Hey fam
Thanks for filling me in on life at home :) I'm so proud of you guys for being such good missionaries and helping the members of our ward, too. Sorry your trips aren't quite as entertaining as you had hoped but I trust that you'll make the very most of it!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAUREN!!! I've had your birthday presents ready for a while but I still need to send it along. I promise to send it very very soon! I love you bunches and I think the world of you :)
We just got back from a way sweet hike around a place called the Devil's Punchbowl. IT's been horridly hot here and I think it was above 100 when we were out there. There were a few weeks where if it got down to 100 it felt nice and cool but it's been a bit better lately.
I got to go to a leadership conference this week and I got to see Hermana Waite, Elder Castro, Elder Torres, Elder Banuelos, and a bunch of other people from my last district and it was GLORIOUS! They gave us a lot of really great advice and help to be better leaders and I'm excited to put it into practice. I forgot to prepare myself for the "be better" kick in the pants that always accompanies conferences and trainings, though. But no big. We've been setting more and more baptismal dates with people and we have quite a few who are progressing well.
We helped Carmen and Amanda organize a couple things in their garage and they ended up giving us a ton of food and makeup and stuff. They're so generous! They are the best couponers that I've ever met so they have a good food storage and stockpile of other goodies. They told us that they feel very blessed that they are able to share with others, so I didn't feel quite so bad taking away bags and bags of treasures.
I love Sister Erickson! I'm supremely grateful that she's my companion!
hope you're all doing well and I'll send some pictures and Lauren's Bday gifts later on this week.
Love you more than all the joshua trees in the desert!
Hermana B
Monday, July 25, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Undead in Palmdale July 18, 2011
Hi Fambly:
I loved the pictures of Audrey and Elijah! I have the most beautiful niece and nephew in the world! I loved Ryan's description of the head tourniquet....Gosh I love our family's brains.
This was a way cool week. As missionaries, we try really hard to have a lot of church members present at our lessons, but because of work, schedules, faulty phones and such, 5 member present lessons a week is pretty dang good. So.....10 member present lessons. I'm not entirely sure how that happened. But I'm so grateful!! Hermana Strong told me that knocking doors, even if nothing specifically comes from the knocking itself, and sometimes even if we don't get around to it, if we at least PLAN to knock, the Lord will bless us in other areas. And HE DID!! Actually, we had a really wonderful experience tracting the other day. We started talking to a woman named Rita who was doing her very best to put us off and communicate that she was Catholic and not interested. We asked if she would share with us her views about God. She scoffed and said "What for?" We talked to her about being members of God's family and how every uplifting moment in which we can share our beliefs is a blessing. Her face completely changed in that moment. She was still trying a little bit to get rid of us, but by then, she was too intrigued and even invited us in to talk for a long long time. We answered a lot of questions, attempting to follow a general lesson 1 (restoration) outline, but ended up teaching principles about the Plan of Salvation, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even some of the commandments and genealogy. It was so cool! As we were leaving, she said "I'm glad you came. You came at the right time. I feel better."
I love being a missionary!
Speaking of genealogy, our Branch President told me yesterday that he had come across a story about a mormon pioneer from Australia with the last name of Beauchamp who served a mission in Denmark. I told him I didn't think I was related, seeing as my Australian ancestors weren't Beauchamps and were Irish criminals, but I told him I'd ask if we were connected. So this is me asking :)
.
I've been studying a lot about the Spirit of Elijah this week in personal study and I'd really like to be more involved in Family History work. Mama, could you send me that folder with Alva Keller's story?
Also, I had a really cool experience studying 3 Nephi the other day. I had been having a hard time figuring out a good way to explain the necessity of proper priesthood authority in oridnances like baptism. A lot of people ask: "If it's done sincerely, shouldn't one baptism be just as good as another?" I was reading about Christ's parable of the wise man and the foolish man and their respective houses built on sand and stone, and I thought of when one of my MTC teachers said "Really the only uniquely different thing our church has that other churches don't is the Holy Ghost" I'm still working through that one, but I thought about how it's true, one house with 4 walls and a roof IS just as good as another. They can both be claimed as property, both be decorated, be called home, etc but during times of trial, if it doesn't have a sure foundation, no amount of walls is going to matter. It's the same with our baptisms. They may be done very sincerely and blessings will ALWAYS come from showing faith in God, but if our baptism isn't "sealed" with the gift of the Holy Ghost, the blessings that come from having been baptized will be void.
