"The Gospel of Jesus Christ, as restored to the Earth in these Latter days would not be perfect if it did not provide all the requirments for our Fathers Children to reach perfection" -Legrand Richards

Hello my dearest Utahns,

Is it really Monday already? It's crazy how fast time flies here on the mission. Sister Douros is even feeling it, which makes me happy because when I was a "greenie" my first transfer felt like an eternity. Washington is still great as ever, the weather is so chilly today I don't know whats going on. They "say" that next week it is suppose to be in the 80's :) I am trying to suck in all the summer heat I can get because I can feel winter right around the corner and it comes fast here!

Anyway, this week has been great! We finally were able to talk to Julian and figure out what happened. His Dad showed up at 5:00pm on Friday the day of his baptism, which was at 5:30pm and surprised him. He hadn't seen his dad in EIGHT years and it just so happened that on the day of his baptism he shows up for the first time in EIGHT years to see him. Coincidence-I think not! Julian said he was so excited to see his dad, he got into the car and while they were driving he remembered and went into panic mode. He is doing good now. He wanted to be baptized this weekend, but with all of his family stuff going on we decided it would be best to wait until this weekend when they leave. We would of course love his family to come, but they are not supportive of this decision he is making :( I know that Julian will be a big influence and blessing to his family. His example and spirit will one day bring them unto Christ.

The Tacoma Stake is has an arts festival every year and they go ALL out. This year they are doing a musical called, "Reel Music". They took a lot of different musicals and Broadway shows and put them together in a medley. The great thing about this is they want us (missionaries) to bring all the investigators we can. We went on Saturday night with a guy named ED we just met. He came and really enjoyed it. Before the show started Brother Shaffer our 2nd counselor in our bishopric invited him to come to his house if he ever wanted to learn more. After the show Ed turned to me and said, "what was that guy talking about?" I explained to him about the lessons and what we do as missionaries, etc and Needless to say Ed is on board and he is excited to learn more!! Yahoo! We will also be going probably every night next week too! :)

Our investigators are making a lot of progress. Our ward is great and they are willing to help out with whatever we need. It's amazing how smoothly the work goes when you don't try to do it all yourself and involve the ward members. Our Bishop is so missionary focused, I LOVE it! We have eight ward missionaries and bishop wants them to visit EVERY member in our ward and invite them to bring a friend to church or invite them to listen to the missionaries :) We haven't seen much come out of it yet, but I know it will roll over eventually. They are working hard, so I know the Lord will bless this ward and the ward members for there efforts. It truly all starts with YOU. Give the missionaries someone to teach!! Do a FHE and invite your neighbor and the Sisters/Elders!!! Invite them to a ward Activity!! Bring someone to church!!! There is someone ALWAYS waiting!!!!!

I love this work with all my heart, but I know that we are all a team and are only as strong as our weakest link. To be able to accomplish the "impossible" we have to all pull together and have the faith and courage to just INVITE!!

Oh guess what??? I got to see Sister Lyles today!!!! Her little brother is coming to do a mini mission for two weeks and they came to drop him off at the mission office. Well lucky us we live like 10min. away :) She called and surprised me! Love her!

Oh one more thing...I had the great opportunity to speak in church yesterday. They needed a fill in for the youth speaker, so they asked me to bare my testimony about tithing! The fist thing I thought of was a special experience I had with my Grandpa Buck a couple years ago while we were hunting. I remember it like it was just yesterday. We were sitting in his camper eating fish jerky and somehow got on the topic of tithing. He told me and have since NEVER forgotten it,

"Even if you are down to the last can of food to feed your family and you are faced with the decision to spend that money of food or paying your tithing, YOU PAY YOUR TITHING!!!!" What a great example of faith and trust in the Lord that my grandpa showed to me that day.

I referred to a parable in Mathew 19:16-22 about the rich young man. The rich young man grew up keeping all of the commandments, but was still wondering what else he needed to do to obtain eternal life. Christ then took an opportunity to tech him a great lesson. Jesus said, "if thou be perfect go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasures in heaven: and come follow me." (Matt 19:22) In this experience the Savior taught the rich young man that he should be ready to sacrifice all he had, including his time, and follow Jesus, in order to obtain perfection. I would invite you all to read, study this parable that Christ so lovingly teaches us.

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ, as restored to the Earth in these Latter days would not be perfect if it did not provide all the requirments for our Fathers Children to reach perfection" -Legrand Richards

For Jesus taught, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matt 5:48)

How greatful I am that the gospel challenges us, tries us, and helpes become all that we can be through Christ! 

