Letter: 30 May 2016

There is sunshine in my soul today, more glorious and bright!

The gospel is glorious! And we are shining even brighter with all this sunshine and the gospel combined! It has been a wonderful week and I absolutely adore being a missionary.

We ran into some tourists when we were visiting Hluboke today (the beautiful white castle that reminds me of a temple... I love it!) and they asked us why we decided to give up a year and a half of our lives and be here. And I thought of all the reasons why I am here and simply answered: "Because I love Jesus Christ."  Because although I am here for so many wonderful reasons and I find a new one every single day, I know I am here because I love my Saviour. I know that it is because of Him that all things are possible and I love Him for all that He has done for me.
 

This is the oldest member of our branch!

Life is incredible because of Him and every day I can show Him how grateful I am by trying to be just a little bit better and a little more like Him. And the wonderful thing is that as I try to do that more, the more I love Him.

I know that this church is true and that the gospel is a pure gift from God. W need to use it to our fullest! It will bless our lives forever as we simply live by its teachings and love God.

This week we had a really wonderful lesson on the street with a man and his son as we waited to go surprise visit a family with the elders. He simply asked us how he could come to know Christ more and didn't really understand why we had the Book of Mormon. Right there and then we started to teach him about the restoration and testified of Christ and I could feel this overpowering feeling of peace and happiness come over me, both ion my head and in my heart and I just knew that that was the spirit working through us to testify the truthfulness of this message to this young man. We were able to help him identify the spirit as well and it completely changed his behaviour.  I know that the gospel has that power to change each and every one of us because God loves us.  We are His beloved children with the potential to become like Him.

We then afterwards got to visit a dear sweet family that we are helping the elders to teach. They are a young mom and dad with three kids under three. We had made dinner for a less-active member who was not home so we decided to still carry out our act of service and visit them. This family has already changed so much because of the gospel and I love walking into their home and being able to feel the spirit more and more each time. This work is so true and is the greatest work we can ever do!

I love being a missionary. I know I was called of God by a living prophet today to serve here in the Czech Republic and help to bless these incredible Czech people that are loved by their Creator and Father in Heaven.

Ja vim, že žije Spasitel. On vás miluje. Ježíš je Kristus.

S láskou,

Sestra M

Letter: 23 May 2016

When I first started my mission, I heard so many missionaries who were near the end of their mission say that I will learn to walk with God as I serve. I feel like I am starting to understand exactly what they mean by that!

So many times we plan and pray and hope for things to go the way WE want them to. But I know that God always has the best plan and it is often very different from ours. However, as we follow Him in faith and rely on His Son, the greatest gift he has sent to us, all will be well.

I love the opportunity I have to kneel in prayer many times each day and learn to walk with God as I communicate with Him and then finish with an 'Amen' and begin to act. It is by acting and doing that we learn to walk with God.

Another thing I have learned is that we are NEVER alone. God sent us His Son and because He was once alone in the Garden of Gethsemane, we never have to be. Turn to Him when you feel alone and when you are happy and have a heart of gratitude. It is because of Him that miracles happen. It is because of Him that we can learn to walk with God.

I know that God is in the heavens and that Jesus is the Christ. Miracles happen because His church is restored. And His church has been restored because He loves us beyond compare.

In His sacred name, Jesus Christ, Amen.

S laskou,

Sestra Manners 

P.S.  PLEASE watch the video on this page.  It is all about the special conference with Elder Uchtdorf to create the Prague Stake!  I was in the big meeting but you cannot see me in the video!

First Stake in the Czech Republic 

 

Letter: 16 May 2016

Dear all,

This email is coming to you from a sister missionary that is now serving in the Czech Prague stake!!!!! We now have a stake in the Czech Republic!!!!! It was the most incredible weekend of my mission ever! President Uchtdorf told us that we will always remember this day (yesterday when he formed a stake in our mission).

