Well, what a week this was! It wasnt the most productive of weeks nor was it the least, but it was a week full of challenges and opportunities to grow. It was certainly full of a lot of growth. Things are really interesting now. I couldnt even possibly explain it all, mostly because its not all straightened out in my own mind. There is just so much work to do. There are so many people all involved in different ways to move the work of the Lord forward and it is truly amazing to see how that works out.
This last week didnt really contain any big exciting, email worthy events. It was fairly average in that respect. I was asked to give a talk in the Memorial ward about service and service in the Church. I enjoy talking, but I didnt really get a ton of time to prepare. Many people gave compliments and enjoyed it, but I felt that it lacked the power, for lack of better word, that I normally speak with. It just didnt feel quite right. But all was well. Church in the branch was pretty good and many people were able to learn a lot. Last night there was also a special investigator fireside. They occur once a month and are for those considering being baptized. They are always powerful. Usually a couple recent converts talk along with the mission president. We can only go if we have an investigator attending and I hadnt been to one since at least January if not before that. Stivon went and so we went as well. It was an awesome meeting! The testimonies and musical numbers were spectacular. Stivon is very excited to be baptized and of course we are excited for him and his wife as well.
Thanks for everything all of you do! I hope you have an awesome week!
As a clarifying side-note, please send any letters or packages to the mission office : 602 Eldridge Rd Sugar Land, TX 77478
Not to any apartment. It is just much more likely that I'll get it.
Love,
Elder Phong Manhardt
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
8/13/12 email
There is a lot of work to do. I dont have a ton of time to write today, but I'll see what I can fit in.
So, I'm sure youre anxious to find out what happened at transfer meeting. Elder Robison was sent to an english area and I am rejoined by Elder Campbell. We have a lot of work to do to try and build the same sort of unity that me and Elder Robison had. We have got to do that if we want to teach with the power necessary to make things happen.
With the transfers, this week was a little slower work-wise than the last few have been. Transfers kinda threw me off my game. But now that I've had the time to regroup, we can get things done. There is a lot to do.
Our english area boundaries were also changed at transfer meeting and the ward lost a companionship of elders. The consolidation of areas leaves us a bigger and more populated area. We are still teaching a man named Stivon, who is from Iraq. He is absolutely awesome and is so excited to be baptized. We still have more to teach him, but he is really soaking it all in. It also helps that his wife is a member that is coming back into activity in the Church.
Well, I'm out of time. I hope you all have a great week!
Love,
Elder Phong Manhardt
So, I'm sure youre anxious to find out what happened at transfer meeting. Elder Robison was sent to an english area and I am rejoined by Elder Campbell. We have a lot of work to do to try and build the same sort of unity that me and Elder Robison had. We have got to do that if we want to teach with the power necessary to make things happen.
With the transfers, this week was a little slower work-wise than the last few have been. Transfers kinda threw me off my game. But now that I've had the time to regroup, we can get things done. There is a lot to do.
Our english area boundaries were also changed at transfer meeting and the ward lost a companionship of elders. The consolidation of areas leaves us a bigger and more populated area. We are still teaching a man named Stivon, who is from Iraq. He is absolutely awesome and is so excited to be baptized. We still have more to teach him, but he is really soaking it all in. It also helps that his wife is a member that is coming back into activity in the Church.
Well, I'm out of time. I hope you all have a great week!
Love,
Elder Phong Manhardt
Sunday, August 12, 2012
8/6/12 Email
Well, this week brings more change. This one definitely unexpected. This is the beginning of a new transfer. Already. It always goes so fast. As with every transfer, it begins with transfer calls. To our surprise, Elder Robison will be transferred. We dont know where yet or who will be back here with me in the branch. That certainly makes things interesting.
This last week was pretty good. We did a good amount of teaching and had a good time doing it. In our english area, we are teaching a man whose name is Stivon. He is from Iraq and has some pretty crazy stories (he owned a gold shop there, but it got blown up because he is christian). He just got married to a less-active member a few months ago. They needed to go to a church and so she decided to go to this one. They are both awesome. He is so excited to learn things and loves going to church and feeling the Spirit there. There was a lot of excitement in the english ward as a new bishop was sustained.
Sacrament meeting in the Viet branch was also a great experience. A few of the people that got up to share their testimonies talked about us visiting them throughout the week. One talked about how our meeting together helped her find an answer to a long-lasting concern she had been praying about. It was comforting to hear that the work we are doing is really having an affect on the members of the branch. Our goal in teaching all of the members as if they were recent converts is to strengthen everyone and it seems to be working. This week is sure to bring about a lot more changes. We'll see what happens.
Hope you guys are having a great week and dealing with all of the changes that are coming your way!
Love,
Elder Phong Manhardt
7/30/12
Hello there!
You know, something funny about about life is that it is always changing. The only guarantee is that tomorrow things will be different from today. In life, those changes are small and many times not very significant to the bigger picture. Well, as a missionary, life is only 2 years long. It makes the changes of one day just that much more significant. A little change makes a huge difference and seems like the biggest thing in the world while its happening. In the case of a big change, well, it just shatters the universe.