I LOVE YOU,

Sister Phillips

                                                                       WA-TAC

                                          1. All of us walking the Narrows bridge this morning

                                        2. Bishop Anthony and his wife with our invest. Joseph '

                                        3. Sister Taylor and I at a BBQ with our zone last Mon.

                                                  4. Mitt Romney all over the place :D

                                             5. This is what  Washington looks like at 6am

6. Smoked Ham....oh so yummy

                                                                  7. SISTER LYLES!!

"Father, if though be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42

Olah!

How was your week? I heard it is hot hot hot out there. We are sitting at about 64 degrees here in Tacoma. Summers here are like Utah's springs, not to hot and it rains every now and again. Besides the weather update, the work has been going good. It has been on the more stressed out level this week, but there is always good that comes from them. We also celebrated Pioneer day with the Tacoma Stake and had a wonderful sacrament meeting commemorating the faithful pioneers.

I'll start off on the good note first....

Lawrence is doing great. Every time we meet with him he thinks I need to learn Spanish, so he has now started speaking and translating what he says in Spanish...haha. He's a character! Lawrence has been a stubborn one to work with. We have been teaching him for about 4 months now, we met him when I first arrived in Tacoma. Slowly he has been opening up and following through with commitments, which shows us he is serious:)

He called us Thursday night to ask a few questions and while we were talking he paused and said, "Now I am going to tell you the honest truth sisters. I have never felt the way I do right now as I have been meeting with you. I studied with the Jehovah Witnesses for over two years and didn't even come close to what I feel now. I know what it is and I know why-it's just me making the commitment. I know I didn't meet you on accident and God knew that Sister Phillips was suppose to be a Bronco's fan-haha" (that is how we met Lawrence. He was wearing a bronco's beanie and I had to comment on it).

I had a smile from ear to ear on the other end of the phone, I was so excited! I always knew he knew, but when they say it, you know they realize and know it for themselves. He has been understanding the principle of repentance very well. He is a single man who does well for himself in his 40's and had many women who he talked to. Last Sunday after our lesson he said he called them all but one, and told them he couldn't talk to them anymore. Then yesterday I mentioned that we had a temple where his girlfriend in Mexico lived. So what did he do? He is contacting the missionaries on mormon.org and is going to send them to her and his mom is Laramie, WY :D The word echoed in my mind what our Patriarch said to Lawrence when he met him, "Don't forget to invite me to your baptism!" I pray that he will get baptized before I leave Tacoma, but either way I know that one day he will be a worthy priesthood holder who will make those sacred covenants in the Lord's Holy Temple!

On the bad/good note...

Julian did not get baptized this weekend :( Friday night we were all waiting for him to show up and Debbie called and said that his dad just came and picked him up for there family reunion. what??? I was devastated and even more I was sad for Sister Douros. She was so excited for her first baptism. I felt so confidant that Julian would be there, he was more excited about getting baptized than anyone I have ever met. That entire day I kept getting these little promptings that we needed to call him and I kept brushing them off because "I" was sure that he was good to go.

I was reminded that Heavenly Father's will is not always ours. Just like Jesus Christ we have to learn to trust and do the will of the Father. "Father, if though be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42). What a great lesson our Savior Jesus Christ teaches us. That we have the power to over come the natural man, we have the choice, and when we do the will of the Father-all things will be for our benefit! Will Julian still be baptized? Absolutely, I have no doubt. He is so prepared and the Lord will make a way possible for him, but one the way the Lord took time to teach us some very valuable lessons. Julian is still not home and we are praying he will be home today, so we can talk to him. Fingers crossed!!!

This last Sunday in sacrament meeting we had great speakers that reminded me of our heritage. I am so proud to say, that I am a member of, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We watched the Prophet of the Restoration after Church and the sorrow and devastation that those early saints went through touched me deeply. I reflected upon the revelations that Joseph Smith received in Liberty Jail. During that time was some of the darkest moments for our prophet Joseph Smith, but with out sections 121, 122, and 123 how empty would our lives be? Jeffery R. Holland says, "They are contained in a mere six pages of text, but those six pages touch our hearts with their beauty and their power. And they remind us that God often “moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform.” He certainly turned adversity into blessing in giving us those sacred writings and reflections—so pure, noble, and Christian in both tone and content, yet produced in such an impure, ignoble, and unchristian setting."

How grateful I am to represent such faithful and pure people who laid a straight path for us to continue on our work for the Lord in these last days. I know Christ is our personal Savior and that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that every page of the Book of Mormon speaks truth!

