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