MT C u l8r

Hola friends and family!!!! I cannot believe that I will be leaving for South America in 48 hours!! I feel so unprepared yet so ready at the same time! Thank you so much for the constant love, support, encouragement and prayers! They keep me going! 

Mi semana:

-the CC-Emmy's were a HIT! Each Hermana won three awards and then there were companionship awards. I'll explain my three awards:

1. Human water fountain - if you got my last email, you will remember the embarrassing moment where I spat water all over the classroom

2. Thinks cereal is a food staple - there is one elder here in the MTC that eats approximately 3 bowls of cereal for every meal. He is my idol

3. loves Polynesians from a distance - we all know that I love Polynesians but I am entirely too white to approach their table 

Some other awards included: loves food they're allergic too, most likely to get married within two months of getting home, can communicate with hands only, most likely to be triggered. Y'all probably think I am really weird but these are things that my district has really bonded over so we really loved celebrating together!!! 

- On Monday we had our last service. Service each week includes cleaning the residence halls. So for the past 6 weeks, we have enjoyed cleaning toilets, showers and heavy duty vacuuming. As I was cleaning toilets, I realized that I don't think I have been any happier - and I was cleaning toilets!! I love serving others, having diligent scripture study and prayer and submitting my will to the Lord (something I am still working on every day). I haven't even made it to the mission field and I already never want to leave. I know that I am blessed with this joy because I am doing the work of the Lord and am doing my best!

- We had out last class with one of our teachers - Hermana Sedgwick this week and it was really sad! We have really come to love and appreciate all the things she does for us to be the best missionaries we can be! I'll miss her so much! (quick story about Hermana Sedgwick - she wore this one tribal looking shirt the first day we entered the MTC. then a couple weeks later she wore the same shirt and I accidentally told her "that shirt gives me PTSD of my first day at the MTC" luckily she forgave me) Anyway, love her so much and we are so excited to get an email update of her novio :)

- On Wednesday we got a new district!! It is so much fun to get a new district because they always bring a new enthusiasm for the work that I love! 

- We had infield orientation on Thursday. This reminded me that I AM ACTUALLY GOING TO SOUTH AMERICA AHHHHHHHH!!!! But orientation was so good! It was definitely a long day of sitting and listening but it was super helpful! We learned how to set goals, work with members and be a successful missionary! 

- This morning we got to go to the temple with our other teacher Hermana Richards and her husband!!! It was such a great experience! Since we were in a hurry to get to the temple, we were just going to grab a sack breakfast but as we walked past the cafeteria, we saw that they were having french toast sticks for breakfast!!!!!! So Hermana LeSueur and I literally ran back to residence to change into our dresses (you can't eat in the cafeteria unless you are in missionary attire - we were in jeans and a t-shirt) and we made it just in time to sneak some french toast sticks in Hermana LeSueur’s purse and run to the temple!!! fue un milagro (it was a miracle)

- Spiritual high of the week: I was reading in Ether from the Book of Mormon. I love the Brother of Jared and find a lot of applications from the scriptures when I read his story! Anyway, the Brother of Jared needed to find a way to get light in their barge as they traveled across the ocean. After counseling with the Lord, the Brother of Jared asks the Lord to touch these rocks so they can be a light across the ocean. Then the Lord lights the rocks with His finger - so powerful. I found this so applicable in my life right now. I am about to embark on a crazy adventure in Argentina and I currently feel like a rock. I can't speak Spanish, I don't know all the answers to so many questions, and I don't know how I am supposed to take bucket showers for the next 17 months. But I do know that the Lord can make me a light, if I let Him. I have studied a lot about how to be the best missionary and the best answer I can find is to submit my will to the Lord. I know that as I submit my will to the Lord, He can transform me from a rock to a light!!!! I love this gospel so much! 

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! NEXT TIME YOU HERE FROM ME I WILL BE IN ARGENTINA BABBAYYYYYYYYYY

-Hermana Mannewitz 

more awkward bless4 pictures

Shout out to the Neel Family for sending 3 care packages this week!!  so grateful!

