May 2010

Well another week has past. This one was a little better then the past one. After a long 4 weeks and 5 days we finally got in a door! It was refreshing as we were able to set up a lesson with her for this next week. Her name was Saule and she was very humble and nice. Also, this week we were able to watch one of the sisters investigators be baptized. It was a really cool thing to watch and experience for sure! I got that newsletter that has all the 2009 LHS missionaries and it seemed funny how your worse weeks are like my dream weeks hahaha ;) Dang!! Things are going a little better and what not. Still have my struggles and ups and downs. Not being able to get in and talked to people really affects getting the command of the language. I hope things will pick up a little faster than they've been going because the days sure are long when you don't have too much success.

My old companion got a call on Tuesday morning to pack and be ready to leave at 1pm. He has been transferred to Riga, Latvia to speak Russian. I had to ride the bus to Riga with him so he wouldn't be alone. IT was a stinkin' 4.5 hour ride there and then right when I got there I had to come right on back another 4.5 hours. Oh, and to make it worse, we got drug checked at the border by a K9 (drug dog) and our passports checked and everything, it was just quite the day to say the least ha! By the time I finally rolled back into 'Kaun-town' it was about 10:20pm. Elder 'D' was a good comp, it kind sucks he's gone, but my new companions (threesome for now) are great. Elder Lindell (MTC group) and Elder Hatch (still in Kaunus) They are both very, very hard workers and have a lot of fire in them which if perfect! Transfers are coming up in about a week. So I will most likely have to pack up again and go somewhere? haha I really don't know but I'm not unpacking everything at the other elders apartment. I received a package from home :)!! It was AWESOME! (peanut butter, Heinz 57, Jerky, oreo's and real candy). Mom's homemade strawberry jam is just so delicious! It's crazy how the dull tastes over here have made me forget how good things really taste back in the US of A. haha :)

This Friday (5/28) we were harvesting and we knocked into an old man who started to cry when I told him we were missionaries. Not only did he cry, but he kept tapping his heart. He invited us in and I didn't know if he was wrought by the spirit, or if he was just drunk. I soon received the answer when we walked in and alcohol was just all over his table ha. Got fooled, but for a second I thought he was Golden. I mean who knows maybe he is when he's sober too. He was just a good old guy though, and gave us a good laugh before we told him we couldn't teach him haha. First baptism set for this Friday, it's been long in coming. He is a great young man (basketball player at the University) and will be a great strength in the Church.
The historical sites in the area are amazing; from Roman built castles to the WWII concentration camps. It makes one grateful for the freedoms of home. We are so blessed!!!

I hope all is going well for each of you and I pray for you all. The work is TRUE!

Elder Manning
Kaunas, Lithuania-Baltic Mission