their mom. We called to set up a time to meet and José asked if we could meet at his sister's house with all of his siblings. Ummm... of course.

I then had a very strong impression to bring a very specific member to this lesson. It was a first lesson and we'd never met the people at all, so there was some hesitation for sure, but I couldn't deny the thought that kept coming. So we pull up to the lesson today and Hermana Quintero (the member) pulls up a few minutes later. She walks in and immediately says, "I know these people!" Turns out their families go wayyy back and she hasn't seen them in years! José and his brother walk in a little later and she says their names before they're even in the door.

Come to find out, JOSÉ IS ALREADY A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH and was baptized into OUR BRANCH here in Linda but has been inactive.

Come to also find out, ALL of his siblings have been taught by missionaries in the past, one brother Mario very recently by some of the Elders in Yuba.

Hard-core testified of the plan of salvation and that families truly CAN live together forever but also hard-core hit that it can only happen through baptism and healing ordinances, etc. The Spirit was FUERTE and we have a return appointment for Friday with ALL of them!!!

⭐️ Spiritual thought ⭐️

---> Alma 40 (good chapter to study about the resurrection and good stuff!)

---> 1 Corinthians 15:12-14, 22

"12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

We shared this scripture with the Martinez family tonight. If Christ would have lived, preached, and died and that was it... NOTHING He said or taught would've had any weight. No miracle He performed would've stood as a testament to His divinity. No hope would've endured beyond mortality.

But the miracle is that Christ DID rise again after 3 days. He DID rise and He DOES live once again. He fulfilled His mission and because of that, the promises God has given us are certain and are for everyone. We ALL can be resurrected with perfected bodies and live in a state of interminable happiness WITH our loved ones in the same state of never-ending happiness with God IF we keep our end of the deal and do all we can to be worthy of that glorious promise (including pressing forward on the covenant path and making course corrections when we might go a little far away).

That is why I do what I do as a missionary. That is why this message is so important. One of my aunts passed away this week and the POWER I have felt the last few days backing up my words as I've been able to testify that we can live with our families again is insane. It might sound awful to some, but every time I've thought of Trudy this week, I can't help but smile because she's up in heaven with a firm knowledge of the truth of this gospel helping others who haven't had the same opportunity to learn of it.

I know God's Plan is real. I know Celestial glory is real and I know the reality of the other degrees of glory as well, and I never want to face the reality of living without my family, even ONE member of them missing, in any other place than the celestial kingdom with God and eternal happiness. The day WILL come where we will be judged of our works and desires of our hearts... and that is why this work is so urgent, that is why the temple is so important. That's why I push so hard.

The family table in heaven won't be complete if even one person is missing, so I urge and plead with you to put your pride and hurt feelings and questions from a lifetime of doubt and pain on the altar and figure out what's TRULY stopping you from partaking fully of the blessing of an eternal family. It is within reach for EVERYONE. Why miss out on ETERNAL, lasting blessings because of something unideal that's happened in this temporary, mortal probation? Something to think about for sure!

I love each of you and so does God. You're doing amazing things and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Hermana Ellis

Fotos (update: Google Photos is now slowly letting me upload pictures.... bear with me here haha)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UtFZf4erpztBvg7x5

Notable Quotes:

Stake Pres Faucett: I like to procrastinate

Pres Zermeño (translating): A mí me gusta deleitar en los detalles.

Hermana Genzer explain Asperger's syndrome

Hna Morgan: I just like burgers.

Elder Montilla: You look like an Arizona tea can

Hna Park: Are you insulting me?

Elder Montilla: No, I like Arizonas, they taste good and they're cheap.