"The Book of Mormon is true"

Hola Todos!


What a marvelous opportunity it is to be a servant of the Lord.  This is my last full week here and I want to be able to share some thoughts I've had leading up to my last email next Monday.  My companion and I had the opportunity this week to go Downtown and set up a place on one
of the corners right in the middle of the city with a box of Book of Mormons.  While we were there many people walked by and didn't bother to talk to us.  There were some that stopped and listened to what we had to say and after about 45 minutes I felt an impression, more of a
question, that came to my mind, "Why is the Book of Mormon so important to you Sister Mann?" If all these people are just walking by and I'm not stopping them, why am I here to share the Book of Mormon.. I pondered that for a second and then started to stop more people as they walked by, bore my testimony of The Book of Mormon, and gave them a copy.  I just want to echo the words of Jeffery R. Holland when he said, "I want it absolutely clear when I stand before the judgment bar of God that I declared to the world, in the most straightforward language I could summon, that the Book of Mormon is true, that it came forth the way Joseph said it came forth and was given to bring happiness and hope to the faithful in the travail of the latter days." 

My witness also echoes that of Nephi, who wrote part of the book in his “last days”:  “Hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, … and they teach all men that they should do good.  “And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye--for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at

the last day.”


Read the Book of Mormon. If you have not yet received that witness for yourself, do not be discouraged.  Do not give up.  I find it interesting that we tend to value only what comes at a cost and a price of intent and intensity. It is so important to know for ourselves. We must read from the pages of the Book of Mormon and search its words personally. What is written in the pages of this book is so much more important than what is written about it by others.  For those who have already been given a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, remember that it can be lost so quickly. Keep reading, studying, and nurturing your testimony. Remember how it felt to receive your witness. Share that witness with others often.

If you have a testimony of this book, no matter how easy or difficult it was to obtain it, I promise that if you continue a serious study of it, your testimony will become stronger. You will never lose it. If you don’t have a testimony now, I promise that if you begin a serious study of this book, you will come to know by the power of the Holy Ghost that it is true.  Remember these words from President Boyd K. Packer (1924–2015), President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: “What is taught in the scriptures is most worth knowing.” And of no book is that more true than the Book of Mormon.


I have witnessed so many miracles this week but non greater than seeing others come to know that the Book of Mormon is true.  As representatives we have a front row seat to witnessing these people receive light and truth in their lives and it is beyond amazing and a testimony builder for myself.  I got to attend my last MLC (Mission Leadership Council) and what a blessing it has been to get to learn from each other in the Mission and especially from our wonderful Mission President.  I will be excited to see the future missionaries implement the things that we learned so that the work will continue to progress.

I am beyond excited to say that we have a baptism this week for Frank on the 5th, and also I will get to face time some of the people that I taught in Carrizo for their baptism!  I am excited to witness those before I leave.  Frank is really excited for his baptism!  The missionaries taught him some things before I came into the area and he has progressed a lot and has developed a strong testimony of his own. We are really happy for him.  This week I get to go back to Lake Travis for my last exchange with the Sisters there!   Wow I'm so excited for that.  It will be so
fun to get to end my week there!  I love y'all and I hope you have a wonderful week. Be safe!

Con Amor,
Hermana Mann

"God's timing is Perfect"

Hola Todos! 

God's timing is truly perfect.   Lately I have learned a lot about how much the Lord knows and loves us with a perfect knowledge and love.   I have seen more miracles this week in my life and in others than ever before.  

