"Aloha Sister Manwaring ! What an exciting opportunity to be called as a sister training leader! My wife and I are excited to work closely with you. I am confident in your leadership. You are one of our most effective sister missionaries in the mission and my expectations are high. Your assignment is only for a brief period of time. Please report directly to me- I may also ask my wife to assist in other sisters issues. We love you and appreciate you for accepting this special assignment. President Lopez"
Yes. Its true. I got the call last night, I'll be transferring and becoming an STL. I don't know yet where I'm going and who my companion is but I'm so so so excited. And scared. Its like laughing a ton and then throwing up, thats the emotion right now.
Okay, I'll start back at the first of the week...
Monday: After my mini-breakdown over Sera's preference dress, I caved in and ate some ice cream which helped me recover quickly. Thats one downside of being in contact in such a disconnected way, all I get on my side is a picture and an email and I don't get to be there to see all the every day stuff. Sera, I love you!!! I don't take back what I said but I'm okay now, I don't think you are the devil ;) We did all the normal stuff, email, shopping, then before we went out to work that night we had to battle an army of ants that was making base at our door. It took water, broom, fire, and permitherin but we got the little buggers!
Tuesday: Saw Sister Judd at district meeting (sad that I'm not in her district anymore) and she's such a doll, brought me a treat for my 1 year mark. #BenefitsOfHavingYourBestFriendInYourMission
We went out to Sunriser to visit all of our kids. When I first got here we had 2 appointments in that area, now we spend 5 hours going from appointment to appointment. It's literally a space the size of our yard and we just teach everyone there. We had our first baptism from that area saturday and will have the next two this saturday. Its my favorite favorite area to work, so much fun and everyone is SO super prepared.
I had a dream that I was teaching the restoration (btw all of my dreams are just about work and teaching. I can't dream about normal things anymore) and in my dream I taught the priesthood, apostosy, and restoration by using a remote and batteries with the remote representing the prophet or church and the batteries the priesthood- I decided to try using it in the lessons today and now we're addicted, its super clear for the investigators to understand and it holds their attention so well to have a visual to show what we're saying. We use it in almost every lesson now haha either for teaching or reviewing.
Walking home from work that night we heard on the other side of the wall in our compound a domestic disturbance coming from the squatters area and upon closer inspection found out it was coming from the house of one of our new investigators, lots of yelling and screaming and crying (the lyrics of Concrete Angel start running through my head) and we stood there trying to decide if we should go try and help or what to do but while we were deciding the yelling died down to crying and then faded off. Ugh, I hate having to see things like that, it really makes for meaningful lessons though when keeping the word of wisdom isn't just about health but about the sanity and safety of your family life.
Wednesday: We taught our recent convert, 11 year old Gernalyn, about temples today! So great, she had so many questions! Why do you need to be baptized before you can go inside? If you aren't baptized for your dead relatives will they just go to hell? How do they know at the temple if you are a member or not? Why do you have to be twelve to go inside? Not like super deep questions but she's so young and people here don't usually question what we teach, so it was so great to see her really paying attention to what we were teaching! It was a bittersweet lesson though because her dad isn't a member (we're working on that) and she understood that her family wasn't sealed and couldn't be unless her dad was baptized, so she was pretty sad but we told her thats exactly why we are here, we want to help her family get to the family and be sealed together forever.
We went to a members house and taught their cousin, 17 year old Mia, we taught restoration using the remote and it was awesome, she understood super well and it made it really easy for the spirit to testify to her because she could really get what we were saying. We asked her to pray at the end and she was so nervous, she had never prayed out loud before and was super shy, but after a little prodding she finally prayed. So cool, she got about halfway through with superficial things, then started to get sincere and ask about what we taught, and she started crying and had to cry for a second before she could finish. When she closed her family was right there to hug her and testify that it was the spirit that was bringing those good feelings and that it meant it was true #ImportanceOfMembers and on my side it was the best feeling, its those moments when you really feel like you're doing your job right :)
Thursday: ONE YEAR. WHAT IS THIS. I still remember a year ago today! The night before me and mom ran across the snow covered mountain from Bountiful to Salt Lake. I remember getting ready at Grammas house, going to the Provo temple and taking pictures. We stopped at Subway before dropping me off at the MTC because Cafe Rio was super crowded, mom and dad just stared at me while I ate as if I was never coming home. We drove to the MTC and they dropped me off, I was praying and praying and praying that I wouldn't cry. Nate and Clay wouldn't let go of me, I gave everyone super hard hugs, and thank goodness my escort was cute, I happily left with him (Palagpat) looking back over my shoulder to see Sera crouched on the sidewalk crying- the two of us could barely make eye contact the days before we were so sad. I went inside the MTC for the first time in a bubble of homesickness protection, such an answer to my prayers. Just inside the door they clipped on my nametag for the first time, GLORIOUS moment, I've been obessessed with my tag ever since. Took my stuff to my room, got all my books in the bookstore, Hiligaynon to the surprise of the employees, and went to the classroom. The teacher kept saying "Oo" which I thought was "Uh oh" and assumed I was doing things wrong. Met Sister Roos, my best best best friend for the next 6 weeks, went to dinner and then to the new missionary "hazing session" where 30 or so of us try to teach one investigator and I became thoroughly convinced that the souls in our missions where in deep trouble as we obviously had no idea what we were doing. I sat next to Gabe Murdock, my highschool preference date, we went into the MTC the same day. After that ordeal we were taken on a tour of MTC campus by our zone leaders and sister training leaders, the STL being Mary Moody, Quincy's best friend from Vegas. I was totally lost, tour or not, we finally made it back to our room after one of the longest days ever, prayed together, and went to sleep.
