Monday, April 10, 2017

WEEK 72!!! "THE BIG LESSON LEARNED IS THAT NO MATTER HOW DOWN WE FEEL, HOW FAR FROM OUR GOALS WE ARE, JUST KEEP TRUSTING. KEEP WORKING, KEEP BUILDING AND ACTING ON FAITH, AND GOALS WILL BE REACHED, DREAMS WILL BE ACHIEVED."

The Sand Dunes!!

SO WINDY!!!

It is quite a hike back up!! It's harder than it looks!!

Eatin' carne azada at the ward mission leader's house. YUM!!

But NOTHING beats ELOTES!!!!

THE Lancaster Zone!!!

Zone Selfie!!!




Meagan Martineau

11:46 AM (7 hours ago)

HOLA QUERIDOS MIOS!!! <3

Quick answer to a question: Elvia's family was the investigator family at the NDH, but also Rosemary's family came, you'll read that later :) As for Elvia's cancer, she thought is was just one tumor in her armpit and requested a surgery to cut it out, but they told her that they found other tumors throughout her body so they have to continue with the chemo... pobrecita. And we haven't seen Jose this week, we have been running around everywhere!! And the cute couple is still cute and is still a couple :) They talk A LOT. A LOT. But they want to learn!! We just have to try to teach them between them talking!!! haha!!

And bummer about Alyssa, but YAY also!!! And she'll be close and close to Gage so that's cool!!! I will pray for Grandpa that there can be some sort of solution!! And thank you Mom and Dad for your thoughts about conference and about the Sacrament <3 your testimonies always strengthen mine!!!


Well this week was very busy in every way!!! So I'll go through the week to make it easier:

Monday - Hna Perdomo's birthday!! After she opened her presents and we did normal P-day stuff, we went to a town called Lake LA that's about 30 mins from Lancaster. There we met with our district to go SAND BOARDING!!!! Because Lancaster and Lake LA are in the middle of the desert and there are giant sand hills in the outskirts of Lake LA! So we went there with snow sleds and slid down the hill!! It was REALLY sandy and windy so sand got EVERYWHERE!!!! But it was so much fun!!! We sure got a work out climbing up that sand mountain every time we went down!! Then after that we went home and showered  then we had a noche de hogar with our branch. We did a really fun "Holy Ghost" activity where the "Holy Ghost" (us missionaries) had to guide people through the gym where other people were moving chairs around and yelling, etc. Everyone had so much fun!! And the coolest thing is that our investigator Elvia and her family came!!! And Rosemary and her family came too!!! At the end we had a little surprise birthday celebration for Hna Perdomo and she got cake smashed in her face haha!!! (it's a Latino tradition that the birthday person has to take a bit out of the cake straight with their mouth and try to eat it without someone smashing their face down in the cake! It's called "la mordida" haha!!!)

Tuesday - drove to the Air Force Base to get passes to go in for our lesson on Thursday with Molly. That took up... a lot of time because almost an hour drive there and back then we were there for about an hour and a half... but we got our passes and we're legal to go on base whenever we want for the next 30 days!! :)

Wednesday - taught Rosemary again, and she is all prepared for her baptism that is happening this Saturday!! We just need to quickly teach her brother Marcos all the lessons too so that he can be ready, but he'll get there! We just need to be over there.. like every day to teach him all the lessons!!

Thursday -  Had interviews with President Layton!! I love interviews!! I loved them with President Wilson too! They just make you feel so good and want to be better!! Then we went to the Base again to teach Molly. We did it like last time, in Sophia's house (the member that referred Molly to us) and ate dinner then taught her. This time Molly knew we were coming to teach her. At the end when we invited her to pray to know if these things are true she interrupted us and said "I've been doing that!! I mean, I feel it all is, but I can keep praying if you want!!" My mouth dropped. WOW. She is awesome!! She is just scared to take that step without her husband because he is in South Korea right now until January. But we'll see her again this Thursday and see what we can do :)

Friday/Saturday - normal days, teaching, finding, etc.

Sunday - we went to our ward mission leader's house for lunch after church. He lives in Lake LA and cooks REALLY GOOD carne azada... Mmmmmmm!!! (I feel like when I go home, food will have NO flavor, because the Latinos put so much seasoning, flavoring, chiles y todo on everything!!! American food just has salt and pepper, haha!!) Then we had a meeting with a member in the ward who wanted to present something to us to help us help the members with missionary work. He actually served his mission here, in the Joshua branch, and now is living here!! So he shared ideas that helped him when he served here. It was AWESOME!!! After the meeting Hna Perdomo and I both felt that we should see Elvia, even though we have an appointment today. We went, the whole family was together, and we were able to sit them all down together and teach the restoration. And we learned some things about them that will help us teach them better. And we still have our appointment tonight - a noche de hogar and we're going to teach the plan of salvation :) we are so excited!!!!