I want to start of by sharing a story that Jeffery R. Holland shared recently to the Mission Presidents:  "One night a young man (from Southern Idaho) stormed out of the house and set off to join an infamous motorcycle gang. He succeeded in that resolve and for 20 years became immersed in a culture “of temptations yielded to and degradations explored,” never contacting his parents, who feared that he was dead.  Eventually ending up in Southern California, he one day was sitting on the porch of a rented home when he saw two LDS missionaries making their way up the street.  “With a rush of memory and guilt, regret, and rage, he despised the very sight of them,” Elder Holland recounted. “But he was safe, because he kept all visitors at bay by employing two Doberman pinschers, who viciously charged the gate every moment that anyone came near.”. The dogs startled the missionaries as they passed by and continued on, “our man on the porch laughing at the lovely little drama he had just witnessed, wishing only that the gate hadn’t restrained his two dogs.”. Then, the two elders stopped, looked at each other, conversed a little, “likely said a silent prayer,” then turned around and approached the gate.  “The Dobermans on cue charged the gate again, hit it, snarling, frothing, and then stopped in their tracks,” Elder Holland said. “They looked at the missionaries, dropped their heads, ambled back to the front steps, and lay down.”. The man on the porch was speechless as the missionaries opened the gate, walked up the path, and greeted him.  “One of the elders said, ‘Are you from this part of California?’. “The man said, ‘No. If you want to know, I’m from Pocatello, Idaho.’. “There was a pause. ‘That’s interesting,’ the elder said. ‘Do you know the [such-and-such] family in Pocatello?’. “With a stunned look, our biker paused and then, in very measured words said, ‘Yeah, I know them. They are my parents.’. “‘Well, they’re my parents too,’ the missionary said. ‘God has sent me to invite you to come home.’”. The younger brother had been born after the older boy had left home. The elder brother did not even know of him.  “Mom and Dad have been praying for you every morning and night for 20 years,” the younger brother said. “They were not sure you were alive, but they knew if you were, that someday you would come back to us.”

The wayward son invited the two in, and they talked for the rest of the day and some of the night. He did return home, returned to Church activity, and, in March 2015, was married and sealed in the Boise Idaho Temple.  Commenting on the account, Elder Holland said, “This is a story of the role of Almighty God, the Savior of the World, and the Holy Ghost involved in the work of the ministry to which we’ve been called.  “The Holy Ghost prompted those parents to keep praying, to keep believing, to keep trusting. … The Holy Ghost inspired that rebellious boy to come to himself like the prodigal he was and to head for California. … The Holy Ghost influenced that younger son to serve a mission and be willing to accept a call to Southern California. … The Holy Ghost inspired one of my brethren in the Twelve, who was on the assignment desk that Friday, to trust his impression and assign that young man for service not a great distance from his native-born state. The Holy Ghost inspired that mission president to assign that young missionary to that district and that member unit. The Holy Ghost led those missionaries to that street, that day, that hour, with big brother sitting on the porch waiting, and, with Doberman pinschers notwithstanding, the Holy Ghost prompted those two elders to stop, talk, and in spite of their fear, to go back and present their message. …

“And through the elders, the Holy Ghost taught repentance and brought true conversion to one coming back into the fold.”. Elder Holland said the young elder, without realizing it, gave the missionary speech of all time, when he said to his brother, “God has sent me here to invite you to come home.”

“We are sent by God to invite His children home,” Elder Holland concluded. “We do that through the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, on the strength of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Welcome to the divine companionship.”

Family and friends my eyes have been opened to seeing that Heavenly Father has a perfect plan and that the Holy Ghost can lead us in all things and put us where the Lord needs us to be when he needs us there.  We truly are the tools in the Lord's work.  I have seen many miracles this week that gradually lead me to learn these things.  Monday night we had planned to contact some less active members that the Austin ward council had asked us to contact.  As we were walking through an apartment complex we saw this lady in the distance struggling to carry her groceries up the stairs.  We immediately ran over to help her.  She invited us in her home and we sat and talked for a little bit.  She wasn't too interested in our message but was grateful for our help. She then referred us to her upstairs neighbor, so that was our next task at hand.  As we walked up some more stairs we knocked on this referrals door.  Another woman answered and said she was catholic and wasn't interested and quickly shut the door.  We started walking away when we decided to knock on the door right next to her.  A young single adult answered. (Mid 20's) she said her name was Ruby.   At first, before we began introducing ourselves, she didn't seem too interested, but as we just began teaching her 20 minutes went by and we had taught her the restoration and gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon.  She was answering questions and was fully involved in our discussion.  We invited her to read the introduction and asked if we could meet again, and she excitedly accepted.  As I walked away I could feel the love that God has for her and knew that every encounter we had that night lead to her.  

