Don't forget to pray!

Hola Todos!

                This week has been quite interesting!  Monday I was fine and then the next day something hit me and I got so sick....As a missionary getting sick is the worst because you want to keep going and working hard and finding the Lord’s prepared children, but your body tells you other- wise.  After a couple days of having to rest I’m happy to say I’m doing well!
                For the days that we were able to get out and work we had a lot of success.  We were able to focus on going by the less active member’s in the Branch.  One day while we were out we had an impression to go by one of our less active’s before we went back home for dinner.  As we pulled up someone was leaving the house. We jumped out of our car and walked as quickly as we could to catch this man before he left so we could ask him if Nira (the less active member that lived there) was home.  He said that she had just got home.  He went inside to get her and as she came out to greet us she looked so happy to see us!  We started talking with her and found out a lot about her situation and were able to share a message with her (miracle).  I know God lead us to her at that time because normally she is always gone out and about doing things.
                We met with Pearl and Anna this week and all the kids, and wow I love them so much!   We talked about baptism with them and invited them to pray about a date within the next month that they can set a goal for.  They are doing so well with not smoking!   As we were talking with the kids, Precious (one of Pearls daughters), said she's on chapter 29 in the kids Book of Mormon!   She told us all about what she is learning and said she wants to be baptized too!  On Sunday we had District Conference (which is kind of like stake conference).  We met at the church building in Eagle Pass, which is about an hour away from Carrizo Springs.  Pearl and Anna and all the kids came!  It was awesome!  They texted us Saturday night and Anna said she told her boss that she wasn't going to work Sunday mornings anymore because of church and she told us that they would be driving to Eagle Pass for church (committed)!  Also a bonus about District Conference was that our Mission President and his wife and all his counselors came down to give the talks.  Pearl and Anna wanted to sit in the very front row because they were so excited!  After the meeting President Polley came down to greet them and that was awesome that he got to meet them all!  That night the whole family came over to the Russo's for dinner and really enjoyed it!  I can’t wait to continue teaching them and helping them come closer to Christ.
                We had rushed interviews with President Polley on Sunday as well.  Whoever had the memo forgot to tell us that there would be interviews so we didn't arrive early.  Some confusion followed but it was nice to sit and talk for even just a moment with President.  I love learning
from him!
                We met a few really awesome potentials and hopefully in my next email I will get to talk more about them.  We will be meeting again with them this week so stay tuned!
                I wanted to share with y’all….a little while ago when Elder Christensen of the 70 came to talk with us one of the missionaries asked the question, “Of all that I can learn on a mission what is the most important?”  Elder Christensen answered and said...

1.   Learn how to have a personal connection with heaven every morning and every night
It could be praying or reading or singing.  Learn to do that every day and then do it every day for all your life.

2.   Learn how to obey with faith.  If the Lord tells me to do it, I will do it!

                As I was reading in Alma this week I came across Alma 8:10 and mighty prayer stuck out to me.  I did some further study on what that phrase means.  The phrase “mighty prayer” indicates powerful, faith-filled communication with God.  Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles suggested ways we can evaluate and seek to improve the
strength of our prayers; “May I ask you today to consider the effectiveness of your prayers?
How close do you feel to your Heavenly Father?  Do you feel that your prayers are answered?  Do you feel that the time you spend in prayer enriches and uplifts your soul?  Is there room for improvement? “There are many reasons our prayers lack power. Sometimes they become
routine. Our prayers become hollow when we say similar words in similar ways over and over so often that the words become more of a recitation than a communication. This is what the Savior described as ‘vain repetitions’ (Matthew 6:7).  Such prayers, He said, will not be heard. …
“Do your prayers at times sound and feel the same?  Have you ever said a prayer mechanically, the words pouring forth as though cut from a machine? Do you sometimes bore yourself as you pray?  “Prayers that do not demand much of your thought will hardly merit much attention from our Heavenly Father. When you find yourself getting into a routine with your prayers, step back and think.  Meditate for a while on the things for which you really are grateful”
       

 I have been focusing on making prayer to be my personal connection to heaven every morning and night and I would invite y’all to pick something that will help you feel that connection each morning and night!   I love you and hope you have a wonderful week!