I love you all,

Sister Phillips

WA-TAC

Family & Friends,

 

      Well everyone said after July 5th summer usually comes and they were right. It has been sunny everyday this week besides Sunday. Yesterday it felt like winter again and was in the 60's with high winds, brrrr! The sun is back out today and it is beautiful. I now have a chance to work on my tan lines. I have 3 different distinct tan lines on my arms, its pretty sad. haha.

 

This week has been great. To start the week off we went to the New Missionary Traning meeting on Tuesday. I always love those meetings because while our greenies are getting all trained up we get to have a scripture study with President Weaver. We were in the new testament, mostly in the Gospel of John and would talk about two or three verses and just pick them apart. The spirit was so strong and it allowed for some pretty amazing revelation to follow! President Hickley has counseled us to read the Gospel of John every year and I would invite you all to do that. It will open your eyes to the infinite love he has for us and his true character.

 

" Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth (cuts back) it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Now ye are clean through the word (Jesus Christ) which I have spoken in you. Abide in me and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye except ye abide in me.

I am the vine, ye are the branch; He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:2-4)

 

Why would God cut us back (purgeth) for bringing forth fruit? I know it is the love of God that he teaches us many, many things and sometimes they don't always feel to good, but as we do what he asks he cuts us back little by little to show us that it is not us, but Him that bears the fruit. As we work diligent in his vineyard full-time missionary or not-we will bring forth much fruit unto Christ. Then will our joy be full!

 

As a mission we are reading the Book of Mormon again together. This time we are only reading 6 pgs. a day instead of 11. We will finish by Oct. 15th and that will give us 4 free days, in case we miss. I would like to invite anyone and everyone to READ with us. It's going to be sooooo much fun!!!! I know from my last experience in doing this it brought forth MIGHTY MIRACLES!!!! One of the greatest miracles that happened while on my mission came from the sweet, powerful spirit that the Book of Mormon brings as you read in EVERYDAY!!

 

Sister Douros is a champ! She is doing really well. This week we have been focusing on teaching skills and listening. It is easy for new missionaries to get really distracted. haha. She is one of the most positive people I have met, it is really great. She has not had an easy life and I admire her straight and determination for the work. I have been learning a lot about her. But the one thing that she loves the most is Disney princesses haha. So opposite from me, but I just roll with it anyway!! The poor girl is not into exercising as much as me, so she said her way of serving me is exercising in the morning haha. I am really grateful for that. On Saturday we run the narrows bridge with our zone and it was Sister Douros's first time. She was so nervous but we assured her it would be ok and she didn't have to run she could walk it. It is 1 mile across, so 2 miles all together, but when I finished I looked behind me and there is Sister Douros leaning over the median puking :( I ran back up to her and made sure she was okay and the poor girl was just so embarrassed. We all cheered her one and I walked with her back down. She just laughed it off and now has a great memory on the Narrows bridge haha!!! Love her!

 

This coming week Julian Goff will be getting baptised. Julian is an amazing individual. He is baptist and left the church a couple years ago because he didn't agree with there teachings. He loves the gospel so much!! He comes to church every Sunday and uses his GIANT bible and book of Mormon that we got him lol. He has one of the most honest and sincere spirits I have met. Everytime we go to teach him, I walk out of it the one being taught!!

 

I love you all and hope you have a great week. 

 

xoxoxo

Sister Phillips 

Good Morning Utah...

Where do I even start?

This week had been quiet eventful: transfers, 4th of July, and training, its been a whirlwind, but a good one ;)

Transfers was really sad for Sister Lyles and I. It was sad to see her go, but cannot wait until she gets her "for real time" mission call. She will be on fire and influence so many lives, just like she has in Tacoma.

My new companions name is Sister Douros (dur-us) It took me about a good day to actually start pronouncing her name right. Her family is Greek def. not Spanish, like we thought from her name. haha. She is doing really well. A little homesick, but that is expected with new missionaries. Luckily we have been really busy this week and she has been able to experience A LOT, (teaching the resto many times, she quoted the first vision, putting people on date for baptism, church tours, and seeing how awesome our members are here) I showed her my planner of my first area when I was a greenie and she couldn't believe it. There were days when we didn't even teach 1 lesson. It was sad, but I learned a lot about endurance and relying on the lord there and would never take those six weeks back! Sister Douros is from Draper, UT. Believe it or not she's my first comp. from Utah. She has 8 kids in her family and loves Disney princesses..hmmm. She has a very sweet testimony and I am excited to work with her and see her blossom into the BEST WA-TAC sister ever!

