Baptism finally! plus transfers

All my lovlies! Oh gosh. No idea where to start, and my brain is super scattered right now, so be patient with this email.

First. BAPTISM. FINALLY BAPTISM. Sister Neliza has been ready for SO LONG. But it was NOT easy going. The day of her interview with President we go to her house at the time we set... and the lock is on the door. As in, waay tawo, no people. Not willing to let this all go so easily we go nextdoor and ask if they saw her leave and they pointed out that her kids shoes were still at the door so she was still home, so we go up to the door and knock and hear her kids inside and her trying to hush them -__- my heart plummets. We tag balay again and she comes to the door, in tears, and literally having a breakdown. We calmly ask her whats wrong, if shes still going to her interview, and she starts yelling all this stuff about how there are way too many obligations, we visit too much, she has no money, its too hard with her kids, her husband isn't supporting her, like seriously breaking my heart. I got the impression that I needed to stay calm and try and talk through it with her, because okay, she is NOT like this. We have been visiting her since I first got to this area and she does so well in lessons, she is up to Mosiah in her reading (which is unheard of here), she loves the gospel and loves bearing her testimony that its true, and I knew all this stuff she was saying was not her at all. So we keep talking with her, apologize if its felt like we took things too fast, or misunderstood her desire to be baptized, and she sits down and gets very quiet, still crying, and I get the impression to bear my testimony to her about her testimony. Weird, but I would've sung a song about monkeys if I felt it would help her. So I tell her that I know she knows this gospel is true. She knows the Book of Mormon is true and she loves reading it and knows it helps her in her life. She knows that she needs to be baptized and become an example to her family. And then I wait quietly, praying praying praying praying.

     

     And she stands up and asks if President is still at the church waiting for us.

     *HALLELUJAH CHORUS*

     She gets her shoes on, Sister Becerra basically faint in relief, and in a few minutes we're all off to the church. On the way over in the jeep we showed her pictures of our families and tried to keep her from letting any doubts slip in. Once we get to the church, President Lopez and his wife are waiting and President takes her in for her interview. Sitting on the couch waiting was still a little nerve wracking because co-habitation can be tough sometimes and it wasn't a 100% that she would qualify. But I knew that Sister Becerra and I had done all we could to get her there and give her this opportunity. As you saw from President's pictures, she passed :) As we walked across the parking lot at the church she said that she had been so sad that morning and her thoughts had been so dark and that now she was so happy :) We told her thats why we had been so persistent- we knew what all of this would do for her and how crazy happy she would be, how important it was for her and her family.

     On Saturday we went back to pick her up for her baptism, still nervous that something could've happened while we hadn't seen her, but we go up to the door and she sees us and yells "IM SO EXCITED" like screamed it hahahahaha, she is so dramatic and crazy, I love it. And happily ever after, she was baptized and confirmed the next day :) I'm so happy for her. Its indescribable the feeling of giving someone that chance at not even just happiness, but bliss. Peace. Empowerment. The chance to use the atonement in their life. The chance to live again with our Heavenly Father and our Savior and families for forever. It feels so good :)

   Now the sad news. We got the news last night... Sister Becerra is transferring :( :( :(

   I am literally so sad.
 

   These past 3 months with her have FLOWN by.I love her so much. Like, family, she is like my Sera. I have never laughed so much in the past 8 months as when we've been together. And we are the same person. I was hoping so bad to be companions with her for Christmas, just oneeeeee more transfer!! But, Heavenly Father has another plan for us! She will be going to Talisay to the same ward as her best friend from home (so happy for them!!) and I will be getting a short-term missionary (a short-term missionary is someone from here who is planning on serving a mission and wants some experience, they are assigned with a missionary for 2 or so weeks and live missionary life then go back home). I don't know what will happen after those few weeks, I'm thinking that possibly I'll get put with one of the Sisters going home this transfer and then... hopefully... I'll be training Sister Judd :) :) Thats what I'm telling myself anyway haha :) I meet my short-term companion tomorrow!  Pray for me ;)

   I love you all!!! I'm going to send pictures now, I loved reading your emails and I'm glad you're all doing so great!! I don't envy the camping hahaha actually, yes, what I wouldn't give to feel cold hahaha. I don't know the plans yet for skyping on Christmas, I'll let you know once they tell us. Also, I guess we'll just do that from Hawaii? Rude ;) Mom, thanks for sending the package!!! I'm so excited!!!!! You are all the bestest ever :) Hope you all have an amazing week! Keep me in your prayers, like I know you always do :)

All my love, Sister Manwaring <3

P.S. Heres some funny stuffz-

One of our less actives, everyone calls her crazy, (she's just normal filippino crazy) and she was like "Sisters, I'm not crazy, everyone calls me crazy but I'm not! You know who IS crazy? People who EAT people. I have never eaten someone, Sisters!" hahahahahahahahahahaha

We had a follow-up lesson with this woman we met the other day and her 20 something son joins in. Drunk as a skunk. We show a picture of prayer and he puts his hands together in a still clap and starts praying, very loudly, and then opens his eyes and says "Shes praying about her child! Shes praying about her child!" then passes out, I think? Then comes back and hears me say "Dios" (God) and says "GOD IS GOOD. GOD IS GOOD." So, that.

Speaking of prayers, fast Sunday yesterday, right? Yeah, this less active man gets up and we're like thinking "Aw, yeah brother! Good for you!" and he starts off his testimony "My dear Lord in heaven" and literally just starts to pray. Eyes open. Big gestures. Definitely talking to God. Then closes, like a prayer, and goes and sits back down. So close brother! So close!

Babies here love to play with their moms boobs, and moms don't care. We will be teaching and the 4 year old kid is playing with it like a pancake. Which, okay, whatever. But then they try to do it to us. Mmmmmmmm nope. hahahahaha

Aaaaaand thats all I got off the top of my head. Love you!!!!!!!

Helping sister bendoy

CAM. OH MY GOODNESS YOU ARE A HERO. I first heard of the fundraiser when the Zone Leaders texted and said I was famous on facebook, I was so confused and asked how, they thought I was playing around so didn't text back. Then, later that day we're at a members house and they're like "Oh! You're on KSL with Sister Bendoy!" And pull up the article for me to see. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU ALL. Honestly, that makes me so happy that you did this, this will be such a HUGE blessing in her life. I really like the idea of setting up all the funds, she is finished with her schooling but I know that will help put her life back together! (Selfish sidenote: I am regretting SO MUCH to not have taken a decent picture with her so that laura ingalls braid picture didn't have to circulate the internet hahaha. Even my Zone Leaders commented on it and were like "Yeah... your picture sure is funny.." hahaha. Its okay though! This is for Sister Becerra and thats what counts!) 

