YOSO

It's p-day already?? I literally have no sense of time here. I never know what day of the week or month it is. It all like blends together. The days feel like forever, but before I know it, it's already p-day again! This is gonna be a short email because we're going to PHILLY in like an hour. I'm way excited (:

Sidenote: I'm sorry for not replying to everyone's email! it's like impossible to read everyone's emails to me and reply back, I will try though! Send me letters instead though, because I have time to read them longer and really think about what to say.

#SendMeALetter

Here's what I do everyday:

6:25am wake up, make bed, and try not to fall back asleep during personal prayer

then I change and exercise for like 30 minutes

7:00am get dressed for the day

8:00am personal study

9:00am companion study (usually since I'm new we have it for 2 hours, but sometimes we only do comp study for an hour because we have stuff to do haha)

10:00am-9:00pm we're out doing stuff! teaching a ton of people/lessons, stopping by members houses, talking, driving, eating, reading etc...

then we plan for a half hour for the next day and I take a shower and try to be in bed by 10! Because I'm so exhausted haha but lights are officially out at 1030.

andd REPEAT

I'm learning more and more how much I really need to start forgetting about myself and working hard. It's really cool when I actually think about it. Right now I literally have NO WORRIES about anything, like school or homework, or money, or a job, or a relationship, or sports, etc... All of the members and investigators here have so much TRUST in us missionaries. It blows my mind. They open up so much to us and tell us all about their struggles and problems and issues they're facing right now. At first it was really overwhelming, it felt like everyone was dumping their problems on me! I want to help them so much, but I know I can't. All I can do is serve them, love them, and share the gospel and Jesus Christ's love for them.

The beginning of last week was rough...but I'm starting to see the joy and happiness that comes from being a missionary! Serving them has really helped me see that. I end everynight in my journal with "I love my mission because....."

It helps me realize all the blessing I've received!

hahahaha alright. East coast people < West coast people

IDK. the east coast people are all just a little off.....hahaha I'll leave it at that. I always wanted to live on the East coast. Not anymore! Yeah it's pretty here, but the west coast has sane normal people. hahaha but they're still children of heavenly father, gotta keep reminding myself that!

"Imperfect people are ALL God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to him, but He DEALS with it. So should we"

We helped this lady clean her house the other day and she gave us BAGS and BAGS of food! In one of the bags we pulled out a bag of already opened half eaten pretzels. The pretzel bag had spiderwebs instead, along with a cute little green CATERPILLAR!! So I scooped him up and now he's our pet chillin in a container at our apartment. hahahaha I'm so excited to see him cocoon into a butterfly!
His name is Mervin St. Todd. hahahahah oh....yes.

I thought yesterday was fast Sunday, so my companions and I fasted and I fasted to be happy, because I wasn't really feeling it. I was happy, but not truely happy you know? and to help me love my mission. Got to church and found out it wasn't fast Sunday hahah oh well. It was good I fasted because it was answered! I taught my first lesson last night! Like taking the lead and talking the whole time! I was so proud of myself! We talked about the Plan of Salvation and what our purpose on earth is. I really felt the spirit strongly and was prompted to ask him questions and say certain things I never thought of before while I was studying the lesson. My testimony was strengthen of how I really am called of God and set apart as a missionary! I am really beginning to love missionary work and the people here in Jersey!

It's so important for me to remember the feelings I felt last night. So when I start to doubt or feel discouraged, I can remember how great it feels to share the love of Christ with everyone!

"We each have moments of spiritual power, moments of inspiration and revelation. We must sink them deep into the chambers of our souls. As we do, we prepare our spiritual home storage for moments of personal difficulty...Fear and faith cannot coexist in our hearts at the same time, "Be not afraid only believe Mark 5:36" "

I'm so grateful for my opportunity to serve wholeheartedly. Literally when am I ever getting the chance to do this again?? NEVER. There will never be a time in my life where I am solely focused on service, and Jesus Christ. Everything I'm doing and will be doing for the next 18 months 24/7 is service and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone here. I don't have to balance a job, or time, or money, or school or anything that would keep me from that. I don't have to worry about anything, except to work hard and teach and love these people!

I came up with my own motto for this....hahahahahahah
YOSO- You only serve once!
So make it count (;

Love and miss everyone!

Love Sister Manson