Is it really Monday already?

How is everyone?? I hope you are all great and are getting ready for Thanksgiving!!! We already have 3 dinner appt. Yikes!! We decided we will do a course at each house, so that way we wont be sick when we go home :D

Not a lot has happened. We are still working with the same investigators. One of our investigators decided that it wasn't for him. I was heart broken, but you do everything you can and then remember that they still have their agency to choose. All hope isn't lost for him yet though, we are still praying for him and hopefully can see him tomorrow. Kerri decided she wants to get baptized she just has some issues she needs to figure out first and Jane wants to get baptized too once she understands that she can't drink coffee and tea-that’s been a hard one for her! No worries!

On Friday we had our sisters retreat in Tacoma. All the sisters came and we stayed at president and sister weavers house. We had to be there at 4:30 and when we were all there they surprised us and took us all downtown Tacoma to eat at the spaghetti factory! It was so yummy and it was just fun to be DOWNTOWN, I didn't want to leave. We then we to a musical called savior of the world put on by the multi-stake. It was amazing; I was really impressed that members could do that. President also let us stay up past 10:30. We went to bed around midnight, but some of the sisters stayed up until 3am :( I would have died the next day. Sister Eichenmiller and I were already dragging with the loss of 2 hours I couldn't imagine anymore. We woke up and had a yummy breakfast and then had a scripture study together. They are so amazing and they spoil the sisters like crazy! I think because they have 5 girls of there own, so pres. just loves the girls more anyway.

I sent some pictures of our last p-day. We went on a little hike with the Elders. It is so pretty here and the fall colors stay for more than a week, its awesome! It is getting sooo dark though. It is pitch dark by 5 pm and sis, eichenmiller and I are both wimps, so the fact that sometimes we tract out in the middle of now where is a big deal for us. We tend to sing church songs and pray the whole time that a bear wont come eat us. I’m actually not scared of animals, I'm scared of the crazy people here in Olympia!!! The good thing about Olympia is that most of the crazy people are high, so there not very mean and would be easy to take down, lol!

We went to dinner at a members the other night and it was the saddest thing. Her husband is dying of cancer and he just came home, but they don’t' give him much time to live. They love the sisters because sister missionaries found her one day and she was baptized. Anyway, she shared this quote with us that I love. This women who's husband is on his death bed it strengthening me...she is amazing!

Surely there is no more powerful missionary message we can send to this world than the example of a loving and happy person. The manner and bearing the smile of kindness of a faithful member of the church brings a warm and an outreach which no missionary tract or videotape can convey. People do not join the church because of what they know! They join because of what they feel, what they see and want spiritually. Our spirit of testimony and happiness that regard will come through others if we let it.

-Jeffery R. Holland

I love this quote because when we are just being us we are sharing something with people that are powerful. When we can accept who we are, we will allow ourselves to enjoy true happiness and want to share it with others. That is why as missionaries it is essential to have the spirit with us. Without it-we fail!

I hope you guys have a great week....

Until next Monday!

xoxoxox

Sister Phillips

WA-TAC

WINTER IS HERE!

Winter officially came last week.

It doesn't get above 60 degrees and in the morning when we leave, which is around 11 it's 35 degrees...brrr! I definitely will be investing in some warm winter clothes and layering. It has been raining every night as well, so we wake up and it's all foggy and misty-it's kinda creepy! I also found out that I need "REAL" rain boots, normal boots are just not cutting it. If it starts raining during the day or while were tracting, my feet are soaked and freezing! The other night we had some "baby mama drama" with one of our investigators and we stood outside in the rain for about 5 min. Needless to say, when we got back in the car I could ring my hair out with water. It was fun!

This week has been great though, kind of a rollercoaster, but it ended really well. Keri one of our investigators currently just became homeless because she won’t give up her dog. Its silly. She has assisted living available for her, but they wont allow pets and she would kill herself before she let her dog go. Our bishop tried talking to her, she received a blessing and sis. ikey and I even took her hot cocoa. Then yesterday a sweet miracle happened a one of our ward missionaries offered keri a place to sleep at night-AND- she showed up at church without us even calling her :D She says she has been a Mormon her whole life and is so thankful she is finding the truth. We feel like she needs to get her life in order a little bit more and then hopefully she can get baptized.