CCEmmy Awards

goodbyes to our teacher - Hermana Sedgwick!  I am so thankful for her!

last gym time!!!

love my Hermanas

very low quality picture but we have loved Monday morning service!

nightgown crew <3

Spat

Another great week in the MTC!!! Time here is just an illusion! I can't believe I will be leaving in just one week! Read below for some embarrassing and spiritual high moments: 

Mi semana:

- Highlight of the week was on Easter Sunday when Dallin H. Oaks came to the MTC! We were singing prelude music before he walked in and it was so powerful. We were singing "I Believe in Christ", then in walks an apostle of the Lord, so we all stood up. The spirit testified so strongly that Christ lives and that through Him and only Him, can we have joy in this life and eternal life in the life to come. Brought me to tears. It was an Easter Sunday I will never forget 

- It happened. I spat water all over the classroom. It was sooooo embarrassing. I'll try to set up the scene: We are all just casually sitting in class, just about ready to start. I take a big gulp of water, because I was thirsty. Suddenly, Hermana Ward has a genius idea on how we can get out of our skype TRC (talk without noise coming out of our mouth - it will make it look like we had bad connection of something). Then here I am, trying to swallow my water but I physically couldn't. I was laughing entirely too hard. It wasn't even that funny but I could not control myself. So I spat the water on the carpet. I WAS SO EMBARASSED. Soon after this sequence of events, we started class by kneeling for opening prayer and we literally kneeled around my mess. Not my proudest missionary moment but definitely one I won't forget. 

- TRC update - we had our last lesson with Patricia last night and it went so well. We taught the plan of Salvation and she really loved it. Sadly, this week we will not have any time for more TRC lessons so we said our goodbyes to her. On the bright side, we got to do a skype TRC on Monday afternoon! Hermana Tolson and I got to talk to a lady from Chile! Speaking with her gave me confidence in my Spanish skills but I lost a lot of confidence in my missionary skills. I have so much to learn and I am so excited!!!

- FLIGHT PLANS BABYYYY!!!! I am officially headed to South America. Now that we have flight plans, it makes it all a little more real. There are a total of 4 of us headed to Salta which is such a blessing in my life. I'm so excited we get to travel with each other!!! We leave the MTC on Monday morning at 8:50 to head to the Salt Lake City airport. We fly out of Salt Lake at 2 and then have a two hour layover in Georgia. Then we fly through the night to Buenos Aires. Then we have an approximately 15 hour bus ride to Salta :) I’m so so so excited. 

- I have officially been gone for a month!! It has seriously flown by - at least for me!! Only a quick 17 more months to go! To celebrate our one month, our district is holding the first annual CC-Emmy's emmy's emmy's emmy's (imagine the echoing of the microphone). Anyways, stay tuned!!! It’s gonna be so funny!!! 

- Spiritual high of the week was with Hermana Richards when we were discussing the difficulties and blessings of learning a new language. Spanish is coming along better and better but I'm worried once I get to Argentina I won't be able to understand anything. Esta bien. Anyway, we were reading in Ether about the Tower of Babel. All the languages were scattered because they sinned. Since no one spoke the same language, it was very difficult to communicate the feelings of your heart. I am in that position right now. I can't speak English or Spanish so I have a hard time expressing myself. However, as we learn a new language we are overcoming sin!! And of course we need the Atonement to overcome sin. I never thought of it that way but it is so true. I need the Atonement everyday as I am learning a new language. I love this gospel and the perspective it gives me in every aspect of my life. 

- If you thought I was a good sleeper before, you would be amazed now. The other night I fell asleep with the lights on and everyone being super loud. I literally fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. They are working us real hard here in the MTC! 

- Scripture of the week: Proverbs 8:30

"Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him"

  I love this scripture because it reminds me that we are all children of a Heavenly King and he loves us SO much!!! I can't wait to live in the presence of God again. So grateful for the knowledge I have and for the opportunity I have to share it with the people of Argentina! 

Only one more week in the United States!!!! If you have any free time, feel free to write me a letter!!! I want my mailbox to look like Harry Potter's :) JK not kidding tho

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! Thank you for all the love, support & prayers

xoxo

Hermana Mannewitz 

I don't even know how this happened

Gracias to Hermana LeSueur for dying my eye lashes <3

Happy Easter from a few of your favorite Hermanas

Patricia! Our TearsRC investigator! Love her!!

Darin & Kali tried to send me my favorite treat - potato salad - but they took it away :( it's the thought that counts!!!

Favorite quote of the week comes from Hermana Ward: (at 8am) "who's excited for beeeddd???"

THIS STUFF ACTUALLY WORKS!! Our shoes don't smell as terrible now!

Poor Hermana Arvizu got diagnosed with tendonitis this week. It’s been rough.

