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
this is how the grave yards are here! so weird
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