Querida Familia, 6-30-2014
So we have had a whole corn ton of stuff to do this last week. It's sort of been ridiculous. I think on one of my daily journal entries at the end of the day all I wrote was "today we got licked" then I went to bed ha-ha. Elder Cottle and I have been really swamped with things to do; meetings to be in, places to be to help out the other missionaries there, and instruction to give! Then we go back to proselyting right after. Last Monday I did an exchange with Elder Gressier!!! I love that guy, brought us back to the days in Monroe. Then on our way to drop him back off in Arlington and pick up my companion again Elder Cottle and I went on through to Granite Falls to have a meeting with the Stake President and the Mission President in the Marysville Stake. Got home around 8:45 just in time for a bedtime snack while making the next days plans. Which included going to district meeting, followed by a basketball game with a nonmember, a quick bite to eat and then we had to book it to Burlington to meet our ride who was taking us out to Anacortes, the first city on the islands, for our Stake Presidency meeting with the Mt. Vernon Stake and Mission President. Our ride picked us up a doughnut on the way back and we got home at like 9:45, with just enough time to shower before bed (since that hadn't happened after basketball. Just a big stick a deodorant) I think that was the day I had the really elaborate journal entry. President Bonham also explained to us that we needed to put more time and effort into a specific person named Edwin. Edwin is an investigator of our branch, currently taught by the sisters, but taught by Elder Cottle previously who helped him out a ton and created a great relationship. Essentially there was a whole lot of things tangled up in his past of gang banging that keep him from being baptized. The repentance process for which would include turning himself back in, then getting tangled further with groups just to keep him alive while in jail. He unloaded a lot of his thoughts on us the following night after dinner with him, which postponed our arrival at home till 10:10.
So there was the time consuming really tiring, difficult part of last week, but we have seen tons of miracles. Including that Maria; Jessica’s mom, has decided to be baptized on the 26th of July!!! Her husband wasn't all cannonball into that one but he's dipping in his toes too! Plus Alejandro, Jessica’s son, has been thinking about it too and this coming Sunday 2 of the girls in the branch are going to be baptized, both ages 8. So hopefully that will help him resolve a couple of his concerns. Really exciting stuff is happening around here. One of the things that I continue to learn; especially in this last week, is the power that is found in the Priesthood. Maria Lopez; Jessica’s mom, tried to cancel a lesson with us due to the pain in her arm. When I hung up the phone with her I had the though "I should have offered a blessing" so I called back right quickly and suggested it and she accepted. We found Jessica already over there when we got there with Marcelino Mejia. She was healed and she was comforted in her loneliness when Jessica paid a surprise visit. One family in particular (Edwin’s wife and brother. Wife being the only one baptized) have asked us for a bunch in the last couple of weeks and based upon their faith and our connection with the Lord's will, each of them have been healed. Even Edwin then thought to ask for some help with his migraine. He was helped. I'm starting to learn that it really is not enough to have a general, or textbook understanding of the Priesthood; but really we all need an experiential understanding of the Priesthood to bless those that are "afflicted in any manner and He healed them"- somewhere in 3nephi :-) afflicted in any manner is absolutely not limiting. Nobody's life needs to be on the line to receive some comfort/healing/council. Nobody's decision needs to be life changing to seek guidance. It surely requires a bit of humility to offer it, even more to accept the offering or ask for it; but the power of God is truly manifest in the "small and simple things"
So; I invite you to test it out.
But for now I got to run!
Love you
Elder Phillips
Monday, June 30, 2014
Monday, June 23, 2014
Interesting and Mind Blowing week
Dear family, 6-23-2014
What an interesting and mind blowing week!
So I don't know what you all already know, but i'm still serving here in Mt. Vernon Washington. My home boy from the MTC just got put back here again, so now i'm serving with Elder Cottle from Las Vegas! But there's a few more twists than just that. At transfers we learned that he and I are going to be the zone leaders over the now only one Spanish zone. So that means we have responsibility over all the Spanish missionaries in the mission. All the mission! This transfer is going to be way interesting and fun making trips all over the place! From Lynwood to Canada ha-ha.
Holy smokes, I’ve already learned a ton from Elder Cottle too! I just love how relaxed and upbeat he is when he talks with people. Just makes everything so much more lively and fun.
We learned a little bit more about setting goals, making good (and written) plans, and then getting down and dirty to accomplish them this week. Last night as we prayed we knew we needed 2 people at church, but we only had 1 set one coming, and 1 more person with a date. We promised to work our tails off, but acknowledged our complete inability to accomplish this task on our own. Sunday morning got filled up real quick with meetings, and we didn't even make the time for any phone calls we were so rushed, but then walking into gospel principles class we found Jessica sitting there with her mom, who we had just taught the night before. Including Jessica’s son we had 2 people at church. After church the only thing we did was try to get in with those that we knew had the immediate potential to receive a date, but then as our time came to a halt there was still no one else who had a baptismal date. I guess we just learned a little bit about "what is the best thing I can do right now" and also how at the end of the day, if you've done all you can do, you will feel satisfied. So that's how we felt.