I hope I explained that well enough. It was a good learning moment for me :)
PS Dad I'm SO stoked about that CD DVD set John Butler is coming out with. Please tell me you're getting one! That daddy/daughter date with you will always be my very favorite date ever! Plus the music rocked my ugly missionary shoes right off.
I get to go to a Leadership conference this week and I'm really excited! I always love conferences and trainings, plus I'll get to see Elder Torres, Elder Castro, Elder Banuelos, and Hermana Waite! I love them all so much!
We were talking to a young man the other day and the topic of Jehovah's Witnesses came up. He had quite a bit to say, and seemed mortified that JWs don't celebrate holidays. "Yeah man, they don't celebrate nothin! Not birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, not even Leap Year!"
Of all holidays. They should at LEAST celebrate Leap Year.
Also we had dinner the other night with our recent convert Amanda and her family. Her 3 year old boy Brody was telling me some kind of story, but I was mostly just zoning out and nodding. He caught my attention with the end of the story with wiggling his little fingers at me and saying "Undead! Undeeeeeeaad!"
I love my life.
I love my family!
Thank you for writing me, dear family!
I'll probably be ordering contacts later this week, just FYI.
Love you more than all the blessings Heavenly Father is getting ready to pour out on our family!
Hermana B
I loved the pictures of Audrey and Elijah! I have the most beautiful niece and nephew in the world! I loved Ryan's description of the head tourniquet....Gosh I love our family's brains.
This was a way cool week. As missionaries, we try really hard to have a lot of church members present at our lessons, but because of work, schedules, faulty phones and such, 5 member present lessons a week is pretty dang good. So.....10 member present lessons. I'm not entirely sure how that happened. But I'm so grateful!! Hermana Strong told me that knocking doors, even if nothing specifically comes from the knocking itself, and sometimes even if we don't get around to it, if we at least PLAN to knock, the Lord will bless us in other areas. And HE DID!! Actually, we had a really wonderful experience tracting the other day. We started talking to a woman named Rita who was doing her very best to put us off and communicate that she was Catholic and not interested. We asked if she would share with us her views about God. She scoffed and said "What for?" We talked to her about being members of God's family and how every uplifting moment in which we can share our beliefs is a blessing. Her face completely changed in that moment. She was still trying a little bit to get rid of us, but by then, she was too intrigued and even invited us in to talk for a long long time. We answered a lot of questions, attempting to follow a general lesson 1 (restoration) outline, but ended up teaching principles about the Plan of Salvation, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even some of the commandments and genealogy. It was so cool! As we were leaving, she said "I'm glad you came. You came at the right time. I feel better."
I love being a missionary!
Speaking of genealogy, our Branch President told me yesterday that he had come across a story about a mormon pioneer from Australia with the last name of Beauchamp who served a mission in Denmark. I told him I didn't think I was related, seeing as my Australian ancestors weren't Beauchamps and were Irish criminals, but I told him I'd ask if we were connected. So this is me asking :)
.
I've been studying a lot about the Spirit of Elijah this week in personal study and I'd really like to be more involved in Family History work. Mama, could you send me that folder with Alva Keller's story?
Also, I had a really cool experience studying 3 Nephi the other day. I had been having a hard time figuring out a good way to explain the necessity of proper priesthood authority in oridnances like baptism. A lot of people ask: "If it's done sincerely, shouldn't one baptism be just as good as another?" I was reading about Christ's parable of the wise man and the foolish man and their respective houses built on sand and stone, and I thought of when one of my MTC teachers said "Really the only uniquely different thing our church has that other churches don't is the Holy Ghost" I'm still working through that one, but I thought about how it's true, one house with 4 walls and a roof IS just as good as another. They can both be claimed as property, both be decorated, be called home, etc but during times of trial, if it doesn't have a sure foundation, no amount of walls is going to matter. It's the same with our baptisms. They may be done very sincerely and blessings will ALWAYS come from showing faith in God, but if our baptism isn't "sealed" with the gift of the Holy Ghost, the blessings that come from having been baptized will be void.
I hope I explained that well enough. It was a good learning moment for me :)
PS Dad I'm SO stoked about that CD DVD set John Butler is coming out with. Please tell me you're getting one! That daddy/daughter date with you will always be my very favorite date ever! Plus the music rocked my ugly missionary shoes right off.
I get to go to a Leadership conference this week and I'm really excited! I always love conferences and trainings, plus I'll get to see Elder Torres, Elder Castro, Elder Banuelos, and Hermana Waite! I love them all so much!
We were talking to a young man the other day and the topic of Jehovah's Witnesses came up. He had quite a bit to say, and seemed mortified that JWs don't celebrate holidays. "Yeah man, they don't celebrate nothin! Not birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, not even Leap Year!"