We should be having a baptism on Saturday!! This will be my first baptism in this area and it's about time!! Sometimes I wish I was in germany or somewhere where if you get someone to let you in their house its a miracle because this weekly baptisms thing can KILL YOU. STRESS. DEATH. Don't get me wrong, its amazing to know that is completely possible here, but we still face all the hardships of people not progressing, not accepting, not keeping commitments, not showing up for interviews or church or appointments, and then are expected to baptize every seven days. And throw on top of it all PERFECTIONIST ME. So thats just to give you an idea of what these last two transfers have been here in this area. SO awesome but with moments of death-be-upon-me-put-me-in-a-non-weekly-baptisms-mission. SO with all that being said, Neliza (correct spelling of Nerissa) will be baptized on Saturday! She is so so so ready, the only reason why she hasn't been baptized yet is her church attendance, every sunday something comes up- Her daughter has to go to the hospital, her son has to go to the hospital, her and her husband had a fight, her grandma went to the hospital, her aunt had a stroke (obviously, not a very healthy family haha). But she has been at church the past three weeks and yesterday was her last to qualify for baptism this saturday. Sister Becerra are at church yesterday morning and her fellowshipper shows up without her. I thought I was going to die. She says that when she went by they were getting ready to go to the hospital AGAIN. (Her daughter has a parasite so they're always going in for checkups and things) So we just grab our bags and go, not willing to let it pass that easily. We show up to her house, I'm praying constantly the whole ride over to not let this fall through, and we are able to convince her to come to sacrament meeting and then leave after for the hospital. *sweet hallelujah* She comes to sacrament, making her necessary 4 weeks. After the meeting we get the Elders to interview her but like a dummy I forgot her forms (haven't done this yet on my own) so they agree to interview her anyways and I will bring the forms tomorrow. Passes her interview, everything is great, baptism on Saturday! Then, that night we go by to get all her information for her baptism record.... find out SHE ISN'T MARRIED TO HER HUSBAND. When she told us she was married she meant BEFORE. To ANOTHER man. (In the philippines once you are married that is it. No more marriage for you. So its very common for people to leave a husband or spouse and start a different family, because there isn't divorce here). For us, this means she will need to be interviewed by President Lopez for co-habitation, letting people still be baptized in situations like this. So we text President Lopez requesting the interview and he texts back "Call me when you get home tonight". So of course, being me, I start freaking out because I'm so stressed that we haven't had a baptism yet and then now we finally have one and things keep popping up and I should've known she wasn't married and could've if I'd only done her record sooner and I should've remembered about the record cause thats obviously and important part of anyones baptism and within about 7 seconds I would rather just get put out in the bukid where President didn't ever have to deal with me again. 

*Harry-potter-voldemort-is-in-the-next-room-scar-splitting-stress-headache* Sister Becerra, bless her soul, was like "Whoa. CALM DOWN. I'm sure nothing is wrong, you're stressing over nothing." So we get home and call, I couldn't even call, I made her haha, and of course IT WAS FINE. We weren't in trouble at all, he just wanted to talk about her and schedule her interview. I was so exhausted from stressing out that I fell asleep in planning, just passed out in my proselyting clothes, woke up at 10:30 just long enough to move from the desk to the bed. Also, we were fasting this whole time for everything to work out with her baptism and with our other investigators so I was weak and grumpy besides hahahaha. Lesson to learn: CALM DOWN. No one will be baptized if I am dead hahaha. So now Neliza has her interview today at 12, in 45 minutes, and should everything work out fine, next week I'l be sending you the pictures of her baptism :) 

I'm so excited for you all to go on vacation for Christmas and I can't wait to see the pictures! Sister Becerra and I should be having thanksgiving at Sister Marty's house (she knows about thanksgiving because her husband is from Hurricane, remember I told you about them?) so that should be fun! 

Sera, your dance looked awesome. You are too beautiful. Stop it. 

Clay, thanks for your note!! Dad sent me a pic of your long hair, you're crazy!

Nate, love you buddy!! I'm sure you're driving all the girls crazy ;)

Hannah, thanks for taking over my room. haha joke, it looks cute, I'm glad you left my BYU banner :)

I love you all so much!!! Hope you have a FANTASTIC week :) 

Sister Manwaring 

PS if you can send a pocket hymnbook in my package that would be the best!!

Pig of a man beware!

Hello everyone! Thanks so much for your letters! I love hearing how things are going at home with you all, and to hear that you're all doing so great! Goodness, I can't believe its FALL there. Actually leaves changing and everything! Its just one continuous summer here so its so strange to see the changing seasons, even if its just by pictures!

Okay, I'm going off my journal this week so we'll do a day-by-day update.

Monday: I was SO tired this morning (I'm always pretty dead come the end of the week haha) and my thoughts started escalating towards the next 11 months and I started to get REALLY tired. Then I drank a ton of zip fizz and felt much better :) I also read in the Liahona about when President Hinckley was called as prophet he went to the temple and cried because he felt so overwhelmed and then the verse came to mind "Be still and know that I am God" and he gained the strength to go forward, trusting the Lord to sustain him. And I'm only a missionary, not a prophet. He served for over 50 years. 11 months is nuthin' ;)
     At Robinsons we met up with Sister Ludwig (Sister Becerras friend from home) and her companion Sister Camino for lunch. It's fun to be able to meet up with them and it makes me SO excited for when Jessica (Sister Judd) gets here!! Be so excited Jess, you're coming to the best mission in the world, super typhoons and all ;)
     When we came home Sister Becerra and I climbed on our roof to watch the sunset. The sunsets here are one of the prettiest things I've ever seen. Strangely, Rexburg has pretty comparable sunsets? Haha so weird. But we just watched the sun go down, ate some papaya, then went out to work :)

Tuesday: Today was our mission presidents training (meaning there was probs a ton of "really attractive" pictures posted on his facebook. Please disregard them all. Also, he said that he puts boxes over pictures to cover things like hand gestures and immodesty? Have you seen that? hahahaha I was laughing so hard to imagine some poor elder with his hand boxed out for doing a hangloose or something). I spent the first half of the meeting stressing my brains out about weekly baptisms (as you've noticed, its been really tough the last three months to achieve that for me, more on that later) and feeling like a terrible missionary. Then I realized I needed to chill out, humble myself, and not take everything he was counseling us on as a personal attack haha (Sound like familiar advice mom? You always knew best ;) ). I honestly just went out for the break, so discouraged, then the scene from Devil Wears Prada popped into my head where Andy goes to complain and is like "I am doing everything I can! She just hates me! I can't do this D:" and Nigel goes "Oh poor you, poor Andy. A million girls would kill for this job and you're upset because she doesn't pat you on the head and give you a gold star on your homework. Wake up, six." and I laughed at myself and stopped my little pity-party and resolved to recognize I can ALWAYS do more and do better :) Gani ;)
     Then, that was really put to the test as we had a co-habitation interview scheduled after the training for our baptism that saturday... and she didn't show up. We waited. And waited. And waited. And we even told her that it was 30 minutes earlier than it was so she wouldn't be late. And she never showed up. So after this meeting all about our mission vision we had to go tell President that she wasn't there. He was very kind and offered to reschedule. We went straight to her house to find out what was going on and there she is, just sitting outside the chungey. She said she didn't feel well and thats why she didn't go (obviously not really true). We spoke with her to figure out what her real reason was and she didn't volunteer anything but agreed to attend her interview the next day....

Wednesday: ... And then she didn't show up. Again. We went to her house at 1 and said "Hey! Your interview is today! We'll come back at 3 to go with you so don't go anywhere, okay?" She agrees and we head out to our other investigators. We come back at 3, house is all chained up. My heart SANK. We texted her, no answer. Called, no answer. We finally have to text President AGAIN and tell him that she won't be coming. Later that day we stop by again and there she is, sitting outside the chungey. Her excuse was that she didn't feel well again and went to the doctor. (once again, obviously not the real reason). So we asked her if she really wanted to be baptized this saturday and she didn't answer... my stomach tightening. Finally she says "next time na lang, sisters". And we had to walk away, no baptism. I was SO discouraged. We had been working SO hard with her, she was ready! She reads the BOM, she prays, she knows its true! She even has been practicing what she'll say in her testimony after her baptism! We couldn't figure it out. As we walked away I had the verse come to mind "Be still and know that I am God." and I decided to not let this affect my diligence or trust in her or our mission's vision, but to continue doing the best I knew to do and let the Lord work the rest out.

Thursday: Woke up at 6:15 to our fans turning off. Sister Becerra and I jump awake and just groaaannnn and start to sweat haha. We had sisters staying with us for their turn at the training today, so we awkwardly did our workout while they got ready, prayed with them, and started our very hot study session. I was so hot I could hardly concentrate, I just fanned myself with a plan of salvation pamphlet and tried to imagine being in a very cold tank of water. When we came back after our appointments that night, what we thought was a power out turned out to be false, seeing as how all our neighbors had power and only our house was dark. We figured the electric company mustve turned off our power since we couldn't pay our bill when the typhoon hit. So we planned by candle light and went to bed in a very sauna-like bedroom.

