obedience/humility

Dear Family,                                                                                                   2-24-2014

This week has been super, super great, tons of learning going around, but of course, if you're not learning, your not trying. However, what i’m talking about is actually a special conference we had. We had two guys from the mission department in Salt Lake come to our mission to give us some instruction on teaching. Brother Donaldson, who is the mission president in "the district 1" videos, and Brother Gonzales. Basically what’s happening is that we are cutting all the fluff and fat from our teaching and going to start being in the homes of investigators for like 20 minutes, MAYBE 25. Its a lot of fun, and we get to use the pamphlets from President Hinckley that missionaries hand out and what not a lot more. I absolutely LOVE seeing what has been named "the hastening of the work". Another crazy thing that happened was yesterday. I was sitting there leaning against the sink eating a piece of toast during dinner, when all of a sudden I hear a HUGE crash an vibrations against my backside. What the heck? So I peak my head out the window, and there was a car with its face right in the brick wall I was leaning on! ha-ha their brakes went out and they ramped the parking spot barrier, blew through the wooden posts that support the second floor, and crashed into our apartment. Everybody is ok though. Didn't do a thing to the wall.

I learned a little bit about obedience/humility this last week. It started out with us going to a lesson in Burlington, but after teaching, a bunch of other stuff fell through. I suggested a place to go with the member who was with us, which in my mind was a perfect fit. It was almost like inspiration; and my companion said “no we can't do that for such and such reason in the missionary handbook.” In my head I was like, that is the most nit picky reason I have EVER heard in my life! I couldn't even think of anything else other than how pharisaical that sounded. But I didn't say anything. So then as we were driving I thought, man I should really be grateful that I have an obedient companion. So I started to pray for understanding and forgiveness really and at that point what came to my mind was " how can I expect to ask people to keep a commitment, or obey a commandment of God, that to the rest of the world makes no sense and seems more nit picky than actual help.” Like "why in the world would God want me to do that?" If I am not willing to be obedient to what he has given me, commanded me to do? Even if I don't understand, or this seems to me like it would be a lot better, I mean c’mon just look at it.”

Guess what. Sometimes we don't know why, but guess what? You're going to be so glad you stayed your course. "My thoughts are higher than your thoughts, and my ways higher than your ways."

Love Elder Phillips

Best Saturday Yet

Dear Familia! 2-10-2014

I think we can just say that the last week, the last week of the transfer, has been so sweet! We had a whole lot of stuff to do though. Normally in one transfer ( 6 weeks) we are supposed to do an exchange for the day or part of the day with every set of elders. We still had a couple of those to do, so for a little bit of the week I wasn't even working in my own area, but it is SO awesome to see the faith of other elders that are in the zone. There really is tons to learn all over the place, even from those less experienced or younger than us.

On top of that, this last Thursday we had our entire day taken up by MLC, Mission Leader Council, where we talked about lots of things that we can improve, or our successes. But while we were there, our Mission President informed us that this coming transfer, tomorrow, will be the craziest one of all time, but he still loves us. So we shall see what happens tomorrow.

We had some of the greatest lessons of all time last week! I think that last Saturday may have been the most satisfaction I have found out of any day EVER! We went over really early to teach Avellino, and it worked out really well, because he hadn't drank at all that day yet. So he was really attentive and ready to go. PLUS he came to church on Sunday too! Then right after that we went over to a less active members home with President Montero to have a lesson. He was so ready to come back to church, and he is like a natural at missionary work, but then he got smacked with a nasty flu, so he couldn't come to church, but we went over there afterward and gave him a blessing.

Right after that we had one of the youth from the Shoultes ward with us, Zane, and he is the same age as Israel jr who we were going over to teach. So we brought him along with us. That kid is an all-star! We had a great lesson teaching the kids the plan of salvation (me n Zane) while Elder Fiala taught Hilda about the atonement.

