Remember Your Covenants

I hope everyone is very aware that I am coming home next week (:

Be excited for me! Haha I'm going to need all the help I can get. It will be weird...I'll let you all know now that I will be very awkward and just ask you all laugh at my missionary gospel humor

(btw this is my last email I'm sending out)

2 quotes I'd like to start off with that people have told me and that I've learned during these past 18 months

1.Serve because of your covenants....not because of your callings.  

AND

2. You are never released from your covenants. You'll eventually be released from your callings but never from your covenants.

Good things to live by especailly as my calling as a full time missionary is ending. 

We had the amazing experience with Sister Chang in the Washington D.C. Temple!!!

She is seriously so special to me. It was too cute seeing her in the celestial room. During her endowment she got to wear the headset and listen to the session in Chinese (: The spirit each filled us with so much peace. 

Wanna hear the best miracle of it all??

Reason 327 why I love fasting.

Sister Jolley and I last Sunday both decided we would fast the day before Sister Chang's endowment. Which happened to fall on my birthday but I didn't really care. So Friday comes along and we are already fasting. We call Ssiter Chang that morning to follow up on how she's doing and she said she hadn't gone to her interview with the stake president yet because of the huge snow storm...and was going to get it on Sunday. Which meant she wasn't going to the temple the next day!! As soon as we hung up we texted Sister Diehl and asked her what the plans were for tomorrow and she shared the dilema but was trying everything she could to get it worked out...but that it didnt seem likely that they wouldn't get in for an interview. We contniued fasting and praying that whole day and saw a lot of miracles throughout the day.

Helped someone jump their car and met the nicest girl Tiffany! 

Then about 530 rolls around. Still no word from Sister Diehl...

Sister Jolley and I are on our knees getting ready to break our fast discussing a few things and we hear our phone ring!!! It's a text from Sister Diehl saying that they were scheduled for an interview that night and the temple was still on for tomorrow! I have a huge testimony of fasting(: 

Not only does fasting help us spiritually, but it shows Heavenly Father our faith in things happening. 

Also later that same night around 830 we were getting ready to walk home from our last appointment. Before we get outside, Sister Jolley pulls me aside and shares with me she had an overwhelming feeling that we needed to be very cautious going home and be aware of our surroundings. We say a prayer before we got outside and started walking the 10 blocks home. We get about 2 blocks and we're right next to this ghetto dirty gas station. We kept walking but I saw someone pumping gas into their car and as I turned to look more who it was it none other than Sister Diehl and Sister Chang!!! They had stopped after their interview witht eh stake president to get gas before our big trip the next day. We were like hello!!!! She offered to drive us home and we were so happy! Man it's so humbling and overwhelmingly comforting to know that Heavenly Father answers and hears our prayers and fasts. She was a very direct answer to our prayers and she definitely acted on a spiritual prompting to stop for gas at that gas station right then instead of any 100 different times she could of. Heavely Father uses others to answer our prayers. 

The temple is the greatest place on earth. I plan to make it a weekly occurance when I am home. Mmmm the peace one feels and the spiritual power and strength and promises you recieve from going to the temple are indescribable. Please go to the temple if you don't reguarly. If you are unworthy of going to the temple, make whatever changes nesseccary and get to the temple. 

Heavenly Father's whole work is the temple! The main purpose of the gospel is what we learn in the temple. 

My mission means so much to me. I have never been happier than being out here serving the Lord. Typed words or vocalized thoughts will never be able to accuarately describe how much my mission has changed, blessed, and strengthened my life. Things can never be the same from the experiences and the witness I've felt during these 18 months in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Misson. Elder Holland says it better: "After an encounter with the living

Son of the living God, nothing is ever again to be as it was before"

Good things are going to happen!

I start up again at BYUI in April, come be my friend(: 

I love you! And am really excited to see you all and give you HUGS

xoxo

Sister Christy Manson

best philly cheese steak

I love M's

masonic temple love 

masonic temple love 

cray snow storm!

Brighten Your Light

These last two weeks I get the great privilege to go the temple twice! 

once with sister Chang which will be indescribably special...for her to get her endowments!!

the next with the group of departing missionaries. YAY. i can't think of anything more powerful than being in the temple with a whole herd of missionaries. 

at MLC (missionary leadership council) president asked me and 2 other sisters to bear our testimonies since that was our last one.

It was really special because when it was my turn to go up, i went and just looked into the eyes of all of these great leaders and realized that most of them were some of my greatest friends.

I thought coming out on my mission the people that would mean the most to me and that I would do the most good for would be investigators.

i never imagined that I would come out and make so many close friends with not only other missionaries and my companions but with ward members and leaders. and that most good was done TO ME from these people.  

Went on exchange with sister handy and sister smith her golden. hahah had way too many adventures. they wanted us to double into their area so we did and just went on exchange there. bless my little sister Jolley she accidentally locked their keys in their apartment! and apparently there is no spare key to be found! so after she called me and sister handy we ran over and assess the scene. we decided to say a kneeling prayer in the grubby dusty crowded staircase floor. and exactly when we finished their neighbor Jon the tennis player comes walking down stairs! He helped us and we were able to unlock the door with his help. aka screwdriver and hammer to jimmy the door. oh man good times. crazy things always happen when you get more than 2 sister missionaries together! 

Last pday we toured the masonic temple(: it was a dream. we got a super good tour guide this time and he answered all of our questions. i was very content. 

i just love love love Philadelphia and am so happy i get to end my mission here. way too lucky. 

I have thought about it for quite sometime now and have decided my future husband and I are going to be moving here (: into the independence ward and it will be the greatest thing ever. 

one of my favorite things about being here serving in a Philadelphia ward is that we have hands down the BEST fast Sunday experience you'll ever experience. I was dying yesterday

here's what went down:

we had a guy get up twice..each time in a different outfit.

a guy for like 22 minutes talking about why its okay for him to respect females

and one girl got up and said a prayer for her testimony 

i was in heaven. also a guy shared how he got shot 3 times, and how he'd been shot before, but never 3 times and how it happened on good Friday, but it didn't seem so good to him. 

i was dying! i love it here. 

GOOD TIMES. i will miss this. I have a feeling YSA's and west coast ward fast Sundays are just not gonna cut it for me now on. 

I read a really good talk called "put of the armour of light" by elder neilsen

read it and write down your thoughts:

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2015/03/put-on-the-armour-of-light?lang=eng

Romans 13:12

"cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light"

I hope that we all understand that we are to reflect the light of Christ to everyone we see. 

Christ says that He is the light of the world, but clearly also states that "YE are the light of the world" With His help, we can become like Him!

Our light can shine in dark places only if we reflect it.

