Baptism!!

Hola y'all,

This week has been very busy and full of amazing events that took
place!!  First we had a lesson with RJ (our investigator) the young
man that I talked about in last weeks email.  This past Monday we
taught him about the restoration and invited him to be baptized.  HE
SAID YES!!   A miracle happened right after that.  So because he is
under the age of 18 we had to get permission from his grandma (his
legal guardian).  Well right after we had our lesson with him his
grandma came home from work and we asked her right then and there if
he could be baptized, and we talked with her for a little while, and she
said if that's what RJ wants then she will support him and let him be
baptized!!  RJ was so excited and later told us that he's wanted for a
long time to be baptized but that his grandma (who is very Catholic)
didn't know wether to let him do it or not.  RJ said he had been
praying for her to say yes one day!! (MIRACLE)  Later on this week we
went by and had his grandma sign the papers for RJ to be baptized!  We
set a date for JULY 23rd!!  We are so excited for him and he can't
wait!  In the meantime we have been trying to help him be able to go
to scout camp the week before his baptism with the Young Men in our
branch, and he is excited to get to experience that too.  He is an amazing,
smart young man and I love seeing his love grow for this gospel as he
learns more and more each time we teach him.  (Stay tuned)
On Friday we went to Luling (one of the city's in our area). They have
this event every year that takes place in downtown Luling called the
WATERMELON THUMP!!  Luling (fun fact) is the world's largest watermelon
producer (I think that's what one of our members told us) and so they
make a big deal of it during the weekend of June 24th-26th.  It's kind
of crazy I've never seen watermelon celebrated like this before. They
have a big carnival, parade, booths,  watermelon growing contests,
seed spitting contest etc.(it's kind of funny).  Anyway when we got to
Luling some of our members had a booth at the carnival that we went to
to hand out pass along cards, and talked to a lot of people.  Sister Hale

and I talked to a man who said he was a "dry Mormon", which I
guess from what he explained, means he grew up in the church but
was never baptized. We got to know him a little bit better and set up
an appointment to go by his house on Thursday.  We are excited!  That
evening we went and took a walk with one of our investigators who has
been going through a rough time and just needed someone to talk to.
We were able to help her feel better and it brightened her day, and we
read in the Book of Mormon with her!
On Sunday I gave a talk in Sacrament!  But this time it was in
English.  I was more prepared because I took time before
transfers to prepare a talk just in case I ever got called up last
minute to give a talk again. I gave my talk on the importance of
finding our own testimonies and how finding my testimony has blessed
my life.  Being out here on my mission my testimony has grown so much
and it continues to grow every day.  My love for these people
continues to grow as well!  After church we had Sandwich Sunday, which
is something our branch does every third Sunday of the month, but
because last week was Father's Day we did it this week instead!  We had
some of our part member families all come and some of our
investigators and it was so great to see them all make friends within
our branch.
I Love love love being a missionary and I'm so grateful for the
decision I made to come on a mission.  I know I was called here to
Texas for a reason at this time.  To teach repentance and baptize
converts (our mission motto).  And to find those who are prepared to
hear our message!!  I love this gospel with all my heart!!  I love
Texas so so much!  I love y'all and hope you have a great week!!!

Con Amor,
Hermana Mann

Howdy from Lockhart!

Hi y'all!!

First off I would like to say Happy Father's Day yesterday to all of
you fathers! 