We had another experience (miracle) just like that.  We were trying to contact a former investigator one night and couldn't find the apartment number that he lived in.  We looked all over and then I had the impression to ask for help.  We knocked on someone's door and a man opened up.  He was from India and couldn't speak any English.  I tried to communicate that we were looking for apartment number 315.  He immediately ran and put his saddles on, came outside, locked his door and started walking down the stairs waving for us to follow him.  We must have been looking for this apartment for another 5-10 minutes and then he pointed up a floor right at it.  We kindly thanked him for his help as he walked away.  We walked up some more stairs and knocked on #315.  No answer. Then we decided we should try to call him.  No answer.  So we left a note on his door and began to walk away when we ran into a couple walking up the stairs.  We had a quick conversation as they were fast to tell us they didn't have time to talk.  We decided to go the opposite way as we walked away, and knocked on another door.  A woman answered and we introduced ourselves to her.  She said her name was Celina.  We shared with her that we were going around and talking to people about their family history and how we can be together as eternal families.  She was thrilled.  She came outside and talked to us and shared some of the experiences and stories she's learned about her ancestors.  We introduced familysearch.org to her and she was so happy and excited about the thought of an eternal family. Later that night as we were walking back to our car we met a man named Kelvin.  He told us that he was happy to see us because he just moved not too long ago from another state and he had been meeting with missionaries there.  Then when he moved he lost contact but he wanted to keep learning (miracle).  Every event that happened that night lead us to those two people. We were where we needed to be at those exact moments.  

I thought a lot this week during my studies about how to better help others understand the importance of keeping the commandments.  Some ask, “Do I have to be so different from others?” “Can’t I be a disciple of Christ without thinking so much about my behavior?” “Can’t I love Christ without keeping the word of wisdom?” “Can’t I love Him and do what I want on Sunday?” Jesus gave a simple answer: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

We had lots of opportunities this week to do service.  We got to serve at a nursing home, attend the Central Texas Food Bank, and help a less active member move from her flooded house.  I sure do love serving others and this community.  

I had the wonderful opportunity this week to go on an exchange with Sister Smith.  She has many talents and skills that she uses and has an ability to connect with others around her.  We found some new investigators together and had the best finding experience.  As we were walking down the street we saw a bunch of people playing volleyball in their back yard.  We called out to them and they motioned for us to come over.  We introduced ourselves to them and said we were representatives of Jesus Christ with a unique message to share with others and asked if we could share it with them. We made a deal that if we played volleyball and beat them then we could share a message.  Well, we played a good game and tied, but we were still able to share a little bit with them.  I have learned a lot about the importance of talking to everyone.  Now they have a seed planted in their hearts.  

I attended my last Zone Conference this week and it was bitter sweet.  I have loved getting to learn from our leaders especially our Mission President and his wife.  I will forever remember the lessons they have helped teach me.  I was also able to see one of my previous companions, Sister Loveridge!  It was really fun to see her again and she has become an even more awesome missionary since we were companions! 

Last miracle of the week!  On Saturday night I got a call from the wonderful Carrizo Springs Sisters saying that a family that I taught with Sister Landon while in Carrizo was getting baptized (Isabelle and two of her girls).  I am so excited!  They are getting baptized on August 5th so I will get to Skype them!  I am so happy for them and so happy the sisters are doing so well down there and finding the prepared! 

I hope y'all have a wonderful week and know that I love you.  Remember God's timing is perfect and He knows what He is doing.  He has a plan for each of us and He knows how to help us learn and grow.  

Con Amor,

Hermana Mann

"If you are obedient and faithful, Heavenly Father will give you power to become everything he wants you to be."

Hola Todos!

This week has been wonderful and very busy.  I can't believe how fast time goes by. We had exchanges with the Sunset valley Sisters and it was wonderful.  I went on an exchange with Sister Dickson and Sister Rueda went on one with Sister Duke!  Both sisters are wonderful and have so many talents and a love for the Lord's work.  Sister Dickson and I worked really well together.  She is a wonderful sister with charity and love towards others and I've always wanted to be her companion since the day we met.  We had a busy day together and it was a wonderful experience getting to be with her.  We got to go to the Central Texas food bank and do service, also we got to walk around Downtown Austin and talk to people.  We met a policeman, some
Jehovah witnesses, along with many others, and talked to them about our beliefs and testimony on eternal families.  What a place to go street contacting/finding!  It's so busy here!