Con amor,
Hermana Mann

Follow the Commandments and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Hola Todos!

        What a wonderful week in Carrizo Springs!  We saw muchos milagros esta semana!  WOW I love celebrating Easter!  There were so many people gathered as families this weekend and we were able to talk to a lot of them and share a message about Christ's resurrection and we also got a lot of return appointments!  We had a wonderful district meeting this week and I gave a training on how we can get our members involved/participating in lessons that they come with us to, instead of just being our "member present".  We have been trying to work more with the members in our area and building more trust with them so that they will feel more confident to come out with us (to row with us).
        Pearl and Anna and Pearl’s kids are all progressing really well!  We've been trying to have more daily contact with them and one day we brought over a kids Book of Mormon for the kids to read from so they could understand it better.  A couple days later when we went over for one of our lessons they had read clear to chapter 9 and told us all about it and were so excited!  Right now Pearl and Anna are
working on quitting smoking.  We had a miracle lesson happen this week with them. One morning as we were having companionship study Hermana Landon and I were talking about what we should teach them and both felt impressed to teach them the Word of Wisdom.  Later that evening when we came over after we had said an opening prayer Anna said,"sisters we want to tell you something. You have brought up baptism before and we wanted to tell you that we really want to quit smoking before we get baptized!"  Both me and my companion looked at each other and smiled and explained to them that we had prepared a message that day that would help them with quiting smoking (Milagro).  SO grateful we followed the spirit on what we needed to teach them!  It was a really good lesson and since then they have cut back a lot on how much they smoke and they've been doing really well.  We had another lesson with them on Saturday and we taught them the true meaning of Easter (none of them had been told the Easter story before).  We made resurrection rolls with them to help us with the lesson that we had prepared so that the kids would be more involved.  It went really well.  We had biscuits that represented the tomb and marshmallows that represented Jesus Christ that we put in the biscuits.  Then we baked them and when they were done we opened up the biscuits and the marshmallows were gone (they had melted into the sides). Signifying the empty tomb (when Christ was resurrected).  The kids were like "WOW".  It was a really good lesson!  The whole family came to church on Sunday and sat in the front row and it was awesome to see them all so engaged!  I love that family so much and hope that they will continue to progress!
        Kris Poff has been out of town this past week so we didn't get to teach her but she has been reading in the Book of Mormon and this is her 2nd almost 3rd week of not smoking!   She is doing so well and loves to do family history.  She has doing that with her non-member husband Jim as well.  We are excited to see her again this week!
        We made 5 dozen chocolate chip cookies with Sister Russo's Grandson Kendall this week so we could hand them out at the Hospital that we serve at.  I learned a lot of new Spanish words that day!  YAY!  After
serving at the Hospital we got to go to lunch with a couple of the workers, Julie and Angie, and they both asked us some more questions about our church.  We aren't allowed to proselyte at the hospital but at lunch when they asked us some questions it was a great opportunity to share our testimonies with them!
        We got to visit Betty this week.  Sadly she got a new job and is working on Sunday’s now so she isn't going to be able to make it to church anymore.  We hope to continue helping her by giving her parts
of the Book of Mormon that she can read every night.  Some of the members in our Brach are helping her stay as involved as she can too.
        One of our new investigators Marisela is doing really well.  She has been reading the Book of Mormon and loves asking us questions about it.  We got to teach her the Restoration and she felt the spirit!  Her daughter has even been joining us for the lessons as well.  We are doing a church tour this week on Saturday and hopefully they will be able to come!
        On Friday morning we got up at 3:30am and the Assistant’s picked us up and we all headed to San Antonio for a Spanish training that the mission was having for all the Spanish called missionaries in our
mission.  It was AMAZING!  There were 2 brothers, Lon and Von Packard, who both served as Mission Presidents in Chile a little while back.  They taught us so much!  Sister Landon and I have been applying what we learned from that training these last couple days and have been able to talk and teach so many more people!  They recorded the training so that they could go and share it with other missionaries around the
world!  It was awesome!
        It rained like crazy this week.  It flooded pretty bad out here and there were times that the roads had so much water that as people drove by we kept getting splashed.  But the good part about that is when we would knock on a door most people would let us in because they felt bad about how soaked we were and then we got to teach them (hehehe benefits of the rain).
        We've been able to meet a lot of new people!  I love being able to go into homes and teach them the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This week I would like to share some scriptures that I would invite y’all to look up and read!