Our zone walking around the temple on Sunday afternoon!!

Reminiscing on good times with my childhood best friend. Much love to Hermana Kentner

God loves broken things...

(From April 8, 2017)

And we are shattered

pero esta bien (but it’s okay)

Story time! So we have this thing en el CCM called TRC and I don't remember what it stands for but pretty much my companion and I teach a real investigator. Our investigator's name is Patricia and she is from Uruguay. She is a true native speaker and I have a really hard time understanding her but it is becoming better with time and as I love her. Anyway, on Monday, our district was super overwhelmed with everything and then that night we had our first TRC lesson. It was really rough. We all came back to the room in tears. Our teacher, Hermana Richards who I love SO much, gave us big hugs and then she shared some awesome advice. She shared the following scripture from the Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 2:7):

Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

This pretty much changed the course of my mission so far. I cannot do this on my own. I need the power of the Atonement right now. I am so grateful that I had this humbling experience so I can recognize the hand of the Lord in my life. I know that as I do my best, He will make up the rest! We had another lesson with Patricia last night and it went really well. I could understand her better and help answer her questions. She is not sure if God exists but she is coming along. Please keep her in your prayers as she finds out for herself the truthfulness of our message. 

Being a host missionary was a blast!!!! We did such a great job that they asked us to be hosts again next week and I am PUMPED (I’ll be looking for you Savannah!)

I LOVED general conference and I LOVED watching general conference with all the missionaries en el CCM. I really loved Russell M. Nelson's talk when he talked about how as he studied the life of Christ, he was a changed man!! I have taken some time to study the life of Christ and my thoughts towards Him have changed already. I am so grateful for Him! 

Spanish is coming along. My teacher told me I have a lot of confidence because I make so many mistakes when I talk but that doesn't hold me back so that's cool

BYU VOCAL POINT CAME TO DEVOTIONAL ON SUNDAY NIGHT!!! They are very, very talented. In between songs, they tried to sum up their mission in one word. It was amazing. On Tuesday, Elder Martino (the brother of the MTC president) came to speak to us and he did a great job! He used the scriptures to explain how we can help our investigators. So good! 

Sorry I don't share any funny stories!! Lots of hilarious things happen but I think it is only because we are all so exhausted. 

Love you all!!! Thank you for the prayers!!

xoxo,

Hermana Kelly Mannewitz 

(Sometimes I have to remind myself that I am Kelly - not just Hermana Mannewitz. Kelly is who I am and Kelly is who got me on this great mission! What an honor I have to represent my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, but I must also remember that I am still good ole, goofy, positive, always down for BWW, Kelly!)

#bless4 - you'll have to watch Meet the Mormons 2 to understand how funny this is

These are some sisters that lived on my floor and they are headed for Nebraska! Take good care of them

Hermana Lesueur and I after TRC - v sad

We love flamin hot cheetos!!!!

An elder in our zone brought us all small bags of cheetos and it was the best day ever!

We have this shrine in our room with pictures of our family and stuff.

Whenever we get discouraged, we just look at our shrine

When you get three packages in one day

My worry stone has pretty much become my 11th finger. I always have it with me

This is Hermana Arvizu. She is HILARIOUS!

Also she is Polynesian so she is gonna hook me up with some awesome Polynesian I can marry

BANANA BREAD - thank you Aunt Kali!!!! It was soooooooo good that I didn't even share.

Still working on that Christ-like attribute

We have a countdown to when we get to put our pajamas back on –

the countdown starts as soon we put our dresses on each morning lol

poca a poca

Another humbling week in the life of Hermana Mannewitz! I seriously love the mission so much and I am learning so much...little by little. My two go-to phrases are pero, esta bien (but it’s okay) and vive and aprende (live and learn) because that is just how the MTC life is! 

Mi semana:

- Word of the week is ROJO.  Three hermanas in my district got pink eye this week and it was really rough.  But now we are all healed and feeling better!!  I also chose the word rojo because our district has a strange obsession with flamin hot cheetos.  We literally eat them all the time and most of the time the cheetos are not very good for our digestive system...

- New responsibility!!!  I am no longer the district leader but now Hermana Tolson and I are the sister training leaders which means we get a flip phone to call the front desk in case of emergencies WOOHOOO!  We also got to help with orientation for the 2 new districts we received this week!  It was so fun.  Our new district makes us feel really old but not that old because one elder is 6'8".  CRAZY!  But we really love our new district and their sense of enthusiasm they bring for missionary work. 