We had an amazing MIRACLE happen this week. Do you remember Debbie and Joseph?? They are from Nigeria. Debbie and Joseph have been praying and fasting for either a new job opportunity or for Josephs boss to let him have Sundays off, so they can attend church. We went over to there house of Friday and Debbie told us that Joseph's boss said that if her worked two more Sundays for him later in the month he could have them off for now on. AHHHH!!! I was ecstatic for them and could feel the humility and love that Debbie had in her heart for her our Heavenly Father. I know that it was because of there Faith that God allowed this miracle to happen. There is a scripture I read in the Book of Mormon that explains Debbie perfectly,

" And now I would that ye should be humble and submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive." (Alma 7: 23)

Joseph and Julian (our other invest. that lives with them) came to church yesterday. It was great to see them there. Then next week Debbie will come and they will be able to get baptized soon!!!

I want to leave you with my testimony of prayer. I know that through sincere prayer the Father and the Child's will, will come together and be one. I know that if we prayer with faith and sincerity and talk to our father like we would talk to our dad's on this earth, it will change your relationship with him, it will change our hearts, and it will change our vision of who he truly is. He wants to hear from us, he wont's to help us. Our Savior waits to heal us and envelope us in his "robe of righteousness". Through faithful prayers I know that we can call upon the powers of Heaven for help at anytime. We have that power. What an amazing gift he has given to us! My time to really kneel in prayer morning and night has become my own personal sacred grove.

I know that no matter what, He hears our prayers. I am grateful to share the wonderful message just like Nephi taught to, "convince the Jew and the gentile that Jesus is the very Christ, the Eternal God." (2 Ne.26:12)

I love you all and I will keep praying that our Rain is sent to YOU!!

xoxoxo

Sister Phillips

Good Morning Utah...

Where do I even start?

This week had been quiet eventful: transfers, 4th of July, and training, its been a whirlwind, but a good one ;)

Transfers was really sad for Sister Lyles and I. It was sad to see her go, but cannot wait until she gets her "for real time" mission call. She will be on fire and influence so many lives, just like she has in Tacoma.

My new companions name is Sister Douros (dur-us) It took me about a good day to actually start pronouncing her name right. Her family is Greek def. not Spanish, like we thought from her name. haha. She is doing really well. A little homesick, but that is expected with new missionaries. Luckily we have been really busy this week and she has been able to experience A LOT, (teaching the resto many times, she quoted the first vision, putting people on date for baptism, church tours, and seeing how awesome our members are here) I showed her my planner of my first area when I was a greenie and she couldn't believe it. There were days when we didn't even teach 1 lesson. It was sad, but I learned a lot about endurance and relying on the lord there and would never take those six weeks back! Sister Douros is from Draper, UT. Believe it or not she's my first comp. from Utah. She has 8 kids in her family and loves Disney princesses..hmmm. She has a very sweet testimony and I am excited to work with her and see her blossom into the BEST WA-TAC sister ever!

We had an amazing MIRACLE happen this week. Do you remember Debbie and Joseph?? They are from Nigeria. Debbie and Joseph have been praying and fasting for either a new job opportunity or for Josephs boss to let him have Sundays off, so they can attend church. We went over to there house of Friday and Debbie told us that Joseph's boss said that if her worked two more Sundays for him later in the month he could have them off for now on. AHHHH!!! I was ecstatic for them and could feel the humility and love that Debbie had in her heart for her our Heavenly Father. I know that it was because of there Faith that God allowed this miracle to happen. There is a scripture I read in the Book of Mormon that explains Debbie perfectly,

" And now I would that ye should be humble and submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive." (Alma 7: 23)

Joseph and Julian (our other invest. that lives with them) came to church yesterday. It was great to see them there. Then next week Debbie will come and they will be able to get baptized soon!!!

I want to leave you with my testimony of prayer. I know that through sincere prayer the Father and the Child's will, will come together and be one. I know that if we prayer with faith and sincerity and talk to our father like we would talk to our dad's on this earth, it will change your relationship with him, it will change our hearts, and it will change our vision of who he truly is. He wants to hear from us, he wont's to help us. Our Savior waits to heal us and envelope us in his "robe of righteousness". Through faithful prayers I know that we can call upon the powers of Heaven for help at anytime. We have that power. What an amazing gift he has given to us! My time to really kneel in prayer morning and night has become my own personal sacred grove.

