Sister Manwaring: Serving in North Carolina

Gardening & the Gospel   October 24, 2021    Dear Family and Friends,  Thank you for your faith and prayers!  I got to teach the gospel Saturday!  It was a fine day!  On Saturday my companion and I visited a few inactive persons.  One lady invited us in to teach her.  She said she grew up in the church, but stopped attending when she was young.  She says she didn’t understand much about the church when she was young, but now she wants to learn.  And she wants her young grandson to learn too.  My companion and I taught her about the restoration of the gospel and gave her a Book of Mormon.  When she read Moroni 10:4 she teared up.  She wants us to come back.  I hope we can get her non-member husband interested in the lessons also.  We visited another inactive lady who spoke only Spanish.  I chatted with her I shared a brief gospel message. ...

October 18, 2021   Dear Family & friends,     The highlight of my week was Wednesday.  In my personal scripture study Wednesday morning I was reading in Mosiah chapter 7 when King Mosiah sent 16 men to look for the Nephites who had gone up to the land of Nephi.  They were led by a man named Ammon.  Ammon and his brethren wandered around trying to find the land of Nephi and when they did, they were thrown into prison.  I likened this to my missionary efforts.  I spend a lot of time trying to figure out what I should be doing, and sometimes just feeling confused or shackled.  However, when Ammon is finally given a chance to talk he says, “…I will endeavor to speak with boldness; For I am assured that if ye had known me ye would not have suffered that I should have worn these bands.”  This gave me hope that if I speak with boldness, I might be able to find my purpose here.   Wednesday morning we h...

  October 10, 2021     Dear Family & Friends,   The highlight of this week was going to the temple with Sheri Wednesday night and doing proxy baptisms!  Sheri was able to be baptized for her grandmother and other family members who had died without the opportunity of receiving the ordinances of the restored gospel.  Earlier in the week, Sheri told me her family wondered why Sheri was going to do proxy baptisms for people who, during life, had already been baptized into other Christian churches.  I gave Sheri a way to explain to her family about Priesthood authority using an analogy about the ice cream man who wants to but can’t pull over and ticket people who speed because he lacks the authority.   I continue contacting people in public places.  One was a Walmart employee named Zion.  When I quoted to him Moses 7:18, he was interested!     For a while I was a little hampered in my contacting ef...

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 as...