We also ran into another family tracting named the, Sanvigs. He is a single dad with an 11yr. old girl and a 14 yr. old boy and his wife died of breast cancer a couple years ago. Instantly for some reason I felt this strong connection with this family. He was very willing to meet with us when we first met him and set up an appt. to teach the first lesson. We came to find out that some people knew him in our ward and were his neighbors a few years back. SCORE! We showed up at his house and he made the sisters a pizza to eat for dinner. I knew I loved this family!!! We taught the first lesson and the spirit was so strong. Brother Lusk one of his friends that came with us who is a member bore a powerful witness of how the Gospel can bless your life. It was amazing, I had to hold back my tears. The daughter Olivia was eating it up. I just pray that they were able to recognize the feeling they to were having. I know this family has so much potential. I have never felt so much love for a family before and have had only met with them one time. Hopefully we can meet again this week and make progress and get them to church. Pray for the Sanvigs, they need this soooo much.

There are so many great people here in Olympia. There is a family named the, Brashers. I call them g-ma and g-pa. There in there 70's and are the cutest old couple ever. (besides my grandparents). When we are having a bad day we go to there house and they sweeten us right back up. They have massage sofa chairs that I love to sit in and their house is always SO warm. Brother Brasher is not a member, but he still loves when we have gospel conversations. He even came to church yesterday. He is huge into Football, so whenever a big game is on he lets us know just in case we wanted to "stop by" ha-ha :D

Sister Eichenmiller and I are doing great. She is a great missionary and a very powerful silent teacher. Yesterday she said I was so "authoritative" haha. I said me? no way! I blamed my dad for that one. She said it is a good thing though. Our investigator Kerri also calls me Miss America. I hate it and I think she knows I hate it. But Sis. Ikey and I balance each other out very well. She is quiet and powerful and I am bold and get strait to the point. I love it.

What else.....

Oh I almost forgot. I met one of our RC (recent converts) the first time this week. His name is Daniel. He is amazing. I am determined to meet with him once a week because he is my spiritual therapist. He is so smart. He blows my mind with the deep doctrine we discuss. We got deep into 1 Nephi 8 about Lehi's dream and the tree of life. How many times have I read that story??? A billion AND I have never noticed things that he pointed out to me. He also taught me a very noteworthy lesson. He said, "if we are comfortable we are dead". The people who are "comfortable" in a spiritual sense are not progressing, therefore, they are dead. Our soul and our spirit is really who we are inside. If we are not going through trails, happiness and sorrow we are not allowing ourselves to progress. Pres. Uchtodorf said, "We comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable". So when we go through hard time in our lives, just think...I'm alive!!! I am growing and being molded into the person our Heavenly Father know we can become.

My testimony has grown so much already. I love this work, it is the best work we can be engaged in.

I miss you all so very much and hope you have a great week!

Love you,

Lakyn

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Can you believe it's Halloween today??? I feel like we have been looking forward to it for ever, so it took a long time to get here. How is everyone? Any fun plans for Halloween??

We have to be locked up tonight from 5-9 (orders from the mission pres.) I guess they have had a problem with people dressing up as LDS Missionaries and getting in trouble. Then the cops will call our mission pres. and tell him they need to come pick up their missionaries, haha. So, we have to stay all bundled up in the stake center with our zone in case the popo's call he will be able to account for all of us! Our zone is the smallest in the whole mission. There is only 9 of us. It's great though, it makes for a really united group. We are going to carve pumpkins and play games and our mission pres. and sis. weaver gave us a basket filled with goodies, but it is all wrapped up and we can't open it until tonight!!!! They even said they put a movie in there :D Which is surprising because pres. weaver said, "movies are a cuss word in my vocabulary for missionaries" hehe!

Both of our wards have trunk or treats last weekend, they were so much fun. We have two wards and they are complete opposites. It's kinda hard. One is super focused on missionary work and the other could care less. It's really hard, we are having pres. weaver come speak to 3rd ward and hopefully call them to repentance hah jk! Anyway, 4th ward had a chili and cornbread cook off. It was crazy! They had over 20 different kinds of chili and corn bread. Let's just say sis. Ikey and me were well fed!!!