Of all holidays. They should at LEAST celebrate Leap Year.
Also we had dinner the other night with our recent convert Amanda and her family. Her 3 year old boy Brody was telling me some kind of story, but I was mostly just zoning out and nodding. He caught my attention with the end of the story with wiggling his little fingers at me and saying "Undead! Undeeeeeeaad!"
I love my life.
I love my family!
Thank you for writing me, dear family!
I'll probably be ordering contacts later this week, just FYI.
Love you more than all the blessings Heavenly Father is getting ready to pour out on our family!
Hermana B
Monday, July 11, 2011
The Lord's Tender Mercies July 11, 2011
Audrey is so beautiful!!! (Audrey is our new niece - Lyzi is Allison's friend from Educador Exchange who just had Oliver.) Oh my goodness!!!! What a beautiful blessing she is! and I can't wait to see more pictures of her, Ryan, Chelsea, Elijah, and Lyzi and Ollie, too! Babies everywhere is right. Dang.
I love babies. I miss them. Good thing those babies will be just the right age to play with by the time I get home :)
Lots of fun things to tell this week: First off: transfers. No change for me and Sister Erickson! I'm really really glad to have more time with her. She's a phenomenal missionary and we're learning a ton from one another (or at least...I'm learning a ton.)
Also, I totally forgot to tell you but we went to a Gospel Choir Jubilee a few weeks ago....It was AMAZING!! We were the only white people there and it was the BEST. There was so much happiness in the room and everyone was so so nice to us, even with our nametags on :)
I got a root canal this week. You know how when we have car accidents they happen in the best way possible? That's how it was with my tooth, too. The dentist filled it in and he says I probably won't need a crown on it till way later, if at all. Cool. But he did this electro-pulse test on my tooth to see if the nerve was still alive and kickin' or had given up the ghost. Before he (He's a member of the church, PS and is very familiar with missionaries) did it he said to his assistant, I think we'll do an EPT, just to be sure" and then he turned to me and said "Early Pregnancy Test. We just want to make sure your baby's doing well." Haha, doc.
We had a lot of really wonderful experiences with our investigators this week. Amanda (a recent convert that we've been working very closely with) bore her testimony about how her life has changed since she's been baptized. She talked a lot about how she was hesitant because she thought adding church and church activities would make her busy mom life even more hectic but she knew it was the right thing. She said ever since, things have been easier. Her relationships with her family have gotten even better, she feels like a better mom, a better wife, she fits everything and more into each day than she did before and she's just happier all around. She's so great!
We also had an experience with an investigator named Manolo. We're teaching Manolo and his step-dad Gus, the mom's a member and we always have lessons with all 3 of them and Manolo usually stays pretty quiet, listening to his mom's advice and gauging Gus's reaction. The other night, however, Gus and Amy forgot about our appointment so we got to chat just with Manolo for a long time. He and I talked a lot about recognizing absolute truth, and if there was such a thing. We talked about the difference between individual opinions, even reasonable, virtuous ones, and God's truth and knowing how to recognize it. He said it's probably just something you can feel....what's true and what's not. He said he's talked to a lot of people who talk about how you "just know" because you get this feeling you can't really describe that just.....exists in your heart. I asked if he had ever felt something like that before. He said he hadn't but he added that he would like to. I challenged him to ask God about His Truth, and advised him that he could use the Book of Mormon for his item to pray about, because we're better able to recognize specific answers when our prayers are specific. I actually dont' remember all what I said because they really weren't my own words, (insipration!!!!) but he accepted. We came back a few nights later to meet with the whole family and before his mom and step-dad came downstairs, we asked how his prayer had gone. He said "Good. It was really good." He seemed unwilling to share more, but later on in the lesson, we were discussing that feeling of complete surety again. We asked Gus if he had ever felt it before, and he said yes. We turned to Manolo and asked him if he had had that feeling before and he answered "Yes" very quietly. AAAAHHHHHH!!! He felt it! How amazing is that!?!?!?! I love being a representative of the Savior and helping people to feel God's love.
On 4th of July, we went out to breakfast with Ricardo Rodriguez, and on-again, off-again investigator who has an absolutely phenomenal testimony of the church and the Book of Mormon but can't get baptized yet because his divorce from his first wife is stuck in court so he can't officially marry his current "wife" Leslie. It's completely heartbreaking that his progress is being hindered by outside sources and I just want to help him in anyway possible. Leslie also has a lot of health problems and it's beginning to take a toll on Ricardo. He didnt' say much about it aside from ' our relationship is getting better, even though her health is getting worse, and I know it's because of other people's prayers for us" but the look on his face completely tore me up because I know how he feels, at least to some degree. My heart goes out to him and I hope there's some way my experiences will help him out, too.