Sister Steadman's favorite scripture is D&C 50:24

24 That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

we can fill our lives with light! leaving no room for darkness.

I invite all of you to put on the armour of light! if you're not sure how exactly, read that talk(: 

continue to do things that will invite light into your life, and put away the things that cause darkness. Even if other people are radiating darkness in your life, and you feel weighed down and cannot see, I testify that light and dark cannot exist together and can promise that darkness will have no room if we are filled with light. Especially with the light of our Savior. This spiritual light has a short shelf life though. we need to be constantly, frequently, and DAILY doing those small and simple things that adds light. 

Some questions I've learned to ask myself throughout my mission is: 

how bright is my light?

Am i a dim light bulb?

or am i like the sun!?

Your light may be on, but i encourage each of you to brighten your lights

and in doing so you'll brighten those around you.  

I love you so much

and will see you soon(:

Sister Manson

Fishing using a metal detector

Pday was moved to Tuesday because we had a super cool mission wide
conference yesterday!

I fasted during it and got some really really good insights from
Heavenly Father.
I had very particular questions that I wanted answers and I got them
plus 100 more!
My testimony on fasting has been strengthened 100fold since being on
my mission.Fasting is seriously the best and a huge strength to me.
This Sunday is fast sunday and I invite you all to fast! Specifically
with a question in mind. I know as we are actively seeking answers and
comfort or reassurance and guidance from the lord we will be guided.

This past Sunday we had an amazing lesson on seeking spiritual light
and truth (president uchtdorfs general conference talk) I studied it
the day after too and I'll share a small insight i was taught.
It's normal and natural for us to have questions and for some things
of the gospel to not make sense to us or completely understand. As we
follow the four steps mentioned in his talk
1. Actively seek and search the word of God. Aka scriptures and talks etc..
2. Ponder and mediate on these things
3. Pray and ask Heavenly Father
4. Act!

We need to be using the right resources and tools in order to find the answers.
We cannot expect to successfully go fishing by using a metal detector.
Spiritual truth comes from using spiritual tools.
Those steps mentioned above always work
It only doesn't when we do not put in the proper time and attention to
each of these.

Great news:)
Sister chang our cute little old Chinese friend who we've been working
with to come back to church and to go the temple has her official
temple date! In the Washington, D.C. Temple.
MARCH 7 (day after my birthday) uhh can you saw holy miracle:) I'll
take 100 pictures for you.
I'll be in heeeeeaven that weekend.
Things are going so well here in our area. It's on fire and I'm a
little bitter the transfer is ending so quickly it feels like! There
is a lot of fruit here that has been the product of all of the hard
work done by the previous sisters in this area. Shout out to sister
Bennett and menlove

I went on exchange with sister Bailey and I wasn't having the best of
days and was feeling a little low. I told her this when we were
together and she said she was too alittle. So we said a prayer right
there having full faith that Heavenly Father would help us. And help
us he did!
As she was praying the thought came to my mind something that always
makes me feel better: listening to people sing. So my initial thought
was to just ask her to sing to me haha but then another thought came
that that was pretty selfish. Haha instead of her singing to me, we
can go find a human and both sing and help not only ourselves but
someone else along the way:)
I shared that with her and she was alittle apprehensive but she was a
champion and went along with me. We found a human and I went up to her
and was like:
"Hello! My name is sister manson. And I am not having the best of days
today..can we sing to you? That always makes me feel better"
Hahaha I kid you not that's pretty much what I said...
She said sure, and we sang!  "I need thee every hour"
She was in tears by the time we were done.
We started talking to her about the Book of Mormon and at first she
was having none of it. But after being persistent :) and bearing
personal testimonies and teaching her she accepted a copy and was
really interested by the time we finished.
Even on cruddy low days in my weaknesses Heavenly Father still allows
me to be used as a capable instrument in his hands. I am so grateful
for that.

During weekly planning in our opening prayer I prayed that we would
miraculously get in contact with alan, a recent convert who we haven't
had any contact with since December...and then literally 2 days later
we saw him walking down the street. You best believe I shouted his
name and ran over to him. We had a lesson with him and he's coming to
church Sunday :)

Sister jolley and I are in such good shape(:
We run every morning and walk everywhere during the day
We don't use our car. Literally at all.
We've only gone about 100 miles this whole month
And usually we go like 800-1000 every month in previous areas and transfers.
We walk and use the subway a ton and we are able to talk to so many
more people that way.
Just picture us trekking and derping(; around in the snow negative
degree super windy days every single day. Those are times when I'm the
happiest. Because literally I would never be doing this! But I love
Heavenly Father and know what my purpose is so that's why I'm still
here.
I think it's interesting to think about the why behind everything we do.
Different levels behind everything.
Am I obedient because of president anderson or my companion?
Or am I obedient because I love the lord?
Do I read my scriptures every day because I've been given that hour in
the morning to do so?
Or do I read because I know I'll be uplifted by the spirit?

Knowing our "why" behind everything and making sure we are doing
things for the right reason really makes a huge difference and I know
will make a huge impact when I go home.
These habits and patterns I've established and made here will come
with me when I am home.
I am so grateful for my mission. It literally means the world to me.
And I would be a hot mess without these experiences with the spirit.

Love you!
Sister Manson

Jack Attack (see 25)

I can't get over how much my heart is 100FULL. 

I just 100love it here so much and being a missionary.

Can't really vocalize it, but know I'm 100happy here. 

Here's my "100 Miracle list" for the transfer

This week here's what went down:

15 meeting tev at jimmy g's steak and him meeting us at the temple site for a return appointment! 

16 stopping by Karen. Who came down stairs with her swollen ankle! Showed because of him and got a return appointment:) new investigator! She wants us to teach her!

17 sang "I need thee every hour" to Gary the septa subway worker while waiting for the subway. Softened his heart and got his # 

18 had some sisters emergency/doubled into our area...never ending adventures and craze.

19 finally found a Parking spot after circling the streets and one ways for seriously I kid you not for 45 minutes and many prayers later. 

20 finally found our car where we parked after walking and running around with all their stuff for also 45 minutes the next day many prayers and wandering later. 

21 exchange with sister cox(: met DJ frosty! Aka Mike spiker. He was painting up a mural that got graffitied, and we helped him paint!! YEAH I Tagged a building in Philly :) see picture below. 

22 met pan! AN ASIAN! Return appointment :) one of our goals for the transfer. Teach an Asian. 

23 Melissa (sis Anton's friend) wants us to come have lunch with her. Perfect timing, as were walking out of sister antons home after just talking about how much Melissa would benefit from meeting with us...she's outside! So I run over and I'm like hey Melissa! She was so happy to see us and walked us to our bus stop. She loves us:)

24 met shantell (sister jolley's kindred spirit) on the subway. Way too nice and loves us. 