Well this week was transfer week and I'm now in the area of great old
Lockhart!  Round Rock (my last area) will be missed very much and will
always hold a special place in my heart along with the AMAZING people
there (and my wonderful companions)!  It's very country out here!  Lots
of horses, cowboys, farms, tractors etc.  It's great I love it!  We
cover Lockhart, Lulling, Gonzales, and Dale, and our area is very
spread out and big!  I live in an apartment and it's nice and is
great for me and my companion. The weather is crazy hot!  It's made it
into the 100's a couple of times and the humidity is unreal!  I
literally feel like I'm in a sauna all the time and there's no place I
can go to get out of it.  We've been biking a lot so the heat feels
even worse.  I can't tell if I'm getting used to it or not, I just
constantly feel hot and sweaty all the time.  A lot of people drive
their tractors around and people ride there horses too!  I haven't
had a BBQ meal in my new area yet but I probably will soon.  Lately I've had a
lot more American food than Mexican food though, which is different to
not have hot and spicy food every day for dinner.  My new companion is
Hermana Hale!  She's been in the mission field for 6 weeks so far and
I'm finishing up her training for the next 6 weeks.  She is from
Herriman Utah.  Fun fact about her family is I went to High School
with one of her cousins and he was one of my really good friends! We
have only been together for one week and we continue to get to know
each other better. We are over the English and Spanish speaking people
in these areas.  So I have been speaking a lot more English lately,
which is different because I'm used to hearing a lot of Spanish, but I
like the mix of both of the languages. We are in an English Branch and
there are a couple Spanish families in the Branch who we help
translate for, or another Sister in the Branch translates for them.
It's different not to be in a Spanish Branch anymore but I like that
I'm still able to speak Spanish with some of the families in the
Branch.  This week has been a test of patience and I'm learning how to
help Sister Hale grow and learn every day as well as myself.  When I
got into the area it was really hard to figure out everything and
adjusting to this new area in general has been tough but I'm really
learning to trust in the Lord and I know I will get used to it over
time. Again, many miracles happened this week and I'd like to share one.  On
Thursday night we were eating dinner with a family and Brother Boyle
(the father) said there was a 15 year old boy named RJ who has been
coming to Young Men's with his friend and he's been having a lot of
fun.  Well one day after Young Men's, Brother Boyle took RJ home and as
Brother Boyle was getting to know RJ he said, "RJ do
you want some missionaries to come over and teach you more about our
church?"  RJ replied, "YES I would love that!"  So anyway
Brother Boyle gave us RJ's information and we were planning to
contact him the next day.  The next day comes around and we were on
our way to go visit a less active family and we couldn't find the
house.  We kept biking around and we saw this boy mowing his front
lawn and I thought to go ask him if he knew where this house was.
Well when we approached him he said hi and got all excited and said,
"I'm RJ and I've been waiting for you sisters to come by and I can't
wait to learn more and become part of your church!"  Sister Hale and I

looked at each other and smiled!  This was the RJ we were going to
visit later on that day!  I realized the Lord had led us to him and
it just made my week!  Fast forward to Sunday he came to church so
excited, 20 minutes early, and ready to learn more about the gospel!
Ever since Sunday he's been so excited for us to come back to his
house and teach him more.  We have an appointment set up with him for
this upcoming Wednesday and I can't wait to go back!  He's amazing
and is ready and prepared!  God has a plan for each of his children
and He is preparing them right now for us to meet them!

One thing that I have seen while being here on my mission is that
change is never easy. Whether it's helping investigators change their
entire life, or whether it's changing little things in my own life.
Big or small, change is hard no matter what. But no matter what it is
that we need to change, we CAN through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Love you all and hope you have an amazing week!

My new mailing address is
1001 S. Guadalupe street # 322
Lockhart, TX 78644

Con Amor,
Hermana  Mann

Transfers

Howdy Y'all!

So I wanted to start out by saying that I hit my 4th month mark last
Friday!  Time is flying by way to fast!  Also today is the last day
of transfer #2 (the end of my training) and I will be going to a new
area!  I will be serving in Lockhart Texas (Where the BEST BBQ OF TEXAS
IS!)  There I will be training Hermana Hail!  I'm super nervous but so
excited!!  It will be a grand adventure!  Tomorrow morning I will head
out there to meet my new companion!

