WOW what a wonderful week it's been! I can't believe my 13 month mark
is this week! Why does time fly by so fast when preaching the gospel!?
We have found lots of new investigators this past week and we are
excited to continue teaching them! On Monday we had to travel to San
Antonio to switch out our truck and get a new car! We got to stay with
the Lead Sister Training leaders that night (Sister Jones and Sister
Jensen) and that was a wonderful experience. The next morning we went to
the mission office and picked up our new car! A 2017 Chevy Malibu (wow
it's a nice car). We've been taking good care of it! We still like
to bike in our area because it gives us a chance to stop and talk with
people!
We've had so many miracles this week! We taught Jesse Gomez again
and he felt the spirit so strong during the lesson! Hermana Russo
came with us and Jesse really liked meeting her! We were able to teach
him the restoration while reading the introduction to the Book of
Mormon together. He had lots of questions that we were able to talk
about with him and Hermana Russo bore a powerful testimony of the
restoration to him. He has also been praying to know if this is the
path he should be taking. We have another lesson with him tonight!
We received a referral this week! Her name is Betty Garcia. Wow, she's
amazing and so prepared! She met with missionaries in Virginia a few
times while visiting her daughter (who is a member) just a little
while ago, and she wanted us to come over and continue teaching her!
She has been reading the Book of Mormon and said she received a
confirmation that this church is true! Also she has been sharing what she is
learning with her Fiancé who will be getting home from a business trip
soon, and he told her "if this is the church for you then this is the
church for us!" WOW (miracle)! We can't wait to meet him soon and teach
them both! We had a lesson with Chris Poff at the church on Thursday
and we taught her about repentance and baptism. We invited her to pray
about baptism. She is progressing so well and loves coming to church
every week! It's been raining a lot and flooding everywhere! People
have been letting us in to teach them and their families and it's been
a blessing to be able to meet so many new people who are willing to
listen to the message we bring! We had the wonderful opportunity to
watch the Face to Face with Elder Holland and Elder Eyring this week with
the Russo's. They are men called of God! I learned a lot from the
things that were discussed and I would invite all who didn't have a
chance to watch that to go watch it!
We had district meeting this week out in Eagle Pass and it was
great! We had what is called 'District Council' where we talk about any
questions that we may have about our investigators or any doctrinal
questions. I learned a lot and I'm excited to be apart of this
district! We also celebrated Hermano Valdez's birthday!
Every week we have the wonderful opportunity to volunteer at the
local library and hospital for service! It's been a lot of fun so far
to get to do that and we've been able to meet a lot of wonderful
people and also see familiar faces!
On Sunday we heard lots of wonderful testimonies and I was able to
translate for the first time! I was really nervous but I didn't do as
bad as I thought I would! I'm still not perfect but I will continue to
learn. President Garza (fist counselor to President Polley our
Mission President) came to church with his wife and then stayed for
dinner with us and the Russo's that night. Sister Russo made Purple
cows for dessert too, which were so yummy (a smoothie made with vanilla
ice cream, grape juice concentrate, and milk). Y'all should try it!
I would like to share with y'all a part of a talk that I read this
week that I loved and felt the need to share it. It's called "If ye
love me, Keep my commandments" (October 2015 General Conference)
By Carole M. Stephens
"When our oldest daughter, Jen, brought her third daughter home from
the hospital, I went to her home to help. After getting her oldest
daughter off to school, we decided that what Jen needed most was rest.
So the best help I could give was to take her daughter Chloe home with
me so her mom and new baby sister could have some quiet time.
I buckled Chloe into her car seat, secured my own seat belt, and
drove out of their driveway. However, before we reached the end of the
street, Chloe had unbuckled her seat belt and was standing up, looking
over my shoulder, and talking to me! I pulled the car over to the side
of the road, got out, and buckled her back into her seat.
We started again but had gone only a short distance when she was out
of her seat again. I repeated the same steps, but this time before I
could even get back into the car and fasten my own seat belt, Chloe
was already standing up! I found myself sitting in a car, parked on
the side of the road, having a power struggle with a three-year-old.
And she was winning!
I used every idea I could think of to convince her that remaining
fastened in her car seat was a good idea. She was not convinced! I
finally decided to try the if/then approach. I said, “Chloe, if you
will stay buckled in your car seat, then as soon as we get to
Grandma’s house, we can play with play dough.” No response. “Chloe,
if you will stay buckled in your seat, then we can make bread when we
get to Grandma’s house.”
No response. I tried again. “Chloe, if you will stay buckled in your
seat, then we can stop at the market for a treat!” After three
attempts, I realized this was a futile exercise. She was determined,
and no amount of if/then was enough to convince her to remain fastened
in her seat. We couldn’t spend the day sitting on the edge of the
road, but I wanted to be obedient to the law, and it wasn’t safe to
drive with Chloe standing up. I offered a silent prayer and heard the
Spirit whisper, “Teach her.”
I turned to face her and pulled my seat belt away from my body so
she could see it. I said, “Chloe, I am wearing this seat belt because
it will protect me. But you aren’t wearing your seat belt, and you
won’t be safe. And I will be so sad if you get hurt.”
She looked at me; I could almost see the wheels turning in her little
mind as I waited anxiously for her response. Finally, her big blue
eyes brightened, and she said, “Grandma, you want me to wear my seat
belt because you love me!”
