WOODER Ice

IT'S FINALLY PDAY!!

IDK even where to start....alright.

Tuesday we left the MTC at 2:30am! I go to the airport and my suitcase decided to go all suicidal on me and it's handle broke!! It sucked because I had to carry it/make the elders carry it for me.......hahaha. I called home before leaving on the plane and it was nice to get a couple minutes and talk. Okay so on the airplane the flight attendants came around and asked what we wanted to drink, here's what went down.........

Elder: Water

Sister: Apple Juice

Sister: Cranberry Juice

Elder: Water

Sister: Lemonade

Elder: Apple Juice

Me: ....BRING ME SOME COKE!!!!!! 

hahahahahahah...I had no caffeine for 12 days, I had to get some the first chance I got! I had like 3 more through out the duration of our 2 flights..haha

We flew from Utah to Minnesota, and then to Philly!! When we landed we got picked up by our mission president and then went over to the mission home and ate and talked, and then I went with my Philly 4 crew (Sisters Cox, Reyes, & Steadman) to a members house and we spent the night. Then the dreaded & anticipated day arrived....TRANSFER DAY! I was excited to see where I would be serving but a little sad to say goodbye to my companion Sister Steadman

Anyways Sister Diederich described transfer day like the Reaping Day in the Hunger Games....hahahaha #SoTrue 

Lemme create an image for you.

We went into the gym and there was about like 80+ missionaries and we were placed in two different sides. One side was the group of missionaries staying in their area, and the other were all the ones being transferred. They put up a slideshow and they would announce the area and then show your picture and when your picture was shown you would go stand in the middle and meet with your new companion. hahaha I was so nervous, and anxious as I waited to see my picture pop up..

"Sister Howard & Sister Menlove will be training.....Sister Manson!!!" my picture popped up and I got my companions, we're a trio!!

So where am I????
Moorestown.....NEW JERSEY!!!!!!!

Here's my address, and I want everyone and their moms to write me!!!

Sister Manson

315 Lippincott Ave 2nd Floor

Riverside, NJ 08075

Our apartment is pretty humbling to say the least...It's really run down and old. All 3 of us are crammed in a tiny room hahaha it's great.

We taught an older lady the other day and get this! OK her dad is an Indian, and her mom is Chinese, which makes her a....CHINESE-INDIAN!!!!!!!! haahaahah...couldn't get over that!

People here in Jersey pronounce things way weird, like water....they pronounce it WOODer haha my comps make fun of me because I try to say it like a true new jersey person, but it comes out weird...haha. Everyone here goes nuts for this thing called water ice (pronounced wooder ice) and its pretty good! we got some the other day, it's like shaved ice and ice cream mixed together, pretty legit. Then they have this drink called "Boost" and basically its non carbonated coke with citrus in it......ITS DISGUSTING and tastes like cough syrup.

Here's some cool mish slang:

CPR: church, pray, read

BPF: black people food

BIBLE: brief instructions before leaving earth

MOR: message of the restoration

POS: plan of salvation

I'm gonna be really honest right now...serving a mission is SO HARD. We are constantly going and going and going with no breaks! Usually when I'm stressed I just go for a run or put a movie on, but I can't do that here. No netflix, no swimming, no sleeping in, or staying up late...The first 2 days were really rough, because it's all new and I'm having to adjust, but it's soooo good. I really love being a missionary.
Being able to go into peoples homes and share the gospel and Jesus Christ with them! Some people don't even believe in God, which makes me so sad..

I've learned so much about Christ, and have gained a deeper knowledge & testimony of Him and Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. It's hard, but going to be so worth it! I've gotten used to being tired all the time so that's good! And dad you should be so proud of me because I wear my seatbelt everytime we're in the car! haha anyways, I'm doing so good though! Just have to keep working hard and turn everything to the Lord and trust he'll take care of me!

We de-horded a members house the other day....I kid you not we were there for 4 HOURS. hahaha she's an old crazy lady and she makes me laugh. We were getting up to go leave when she yells "MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!!" and I turn around and she's booking it with her walker to the bathroom......hahahahaha I almost peed my pants from laughing...#SheReallyHadToGooooooo

We ate lunch after church at a members house and I seriously thought it was thanksgiving that day. She made:

Mashed potatoes

Turkey

Gravy

Beans

Corn

Homemade Applesauce

Pie

Fudge

I was so happy!! and really full by the time we left haha

Anyways, I hope I didn't freak anyone out, I'm having a great time, and I think with time I will get used to everything. And when I really and truly loose myself in the work and stop worrying or thinking about whats going on at home I will be able to be a better tool for the Lord!

I need to get busy and go to work! Mormon 9:27 really has helped me! "Doubt no, but be believing and begin in time of old and come unto the Lord with all ou ea and work"

Line of the week:

An Elder's note in my MTC district to me:

"When you get back from you mish all those return missionaries will want to take you you on dates haha seriously tho! So stay nice and you will get married to someone nice."

Oh Elders.......

The first 2 days out in the field were ROUGH, holy cow. but I made it a habit in the MTC to start my mornings off with a question and WITHOUT FAIL, they are always answered by the end of that same day...#TestimonyBuilder So i started off that 3rd day with the question of how to see the joy of being a missionary because I wasn't seeing it. We met with like 5 or 6 different people and after talking and discussing I started to develop love for each of them! Getting to know REAL people with REAL issues melted my heart. Heavenly Father answers my prayers "time after time" #Quietdrive...that's a band. Missionary work is hard! But I'm way happy, I wasn't at first..but after turning outward instead of focusing on myself and my needs, hat's when the real joy comes!

Love and miss you all!

Love Sister Manson