I know that no matter what, He hears our prayers. I am grateful to share the wonderful message just like Nephi taught to, "convince the Jew and the gentile that Jesus is the very Christ, the Eternal God." (2 Ne.26:12)

I love you all and I will keep praying that our Rain is sent to YOU!!

xoxoxo

Sister Phillips

Is it Monday Already?

This week flew by so incredibly fast. I don't even remember what happened?? Hmmm...Oh yes I do!

Kyle was baptized on Friday evening..yaaaaa!!! It was quiet the day on Friday when he was baptized. That morning we went to see one of our investigators and we ran into another invest. Anita. She was just standing outside, so we pulled over and asked her what she was doing. She said she was waiting for Mary (Kyle's mom) to bring her some cigarettes (Anita is an alcoholic and smokes. but we are working on not drinking first). Fast forward 30 min and we have two missed calls from anita. We called her back and she said that Mary said she kicked Kyle out of the house that morning and she doesn't know where he went...ahhhhhh!!!

All day Sister Lyles and I were praying so hard and knew that if we had the Faith, Heavenly Father would lead us to him. We prayed and felt prompeted to go look at some places in our area and still no  Kyle. Five o'clock rolls around and we felt prompted to go to Kyle's house and see if he would show up for his ride to the church. While we were sitting on his porch Kyle's mom pulled up. We talked to her for a minute and asked her if Kyle ended up coming to his baptism, if she would want to come? It's around 5:30 at this point and it starts at 6pm. :/ We decided to just drive to the church and see if he was there and on our way almost to the church we see KYLE walking down the street. Oh we were sooo excited and just giving thanks to our Heavenly Father for leading us to him. He arrived at the church and asked him if he would call him mom and invite her. ( they dont have the best relationship because she is bi-polar and an alcoholic :() He called and she said no she wouldnt come, but right before the service was going to start she walked in :) I know he was excited and grateful even though he said he didn't care! All in All the Lord provided again just like he always does!!

The rest of our investigators are doing great. Progressing like they should. Lawrence decided he wanted us to teach his son. That was a big step for him, because he has never done that with anyone else he has studied with. They even came to church and stayed for sunday school. Lawrence Jr. is really cool, he has no background of God, but I feel like he will be setting the example for his dad as he is learning more, which will hopefully open up his eyes a little more. They also came and played B-Ball with us this morning with all the Elders. They are pretty good!

We had a friendship feast this week. We have them once a month to invite anyone out to eat dinner with us at the church. Its a great way for us to get our investigators to meet the ward members and come see what the church looks like. Food always is a good deal breaker ;D Debbie surprised us and came. They run a in-home care business, so one of them has to be home at all times and Joseph works a second job-usually on sundays. Joseph told his boss that he needed Wed. off so Debbie could come. The ward was so excited to see her. She seriously is so funny and she is hard not to love. Joseph is going to ask for this sunday and hopefully his boss with let his have it!!!!

Transfers are this week, again!!! These last six weeks have gone so fast. I did not want them to end. Sister Lyles and I have been working so hard and the work is on fire. She will be greatly missed. But I am excited to be with her when she gets her real mission call next March, because I will be home then! She will be a grea missionary!

Well I am training once again. Two in a row! She is the only sister coming in this transfer, so I am greatful that she gets to come to one of the BEST areas in Tacoma-Skyline!!! She will love it. They haven't told me her name yet, they dont tell us until we get there, so its a surprise for both of us haha.After transfer meeting we are having a big BBQ for the 4th of July :D It should be pretty fun.

We will be praying that the Rain will come your way!!! :( It's sad to hear of all the homes and families being affected by this disaster. It reminds me how grateful we are to be in a country where men and women will leave there homes and families for the safety of others. I know that through the Faith of many people the Lord will send rain. Dont know when...but eventually it will come!!!

This transfer remindes me of one of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon.

O Lord wilt thoug comfort my soul and give unto me success, and also my fellow laborers, who are with me-yea, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner and also Amulek and Zeezrom, and also my two sons-year even all these wilt thou comfort their souls in Christ. Wilt thou grant unto them that they may have strength, that they may bear their afflictions which shall come upon them because of their iniquities of this people. O Lord will though grant unto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ. Behold O Lord their souls are precious and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren again unto thee. (Alma 31:32-35)

I love these people here in Washington so much. They are all of our brothers and sisters and as missionaries we have a great responsiblity to bring them unto Christ! I love my Savior and am grateful for the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you do not read the Book of Mormon everyday-I challenge you today to start. Even if you just read a verse. Do it! You will have a change of heart and you will come to love and know of the marvelous work and glory that is taking place today!!

I love you all,

Sister Phillips