hermana mannewitz : never. stop. running.

Hola! Que tal? Are yall getting pumped for Thanksgiving this week? Very sadly, Thanksgiving is not a holiday here in Argentina. And bueno, if you know me, you know that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because I love being grateful and I love food! So go ahead and eat an extra slice of pumpkin pie for me! My gringa and I will be celebrating here in Guemes (but without all the yummy food)

Anyways, we had a super great week and worked really hard! AND WE ATE MAPLE DONUTS!!!!! With my imagination, I was basically in Krispy Kreme enjoying a donut hot of the press. But in reality, I was eating a cold scone with maple frosting (another shout-out to my mom for the maple extract)

Bueno, Hermana Taylor and I have started running...believe it or not....every morning to lose a little of this weight we have gained on the mission. As we are running, I have a lot of time to reflect and think about my life. This week, when I was basically dead, I remembered that a little over a year ago I ran a half marathon. And now I can barely run a mile....but that’s another topic. Anyway, I remember in my training, I only had one goal 'never stop running’. I didn’t know what to expect the day of my race and I had never run a half marathon before so I didn’t have a timed goal. My only goal was to never stop running. And bueno, I finished my half marathon, ran the whole thing and was pleased with my performance. I didn’t get first place or even a very good time but I was proud that I gave it all I had. As a missionary, I have found a lot of correlation between my half marathon and missionary service. I don’t know all the results I am going to get from my mission, I don’t know how many converts I will have written in Preach my Gospel, I don’t know how many of my investigadores will come to church but I do know that I will give it all I have. I will give the Lord my all for 18 months and as I finish this spiritual journey I can rest, knowing that I tried my best. I invite you all to do the same. Whatever you are doing with your life in this moment: studying, working, being a parent, professional nap taker, GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT AND NEVER STOP RUNNING!

(Motivational speaker Hermana Mannewitz out)

I’m almost legal! I finished up some paperwork this week so I should be getting my Argentina ID in about a month! Woohhooo! Finally!!!

Ohmygoodness. We made cookies! My lovely family sent me a package with a package of Betty Crocker cookies and to celebrate Hermana Taylor completing 1 year in the mission, we made some DELICIOUS chocolate chip cookies. Wow....I haven’t eaten a warm, soft chocolate chip cookie in so long. It was absolutely amazing. Enjoy all those Christmas cookies that will be coming soon!

Pray for Aron aful! Tonight we will be having a Family Home Evening activity with Aron and his parents and some members from the ward here in Guemes. Aron really wants to be baptized but needs permission from his parents. This could be the night that he finally has permission to enter the waters of baptism! Pray for the hearts of his parents, that they will be softened by the spirit! And more than anything, that we can all have trust in the Lord’s timing.

Lady giving a talk in church, bragging about how awesome her husband is "We don’t have kids but we have a cat and he always takes good care of our cat" (starts crying)

Are you converted unto the Lord? A real test of our conversion to our Heavenly Father is in the strength of our testimony. I have studied a lot about testimonies lately because testimonies are more important than a baptism. Testimonies are more important than another name in Preach my Gospel. Because if we have a strong testimony in the principles of the Gospel, we will be able to overcome the trials and difficulties of life. This week I was reading in Ether, one of my favorite books in the book of Mormon. The Brother of Jared and his people are commanded to build a boat and cross the seas. The Lord leads them through the process of constructing a boat that will survive the storms and waves of the ocean and the people built the boat very tight

Ether 2:17 “And they were built after a manner that they were exceedingly tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish; and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the sides thereof were tight like unto a dish; and the ends thereof were peaked; and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length thereof was the length of a tree; and the door thereof, when it was shut, was tight like unto a dish.”

And with the tightness of the boat, they were not overcome by the storms

Ether 6:7 “And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.”

How tight is your testimony? I know that if we have a strong testimony in the eternal plan of happiness from our loving Heavenly Father. We will be safe in the storms of life. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it can be applied to our daily life. I know that God lives, God loves, and God has the power to change our lives.

Have a great thanksgiving! And a special birthday shout-out to my bestie Emily in Thailand! And a special anniversary shout-out to my amazing parents! Love y’all!

HOY ES EL DIA!

♥ Hermana Mannewitz