- Being a host missionary was so fun!  This week I got to host a sister missionary who is from Taiwan and does not speak English. I got to take her off campus to get some x-rays and some clothes which was super fun but also super hard because she does not speak English. pero, esta bien.  We still connected and I really love seeing her around campus!  There was another missionary who also had to run around Provo so I got to hang out with two girls who are from Tonga.  If you know me, you know I love Polynesians so I was pretty excited.  At the end of our fun day, the sisters told me that I COULD SIT WITH THEM AT DINNER. THAT'S LIKE SITTING AT THE COOL KIDS TABLE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I'M SO PUMPED. SO CHILL. LIFE IS TOO GOOD. 

- I know Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers because on Wednesday morning I prayed that there would be french toast sticks for breakfast AND THERE WAS! Sounds silly, but it was really a testimony boost for me that Heavenly Father is aware of every little detail of our life. And He wants us to talk to Him!!! I know that it is only through Him that I have had the success and good times on my mission thus far. I'm so happy to be able to share His message with the people in Argentina.

- The gift of tongues is so real and I am so grateful for it.  I thought that the gift of tongues was going to be this miraculous things where I can automatically speak Spanish fluently but it is not. The gift of tongues comes when you love the people. Hermana Tolson and I witnessed the gift of tongues in a lesson with one of our investigators, Mirna. Once we were more focused on Mirna and less focused on our abilities to speak Spanish, we were able to convey the feelings of our heart and she was able to understand us. She then shared that she felt a desire to increase her faith.  fue una milagro. 

- Update on Patricia: she is doing great!!! She has been reading the Book of Mormon and has been praying but doesn't feel the need to be baptized yet. We will focus on her concerns next week and hopefully things will go will! Thank you for the prayers for her as well as myself. They are working!!!

- let me just brag about my teachers real quick. Hermana Richards is the best!!! On Thursday morning, we didn't learn grammar and all we did was have a heart to heart with her. She is such a good example to me and I really want to be like her when I grow up!! I have so many awesome role models in my life and I am so grateful for them. 

- The countdown is on. I only have 2 more weeks in the United States (so if you were planning on sending hand written letters, now is the time)!!! I am so excited and so nervous at the same time. 

Has flat Kelly had any fun adventures? I love seeing pictures of fun family activities!!! 

Yo se que esta iglesia es verdad. Yo se que Jose Smith fue una profeta de Dios y que el tradujo el Libro de Mormon. Yo se que el sacerdocio es en la tierra hoy y solomente mediante esta poder, podemos la oportunidad a regresar con Dios otra vez. Yo se que Jesucristo es mi Salvador. Yo se agradecido por la Expiacion de Jesucristo entonces nosotros tenemos la oportunidad a ser limpios de nuestras pecados. Yo se que Thomas S. Monson es la profeta de Dios y que el recibi revalaccion de Dios para nosotros. Yo se ques Nuestro Padre Celestial nos ama muchismo y quiere que nosotros hablamos a el mediante la oracion. Yo se estas cosas porque yo ore a mi Padre Celestial y El conteste mi preguntas. Yo se que si usted ora a Dios, el eschuche a sus sentimientos de su corazon. 

Have a great Easter Sunday and remember the reason we celebrate!!! Love you all!!!

xoxo

Hermana Mannewitz 

Desperate times call for desperate measures

Temple walk

WE FAILED RESIDENCE CHECK :( pero esta bien

I "hop" they call me on a mission - cute decorations from Hermana Young's family

Hermana LeSueur eating flamin hot cheetos.  What's new?

The 2 new districts

Date night with Hermano Oxford (our Spanish dictionary...don't worry dad!)

Shout out to my loyal pen pal, Ashtyn, for these uplifting pictures

Poor Hermana Newson had pink eye in both of her eyes

Sister missionary shoes smell gross.  Daily gym clothes smell gross.  Hermana LeSueur and
I put all our gross things in one closet and now call it the "regga nasty closet"

Ball so hard in el CCM

No big deal or anything but I won TWO games of knockout against my zone. Everyone was so impressed and I felt pretty honored but I quickly humbled myself because Spanish is muy difficult and I need all the help I can get! 