Thats kinda what we are going through right now. As I mentioned last week, President Ashton has begun moving us away from street contacting. (We arent quite sure if it is to the same extent in the English or Spanish areas, but definitely for us and the Chinese). We never schedule time to just go out on our bikes to talk to people. We focus on teaching and finding investigators through the members. The ball isnt rolling at full speed yet, but we have seen a little bit of success so far with the strategy. In addition to finding through teaching the members, President Ashton wants us to find through activities. Yeah, like normal people activities. We wants us organizing activities with the members that they can invited their friends to, and he wants us doing it often, practically on a weekly basis. He shared a scripture with us (me and Elder Robison had a joint interview with him) from Alma 17 about Ammon. We all know he was an awesome and very successful missionary. President shared verse 29 with us. (maybe you should read it right now before you continue) He told us that we need to do the same. We need to win the hearts of the people. We need to be their friends. They need to see that we are normal people, just with a greater purpose, a greater confidence in the Lord. Ordinary people that have something more. The true and restored gospel of Jesus Christ. We have it and it shines through us. As we become friends with the people, they will see it and long for that same.
As such, our finding work is changing significantly. Its hard for us to get the ball rolling with this, because it is just so drastically different from everything we have done previously as missionaries. I'm at least a little nervous about how it will work, but know it will at least be a little more fun. Obviously activities are fun but the success that should come from it will be even more fun. This coupled with teaching more lessons to everybody will certainly be good.
Well, I hope everything back there is going well. It certainly sounds like things are good and those day to day changes are being dealt with well. Thanks for everything you do/have done to help me!
Love,
Elder Phong Manhardt
You know, something funny about about life is that it is always changing. The only guarantee is that tomorrow things will be different from today. In life, those changes are small and many times not very significant to the bigger picture. Well, as a missionary, life is only 2 years long. It makes the changes of one day just that much more significant. A little change makes a huge difference and seems like the biggest thing in the world while its happening. In the case of a big change, well, it just shatters the universe.
Thats kinda what we are going through right now. As I mentioned last week, President Ashton has begun moving us away from street contacting. (We arent quite sure if it is to the same extent in the English or Spanish areas, but definitely for us and the Chinese). We never schedule time to just go out on our bikes to talk to people. We focus on teaching and finding investigators through the members. The ball isnt rolling at full speed yet, but we have seen a little bit of success so far with the strategy. In addition to finding through teaching the members, President Ashton wants us to find through activities. Yeah, like normal people activities. We wants us organizing activities with the members that they can invited their friends to, and he wants us doing it often, practically on a weekly basis. He shared a scripture with us (me and Elder Robison had a joint interview with him) from Alma 17 about Ammon. We all know he was an awesome and very successful missionary. President shared verse 29 with us. (maybe you should read it right now before you continue) He told us that we need to do the same. We need to win the hearts of the people. We need to be their friends. They need to see that we are normal people, just with a greater purpose, a greater confidence in the Lord. Ordinary people that have something more. The true and restored gospel of Jesus Christ. We have it and it shines through us. As we become friends with the people, they will see it and long for that same.
As such, our finding work is changing significantly. Its hard for us to get the ball rolling with this, because it is just so drastically different from everything we have done previously as missionaries. I'm at least a little nervous about how it will work, but know it will at least be a little more fun. Obviously activities are fun but the success that should come from it will be even more fun. This coupled with teaching more lessons to everybody will certainly be good.
Well, I hope everything back there is going well. It certainly sounds like things are good and those day to day changes are being dealt with well. Thanks for everything you do/have done to help me!
Love,
Elder Phong Manhardt
7/16/12 Email
Well, another week gone by. Honestly I dont even know whats going on anymore. It feels like I was just writing an email yesterday. I have no idea what we did this last week. Crazy time.
I guess I do remember a few things. First was our final zone conference with the Saylin family on Wednesday. It was a pretty normal zone meeting except that fact that the whole family was there and all talked to us. We also were provided lunch afterward, which was delicious. We took a picture and then had a chance to go down the line and say goodbye to all of the Saylins.
This week we welcome in the Ashton family. It will be a very quick transition (at least in our eyes, probably not in the eyes of Presidents Saylin and Ashton. Apparently they have been in communication for quite some time transferring knowledge and such). We look forward to having another zone conference this week to meet the Ashtons and then on a different day will also get to have interviews with President Ashton. He wants to meet with and get to know all of the missionaries as soon as he can so he can get ready for this coming transfer meeting, which like always is coming up quick.
Other than that not much has been going on. We are constantly busy and constantly tired.
Well thats about all I've got this week. Have a good one!
Love,
Elder Phong Manhardt
I guess I do remember a few things. First was our final zone conference with the Saylin family on Wednesday. It was a pretty normal zone meeting except that fact that the whole family was there and all talked to us. We also were provided lunch afterward, which was delicious. We took a picture and then had a chance to go down the line and say goodbye to all of the Saylins.
This week we welcome in the Ashton family. It will be a very quick transition (at least in our eyes, probably not in the eyes of Presidents Saylin and Ashton. Apparently they have been in communication for quite some time transferring knowledge and such). We look forward to having another zone conference this week to meet the Ashtons and then on a different day will also get to have interviews with President Ashton. He wants to meet with and get to know all of the missionaries as soon as he can so he can get ready for this coming transfer meeting, which like always is coming up quick.
Other than that not much has been going on. We are constantly busy and constantly tired.
Well thats about all I've got this week. Have a good one!
Love,
Elder Phong Manhardt
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