It was such a spiritually uplifting weekend. President Uchtdorf came to preside and we had the privilege of hearing from him on Saturday and Sunday. He is such an incredible man! He was born in the Czech Republic so it was very special for the members to have him there.

I also got see all of my mission companions in one day because both Sestra DuBois and Sestra Daugirda were there! It was so special! I love all of my companions so dearly and have shared so many incredible experiences that are hard to put into words. I also saw so many wonderful members that I love and am so grateful to be serving in a mission where that is possible. The Lord has blessed me so much!

One of our dear friends that we teach was also baptised this weekend! His name is Tomas and he is our primary child!!! (We are the primary presidency in this branch!) and it was such a wonderful start to a beautiful weekend to see him make his first covenant with God. I have loved teaching this kid. He has a fireball of a testimony and enough energy that will help him serve a great mission in years to come!

The whole experience helped me to realize how much I love my mission. I love these members so much and it has been an absolute honour to serve amongst them. I am grateful for the opportunity I have each day to share my testimony and to help others to come unto Christ.

A unique experience for me happened on Saturday after our adult meeting. Sister Hill and I had the pleasure of meeting sister Uchtdorf. I got to speak a little German to her and she kindly spoke with us for just a few seconds but they were incredible. She encouraged me to keep doing the wonderful job that I am doing and gave us both a big warm hug.

I am so grateful for spiritual experiences that help me to know that this is true. The spirit is such a marvelous gift from our Father in Heaven.

I know that this church is true with all my heart. Jesus is the Christ.

S laskou,

Sestra Manners

 

P.S.  Thought you would all get a laugh out of seeing these attempts to take a "jumping picture" where we were off the ground..... these both failed!

 

 Better luck next time!

Letter: 10 May 2016

Life is wonderful že, jo? (right?)

I am so excited to be training! It has been a blast this week and I feel like Sister Hill came so prepared! We have been working hard and I even have a Picture when she nearly passed out on the couch today when we were home for a little bit. She may not have fallen asleep during church, but she was pretty close! Training has definitely come with some challenges like helping her to feel more comfortable contacting and just not burning her out too much but they are helping me learn and I feel like training this transfer is exactly what I need to keep working hard and progress even more as a missionary in new aspects.

Back in Prague for a few days preparing as a trainer!

We had a week of miracles! They day we got back to CBud, we went and visited the Mestanovi with the Elders since Jana's Husband had recently had heart surgery and he wanting a blessing. as we were there, they opened their hearts to us and told us how they knew they needed to repent and come to church again. They do say that very often but they actually came to church on Sunday!!! It was so great!! I feel like they are finally starting to progress at a quicker rate and I loved seeing Jana at church on Sunday (I am really learning to find joy in the littlest of things such as seeing someone come to church). 

She brought her granddaughter who is also a member and her other granddaughter named Dominka. Dominka and Lucinka are sisters but Dominka lived in England when Lucinka and Jana joined the church. Dominka really wants to learn and be baptised but her parents have not given her approval which is really hard because she really wants to learn and grow (like we taught her to pray with the Elders during game night!) but we are also wanting to respect her parents. (That was the hard part of the week... so we had a pretty good week!).

Ingredients sent from home!  Thanks Mom and Dad!  xxx

I also had the best birthday ever!!! I got to start the week by being in Prague, seeing the bridge at night and we even ran into some Mormon girls from BYUI (BYU Idaho) on a European tour! Then my birthday itself we had breakfast with all the trainers at president's home, then I picked up my greenie!! She is adorable! and we rode home. We had a lesson with Kata and she got me an avocado :) (They are my favorite and it was a perfect present). It was such a wonderful day!!!

Breakfast at the Mission Home with all the other trainers

Here are some facts about my mission baby/greenie:

• Her name is Sister Hill.  She is from Texas.
• She is the baby in her family and all of her siblings have served missions (all 5 of them).
• She wears glasses and can play the nose harmonica (She has already shown me... we bonded quickly).
• She is the best at Czech!!! (I had her talk to people by herself our second day together and she found a new investigator).
• She is incredible and pretty much came pre-trained. 