We found a new investigator (Petula) last week and had a lesson with her this past Monday. We taught her the restoration and she soaked it up like a sponge and loved it.  She said it all made sense to her.  We invited her to be baptized and she said yes and is so excited to read in the Book of Mormon!  We found her through an investigator that we are teaching right now.  He brought her to church with him last week.  Sadly we found out that she lives right outside our area so we had to refer her to other Sisters, but they are really excited to continue teaching her and so are we. As long as she's being taught the Gospel it doesn't matter who's teaching her because it's the Holy Ghost that's really the teacher.

We've been meeting with Patricia, our recent convert, and talking to her about temples and family history work.  She has found a lot of family names and is really excited to go to the temple in a few weeks and we are excited to be able to go with her!

We had the opportunity to work with one of our Relief Society Presidents in the Zilker Park ward. She asked us if we could go on some visits with her, and then we asked if she could visit some people with us and it was a great experience.  We had visited 3 less actives and all of those visits went really well. In fact one of them came to church yesterday!  I think it built trust and also it was good to work together and help each other with this great work.  I love working with the members!


I did a training in our district meeting his week on how to develop the Christlike attribute of Integrity.  As I was preparing I studied some of the things our Mission President sent to us a few weeks back and I wanted to share some of the things he said.

..."Let us ask ourselves, what can we do better? How we can best improve is answered by the Lord’s declaration, “What manner of men ought ye to be? – even as I am.” We seek to follow him."

Preach My Gospel describes some of the attributes of the Savior.  Please consider another Christlike attribute – integrity. We are covenant people of the Lord. Let us ask ourselves if we are men and women of our word.  In the early chapters of the Book of Mormon, we read the experience when Nephi first encounters Zoram.  Zoram believed Nephi to be his master, Laban. When he discovered this was not so, “he began to tremble”, probably fearing for his life. Nephi “spake unto him, even with an oath, that he should be a free man like unto us”.  The account states that “Zoram did take courage at the words…”.  Nephi and his brothers worried that if Zoram did not go with them, the Jews would pursue and destroy them. Their predicament was resolved “when Zoram had made an oath unto us, our fears did cease concerning him.”. These men faced grave risks. The stakes were high – life or death high -- yet, upon giving one another their word, their concerns ceased.

That is quite amazing. I have asked myself the question, would I risk my life trusting the word of another?  There are some that I would, but there are many I would not. Of greater importance, could someone entrust their life to me and my word?  Do I have that level of integrity? As a discipline of Jesus Christ, I must ensure that it is so.  It seems that integrity, even when the risks were highest, were a part of the culture in Nephi’s and Zoram’s world.  A man’s word was
something of great value and could be fully trusted. Perhaps Nephi and Zoram were exceptional men.  Perhaps they placed a greater value on their word of honor than did other men. Yet, we also have the account of Zerahemnah. Someone we might consider a “bad guy”.

Alma 44:8 ​“And now it came to pass that when Zerahemnah had heard these sayings he came forth and delivered up his ​​​sword​ and his cimeter, and his bow into the hands of Moroni, and said unto him: Behold, here are ​​our weapons of war; we will deliver them up unto you, but we will not suffer ourselves to take an ​​​oath​ unto you, which we know that we shall break, and also our children; but take our weapons of war, and suffer that we may depart into the wilderness;
otherwise we will retain our swords, and we will perish or conquer.".  With his life on the line, and that of his men, Zerahemnah refused to make an oath that he could not keep. In past generations, a man’s word was his bond. Sadly, that is not generally the case now.   But, what
is God’s view on the matter.  The 13th Article of Faith states: “​​​​We​ believe in being ​​​honest​, true, ​​​chaste​, ​​​benevolent​, virtuous, and in doing ​​​good​ to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we ​​​hope​ all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to ​​​endure​ all things. If there is anything ​​​virtuous​, lovely​, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”.  D&C 124:15 ​And again, verily I say unto you, blessed is my servant Hyrum Smith; for I, the Lord, love him because of the integrity​ of his heart, and because he loveth that which is right before me, saith the Lord.  Alma 53:20 ​And they were all young men, ​​and they were exceedingly valiant for ​​​courage​, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all—they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.  God expects us to be men and woman of integrity. The Savior is our example to follow. “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled…” As we seek to be true disciples of Jesus Christ we must be honest and true in all
things.