25 Jack restoration lesson!! So prepared:) with Morgan's. His baptism will be in March!!!!!!!!! 

26 caught the bus just in time...after running like mad To not miss it. 

27 didn't get hit by a bus....it honked and we noticed it. 

28 Jack, joel, tatyana and Terrance were all at church!!! 

29 more than 60% of standards of excellence hit This week 

Referencing 25----->

WHAT A HUGE MIRACLE AND TENDER MERCY. 

Originally we had met him at dunkin donuts and he was so impressed by sister jolley and I by the way we talked and were dressed. #recognizedasrepresentativesofchrist

Then we met with him like 2 days ago. Taught the restoration. He agreed with everything and is getting baptized in March! And he came to church the next day(: I love being a missionary. 

Referencing 23----> 

Perfect timing!

Sister antons friend Melissa is having a really hard time and sister anton before we left told us all about it, and I just felt super prompted and urged that she really needs us to go talk to her. Sister anton assured us she wouldn't like us to go over, so I was praying after we were getting out the door somehow we'd see her or something. And as we walked out I looked over towards where she lives AND THERE SHE WAS!!!!! I like ran over and was like hey Melissa! And she was like hey and was super happy to see us. She even walked us over to our bus stop and waited with us until it came so we were able to talk a little. Then sister Anton like 2 days later called us and told us Melissa wants us to come over! Literally I'm like so happy to help her and that Heavenly Father is just allowing me and sister jolley to be his hands and go around lifting others!

Sister Bennett shout out:

WHETHER YOU'RE THE ONE LIFTING, OR BEING LIFTED, YOU'RE BOTH EQUALLY BLESSED.

Next Week we'll have PDay on Tuesday because Monday we'll be having a mission wide conference!!!! Our entire mission will get together for like the whole day and we'll get 100 good notes/thoughts/spiritual guidance/pep talks/callstorepentance etc...

Stay tuned and I'll share what I learned. 

Had a pretty sacred & reassuring experience while listening to a temple fireside last night.

Super grateful for my Heavenly Father who is mindful of me and all who I love.

Thanks for keeping me in your prayers. 

You're in mine.

LOVE YOU

Sister Manson 

Our graffiti boy

And sister jolley and I 😍😍😍

Sprint To The Finish

HELLO!

So first things first...

My new companion is sister jolley.

And her name totally fits her! 

She is so happy all the time and is really really good for me.

It's impossible to get apathetic or past feeling around her. She lights everything up.

Super grateful for her. 

I am obsessed with the number 100.

So since this is my last transfer, I was thinking about something that I could do 100 times haha.

I decided sister jolley and I are going to see 100 miracles this transfer!

I am keeping track and have a numbered list going:)

We saw 14 this past week:

100 miracles list

1 Met Mark! who had met with pennypack sisters years ago and was going to get baptized. Got a return appointment. 

2 mikel! Met at SAMs house

3 people who are meeting with the elders on the subway 

4 eliminating the non elect

5 we were lost..said a prayer, saw a police man. He directed us where to go and then we 

---> met a guy from Russia. Able to bear testimony and give Book of Mormon. 

6 said a prayer after not knowing what to do next..met hunter! Cried and said she wanted to know her purpose here and that her dad works for a company who is helping build the temple!! 

7 Jack at dunkin donuts(: recognized us as representatives of christ. Going through a hard time with divorce, wanted to meet us again! 

8 definitely meant not to go to stake conference--> ride got food poisoning and our investigator's car wouldn't start. Probably protected from getting into a car accident or something. 

9 tatyana finally opened up and shared her feelings with us about her grandma passing away. 

10 we were made "invisible to danger" like sister jolley's prayer asked. 

11 no car still...riding the subways like crazy & walking 100 miles :) legs ripped. We officially decided to not even use our car anymore when we get it back. We talk to so many people on foot:) and we love the subway too much. 

12 after driving around the blocks searching for a place to park....for seriously 40 minutes we finally found a free, no time limit parking spot!! 

13 tatyana and joel came to church

14 fantastic powerful lesson with pearl and she is coming to church next week #sacrament!!

GOOD WEEK.

I feel like when I take the time to recognize the lords hand throughout the day, it's so much easier for me to see the miracles! I hope each of you will take the time this week to notice the miracles happening. Also take the time to have miracles happen to you as you search and seek for them. Becoming creators of circumstances, not waiting around waiting to be acted upon. 

We had MLC Friday. So good as usual. Talked a lot about trust and learned a lot.

Sister jolley and I trained on what it means to live the gospel and living what we learn.

We had the coolest miracle of the week happen the night before MLC that we were able to share! (See 7)

Okay so we stopped by dunkin donuts before heading in to make our final preparations for our training. First off...we never go inside dunkin donuts but for some reason we decided to go. Got some yummy donuts and hot chocolate:) that was a plus. Then I called elder jones(the person in charge of cars) to update him on our car situation and parking lot issue. So I talked to him and then after I hung up, a guy sitting behind us says "did I hear you say sister? What church are you from?" And he went on to ask 100 more questions and told us how when we first walked in he noticed how we were dressed and just how nice and conservative we looked. 

(white handbook 10 "your appearance is often the first message others receive") he also said he noticed how I was talking on the phone and just how I was very respectful and nice. 

Because sister jolley and I were simply just living the gospel through our actions, he was able to recognize us as representatives of christ!!! He shared how he is going through a divorce right now and wants to meet with us again. Sister jolley bore her testimony and we got his phone number. Good things are happening here in Philly! 

Man I am so grateful to be here.

Sister menlove gave me one of her wooden toothbrushes and she wrote "sprint to the finish"

(& some other things too) but I really love that part. 

I mean I feel like I've been sprinting my whole mission....haha but definitely sprinting even more to the end.

I have been really studying Matthew 11:28-30 this past week like crazy.

It's so good and I have learned a lot. Especially just how easy and light doing things with christ is. Sister jolley is pretty inspired and shared this random fact with me:

A Clydesdale horse can pull 900lbs alone. Which is so much!! Right? 

Guess how much it can pull with another horse yoked with it?

1800? 2000?

WRONG.

Eightthousandpounds!!!

8000??!

Yes. 8000.

I know as we do things on our own we can accomplish a lot. But when we yoke ourselves with christ we can do a heck of a lot more!! Being yoked with Christ is easy because his burden is light. Well how the heck do we yoke ourselves with Christ? Sign me up!

Already done. It's through our covenants we make. Baptism, sacrament, the temple...

Something I'm going to do this week is study my covenants more.

Also I read a scripture everyone is super familiar with 

1 Nephi 8:10

"I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy"

And it really caught my attention and the spirit taught me a lot.