Friday: Went out to the electric place to pay our bill and get them to turn the power back on. They send out a crew after lunch to see what the problem is... and flip our main power switch from off to on -__- Turns out the sisters staying with us accidentally flipped it off while trying to turn on the water pressure. So we suffered through self-inflicted heat for 2 days. The joys of a mission haha ;)
     We met with our investigator, Erlinda, and she told us that she spoke with her boss and will be able to have Sundays off starting in December!! And she wants to be baptized as soon as she can!! Oh man, Sister Becerra and I were so happy! We've been praying for her boss's heart to be softened so she could come to church for weeks. Everything happens in the Lord's time :) We also taught our investigator, Mario a 16 year old boy, the Law of Chastity.  And it actually went great! He was super in agreement and accepting. And I made Sister Becerra teach all the awkward parts haha.

Saturday: We went to Mitchits to try and figure out what has been going on and why she all of a sudden lost her desire to be baptized. Turns out that she got talking with the members and they have seen lots of investigators be baptized and then fall out of activity so they all told her that she needed to be really sure and baptism isn't a joke and she can't just decide one day that she doesn't want to do it anymore. So she got freaked out and discouraged and didn't want to be baptized. First I was just so annoyed with the members! But then I knew they just meant well and didn't want any more less actives. So we started to talk with her and reassure her when she all of a sudden gets huge eyes and says "wait, I'll be right back." and leaves. We wait and she comes back a minute later and says "the owner of my house is here and he's in a bad mood, we need to be quiet." So we hesitantly continue and start to hear shouting from the next room over. She gets up again and rushes out and we sit there not quite sure what to do. She comes back a few minutes later and asks if we could please just come back later. Worried that we were upsetting her boss we got up to leave and as we walk out we see her 9 year old son, Nicco, sitting against the house outside silently crying. I asked Mitchit what happened while Sister Beccera crouches down to give him a lolipop from her bag. Mitchit tells me that the owner got upset that Nicco and his friends were playing in the house and hit him. HIT HIM. We walk out and I see this pig of a man sitting in a chair with his shirt off drinking a beer. I wanted SO BAD to pick up a rock and throw it as hard as I could at his ugly face. And his nasty wife goes over and starts yelling at little Nicco to stop crying. OH. I was MAD. I cursed him straight to... a place I shouldn't say. I looked at Mitchit and tried to let her know that it was gonna be okay without saying anything, knowing that would only make it worse, and promised to come back to check on them the next morning. OH MY GOSH. Sister Becerra and I just had to walk away and I wanted sooooo bad to do so many terrible things to that guy. UGH. We decided that after our missions we would come back and bring our strong and capable husbands who would go up to him, go all james bond on him to within an inch of his life, then tell him that if he ever touches Nicco or any of them again he'll wish he had never been born.
     Probably not the way I should react as a missionary, but oh my gosh. So much disgust for that man.

Annddddd now I'm out of time to tell about Sunday. But it was a great day too. Even though this week was a little frustrating, I know that as I keep doing my best I can be confident that Heavenly Father is proud of me and my work. I love you all!! I hope you all have a great week, I wish I had more time to write each one of you, maybe sometime in my mission I'll figure out how to actually use this hour wisely haha :)

LOVE YOUUUUU

Sister Manwaring

She's ok!

Hey everyone!! 

     

     So I already sent my disclaimer to tell you all that I am 100% A-OK. I debated whether or not to fib and say how crazy it was and how I almost died, but really the worst part for Sister Becerra and I was that we didn't have power to use our fans for a day. And our chicken in the fridge went bad from no power too. I was all psyched and excited to experience a super typhoon (I haven't been scared of a single thing since being set apart. Honest, it's sooo uncharacteristic of me haha) and the thing that worried me most was knowing how much you would all be worrying at home, most of my prayers went out to comfort you guys :) In our area we had some wind and rain on Thursday, and a little bit stronger wind and rain on Friday, then completely cleared on Saturday. Turns out that as the storm was heading towards Bacolod it split in two and went right around the city. I know of other areas in our mission that had some damage and cell phone towers went down in a few areas so we weren't able to contact some missionaries for a while, but we're all totally fine here. I heard from other missionaries that areas like Tacloban were reallllyyyy badly affected. I have quite a few friends in those missions so I'm apprehensive to know how they are... everything there was basically flattened and they have no contact to know if everyone is ok. Apparently Bacolod was the only island that was missed? Geez. Thank you all so much for your prayers and concern! Keep praying for those others and their families! 

     I wish I had more excited stories to tell you from our "super typhoon" but honestly all Sister Becerra and I did was clean, sing, read, watch the district, and draw faces on our chins and make videos. On Saturday we had a mission-wide CSP to help with cleanup and such, so we got Mormon Helping Hands shirts from our ward, put on our work clothes, and went out to do some good! Yeah, everyone was finished before we even woke up. There was NOTHING to do. We just walked around and looked for something, anything, to do and everyone just laughed at us in our bright yellow vests and asked if we were out jogging  -__-    So we just taught everyone like normal and swept up some leaves in front of one old woman's house. 

     

    On Wednesday we had our Zone Meeting and Sister Becerra and I were asked to do a musical number, so we borrowed the violin from the members again and made a musical number of Silent Night. Sister Becerra sang the first verse while I played harmony (She has a CRAZY good voice. I make her sing to me alllll the time), the second I played violin, then the third we sang acapella harmony and melody. Yes everyone, I sang in public! First time. I could just imagine Sera saying "Meg, just sit down. Do the violin part then just sit, kay?" hahahaha. But thank goodness everyone was just looking to feel the spirit, and I don't think my voice chased that away too badly! ;) (We recorded a video and I'll try and send it). It was really fun though, it reminded me of when Cam and Trevor did that crazy sagad piano duet in their mission. We don't compare to that at all but it was still fun! 

     I finally got to open the last package you sent! I DIED when I saw all the Zip Fizz!!!!! I did a little happy dance. And the study journal is perfect! There is a place here that does really cool covers for books and things and its super cheap, like 6 bucks, and I was trying to find something I could cover and I'm gonna do that!! I'll send a picture once its done. And Clay, you are THE BEST. I love all your little notes!!! I have them all around and look at them every day and they make me so happy :) *point* You're the best, bud!!

     We were teaching our recent convert, Derek, and while we were talking about repentance with him I had this analogy come to mind (you know me and analogies haha) and repentance without the complete process of the restored gospel is like trying to cut a lawn with nail clippers. It doesn't matter how bad you want to cut the lawn, all you have is nail clippers, and by the time you are finished with one patch the last has already grown back. But with the perfect process of repentance from the restored gospel it's like cutting a lawn with a riding mower. It's still work of course, but it's effective gid. And instead of constantly being behind and being overgrown with grass and weeds, with a riding mower you just need to stay on top of your work and you can keep your lawn nice and clean :) Kind of silly, but I liked it! 

     I read Quincy's email from last week (thanks for sending that mom! If they have some sort of forwarding list put me on there cause I want to keep getting her emails!) And I loved what she said about noticing the little miracles! I definitely did what she did when I first got into the field, I kept waiting to walk past some house and recognize it from somewhere and get a burning impression to go to the door and when I did there would be a man that would answer and say that he had been praying for guidance and then I knocked on the door and he wants to be baptized and we all live happily ever after. And while those things are not impossible, or unheard of, it's the daily "mini-miracles" that I've learned to love. For instance, we were teaching our investigator, Josie, the Word of Wisdom and she tells us that she randomly decided to stop drinking coffee three weeks ago. Which means that she's been living the Word of Wisdom completely for three weeks and we won't have to push back her baptism date. It seems small, but when you start to notice the little miracles they pop up everywhere! I also scored and found an old liahona from when President Hinkley died and all the bretheren wrote special talks about him, and looking for the little miracles is exactly how he lived his life :) Shout out to Sistah Ellswaath for being on the same page as me ;)

     Well, thats all the time I have for this week! Thanks again for everyone's love and concern, please keep sending your prayers to the missionaries that were badly affected by the typhoon! I hope you all have the best week!! LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!