The Spirit filled the car as I expressed my love for this precious
little girl. I didn’t want to lose that feeling, but I knew I had an
opportunity, so I got out and secured her in her car seat. Then I
asked, “Chloe, will you please stay in your car seat?” And she
did--all the way to the market for a treat! And she stayed buckled all
the way from the market to my home, where we made bread and played
with play dough because Chloe did not forget!
As I drove back onto the road that day, a scripture filled my mind:
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” We have rules to teach, guide,
and protect children. Why? Because of the great love we have for them.
But until Chloe understood that my desire for her to remain securely
fastened in her car seat was because of my love for her, she was
unwilling to submit to what she considered a restriction. She felt her
seat belt limited her freedom.
Like Chloe, we can choose to see commandments as limitations. We
may feel at times that God’s laws restrict our personal freedom, take
from us our agency, and limit our growth. But as we seek for greater
understanding, as we allow our Father to teach us, we will begin to
see that His laws are a manifestation of His love for us and obedience
to His laws is an expression of our love for Him."
I KNOW that God loves each and every one of you. He is our Father and
we are His literal children. He knows each and every one of us and He
is fully aware of us. Prayer is a powerful thing. I know you can
receive answers from Heavenly Father when you ask Him with real
intent. He is there to listen to you! I know our Savior Jesus Christ
atoned for each of us so that we CAN return to live with our Father in
Heaven again. I love this gospel with all my heart! Stay strong! Be
safe! I love y'all!
Also, it's my wonderful mother's birthday tomorrow! Everyone give her a
big hug for me!! LOVE YOU MOM!!
Con Amor,
Hermana Mann
"When our oldest daughter, Jen, brought her third daughter home from
the hospital, I went to her home to help. After getting her oldest
daughter off to school, we decided that what Jen needed most was rest.
So the best help I could give was to take her daughter Chloe home with
me so her mom and new baby sister could have some quiet time.
I buckled Chloe into her car seat, secured my own seat belt, and
drove out of their driveway. However, before we reached the end of the
street, Chloe had unbuckled her seat belt and was standing up, looking
over my shoulder, and talking to me! I pulled the car over to the side
of the road, got out, and buckled her back into her seat.
We started again but had gone only a short distance when she was out
of her seat again. I repeated the same steps, but this time before I
could even get back into the car and fasten my own seat belt, Chloe
was already standing up! I found myself sitting in a car, parked on
the side of the road, having a power struggle with a three-year-old.
And she was winning!
I used every idea I could think of to convince her that remaining
fastened in her car seat was a good idea. She was not convinced! I
finally decided to try the if/then approach. I said, “Chloe, if you
will stay buckled in your car seat, then as soon as we get to
Grandma’s house, we can play with play dough.” No response. “Chloe,
if you will stay buckled in your seat, then we can make bread when we
get to Grandma’s house.”
No response. I tried again. “Chloe, if you will stay buckled in your
seat, then we can stop at the market for a treat!” After three
attempts, I realized this was a futile exercise. She was determined,
and no amount of if/then was enough to convince her to remain fastened
in her seat. We couldn’t spend the day sitting on the edge of the
road, but I wanted to be obedient to the law, and it wasn’t safe to
drive with Chloe standing up. I offered a silent prayer and heard the
Spirit whisper, “Teach her.”
I turned to face her and pulled my seat belt away from my body so
she could see it. I said, “Chloe, I am wearing this seat belt because
it will protect me. But you aren’t wearing your seat belt, and you
won’t be safe. And I will be so sad if you get hurt.”
She looked at me; I could almost see the wheels turning in her little
mind as I waited anxiously for her response. Finally, her big blue
eyes brightened, and she said, “Grandma, you want me to wear my seat
belt because you love me!”
The Spirit filled the car as I expressed my love for this precious
little girl. I didn’t want to lose that feeling, but I knew I had an
opportunity, so I got out and secured her in her car seat. Then I
asked, “Chloe, will you please stay in your car seat?” And she
did--all the way to the market for a treat! And she stayed buckled all
the way from the market to my home, where we made bread and played
with play dough because Chloe did not forget!
As I drove back onto the road that day, a scripture filled my mind:
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” We have rules to teach, guide,
and protect children. Why? Because of the great love we have for them.
But until Chloe understood that my desire for her to remain securely
fastened in her car seat was because of my love for her, she was
unwilling to submit to what she considered a restriction. She felt her
seat belt limited her freedom.
Like Chloe, we can choose to see commandments as limitations. We
may feel at times that God’s laws restrict our personal freedom, take
from us our agency, and limit our growth. But as we seek for greater
understanding, as we allow our Father to teach us, we will begin to
see that His laws are a manifestation of His love for us and obedience
to His laws is an expression of our love for Him."
I KNOW that God loves each and every one of you. He is our Father and
we are His literal children. He knows each and every one of us and He
is fully aware of us. Prayer is a powerful thing. I know you can
receive answers from Heavenly Father when you ask Him with real
intent. He is there to listen to you! I know our Savior Jesus Christ
atoned for each of us so that we CAN return to live with our Father in
Heaven again. I love this gospel with all my heart! Stay strong! Be
safe! I love y'all!
Also, it's my wonderful mother's birthday tomorrow! Everyone give her a
big hug for me!! LOVE YOU MOM!!
Con Amor,
Hermana Mann
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