How the fruit's (representing christ) only desire is to make us happy. 

I love that. And I know that's true!

He wants us to be happy more than anything else.

The gospel makes that possible.

I've never been happier my whole life than on my mission, these past 17 months.

Love you!

(Also thanks for all the special prayers and thoughts. I definitely have felt them this past week.)

Sister Manson🌵

Sister jolley <3 i love this girl

and sister zeller! 

at MLC

tatyana and terrance <3 

they are so special to me! 

tatyana and terrance <3 

they are so special to me! 

this sweet graffitii (sp??) thing we found (: 

this sweet graffitii (sp??) thing we found (: 

Joy Cometh in the Morning

Sister Bennett and I were super sick and stayed in allllll day on Friday. Flu/cold stuff going on around here. This one member knew we were sick and came and dropped off donuts! Nicest thing ever. They were Amish donuts too so even better. 

Do you want to hear the worst news ever??

I lost my scriptures....on the subway!

I must have left them on the seat as I got off at my stop. 

They're 100% gone.

Ugh it's horrible. Those were like my one and only prized possession out here! 

It's okay..its a good reminder when I die I can't take anything with me anyways, just my brain filled with the things I learned from the scriptures haha. 

This is sister Bennetts last week as a missionary. Ah it's so weird..then after this week it's my last transfer. I don't know where time is going.

Also sister Chang is going through the temple in February instead, not sure on the exact date but I think I'll still be able to go:) 

But this will probably be my last area which I am totally 100% fine with. I love this city so much. It feels like a dream that I get to be where I am every morning.

I know I say this like every time..but I am just not who I was before my mission! Like so much not even close. It'll be interesting to come back and see how everything works out. I read one of my new favorite talks called "joy cometh in the morning"  by elder Nelson.

It's so good and I love the scripture it's based on:

Psalms 30:5

"Weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning"

JOY ALWAYS COMES. And sometimes we need to go through trials and bad days because those are what stretches us to be ready to feel happiness or joy more deeper. I am a firm believer of that. 

"The gospel of Jesus Christ...declares joy to be part of our divine destiny. And to experience joy in the morning becomes our special challenge. The true test" —Elder Nelson

I'm working on finalizing my last goals for my last transfer starting next week. Crazy how fast everything goes. I've had some very cool and spiritual experiences come from "praying like I've never prayed before" there's a big difference than praying/going through the motions and actually communicating and petitioning our Heavenly Father for help guidance and gratitude. 

I've been really praying to Heavenly Father asking him why I'm here in this specific area. And we had a very tender experience with a member as she was talking to us about a lot of her concerns about the gospel and sister Bennett and I were able to share very simple but very powerful testimonies of the Book of Mormon and the church. A moment on my mission I will never forget.

I hope everything is going well for you all :)

Stay warm and share the gospel.

Love sister Manson 

Octopus Jerky

The experiences this week was made just for me. Particularly to humble my little spirit.

I went on an exchange with a sister this week and had such a sacred experience with her. The thought came to ask her randomly if she felt Heavenly Father was proud of her. She started to cry and it was clear she wasn't sure and was trying to know Him better. We were able to feel the spirit so strong as I bore my testimony and help her feel That He is. I am very grateful to be serving where my sphere of influence is not only to strengthen our investigators or members of the ward, but also my some specific fellow sister missionaries that sister Bennett and I are with.  

One of my favorite things about being a missionary is personally feeling the intense a,punt of love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for each one of us.

ZONE CONFERENCE!

Thoughts:100 best zone conference of my whole mission. Good thing because it was my last one! Learned a lot more about the atonement and the doctrine of Christ. Shared our new mission 2015 theme with us: D&C 128:22 "shall we not go on is so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage and on to the victory. Let your hearts rejoice and be exceedingly glad" 

Can't even describe how perfect this scripture is. Just for me:) 

We had some "octopus jerky" with sister Chang. It was good!

She is still set for january 31 to go get her temple endowment! So excited for her. 

Sunday in relief society we had a lesson all about prayer. I know that too was all just for me. 

I've been really studying and working on my prayers. Ultimately I've realized and gained a testimony of how prayer changes us. I've started to say personal vocal prayers. Which are 100x powerful. I feel the spirit the whole time while praying in my head it's so easy to get distracted.

If you have never prayed out loud privately before, I encourage and invite you to do so. It's alittle awkward and different at first, but I promise you'll be able to see and feel a huge difference. 

Heavenly Father's love for me cracks me up. He knows me really well..and it has just felt like for at least a week and half I've been running into a brick wall and just feeling really crappy for 100 different small silly reasons. I am a bit prideful when it comes to asking other people for help... But Heavenly Father gave me some very specific experiences and feelings and thoughts with the spirit to help me be humble enough to ask for a priesthood blessing. But so much peace came during and right after I got a blessing. I wrote down all my thoughts and made very specific promises to Heavenly Father and for the first time in a while i felt an INSANE amount of peace. That experience helped me gain an even stronger testimony of the priesthood power and its ability to heal and comfort and bless and uplift. I am just so grateful for the priesthood and that experience I had last night. 

One of our appointments canceled so we decided to stop by a referral. Sister Bennett  Originally thought it was the house # was 908 and I said it wasn't. Haha so we knocked on a door we thought she lived and got no answer. Then we were going to go back to the car but sis Bennett wanted to knock on 908 so we did! 

Something my mission has taught me is to be persistent. I have a very strong testimony and belief in being persistent. A women opened the door and didn't want to talk to us..at all!

At first we could barely see her eyes as she cracked the door open. Then we talked and could see her daughter and started talking to her and we were there bearing testimony for like 2-3 minutes in the rain! At this point she was about ready to either let us come in or kick us out. 

She finally said "okay come in" after we practically begged her to let us share truth with her. 

Super cool experience! Bore testimony of restoration and Book of Mormon. She opened up a lot about some deep personal things and I just felt so much love for her and did not want to leave until she knew what I knew about the gospel. I felt strongly inspired and prompted to promise her if she kept her commitments we left, she would get the job she was worrying about getting. She felt the spirit and it was way powerful. We are going back tomorrow:) 

Good things happen as we push ourselves and go beyond that which is normally done. 

Inconvenience verses convenience.

One of my favorite principles of the gospel. 

Missions are hard and taxing...but everything about the gospel is also.

Salvation is not a cheap experience. I am grateful for the times on my mission, but at the beginning and more recent times, where my heart and soul have seemed to be stretched so thin, only to realize that it was so I can feel joy deeper. 

Alma 36:20

"my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!"

I love you!

Sister Manson 

"either 12"

Hahahah oh this week...I don't even know what happened.