-Sister Manwaring :) 

 My district!

 Our room, and yes those are fans so that we don't burn up at night hahah

 I found granola!

 Gorgeous sunset here! btw there are even prettier ones as well

yes thats a red banana hahah

Visiting authorities and graveyard holidays.

OH MY GOODNESS I HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO WRITE. Okay, I'm gonna try and do this all in a good amount of time so if this email is kinda sloppy #sorrynotsorry

Glad to see you got the email from Elder Clayton! Basically we're just best buds ;D Hahaha no but we are related. His great-great grandfather is William Clayton, he's just from a different wife. Polygamy. Hahaha. So as you heard last Sunday was a stake meeting with him and our ward was asked to sing the prelude music for the meeting and they asked me to play the violin with one of the songs. A member in our ward has a violin and its small but it's a violin so yay! So we played and it was good and then we all sit down to wait for Elder Clayton, who ended up arriving early and asked if we would sing again for him... and I had to play again but this time less than two feet from Elder Clayton sitting on the front row. I had to be careful not to poke him with my bow haha. But it was great and he was super super nice about it! He also knows Sister Becerra's parents from their mission in Arcadia and he called her up in front of the whole stake to share her testimony hahaha it was great. Then he wanted to take a picture with her after to send to her parents and had me come in too so he could send it to you too, so thoughtful! He gave a really great meeting, he's awesome. 

We're just on a high from Salt Lake authority this week, Elder Neil L. Andersen came and spoke to our entire mission on Saturday!! It was great, he had us all come and shake his hand, ah, so cool!! He also gave a really, really great conference. I'm so excited to get to work and apply all the stuff he taught us! 

While I still had the violin from the conference I used it to get into a few houses haha "You sneaky mom!" haha we just went up to houses and were like "Hi! We're missionaries! Can we come in and play a song for you?" And they were like "Yes! American! Puti! Come in!" haha so I said "I'll play one fast song and one slow song" and played Orange Blossom special (they ate it right up cause it's fast and plucking hahaha) and then come thou fount. Then we taught the first discussion and made appointments to come back. So much fun!!! I wish I could just walk around and do that all day. 

Friday was a holiday called "All Souls Day". It's a day where everyone goes to the cemetery to remember their dead and noooo onnneee is home. So we did a thing called "graveyard proselyting" and basically just went around to the cemeteries and taught the plan of salvation. It was an... interesting day haha. The cemeteries here are different and they don't bury their dead, they put them in a cement box and then stack all the boxes. So it's like walking around a costco of dead people all stacked like shelves of coffins. And a lot of them are really old and have either rotted away or been broken into so there are random skeleton parts on the ground. We legit saw a skull. Just a whole skull. Sitting there on the ground (picture to follow). Also, you know how cemeteries are usually quiet and respectful? As in, you don't even step on the graves right? Well not so here, you just climb all around them, no one cares. And you can't avoid it if you want to get around. Sister Becerra and I were like "sorry.... sorry... ah sorry.." walking around on the graves haha. Also its not a sad day, but everyone is just partying and eating and there and selling stuff. It's like a carnival. So we would go and try to find people kind of off on their own and get a chance to talk with them, ask them about who they were visiting and then share a small portion of the plan of salvation and get their information. The strange things you do when serving in the Philippines haha. 

I was trying to think of where I would want to go when I get home and I'm thinking either Denmark or somewhere in Europe?? But its so hard for me to think hahahaha I was trying to think of somewhere with Sister Becerra and I was like "I need a map, I forgot all the places of the world!" haha. #missionbrain but I wanna know where you guys want to go too!! But that's what I'm thinking right now, let me know what your input is! Also I got your package!! Well, I don't have it yet, but its here! The couples haven't had a chance to bring it by. But thanks in advance for everything in it!! And as for Christmas of course I will LOVE whatever is in there but if you can fit it in I would love some more zip fizz (I'm addicted to it here!!) Or anything to put in water to make it taste better, I'm not picky. A silk nightgown would be a dreammmmmm. Vitamins, I'm losing hair like crazy. I'm taking some biotin I got here but its not kicking in yet... so I'll most likely come home bald and fat but full of gospel fire ;D I don't know if there are printed pictures in this package that's here but I would like even more, Sera will know what kind I would want haha. More of those half undershirt things. More garments. (I can send my sizes again if you don't have them anymore). That's all I got for now. I'll keep thinking. But yeah, thanks a bazillion for your awesome package sending!!!!! You guys are seriously THE BEST. LOVE YOU INFINITY. 

Ah, it's just so much fun to hear how everything is going back at home! Thanks Dad for the picture of the house!!! It was fun to show Sister Becerra. It's so weird to think that the seasons are changing back home and that people are like, wearing sweaters. And boots. It's just one continuous, blistering summer here. But I love it! :) I'm glad to hear that you're all doing great and it was great to hear from you all!!! Cam and Alyne included ;) Thanks guyz!!! I basically have the most amazing family in the world. Andddd thanks for promising to love me fat or not when I get home because the ward literally told us yesterday that it's their goal to make every missionary that serves in this area gain weight. They see it as a good thing...? But please resist from posting pictures on your facebooks (Dad, that mostly means you haha) just please, I can't ruin all chances of marriage after I get home hahahaha ;) Mom, you better be ready to be getting me back in shape! I'm talking running 400 miles a day. Running until we die. But for now I'm soooooo beyond happy to be here!! As always, I LOVE my companion, I LOVE my area, I LOVE this mission, and I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. I can't wait to hear from you all again next week and I hope you have the bestest week of all weeks. 

All my love, Sister Manwaring <3           thee cutest little girls hahaha<3

                                                            this is how the grave yards are here! so weird

All her wild' dreams came true!

I'M STILL WITH SISTER BECERRA!!!! We got the call after shopping last Monday. All day at Robinsons the missionaries were just zombies and checking their phones every two seconds and asking all the other missionaries if they'd gotten a call yet. So we bought a bottle of martinellis that we found in the imported goods section to use either in parting or celebration. We then got home and were putting the groceries away when the phone goes off and we just stop still and stare at each other (I might've silently mouthed "I love you") and then we answered the phone... and they told us we were STAYING TOGETHER!!! I could barely hang up the phone before we started jumping and screaming. We whipped out the martinellis and had a right little celebration shindig (pictures will follow). So basically all my wildest dreams have come true (side note, I tried to say that to sister becerra when we were freaking out but I was too worked up and said "all my 'wild' dreams have come true" hahahaha awkwardddd). So thank you for all your prayers! They worked ;D

So! Considering that we've basically been given a new lease on life we have been working our butts off this week. When we counted up our numbers last night we had taught over 50 lessons. My mouth is actually sore at the end of the day from so much talking haha! We've been meeting lots of new people and I'm excited to begin sharing the gospel with them! Just last night we met a man named Abrar from Pakistan. We stopped to make change at his chungey and he was having a hard time understanding what I said and then asked if we would just speak english (that's a first haha) and we find out that he is from Pakistan and came here to study Christianity and other religions (perfect!) and he requested that if we have time we help him know more about Mormonism. So now we have TWO english teaching appointments (but the other is Brother Derek and he's a recent convert so its just discussions mainly, not actual teaching), and he's actually interested in religion! We're so glad we met him.

We had a few disappointments with our investigator, Mitchit. She is supposed to be baptized this Wednesday but it had to be postponed a little while. Some qualifications were confused and she'll need an interview from President before we give the okay, but she should be baptized now on the 9th of November. I wish so bad she could be baptized this week, she attended a baptism last month and saw how they are asked to give a testimony after the baptism and she told us that she's been practicing what she'll say and even practiced while she was doing her wash, so adorable!!   
  It also means that we won't have any baptisms for the month of October :/ The biggest problem here is getting people to come to church and if they don't attend church they can't be baptized. They all, for the most part, have catholic backgrounds, meaning they have a basic religious knowledge, but they also have set habits.. like only going to church on birthdays and holidays. So we'll have great investigators that we're teaching all week and then no one will show up to church on Sunday. Even when we go to get them, they'll just hide or say they're sick. We even fasted with one of our investigators this last week so that she wouldn't have anything come up to hold her back from coming to church but yet again a no-show. It's okay though, it gives us a chance to build our faith, better discern and resolve their concerns and needs, recognize that everything happens in the Lord's plan and time, and motivate us to give more and do better!!

