8 Months!!

Howdy y'all!

It's official.......I've been in the mission 8 months today!  Crazy how time is
flying by so fast!!  This week has been great!  We saw many miracles!!
    We walked a lot and talked to a lot of people!  We did lots of service
for Gladys this week and it felt good to help her out because she just
had surgery.  Priscila is doing well and loves reading in the Book of
Mormon!!  She said to us she has been praying about baptism!!
    On Wednesday we had a great district meeting and later that night we
went and celebrated Sister Philpot and Elder Orton's birthdays at one of
the members houses.  They made Texas Sheet cake (my favorite cake
ever)!
    So I officially don't like seafood anymore (not that I really ever
did before), but....as a missionary, the gift of tongues, discernment,
and the gift of stomachs are a few of the things available to those
who are faithful.  I ate an oyster.  Yep it surprised me too (knowing
me I'm super picky) but I did it!  I plead with my stomach the rest of
the night to forgive me. Thankfully all is well now!
    One day this week we were driving and I turned to Sister Loveridge at
a stoplight and said "Sister Loveridge, it's kind of hard to preach by
the way while driving".  We thought about what we could do about that

for a minute considering Sister Loveridge's bike was in the
shop. We came up with the bright idea to write some nice things on some
sticky notes and put them on pass along cards, and at stoplights we
motioned for the cars next to us to role down there windows, and we
would hand them the cards!  One man followed us until we got to the
next stop light and yelled out to us and said we made his day and
thanked us!
    I had the wonderful opportunity to go on exchanges with Sister Bailee
Jones (who I went to high school with and also played soccer with) this week!  I
went to her area and we had a wonderful day together!  We taught the
restoration to two men and it was great and the spirit was strong
while we were teaching.  She is such an amazing missionary and I'm so
grateful that we had the wonderful opportunity to be companions for a
day!
    On Sunday we witnessed a miracle!  We went to go visit Ronda in the
hospital (who isn't a member and who is the sister of a recent convert
in Sister Jones's area).  She told us she wanted a Priesthood blessing
because she was nervous that she had cancer, and some other heath
problems, and might have to get surgery. So she wanted to feel at peace
with things.  So when we went to go visit her some brothers in our
ward came with us and gave her a blessing. About 5 minutes after the
doctor walked in and said, "Ronda it must be a miracle because you're fine."

He said she was able to go home that night (miracle)!  I'm so grateful
for the worthy men who hold the priesthood and I'm grateful for the
many miracles we witness every day!

I would like to end my email by sharing with y'all something from this
past General Conference that went along with something I've been
studying this week.

President Thomas S. Monson has said: “Now is the time for members and
missionaries to come together, to work together … to bring souls unto
Him. … He will assist us in our labors if we will act in faith to
fulfill His work.”  The divinely appointed responsibility that once
rested primarily upon the shoulders of full-time missionaries now
rests upon us all. We all want to share the restored gospel, and
gratefully, thousands are baptized each week.  But even with this
wonderful blessing, our concern for our brothers and sisters and our
desire to please God bring a compelling urgency to share and
strengthen the kingdom of God across the world."

I know that each of us as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints are missionaries, and we all have a part to play.  I
know it's so important for us to share our testimonies with others and
to not be afraid to invite others to church!

I know this church is true and I'm so grateful for this gospel in my
life! I hope y'all have a great week!

Con Amor,
Hermana Mann