Sister Manwaring: Serving in North Carolina

Dear Family, I’ve discovered ways to invite people to come unto Christ. I've attached some photos of where I’ve been inviting and teaching. Yes! I go to the park, or the store, or anywhere and just walk up and start talking to people. Since last Sunday, I’ve contacted 37 persons, taught 9 brief lessons, and gave away 4 Books of Mormon! I was inspired by letters & messages from missionary relatives and by D&C 33: 8,9,10 which says, “Open your mouths and they shall be filled….Yea, open your mouths and spare not….Yea open your mouths and they shall be filled…” I can truly testify that the Holy Ghost has given me the words. At first I would walk up and tell people God loved them and that they can be with their families forever even after they die. All of them just said they already knew that. But one woman at a park gave me a better approach. She asked me to explain “Latter Day.” This lead to a discussion of the church Jesus Christ established in the former days...

  22 August 2021     Dear Family & Friends,   This week has been mostly occupied with a Mission Conference and with reaching out to less-active or unknown sisters. (This would be the list of sisters who—for a variety of reasons—have not been assigned a ministering sister.)   Here are the highlights:   Monday, August 16 – I designed a flyer for us to take to inactive persons in the ward.  It says “Just popping by….” and includes our names, the time and location of church. We put these into little gift bags including a package of microwavable popcorn and pass-along cards.    In the evening we went to a Devotional for senior missionaries.  Elder Shayne M Bowen (a Seventy) and his wife spoke to us.  It was very inspiring!  He said that by serving a mission we are literally living the law of consecration. And he said our families would be blessed for our service.    He also told us that because the ...

  Hello family & friends, This isn't a very interesting letter, but the bottom line is that we won't make President Nelson sick. On Monday, August 9 - we moved into a different temporary home…The Marriott It’s very nice here:  a kitchen, separate bedrooms, separate bathrooms, hot breakfasts in the lobby, nice staff, no smelly carpet, and no bugs!  We might not want to move into our apartment next month!   The only problem with our residence is that my bedroom is upstairs which is about 5 degrees warmer than the downstairs where my companion’s room is.  If the temperature downstairs is any cooler than 74 degrees, my companion puts on sweaters, sweat pants, and a blanket!  (My companion has offered to trade bedrooms, but I have declined because she is 84, and the stairs are narrow.) We helped in the ESL class again.  The young sisters, Hermanas Sampson and Morales, do a great  job  of not only teaching, but also inv...

  18 July 2021     Dear Family,   One week ago today I was set apart to be a missionary.  Several family members came to see me set apart and to hear me speak in church:  M y daughter Susan & her husband Patrick Jones and their daughters & sons-in-law Katelyn & Porter Zohner (with children Saywer & Ian Zohner) and Sydney & Corey Saunders, my son Daniel and his wife Amanda (and daughters Christina & Rebekah), my son Adam Homer, and my brother Dale and his wife Carolyn.      My sister Linda was able to watch my Sacrament meeting from her home in Washington via a Zoom link.    I felt very loved and supported. This week in the MTC has been very instructive and uplifting.  Studying Preach My Gospel has been enlightening!  I have owned this book and referred to it from time to time, but I had never studied it until now.  For me, Chapter 11 was the best!!!  I learned how to in...

  25 July 2021     Dear Family,      I’m on my way to North Carolina!  My last week in MTC training was like trying to drink from a firehose.  (I’m sure I didn’t learn everything they were trying to teach me.) In addition to MTC classes, I had other demands on my time.  Tuesday I was scheduled for a teaching opportunity (instead of a lunch break) with an actor who may or may not have been a member of the church.  Not knowing if he was a real person made it awkward, but it was a good experience.  I had multiple phone calls with housing coordinators in Raleigh NC who have not yet found an apartment for my companion and me.  And unlike young missionaries who only have to pack a suitcase and go, I had to pack up ALL my belongings and get my house ready for other people to live there.  Whew!   I think the only real missionary work I did was a brief visit with a neighbor Friday morning....