A little boy got hit by a trike.(Disclaimer- he's fine). The one we were riding in. We were pulling up in front of our investigators house she was outside with a bunch of her friends and their kids and one of the little kids someone fell into the trike, he almost got pulled under but just ended up hitting his head instead. All the moms got so mad at the trike driver (even though it wasn't really his fault). So we just got out of the trike all awkward and were like "ummm sorry" hahaha. He was fine, his mom got some ice from the chungey and his goose egg went down pretty quick.

An example of Filipino straight-up-ness. We had dinner at a members house and afterwards the Sister goes up to Sister Becerra, puts her hands on her stomach, and says "awww look at your little baby!" and then all the members laughed and laughed and called us both fat and laughed some more.

I think I already mentioned Dingding, she is a crazy lady that is kind of an investigator but not really because she just picks her nose and is nutso, and this week she has just been popping up everywhere. If we're in that area she'll just come out from behind bushes, houses, trikes, and just stand and stare at us. It scares me so bad every time haha we jump and we're like "Oh! Wow, hi dingding, didn't see you there!" *nervous laughter* and she just says nothing and we just walk away and then an hour later she pops up again. Terrifying.

We had a volleyball clinic at the church for the youth to try and meet their non-member friends. It would've been a great idea except they planned in on the same night that they had a huge stake activity.. so no one showed. Well, no one from the ward, we had about 15 little kids from the purok next to the church come haha :) So we just taught them some basic skills, played with them for about an hour, shared a small message, and invited them all to church on Sunday (pictures to follow). They all loved to spike and this one little girl kept getting nailed by the ball hahaha she got spiked in the head like 5 times. Didn't care at all! Just laughed and kept playing!

Since I didn't get transferred (yay!!) I get to play violin with the ward choir this sunday at a special stake activity! And I have the violin for the whoooooole week! Last night Sister Becerra asked that I play her to sleep so she layed there requested songs and I played for like 30 minutes hahaha. We also thought there was an intruder in our house last night and sister becerra flipped over onto my bed in 2 seconds flat and we were sooo scared haha so we got up and grabbed something to defend ourselves (hangers) and went out to see if there was someone there. Turns out it was just the neighbors in the house connected to ours. But be warned anyone who tries to break in! We have hangers and we're not afraid to use them! (Annie: not quite as good as your pan weapon haha #tangledrespect)

Hannah!!! Happy birthday!!! How on earth are you FOURTEEN?? You're lying. Not real. Stop it. No more. I had this terrible dream that I came home and you were all grown up, like a 30 year old woman grown up, and I was like "Hey! No! I wasn't gone for that long!" and you were like "Sorry, that's what happens." and then you were teasing me like "Who is the big sister now??" hahahahaha. It was sooo weird. I would send you something but the mail here is a nightmare (sera: I still have your birthday present hahahhahaha) so instead you can just go to my room and pick something ;D hahah jokes. Well, I guess you could haha. Don't really remember what's in there. Anyways!! You're the behhhst and I luuuvvv you and I hope you had the best birthday of all the birthdays!!!! <3 <3

Dad. Oh my gosh. Are you serious about the trip thing???? Youarethebestdadinthewholewideworldandiloveyousomuchandyouareevenbetterthantheofficeandharrypotterandrunningputtogetherandiloveyouiloveyouiloveyou
That would be AMAZING. I'll have to think though and pick somewhere really really good!! Ah!!! If the place I choose turns into some huge war ground while I'm gone, so help me hahaha ;) I'll think about it this week and send some suggestions next week!!!! Oh my gosh. SO GREAT. Dying.

Glad to hear you all are doing great!!! I love to hear all your emails so keep them coming!!! Hope you all have a super fantastic week and Halloween (its halloween this week right?) and I love you and miss you and send you my hugs and kisses!!!!!!

Love, Sister Manwaring <3
P.S heres some pics!

Post earthquake, success update, happiness equate...unedited version :)

TRANSFERS THIS WEEK. We find out sometime today what will happen to us. I want soooooooooo bad to stay with Sister Becerra!!! Honestly, this last transfer has been THE BEST. It's almost been like being companions with Sera, I kid you not. I 100 billion percent trust in whatever happens.... but please send some special prayers my way! :)

Last Monday we went and had dinner with a member in the ward, Marty, and lo and behold we find out that she is Lexi Jocelyns aunt. :O and she was even in Hurricane last feb. she went to coral cliffs cinema and even ate bumbleberry pie. I was dying, she has literally been 5 minutes from our house not to mention she is related to lexi, such a small world!!

PLEASE don't be scared by those pictures that president is putting online. AND DON'T SHARE THEM ANYWHERE. I promise I don't look that bad, those camera people just hide out like paparazzi and get you when you're least expecting it.

As for the earthquake, for us it was just way funny. We were doing our studies and I started to feel motion sick and it felt like our desks were moving so I look up from studying thinking that sister Becerra was just shaking the desk or something and she did the same and then we were like "Oh my gosh!! Earthquake!" And ran downstairs and outside and were just standing there while everything was swaying and moving and our neighbor was outside just chilling by his rolling trike and laughing at us. We basically just reacted like the old man from freaky friday. "Grampa can you pass the milk? Grampa passs theee milkkkk! *shakes table* "Earthquake? Earthquake!!!". No one here was hurt thank goodness and it was the highlight of everyones day, we were in lessons later and we would just finish sharing the first vision or something and they would follow up with "so did you feel that earthquake earlier?" *facepalm*

Sammy and Mary Glor were baptized last friday!!! You remember Mary Glor? I'm pretty sure I mentioned her in earlier emails, her and her husband were baptized!! I wanted so bad to attend but its too far from our area. Either way, I'm just so so so happy for them!!

One of the ward members has a violin, as you saw from the video they sent, and even though its 3/4 size and makes me miss my own violin, it was so much fun to play it!! For like 2 seconds I couldn't remember any songs, then it all started coming back and it was soo great to play again! They asked me to play with their ward choir performing in stake conference this sunday so I got to take the violin home and I just played it all during lunch. But, with transfers I don't know if I'll still be here on Sunday :( Either way, so glad I got to play again!!

The rescue is still really huge here, out of the 36 thousand members in bacolod city alone 26 thousand are less active in the church. We had such a cool experience with one of the less actives that Sister Becerra and I have really been focusing on visiting this last week, Leah. She's been inactive for about a year but is super great, reads the scriptures every day, gives us referrals, comes to work with us, but just doesn't come to church. So we made a plan to visit her daily and not teach a lesson, just leave a prayer, small verse, or a hymn with her and go. About 5 days in as we're leaving she looks up with tears in her eyes and thanks us for being her angels and then calls out "I love you!' as we walked away, then the next day she told us how she was praying to know what to do about church and she had a voice in her head say "GO", so she told us that is exactly what she was going to do and committed herself to church on sunday. Sunday rolls around and there she is with the biggest smile on her face :) As good as it feels to see investigators progressing and attending church, it feels so great to see someone who has strayed come back into the fold.

Speaking of church attendance, Mitchet, Mario, and Dina were all at church on Sunday!! Mitchit is super golden and is getting baptized on the 31st of this month. Mario is a longtime investigator that after a few DTR lessons has decided to really commit to baptism. And Dina is a woman that we found a while back when we heard from Mario's family that her baby had died. In this mission one of the best feelings ever is seeing investigators at church. People will let you in to teach, they'll accept baptism dates, accept commitments, they just don't do so well at following through. So when you see someone doing what they've said they'll do, that really is the best feeling ever.