Let's just say I am really happy today is PDay.
Remember when we were little and we went to the body world place??
Where this science place had a bunch of dead bodies to look at and see
as art? Well they have something similar here in philly that were
doing to today! EXCEPT ITS WITH ANIMALS! Stay tuned for pics next
week:)
I pray there's a giraffe there.


The week started out great though! Haha and then we just crashed and
burned hecka bad.

We have been teaching sister change temple prep and helping her be
ready for January 31!

Out investigators joel and tatyana accepted a baptism date! In
February and April! So that's amazing.

Sister menlove sent me the best talk in the whole wide world that
changed my life.
Everyone go read "the atonement:all for all" by elder Bruce c. hafen

Taught me so much about the atonement and what it means. That's
probably the best thing about my mission...I've learned so much about
the atonement and what it means and how to access it. And really feel
it's REAL power that comes into our lives as we live the gospel of
Jesus Christ, by having faith, repenting and changing, remembering and
renewing our covenants by the sacrament and going to the temple and
continuing to do all of these things to the end!

Had a great district meeting. Really powerful and felt the spirit.
During our Roleplay, I did with sister Bailey, and some other
missionaries. We were to not think about what to say but say what
christ would say to them if he were here. Totally changed my
perspective. I remember looking into each of their eyes and really
feeling and knowing that Jesus Christ knew and loved them personally
and things just came to my mind that I would say, trusting it was what
they needed to hear. Lifechanging. I just freaking love being a
missionary.

Sister Bennett cracks me up everyday but she gets a particular
shoutout right now.
We wanted our investigators to read a Ether 12 in the Book of Mormon,
and she spelt it as EITHER 12!!! Hahahah. We had another lesson with
them to follow up and they were confused and couldn't find either 12
in the Book of Mormon...I laughed so hard. Next time I'll be sure to
check what she writes down for them haha. Good times.

Had a crazy lesson with a wanna-be pologomist who wanted to marry BOTH
me and sister Bennett hahaha.
So many people yelled and flipped me off this week while I was in the
car..it was very rude of them haha these Philadelphians are one of a
kind:)
Saw a cool sign that said: "DRIVE CAREPHILLY"
I died!
Sister Bennett accidentally drove down twice the wrong way in a one
way street...haha we got even more yells and honks. Almost all of our
appointment canceled from like Friday to Sunday. That's always a
bummer when that happens..

And scariest moment of my life!! Are you ready?
We rode the subway home from church and
I get off at our stop and sister Bennett DOES NOT!
So I'm now left alone in the creepy dark subway while she rides off to
the next stop.
First missionary rule they teach you in the MTC: never be alone!
All I can do is just laugh at the situation and I just sit there
trying to decide how the heck we're going to get back together. I said
100 prayers and read some comforting scriptures to keep myself calm
and then the next train pulled up so I got on it and thought to get
off at the next stop thinking sister Bennett would have gotten off and
just waited for me. I get off at the next stop and she's not there!
Ahh by this time I've majorly freaking out, but knew Heavenly Father
would help me. I crossed over and got to the other side of the subway
to go back up to our original stop to see if she went back to get me
instead. I got there and didn't see her. I had the thought to just get
up and out of the subway on the street and look at the phone (our
phone doesn't get signal in the subway) so I did that and I had a
missed call from an unknown number. I immediately called and it was
sister Bennett on the other side! Told each other where we were and we
were reunited.
I HAVE BEVER BEEN MORE HAPPY IN MY LIFE TO SEE HER.

Good news we were both safe and reunited.
Lesson learned. So grateful for companions.
I don't think I'll be able to handle being alone for a while when I go home!
So sorry not sorry if I cling to some of y'all :)
I of course immediately thought of 100 gospel parables that can be
related to this story. I'll leave it to you to think of them:) and
learn from my experience.


I have good goals set up before the end of my mission.
To read the Book of Mormon over again and read the New Testament. I
just want to learn and study everything I can about Jesus Christ.
Studying more deep charity also.

I honestly have never been happier in my whole life. Being out here as
a literal representative of Christ. Bad days or even whole weeks
come..but I still have such a deep amount of joy it doesn't even phase
me.

Twentyfifteen

HAPPY 2015!!

I loved 2014 so much...first of all because I was a missionary for
that entire year!
Whenever I look back on my little life at 2014, it'll be mission memories.

Me and sister Bennett are waiting right now to get my haircut(: we're
in a really ghetto part of the city...but our investigator is cutting
my hair, so it's worth it.

So many miracles happened this week. I honestly am so in love with
being a missionary.

New Year's Eve is crazy here in the city, but we were in and safe in
our apartments sleeping at 1030(: we volunteer at this place called
"The Watermark" right by the temple. It's a retirement place and
everyone there loves us. We helped them run their party for the
residents. It was adorable. Try and imagine this: old people dressed
to their best, a guy play music on an accordion, 100 walkers, a
handful few who are able to dance, dancing carefully in the middle.
People shouting across the tables because they can't hear that well
and then me and sister Bennett with our tacky missionary skirt attire
in the middle of it all. Haha definitely a new year I will never
forget. They all soften my heart.

We miraculously ran into a member of the church! We were walking late
one cold night on a street we neeeeever go on and as we were walking
we heard this guy walking the other way say "hello sisters" and kept
walking. And we were WHOA! Hoooold on wait a minute sir. So we quickly
turned around and chased him down and we were like do we know you? And
he said he knows us, but we don't know him. He is from Albania & a
return missionary, BYU graduate living here in Philly. I know we were
meant to find him! Because he's totally inactive and doesn't even
believe in God anymore which broke our hearts hearing. He actually
stopped and spoke to us for almost a whole hour. There were many times
in the conversation where he felt the spirit as we talked to him about
"holding fast to the iron rod" (see 1 Nephi 8) in Lehi's tree of life
vision. We asked him when we "let go of the rod" (meaning like when
did he stop reading the scriptures)
He said YEARS ago, and we were like duh of course that's why you
strayed, your lost in the mist of darkness confused when you should
have been holding to the rod. We bore our testimony 100 times and
still he had no desire. But I know we did everything we could and he
will be telling this story 10 years from now at sacrament when he's
called to be a bishop.
I love how the gospel can truly change us as we apply it.

I had such a powerful experience at zone training. And I think I
realized why I absolutely love being a missionary.
Our purpose is to: Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them
receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His
Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost,
and enduring to the end.
Something that clicked about halfway through my mission was that our
purpose IS the doctrine/gospel of Jesus Christ "faith, repentance,
baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the
end" (see forth article of faith and 2 Nephi 31)
So my mission has really taught me the gospel of Jesus Christ and the
gospel of Jesus Christ is HOW we access the Atonement. That's what
clicked on Thursday for me. And that's why I love my mission because
it's literally helping me apply and use the atonement every single
day.
People always talk about the atonement and it's always been a hard
concept for me to wrap my brain around, never really been sure of how
to use it or apply it, but the gospel especially faith, repentance,
renewing our promises we made at baptism from the sacrament for
already members of the church and especially baptism and Holy Ghost
for nonmembers = atonement.