Then! right after that we were like, well, we could probably go eat dinner right now, or, we could go over to teach Uriel and Judith. so, we went over there to teach them. That was the best lesson we have EVER had with them! Basically we were able to listen to their concerns and really help them understand why we want them to do things. I think that after that they will really start to progress, but its still their decision, obviously, since this whole free agency thing we all have.

Anyway, after we got home from that at like 9 o clock, we were starving but I could not have felt better than anything else. I could not believe how wonderful it felt!

Anyway I got to bounce, love you!

Elder Phillips

Half Way Point 1-27-2014

Querido Familia! 1-27-2014

So this last week was pretty darn awesome. I mean I feel like it could have been better; just there’s this thing called agency that some people used to be bosses and others didn't, but either way it has been tons of fun.

Last week on Tuesday we were able to have a family home evening lesson with Orlando and Lucy! I know they say they don't want to learn more, but they just can’t help themselves keeping us around jaja. I have a feeling that if we keep plugging along with them they'll come around. Their son Eli even came to church!!! He loves it!

I don't know if I told you about the random twin of our investigator we found last week; but on Wednesday we had an amazing church tour with them! and to finish it off we were all sitting in the font room watching the restoration video! So you could say that was so sweet. They have a lot of great questions and are eager to learn and to continue forward on God's path.

A couple of our investigators that were going really strong seem to be hitting a patch without any desire to actually do anything. I feel like previously they were super excited to learn about what the people they knew believe, but right now they're lacking a little bit of action if you know what I mean. Really that was what I meant by some people this last week used their agency to slow/stop their progression. If there's one thing I’ve learned real good it’s that anything and everything in this life is to keep us moving forward, and when we chose to sit on our bums and not do anything, and not ask any questions, and take the easy path, we essentially CHOOSE to stop our own progression. The easy path does not lead to heaven. It never did. If salvation was easy than everyone would just declare themselves believers and call it good and the point of life would be thwarted, but hey, that’s what some people believe, all we can do is invite.

Someone who was a champ this last week though was Avellino! We had three lessons with him, 2 of them with his member neighbor there as well. Avellino struggles with alcohol and desperately wants out. He recognizes the real person that can help him change is Jesus Christ and even though between a couple of our lessons he relapsed and didn't meet his goal for not drinking; after the second lesson he just went ham and didn't drink AND he came to church! Talk about replacing the bad with the best there. It was so great, can't even explain it.

Anyway, the underlying theme here is don't wait for anything to get done for you. Don't be a bum. When you need help get on your knees and pray like its all up to Him, then go work like its all up to you. Use the help He has already given us. Agency, we fought for it from before the beginning, so use it like you want it.

Love you all!

Elder Phillips
PS.  This is our sweet new ride!
 

Good Bye Monroe

Querido Familia, 12-30-2013

I cannot thank you all enough for the love and support and cards I have gotten during this Christmas season, it really is the best. Had a great time talking with the immediate fam for a little while. Merry Christmas to all you I missed, and thanks again for all the thanking I missed.

Anyway, this past week has been the absolute best! P-day was Monday. Then on Tuesday we had Angie Sandoval's baptismal interview. Passed!!! Then went on a little mini exchange with the zone leaders, but then we had to be in at 6:00 Christmas Eve, unless we were caroling with a member ride. We weren't and that night we got an awesome text from the Mission President "Merry Christmas, set you alarms to 7:30" ya!!!!!!! That was awesome! We had an awesome little Christmas, and handed out a few little things of our own to some investigators and members and such. You could say it was the coolest funniest thing ever.

Other than that, this last week we had the highlight of the year, and a great Christmas present. On the 28th Angie got baptized!!! and she even asked me to do it. It was all a little bit crazy because while we were there filling up the font, it was mostly full, then started blasting this freezing cold water! We can't have that now can we; but there wasn't really enough time to fix it. So we got a couple tips, and started draining it so that when we put in more hot it wouldn't overfill. Well, with all the water flowing out with a bunch of pressure, we couldn't get it to plug again! So basically it drained all the way, and we had to fill it up all the way again! But it did the same thing as last time and started getting super cold, but there was no time left to redo it again. Well, it was just standing water at 65 degrees or less. Yep, but you know what they say right? That’s life. Anyway, the baptism went really, really awesome, most especially because her mom was there and she could really feel the spirit of everything. I just hope that Angie’s example for her helps her take steps of her own too. When I came out of the dressing room I walked out on a great scene of just the two of them frozen in time with a hug and a few tears, super heart warming.

