It was all about families!

 


Cousins

Setting up a refugee family



May 15, 2022 

Dear Family and Friends, 

My activities were all about families this week!  On Tuesday I got to help set up an apartment for another refugee family.    We cleaned, set up furniture, put bedding on beds, dishes in cupboards, etc.  One of the men from the furniture moving company was very interested in the church.  He told us he had recently moved to the area and was looking for a church.  He said he had been praying and asking God to guide him.  He liked what he observed at our service project.  We chatted with him and Sister Madsen and Sister Hansen were able to connect him with a ward and missionaries near where he lives. 

On Thursday, our friend Mauricio, who had recently moved back to Colombia,  texted Hermana Morales a photo of him with his family and the missionaries who were teaching them in Colombia!  I had been blessed to participate in a few lessons with Mauricio before he returned to Colombia to be with his family.  The night before he left, he told the Hermanas and me that he knew everything we had taught him was true and that he wanted to share this with his family.   Hermana Morales was able to connect him with missionaries near where his family lives.

And speaking of families, at church I met a VERY TALL (6’9”) cousin who plays basketball for Marquette University.  I’ll include a photo.  We’re related on my Manwaring (not known for great height) side of the family.  I know. Right?  I’m so proud, I keep finding reasons to show this photo to people.  I showed it to my ESL students tonight.   We were learning words to describe family relationships, so I showed the photo and tried to explain “second cousin twice removed” in Spanish😆 

My vocabulary has increased on my mission--in Spanish and English. On Wednesday I learned what the acronym FOMO meant (Fear of Missing Out.)  I’m glad I learned this because on Sunday our 97-year-old prophet used the term. He was speaking to young people about the fact that all will die, all will be resurrected, and all will be judged, when he said, “these truths ought to prompt your ultimate sense of FOMO!” 

I know God has a perfect plan to save his children.  I know by making and keeping covenants with God, I can live with my family in the kingdom of God forever.  I don’t want to miss out on this! 

I love you all, 

❤️Sister Manwaring 

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