Sister Manwaring: Serving in North Carolina

  Hermanas in a rainstorm   June 26, 2022   Dear Family & Friends,   Sometimes I can’t think of anything to write about.   I keep thinking I need to have amazing experiences to share, but I usually don’t.   And when I focus on what I am not doing, I begin to feel small and alone.   I was in one of these moods recently when I read about the Old Testament prophet Elijah.  Elijah had some amazing experiences, like calling down fire from heaven to show the people the power of the true and living God.  (1 Kings 18:21-39) But what caught my attention was what happened afterward when Elijah was alone and hiding from Queen Jezebel who wanted to kill him.  (1 Kings 19) “O Lord, take away my life” Elijah prays and then he falls asleep.  When Elijah wakes up, an angel has prepared food for him.  The angel tells Elijah, “Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.”  My thoughts were these: Life is a journ...

  History helper June 20, 2022     Dear Family and Friends,   I’ve had several opportunities to help people with family history this week. This has mostly been because of a musical production called “Finding Patience.” (Here’s a  trailer .) The play tells the history of a local town and shows that everybody wants to be remembered.  On Saturday I and other family history consultants were on site (in a room off the lobby) to help people who were interested in finding their ancestors. In fact, Family Search International sent experts in African-American research to speak after two of the productions.  It was a big deal!   Lots of people were interested.  Many of the cast members wanted help with their family history and I was soooo happy to meet them and help them.  Some even came for help in between their scenes!  I get to help again this coming Saturday!   Finding history        ...

  June 12, 2022   Dear Family and Friends,   On Saturday I attended a picnic to commemorate World Refugee Day.  (The official day is June 20.)  The event was hosted by Lutheran Services.  I have been working with them setting up apartments and delivering groceries for refugees and felt honored to be invited.     A couple scriptures come to mind whenever I have opportunities to help refugees.  "I was a stranger, and ye took me in..." (Matt 25:35 and “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”  (Hebrews 13:2) However, on Saturday, it was the refugees who were doing the serving!   I met a lot of nice people and ate a lot of yummy food.     Many of the refugees are from Afghanistan.  I was trying to learn a few Afghan words and I was told that there are three major languages.  I asked if the languages we...

  Meeting friends in peaceful places May 30, 2022   Dear Family and Friends,   I might have fed 5000 people!  Not sure, but our team of 19 volunteers at a major food bank boxed up 5610 pounds of food and bagged 646 pounds of cereal!  That was Friday.   On Thursday I delivered food to refugees, and on Wednesday I worked at the Bishop’s Storehouse.  We don’t always speak the same language, but we speak in smiles    I enjoy this kind of service as much as teaching opportunities (but teaching is a lot easier on my back  ) All these food distribution activities make me think of a peaceful time spoken of in the Book of Mormon:   “ And… they did not send away any who were  naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches ; therefore they were liberal  to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male ...