The following day, in sacrament meeting, we were all able to participate as she was confirmed a member of the church and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. That was absolutely amazing. Brother Sotelo was acting as voice and gave a wonderful blessing. It was in that time that I could really feel the love of the Lord for each of us, and for her especially as she took that step forward and at that point in time as well her mom was overcome by tears and received a lot of help from the sisters of the branch. Its amazing to see the support that she has received from the branch and I really believe that she is now going to start pressing forward in the work of her own salvation as well, so that that family can be united for eternity. I can already see it coming.

So now here I am with the computer again on the email and I have a little one on one basketball game to get to in a could hours due to some happenings last night as we stopped and talked with a bunch of guys chilling/drinking/smoking in the corner of an apartment complex. We'll just say I may or may not have a challenge on my hands. We shall see. But after that, its just saying goodbye to some more people here, packing my stuff, and tomorrow I leave for Marysville because I just got called last week as a Zone Leader and to head over there. New year, New area, New companion, New responsibility, Same True Gospel. I know it!



Love Elder Phillips

Dear Familia, 12-23-2013

Well let’s just say it was a pretty exciting week! Super awesome! One of the first and greatest things that happened this last week was IT SNOWED!!! and then it was gone by the evening, all the rain just wrecked it :-( but there were a couple awesome miracles that happened too. Such as Angie is still all set to get baptized this Saturday! Merry Christmas! One of the things that Elder Gressier and I decided to do was to tract out this apartment complex that is just full to the brim with Mexicans. The only problem is that the moment we step foot in that place everyone hides from us and whatnot; but we decided to go for it anyway. And well, let’s just say that it didn't turn out as a super quick starter. Nope, in fact; there was a whole lot of si si si si si... as they are closing the door on us to begin with jaja. Well, because of schedules and stuff, we weren’t really able to do it all at once, but as we kept going back we were met by the same response. Until finally, Sunday night, with what put us an hour late getting home; we ran into a family that we had helped move in a few weeks ago. They were like come on in, get in here out of the rain, how you doing, Merry Christmas, would you like some food, how bout a water bottle, good to see you. Well, you can imagine that was quite the change from previously. They listened a little bit to us, and invited us to come back, but what I found out was the coolest part, was how it wasn't until we had gone as far as we could that we noticed anything happen. We had been pushing all week, but nothing seemed to work, but we kept going and kept going clear up until the very, very end of the week (Sunday night) and right at the very end, when we were about to go home and call it quits for the week, we ran into them. I, for one; cannot see any more distinct parallel to life, than how the Lord requires us to do absolutely everything we can before he gives us the divine help necessary to bring about great and marvelous works. On top of all that, Elder Gressier was feeling wrecked at the time. but I’ll get to that in a second.

One of the cool things about being in the Christmas season, is that you can go sing at peoples doors and they won't get too weirded out. Which was one of the things planned to do this last week. Unfortunately, another thing that the season brings, is bad weather, which has turned into 5 crashes in mission vehicles in the last month! to which President Bonham ordered a "car fast" I guess in short, Elder Gressier and I didn't go caroling, but its really ok, especially because we did participate in the branch choir in the Christmas program this last Sunday, super good. Not to mention the awesome branch Christmas party we had the night before. Very well done activity.