We now have 3 investigators we have on date for baptism in nov. I am so excited for them. I have found that you have to work so much harder when you have a lot of investigators, because you have to constantly check up on them...or satan will. It's the best kind of work to wear yourself out in. I love it. One of our investigators in named Jane and she is 60 years old. She knows it is true, but struggles with large crowds and anxiety. So, that's a problem with church and activities. But she did come to the trunk or treat and brought her grand kids and they all loved it (score)!!! She also stayed for sacrament and Sunday school yesterday, she couldn't quiet make it for relief society. Will work on that! She is on date for Nov 13th :D

Keri... well what can I say about keri. She says she has been a Mormon her whole life and she didn't even know it! She is currently homeless right now, which is hard. But she wont be for long and she recognizes that the Lord is helping her. She also thinks we were sent to her so she could help us as well. Maybe true, I dunno.

Then Kaden is 9 and he just can't wait to be baptised-it's getting over his mom. So, I feel like were trying to convert his mom (and she's a member) not him. Oh well.

Olympia is AWESOME!! I seriously love this place. It is so pretty and there are so many crazies it makes it really fun. Sis. Ikey and I went to downtown Olympia last Tues to meet with Keri and had quiet the experience. Olympia has lakes everywhere, its so cool. Anyway, they have a lake that goes around the capitol that we were walking around when we looked up the side of the hill and we see all of these hippi protesters marching and screaming "world peace" with there white flags and tambourines. I felt like I was watching forest gump or something. Sis. Ikey and I looked at each other and said, "walk fast". We both knew we needed to get out of there and fast. Liberals are not fans of Mormons, especially when the republican party's highest candidate is a MORMON!!!

It was fun to see that though. I got to see the "real" Olympia everyone has been telling me about.

I am so grateful that I am able to be apart of the Lords work here Olympia. We had so many miracles this week, it was amazing. The Lord is definitely aware of every single one of us, no matter who you are. The Book of Mormon will bring you closer to God than any other book on Earth. I love it!!! It's amazing how you can love the strangest people, and I know that is the pure love of Christ. I hope you all have a great HALLOWEEN!!!! Send me pics

I LOVE YOU ALL

XOXOXOXO

Sister Lakyn Phillips

OLYMPIA!!

I got transferred!!!!

I was SO SHOCKED.

I had told everyone I would be staying and probably taking over the sunrise area after Sis. Fisher left. AND...I finally put a little girl on date for baptism and I get transferred :( That’s okay though. We got our calls on Saturday while I was on exchanges with another sister. I was expecting for her to get transferred, but then we both did. Sis. Fisher is staying in Sunrise, Puyallup training another greenie (good luck). One of the members said, I guess they decided to move you instead of the cats, lol! I will miss that ward, there were some great people there, but was ready to leave.

I am now with Sis. Eichenmiller (pronounced iken-miller) she is so amazing. She is so nice and loves to work HARD! This is only her 4th transfer so I'm not far behind her. Olympia has struggled big time lately with disobedient elders and a lot of problems occurred, so president weaver said, and quote “were sending a few of you in for clean-up." I am thrilled to know he would trust me enough to come here and help gain back the trust of the people in Olympia. Yay!! There are only 2 elders and my comp. that were in Olympia before and they took everyone else out and put all new in. I am ready to work hard in this area and see a lot of success. All the Elders warned me, they said, " sis. Phillips remember the 3 H's. 1. Hippies 2. Homo's 3. Hobo's haha. I already love this place. It will be interesting when I meet my first "real" liberal. I have really never had to deal with them before. Good things to look forward too, right?!

We live in this cute little condo. It looks and smells like a log cabin. It's much better than my last place. And we have a sweet new car. :) It's so pretty! We ate dinner with members last night and they LOVE the missionaries. They all just got baptized a couple months ago and if they could they would feed us everyday :/ I am nervous about gaining weight, members think you have been starving, so they cook these giant meals and desert for you. I love it, I just have to remember that we live in America and I think they'll be okay if I don't eat everything on my plate..ugh!

How is Utah??? I miss the fall leaves. There are a few here, but mostly there are evergreens and they just stay green all year. When we tract at night I just think to myself how cold it is in Utah right now and I feel much better. The people here keep saying it’s going to be an ugly winter this year, but there definition of a bad winter is a couple feet of snow. I would be okay with that!! I love this work and it is 10 times better when you have a comp. who loves the work as well. Being on a mission is by the hardest thing ALREADY I have experienced, but so worth the things you gain in return. The Lord will always pour out his blessings upon those who seek first the kingdom of God. I know of that to be true and I see it change people’s lives every day. I know the principles and doctrines we teach are true and they are for everyone. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a beautiful thing that I will ever be grateful for. :D

I hope you all are doing great!

