Hey there everyone it's been a great week!!! Last week we started it
by having an exchange. So Elder Egan and I went down to Grants Pass
since our dinner was down there so we went down an hour early because
the district leader Elder Best wanted to do a real quick tracting
blitz. So we knelt up and Elder Egan and Elder Best picked a street
and went there and Elder Terrell and I went to another street and
started tracting.

Let me tell you about Elder Terrell he is a great guy! He's a big all
American football player who is just an amazing missionary. He's been
out about 22 months and is just a blast to be around. He sweats A LOT
so when we were Tracting whenever we knocked on a door they looked at
him and instantly let us in to get a drink of water! Haha it was so
funny! So we were well hydrated. And then are you ready for this!?
MIRACLE! We knocked on a door and this gal named Stephanie answered,
and was listening to us but was kind of standoffish. She then told us
that she had talked to missionaries before but didn't like it because
they told her she had to stop smoking and she got offended. Elder
Terrell and I then started talking about the word of wisdom right on
the doorstep! It was so crazy I've never talked about that right on
the doorstep before but that's what we felt we had to say. So we talk
about it and tie it back to the Book of Mormon and her attitude
changed completely! She felt the spirit! She went from where she was
before to saying, "You know what I think coffee and cigarettes are two
habits I actually want to get rid of and I want to learn more about
that book!" WE WERE SO EXCITED! But of course we kept our chill on the
doorstep and we set up a return appointment! It was just so dang cool
because that was the first new investigator we had both found this
transfer. Then we proceeded to go to dinner which was sushi! Oh it was
so good! TENDER MERCIES!

After dinner I took Elder Best back to Merlin with me. Elder Terrell
went with me for the blitz because he was the only one who likes sushi
but elder best was the one I actually went on the official exchange
with. The exchange was really a awesome time. We got to do some
service and go visit our two recent converts and some investigators.
It was so grand and Elder Best is an experienced missionary. He gave
me a lot of good advice. It was great! Then we exchanged back the next
day and exchanged our stories of the exchange and Elder Egan and I
headed back to Merlin. It was a great rest of the week and we were
able to teach plenty of lessons. In district meeting Elder Best taught
a wonderful District meeting and it really opened up my eyes to a lot
of things about happiness and obedience which was great. It's always
good to have a good district meeting.

Church on Sunday was great. It was Ward Conference so we got to hear
from the stake president which was awesome, he's a good guy. The
temple trip today was incredible. It's always so good to be in the
house of the Lord and kind of regroup. Anyway it's been a great week
and I've loved it so much! Another cool thing is that an elder I was
in the MTC with who went home the night before we left the MTC just
got permission to come on his mission. He is now in my zone and it's
so great to see him again! Anyway that was cool!!!

So yeah it's been a great week. The mission is still great! Just so
many tender mercies from the Lord. Daniel L. Johnson from the Seventy
is coming this Friday for Zone conference! I couldn't be more excited!
Super pumped! Love you all!!!

Elder S. Jackson Martin
Oregon Eugene Mission
Merlin Ward