I guess really all the craziness for us came all on Sunday. We had gotten a little bit of "silk" from a member earlier this week, but we hadn't tried any. So we mixed in some chocolate, threw it down, and went on our way. But by the time we got to the branch Presidents house for lunch, Elder Gressier couldn't very well breath, and was getting super raspy. So we jumped into the car with President Mejia, and drove right on over to the hospital where they gave him a bunch of stuff, and make him breath/smoke this medicated steam (as found in the pic). Well after a couple hours of all that noise they gave him the verdict "avoid soy products"... Oh well, gee thanks! Lets just say the rest of the soy milk in the fridge is mine. So we ran to get Elder Gressier's famished belly a bit of satisfaction real quick right before church, and then went to the meetings like normal. But they had loaded him up with some heavy stuff to be sure that his throat and lungs don't swell up again, so he was pretty toasted by the time church ended. BUT since he's a boss, we were still able to go out and find another little miracle along the way :-)

Anyway, I’ll spare you any further details since in just a couple days its Christmas and I’ll see you then! Feliz Navidad!!!

Love Elder Phillips

 

Querido Familia

12-9-2013 Querido Familia,

So basically, this week has been great, but it all had still been going really slow up until about Wednesday, where we really had a bummer; because we went over to see Esperanza and Jesus, and they let us in and they fed us and they're always just super nice! Then we get talking about religion and stuff and trying to teach a lesson, but the problem was Esperanza was getting up every little bit to watch her son and Jesus was going off about how he likes listening to everyone, and it doesn't matter to him who it is. He just won't do anything about anything they say. Then he basically told us i’m glad to meet with you, but you’re wasting your time. That made us really sad, but there was still good news; he liked one of the members we brought a lot, and also Esperanza didn't seem to agree perfectly about what Jesus had said and she wasn't there for a large portion of the conversation.

Thursday was sweet too! That night we had dinner at a members house with Isamar, awesome. Then we went straight out to Gold Bar to see this less active guy. He was there; let us in and wants his son to be a missionary. He wanted to come to church, and wanted us to give him his wife and son all blessings and he was just super pumped the whole time. So you could say it was a success.

Friday, right as we were going over to a lesson we ran into some improve service in the same apartments as our now new investigator Angie. We helped them move up to the 3rd floor of that building. But we took so long that we had to come back later that day to have a lesson with Angie. But we did, and she is so awesome, we were sitting out on the staircase in the cold because there was no other guy there, but she knows a lot, and really wants to learn. Its that she feels like she needs the hope that comes from the gospel.

Then saturday, we basically got adopted by Brother Milian’s nonmember brother and his family. We helped them move their GIANT TV to the top floor from the basement. It was crazy. Then they were like stay longer we want to buy you pizza. Ok! So while they ordered it we ran to see a couple of other people. Then came back to a Saturday lunch with the whole family. His name is Gustavo, wife is Jaime, and basically their big twin boys that scare her when we play volleyball jaja. Anyway, after that we were able to get our less active ward mission leader to come to a lesson with us; Jorge. Who came with us to see Jorge. That lesson was BOMB. Jorge finally opened up about his questions, concerns, and was even telling us stuff he doesn't tell anyone, about when he was back in Mexico and the terrible conditions of him and his mom. He didn't end up coming to church like he was trying to, but Jorge did!

Then to top it all off, on Sunday Angie came to church for sacrament meeting, AND she almost got her mom to come with her! It was a little different for her in Spanish, since she had been taught by English Elders before, but she liked it. Right after, we had another lesson with her, and also with Brenda, who just got baptized the other week, I think I told you all, by the other missionaries just after they had left. anyway, Brenda was on fire! and so was angie! We also had Zeni there with us who is always as solid as a rock! And now, after the whole thing, Angie committed herself to getting baptized on the 28th of December! woo hoo. Baptism is da best! Right after that, we went with Isamar to the cottage meeting last night with her cousin Edgar, and either he's way good at acting polite, or he really did actually like it with the testimonies of the people there.

So the work has been great this week, even though on a regular basis we get chewed out all the time. I guess we'll just have to see what the Christmas season brings around.

Love you all! Until next time!

Elder Phillips

Picture from our Turkey Bowl

 

Sounds like my Dad

12-2-2013
Buenos Dias!



