9-16-2013
Hola Familia!

Hey so we actually had a couple of changes this last week, and my companion is not actually going home for another couple of weeks for surgery, and today in a couple of hours is when I'll be going over to pick up my new boy, who will be three packing with us for a little bit. All that I’ve found out about him is that he's from Connecticut, went to the Mexico MTC, his Spanish is already pretty good, and he had done something to his shoulder so he's in a sling. Elder Gressier. ha-ha so now I already know what’s going through your heads, wow Elder Phillips got hooked up with not 1 but 2 crippled companions! ha-ha. Nah, its not really like that; because Elder Julius won’t let his knee stop him, he just walks a little slower, and because Elder Gressier is my son! So its like it doesn't even matter! Anyway, there’s the news on that little piece of excitement.
We were also asked to do a musical number in the English ward next week, so were still working on that one. We were able to finally get into contact with a couple less actives and sit down with them. unfortunately none of them came to church, it seems like we don't have a ton of new meat to talk to here in Monroe, so last week was a lot of seeing former investigators, and finding out where they're at, haven't had tons of success in that one yet, but its coming along with my new missionary. Last night we ate ice cream cake with Isamar for Elder Shaver's b-day today, even though he's gone ha-ha. Good excuse for a party and it was sweet because her boyfriend actually joined us, and we were able to teach him a little bit too. Topped off nicely with a sweet testimony from Isamar herself! It was SO AWESOME!
She even attended the baptism of a child of record this last Saturday too, and she brought her 7 year old sister and they both loved it! Those sort of things are so cool. Love em.

Anyway, I got nothing else.

Love y’all to pieces!

Elder Phillips

The Monroe Missionaries having a b-day party for Elder Shaver who isn't there anymore.
They sure do miss him.

9-19-2013

WOW! Oh boy do I have some news for you! Unless of course Sister Cahill already knew and gave a spoiler to you all. But anyway, my companion, Elder Julius, had a small twist come up into his schedule. This Wednesday has been his planned day for knee surgery for a few weeks since he tore his meniscus. The curveball coming our way, is that we got a call from president asking to speak with him. When he came back into the room of me and the other Spanish missionaries this is what he tossed us. President just said that I am not actually having surgery on Wednesday, I’m going home to get it done. WHAT! You can imagine our response. So then we proceed with the other questions like… Well, where in the heck am I going?! Are us three just going to 3 pack here in Monroe and cover a giant area? Is someone coming back out of being an English missionary? Answer: President said that he had accepted a while ago another Spanish missionary into our mission. So Elder Phillips, you will stay here in Monroe as before, and your new companion will be coming from the Missionary Training Center...
HOLY! Didn't see that one coming. ITS A BOY! IM GOING TO BE A DAD! ha-ha super weird. apparently sometime around this coming weekend my companion will be leaving, and then Saturday I think I will be getting a new missionary. What happens in the down time or the overlap I have no idea.
So as you can see, it turns out that just because transfers aren't here yet, doesn’t mean things aren’t going to switch up on ya. Its only half way through the transfer, but we have an extreme makeover going on. Here goes nothing.
Other than that, the actual happenings of last week were in all honesty pretty bleak. Not much going on, no body wanting to talk to us "muy ocupado", whatever, and a few fairly solid investigators now a bit less solid.
Anyway, there’s my week in a nutshell. Be sure to tell Logan how much I love him and how sweet its going to be when he joins me out here, He's a boss!
Congrats on the soccer so far boys, keep it up, make me proud. Don’t be bums when it comes to school, just don't be bums, nobody like that ha-ha.

love and squeeze
Elder Phillips

                                        Elder Julius and Elder Phillips- Monroe Washington