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!!