TRANSFERS!

HOLA TODOS!!!

  This morning we got transfer information........drum role.......I'm
staying here and so is Sister Loveridge!  It's crazy to think I've been
in this area since the end of July!  I love it here and clearly the
Lord has a work for us to continue to do in the Lake Travis area!
  We had a really good week and it was full of many teaching
opportunities!!  We walked a lot and talked to everyone we saw!  We
found a couple new investigators and taught a lot of less actives this
week!  Brandon is doing so well and he will be receiving the
Priesthood soon! We are so excited for him!  He told me to thank all of you
who kept him in your prayers through this whole process!  He's very
grateful for the love and support he has!
    Here's a funny.......we went to visit a former investigator and they
weren't home. So their neighbors were outside and we went and asked
if they knew the person we were trying to contact. They told us they
did and that they were probably not interested in what we have to say.
They then told us, "You know this is a no soliciting neighborhood, if
we see you back here we are going to call the cops." So we said, "Ok
have a good night" And then she said, "you know what.....this IS a NO
soliciting neighborhood and I'm calling the cops right now."  We said,
"ok you have a good night!" And we left. The cops never came but anyway.
It's just salvation she shooed off!  We'll be going back and visiting
their neighbors on Wednesday:)
  In our District Meeting this week we had a wonderful training given
by our District Leader Elder Hymas (who goes home from his mission
this week). He gave a training on "Enduring to the end". It was one of
the greatest trainings I've ever heard!  It was powerful and the spirit
was so strong!
  THANKSGIVING was great!  Guess what?!  We had 6 Thanksgiving dinners
with 6 different families!  I was so stuffed but grateful we were well
taken care of!  I will definitly be grateful to be walking as much as
possible this next week! My uncle shared with me a talk that was given
in General Conference in April 2014 by Elder Uchtdorf called "Grateful
in Any Circumstance". Funny that that same talk my uncle shared with
me, my companion shared with me too. It must have been something I
needed to read and IT WAS!  I would invite those who are reading this
to go review that talk!  It changed my view on how and what we need to
be grateful for!
    Friday we walked for over 6 hours. We talked to a lot of people that
day and got to start sharing the new Christmas initiative (video) with
people!  I am so excited to continue to hold up Christ's light and be
an example to others and continue to serve!  If you have not already
watched the new video go watch it! #lighttheworld.
    On Sunday we had the wonderful opportunity to teach Relief Society!
It went really well and we had a lot of participation!  The lesson was
based off of a talk that was given in April 2016 called "Do I Believe".
Something that I would like to share with y'all from that talk is this.
"We all need to seek to have our hearts and very natures changed so
that we no longer have a desire to follow the ways of the world but to
please God. True conversion is a process that takes place over a
period of time and involves a willingness to exercise faith. It comes
when we search the scriptures instead of the Internet. It comes when
we are obedient to the commandments of God. Conversion comes when we
serve those around us. It comes from earnest prayer, regular temple
attendance, and faithful fulfillment of our God-given
responsibilities. It takes consistency and daily effort.  As members
of the Lord’s true Church, we are already in the boat. We don’t have
to go searching through the philosophies of the world for truth that
will give us comfort, help, and direction to get us safely through the
trials of life--we already have it!"

I hope y'all have a great week!  I love you and so does your Heavenly Father!

Con Amor,
Hermana Mann

Thanksgiving This Week!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL THIS WEEK!

We had a great week and guess what?!  Brandon Williams was baptized on Friday November 18th and it truly was one of the most spiritual experiences I've ever witnessed in my life.  Daniel Reaume got to baptize him, and on the same day that marked Daniel's year and a half since he was baptized!  How cool!!  Brandon bore a strong and powerful testimony after he was baptized and you could truly see how much this step has changed his life.  He bore witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, of prayer, and of the plan that God has for us and how aware our Heavenly Father is of each of us!  You could just see him glow....he was so full of happiness and joy!  He is AMAZING!  On Sunday he was confirmed and after Sacrament he came up to Sister Loveridge and I and said "ok now I'm ready to come out with you sisters and help others like me come to know of the truth!"  He is going to be an amazing member missionary I just know it!!  I'm so excited to continue to see him grow in understanding throughout the rest of his life!  