And now a year later, here I am!
It was a really weird day of work too, sometimes I get moments when I just really want to call home and talk about every detail of the day like I used to back at home. Mom, remember the time when me and Cam were on our way home from Canada and when we stopped off to show Brayden Temple Square I went off by myself behind the old tabernacle and called you and we talked for like 3 hours? Yeah, I wish I could've done that, such a stress reliever :) But its alright, the key here is to work!! Its just as effective and I'll just save up all my details for our runs :)
Friday: I don't know what it is about fridays, I seriously cannot remember what happened haha. We worked! I guess thats it!
Saturday: BAPTISM. Jemalyn and Viva were baptized today :) It was such a good baptism, lots of support from the ward and the Spirit was really there. We stood at the side of the font with Jemma and Viva instead of sitting in the other room, and it was so special to hold their hands while they waited for their turns to go into the water (The Elder's baptisms went first). They are so so awesome, Heavenly Father is super preparing all the children here. After the baptism Jemma asked if she could be baptized again haha, I took it as a teaching opportunity and explained that she could feel that happy every week when she takes the sacrament. Viva's uncle is an RM who lives in Manila so he flew in to see her baptized, then he invited us to lunch at their house after. He just spoke a ton of Tagalog but since being companions with Sister Oquias I can pick up on a lot of Tagalog now. He really loves the missionaries and always works with them back in Manila, he was showing us pictures and there in the picture is Sister Friendale Sia from 6th ward! She worked with us all the time when I was in 6th ward and I was there when she got her call and left, now she's serving in his ward! Small world. He also like gave me all of this old money? Like this really philippines currency from the 1940's and he gave us both these bags from Thailand. Okay, I'll take it! Really nice of him.
Sunday: Church was great, everyone that was supposed to come did, and it didn't rain! Praises be sung. Jerlyn and Roselyn were interviewed for this Saturday and did awesome, so proud of them! It was a brown out so no AC at church and no fans during studies after church. We opened up our back door and pulled our table over so that we could have a small breeze while studying. I was still dripping sweat. We went out to work like normal and while at our last appointment the AP's called to tell me I would be transferring. I was able to pack super fast because I had already practiced when we thought we were changing apartments haha. I spent the rest of the night writing notes to my recent converts and investigators. I didn't know what to put for contact information and I didn't want to lose contact with them, so I included our house number haha, its also the only number I can still remember! So should you randomly get a call from a little kid with a thick accent, you'll know why ;)
Its so crazy that everyone at home is getting calls, I totally forgot that a ton of girls will be going!! I had no idea that Jessica Langston is going??? Who else? Where is she going? Thats so so so awesome of them!!! Congrats gid!
Mom, you are a beast!! I can't believe you're just picking up another 100 miler, no big deal ;) And Dad!! You're gonna do awesome!!! Just think of all the ice cream you can eat after from all the calories you will burn!!! You two are ridiculously amazing.
I want to get pictures sent off before I have to log off, I'm emailing earlier because I have to be early to the mission office to get my companion and stuff, but I'm going to try to log on later to get your emails because only mom has written me so far since I was early. So Sera, Dad, etc, please still write and I'll grab them later! I'll try and also send a quick note of an update of who and where.
I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOOO SO SO SO SOS OS OS OS OS SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOS MUCH. AS IN.
Have a fabulous week!
Sister Training Leader Manwaring ;) *shout out to sister ellsworth*