So that was my week!!! It was pretty exciting!! And we're looking forward to a great  week this week!!! I truly know that this is the Lord's work because even when there are big downfalls and things don't work out as planned (which happened a LOT this week but it's too much to write) the work still moves forward and Heavenly Father makes it possible for us to reach our goals and to see people grow and change. I know that Christ make all of this possible, this work, this life, happiness, everything. I am forever grateful for Him and all that He has done for me.
The big lesson learned is that no matter how down we feel, how far from our goals we are, just keep trusting. Keep working, keep building and acting on faith, and goals will be reached, dreams will be achieved.

I love you all so much!!!!

Love siempre,
Hermana Martineau

Monday, April 3, 2017

WEEK 71!!! BEST PDAY EVER!!! "IT WAS SUCH AN AMAZING WEEK, ESPECIALLY WITH CONFERENCE!!!"

Hermanas Martineau and Perdomo with Sister Layton

THE Lancaster Zone!!!

Saturday afternoon lunch with members after conference!!!

Sunday General Conference!!!

Random Selfie!!

Midnight Brownie Making!!!

Some of her favorite presents!!!


There're lots more pictures but these computers are REALLY slow, so you can wait 2 months :)

Meagan Martineau

12:43 PM (8 hours ago)

WOW!!!!!

My heart is just overflowing!!! I think this is the best Pday I have ever had!!!!! I love all the info from home!! It's good to hear about the goings-on!! I am so happy hear that David is doing well!!! I love that guy!!! <3 Also, I have been thinking a lot about Alyssa and her soon-to-be-baby, but I thought she still had a month or 2!!! That is crazy that she already had him!!! I feel like I just got the email 2 months ago about him!!! It's crazy how time flies!!! W.O.W. But I am glad that they are staying with you!!! I am so excited to go home and live with them for a bit!!!! (I want them to find a house, but I kind of hope it takes a few months ;) ) Also it's good to hear that you can keep tabs on Dad, Mom! ;) Dad trying to sneak a peak :p haha! Also I have a question: Are we still coming to visit the mission in June? I would love to if at all possible :) And if so, how long would we be able to be here? I would at least like to hit 2 Sundays so that we can visit the sacrament meeting all the places I've served in :)

So to answer a few things first: Hna Perdomo LOVED her presents!!! (I'll talk more about that later)
Also WOW I had no idea so many people chipped in!!! Hna Perdomo is so happy she doesn't even know what to do or say!! But she said with the extra money she needs a few more garments, just 3 pairs should suffice. And she says that with the rest she would like to do for her brother what we did for her. His birthday is May 24th and she will ask him if he needs/wants anything so that you could send it to him for his birthday!!

So many things I don't know where to go next!! I hope I don't forget anything :)

So now for the week!! So this week we were able to see almost all of our investigators which was awesome because last week no one was home or available ever!! But we were able to do some service for our investigator Elvia who was a referral from a recent convert, Rosario, the one who sent you those pictures over facebook :) Elvia is sick with cancer but she is getting better poco a poco. She is really interested in the church now, unlike she was before. So interested that even though she was sick from her chemotherapy she watched General Conference on her phone!! And she is planning on coming to the activity tonight with her family (if she's feeling well enough)!! (and no it's no longer a surprise for Hna Perdomo, she knows it's happening so that we could invite people to it, but she doesn't know it's gonna be kind of a birthday party though!!)
And our other investigator Molly from the air force base, well we haven't been able to contact her because she had some family issues and had to leave for a bit, but she came back home this week and we called her member friend Sophia and asked her to invite Molly to General Conference, so Molly watched a session on Saturday and on Sunday with Sophia in Sophia's house and we are going back to teach her on Thursday!!! What a blessing!!! Rosemary wasn't able to come to General Conference, but her and her little brother Marcos will be baptized on April 15!!! We are so excited!!! Oh ya, and our investigator Jose, the son of a recent convert here finally prayed for us!!!! That was a huge deal!!! We are going SUPER slow with him but he took a big step to pray!!! Now he just needs to do it on his own too and once he starts doing that then we'll move on to the Book of Mormon, because that is "too much" for him right now, but he's getting there!! 
Then last night we were able to teach cute couple that apparently learned from missionaries before and almost went to church but felt pressured by the Elders and didn't go. But now they are willing to listen again!! <3