I got to go on exchanges this week with Sister Bailee Jones (my soccer buddy from back home)!  She is a wonderful missionary and a great leader with such a big heart for those around her!  Her area is in Downtown Austin and it was so fun to be able to spend the day with her and to teach together!  I truly love her and have loved being able to have the opportunity of serving in the great Texas San Antonio mission with her!  

We had a lot of wonderful miracles this week and I am truly coming to see how much our Heavenly Father puts us in the path of the people who need to hear the message we bring!  We had some service opportunities and it was great because I love being able to serve as Christ did and love the people here!  I'm so grateful for service opportunities and love being able to seek out every opportunity to help those around us! 

In district meeting this week Sister Loveridge gave a wonderful training on Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy (it was her first one and she did great).....along with learning more about the importance of the Sacrament.  Last week we discussed more the importance of how to remember that Sunday is a sacred and holy day and we need to be doing things that help us keep our mind focused on our Savior.....it is a day of rest, and a day of worship.  I really learned a lot and it has helped me understand why we need to keep the Sabbath day holy.  My question to all of you that I would challenge you to ponder is, what are you doing to better follow the commandment of Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy? 

Something I came across during my studies this week was a talk given by Elder Gary E. Stevenson called "Look to the Book, look to the Lord".   It was a wonderful talk and I would strongly encourage each of you to reread it!  He poses the question "Can you see the Book of Mormon as your keystone, your spiritual center of strength?"  I know with all my heart that as we focus on reading our scriptures every day we will gain that knowledge and come to know our Savior more personally.  We CAN all receive an answer of whether the Book of Mormon is true if we ask with faith believing we will receive it!!  The Lord loves you all and so do I!!  Never forget that!  Have a great week!

Con Amor,

Hermana Mann 

BRANDON'S BAPTISM!

Howdy y'all!!

Its been a great week!!! MUCHOS MILAGROS!! First off Brandon is getting baptized this Friday November 18th at 7pm!  

       Rewind a little bit to the beginning of the week. I am going to tell you a couple miracles that happened with Brandon.  We decided to go over to Brandon's house every day this past week and give him a scripture, along with a note from us, and a lemon and gum to help remind him that he can overcome his addiction to smoking and drinking!  HE DID IT!! HE QUIT!!!! (Miracle) Another miracle happened while we went on a walk with Brandon Thursday night and taught him more.  At the end of our walk while standing at the top of his driveway I had a feeling that I needed to ask him if he believed that this church was true.  So I said "Brandon do you believe this is the only true church"?  He paused and stumbled and said "I...don't...know..". I then asked him "Do you believe if you pray and ask God right now that question that He will answer your prayer?"  He thought for a second and said "Yes I do".  So he prayed right then, and as he prayed out loud I said a prayer in my heart that he would have the knowledge that this is the true church.  His prayer was so simple yet so powerful.  At the end we all stood there for what felt like an hour but was really maybe a minute, and the spirit was so strong. He said "Can I say something?"  He proceeded to tell us "I know it's true....I feel it in my heart....I feel warm, and peace....my whole body got the chills".  We all started crying (miracle). I know the Lord has been preparing him.  He is so ready!  On Sunday he was telling everyone about his baptism this week!  WE CAN'T WAIT!!!

       I hit my 9 month mark this week!! HALF WAY!  It's crazy to think I only have 9 more months as a set apart servant of Jesus Christ!!  We had exchanges this week and Sister West came to Lake Travis to be my companion for a day!!  We had a lot of great experiences and taught some wonderful people together and felt the spirit.  She is a wonderful missionary!  She has been out on her mission for almost a month now!  I love seeing her grow and learn a lot!  Sister Loveridge was able to go to Downtown Austin with Sister Jones and they were able to learn more from each other and have some great experiences as well!  I love all three of them!