I love and miss you all so very much.

Love,

Sister Phillips

WA-TAC

How are my Utahn's?

I sure miss that place...already!!

This week has been, well, interesting.

We moved, we met a drunk lady and she is coming to church (YES), and I discovered I may be allergic to cats.

We are teaching a little girl named Mckenna and she is SO excited to get baptized. We also met a lady named, Heather. She just went through a divorce and is having a hard time and is looking for a church to attend...SCORE! We are still teaching Wil Green, but I am worried about him, he seems a little hesitant, but we just have to pray for him and teach by the spirit and them let him chose.

I am learning how to be patient with people and how to be patient with myself. My companion and I see very differently and I am learning to humble myself and give in to her (which kills me) Yes, I need to be humbled!

Moving has been quiet an adventure. The lady we lived with is getting married and wanted us out asap! We had no idea where we were going until the morning of. I was a little nervous. We ended up with a single sister and her sister-in-law in her basement living room. Let's just say, I'm glad its temporary. The lady we live with now is the best though. She is so sweet and lost her husband not to long ago, so I think it will be good for her to have some more company.

I am trying to think about what to write to you all, but I don’t remember what happened last week. It was so crazy that I tried to block it from my mind lol.

I did have a tender mercy given to me this week though!!! The day we were moving we weren’t able to study that morning and oh man could I feel it. The spirit had left and I had never felt so crummy. We decided we needed to read the scriptures. I didn't feel like I could focus in our new house because it still wasn’t organized, so we drove to an empty parking lot by target and read in the bible for 15 min. It was Amazing, the spirit that flooded into our car and changed my NEGATIVE attitude into a NORMAL happy lakyn one. We went finding for 2 hours after and I was in the best mood! I was so thankful for Heavenly Father blessing us that day and letting us know he was aware of us and we could do it. As a missionary you can't afford not to have the spirit with you 24/7. Nothing will covert a person more strongly that the spirit it self. We can try to "woo" them with our knowledge, but for most that is not enough. Something I remember while teaching them is "if they say it they believe it, if you say it they tend to doubt it". The message is much more powerful if they believe it and when they can feel the spirit testify to them that it is true, than us just telling them! I hope that makes sense.

I want to share with you this quote from Boyd K. Packer:

"Since baptism is essential there must be an urgent concern to carry the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. We accept the responsibility to preach the gospel to every person on Earth. And if the question is asked, "you mean you are out to convert the entire world?" the answer is, "yes, we will try to reach every living soul." Some who measure that challenge quickly say, "Why that's impossible, it cannot be done! To that we simply say, "perhaps, but we shall do it anyway."

Amen.

Well I love you all,

I will try to have a better letter next week

xoxoxoxo

Sister Phillips

Another week down!

This week has been great-rainy, but great! Last p-day I bought me some boots, so I am set up and my feet are not freezing anymore...yahoo!! How has everyone's week been? I sounds like there has been bad weather everywhere. Winter is coming :( One day I am going to live some where, where there is only summer, spring, and fall. Wouldn't that great?! Some people we tract into have been keeping us up to date on the politics. I love it! My companion kinda gets frustrated with me because I go off on my tangents about it, but ya know what-were creating relationship with these people, so I don't really care hehe! They tell us as missionaries were not supposed to be "one-sided" on any party, but I am a republican and proud to be one! Now, if I were talking to a democrat I would hold my tongue, but if there republicans, I don’t see why we can't chat? They keep me informed on how Mitt Romney is doing and his component "the Texan". I sure hope he wins primaries!! Maybe that will help V-town a little too or....the whole country.