Remember Tatyana? I have been talking about her In a couple of my
emails..but I had the random thought to stop by her one day, it was
alittle out of the way but we did it anyways. Best choice ever.
(Always follow those promptings from the Spirit)
Her friend Terrance was there!! Let me try to describe to you the best
way I can who Terrance is.
Well first off he is gay. Like super super gay. He is black and loves
fashion (he tells me all the time how my outfit never matches my bag
hahah) he's a senior in high school, he's pretty skinny and tall. But
he's super in love with himself and he makes that very clear how good
he looks. Andddddd I want to be his best friend!
He has such a special place in my heart because of how much he LOVES
the gospel, we've seen him 3x this week, we taught him the restoration
and gave him a Book of Mormon, taught half of the plan of salvation
and he is getting baptized February 1!!!! He has been very open about
him being gay and we have been very open about how the churches and
heavenly fathers view on homosexuality. He knows the Book of Mormon is
true! And has thought a lot about it being gay, and knows that
Heavenly Father can change our desires and soften our heart. Every
time we go over there he is just so full of the spirit and soaks it
all up. Good things are happening!!

The church is true:)
Also..I went on exchange with my favorite sister ever--->SISTER COST.
She joined the church only 2 years ago. And ohh if you could hear her
story and see who she was before and after joining the church. She is
incredible. We had some really spiritual moments together just talking
about our missions and how much the gospel and the church means to us.
We get a weekly letter from our mission president every week and this
week was good, it kept saying the phrase "your highest self"
So that's my main goal, to become my highest self! By doing small and
simples things because I know that's how great things come. Alma 6:36

What are your goals for this year?
Email or write them to me!

christy.manson@myldsmail.net

1715 spring garden st. Apt F2
Philadelphia, PA 19130

Love Sister Manson😇

CHRISTmas

This week was a blurrrrrrr

We did so many things! We're always running around haha.

Tuesday we had our Christmas conference.

Ah-mazing as expected.

We watched 17 miracles and I pretty much cried the whole time.
If you haven't watched it, watch it!! It's all about the pioneers and
the difficult times they faced as they made their way across the
plains. I felt the spirit really strong as I watched it. Something I
thought about was why Heavenly Father made it so incredibly difficult
for them to come west. He could have made it really easy for them..but
he did not. Only until they had done all they could, and prayed was
when the miracles happened. When they were able to keep moving
forward. I learned a lot about the power of prayer. That's probably
the MOST important and biggest thing I learned from my mission is how
powerful real sincere prayers can be. Also learned how many people are
always with me while I'm out here on my mission. Sister Nielsen
(apostle elder nielson's wife) once said

"there are more people on the other side of the veil ROOTING for you,
than there are on this side"

powerful right??

Right. There's Angels and especially our ancestors and loved ones
who've passed away here with us helping us. Imagine how much we would
change if we could see them all! I'd never be scared or worried again
haha. But that's where faith comes in.

Christmas was good. Loved seeing all you guys! Thank you for all the
letters and fun presents & packages.

We spent most of our time with the members here. And it was very
special and a Christmas I won't forget! A lot of people here don't
have that much, so it was a very sweet spirit we felt as we talked
more about Christ than presents.

Saturday was a very special day as well because we had MLC (mission
leadership council)
Where all the zone leaders, the sister training leaders, come together
with the APs and our mission president and talk about the things going
on in the mission and are trained on what to take back to the
missionaries we're over.
We learned incredible things!! Me and sister Bennett get to train at
zone training this Thursday up in pennypack and 2 sets of the sisters
we cover are in that zone
(Sisters Handy, Gerber, Bailey & Cost)
We'll be talking about the commitment pattern and how we can better
leave commitments in our lessons. We're going to share Peter's account
in Acts 3:1-8
One of my favorites. I'm obsessed with peter
The rest of the zone training will be on our purpose as missionaries
and the doctrine/gospel of Jesus Christ and how they help us use the
atonement. Ahhh so good!!
Faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.
We are pretty close to all the sisters we cover as STLs and some of
them are struggling big time and it breaks me! But good things are
going to happen and this zone training I know will be answers to their
prayers.
I'll be sure to share my notes and thoughts next week.

Speaking of next week....2015!!!?

What the...not sure where 2014 went, feels like it just started, I
still think it's like August over here haha. #missiontimeprobs

I don't have any New Years resolutions other than to keep up all these
great things I'm learning after I go home from my mission.

I love you all so much and hope you'll have a good week and a happy
start to 2015!

Hugs from Sister Manson

Spiritually led

Last week was so good
And this week will be even better!!
Here's what we have planned this week:
Tomorrow we are having our Christmas mission conference and a talent show.
(Me and sister Bennett are sharing a few tricks we've learned from the
streets of philly haha we are going to step dance! Oh it sounds really
cool when we do it, while sister cox songs a Christmas carol. It'll be
great haha)
Then Christmas Thursday--face timing the family! YAY!
Not sure if I'll get to see/talk to frank though
Then we have mission leadership council all day Saturday.
So many good spiritual things happening!
I'm really excited.
But last week: here's what went down

Last Monday we caromed as a stake in the city! So much fun we were
handing out passalong he is the gift cards like crazzzzy.
My study of faith in the Book of Mormon has been amazing, I learn so much!
We saw Tatyana Tuesday. She said the closing prayer and started to cry.
First time she's ever really said a prayer. The spirit was strong.
Sister chang is going through the temple for her endowments January 31!!!
Me and sister Bennett will be going with her :)
The Washington, D.C. Temple. Oh it will be a glorious heavenly day.
I miss the temple and being inside one.

So I had a really cool experience as I was thinking in the car.
I saw a picture of a sister missionary from this mission who just went
home and she posted a picture of her and her brother hugging each
other and they were both crying. It stirred a lot of emotion in me as
I thought about all of you! I really will be so happy to see and give
hugs to everyone. But on another level I thought about how it will be
to go home-home..when we see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and I
felt the spirit so strong! I felt so much love from Heavenly Father as
I sat pondering these thoughts. (That's something sister Bennett has
taught me..to be good at pondering)
THE CHURCH IS TRUE.
Next we were miraculously led to mackenza. She's amazing. We stopped
by to see her brother who's a less active member. He wasn't there but
she was and their grandma. Our thoughts were to share and talk about
Christmas and the true meaning. But randomly during the opening
prayer..I had the thought to thank Heavenly Father for eternal
families and knowing we can be with our loved ones after they die. So
I said it and finished my prayer. A few monuments later, their cute
old grandma shares how mackenza's grandfather on their dads side in
Arizona passed away THAT MORNING. Talk about direct spiritual leading
going on...we were totally led to them.
We bore our testimonies and the spirit was very present. Mackenza is
not a member and we are going to see her again soon!

