Family,

 

How has everyone's week been? Is Utah rolling over to fall yet? The trees here are already turning orange and yellow :) It is so pretty, but I am NOT ready for winter. I think back and have no idea how we survived, but I know with our heavy coats, stockings, and scarves, toasty toes, and umbrellas we can conquer again!

 

This week Lisa Cosgrove was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! The first day we met Lisa was on August 30th and she was baptized on Sept. 15th, SIXTEEN days! She was so excited and told our bishop many times that she finally felt like she was at home.

It amazed me when we first met her at her openness of her heart. She already had a foundational testimony of Jesus Christ because she had been searching for truth most of her life, since she was about eight years old. Being a doctor/psychiatrist she had many experiences that should have deterred her away from the church, but amazingly she was able to see that it was the people, not the gospel. Lisa I think taught me more than I could have ever taught her. She is an amazing women who I hope will always be apart of my life.

 

Debbie on of our recent converts loves loves pepper. Not just normal pepper but habanero peppers. Every time we go to her house she is cooking something and you will walk in her kitchen and your eyes start to water because it is so HOT. Sister Baylon and her love it, but I can't handle that hot stuff. People at a time were afraid to come for fellowship because they heard the haunting stories of Debbie making them try her dinner and they leaving with their lips two sizes bigger. haha. In Nigeria they do not eat sugar or if they do it is cane sugar which is not as sweet. So we decided to make habanero brownies to see if she would like them. She gave us some habanero powder and we put about a 1 1/2 tsp. in. It wasn't to bad, but it def. left a good tingle down your throat. She tired one and it didn't even faze  her...ahh. She still said, "to much sugar".

 

The Julians also had there little baby (a family we've been teaching for a while). I got here in Tacoma when Morgan was 3 mon along, She was hardly showing. I was so happy I got to stay until she had it. His name is baby Milo and he had a bad case of jaundice :( But he looked so cute in that little bed, he looked like a glow worm.

 

We also went to Zion's camp with half of our mission. The other half went another day. It was really fun. They have a lot of optical courses that we had to get through. One of them we had to get ALL the sisters over this 18ft. wall. Oh gosh at first I was really worried, but I taught everyone how to do a cheerleading stunt and it went really well. haha. Of course I was the only x cheerleader there. We even had to do the trust fall off of a 4ft. pole. It was cool to be able to help those sisters who were so so scared and see them overcome that fear they had. I also got to see my baby Sister Douros. I miss that girl so much-she just shines her light wherever she goes.

This week I am thankful for the scriptures. They are truly one of the most powerful ways we can come to know and understand our Savior Jesus Christ and his will. I know the Book of Mormon is true. Lisa read the first page and knew without a doubt that, it was a book from God. Why? Because she had an open heart and real intent.It truly changes the heart  I am thankful for the power of repentance and that we have such a merciful God who still forgives us of our weaknesses and allows us to be better-even though we are far indebted to him. I know that the purpose and and central blessing of this life is CHANGE!

sorry I didn't get to finish that last part.

But I love you all and hope you can always recognize the Lord's tender mercies in your life!

Adios!

Sister Phillips 

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