There's definitely more to be learned and way more miracles to be seen, but I appreciate your thoughts and prayers and the tender mercies of the Lord that are poured out upon the missionaries of the Washington Everett Mission.
Love you!
Elder Phillips
What an interesting and mind blowing week!
So I don't know what you all already know, but i'm still serving here in Mt. Vernon Washington. My home boy from the MTC just got put back here again, so now i'm serving with Elder Cottle from Las Vegas! But there's a few more twists than just that. At transfers we learned that he and I are going to be the zone leaders over the now only one Spanish zone. So that means we have responsibility over all the Spanish missionaries in the mission. All the mission! This transfer is going to be way interesting and fun making trips all over the place! From Lynwood to Canada ha-ha.
Holy smokes, I’ve already learned a ton from Elder Cottle too! I just love how relaxed and upbeat he is when he talks with people. Just makes everything so much more lively and fun.
We learned a little bit more about setting goals, making good (and written) plans, and then getting down and dirty to accomplish them this week. Last night as we prayed we knew we needed 2 people at church, but we only had 1 set one coming, and 1 more person with a date. We promised to work our tails off, but acknowledged our complete inability to accomplish this task on our own. Sunday morning got filled up real quick with meetings, and we didn't even make the time for any phone calls we were so rushed, but then walking into gospel principles class we found Jessica sitting there with her mom, who we had just taught the night before. Including Jessica’s son we had 2 people at church. After church the only thing we did was try to get in with those that we knew had the immediate potential to receive a date, but then as our time came to a halt there was still no one else who had a baptismal date. I guess we just learned a little bit about "what is the best thing I can do right now" and also how at the end of the day, if you've done all you can do, you will feel satisfied. So that's how we felt.
There's definitely more to be learned and way more miracles to be seen, but I appreciate your thoughts and prayers and the tender mercies of the Lord that are poured out upon the missionaries of the Washington Everett Mission.
Love you!
Elder Phillips
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Dear family, June 16,2014
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY YESTERDAY! and thanks for all the b-day wishes too; you know, you and all those dads made a really good decoy for the surprise cake n stuff I laid out for Elder Fiala yesterday. A member brought the cake into the gym and we went in and he thought it was nice of them to make a cake for the dads on top of the cookies they already gave them. Then he looked like he got sledge hammered in the chest when he read the frosting " Happy b-day Elder Fiala"
The whole thing was so much fun, seeing how happy Elder Fiala was and stuff, ha-ha I got all caught up in it and didn't really even tell anyone mine was today, the day after. oops.
If there was one thing that was better than anything this last week though, was all over the weekend! Jessica’s baptism! We were there setting everything up and then 10 of her family members (8 of whom live in our area, 1 who is currently being taught) showed up 5 minutes before scheduled starting time and waited and quietly chatted with us. Then while we were waiting for them to get changed I handed out a bunch of cards ( real cute too, I mean professional. I get it from my mom) so that all the people that were there supporting her could write down congrats and express what they had felt there. I was hoping it would sort of act like a journal, so they could write down their feelings and hopefully express and recognize that they were feeling the Holy Ghost at that service. It was so great! All of those people also came to the last hour of church to see her confirmation as well! What an awesome ending to the transfer, even though it was the only week we didn't hit standards. Also what an awesome ending for Elder Fiala’s journey. He left here one sad puppy. I'm not exactly sure how, or why for that matter, but he and I have been together a total of 7 1/2 months in 3 different areas. I don't know that you know exactly how that happened either, but I give my thanks anyway.
Upcoming plans for us include lots of hard work with Jessica's family. We have a few of their addresses, and open invitations to their homes from most all of them. Just not too many firm set lessons. Looking back on it blows my mind how prepared she was from the start, and how little I feel like I really did. Elder Fiala and I talked about this a little bit, how there really isn't a whole lot that we can take credit for while teaching her, we were just found by the hand of the Lord in the toolbox section labeled "Burlington Spanish". We wondered if that's what it feels like to be humble, to recognize that we worked hard but did almost nothing. Hopefully I can use that in foresight now. Rather than looking back to realize I didn't do much, Looking forward saying "I'm ready to work, use me as thou wilt, the glory be unto thee."
Love you all
Elder Phillips
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HAPPY FATHER'S DAY YESTERDAY! and thanks for all the b-day wishes too; you know, you and all those dads made a really good decoy for the surprise cake n stuff I laid out for Elder Fiala yesterday. A member brought the cake into the gym and we went in and he thought it was nice of them to make a cake for the dads on top of the cookies they already gave them. Then he looked like he got sledge hammered in the chest when he read the frosting " Happy b-day Elder Fiala"
The whole thing was so much fun, seeing how happy Elder Fiala was and stuff, ha-ha I got all caught up in it and didn't really even tell anyone mine was today, the day after. oops.
