Sister Manson -Silly Me In Philly-: 4 DAYS

I hope Addi had a good birthday! She turned 7(:

So last Monday we went over to the McCabes house, and they're the best! a cute elderly couple.
Both in COMPLETE MATCHING shirt and pants JEAN outfits!!!!!

hahah I was dyyying. We talked about UFO's and how they've seen them multiple times. Hey I believe em!!

Okay so Sister Maughan is the best and has quoted my favorite Hannah Montana song, TWICE in a lesson. hahahah yeah she cracks me up.

"Nobody's perfect, I gotta work it again and again until I make it right. Nobody's perfect, you live and you work it"

hahah gotta love her and miley..

#StillAMileyFan <3

So Bradley our investigator wants to be baptized!! He's so excited and was asking us so many questions, like what will he wear and who will baptize him, and where it will be done. hahah he's the best. So excited for him!

Funniest thing happened when we went and stopped by a less actives house who we've never met before.

We knock on the door and say hi! She looks at us and says hello and then goes on to say that today isn't a good day for us to come in, and that she's Mormon. And I'm like....uhhhh we are too! hahah and she's like wait what? You're not Jehovah's Witnesses? And then I'm like "Ohhhh heck no!" #Freakin'J-Dubz ruining errything for us.

hahahha and she started to laugh really hard and so did we. She told us to come by later this week hahha
#GoodTimesBeingMistakenAsJ-Dubz

Hey cool thing about when Frank gets his mission call! I can facetime you guys and watch him open it! haha so frank get busy on it so I can see you guys again asap! haha(: love you frank(: and you better not go to germany or else I'm going to be so upset! hahaha jk...but really..

Advice to all my future missionary friends aka Kalie and Aven(: and anyone else going on missions: EMBRACE the roleplays! When you get to the MTC you'll understand...haha okay so we do what we call roleplays(acting out teaching lessons to investigators)...at first they're so awkward and I HATED them so much in the MTC and out here and would just laugh the entire time...but now they're less awkward and i don't laugh...all the time..haha. We had district meeting Thursday which is just a meeting with a bunch of missionaries that are close by your area and we did a roleplay and I legit straight up cried! We did a door approach and I just jumped in trying to make it seem as real and sincere as possible. I felt prompted to share Alma 7:11-12 with him, so I did. I told him to listen and image what HIS Savior Jesus Christ must have felt for him going through all these things. As I read the 2 verses I started to cry.. I had this overwhelming feeling of love come over me for him and knew Jesus Christ died for him and loved him. Even though it was completely fake I was able to feel the spirit so strong! ahhh so yeah embrace the roleplays because you'll be doing them like erryday...they do help a ton!

Hope you had a good birthday kalie..hermana harper! (: 20! so old...hahah

Sunday was perfect. Our bishop spoke about Nephi and how he would go and do. Then we sang Hymn 270 "I will go where you want me to go"

Which was a really nice and comforting hymn to sing and read and hear because TRANSFERS are coming up! We find out Friday who is leaving.....part of me wants to leave and go and see other places and met new people who need the gospel..but the other part wants to stay and help our investigators here like Bradley and Morgan! And this is all i know..and change is scary and sucks! haha but I'll go where he wants me to go!

Whether it be to stay in New Jersey or go to Maryland, or Delaware, or Pennsylvania somewhere(: who knows...I'll tell you next Monday!

It's all up to him and his timing....which ties perfectly into something really cool I wanted to share that I learned.

Go and read John 11:1-43!

So goood(:

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead

(k quick side story...my comps would laugh at me everytime I would read Lazarus...because I kept saying Lazareth hahaha...whatevz heavenly father knew who I was talking about..)

But yeah it's so good! Jesus Christ waited 4 DAYS to raise Lazarus from the dead. Crazy. Why the heck did he wait 4 days to raise him from the dead? He loved Lazarus and Mary and Martha. They were so sad and when they finally saw Christ 4 days later..they say:
"Lord, if thou hast been here, my brother had not died"

so sad! If you would have been here...my brother would not have died!

they were really sad and even Jesus was sad because he cared so much for them all that he cries. After that he goes and finally raises him from the dead. But why did he wait??

Jesus Christ wanted to perform a miracle that everyone would DEFINITELY believe in. Back then they used to believe that the spirit would still be by the body 3 days after they died. So by Jesus Christ waiting to raise him on the 4th day, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that Lazarus is dead. Many believed that in Him after that. Jesus is the Christ and that is the only way he could have raised him from the dead. Everything that happens is for a reason, that we might sometimes not comprehend or understand right now..but it'll all work itself out.
He delays for a reason.
Trust in His timing because His timing is perfect.

It's pretty cool to look back and see all the small decision I've made in my life that have led me to right here and now in New Jersey serving a mission.

I applied to BYU-Provo and didn't get accepted! I was so upset haha because that's where I really wanted to go. I also applied to BYU-Idaho and UofA and got accepted into both. I chose to go to BYU-Idaho after many long talks with my dad....(he's really good at those..lol) and prayed and decided kind of grudgingly to go to Idaho.

There I met and surrounded myself with some of the greatest friends ever! Kalie, Mandi, Haley, Aven, Taylor...(:

One night we decided to have a fun sleep over and then wake up and watch general conference. Before that time in my life, I never really watched general conference and never cared for it, but I decided to also. Woke up and I watched and listened in my PJs and blanket half asleep to our Prophet Thomas S. Monson announce the age change for sister missionaries from 21 to 19!

September 4, 2013 I left on my mission! About 11 months from the time they made the announcement and now I'm here! In New Jersey of all places loving life and helping others come unto Christ! Everyday I get to put on my nametag/badge and see Jesus Christ's name right next to mine!
I represent HIM, and I get to love and serve everyone I meet.(: I love being a missionary, and it makes me a little sad to see how fast time is going! By march I'll only have a year left...NO!!!

#SorryNotSorry for the long email this week. Had a lot to say!

Love you!

sister manson