Well fam, I’ll be honest i’m not sure exactly what to tell ya. Seems to me like all the happenings are at home! Absolutely nuts.

This last week was different that is for sure. Since p-day wasn't actually on Monday, since it was going to be given to us on Thursday for Thanksgiving instead, we just went to work. We had a dinner with one of the members where we left straight to a lesson with those members, and it turned out really well. We were teaching a family los Sandoval, the mother and grandmother came to church once a few weeks ago, but since then haven’t been really easy to get into contact with and it has been that way for the rest of the week. We just can't seem to find anyone we were teaching, they all just fell off the face of the planet! So Elder Gressier and I did a bunch of work trying to find new people but to no avail. Then Thursday rolled around, el dia de accion de gracias, and that day was straight up just a blast. Elder Gressier and I did insanity in the morning for our exercise, studied, then went over to the multi ward/branch turkey bowl! Lets just say we tore it up for a solid 2 hours, pretty sweet, but that was followed by us playing another solid 2 hours on the same field of soccer with a bunch of Hispanics! So you could say that by the time 1 o’clock rolled around Elder Gressier and I were pretty much done for, crazy worn out, but we had an invite to lunch with some random Hispanics that we had talked to the day before, so we showered and headed over, super tasty! but then again, we had our real Thanksgiving dinner appointment in not very long with the Reyes family. You could say we almost died. Thursday, turned out just like most of the others that week, a lot of trying to find, and not a whole lot found. bummer. People should really be somewhere when they tell you they will be you know? But whatever. Then we get to Saturday. Saturday was SO CRAZY! Before they got sent away, the other elders were teaching a super solid investigator Brenda and Saturday was her baptism!!! Well, since they other elders were no longer here, we were in charge of setting stuff up, filling the font, and such. then we had the best baptism EVER! Brenda’s parents even came (which they previously had refused to do) and Isamar came and so did her boyfriend James! That was crazy. All in all we had 58 people at the baptism! Which is impressive, and then you remember that our weekly church attendance hovers between 40 and 50! Handed was there bringing Elder Wagner back to do the ordinance. Handed is SICK by the way. We showed a boss Mormon message "mountains to climb" while she was getting changed, so good. We had a lot of branch support for her, and a lot of good mingling going one with James and with Brenda’s parents. So THAT was just awesome, plus Elder Cottle was there since he is now companions with Elder Wittmaak who came back too. Good times, good times. Not to mention that baptism is the BEST! Basically any other antics than that everyone else already knows. I got a call that night from President Bonham around like 9:30 just as Elder Gressier and I were finishing up planning. Before I answered, I was like I swear I’ll be ticked if i’m randomly getting moved. President said, hey Elder Phillips you got a minute? yeah. Well, this is going to come as a shock to you, but in the end it works out alright? In my mind i’m still thinking crap i’m about to get midnighted and from there he tells me that my dad spent too much time with my crazy friends from back home and put himself in the hospital... so you might want to include that in your fast tomorrow. Oh and by the way, I’ll be able to make it to your sacrament meeting for Brenda’s confirmation. It’s pretty much still just silent on my end of the phone... so we start our fast.

Sunday was pretty sweet too though, with Brenda’s confirmation, the rest of the day seemed to be taken up by studies and meetings, then after church some more finding. Elder Gressier had a moment of need in the bathroom, and when he got out we had 2 minutes left in the day, plus a Washington rain going on outside. So we took a run, we saw 1 guy the entire minute. He seemed to know what we do and stuff, and said are you sure you want to talk to me about the bible? Heck ya lets talk! We didn't get in for another hour! jaja it was awesome, him and his wife were really nice to us, but they were definitely not speaking Spanish. So we got a place for the English elders to go, but it was fun.

There you have it my week in a nutshell. My invitation to you all is to give the world, the weather, everyone a big ole fat smile and if there’s one thing I appreciate even more now, it is the straight power of fasting, and I invite you to study it out. We’ve been given some awesome promises, and they ALWAYS hold true. Love you and we will see you next week.

Elder Phillips