Sister Becerra and I had sooooo much fun this week. She has the same kind of humor as me and Sera. Like, the "where the wild things are" movie night where me and sera were going to have a heart attack from laughter and everyone was like "shut up or leave!" kind of humor. I can't even explain how because it'll just sound dumb, but we are totes going to be bffz 4evs.

Sister Becerra has a problem smacking me when mosquitos are on me. We'll be walking, in a lesson, whatever, and if theres a mosquito she'll just hit me hahahaha. We were going back one day to contact some houses where we had left pamphlets and while we're waiting for one of them to come to the door a mosquito lands right on my chest and WHACK she just kills it and just then the person comes to the door and there is just squished bloody mosquito smeared on my chest.No, they didn't want to hear our message hahaha.  (maybe edit out the next part before posting on the blog haha) When we walked away we were laughing so hard I almost peed my skirt. Then later i did. Because I do that because I'm still 3 years old and Sister Becerra is too funny for my own good. We were talking and she goes "I don't want to Nephi" just like laman from the book of mormon videos always says in that nasaly voice and it was sooooooo funny and I already had a near exploding bladder and it started to come a little then just came a lot. Like, down my leg. So I took the walk of shame over to a boomba (pump), ran it over my legs, went into the lesson, then had to make a special trip to go home and change myself. If you read this story while looking at those horrid pictures president posted you may question whether or not I will be able to get married after this mission...

Every day in studies you read from the white handbook in companionship study and we always read it in british accents. Except, it usually goes back and forth between british and australian cause we're not that good.

When we're going to bed at night we'll lay there just talking like Sera and I would always do and then it would be past bedtime so we'd have to stop and I still lay there for another 6 minutes with all these things I want to say popping in my head and I just have to hold them all in and then we'll wake up in the morning and be like "oh my gosh, i have so much to tell you!" hahaha

Our house makes so much noise and the fans are always blowing doors shut and stuff and it scares us so bad so we blame it all on a ghost named Joanne. We'll be studying and the door will slam and we'll be like "dang it joanne!" 

Well, I think that's about it for this week! As always, I LOVE the work, the people, my companion, the area, the food, the jeepneys, even the pouring rain and sweat! I love you all and I love this gospel :) Have a great great great week!!!!! \

Love you more than being pretty and non-sweaty and skinny ;)

Sister Manwaring <3

General conference, and Locked out once again!

Hey everyone!! Man, crazy amazing week!!! Wasn't general conference the best EVER??? I died. But! I'll start at the first and get to that at the end.

Last Monday Sister Becerra and I have so much fun at Robinsons, eating delicious food and drooling in the Nike store. I held off getting more clothes because I was anticipating the package but I'll probably pick up a skirt or two today. It's really fun to see all the other missionaries out doing all our errends, and Sister Becerra's best friend from home is here in the mission with her, they were even MTC companions, so we eat with her whenever we can. When we got home, put away all our groceries, did our laundry, all that jazz, we went out to work! And walked right out into the mother of all typhoons. As in, heaviest rain everrrrrrr. Its like a flash flood but in the air. We were SOAKED within 12 seconds, even with umbrellas, and had to run for cover under a little shed. The road had turned into a rushing river, at least as deep as the river our back, and we were just stranded. Finally, we decided that we couldn't just sit there forever, we were already soaked, we might at well wade through to our appointments! So we head out, water rushing up to our knees, every inch of us wet. We started yelling out commentary in australian accents, like "Now will you get a look at this storm? A real true philippians storm this is!" "You have to see it to believe it folks!". Everyone was looking at us like we were nuts and when we got to our appointments they were like ":O Oh my gosh!!! What are you two doing! It's RAINING!" But it was awesome because I think our dedication softened their hearts a little bit haha. "We just walked a mile in a river of mud and trash for you! You can definitely come to church!" hahahah :) Love them.

We met a woman named Mabeth, one of our newest investigators. She lives in the squatters area across from us and has always been super sweet to us when we see her, so a few weeks ago we had some left over cake from a teaching appointment that we did not want to eat so we took it over to her kids, and a pamphlet with Mabeth, they were so happy! They call us "Tita" which is aunt haha :) A few days later we went back and followed up and had a great lesson with her. Last year she went to work in Hong Kong as a house help and had a terrible experience, the boss was horrid and didn't feed her. Like, at all. She worked there for 4 months and she said "I was so hungry. I was so weak. I prayed every day that I wouldn't die so that I could get home somehow to my kids". She eventually found a missionary organization that helped her to get home and since then she's been here with her 3 kids and husband. We had the chance to meet her husband in our next visit and they are such a good couple. It's not common to see husbands and wives who act like they love each other, and they are so kind and loving and respectful to each other, Sister Becerra and I were so shocked haha. Heavenly Father has totally been preparing them to become an eternal family. I hope Sister Becerra and I get to be the ones to see them through! Side note, as we were walking out to the jeeps this morning she walked with us on her way to get her kid from school, she insisted on carrying my laundry, and then told us that the day we gave her kids cake was actually the birthday of her youngest and she just kept saying thank you over and over.

I got new shoes! Yes, my last ones were done for haha. And I had to wear them like that for a few days until P day came around haha. So my new shoes are great, just simple rubber again, but since they're new I got a nasty little blister. First one in my whole mission so thats a plus! The only problem is band-aids don't stick here because everything is sweaty and wet. So the first day I put on an ankle wrap just to keep the band-aid on... but that just kind of made it rub worse. So I took all the wrappings and everything off, grabbed a leaf off a tree, and slid it in the back of my shoe. Worked like a charm! Thank you mother nature haha ;)

My package came!!!!! ohmygoodnessiloveyouallsomuchandiwassohappyandiloveitsomuchandyouareallthebestandimsoluckyandohmygosh

Literally, so awesome. I died. ALL my favorite shirts, MOM. You even sent the anthro shirt!! (Which I got a compliment on from the coolest elder in the mission, btdubbs ;) ) I had a fun little fashion show with Sister Becerra. And the bare minerals lip stuff!!! So awesome!!! Did you know that main ingredient, jackfruit, that is here in my mission? We have a jackfruit tree in my front yard! It's amazzzzzzing. And the lotions smell so good and the other lip stuff is fantastic and I at the smarties during conference and was in heaven and yay for more zip fizz!! (the water here does not taste that good so it's nice to mix it up!) and Clay!! Your notes and letters and drawings made me soooooo happy!! (I wrote all you kids letters that I'm sending today! So look out for those in the mail!) and even a costco card to top it all off!!! I was on cloud nine. You guys are THE BEST. <3 <3 <3

And I got katie's wedding invitation!!! Congrats kate!! I wish I could've been there but I dedicated a whole minute of silence for penny candies, salt and vinegar chips, monopoly, and that time we smashed the tail pipe shut on your dads truck and joey tattled on us :) You two are the cutest couple ever and I'm so so happy for you!!! Thanks for sending me the pictures dad, it was the next best thing to seeing it for myself :)

While we were leaving a prayer at a house last week we met this little boy, Malik. He's 9 years old and has like 4 jobs, he had the cutest smile ever, like heart melting, and we found out where his house was (he was just at that one working) and said we'd come back to him and his family. The next few days we went back and found him and his brother, Patrick, at home. They told us that their dad died a few years back so their mom works almost 15 hour days with no day off. The only time they are all home together is at lunch. We haven't had a chance yet to catch them all together and we can't start teaching them until the mom is present because they are just children. But honestly, they are the most adorable little almost-orphan boys ever and I was sooooo bad to be able to share the gospel with them!!! Praying that we'll be able to meet their mom soon!!

