04/11/20 Email - God's Plan

Hello Friends and Family! 

I haven’t emailed since all the missionaries serving in foreign countries started going home- it was a bit shocking to me and it's been a lot to adjust to, and given everything that has been happening, I was nowhere near interested in making this whole coronavirus quarantine situation about me.

So, I’m writing you all after the end of my 2-week self-isolation after arriving home. I’ve had quite a bit of time to ponder things and hopefully give a good accounting as to what has happened the last couple weeks, as well as what the plans are for my future.

What Went Down Before Getting Sent Home?

The last time I wrote I had just gotten transferred into a new area. At the time we had just been told we would be practicing "social distancing".  Just after that, we were given emergency funds to go purchase food storage.

Sister Sparrow and I were told at that time we would be housing two missionaries from Kiribati, who had been at the New Zealand MTC for 7-10 weeks -- To avoid a large group of missionaries being stuck at the MTC due to incoming mandates.  We also received notice that all missionaries in the mission were to be quarantined starting Tuesday (which was just hours before news came out that the whole nation would be on lock-down from Wednesday on, for 4 whole weeks).

My trainer, Sister Rich, was scheduled to go to the mission home Monday night , as she was at the end of her 18-month mission service. So after we talked to our families, Sister Sparrow and I spent a good last meal with her and Sister Young, went to pick up the MTC Sisters and then came back home to re-settle in.

Sister Kakiata and Sister Boiti were awesome, but we felt so bad because we didn’t know what to do with them. I mean, all of a sudden we were in uncharted territory under quarantine, they had no method to finish their MTC training, and those we could contact spoke Chinese. These new Sisters were just learning English, so we couldn’t easily have them participate in that with us. We had a hard time figuring out how to feel and what to do while in quarantine, but it was fun as the Kiribati Sisters loved music. So outside of all our attempts at contacting, we were able to sing a lot, haha.

Furthermore, for that short amount of time, it was fun to figure out how we could spread the gospel online. (Those Sisters are still going strong in the flat, and I am so impressed by their faith and resilience, and their creativity.)

How Did I Get Sent Home?

Tuesday went by quickly as we went to buy food storage and continued settling in Sister Boiti and Sister Kakiata.

Dinner

Watching a Church Video

Wednesday morning we were asked to sign on to a Zoom call with President early in the morning, which was unusual as we all were usually asked to follow a really specific morning schedule. Nearly everyone in the mission logged on and President Walker solemnly read a letter from the Area Presidency saying that all foreign missionaries in the South Pacific, including New Zealand, Australia and the surrounding islands, would all be sent home to their respective countries as soon as transportation was available.

That was an emotional moment for everybody, especially considering the circumstances in New Zealand were much better than many of our homes. However, there had been many warning signs, including other missions sending home foreigners, a letter from President Walker asking us to brace for hardship in the next coming days since he could sense that change was coming, along with the increased border restrictions in the previous couple days. 

We were told that we needed to pack what we wouldn’t be using within the week, and be prepared to get on a plane at a moment's notice. They weren’t sure when transportation would be available -- saying it could be hours, it could be days, or it could be weeks before we could leave.

In the meantime, we continued trying to make the most of the quarantine, and coping with the situation. President Walker told us that once all foreign missionaries were gone, including those from countries whose borders are still currently closed to citizens to come home, there would be 10 missionaries left in the mission. (Soon President Walker will end his service, and a new mission president will come to lead the New Zealand Auckland Mission.)

Essentially, we could see that the Lord was completely changing missionary work there by swapping nearly all the missionaries. This also gave us insight as to the global change that was happening. While this seemed hard to accept and difficult to imagine the Lord doing, we were able to see the Lord's hand in preparing us for the change and in preparing the people to be receptive to hearing the gospel, even while it needed to be technology-based. I only have high hopes for the future of the New Zealand Auckland Mission and the opportunities the Lord will provide for the people residing there.

Flight Home

So, Wednesday to Saturday we bid our time, continued in mighty prayer, and lots of study. Saturday afternoon a couple of us were about to go on a walk when President called to tell me I had a flight in three hours and to prepare to leave.

I wish I could tell you I was disappointed, but at that point in time, I was just ready to go home and see my family. Of course I was sad to be leaving the country I had grown to love over the last few months, but I know I will be back one day.

I packed my bags, said my goodbyes, and Sister Sparrow drove me to the airport. The whole situation was all-of-a-sudden very real!  I was going home, and the next day the rest of the missionaries from the U.S. would follow. 

Options Opened/General Conference

Saturday night I boarded a plane to Los Angeles, then another one from Los Angeles to Seattle. Sister Sparrow had saved a good face mask for me, and made me promise to wear it during my travels. Because of the time difference, even though I traveled for over 15 hours, I returned home on the same day of the week I left, and arrived an hour earlier than I departed!

It was wonderful to arrive at home, but I was still "set apart" as a missionary, expecting a reassignment. This means I needed to adhere to missionary rules-- wear missionary-appropriate clothing, live the missionary schedule, study the scriptures and the Mandarin Chinese language -- no TV, no secular music, no contacting friends. The state of Washington was also in "Stay Home - Stay Healthy" quarantine, so my whole family was around me 24/7.