Karl G. Maeser, the founder of BYU, and an apostle of the Lord stated: “I have been asked what I mean by 'word of honor.' I will tell you. Place me behind prison walls--walls of stone ever so high, ever so thick, reaching ever so far into the ground--there is a possibility that in some way or another I may escape; but stand me on the floor and draw a chalk line around me and have me give my word of honor never to cross it. Can I get out of the circle?  No. Never!  I'd die
first!”

With this topic in mind, consider the question, when do you think the level of honesty in the world declined?  Was it abrupt or a more gradual loss of integrity?   Was honesty valued in the time of Joseph Smith?  Could a man’s word of honor be trusted?  It seems to me that it could. Therefore, consider the power of the three witnesses and the eight witnesses to the Book of Mormon. In a society where a man’s word was highly valued and like Zerahemnah, would rather perish than make an oath that he could not keep, ponder what it meant to have three honorable men state:  “we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that
these things are true.”. Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:  “Measured against all … possible objections, the testimony of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon stands forth in great strength. … As is well known, because of disagreements or jealousies involving other leaders of the Church, each one of these three witnesses was excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by about eight years after the publication of their testimony. … Yet to the end of their lives … not one of these witnesses deviated from his published testimony or said anything that cast any shadow on its truthfulness. “Furthermore, their testimony stands uncontradicted by any other witnesses. Reject it one may, but how does one explain three men of good character uniting and persisting in this published testimony to the end of their lives in the face of great ridicule and other personal disadvantage? Like the Book of Mormon itself, there is no better explanation than is given in the testimony itself, the solemn statement of good and honest men who told what they saw” (“The
Witness: Martin Harris,” Ensign, May 1999, 36).

Furthermore, eight additional witnesses testified: “Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen. And we lie not, God bearing witness of it.”. To these witnesses, the Lord himself spoke: D&C 17:6 And he has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true.  In
regards to the aforementioned verse, Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated: “This is God’s testimony of the Book of Mormon. In it Deity himself has laid his godhood on the line.  Either the book is true or God ceases to be God. There neither is nor
can be any more formal or powerful language known to men or gods.”.  This work is true. It is God’s work. “The Book of Mormon is powerful evidence of the divinity of Christ. It is also proof of the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith.” (Preach My Gospel, page 103).   Eight honorable men, upon whose word we could entrust our lives, declared that they saw and handled the plates. Three others testified that an angel of God showed them the plates. The Savior himself, in the words of a solemn oath – “as God liveth” – declared the Book of Mormon to be true.  While I do not claim to be of the stature of those men, I do add my witness that the Book of Mormon is true. It has blessed my life. I invite you to study from it every day."

Family and friends it is so important to develop the Christlike attribute of integrity.  I would invite you to study from the Book of Mormon and look for other examples of those who have integrity.  I promise as you do so you will develop a strength and need/desire to be more like these people and be honest in true in all things.  I testify that when we do we can be happier and those around us will trust our word.

I am excited to continue to look for the Lord's prepared children and I won't stop until I find them! Have a wonderful week and be safe!

Con Amor,
Hermana Mann

We can do more than we think we can do so "just do it"

Hola Todos!