If there was one thing that was better than anything this last week though, was all over the weekend! Jessica’s baptism! We were there setting everything up and then 10 of her family members (8 of whom live in our area, 1 who is currently being taught) showed up 5 minutes before scheduled starting time and waited and quietly chatted with us. Then while we were waiting for them to get changed I handed out a bunch of cards ( real cute too, I mean professional. I get it from my mom) so that all the people that were there supporting her could write down congrats and express what they had felt there. I was hoping it would sort of act like a journal, so they could write down their feelings and hopefully express and recognize that they were feeling the Holy Ghost at that service. It was so great! All of those people also came to the last hour of church to see her confirmation as well! What an awesome ending to the transfer, even though it was the only week we didn't hit standards. Also what an awesome ending for Elder Fiala’s journey. He left here one sad puppy. I'm not exactly sure how, or why for that matter, but he and I have been together a total of 7 1/2 months in 3 different areas. I don't know that you know exactly how that happened either, but I give my thanks anyway.
Upcoming plans for us include lots of hard work with Jessica's family. We have a few of their addresses, and open invitations to their homes from most all of them. Just not too many firm set lessons. Looking back on it blows my mind how prepared she was from the start, and how little I feel like I really did. Elder Fiala and I talked about this a little bit, how there really isn't a whole lot that we can take credit for while teaching her, we were just found by the hand of the Lord in the toolbox section labeled "Burlington Spanish". We wondered if that's what it feels like to be humble, to recognize that we worked hard but did almost nothing. Hopefully I can use that in foresight now. Rather than looking back to realize I didn't do much, Looking forward saying "I'm ready to work, use me as thou wilt, the glory be unto thee."
Love you all
Elder Phillips
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Dear Family, 5-27-2014
I hope you all are having the time of your life cuz I for sure am! It’s been crazy to think of all the time I wasted back home. Time is really, really precious and you don't even know how much you got.
Last week we were doing really good and everything was running along smoothly, but then for some reason on Thursday when I got back from Arlington on an exchange everything just felt weird. We tried to shake it off and go to a teaching appointment, had a pretty good lesson actually, and when we were leaving we just felt, weird. At that point we were hoping to high heaven that it didn't rub off too much on our investigator, Jessica, who had been progressing at the speed of light. We drove down into Mount Vernon again for something, talking about it the entire trip, mostly just confused, trying to figure out the cause, trying to figure out what in the world we could have done to feel that way. We probably looked like zombies, really. Never in my life have I felt such a strong impression to ask for a priesthood blessing than in that moment. We both agreed that it was a good idea. The blessing I received left my mind with no doubt that the Lord was speaking. And my companion later mentioned as well that he had never felt guided so completely beyond his understanding. Afterward we felt so much better and could not believe the relief it brought us. The other phenomenon we experienced was that of having the ball bounce off the floor and go flying, because I have never had a better night on my mission numbers wise, and all of it happened within a 2 or 3 hour period. That was absolutely crazy! So there you have it.
We have been getting a lot of help with our investigators from the members here, and it has spiked the progression of all of our investigators. My hope and prayer is that you all are doing the same. I see lots of people that are fence sitters out here, humming and hawing about church and the whole lot of it. What it comes down to is our personal conversion.” Becoming rather than just going“. Even though we live in a virtual age, do not let your conversion or life be virtual. It is not worth it, trust me. There are people out here that need our help, and we have the tool to do it.
Love You
Elder Phillips
When you break the shower head, you have to use what you have.
I hope you all are having the time of your life cuz I for sure am! It’s been crazy to think of all the time I wasted back home. Time is really, really precious and you don't even know how much you got.
Last week we were doing really good and everything was running along smoothly, but then for some reason on Thursday when I got back from Arlington on an exchange everything just felt weird. We tried to shake it off and go to a teaching appointment, had a pretty good lesson actually, and when we were leaving we just felt, weird. At that point we were hoping to high heaven that it didn't rub off too much on our investigator, Jessica, who had been progressing at the speed of light. We drove down into Mount Vernon again for something, talking about it the entire trip, mostly just confused, trying to figure out the cause, trying to figure out what in the world we could have done to feel that way. We probably looked like zombies, really. Never in my life have I felt such a strong impression to ask for a priesthood blessing than in that moment. We both agreed that it was a good idea. The blessing I received left my mind with no doubt that the Lord was speaking. And my companion later mentioned as well that he had never felt guided so completely beyond his understanding. Afterward we felt so much better and could not believe the relief it brought us. The other phenomenon we experienced was that of having the ball bounce off the floor and go flying, because I have never had a better night on my mission numbers wise, and all of it happened within a 2 or 3 hour period. That was absolutely crazy! So there you have it.
We have been getting a lot of help with our investigators from the members here, and it has spiked the progression of all of our investigators. My hope and prayer is that you all are doing the same. I see lots of people that are fence sitters out here, humming and hawing about church and the whole lot of it. What it comes down to is our personal conversion.” Becoming rather than just going“. Even though we live in a virtual age, do not let your conversion or life be virtual. It is not worth it, trust me. There are people out here that need our help, and we have the tool to do it.
Love You
Elder Phillips
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