Faith:
Alma 32:21
What are some things we can have faith in?
What or who do we have faith in?

What is Repentance?
Mosiah 5:2
What do we need to be able to repent?
How can we develop the faith to change?
(true motivation for Repentance is love for God)

Baptism:
In the same manner that Christ was baptized
Why was Christ baptized? 2 Nephi 31:7
We are to follow his example 2 Nephi 31:9

Gift of the Holy Ghost:
2 Nephi 32:5
The Holy Ghost is our guide
Galatians 5:22 - how to recognize spiritual promptings

Endure to the End:
2 Nephi 31:20


The Gospel of Jesus Christ is real and true.  I know that as we live these things each day we will be blessed and feel the spirit more in our lives.  I know Jesus Christ lives!  His Atoning sacrifice makes it possible for us to live again and return to live with our Father in Heaven.  This Church is TRUE! I know God knows I know it and I will not deny it!  I love y’all and hope you have a wonderful week!  Be safe!

Con Amor,
Hermana Mann

Places to go and Ice Cream to eat!

Hola Todos!

   It's been a week full of many emotions, miracles!  Today marks 14 months on my mission!  I'm grateful for all the experiences I'm having and don't want them to ever end!    
   I would like to start my email today with a wonderful Sister Mann story....so the background you need is that we live in a small unit behind our Branch President's home. One night as we arrived home he and his wife were in the backyard and so they decided to hide near our door. We had no idea of this and I really needed to use the bathroom so we were rushing back to our room.  Can you guess how this story ends?  As we got to the door President and Sister Russo jumped out from the darkness.  We both jumped and screamed and I peed.....right then and there.  My companion and I haven't laughed so hard in a long long time.  When my companion stopped laughing enough to unlock the door I waddled in and changed and she sat down to laugh some more (that is my funny and embarrassing moment for the week).
   One of our investigators, Betty Garcia, has decided she isn't ready for baptism just yet.  So she won't be getting baptized this Saturday.  We went over to her house yesterday and talked with her, and after we talked for a little while we told her we didn't want her to feel pushed, but wanted her to feel like she was truly ready.  That night she texted us and said she felt like she needed more time to meet with us and learn more.  I am grateful that she told us how she was feeling because I don't want to just baptize those who want to be baptized...I want them to truly feel converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That was a little sad to hear about that but I'm happy to continue helping her and teaching her more.  Betty was super grateful that we understood!
   Anna and Pearl are doing really well.  Their whole family came to church again yesterday and really enjoyed it!  They are progressing so well and love learning from the Book of Mormon.  Every time we have a lesson with them, or when they come to church, they take a lot of notes.  Pearls kids love going to Primary (that's their favorite part)!  I love seeing the pictures that they draw after church as they all come running up to show me.  Each time we meet with them the kids want to know when they get to come to church again.  We hope to continue seeing them progress and gaining a testimony of their own.
  We set a baptismal date for Kris Poff for June 10th (when she goes back to Utah with her family).  Today is day 11 without a cigarette for her!  WE'RE SO EXCITED AND PROUD OF HER!  Her husband Jim (non member) has stopped chewing tobacco because of her example! Also she has been doing her family history a lot lately and thinks she might be close to finding someone in her ancestors who is a member of the Church and she is super excited about that.  
  This week we found a couple new investigators and we are super excited about them.  They seem really ready for the gospel in their lives.  One of our new investigators, Marisela, had read the introduction to the Book of Mormon (she kept her commitment!). She told us she felt happy when reading it and felt peace. She was super excited when we came back because she had a lot of questions and she was excited for them to be answered.  We are excited to keep teaching her.  
   At church yesterday we had 8 investigators come!  It was great!  The Relief Society lesson was on the Holy Ghost and his role, and how we can recognize the promptings we receive.  Both Pearl and Anna loved that lesson!  
   As we were knocking on apartment doors a bunch of kids came up to us and asked us if we could come to their house and share a message with their family (miracle).   We were able to share the new Easter video with them and we gave each of them a card that has a picture of our Savior Jesus Christ on it, and they each said they would put it by their bed!  After we left a few minutes later they came out of their house running after us and asked if they could take a picture with us..... it was so cute!  I love teaching little kids about who Jesus Christ is and what He did for us.  