      This week has been really good.  I hope y'all enjoyed your 4th of July! I sure enjoy being a missionary during the holidays. My companion I, along with Sister Hicken and Sister Smith, decided to bike downtown on the 4th, lock up our bikes, and walk around and talk to people about family history while they were waiting for fireworks to start.  There were so many people, and we met so many families and heard lots of stories about their family history.  It was a really
neat experience and I felt like many people were excited to hear about family search.org.  It was one of my favorite finding activities!  Another fun finding activity happened on Saturday.  All
of us decided to get a day bus pass and talk to people on the bus.  It was so much fun!  We had many neat experiences and miracles happen and we found lots of new investigators.
       We got to do service this week at the institute with the Johnsons (the best senior missionary couple ever) and it was a lot of fun!  We also had many unplanned service opportunities and were able to talk to many people.  We received a lot of referrals this week and we are still in the process of contacting them all.  I'm so happy that there are so many people who want to hear about the Gospel!
        We had a new member lesson with Patricia this week and talked about temples and family history work.  She is so excited to find names to take to the temple soon.  She is also excited about learning more about the church.  She tells everyone she is a member now and wants everyone to be a member too.
        A miracle happened on Sunday.  There was around 75 non-members who came to church.  They were a group of people who just traveled around in the community to see other churches.  It was crazy busy but it was the best.  So many people had questions for us and we got to teach them the restoration and show them around the church.  I think everyone had a positive experience.  We also had another miracle happen while at church.  One of our investigators that we are teaching brought his friend to church.  Her name is Petula and she is from Africa.  She speaks French, and English, and has 2 very cute kids!  She wanted to know more about the church and what we believed in.  She was so excited to meet the members and learn more.  After church she said, "Sisters I want you to teach me more!".  We are really excited about her and hope she continues to progress (MILAGROS).
        I am still getting to know the members in both wards and we are working hard every day.  We see miracles constantly! I know the Lord is preparing his children for the message we bring!
         I was reading in Helaman this week in chapter 10 and came across verses 4 and 5.  Those verses hit me with a lot of power.  Like Nephi, if we learn to ask “in the Spirit” and according to God’s will, then “it is done even as” we ask.  President Marion G. Romney
(1897–1988) of the First Presidency shared “When we pray unto the Father in the name of Jesus for specific personal things, we should feel in the very depths of our souls that we are willing to subject our petitions to the will of our Father in heaven.  “The time will come when we shall know the will of God before we ask.  Then everything for which we pray will be ‘expedient.’ Everything for which we ask will be ‘right.’ That will be when as a result of righteous living, we shall so enjoy the companionship of the spirit that he will dictate what we ask"

        What can you do to reach a point in your prayers where you do not ask anything that is contrary to the Lord’s will?

        I hope yall have a wonderful week! Be safe, love ya! Everyone give my Aunt Julie lots of hugs from me for her birthday yesterday! Love you Julie!

Con Amor,
Hermana Mann

Back in Austin!

Hola Todos!  Happy 4th of July tomorrow!   

I'm officially back in Austin!   I sure do miss my Carrizo family already though, but it's good to be back up here again!  I can't believe it's my last transfer.....it's already going by way too fast.  My new companion is Hermana Rueda!  She is from San Diego California.  She speaks fluent Spanish and is currently learning English.  She started learning English when she got to Texas and is doing an awesome job speaking it.  Good thing we can help each other learn the languages we've been called to speak!  She has 3 transfers left on her mission and is a wonderful missionary!  She comes from a family of 7 and is in the middle.  She loves to draw, sing, cook, and serve those around her.  She makes me laugh a lot, especially when we try teaching each other Spanish and English. 

We live with 2 other sisters, Sister Hicken and Sister Smith.  Sister Hicken is from Hurricane Utah and this is her last transfer too.  Sister Smith is from Las Vegas Nevada and this is only her 3rd transfer in the mission.  They serve in the Capital YSA Ward out here.  They are the funniest sisters and I love living with them.  It is fun to have roommates!  We live in Downtown Austin right by the river and it is so pretty!  In the mornings we like to go on bike rides along the river and through downtown.  There are so many people here!  I love it.  

It was really hard to say goodbye to Kris, Pearl, Ana, Precious, Jason, and the rest of the kids in Carrizo Springs.  They will always be dear to my heart.  I hope to one day see them all again.  The most satisfying experience I get to see as a missionary is what this gospel does for people.  It gives them a new outlook on life.  It gives them a perspective that they have never felt before.  It raises their sights to things noble and divine.  Something happens to them that is miraculous to behold.  They look to Christ and come alive.  And I get to see it in their lives.  It was even harder saying goodbye to the wonderful members that I lived with.  The Russo's are wonderful people and driving away from them was heart breaking.  I'm so grateful for the experience I had getting know and serve with them at the border, and for all the wonderful memories we have together!  Sister Landon was a wonderful companion.  She sure did teach me a lot and I'm so grateful for her.  I know she is doing so well in Carrizo Springs with her new trainee.  She is an amazing missionary and I sure do miss her.  I would again like to quote something I heard in a talk once.  When true friends sing the well-known hymn, “God Be with You Till We Meet Again,” we offer a prayer that the Holy Ghost will accompany our loved ones after we leave them. This hymn is a deeply moving expression of our need for companionship with one another and with the Spirit of God.  Our most common English expression of farewell is the word “good-bye”, and this came to us over the years as a contraction for the expression “God be with you.”  In a day when people recognized our dependence on God more publicly, this wonderful phrase was used at times of departure to express love.  It is still a sweet expression invoking the companionship of God during periods of separation. The phrase “good-bye,” then, when fully understood, means, “If we can’t be together, if we must part, if I can’t be with you then may God be with you.”

