500 Days of Serving : Oh the anticipation, Transfer week!

Hello hello hello!! SO excited for this week. Oh my gosh.

Okay, sad/happy news first. Sarah is gone :( Last Monday we went to speak with her aunt about getting permission for her to be baptized and found out that her real mom had called, was really upset about what had been happening to Sarah (gani) and was having her sent to Manila with her... and Sarah would leave in the morning. Ah! SO bittersweet! Because we had been PRAYING that her situation would improve, which it totally will, her mom works in Dubai but will be in Manila for a few months and once she leaves again Sarah will live with her moms brother and sister-in-law there and she said they are super nice and don't have any daughters and they love Sarah. But on the other hand I'm so sad that she is gone!! As in. That night we went to say our last goodbye to her, I brought her a Tagalog Book of Mormon that we had been planning on switching for her ilonggo one (the ilonggo was super deep and she couldn't understand super well) and I gave her a personal progress book, and one of the "I love you" notes from Clay (thanks Clay!) and one of my bracelets from Disneyland with my name on it- she has been asking to know my first name for weeks haha. We made her PROMISE to find the church there, that if she saw missionaries on the street to go up to them, ask around in her class if there was any mormons, if she saw a church to go inside and ask for the missionaries. I also gave her my address here in the mission so that she can write me. I KNOW she is going to be baptized in Manila. I can't wait until I get a letter in the mail from her with a picture of her at her baptism. (Also, family, she is going to try to find me on facebook, so if she requests me make sure you get on and accept it!) All in all, I'm just so glad that she is going somewhere where the people love her!! She deserves it so much.

We had exchanges this week! I went to the Bacolod 1st area with Sister Rosdahl (one batch ahead of me) and Sister Henshaw came here with Sister Lisaca. Sister Henshaw was my batch in the MTC so it was so great seeing her again! She came from Tacloban and is one of the missionaries re-assigned here. It worked out perfectly that her and Sister Lisaca were together because they are both from that mission so they had a really good time reminiscing! I had a great time with Sister Rosdahl. Oh my gosh, I learned SO MUCH. As in. I LOVE exchanges because ever since I finished my training I've been the Trainer or Senior companion, so its soooo awesome to be able to work with someone who is ahead of me!! Plus, you learn so much seeing someone else's teaching skills and so forth. It was a super good exchange and the rest of the week in my own area is basically night and day difference.

I'm dying right now over our investigator, Ton Ton. Don't remember if I've talked about him before? He is 10, we met him when he came up to me and Sister Becerra and asked if we could please come teach him and his family. We've been teaching him for over 2 months and he's super progressive, super sweet hearted, just great. He's come to church a few times, went to the ward christmas party all on his own. We've been trying really hard to teach his whole family but his dad is always working and the others are only home at random times so it hasn't been successful yet... butttt we went by on Saturday and his mom was there and was suuuper nice and invited us in, called Ton Ton to come in, and joined in the lesson. We taught the Plan of Salvation and were really surprised when his mom kept answering a lot of the questions.. like knew a lot about it. Turns out she's a member! She was baptized about 10 years ago and has been less active for most of them. When she first was baptized she was obviously hoping that her family would join her but the timing wasn't right. Well, it is now, Sister!! ) Ton Ton got way excited when he found out and he fished out the baptism consent form that we gave him like a month ago and was like "mom! mom! Sign it! I want to be baptized!", totally Matilda with the adoption papers, and she signed it!! Ton Ton came to church the next day, begging to see the baptism font, double checking how many Sundays left until he could be baptized. And we'll be moving ahead this week teaching his family!! Yayayayayayayay. The Spirit is seriously working in all the children here!!

I had the funniest/scariest/coolest lesson this week. We met this woman in our area with all the crazy people (LITERALLY THEY ARE ALL BONKERS) and we oymed her outside her house and made an appointment to go back. I could tell she was off when we oymed her, but hey! Everyone needs the gospel! So we went back to teach her and she invites us in, the house is pitch black. Like, so dark. Sister Lisaca had a flashlight, so that made it a little bit better. She lives in this old cement factory-turned-apartment-building so its all big and spacy and echoey, and we're in this dim lighting with this crazy woman. So we start to teach the Restoration. She is being nutso, trying to repeat every word we say and randomly laughing hysterically, and saying things like "Kaluoy" (mercy) "Kabay pa" (hopefully) and every time she show a picture with Jesus from the pamphlet she says "Papa Jesus!". So I'm swaying between trying not to laugh and being terrified, and I get a prompting that I need to say her name a lot as we teach. I start using her name (Menda) and she slowly starts to stop murmering and starts focusing. We get to the First Vision and I knew I needed to quote it for her, so I said "Okay, Sister Menda, I'm going to tell you what Joseph Smith said happened to him, Menda, it's very important, Menda, so listen verrry carefully, okay?" and turn to the page witht he picture of the First Vision. She gets dead silent. I shared Joseph's experience and she is quiet the whole time. When I'm done I pause for a second and she points at the picture and says "Subo. Subo ina." (Sad. That's sad.) as she tries to explain the feelings of the Holy Ghost. She then points to Heavenly Father and Jesus and says "Papa Jesus. When will I go back? When will I go back to Him?" and I said "Sister Menda, we are representatives of Jesus Christ. He loves you so much Menda, and He was sent us here to tell you how to get back to Him. You knew this Menda before you came here to earth and we will help you to remember it". We closed with prayer and once we were finished she starts laughing hysterically again (sooo creepy) and muttering and everything like before. Dang. I'm excited to go back haha. And scared haha.

It has actually been COLD this week!!! Like, COLD. Its been really rainy and windy and I've been wearing my rain jacket every day (thanks for the tip James!).

I found a mexican restaurant!!! :D I die. It was divine. I haven't had mexican food since cafe rio in the airport before coming here. Sister Lisaca said it was her 3rd time ever eating mexican food haha! She just ordered a burrito because it had rice in it. She said my "Kay-sa-dill-ee-a" looked gross hahahaha. #Tinacomegetsomeham

Dad- I LOVE the pictures you send!!! Keep it up!!!

Mom- I'll ask if we are allowed to get videos. I got one way back when, when you sent the one of Sera's dance, and I watched it so it works and everything. But I'll ask just to be sure that its okay!

Still loving my nightgown. You are the best.

Dad- I LOVE the food here! And the food LOVES to make me fat haha. So, I eat really healthy when I'm on my own, and then try the things I want when we eat out at members houses. Not too worried though, considering I have MOM to help me get back in "Manwaring Family Shape" when I get home ;)

Sister Lisaca will go home tomorrow and have a few weeks before she is re-assigned to the Manila mission until the Tacloban mission re-opens. I've loved my transfer with her!! Challenging at times, as anything is, but she is my favorite little golum/dobby :)

I'm sure you will all feel the explosion of my happiness clear over there if Sister Judd and I become companions. I FIND OUT LATER TODAY. SEAGULLS IN MY STOMACH.

I love you all so so so so so so so so so much!!!!! I hope you have an AMAZING week! Thank you for all your emails, prayers, and LOVE.

Sister Manwaring <3 <3 :)

Scripture study by flashlight with the girls. (They are already in alma!)