Not all of our investigators are lovable though hahaha. There is this one lady, Dinding, she's like 65 years old and is legit crazy. She always wants us to come and talk to her when we pass her house on our way to other appointments so we usually stop for a few minutes to share a prayer, a principle from a lesson. One time she just made fun of Sister Becerra the whole time and was laughing like a witch at nothing, another time we came and she was like "oh no no no no no no no, not now, I'm sooooo busy!!!!" And she was literally sweeping rocks into a broken piece of a dust pan. Then the last time we asked if we could leave a prayer and she says yes then 10 seconds into Sister Becerra praying she just starts up her own prayer and starts picking her nose and eating it. Then wanted to shake our hands when we left. This is why we carry hand sanitizer AT ALL TIMES.

CONFERENCE. OH MY GOODNESS. I can't even express the smallest bit of how awesome it was. When Elder Uchtdorf mentioned how members will watch 10 hours of conference I was just wishing that we could watch 100 hours!!  We are so so so so lucky to have these amazing men and women. I can't talk about everything I want to with conference because I would be here for hours but I'm so glad that I come from such an amazing family and that I get to come home when my time here is done and start my own family. All I've ever wanted is to be a wife and a mother and I'm not embarrassed of that at all, so it was so great to hear all the counsel from conference and feel even that much more secure in my views. Like honestly, I can't imagine anything that would bring more happiness!! And I know that because of you two mom and dad :) Thanks for giving me a perfect example of how to have a happy family :) 

   There is also so many warnings from our leaders that we need to be aware of. I loved the talk about "looking up", we're planning on sharing it in a family home evening lesson this week! Man, I can't even get my thoughts together about how awesome it was. I can't wait for the Liahona to come out so I can read and re-read all the talks! The entire conference I just had this overwhelming feeling of God's love and peace. We are so lucky that we get to have such a personal relationship with Him. I get so excited to read all your emails and be able to email you on mondays and we should be that excited to talk with our Heavenly Father every day and come to know him through scripture study and prayer :) Ah! Just so so so great. Basta.

I actually shaved my legs for conference too, just goes to show what a special occasion it is for me ;) Hahaha mom you would be so proud, I can probably count on one hand the times I've shaved my legs here. No joke. Oh the joys of being a Sister Missionary in the Philippians ;)

Surprise, surprise. I locked us out. AGAIN. This is the first time here but the third time in my mission. Kaluoy for my companions haha! We tried to break in (cause I'm totally an expert by now ((Cheetah girls, you know what I'm talking about)), but our house is actually safe so darn haha. There was a bamboo ladder on the side of the house so we set it up against the roof and climbed up to try and get in through the boarded up aircon hole, but no go, there was all this wire and junk on it. So we finally called the owner who luckily had a spare key and sat on the roof watching the sunset until he came. We just talked about our plans and dreams for when we come home, perfect scenarios and all that. It was so fun. Then we got back in, got our stuff, and went out to work :)

One more investigator story. So this girl, Cristy, we were complimenting her on her reading skills (cause she's actually way fast and understands everything) and she was like "Yeah, I loved school! I wanted to go to college but it was too far away!" she then told us how she grew up in the bukid (mountains) and how the rain would get so bad there that they would literally SWIM to school. SWIM. And she was so proud to tell us that she was never absent once. Now we can use this against her to get her to church, "Cristy, you SWAM to school and never missed, you can definitely get to church!" mwa ha ha ;)

Well I want to send some pictures so I'll end this here. Iloveyouandimissyouandyouarethebestfamilyeverandicantwaittogethomeandcuddlewithyouallforamillionyearsbutilovemymission
soi'lljuststayhereforforeverbutiloveyouallsososososomuch!!!

Have a great week!!!!

All my love, Sister Manwaring :)

WE CAN DO HARD THINGS

I am so insanely proud of you all!!! I was tearing up big time when reading dad's email. Honestly, YOU ALL are the inspiration to me... "You are the wind beneath my wingssssss" hahahaha okay sorry but really, I have the coolest family in the entire world.

Thanks for not spoiling conference for me!!! Although I will probably hear all about it later when we see other missionaries out doing errends. Whatevs!! I'm on pins and needles and cannot wait!!!! I had a dream last night that they announced that since there were so many missionaries they would be cutting the time down by 6 months to accommodate the influx... meaning I would've been coming home in SIXTH MONTHS. In my dream I was such a mix of emotions and mostly woke up with the desire to make every day count, whether I went home in 12 days or 12 months. My dream-mind is probably wayy overshooting the news but I'm so excited anyways!!

So on to this weeks updating!! We're gonna try daily updates and see if that helps make things quicker and includes more information.

MONDAY: Feeling super grateful for Dad putting money on my card, bought a much needed skirt and shirt. (Keep an eye on the account this week cause I need to get some more durable shoes, as you will see in my pictures my last ones are thrashed). The other sisters have voted me captain of the crazy hair club -__-  There was once a time in my life when strangers would come up to me just to compliment me on my hair... and now it has come to this. Oh well! There are far more important things than having non-homeless-person-looking hair! The STL's stayed with us because they have a training in the morning in the city and they came out and worked with us, making it so we could split up and get more work done. I went out with Sister Mciver from New Zealand, she is hilarious and has a really fun teaching style. She also takes the time and silence to try and concern and address the needs of the investigator, something I need to do better haha. As you all know, I have a hard time not talking 100 words a minute for hours in a row, so it was good for me to have a reminder that I don't have to talk everyone's head off ;) One of the women we left a prayer with forgot my name while she was praying so she just called me "Sister Gwapa" hahaha. Sister Becerra and I bought baby food at the store. And it was delicious. Got us lots of weird looks though hahah.

TUESDAY: I didn't end up writing in my journal on tuesday because Sister Becerra was trimming up my hair to fix some of the uneven parts so I had no time to write. But on the bright side my hair looks a tiny bit nicer! Yay.

WEDNESDAY: Zone training! Learned so much, took down like 3 pages of notes and have a lot of stuff to apply to the work! Sister Becerra and I did a lot of prayer meetings today, still one of my favorite finding activities! We ended the night at Derek's having planned to review the restoration with him but ended up only covering prophets because it was such a great discussion. He honestly is so awesome, he is EXACTLY what every recent convert should be. He has such a desire to learn all he can about the gospel and feels such an urgency to share it with everyone! AND he's doing a TON of family history to take to the temple. That's one thing that would be so rewarding as a recent convert that we don't experience so much as life--long members of the church, being able to find so many ancestors and take their names to the temple! But there are still those people out there and I can't wait to get home and do better about being involved in family history work :) They invited one of their friends to take the discussions with us, erlinda, and she is adorable and it was the coolest thing to hear Derek bearing testimony to her of what we taught. The only way to do this work is through the members. They add SO MUCH. Just think back to the converts in our ward? Britt, Cody, and Tessa all had great fellowshippers and support from the ward.

THURSDAY: Sister Becerra had her follow-up training with her whole batch, so I got to see Sister Peacock and some of my other friends! The training was really great as well, President cares about us so much and really wants to push us to be our best! We came home after the training and went out with an RM in our ward, she is so sweet and was so great with the investigators! Offering for them to come hang out at her house, inviting them to relief society activities, things we aren't in a position to do as missionaries! And as always, many strange-only-in-the-philippines things happened. A boy ran by holding a dead cat by the tail. Very rowdy children in lessons, one who slapped my stomach during the prayer and another who whipped Sister Becerra while she was teaching the after-life. More cock-fights. More getting called "Gwapa, Cana, Tita (aunt), beeyewtiful," etc.

FRIDAY: I must've been super tired because all I wrote was "this church is true, i love being a missionary" in very sloppy handwriting hahaha.