We have been so busy these past couple days. I'm still getting to know all the members in both Wards and the investigators that we are teaching.  We had a baptism on Saturday in the Zilker Park Ward.  The sisters had been teaching a woman named Patricia and she is the cutest!  She was so nervous to be baptized but it was such a beautiful service.   Her birthday was yesterday and she was able to be confirmed.  She was so happy and just glowing.  I love these people already!  I'm excited to continue serving here.  We had 6 hours of church on Sunday (which was very different for me) but it was awesome because I just LOVE church.  We are currently teaching a man named Frank and he is from Africa.  He recently moved to Austin a couple months ago and he was a self referral.  We are also working with some less actives in both wards.  I hope that we will be able to continue working with our members to find those lost sheep!   

 I have been focusing my studies lately on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and as I was pondering this past week I thought to myself that many people believe that we are saved by the Atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and that's all. We don't have to do anything on our part.  Before I left Carrizo Springs Sister Landon and I discussed this a little bit together.  The Savior satisfied the demands of justice for those who repent of their sins and endeavor to keep all of His commandments when He stood in our place and suffered the penalty for our sins. This act is called the Atonement.  Because of this selfless act, Christ can plead with the Father on our behalf.  Heavenly Father can apply mercy, withhold punishment from us, and welcome us into His presence.  Our Heavenly Father shows mercy when He forgives us of our sins and helps us return to dwell in His presence.  However, Jesus did not eliminate our personal responsibility. He forgives our sins when we accept Him, repent, and obey His commandments.  Through the Atonement and LIVING THE GOSPEL we become worthy to enter the presence of our Heavenly Father permanently. We must show that we accept Christ and that we have faith in Him by keeping His commandments and obeying the first principles and ordinances of the gospel.  

Over this past week I have began to realize that a lot of people respond differently to the same set of circumstances.  Why is that?  I was reading in the Book of Mormon in 1 Nephi 16-18 and recognized that Such was the case with Lehi’s family. During their trials, some of the family members looked to God and trusted in Him while others complained, lacked faith, and rebelled. Our response to circumstances should produce growth and greater faith rather than an attitude of complaining and rebellion.  Nephi’s response to the Lord’s command to build a ship gives us insight into his remarkable faith.  Other prophets have also been overwhelmed at times by tasks commanded by the Lord.  Moses felt inadequate when called to lead the children of Israel.  Enoch felt he was slow of speech and wondered why the Lord called him.  Nephi might have been overwhelmed with the thought of building an ocean going vessel.  Instead, his response displayed great faith: “Whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship” (1 Nephi 17:9).  Nephi’s confidence did not likely come from any previous ship-building experience.  Rather, his confidence stemmed from tremendous faith in God.  I have wondered about this for myself throughout my life.  Am I choosing to have faith and trust in God's will, and acting righteously like Nephi even when sometimes his circumstances were hard along with many others?  I have chosen to follow the Lord's way, acting in faith and being positive and trusting in the Lord.  He knows what He is doing, He has a plan for each of us.  I would invite all of you to read in 1 Nephi 16–18, examine the challenges these people faced and how the Lord was able to help Lehi’s family when they were faithful.  Notice the suffering caused by rebelliousness and disobedience.  Look for examples of how to be faithful during difficult circumstances by comparing the challenges in your life to the experiences of Lehi’s family.

I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to serve in this wonderful area.  I am so excited to get to know the people here better.  I love my mission!  I hope y'all have a wonderful week and be safe!

Con Amor,

Hermana Mann