So to start off my week last week we met Rosibella!  She is an
incredible woman with a lot of faith!  She told us her background
story and how much she has been through and how she has seen her
Heavenly Father help her through her trials.  We were able to talk
about the Plan of Salvation with her and it really touched her heart!
That afternoon we went and served at the Round Rock Service Center
with a woman named Trish, and over these last couple weeks doing
service for them we've really gotten to know her and become good
friends with her.  She had a lot of questions about what we do as
missionaries and over the time getting to know her we were able to
talk to her about our religion.  It was great!  Also at the Round Rock
Service Center I bought myself my first Cowgirl hat!  I love it!
That night we went to Rudy's!  The Best BBQ restaurant in TEXAS!! Mmmmm....
it was so good!  We taught Hermano Peniaflor this week after the
English class and he's doing so well!  I can't wait for him to be able
to go through the Temple by the end of this month!
On Thursday we had a training from our Mission President on Finding by
Faith!  I learned a lot and applied what I learned to my everyday
missionary work and it was amazing the change that I saw!  I have
realized over the time that I've been here so far that my purpose here
is to TEACH REPENTANCE AND BAPTIZE CONVERTS!  That has been our
mission motto since January 2016 and I just love it.  It's so true and
that is why I am here!  Yesterday right before Sacrament started I
was asked if I could give a talk!  Oh boy was I nervous unprepared and
I was going to have to do it in Spanish!  I was the first speaker and
really didn't have any time to think about what I was even going to
say!  I had to have so much faith and courage to get up there.  As I
began to talk the spirit was there to guide me in what I should talk
about.  The words were there and I knew what to say.  I spoke on how
important reading and studying the scriptures is and what the Book of
Mormon means to me in my life.  As I have been here for these past 4
months I have really come to understand why the Book of Mormon is so
important and what It means to me!  It is key to our conversion!  I
made it a goal at the beginning of my mission to reread the Book of
Mormon over again and to Highlight when it talks about our Savior
Jesus Christ!  I have really come to know him more personally from
doing this and by reading from the Book of Mormon every day I have
gained an even greater testimony of it.  I know that the Book of
Mormon is TRUE and because I know that I know that Joseph Smith was a
prophet and that he was called of God to restore this church today on
the earth again!
There are so many people who are prepared to receive this gospel and I
have felt so blessed to have a part in helping some of them take those
first steps. But The Lord is the one doing all of the work. Which
makes sense, because this is HIS work. We are just the tools for him
to use. That is something I've seen everyday since being out here on
my mission. Alma 26:12 explains it perfectly,
"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore
I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in His
strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we
have wrought in this land, for which we will praise His name forever."
(Sí, yo sé que nada soy; en cuanto a mi fuerza, soy débil; por tanto,
no me jactaré de mí mismo, sino que me gloriaré en mi Dios, porque con
su fuerza puedo hacer todas las cosas; sí, he aquí que hemos obrado
muchos grandes milagros en esta tierra, por los cuales alabaremos su
nombre para siempre jamás.)

Over and over, every single day, the Lord blesses us with little
miracles to hasten His work. There are no coincidences. The Lord's
timing is PERFECT!  I challenge each of you to look for those little
miracles. I promise you that they're real!  I love the Gospel of Jesus
Christ so much. I know it's true!  I'm so grateful for the Comforter,
for the influence of the Holy Ghost in my life.
Malachi 3:10: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there
may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord
of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you
out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

I love y'all so much!  Have a wonderful Week!!

Con Amor,
Hermana Mann

The rains came down and the floods came up

Hola mi familia y amigos!

This week was busy as usual but full of great experiences and
wonderful memories!  I want to share with you some of the experiences
I had.  On Monday I shared with y'all that we had the wonderful
opportunity to serve the people in Austin whose homes and belongings
were destroyed.  This was a very touching and good experience. We got
together with some people from our branch and headed out to the
affected neighborhood.  When we arrived, it was heartbreaking to see
homes beaten by the water and possessions carried away by the floods.
The power of the storm left 3 foot scars on the walls of the houses
that still stood. We got out of the car, and as we walked over to a
home we were assigned to, I looked around at everything.  To my
surprise, there were so many helping hands.  Each house had countless
members from different wards --scout groups, young men and young
women, missionaries, and families -- helping tear down walls and take
the owners' belongings out.  I was amazed to see how many people were
there to assist in the aide.  I began to sympathize for these owners
whose homes had been destroyed by the floods before as we took down
walls and tidied their houses. To see these families homeless made my
heart sink.  But I realized that these people were not frowning, but
their heads were upright and grateful for how many people were there
to help. I was touched to see the loving help given and the hope
brought to this neighborhood. It was an experience that has changed my
vision of giving service and the Christ like love that I have
developed for these people.