SATURDAY: Went down the mission office to get fingerprinted, soooo many missionaries there! I got to see everyone from my whole batch!! Sister Roos and I got to talk a lot and we all took pictures together. So much fun to see them all!! We all look so much worse and so much better at the same time haha :) My favorite miracle of the week happened today. A few days ago when we were teaching an investigator her friend joined in and listened from the side, so we got her information and invited the two of them to a baptism the next day. They both showed up  (which was amazing in itself because the first investigator hasn't ever come to church before, so that was great progress) and they both had a really great experience. After the baptism, we went back to their houses to teach them and follow-up on their thoughts of the baptism. We hardly sit down to teach and the new investigator, Mitchet, asks us to be baptized. She goes on to tell us that when we taught her the first time she went home to talk to her husband about it and he told her that he is actually a member that was baptized back in Cebu and encouraged her to take the discussions and go to church, saying that he wanted their family in the church. So she was the one who brought our other investigator to the baptism and knew before she even went that she wanted to be baptized. We were on cloud nine, could barely believe what she was telling us! When we went home we were super stoked but also worried that she might be all talk, knowing that church the next day would be the true test. She not only came to church, she came an hour early, bringing her two children. I thought I was gonna die when I walked up and saw her sitting outside the church, all set and excited. She literally just dropped into our laps. Such a testimony that Heavenly Father is totally preparing people for our message. Can't wait to continue to see her progress!!

SUNDAY: Basically Mitchet coming to church was the highlight of the day. But that night we went to a member's house for dinner and to follow-up about a referral. They are a really fun family and wanted to hear all about our first impression of things here in the philippines and we could be open with them saying things like "Yeah, I look at my friends in other missions and they're going to baseball games and I'm just here stepping in poop." hahahaha. But this is THE BEST mission ever. I know that every missionary is biased to their missions but... this one is the best ;) The pianist didn't show up at church so they asked me to play... haha I haven't sat down to a piano in more than six months. So that was interesting hahaha, hope everyone liked top-hand only! It reminded me of cam in his mission playing that awesome duet with trevor, if only I had your skills cam! But! One of the members here has a VIOLIN. It's a 3/4 but I'd take anything at this point!!! I miss playing soooo muchhhh. So we're trying to make a plan to go to their house and teach... and so I can play her violin hahahah :) On the way home from the member's house Sister Becerra tried to tell the trike driver "to the left" which is "wala", but "wala" also means "nothing" depending on how you pronounce it, so she ended up yelling over the traffic "NOTHING BROTHER" hahahahahahah I could not stop laughing and he was sooo confused hahahahahaha. Oh Hiligaynon.

Well!! I love you all so so so so much!!! You're amazing, keep doing amazing things and being even more amazing. Nate, you're my hero. Hannah, you're my hero. Sera, you are way too beautiful. Stop it. Also, so proud that you wore my dress! *teary eyes*. Clayton, can't wait to get a picture of your halloween costume! Cam, I love ya! WRITE ME. That goes for you as well Alyne! Dad, I can never say enough about you. Future husband! Be taking notes! You've got a high standard to hit! Mom, If I could become half the woman that you are I would be happy forever :) Can't wait for next week to be on the same page for conference!!! Yeeee!! Also, when you send that study journal, could you please include some more zip fizz?? I'm down to my last bottle because i've been rationing it out haha and I would love love love some more! Also, if it isn't too much trouble I would LOVE some printed out pictures!! Of you guys, old ones of us, whatever!! I'll be happy with any :) Love you all so so so so so so sooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!  Talk to you next week!! :)

Love, Sister Manwaring <3

Elder Neil L. Anderson visting the mission!!! (in november)

Thanks for your letters, even if you are super busy I'm so glad you always take the time to write me :) Sounds like you still had a great race mom! I'm so proud of you! And clayton, quilting is definitely a talent. Go for it buddy!

Really great week this week! Sister Becerra and I are just the bestest of friends. We are honestly twins and have so much fun. We even ended up matching on Sunday for church, both of us went and got ready and then came out and were wearing red and gray and had our hair in a side fishtail braid. Reminded me of when Sera and I would match alllll theeee timeeeee.

So the upper floor of our apartment had no power this week and thats where our beds and study desks are so we had to take our mattresses down to the kitchen and have sleepovers for like four nights because there is no way we could survive without fans at night haha.

We also had exchanges this week, I was so sad to leave Sister Becerra! But the exchange was good, I always learn so much! I went with the Sister Training Leader, Sister Libria, to her area to work and ended up running into my Bishop from Sum-ag's brother at one of our teaching appointments. It was fun to have that little connection from my last area! Sister Libria is on her 2nd to last transfer so I learned a lot from her, and one of the things she taught that we're implementing here in the mission is "Finding Through Prayer". Basically, it's the funnest thing ever. You just go up to someone at their house or wherever, introduce yourselves, and ask if you can offer them a prayer. At home this probably wouldn't work because people would just be weirded out and be like "Um, you want to pray for me? Yeah I'm good." haha but the people here get so flattered and love it, we ask them what they would like us to include in the prayer, any special needs or anything, and then we offer a prayer for total strangers. It brings the spirit super well and is one of my favorite acts of small and quick service. After we pray we leave them with a pamphlet and a small message concerning one or two principles, then we try and make a return appointment and ask them to offer a prayer before we leave. If people are shy about praying we just guilt them into it by being like "Oh but brother, what if we get hit by a car?" or "We're girls, we need extra protection." hahah and then they usually give a really nice sweet prayer for us. It only takes like 8 minutes so we do them all the time. It's also a really good way to get into the houses of some of the more well off people which is what they've been encouraging us to do to help build up the church here. Plus, they usually have air-con so score! haha ;)

Oh yeah! Big news! Elder Neil L. Anderson is coming to our mission!!!!!! He comes in the first of November and I'm sooooooooo excited!!!!!!!! Also, GENERAL CONFERENCE SOON. AHHHHHHHHHH. But sad thing, since the days are off here, we watch a re-broadcast the week later :/ So in next weeks email don't spoil anything for me! Cause I won't know about it for another week! But yeah, I'm so so so so so so excited!!!!!!

When we were teaching a lesson the other day we hear what sounds like a very weird baby cry and the person that we're teaching was like "Oh, that's the neighbor, their baby" and was saying things like "New to the world!" and stuff and it turns out that the lady next to us just had her baby while we were teaching. She wasn't even,. like, yelling or anything! And then the baby was crying and everyone was gathered outside her hut handing in ice and stuff. At first I was shocked but then I was like "well, that's basically what I plan on doing, minus the hut" haha. Also, the hospitals here are TERRIFYING. We had to go to one the other day for Sis. Becerra to get a perscription refill and it was like a hospital from a scary movie, the beds were from like the 50's and I know there was a chainsaw murderer behind every door. So obviously, no one would want to have a baby there. But it was still weird to know that a lady 10 ft. from you was birthing while you were teaching haha.

One of our LA's lost 3 of her teeth the other day. How? She was pumping water from the boomba (pump) and the handle came up and smacked her in the face. And knocked out 3 of her teeth. So now she just has no more teeth.

There is a witch who lives here. Did I already tell you guys this? People here believe in witches and witchcraft and everything. Like, for reals. And we were teaching this old man outside his house and I look over his shoulder and a little ways away is this lady, this huge fat lady, totally NAKED, except for some rags that she had tied toga-style to her torso and a nephite headband wrapped around her dreads, just pacing back and forth and chanting. And I was like "Who the heck is that??" and the guy was like "Oh, don't call attention, that's the witch." I wish I could've taken a picture soooo bad hahaha. Or a video! But anyways, I have now seen a real life witch.

As a mission we've been studying Elder Bednar's talk about the strengthening and enabling power of the atonement (I may have mentioned it last week?) and it's sooooo good. I studied it back in school so I was already familiar with it and I also studied the topic back at the first of my mission, but its been sooooo cool to study it in preparation for all the stuff coming up in the mission. Sister Becerra and I basically talk about it every single companionship study and highlight some other aspect of it or something every time and how it relates to us exactly in our circumstances that day. If you haven't read it, go find it and read it for family home evening or something, it's so so good!

Well, that's all I've got for this week!! I love this mission, even if its crazy haha, and I love these people, I love my companion, I love learning and growing every day, I love my Savior, I love you all, and I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY :)

Have an awesome week!!!!

-Sister Manwaring