Anyway, he love the "Waiting on the Road to Damascus" talk by President Uchtdorf from last conference, so I printed off the "Of Things that Matter Most" talk from last October and he called later to say how much he loved it and how it was written specifically for him. I love inspiration :)
Also on 4th of july, we played slip-n-slide kickball as a zone and it was AMAZING! The first two bases were kiddie pools, then 3rd base and home were slip-n-slides. We had a ton of fun, but all of our feet were pretty torn up from the dead grass and they got pretty burned on top.Ouch. Socks are in order next time.
Also, I got invited to a leadership conference next week and I 'm way stoked to go. I love conferences and trainings because I get to learn how to be better. It's the BEEEEESST!.
I love you more than all the cute babies in our family and extended family!
Love, Hermana Manzana
I love babies. I miss them. Good thing those babies will be just the right age to play with by the time I get home :)
Lots of fun things to tell this week: First off: transfers. No change for me and Sister Erickson! I'm really really glad to have more time with her. She's a phenomenal missionary and we're learning a ton from one another (or at least...I'm learning a ton.)
Also, I totally forgot to tell you but we went to a Gospel Choir Jubilee a few weeks ago....It was AMAZING!! We were the only white people there and it was the BEST. There was so much happiness in the room and everyone was so so nice to us, even with our nametags on :)
I got a root canal this week. You know how when we have car accidents they happen in the best way possible? That's how it was with my tooth, too. The dentist filled it in and he says I probably won't need a crown on it till way later, if at all. Cool. But he did this electro-pulse test on my tooth to see if the nerve was still alive and kickin' or had given up the ghost. Before he (He's a member of the church, PS and is very familiar with missionaries) did it he said to his assistant, I think we'll do an EPT, just to be sure" and then he turned to me and said "Early Pregnancy Test. We just want to make sure your baby's doing well." Haha, doc.
We had a lot of really wonderful experiences with our investigators this week. Amanda (a recent convert that we've been working very closely with) bore her testimony about how her life has changed since she's been baptized. She talked a lot about how she was hesitant because she thought adding church and church activities would make her busy mom life even more hectic but she knew it was the right thing. She said ever since, things have been easier. Her relationships with her family have gotten even better, she feels like a better mom, a better wife, she fits everything and more into each day than she did before and she's just happier all around. She's so great!
We also had an experience with an investigator named Manolo. We're teaching Manolo and his step-dad Gus, the mom's a member and we always have lessons with all 3 of them and Manolo usually stays pretty quiet, listening to his mom's advice and gauging Gus's reaction. The other night, however, Gus and Amy forgot about our appointment so we got to chat just with Manolo for a long time. He and I talked a lot about recognizing absolute truth, and if there was such a thing. We talked about the difference between individual opinions, even reasonable, virtuous ones, and God's truth and knowing how to recognize it. He said it's probably just something you can feel....what's true and what's not. He said he's talked to a lot of people who talk about how you "just know" because you get this feeling you can't really describe that just.....exists in your heart. I asked if he had ever felt something like that before. He said he hadn't but he added that he would like to. I challenged him to ask God about His Truth, and advised him that he could use the Book of Mormon for his item to pray about, because we're better able to recognize specific answers when our prayers are specific. I actually dont' remember all what I said because they really weren't my own words, (insipration!!!!) but he accepted. We came back a few nights later to meet with the whole family and before his mom and step-dad came downstairs, we asked how his prayer had gone. He said "Good. It was really good." He seemed unwilling to share more, but later on in the lesson, we were discussing that feeling of complete surety again. We asked Gus if he had ever felt it before, and he said yes. We turned to Manolo and asked him if he had had that feeling before and he answered "Yes" very quietly. AAAAHHHHHH!!! He felt it! How amazing is that!?!?!?! I love being a representative of the Savior and helping people to feel God's love.
On 4th of July, we went out to breakfast with Ricardo Rodriguez, and on-again, off-again investigator who has an absolutely phenomenal testimony of the church and the Book of Mormon but can't get baptized yet because his divorce from his first wife is stuck in court so he can't officially marry his current "wife" Leslie. It's completely heartbreaking that his progress is being hindered by outside sources and I just want to help him in anyway possible. Leslie also has a lot of health problems and it's beginning to take a toll on Ricardo. He didnt' say much about it aside from ' our relationship is getting better, even though her health is getting worse, and I know it's because of other people's prayers for us" but the look on his face completely tore me up because I know how he feels, at least to some degree. My heart goes out to him and I hope there's some way my experiences will help him out, too.