Now for this morning: well, last night I laid in bed until Hna Perdomo fell asleep, then I went to the living room and taped up a Happy Birthday sign thing I made previously and made her brownies as a surprise, along with the package there ready for her!! (ps she thought it was for me for Easter haha >:) ) She had NO idea and I took a video of me surprising her when she came out of the bathroom and taking her to her present :) When she was opening them she was crying of joy :) She cried when she opened the hymn books and scriptures. She was truly touched and it really touched me to see her so happy. The only time she ever got something for her birthday was for her quincenera, 8 years ago. What we did for her together was the only thing she got, so thank you so so so so so much everyone who participated to make this day special for Hna Perdomo <3

It was such an amazing week, especially with conference <3 Literally every single one of my questions was answered. And these are questions that I have had...my whole mission!! I have learned something very valuable on my mission: when you take notes from a church meeting, don't write down what the speaker says. Lets be real, we can print the talks later, and who actually goes back and look at their notes. I know that I didn't! But rather than write what they say, write the impressions that you get. I really focused hard on that the last 2 days and it was incredible the results!! I got specific direction for me, for people we're working with and my notes are full of things that the speakers never said!! But I know that I was guided by the Spirit and so were they!!! I love conference!! I know that it is truly a time of reflection and learning. I know the church is true and I know that we truly are guided by a prophet of God!!

I love you all so much!!! 

Have a wonderful week!!!

Love,
Hermana Martineau <3

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

WEEK 70!!! PICTURES AGAIN!!! ZONE BASEBALL, A SACRAMENT CHALLENGE, AND A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THE YOUNG WOMEN CLASSES, SEMINARY "FEASTS," CAMPS, ETC. THAT HAVE SHAPED HER TESTIMONY!!!

​BASEBALL CHAMPS!!

I FINALLY won the golden plunger!!!! And I got a new pillow from winning it!!!


Elotes before General Women's Conference
#heckyes!!!
#neverthoughtI'dlikeelotes

Meagan Martineau

Mar 27 (1 day ago)

HOLA!!!!

First of all, THANK YOU so much for helping out with the package for Hna Perdomo!! I am so excited for her birthday!! The Elders, our ward mission leader and I are planning a little NDH (FHE) for her with the ward on Monday night :) bueno, they're planning it, and I'm keeping it a secret and secretly making sure we don't have appointments haha!
And yes we get still along amazingly!!! I love Hna Perdomo so much!! <3 So thank you for helping out :) And our zone is ALL ELDERS. This was an all-elder zone until Hnas Latimer and Perdomo came in last transfer, so it's kind of weird being the only girls, it almost feels against the rules to be with all of them haha!! But it's fun!

I am so glad you enjoyed your trip!! I hope to hear all about it when I get home, get more of the details!! 

So this week was a good, but pretty uneventful week! That happens de vez en cuando :) 
Last Monday we played baseball as a zone!!! It was so much fun!! And I actually hit the ball!!! Every time I went up to bat!!! (That was a shocker to everyone...!) I have grown an appreciation for sports on my mission, don't get excited Mom, I still don't want to play a sport, but I like to play for fun with people!! 
On Thursday we had our transferly zone conference!! I love zone conference so much!! It is my favorite mission meeting!!! That is when we meet as a zone with President and Sister Layton and they teach us :) At this zone conference I learned a lot about the importance of the Sacrament. It is such an essential and sacred ordinance, a lot more important than I ever thought!! President Layton challenged us that every Sunday from the first note of the Sacrament hymn until the last deacon sits down to think ONLY about the Savior. Don't think about the investigators that didn't come, or about the class you have to give in the next hour, think only about the Savior, His life, His ministry, the things He taught, the things He did, etc. It brings a powerful spirit when you do that. So that is my little challenge to all of you too, to really, truly focus on only the Savior during the Sacrament, I know it will bring so many blessings!!!