Super good district meeting all on the Book of Mormon and just how
important it is. Sometimes I think we totally take it for granted and
don't use it to the fullest. My testimony was strengthened in the Book
of Mormon. I know it's true.

It doesn't really feel like Christmas here. It's kinda cold but no snow.
Saturday was freeeeeezing. The windchill makes it like 7degrees it
feels like haha.
We were debating on walking or driving to our next plans. I wanted to
drive...cuz I was so cold but we decided to just walk. Best choice
ever. Saw 2 tender mercy miracles :)
Met Darlene! I had literally said a prayer about 1 minute in my heart
before we saw her just praying to have an opportunity to bear my
testimony and be lead to prepared people.
Darlene was raking her leaves and we stopped and asked if we could
help. She of course said no but we started talking and she had met
missionaries before. Also she shared how it was really funny because
she had been talking with her FAMILY that she wants to find a new
church start of the new year, hahaha DONE!! Check. Here ya go(:

We're seeing her again tomorrow.

Then we met Roselyn later that day. She had met with missionaries a
lot....14 YEARS AGO!
But she moved and lost touch. And then we found her :) as she was
walking home. She wanted to come inside right then and talk to her
more. Haha so we were like SURE!! Showed her henis the gift and gave
her a Book of Mormon. She is looking for peace in her life and we
promised she would find it.

Heavenly Father totally led us to 2 very prepared people. So happy and
excited to be here.
I love philadelphia and being a missionary.

I love you!
MERRY CHRISTMAS
{sister.manson}

Good Things Are Happening

Uhh I am very upset...It's halfway through December? Hahaha what the..
Christmas is like next week then it's 2015!

Sooo i have been starting to have small panic attacks about coming
home..I have like 12 weeks left on my mission. That is NOT okay. I'm
happy to see everyone because I really miss you guys haha....but
that's about all I'm excited for.
When we FaceTime each other on Christmas we need to have a real
serious talk about what I'm gonna do when I get home so I don't freak
out haha...because I am starting to.

My mission seriously means everything to me and I am not ready to go.
But I have been thinking about about these next 2 transfers I have on
my mission and I have some really good goals and plans and things I
want to do. I am going to do another Book of Mormon challenge because
I love it so much. I have a clean mini red Book of Mormon that I am
going to read 11 chapters a day to finish by January 9. I am
highlighting yellow for christ and blue for faith. I really want to
stay more about having faith in Jesus Christ and what that truly
means. I only got to chapter 4 today of 1 nephi....but oh man I have
learned so much already and felt the spirit very strong teaching and
helping me strengthen my faith.
Something that I struggle a lot with is my confidence.
And that is something I have been studying recently along with faith and hope.
Sister Bennett and I always have really good conversations about these topics :)

I found something super sweet in my studies this week.
But remember my #belikethemoon motto? I learned a new meaning for it.
I was studying confidence and I found this scripture
D&C 121:45 "..let they confidence WAX STRONG in the presence of God"
super cool right, but I had no idea what the heck the word "wax"
meant..so I defined it.
it means to increase in size--like how the moon waxes into a full moon!
Something to point out is that when the moon waxes it does it
gradually..not all at once.
🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕
So that is something I am going to remember now when I look at the
moon: to try to wax brighter in my confidence & shine bright. And to
not let myself wane(another moon term for the opposite effect)

#belikethemoon--ah I love it.
Also as we have charity and faith our confidence waxes strong.

A couple weeks ago I wrote about a girl named Tatyana. Do you remember
her? ((We met her and invited her to come to church but we got there
to ride the subway with her and she wasn't there but we were able to
meet dasse at the subway instead miraculously! -That's a brief summary
of her))

Well accidentally we stopped by her house again Saturday. A less
active member used to live there and we forgot to make note of that so
we stopped by again but remembered that's where Tatyana lived so we
were like sweet! We knock on the door and she was there! She is so
sweet and we showed her "he is the gift" and she loved it. Also gave
her the Book of Mormon and she is going to read it and we're meeting
with her again Tuesday.

GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING HERE.

I just love how Heavenly Father works(:
I also have a goal to write in my journal everyday..sooo hold me
accountable to that.

I hope everyone is having a good CHRISTmas season
Don't get caught up in the craziness of it all.
remember He is the gift.

I love you!!
Sister Manson

Spiritual gifts 101

 

Um it's almost Christmas...haha what the.

We had such a good week.

I'm grateful for Heavenly Father allowing me to struggle and feel alittle inadequate because it always helps remind me to turn to him.

That's how I would sum up this past week.

Fast Sunday's are always just what I need. I was also fasting for things I can be doing more or better at. I had the thought to really study and dive into Christ's life and get to really know Him better, I felt like I strayed abit and got caught up in other gospel principles. During relief society the lesson was ALL about christ and how we can better know Him. I was like whoa! Perfect, thanks Heavenly Father for helping me get started.

Sister Bennett is seriously the best. I hope we will be together for her last transfer.

We taught for zone training about spiritual gifts and our hearts. It was awesome. Spirit was strong and a lot of the missionaries came up afterwards and thanked us a lot for it.

We have all been blessed with spiritual gifts!

Here's a tid bit of what we shared.

"Let us review some of these less-conspicuous gifts: the gift of asking; the gift of listening; the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice; the gift of being able to weep; the gift of avoiding contention; the gift of being agreeable; the gift of avoiding vain repetition; the gift of seeking that which is righteous; the gift of not passing judgment; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of being a disciple; the gift of caring for others; the gift of being able to ponder; the gift of offering prayer; the gift of bearing a mighty testimony; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost"

The unexamined life is not worth living” (“Apology,” The Dialogues of Plato, trans. Benjamin Jowett, Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1952, p. 210). It is up to each of us to search for and build upon the gifts which God has given us" (Marvin j Ashton)

A prerequisite for seeking after the gifts of the spirit may require that we find out which gifts we already have been given."

Read your patriarchal blessing and identify your spiritual gifts you already have and seek more!

Sis Bennett came up with this goal of inviting seriously 100 people to be baptized this week. About 15 everyday.

At first I was like.....uhhhh okay. But The more she kept talking about it the more excited I got and was able to feel the spirit.