All missionaries who were sent home from foreign assignments were in the same boat. There were concerns about all these missionaries coming home and flooding into North American missions. We were expecting more instructions, and a couple days later it was announced that all of us missionaries being sent home would have two options (either option included being released as a missionary):

• As soon as circumstances permit, get reassigned to a new mission and end your service at the original release date
• Wait 12-18 months for reassignment, and a new release date is created

Last weekend we had quite a special General Conference to commemorate the anniversary of the accounting of Prophet Joseph Smith’s initial encounter with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. President Nelson released a new "Proclamation to the World" regarding this event, available to read here:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/restoration-proclamation

He also announced that a new LDS temple will be built in Shanghai China! It brought me so much joy to know that while missionaries are still not being sent to the Republic of China, those members who live there will have a way to worship the Lord within their own country.

Otherwise, the talks brought me a lot of comfort, and quiet answers or insights to questions I’ve had arising in my heart. If anything, I took from it a testament to the amount of love God has for all of His children as individuals, and an invitation for all of us to Hear Him! I'm striving to continue learning how God speaks to me and I invite you all to do the same. Read scriptures! Pray! Watch some of General Conference! Do it again! If you have any questions, shoo me an email. I know that as you all take small steps to learn how God communicates to us.  We will be able to feel his guidance in our lives and with those decisions we find ourselves making at this time. 

Furthermore, President Nelson called for a worldwide fast to take place yesterday as a way to plead for help in addressing COVID-19.  I know to some if may seem far-fetched to believe that going without food for a little bit can really help this pandemic.  But I have a testimony of the power of faith through fasting.  God listens to the cries of His children!

He has all power to aid us in this trial and I know that if anything, those who participated in that fast were able to feel a great personal peace and comfort towards the unknown future that lies ahead.

What I’ve Been Doing

As permitted, I was released from my missionary service a little over a week ago. I’ve been able to catch up on the little amount of media I was aloof to in the last 6 months, and I’ve had the great opportunity to catch up with some of my friends.

Otherwise, I’ve been doing as everyone else is and trying my best to make my life feel meaningful while in quarantine. I’ve been adjusting to non-missionary life, and simply taking in all the changes little by little. I’m so grateful for everybody’s love and support, and for the great uplifting I’ve had by way of example of fellow missionary friends.

Future Plans

As I mentioned, I’ve been presented with two options with regard to what I want to do as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I don’t want to pretend like my decision is anywhere near set in stone, as I’m learning more about myself and God’s plan for me everyday. I want to be patient with the revelation that I can receive from Him regarding this decision.

However! I can say (as of right now) I am leaning towards waiting to be reassigned as soon as circumstances permit. (Once the country allows travel, the Church thinks it's safe to send us all out, I am physically healthy, and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has an opportunity to issue me a reassignment.)

Until then, I am home and I would be more than happy to keep in touch! All of my forms of contact, including my phone number are the same as before I came out to the mission, so feel free to hit me up!

Impression of My Mission

Choosing to serve a mission was the best decision I have made in my entire life. I decided to heed a call from the Lord. In my time in New Zealand I was able to meet people who have impacted my life forever. I was also pushed in ways that would never have been possible before. I can’t describe to you the way the Lord catered my circumstances and trials to me, and provided what I needed to face to grow spiritually and personally. That’s not to say I’m perfect, but I have learned the way to continue to face challenges, learn, grow and find happiness, all at the same time.

Looking back on my mission service, I do not believe I went to New Zealand to particularly touch anybody’s heart, baptize anybody or to lead or train any missionaries. While I have been able to teach people about Christ, and invite them to feel the peace He provides us, I was only the messenger. Yes, I played a divine role, but I truly believe it was a role that another faithful person could have filled.

I was called to serve to learn from the people I encountered and be truly converted and convinced of the truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that I can continue onward in service for the rest of my life.

Knowing this, I am so grateful for the gift I’ve been given to feel true joy in missionary service, and I will do my best never to forget it. After all, what a wonderful opportunity I have to move forward and be a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ!

I will try and keep everyone in the loop as to what happens moving forward, but until then, "patiently waiting" will be my standing status.

I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the one and only way that we can find true purpose and joy in this life and in the life to come. I know that we face trials in order to learn and improve, and that we can overcome anything through the power of Jesus Christ's Atonement. I know that this Gospel needs to be shared with the world and will continue to be shared even in this hard time.

The Lord loves all of us and he wants to give all of us an opportunity to learn of truth and become like Him. I know that as we do what we can to fortify our relationship with God, we will be able to feel His power and His grace in our lives.

I know that these things are fact, and their truth will never change. I know they are true because I have directly gone to the source and asked. I know you can know the truth of all things as well through earnest prayer to our Father in Heaven, and I even invite you all to do so-- pray to Him to know that He is real and He loves you. He will answer.

For my missionary friends still serving, stay strong and steadfast and know you are exactly where the Lord needs you to be.

Aroha nui ♡

馬姐妹

Sister Martinez