Anyway, he love the "Waiting on the Road to Damascus" talk by President Uchtdorf from last conference, so I printed off the "Of Things that Matter Most" talk from last October and he called later to say how much he loved it and how it was written specifically for him. I love inspiration :)
Also on 4th of july, we played slip-n-slide kickball as a zone and it was AMAZING! The first two bases were kiddie pools, then 3rd base and home were slip-n-slides. We had a ton of fun, but all of our feet were pretty torn up from the dead grass and they got pretty burned on top.Ouch. Socks are in order next time.
Also, I got invited to a leadership conference next week and I 'm way stoked to go. I love conferences and trainings because I get to learn how to be better. It's the BEEEEESST!.
I love you more than all the cute babies in our family and extended family!
Love, Hermana Manzana
Monday, July 4, 2011
Happy July 4th, 2011!
Hey mom, I saw on my blog that you put in GIANT letters that Jared is planning on proposing to his girlfriend...isn't there supposed to be an element of surprise? Maybe not. I trust you.
I had the craziest dream last night. You and dad had moved to a nearby city called Lancaster and you were planning this huge birthday party for yourself, but you were suffering from some kind of midlife crisis in which you developed an affinity for all things anti-government and you even got a tramp stamp with a Colombian anarchist group's symbol and the word "ANARCHY" really big just above it. Kind of weird. Dad was okay with it, too. I think I had had a dream a few nights before in which you found out that as a nurse, you were also licensed to be a tattoo artist (maybe having something to do with tattooing people's colons...) so this huge group of polynesians came over for your party and were lining up for you to give them pink hibiscus tattoos. Also, Celeste was there and she got "familysearch.org" tattooed across her arm. Of all things.
Anyway, it's been a good week, albeit a little slow. We visited a lot of less active members and recent converts and had a great time talking with and teaching them. One of our investigators, Nick, is the only nonmember in his family so we get to have his kids teach him gospel principles, which he seems to really like. His wife Cheryl asked for your phone number so she can call you this week. They're a really great family and they're trying so so hard to do what's right. They've all had some pretty rough experiences in life and it's been such a blessing to see how happy they are whenever they trust in the Lord's promises. They're extremely loving and generous and we love to go over and teach them!
We had zone conference this week and it was SO good. We talked a lot about habits and how to be the most effective missionaries possible.
We also talked a lot about the Spirit: "Darkness is merely the absence of light. The Spirit is light, therefore when we have the Spirit in us, it pushes out all darkness."
So we compared that to the repentance process and how sanctification works.
Sorry there's not a bunch to tell this week, but you're wonderful, I love you!
Love you more than all the degrees above 100 it's been this week in Palmdale
Love,
Hermana Manzana
I had the craziest dream last night. You and dad had moved to a nearby city called Lancaster and you were planning this huge birthday party for yourself, but you were suffering from some kind of midlife crisis in which you developed an affinity for all things anti-government and you even got a tramp stamp with a Colombian anarchist group's symbol and the word "ANARCHY" really big just above it. Kind of weird. Dad was okay with it, too. I think I had had a dream a few nights before in which you found out that as a nurse, you were also licensed to be a tattoo artist (maybe having something to do with tattooing people's colons...) so this huge group of polynesians came over for your party and were lining up for you to give them pink hibiscus tattoos. Also, Celeste was there and she got "familysearch.org" tattooed across her arm. Of all things.
Anyway, it's been a good week, albeit a little slow. We visited a lot of less active members and recent converts and had a great time talking with and teaching them. One of our investigators, Nick, is the only nonmember in his family so we get to have his kids teach him gospel principles, which he seems to really like. His wife Cheryl asked for your phone number so she can call you this week. They're a really great family and they're trying so so hard to do what's right. They've all had some pretty rough experiences in life and it's been such a blessing to see how happy they are whenever they trust in the Lord's promises. They're extremely loving and generous and we love to go over and teach them!
We had zone conference this week and it was SO good. We talked a lot about habits and how to be the most effective missionaries possible.
We also talked a lot about the Spirit: "Darkness is merely the absence of light. The Spirit is light, therefore when we have the Spirit in us, it pushes out all darkness."
So we compared that to the repentance process and how sanctification works.
Sorry there's not a bunch to tell this week, but you're wonderful, I love you!
Love you more than all the degrees above 100 it's been this week in Palmdale
Love,
Hermana Manzana
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