Today is our first day, it's our preparation day and barely 3pm and we already shared alittle about the restoration and invited 4 people to be baptized!!

It's amazing what happens when you're desperate president.

One last thing, my zone leaders in my last area promised us that if we were to bare our testimony about Jesus Christ, we'd find a family to teach. I love "He is the Gift" so much because it is a good reminder to do so. And as we have done that and talked to a lot of people, sister Bennett and I have been able to find 2 families! Work is picking up. I am grateful for the

"he is the gift" many miracles around the world in every mission are happening I bet. We're seeing them later today!

Read this talk of you have time...saved and changed my life.

"What it means to know christ"

September ensign 1974

I love you!

Sister Manson

Ice tea a stranger gave us....hahaha 

It was a long day...haha

I'm grateful for YOU.

Uhh it's December? What the...

Here's my gratitude list I promised. No particular order except the first three:

1 Jesus Christ

2 My mission--Seriously means everything to me & has changed my life

3 Alma 26:27

4 Mountains

5 Family history

6 The restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ

7 Not having to look both ways on a one way streets

8 Chinese food...aka fortune cookies

9 Chinese people

10 Living in the city

11 Riding the subway

12 Gum

13 A companion who knows how to drive in the snow

14 David Archuleta singing "Glorious" from "Meet the Mormons"

15 Companions who help my grammar

16 My mission president

17 Guidance from them Holy Ghost

18 Light

19 General Conference

20 My family

21 Kinder chocolate from Germany

22 Listening to others play the piano & sing

23 Feeling the Spirit because of that

24 Repentance

25 Raking leaves

26 Ugly-thrift-store-below-the-knee missionary skirts

27 Whenever my companions hold me back from stepping into the road when a car's coming

28 Flossers

29 Painting with water colors

30 Salt

31 People sharing their testimonies to me

32 Morrisville, PA

33 Swimming laps in a pool

34 Pretzels

35 Folk style hymns

36 All my missionary buddies: Elder Manson, Hermana Jones, Hermana Harper, Elder Lewis, Sister Steadman, Sister Menlove, Sister Cox, Sister Bailey, Sister Handy, Sister Wright, Sister Holt, Sister Winters, Sister Ririe, Sister Wiser, Sister Cost, Sister Bennett.

37 Chocolate chip cookies

38 Joseph & Emma Smith

39 Sacred experiences with my fellow sister missionaries..the spirit of discernment is real.

40 The Place family

41 The sun

42 The moon

43 The stars

44 THE BOOK OF MORMON

45 Missionary humor

46 Sisters who actually do their visiting teaching

47 Hearing what other people are grateful for

48 Heated seats in the car

49 Water/Amusement parks

50 My nametag

51 The number 100

52 Giraffes

53 Actually..all God's creatures-except spiders

54 Prayers

55 Going to the Chatfields for dinner every single week

56 Sister Chatfield using sour cream in everything

57 How the gospel can make bad men good & good men better #davidomckay

58 Not statues

59 Peter the Apostle

60 Sushi

61 Pottstown, PA

62 Sketchy places to eat

63 Priesthood blessings

64 Pizzapizzapizzapizza

65 Cat jokes---> what do you call a pile of cats??***

66 The many cultures here in Pennsylvania

67 Cemeteries

68 Running shoes

69 Hope

70 Curry

71 Scripture language---> notwithstanding, nevertheless, for behold, and it came to pass

72 The many murals on the sides of buildings

73 Mailmen

74 Sunflowers

75 Mesa, Arizona Temple

76 "Mormon Messages"

77 Trains

78 Balloons

79 Being able to share the gospel on Facebook

80 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Temple

81 BYU-Idaho

82 Preach My Gospel

83 Pretty tape

84 My kazoo

85 Kathie & Carmelina

86 Rainy days

87 The color green

88 The hymn "Ye Who Are Called to Labor" sung to the tune of "If You Could Hie to Kolob"

89 My glasses

90 Bishops & Stake Presidents

91 Oreos

92 Girls Camp

93 Philly slaaaaang "actin outta pocket"

94 Parallel parking

95 Beanies/warm hats

96 Turning out

97 Tithing

98 Sacrifices from previous generations of the church

99 Service

100 Patience from Heavenly Father with me

*** A MEOWntain

Hahah so funny.

Okay weeks just keep getting better and better here in this city.

We washed and vacuumed our car today at a super ghetto car wash place...I applied hand sanitizer immediately following it.

We had a good thanksgiving! Went over to the tabers and made pies and had a brunch, then saw some other Ward members.

 Went on exchanges this week with sister cox and sister winters. It was so cool being with sister cox again, it just felt like we were companions(: we teach really well together and we found this awesome and prepared woman who they are now going to start teaching. We taught the restoration and she shared how we were meant to be there that day because the day before her brother in law passed away, and she felt the spirit so strong! Sister winters is adorable. She is a brand new missionary and is just on fire about sharing the gospel! I felt bad though, it's her frist exchange and 2 people like flat out yelled at us when we tried talking to them...haha whatever though! The church is true and that's all that matters.

I hope you have seen "he is the gift" video that the church has put out. Me and sister Bennett found 4 new investigators last night from showing it and giving them that opportunity to feel the spirit. So incredible too because throughout the whole day we shared it and people were not having it! Didn't want to talk to us and were rude..but then the last people we talk to, these 4 girls Watched and wanted us to come back. <---- this is why I'm here to find those people who need the gospel. There are a lot of crazies here in Philly, but as me and sister Bennett are being literally DESPERATE to share the gospel Heavenly Father guides us to people who need us and need Him.

We had a missionary leadership council and I saw sister steadman, sister menlove, and sister Howard , sister ricks and sister Clark also. Like all of my favorite people :) we talked about really good things! About our hearts how they can be hard, soft, turned, changed, past feeling, how Heavenly Father looks at our hearts and spiritual gifts and some other things like family history and the temple. Me and sister Bennett are going to be training our entire zone about hearts and spiritual gifts. Keep me in your prayers I can teach well to these awesome missionaries haha.

It snowed alittle, but not much. I'm lucky here in the city it's like way behind winter schedule! Haha Heavenly Father loves me. It's like 60 degrees right now. But throughout the week it was like in the 30s..coooooold.

I haven't gotten sick yet! Yay and I don't plan on it

I love you! I'm going on exchange this week with sister Bailey and sister petrick. I'm excited!

I have been praying and studying about the gift of discernment, and Heavenly Father has totally hooked me up, because I am able to say things that are exactly what each of these sisters need to hear. It's quite humbling to see the lord work through and use me, little ol sister Manson.

Have a good week! Go watch he is the gift video! Share it and think of ways how you can better discover, embrace and share that great gift of our savior Jesus Christ.

{sister.manson}