   We have been priveldged to have the opportunity to share the new Easter Initiative "Prince of Peace" (visit mormon.org ) as we talk with people about this upcoming Easter season.  I want to share with you all a story that our Mission President  shared with us this week....
   "There is no message more hopeful than “the tomb was empty”.  Elder Marion D. Hanks shared an account of an eleven-year-old boy named Philip, a Down’s syndrome child who was in a Sunday School class with eight other children.  Easter Sunday the teacher brought an empty plastic egg for each child. They were instructed to go out of the church building onto the grounds and put into the egg something that would remind them of the meaning of Easter.  All returned joyfully.  As each egg was opened there were exclamations of delight at a butterfly, a twig, a flower, a blade of grass.  Then the last egg was opened.  It was Philip’s, and it was empty!  Some of the children made fun of Philip. “But, teacher,” he said, “teacher, the tomb was empty.”  A newspaper article announcing Philip’s death a few months later noted that at the conclusion of the funeral eight children marched forward and put a large empty egg on the small casket. On it was a banner that said, “The tomb was empty.”  Do you know, do you truly understand, that Christ's sacrifice was for you? The life that led him to that now empty tomb was a long and weary one yet, it was filled with compassion." 

Mark 6:30-34

30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.

31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.

34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassiontoward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

Even in a moment when he was seeking much needed rest, Christ turned outward to teach and bless all who would come unto him. 

Alma 7:11-12

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succorhis people according to their infirmities.

His life was never for glory, nor for fame. It was for you, and for me, and for all who have or would live on this earth. He lived, died, and rose again, because of love. And now, He lives. What comfort that sweet sentence gives. 

In times of trial I invite you to remember His words..

Doctrine and Covenants 50:41-42

41 Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me;

42 And none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost.

I love you! I hope y'all have a wonderful week! 

Con Amor,

Hermana Mann

A Conference Miracle!!

Hola todos!

