What a great week! Thanks to everyone for your birthday wishes! It
was a memorable day! On Tuesday morning I woke up and Sister Loveridge
had made her homemade banana chocolate chip muffins for us for
breakfast, and then she put 20 sticky notes around our apartment for me
to find with nice things to say about me on them. Then she sang
Happy birthday to me! She's so sweet! Then Sister Jones and Sister
West called us and sang to me! Love them! We had our morning studies
and then headed to the food bank! We went through a bunch of potatoes
and each of the sisters found potatoes that looked like hearts for me
so we took a picture! Then all the volunteers sang to me (made
my day). We headed to dinner at Nikki Powers house and she made me
my favorite dinner, chicken fettuccine alfredo, and they made me a
cake too! That night we had two miracles! We went over to Shei's house
(one of our investigators) gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon
and we invited him to read the introduction. He was so excited that we
came by and he's also excited to start reading it! Then we taught Macie
Slane that night the Plan of Salvation! She is still doing really
well and hopefully she will continue to progress towards baptism on
Feb 11th! She is 17 years old and from Korea, and she is the only child in
her family. Her parents aren't members ether so we have planned to go
over to her house this week and try to get her family involved. We
are excited for that! We found her through a member. She is our ward
mission leader's daughter's best friend. It was a great day to
remember!
Lots of Miracles happened this week but one I would love to share
with y'all is an experience I will never forget! So a little back
story first.....I met Richard Mallard back in August when I first came into
this area. He is a non member who is married to Tina Thai (a member
in the Lake Travis ward). They had us over for dinner a lot but
Richard was never really interested in listening to us. He had
investigated the church a little while ago and then stopped because
some concerns came up and he decided not to continue. But throughout
the time that I have been in this area he has opened up to us and
we've been able to teach him. For the past couple of months he has
come every week to church and he's loved it. When Brandon was first
investigating the church Richard helped him a lot. He was being a
missionary to him and it was so weird to see him teach Brandon when
Richard wasn't even baptized. Recently, a couple weeks ago, we invited
Richard to set a goal to be baptized and he said he just had
some things he wasn't sure about. Just this past week they invited us
over for lunch to celebrate mine and Sister Loveridge's birthdays and
Richard said, "Sisters are y'all going to be here in February?" We said
that we would and asked him why? And he said, 'I'm ready to be baptized!"
I started crying! What a miracle!! He told us some more things of why he just
knows now that this is something he needs to do! Wow the Lord truly does have a
plan for each of his children. We are working on a date for him to be
baptized and we are more than excited for him and his family!!!
This week Brandon came out with us and it was great because he has
such a strong and powerful testimony! He connected with a lot of
people that we met around his neighborhood! He was able to share his
conversion experience with a couple of people and the spirit was
really strong.
On Sunday the speakers talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and
the one thing that stood out to me was the importance of enduring to
the end. Once we have entered the strait and narrow path by our faith
in Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism and confirmation, we must exert
every effort to stay on the path. We do this by continuing to have
faith, repent every day, making commitments, and following the spirit.
plan for each of his children. We are working on a date for him to be
baptized and we are more than excited for him and his family!!!
This week Brandon came out with us and it was great because he has
such a strong and powerful testimony! He connected with a lot of
people that we met around his neighborhood! He was able to share his
conversion experience with a couple of people and the spirit was
really strong.
On Sunday the speakers talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and
the one thing that stood out to me was the importance of enduring to
the end. Once we have entered the strait and narrow path by our faith
in Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism and confirmation, we must exert
every effort to stay on the path. We do this by continuing to have
faith, repent every day, making commitments, and following the spirit.
2 Nephi 31:20 - Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in
Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of
all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word
of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye
shall have eternal life.
I also read a story on the Holy Ghost this week in the January 2017
Ensign called "The Holy Ghost: Our Personal Guide" By Janice Porter
Hayes and I would like to share that with y'all.
"By the time my uncle Ken Porter was 19 years old, he had flown
more than 50 missions in Europe as a tail gunner on a B-17 for the
U.S. military. Of all his World War II experiences, one of my
favorites is his story of the first all-black fighter group, known to
history as the Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee Airmen often acted as
escorts for Ken and his bombing group, assigned to keep them as safe
as possible and giving aid when needed. Their help was never more
valued than during one hazardous mission over Hungary when things went
badly and my uncle’s plane was hit by flak from head to tail, knocking
off the nose cone, damaging two of the engines, and wounding most of
the crew. In an attempt to stay in the air, they discarded most of
their guns, ammo, and anything else they could find. Even so, their
situation became dire until at last they were able to make radio
contact with the Tuskegee Airmen. “Where are you boys?” one of my
uncle’s crewmen asked. “We can’t see you.” Within seconds of his
call, the answer came reassuringly back: “Don’t worry, fellas. You
can’t see us, but we sure enough can see you!” With that, the Tuskegee
Airmen flew in to help my uncle, his crew, and their damaged B-17 to
safety. In recalling that story, I’ve often thought how we also have a
guide in our lives. While the Savior was gathered with His Apostles
before His Crucifixion, He told them, “And I will pray the Father, and
he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for
ever” (John 14:16). This Comforter was also meant for us. With the
Holy Ghost to guide us, our life’s journey will be safer and more
sure, bringing us to where the Lord wants us to go.