 We were able to have a lot of lessons with some of the less active members in our ward!  I love meeting new people and helping them feel the spirit again! One of those families came to church on Sunday!!  I loved seeing their bright faces enter into the church all excited to come back!! It's really a neat thing to witness as a missionary! 

During District meeting this week we talked a lot about the importance of the Sacrament and how we can prepare ourselves during the week to partake of this Ordnance.   I would invite you all to re-read the talk given in this past General Conference in October 2016 Called "The Sacrament can help us be Holy" By Elder Peter F. Meurs.  

Also something I read this week during my studies was another talk given by Elder Carl B. Cook on Service. I asked myself this question "How can I come to know God more fully as I serve?"  He said, "As we serve, we draw closer to God.  We come to know Him in ways that we otherwise might not.  Our faith in Him increases.  Our problems are put into perspective. Life becomes more satisfying.  Our love for others increases, as well as our desire to serve.  Through this blessed process, we become more like God, and we are better prepared to return to Him."

As President Marion G. Romney taught: "Service is not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live in the Celestial Kingdom.  Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the Celestial Kingdom is made."  

I love y'all!  I pray for you!  The Lord LOVES YOU!!  Have a great week!

Con Amor,

Hermana Mann

November!

Howdy y'all!!

Every week in the mission is crazy busy and full of adventures, miracles, and experiences!  We did lots of service this week and helped the Carpenter family move out officially!  I'm excited for them to move and start a new adventure, but I will really miss them!  This week we had dinner with Tina Thai (less active) and her husband Richard (non member).  They invited a couple different families from the ward to come and it was great!  Richard met a lot of new people and he even made a special homemade cheesecake for Sister Loveridge and I to tell us thanks for all that we do (that made me feel good)! 

We had a great District meeting this week and one thing that stood out to me in the meeting was learning to be more humble and aligning our will with God's will.  We spent the rest of the day busy running around to teaching appointments!  We taught one of our investigators Julie (who is reading in the Book of Mormon right now).  She has been taught by missionaries before.  That night we went to Sister Brito's house (less active) and shared a message with her and her family!  We met her husband who only speaks Spanish!  It was great getting to talk with him and get to know him better!  

Thursday we had the wonderful opportunity to drive a little bit past Downtown Austin and have interviews with our Mission President!  Each missionary got to sit down with him and talk for a few minutes about different things!  It was wonderful considering we don't have that opportunity very often to meet with our President one on one! 

We had a couple lessons with Brandon this week!  He is doing so well and still preparing to be baptized in a few weeks!  He came to church again yesterday and after sacrament meeting he told Sister Loveridge and I that he really felt like he needed to go up and bare his testimony but was too nervous.  He's AWESOME and loves reading in the Book of Mormon.  I love seeing the necessary changes he is making in his life in order to be closer to our Father In Heaven!  It's the best thing to see as a missionary!  

Before I finish this email I just wanted to tell all my family and friends, NEVER underestimate the impact you can have in the lives of all those around you.  Not only in this life, but for all eternity.  The good you do will be remembered!  Who knows whether the memory of a simple smile or a short declaration of testimony will make all the difference for someone who knew you here in this mortal existence.  Maybe that simple act of kindness will be sparked to their remembrance and that will change their forever.  Your kind deeds go further then you can imagine.  Never forget it!  I think each of you are EXTRAORDINARY.  Keep being wonderful YOU.  I love you!

D&C 127: 4

"And again, verily thus saith the Lord: Let...all the works which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease; and let your diligence, and your perseverance, and patience, and your works be redoubled, and you shall in no wise lose your reward, saith the Lord of Hosts.  And if they persecute you, so persecuted they the prophets and righteous men that were before you.  For all this there is a reward in heaven."

I hope y'all have a great week! 

Con Amor,

Hermana Mann