Good news: WE GET TO BE HOST MISSIONARIES!!!! That means that we get to welcome in the new missionaries who are coming in on Wednesday and we are SO excited!! 

bad news: we can't give hi-5's in the MTC which is really hard for me because I love hi-5's but I know I will be blessed as I follow all the rules. The reason behind the rule is because in some cultures, it is really disrespectful. And since we are going all around the world, we need to break those bad habits as we prepare to be a missionary!! The church is so true.

I seriously love my district of sisters. We get along so well and have truly made long lasting friendships just in the 10 days we have been here. They are hilarious. Each meal, I am scared to take a drink of my chocolate milk because I’m scared someone will say something funny and then milk will come out of my nose which would be v embarrassing. But I love them so much! 

We have devotionals every Sunday night and every Tuesday night and they are just the fuel I need to make it through the week! This past Sunday, the BYU men's chorus came and sang for us. They are VERY talented and also shared some very inspirational mission stories. The songs they sang really brought the Spirit and testified of the truthfulness of this gospel. Then on Tuesday night, elder palmer of the 70 came and spoke to us! He spoke about the power of the Holy Ghost while serving a mission. The Holy Ghost is SO important and is the way that we can become converted unto the Lord. I love the CCM (MTC) and am so happy here! 

Also, exciting news! I get to see my grandma and grandpa all the time here at the CCM. It is so fun to see them here and feel of their love and support! They were in our branch presidency but they just got reassigned :( but I still get to see them around so it’s great! Our branch presidency is awesome though! The Price's are heading on a mission in a couple weeks to Moldova (idk how to spell that) so we are sad to see them leave but are so excited for their future!!! They are like our CCM mom and dad and we really look up to them! 

Spanish is coming along - slowly but surely! We just started grammar yesterday so we still have a lot to learn but have learned so much already! Right now we have really been focusing on how to be a better teacher and how to invite the spirit into our lessons. We had 4 lessons with Miri this week - the investigator I was talking about last week. On Thursday, our lesson went really well. Miri told us that she felt a desire to pray because she knows that God is there and is listening to her prayers. So cool!!! Then she prayed for us at the end of the lesson. We were so excited. We really love Miri and want the best for her! THEN, on Friday morning, we walk into class and there she was. SHE IS OUR TEACHERS. SHE WAS BEING A FAKE INVESTIGATOR!  We were all so surprised (but not really because we know that they were just having us practice) but it was awesome. We really did think that she was a native speaker but she is actually just a white American. It was such a good experience teaching her and helping her come closer to Christ. I love being a missionary. 

Cool things I learned this week:

- Your hardest work is necessary but not sufficient - we need the Savior's help

- I have more faith in the Lord than _______________ (Spanish lol)

- A testimony is knowing something is true. Conversion is being true to what you know. 

- The greatest miracle in your life will be your own personal conversion

- There is so much power in testifying. As you bear testimony, the Holy Ghost will bear witness of the truthfulness you are speaking 

Thank you so much for the prayers!! I truly feel uplifted by your support! 

Watch conference! Send me dearelders (they are so fun to get! and free!) be happy!!! 

xoxo,

Hermana Mannewitz 

  

How I feel when we get to escape the CCM to walk on around the temple on Sunday afternoons!

   

Really pretty trees right outside the CCM!

lol Brother Hoogan accidentally took a picture of his tie instead of a picture of us

All 4 of us are headed to SALTA!!!

I think that is me in the very bottom.  What a beaut

 Sister LeSueur got some mom cookies and it was the best part of our day!

This is Elder Majors!!! He left on Monday for California but he is so funny. He told us that he dated all the girls in his ward just so he could let them down. What a homie. 

Who doesn't love Elder Majors?

 How we feel going into a lesson

  

 How we feel when we have the Holy Ghost so we know the lesson will go well

Me after I ate a philly cheese steak sandwich, french fries, two bananas 

and a bowl of cereal for lunch ​​

I GOT A PACKAGE FROM DARIN AND KALI AND MY FAVORITE LITTLE KIDS! IT

INCLUDED MY FAV MUFFINS AS WELL AS SOME HANDWRITTEN LETTERS <3

  

      My muffins  

Hermana Tolson was jealous she didn't have pockets

                                                        

All the district

When we can't understand Spanish we just...

  

Still practicing my drug dealing skills

  

Trace sent all the good stuff. Much love

  

ANOTHER PACKAGE! Shout out to Aunt Amy. You the best

Hermanas!