I don't remember if I've told you all about Rosemary, so just in case I didn't, she is 16 and her mom is a less active member. We have been teaching her and she is getting baptized in April!! She is so cute and has the sweetest heart <3 Also this week we talked to her little brother who is 8 and he wants to be baptized with his sister!! This week the whole family (except the dad who is not a member and not interested) came to the Elder's baptism, then came to church, and they stayed for Gospel Principles class, which they've never stayed that long!!!! That was so cool!! We are just hoping that one day the dad will want to learn too so that they can all be sealed as a family :)

Then of course on Saturday we got to watch the General Women's conference!!! I LOVE General Conference in a way that I thought I would never love it!!  I truly learned so much about true charity and sacrificing yourself for the Lord and for others. I am so excited for this coming General Conference!! I know it is going to be awesome!!!

--P.S. This morning for the first time I watched that DVD of Youth Conference July 2015. I just cried and cried as memories flowed back of all the amazing things I learned there and the testimony I grew. I know that everyone there helped me so much to be who I am today, and that all those youth activities, girls camps, etc. helped me to serve a mission and to grow my testimony enough to be able to testify when people try to discredit, to square my shoulders when they say we're silly little girls that don't know anything. Well I do know. I know that Christ's true church has been brought back to the earth. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I know that the Priesthood power to seal families is on the earth. The evidence of all that is the Book of Mormon. I am so grateful for this knowledge I have gained. It has changed my life for the better. Thank you for all the work that all of you have done with me. Thank you for all the Young Women classes, seminary "feasts", camps, etc. Without them I wouldn't have the testimony I do. I hope I can keep increasing my testimony every day of my life. I know that this work is the Lord's work and I feel privileged to be a part of it, however small my part may be.

I love you all!!!
Love siempre,
Hermana Martineau





The "Bro Zone" as they call it. We're back to the Elder Martinez story.
(if you don't remember, I'll tell you in June ;) )









I put coconut oil in my hair now...advice from Hna Arceo to make my hair grow! I've done it a few times.. I guess we'll see what happens!!





























Thursday, March 23, 2017

WEEK 69!!! ENGLISH REFERRAL, SAY WHAT?!?!?!? ARVIN!!! UNDERSTANDING HER ROLE IN HEAVENLY FATHER'S PLAN=HAPPINESS!!!

Hnas Martineau and Perdomo

Hna Martineau in Lancaster

Sister Rosario Posada with Hnas Martineau and Perdomo

East Lancaster Zone - 12 Strapping Young Elders with 2 Lonely Hermanas! :)


Meagan Martineau

Mar 20 (3 days ago)

HOLA de Cali!!!

Tengo ganas de estar en Guatemala con ustedes hoy, pero ustedes solo estan viendo ruinas, yo estoy viendo cambios de corazones, entonces, les gano ;) jaja!!

So real quick:
-I love the schedule, Mom, it is perfect!! :) I will take the Folk Dance class this sememster, then next time I'll take the Latin one when I have a partner ;)
-I got the package and I LOVE IT!!!!!!!! I wear the necklace almost every day!!! It is my favorite thing!! Thank you so much <3
-those t-shirts are from the MTC in Provo, they make them for individual missions, but I didn't go to Provo, so I don't have one :/
-Hna Perdomo is my same size, so what you'd get for me, will work for her, except in length cuz she's short, haha! :) (thank you so much again by the way :) )
-I am STILL the driver. I have come to terms with it. I don't necessarily like driving, but I don't hate or resent it anymore :) Now it's just whatever :)
-I don't think there's valley fever here...I'm not sure about that...the wind blows more here than in Bakersfield, but when the wind blows here people don't run inside and put on face masks like they do in Bakersfield, so I assume we're safe here :)
-Joshua branch is an all Spanish branch :) we eat at member's houses every single day! The members want to feed us so much that there aren't enough days in the week for them all!! It's a smaller branch, but growing :)
-Hna Perdomo is from Puerto Cortes, on the north part right by the coast and Guatemala! You weren't too far away, maybe 3 hours ish from where she grew up!!
-we have a pool of investigators building up now :) We were able to find the last 2 weeks :) There are a lot more white and black people than hispanics, but they are here!! 
-It has been getting progressively hotter, it's been in the 80s which is too hot for Hna Martineau!