Through the service of men and women and boys and girls, God’s work is
done. President Spencer W. Kimball explained: “God does notice us, and
he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he
meets our needs” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W.
Kimball [2006], 82).  "Throughout our lives all of us depend on others
for help. When we were infants, our parents fed, clothed, and cared
for us. Without this care we would have died. When we grew up, other
people taught us skills and attitudes. Many of us have needed nursing
care during illness or money in a financial crisis. Some of us ask God
to bless suffering people and then do nothing for them. We must
remember that God works through us."
When we help one another, we serve God. King Benjamin, a great king in
Book of Mormon times, taught his people this principle by the way he
lived. He served them all his life, earning his own living instead of
being supported by the people. In an inspired sermon he explained why
he loved service, saying:

“When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the
service of your God. …
When we serve others we gain important blessings. Through service we
increase our ability to love. We become less selfish. As we think of
the problems of others, our own problems seem less serious. We must
serve others to gain eternal life. God has said that those who live
with Him must love and serve His children (see Matthew 25:34–40).
When we consider the lives of people who serve unselfishly, we can see
that they gain more than they give.  My challenge to all of y'all this
week is to find as many opportunities as you can to serve those around
you!  Remember a little service can go a long way for someone!
On Monday night we had family night with a couple of families from our
Branch and a couple of our investigators came and we had dinner
together and watched the Restoration movie!  After me and my
companions and some of the YW in the families bore our testimonies and
the spirit was very strong!  On Tuesday we were able to teach English
to some of the Spanish members in our Branch and there friends.  I
always love teaching this class every Tuesday because it's a great
opportunity for us to meet and find more people to teach and it gives
our investigators the opportunity to make friends within the Branch.
After this class we had a lesson with one of our returning less active
members who's goal is to make it back to the temple by the end of
June.  He is amazing and he is so strong!  He's going through a lot in
his life right now but I love seeing him try his very best to make
this goal possible and seeing him see the blessings in his life from
coming back to church and reading and praying every day.  We have also
been working with another less active family who's goal is to be
sealed in the temple as a family by the end of this year!  For a while
we were teaching them and then had to move on with faith because they
weren't acting on anything or keeping the commitments we were leaving
them with but last week they just showed up to church (miracle) and
the father of the family told us he is ready to do anything and
everything he can to make this goal possible for him and his family.
We went and visited them again this week to see how attending church
went and I could just see a difference in them.  They loved coming to
church again and they shared with us everything that they learned etc.
and it made me so happy to see this change in there hearts!  Yesterday
they came to church again and the wife of the family bore a beautiful
testimony, and I also bore my testimony as well in Spanish (can you
believe it)!  I think my Spanish is slowly but surly getting better!
It's been a good week and I hope to be able to continue to have these
wonderful experiences and see many miracles.  My testimony continues
to grow each and every day and I'm grateful for all that I've learned
and all that I'm continually learning. I know that Joseph Smith was
called to be a prophet of God!  Jesus Christ is our Savior and
Redeemer and because he suffered for  each and every one of us we can
be forgiven of our sins and return to live with our Heavenly Father
again.  I know for myself that the Book of Mormon is the word of God!
It testifies of Jesus Christ and of the plan that God has for each and
every one of us!  We are all children of a King! He loves each and
every one of us!  I'm proud to be a servant of the Lord and will
continue to Preach this Gospel with all my HEART, MIGHT, MIND, AND
STRENGTH!  Have a good week and be safe!  I love you all!

Con Amor,
Hermana Mann