This brings me to wonder more about the power of the Holy Ghost
and what his purpose is, and how he can help lead and guide us to act upon
his promptings in our efforts to do missionary work. We see what people
Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of
all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word
of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye
shall have eternal life.
I also read a story on the Holy Ghost this week in the January 2017
Ensign called "The Holy Ghost: Our Personal Guide" By Janice Porter
Hayes and I would like to share that with y'all.
"By the time my uncle Ken Porter was 19 years old, he had flown
more than 50 missions in Europe as a tail gunner on a B-17 for the
U.S. military. Of all his World War II experiences, one of my
favorites is his story of the first all-black fighter group, known to
history as the Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee Airmen often acted as
escorts for Ken and his bombing group, assigned to keep them as safe
as possible and giving aid when needed. Their help was never more
valued than during one hazardous mission over Hungary when things went
badly and my uncle’s plane was hit by flak from head to tail, knocking
off the nose cone, damaging two of the engines, and wounding most of
the crew. In an attempt to stay in the air, they discarded most of
their guns, ammo, and anything else they could find. Even so, their
situation became dire until at last they were able to make radio
contact with the Tuskegee Airmen. “Where are you boys?” one of my
uncle’s crewmen asked. “We can’t see you.” Within seconds of his
call, the answer came reassuringly back: “Don’t worry, fellas. You
can’t see us, but we sure enough can see you!” With that, the Tuskegee
Airmen flew in to help my uncle, his crew, and their damaged B-17 to
safety. In recalling that story, I’ve often thought how we also have a
guide in our lives. While the Savior was gathered with His Apostles
before His Crucifixion, He told them, “And I will pray the Father, and
he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for
ever” (John 14:16). This Comforter was also meant for us. With the
Holy Ghost to guide us, our life’s journey will be safer and more
sure, bringing us to where the Lord wants us to go.
This brings me to wonder more about the power of the Holy Ghost
and what his purpose is, and how he can help lead and guide us to act upon
his promptings in our efforts to do missionary work. We see what people
need and we can be there to help guide them.
Elder M. Russell Ballard states, "We need not apologize for our beliefs
nor back down from that which we know to be true. But we can share it
in a spirit of loving understanding--boldly and confidently, with an
eye single to the glory of God--without pressuring our listeners or
feeling that we have failed in our duty if they do not immediately
accept what we believe.
When we have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, we can then do
simple things to help bring better understanding of the gospel into
the lives of the less-active members of the Church as well as those
who are not of our faith. There is no need for any new program to do
this. We don’t need a handbook or a calling or a training meeting. The
only need is for good members of the Church to learn to rely upon the
power of the Holy Ghost and, with this power, reach out and touch the
lives of our Father’s children. There is no greater service we can
render than sharing our personal testimonies with those who lack an
understanding of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
Elder M. Russell Ballard states, "We need not apologize for our beliefs
nor back down from that which we know to be true. But we can share it
in a spirit of loving understanding--boldly and confidently, with an
eye single to the glory of God--without pressuring our listeners or
feeling that we have failed in our duty if they do not immediately
accept what we believe.
When we have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, we can then do
simple things to help bring better understanding of the gospel into
the lives of the less-active members of the Church as well as those
who are not of our faith. There is no need for any new program to do
this. We don’t need a handbook or a calling or a training meeting. The
only need is for good members of the Church to learn to rely upon the
power of the Holy Ghost and, with this power, reach out and touch the
lives of our Father’s children. There is no greater service we can
render than sharing our personal testimonies with those who lack an
understanding of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
So, brothers and sisters, are we ready to do something? Can each
one of us resolve today to increase our personal spiritual preparation
by seeking the guidance of the Holy Ghost and then, with His power as
our companion, bless more of our Father’s children with understanding
and knowledge that the Church is true?"
I know that the Savior lives and He will bless each one of us if we
will do all that we can to move this great work of His Church forward.
He can help us and he is willing to help us have the strength we need
to say what we need to say as we act on the spiritual promptings that
we receive through the Holy Ghost. He is there to look out for us and
lead us when we are flying blindly. I love y'all and hope you have a
wonderful week!
Con Amor,
Hermana Mann
one of us resolve today to increase our personal spiritual preparation
by seeking the guidance of the Holy Ghost and then, with His power as
our companion, bless more of our Father’s children with understanding
and knowledge that the Church is true?"
I know that the Savior lives and He will bless each one of us if we
will do all that we can to move this great work of His Church forward.
He can help us and he is willing to help us have the strength we need
to say what we need to say as we act on the spiritual promptings that
we receive through the Holy Ghost. He is there to look out for us and
lead us when we are flying blindly. I love y'all and hope you have a
wonderful week!
Con Amor,
Hermana Mann
P.S. If you can see it, the potatoes in the last picture spell Loveridge and Mann :)
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