March 2010

Hello Family,

Well another week has come and gone. Pretty crazy to think that next Monday is my month mark here! Things are going pretty well and I can't complain much haha. I'm getting all the letters of love and support and they truly do help very much! Thank you!

This week was a pretty good one. We had zone conference and that was really nice. The interview with President Dance was very good and I felt his love for me and the rest of the missionaries here. His wife is awesome as well....It was a good conference overall.

I do have some nuts things that happened and I'd love to share them. haha ...but first I'll talk about our investigators and how they're doing. First I'll start off with Roma ir Karolina. They are the young family and they are doing ok. Not really to interested in what we have to tell them sometimes. Willing to listen but not really wanting to do what we ask, which is their choice haha. They are great people! Next we have Ludas who is a college student and we found him in a down pour and talked a little bit in this little alley tunnel it was a very weird place, but he was very receptive and just overall a nice guy, which is really refreshing somedays. Tomas is the other and he was awesome finding this week as we talked he was really interested and wants to find out about JS and the BOM. The last two will tie into a story that I'll be writing next a little later, are Patricas and Lyda.

Easter was different here. And it all started a little early haha well atleast the partying here...So Friday night we were contacting in old town and just got some bread and started to head home. Then right when I got out of the store I look up and I see this HUGE crowd of people walking towards us singing in latin? or something. The thing that was the craziest was the people in front like the priests or bishops were holding big crosses and wearing all white, with all the people in the huge group holding candles... SO at first I thought it was like the KKK or something crazy like that!! Haha soooo crazy.. So as we were walking from the store to the apartment we had to pass them on the marrow pathway of cobble stone as they were going to the sister church for their march. As we did a lot of them were saying "oh it's the mormons" as we passed. It was a different feeling and I didn't really know what to think about it as there were so many of them and just two of us. It was very different. haha Then on Sunday we went to church which just felt a little empty inside just thinking of home and everything like that. We were fasting as well. It was a good Sunday, but I was just really down. We went back to the apartment and had lunch by ourselves. Just talked about home and the fun memories then went out and knocked doors. Everyone here is drunk during the holidays so that just made things worse and it just wasn't fun at all. The last apartment of the night we went into, it was this nice couple Patricas and Lyda. Patricas was a little buzzed, but still a little there. They were really impressed and interested that we would give up two years to come to Lithuania where they said everyone is bad here and mean. haha They then told us crazy stories which I didn't really understand too much, but I could see that he was really upset and sad about all the wars and how he saw his best friend die right by him and many others as well. He kept asking "where was God then?" He then calmed down and loved the idea of praying with our own words and hear, and then randomly he said they were going to feed us. They were super nice and it just reminded me of a good old Easter in Goshen ;) (where Gin's family is from) We had a lot of different kind of meat and some great fruit tea. (which was cleared to drink, haha) they then said that we were welcome back anytime and wanted to hear more about the Book of Mormon. So we'll be going back Tuesday night at 7. They also sent us back with a ton of sunflower seeds and peanut bars haha. Super nice people and amazingly loving! It was a blessing :)!

Anyways I'm sending out a letter tomorrow (because today is a holiday here as well..sober up day basically) Sorry I haven't really been able to yet. Just busy and hard to find time, but I'm sending other things with it like: first bus ticket, kit kat wrapper, our cards (which look like Jesus' real-estate card kind of (no sac-relyg intended) and our easter program and your questionare.
I'm looking forward to the call on mothers day :) and to talk with everyone. I miss you all very much and am very excited to talk :) !!!
Oh and I love the letters and they really help a ton! But, maybe slow down a little bit..I'm the only one here getting mail and I' don't want anyone to feel bad they're not. I'm not saying stop, but just like one or two a week would be good. Email is a lot easier to respond to. I love the letters though, don't get me wrong. And I'll try to write as much as possible too. (hand written) But, I just have to find the time. Please keep me updated in everything :) I love you so much!!!

Love, Elder Jeffrey John Manning (aka "Vyresnysis Maningas" in Kaunas, Lithuani)

p.s I think we're watching conference this week!! Get the football on its way haha;)
I love ya Henry :) Keep being a good boy ;) you're my buddy!!