President McConkie, Sister Manners, Sister Hill and Sister McConkie

We also met with Tomas who just a week earlier felt like he should stop working towards baptism and we took him off baptismal date. But this week he was feeling so much better and we talked more about baptism and helped set expectations with him and now he is working with us towards the 25th of June as a baptismal date. He is such an amazing young man! He really struggles with social anxiety so he is scared to come to church and despite inviting him to come early so we could meet with him and just a member so he could feel more comfortable, he didn't come. It was hard but we know that the Lord knows how to help him, so we will keep on praying for him and with him. Luckily, this being one of the smallest branches in the Czech Republic, he is in the perfect place!! So that is already and answer to our prayers.

A district dinner appointment!

This week during correlation with President Ambroz (the C'Bud Branch President), we also discovered that Sestra K (the sisters have been working with her for months) has been reactivated!!! It brought such a smile to my face and I am so grateful that she is active again! I have seen the light of Christ become more apparent in her eyes over the months that I have served here and she has a big part of my heart.

Life is wonderful, the weather is gorgeous and I know this transfer is full of miracles. This next weekend our mission will be formed into the first stake in the Czech Republic!! and Elder Uchtdorf will be the one here to form it!

The church is true, the book is blue and Moroni is on the ball.
s laskou,

Sestra Manners 

I know I have been doing well when I wear my companion out, she fell asleep like this!

 

I found some crutches in the apartment!  I may need them after a stunt like this one!

Letter: 3 May 2016

I AM HAVING A BABY!!!!

A mission baby... no need to worry everyone :) 

I will be training this transfer and I am sooo excited!!!! It will be magnificent and she is coming here on my birthday!! So I get to be in Prague for my birthday and get an awesome birthday present!!

We ended our prayer challenge with Kata by fasting about baptism. The spirit was so strong!!! I love being a missionary! We got to start our fast by praying outside together and then each having our own individual prayers. We were in a park and spread out a little (we were still in sight and sound) so we could pray out loud. I haven't really done that much on my mission since I am always with my companion and it was so nice!! I loved being in nature and could feel the spirit so strongly! It helped me prepare for this transfer and helped me to find more ways in which I can improve.

Jesus Loves you!!!

S laskou,

sestra Manners 

 

Letter: 25 April 2016

Dear all,

I really am like a little princess serving in a fairy tale. this place is gorgeous! And this week we had our culture night (once a transfer president lets us do something culturally enriching as a district) and we decided to tour cBud. We have some great English students here that love to show us their hometown so this week, we got to take a tour of the city and get to know the history which made me appreciate everything so much more!

We simply walked around the city and he told us different facts about buildings, the history and showed us some secret views.  We also got to go up the town's black tower and see some amazing views of the city.  I really am serving in such a beautiful city!

Every day is filled with incredible people and opportunities to share my testimony everywhere!

My birthday is coming up pretty soon and I wanted to ask you all for a birthday present! I will be turning twenty so I would like to invite you to try and do 20 acts of service between now and May 4th.  What do you think? I will join you and let's see how many little acts of service we can do!  They can be as small or as big as you want them to be!  I would love to hear about them and try to send pictures if you can! 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/you-are-my-hands?lang=eng

S laskou,

Sestra Manners 

 

Letter: 18 April 2016

Dear all,

I love my mission!!!!

Today we went on a hike with our English student and it reminded me that we are all about progression.

We learn to reach new heights and love life. I try to reach new heights each day and invite you to do the same! Make goals and make steps to reach them by always starting with a prayer. 

Click here for a great article about How to pray in a way God can answer

We also had a fun service project and cleaned up a forest wearing our fancy vests :)  
 
Thank you for your prayers and love!

S laskou,

Sestra Manners