        Wow! What a crazy, wonderful week it's been!  We got transfer news
this morning and I'm staying in Carrizo Springs with Hermana Landon!
We are super excited to continue working together and finding the
Lord's lost sheep.  We saw so many miracles this week!  Last Monday we
had the opportunity to go with Sister Russo, and one of our
investigators, Kris Poff, to San Antonio for p-day and it was so much
fun!  We went to the Mercado Downtown, we got to go to the Cathedral,
and on the River Walk (which we found out is approved for
missionaries to go there now!).  It was so beautiful!  Fun fact....American
Ninja Warrior was being filmed in Downtown San Antonio so we got to go
see the set up!  Kris Poff bought us ropes (she's so sweet for doing
that!) She's also the one who taught us how to rope a couple weeks ago.
We had so much fun being able to go to San Antonio with them!
        Anna and Pearl are doing really well. They have been coming to church
and enjoyed attending conference and learned a lot from it!  Wasn't
General Conference amazing!  We had a miracle happen!  We had
investigators come to every session!  One of our investigators, Betty
Garcia, was watching it with us on Saturday at the church along with
another family from the branch.  After the second session the member
that was with us stood up and bore his testimony to Betty about how the
gospel has changed his life.  Betty then turned to us and said,
"Sisters I'm ready to be baptized!"  She felt the spirit so strong while
listening to conference and felt like she had received an answer to
her prayers!  She will be baptized next week on April 15th and we are
so excited for her!  For those of you that don't know Betty's story.....
Betty lives here in Carrizo Springs but a couple months ago she went
to visit her daughter who lives in Virginia. Her daughter is a member
and had the missionaries over a couple times.  When Betty got back to
Carrizo Springs she wanted to keep learning.  We started teaching her more and
invited her to keep reading the Book of Mormon and to continue praying.
She struggled with objection from her family and friends for wanting
to join the church, amongst some other things, but as Betty continued to
pray and come to church she found new friends and now she has decided to
continue moving forward with faith starting with the decision to be
baptized!  The Holy Ghost is truly the testifier!
        Kris Poff is working so hard to keep her commitments. She's reading
the Book of Mormon, she's praying, and coming to church every week.
Today is her 6th day without smoking a cigarette!  She loves the gospel
and is working towards baptism in June when she can go back to Utah
and get baptized there with all the rest of her family there!
        We've been working with a lot of new investigators and are excited to
see them progress and keep commitments!  We also get to start showing
the new Easter video for this year!  YAY!  I can't believe it's April!
Time is flying by so fast!
        I have learned a lot this week.  Every day that goes by on my mission
I can't help but think of how much it's changed me!  There are 3 things I
would like to share with y'all that I learned.  One, there are 2 ways
of evolving: deliberately and accidentally.  You can either decide
who you want to become and deliberately work toward that end, or you
can just go with the flow and become whatever life makes of you.  In
that event, you will become whatever the fickle circumstances and
forces of life and society will make of you; whatever is currently
considered the "popular" or in; whatever is easiest.  But, whatever
you become accidentally it will not be nearly the full measure of our
potential.  Two, in 1st Corinthians 13 I learned a lot.  These verses
in Corinthians speak of "charity". Say that even if you give all of
your goods to feed the poor, even if you give your body to be burned,
lay down your life for the truth, if your heart is not right, you will
not profit by it.  Good will be done, the poor will be fed, and the
truth defended, but the good that you do, will do you no good, unless
your heart is right.  Unless you have Charity.  Three, the purpose and
central blessing of life is change.  It is to be changed to become
more like Jesus Christ.  It is to incorporate into our character, the
qualities of His character.  It is to move from one degree of
intelligence and capacity to the next, and from there to the next,
until you see God face to face and know him as He knows you!  This
process of change, this process of evolving, becoming, is the object
of the gospel. Change is the design of faith in Christ, repentance and
baptism.  Redemptive change happens by  the power of  the Holy Ghost.
But it happens only if and  when your heart is right. It happens only
if you do not fight against God. It happens only if you unconditionally

surrender your will to the Lord.

        Every challenge you face, every hard thing you confront, every bad
thing that happens to you, every unfairness, every conflict, every
sadness, tragedy, every disappointment and heartache, every temptation
and every opposition happens for one purpose only: to give you
opportunity to respond by applying in your life the teachings of
Jesus.  As you do so you are changed to become more like Him.  I
promise as you apply the gospel teaching of Jesus Christ you will
become a changed person!  I have!  I loved Elder Rasband's talk in
General Conference on the Holy Ghost.  We can all be the first
responders to the promptings we receive and act right away on them!  If
you didn't have the opportunity to watch Conference please do so!  I
love y'all and hope you have a wonderful week!  I can't wait to see mas
milagros!

Con Amor,
Hermana Mann