So this week was awesome!!! We got a referral from a member from the English ward in North Edwards (45 mins away from our area) for her friend Molly. Neither of them speak Spanish. Why did we get referred to her? Because both of them live on the Edwards Air Force Base. Their husbands are in the Air Force and are deployed for a year, so they are alone in their houses on base. So the Elders that are in that area can't go in their houses without a man, and we are the closest sisters, so we got to go teach her!! We got special passes to go on base to visit and had dinner with the member and her friend. Then we taught her and she accepted to learn more!! We are going to see her later this week again :) I am super excited!! It was such a fun experience!!
Then on Friday-Saturday we got to take the big 1.5 hour drive up to ARVIN!!!! We got to go to exchanges there again!!!! It was SO FUN!!! I was with Hna Blau and we got to teach that same investigator that I got to teach last exchange, the one that Hna White and I found and taught! His name is Refugio, and he is finally getting baptized this weekend!!! What a blessing to have been a part, however small, of his conversion!! Also I got to see the Lopez family and eat dinner with them!! They were all so surprised to see me!!! I love them so much!!!! I love and miss the people from Arvin, and from all my past areas, but I am excited to get to love the people here even more :)
 Then yesterday we were asked to give the missionary moment at an 8 year old's baptism, so we taught the restoration, then we ate dinner with the whole branch at the member's house!! It was so fun!!! 
(P.S. Mom, did you get some pictures from someone named Rosario on facebook? She is a member here and she sent you some pics :) )

But that was my week!! It was pretty fun!!! I have really been growing my desire to understand my role in Heavenly Father's plan which has been helping me have been self-esteem. These last 2 weeks have been two of the happiest on my whole mission :) I am so grateful for Heavenly Father and for the help He always gives me <3
I love and thank you all for everything that you do for me <3

Love siempre,
Hermana Martineau :)


Wednesday, March 15, 2017

WEEK 68!!! NEW AREA, NEW COMPANION, LOVES IT ALL!!!

No pictures this week. Her sd card is infected with the virus from her last area. Hopefully she will have a new sd card for next week! A fun picture from a month ago....her first time at Wendy's in over a year!

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

WEEK 67!!! TRANSFERRED TO LANCASTER!!! SERVE! IT IS THE BEST MEDICINE!!!





Pictures are from Thursday Ward Volleyball Night taken by Hermana Ruiz!




Meagan Martineau

Mar 6 (1 day ago)


No se preocupen, estoy mucho mejor y ya no estoy enferma para nada, pero tengo noticias acerca de las trasferencias.... :)

So transfers are happening tomorrow and.......
I'M GOING TO LANCASTER!!!!!!!!!!
I NEVER thought I would serve in Lancaster, and I thought I would finish my mission in Buena Vista! But the Lord has other plans, and of course better plans! I will be back-up training Hermana Perdomo there :) She was front trained this last transfer by Hermana Latimer!! Cool, eh? I am very excited to meet new people, but I am sad to leave Bakersfield. I have spent my whole mission in Bakersfield except for my first transfer!! I'll be going to a branch called Joshua! That's actually the area where I went to for my very first exchange my first transfer in training!! So I was there for a day, but that was over a year ago and I had no idea what I was doing back then! Hopefully I can do something productive there now :) I am sad to be leaving Hna Arceo too! We have come to be good friends and I will miss her dearly <3 But I'm excited to make another friend with Hna Perdomo!! :)

This week has been great!! We did a LOT of service this week!!! We have an investigator Grace who has 5 kids and one on the way, is a single mom, and her 3 younger daughters all have some sort of serious, deathly illness, and she is on bed rest because of some complications with her baby on the way, so we did a lot of stuff for her, washing her dishes, mopping, etc. stuff she can't do and none of her kids can help her with. Then on Friday morning we brought the 4 Elders in our district and a member with a lawn mower to her house to pull the mountain of weeds from her back yard and cut the grass so her kids can play outside. It was a LOT of HARD work, but SUPER fun and we plowed in all out in 2 hours!! (we had to because we had ZTM - a mission meeting - a 10am we had to get to!!). It was very fun! I truly found joy in service this week!! I truly can testify that if you are sad or upset or whatever, SERVE. It is the BEST medicine!!! NOTHING beats selfless service!! It truly just lifts your spirits because you're more focused on helping than on your own problems!! Plus you're following Christ's example, which naturally brings peace and joy :)

Yesterday Carlos came to church again and we finally got him to think about March 25 for baptism!! I'm just sad I have to leave now, but as long as he gets baptized, I'm happy!! 

And on Saturday we had a fun relief society activity and Elisabeth came!!! It was super fun!! But then she didn't come to church again... I guess we'll see what happens there :)

Well I am short on time, but love you all so much!!! I hope you have a fabulous week, and a fabulous trip Mom and Dad!!! I hope all continues to go well!!! <3

I love you so so much!!! <3

Love siempre,
Hermana Martineau