We had some really sad news this week. There is this Samoan family named the, Laititi's. Their WHOLE family lives together. There are 3 different families living under the same roof. Ace and Frank are members and less active, but their children are not baptized so we have been teaching them lessons. They are such a fun family. There is never a dull moment in that house. Frank is usually threatening the kids with their life if they don’t behave or their crying because they just "love Jesus" lol. The little kids sing to us every time we would go too, its was an event! Anyway, we go over there on Thursday to check on Frank because he had been in the hospital with some health problems. We show up and there house was empty. What? We were so confused. They had mentioned moving, but never said much so we didn’t really think anything of it. We called the sister and she told us that Frank had died on Tuesday. That means since they moved they are not in our ward anymore. So, we had to hand them over to the Elders in a different area...rrrr! The sister called us today and invited us to his funeral next Monday. She also asked if we would stand up and say something about Frank, because he loved the missionaries. I was so honored they would ask us. I hope our mission pres. lets us go! But I have never spoke at a funeral before, what do I say eek!

Have you all heard the news about the Provo tabernacle becoming a temple? The Provo tabernacle burned down last year. I remember asking Kaylen why we could hear so many fire trucks and then we found out that it had caught on fire. It was the saddest thing to see such a historic and beautiful building be destroyed. But in conference they announced that they were going to reconstruct it to how it was before, but this time it will be another temple in Provo :D I started crying. I don’t know why. I just thought it was the coolest thing EVER!!! I can’t wait to go see it. I imagine it will be a lot like the vernal temple...AWESOME!

Funny story:

We were "finding" Friday night and we knock on this door, not knowing what to expect like every door we knock on. This Asian lady opens the door and starts going crazy like we are coming to kidnap her family. She jumping up and down, screaming, waving her hands all over the place (the whole time sis. fisher and I are just standing in amazement) she then runs past us like she is looking for help or our car and goes back in side and slams the door. Sis. Fisher and I looked at each other and just started laughing hysterically. It was the funniest thing!

Sis. Swanson the lady we are living with moved up her wedding date to Nov. 4. They decided they couldn't wait that long haha! I agree! They are so smitten for each other. That means we will be moving soon. They don't know where we will be living, but I hope its somewhere as great as sis. swansons house. She also asked us to be the witness at her wedding. That means I get to speak at a funeral and we a witness for a wedding all in 2 weeks :D Look at all the new things I get to experience lol!

We have a new investigator and 1 church tour this week..yay!!! Our new investigators name is Wil Green. He just got home from Afganistan. He is in the special forces unit and just got home and wants to take the lessons from the missionaries. Pray for him! Our church tour is a guy we met on the side of the street, so I hope he shows up! The work is moving slow, but it’s moving. I know the Lord will bless us with people to teach because we are being obedient. You wouldn't believe how many elders are disobedient. Pres. Weaver found out and is starting to crack the whip. I guess the last mission pres wasn't as strict everyone was just scared of him. Pres. Weaver is so opposite. He is the nicest most loving man, but he also will not allow the Elders to walk on him.

Remember, to always treat people how you would want to be treated. It's so simple, but I can tell a lot of a person’s character of how they treat people who can do NOTHING for them. Something I heard this week that applies to my life everyday as a missionary is:

"If you give a man a fish, you will feed him for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, you will feed him for a lifetime"

Now, I think we can apply that to all of our lives in many different ways. As a missionary that is key. We have to teach people how to be self reliant and not reliant on the missionaries. If we can do that, they are more likely to stay active in the church. I love this work and I am learning so many life lessons that will benefit me forever. Thank you all for everything you do.

I hope you all have a fabulous week!!!

I love you all so so much and miss you as well!

The Church is True!

Love,

Sister Phillips

P.S. I'm sorry if my writing is sloppy and incorrect. I just don't have much time. Please just look over all of that :D

This is a little one liner from my email today:

"I pray for you all the time and just remember, it's okay if you haven't found a man yet, because you have a whole 18 months ;D"

Thank you Lakyn for justifying my singleness :) Love you always

It's Monday!!

This week has been a good week. We found 1 new and no church tours. That's okay though. My comp. and I are being very obedient and doing everything we can, so I know the Lord will bless us. We are being fed so well by members, I have to watch portion sizes or else I will gain 20 pounds so easily...eek! Sister Fisher is such a great teacher. She makes sure I stay humble and she'll tell me too! I also talked on the phone with Natalie Neilson a girl I was friends with when I was little (Dr. Neilsons daughter). I was at her brothers house (our bishop) and she called so he let me chat with her. It was fun!

The man we found is a old single man in a trailer park. His name is Bruce Welcome (yes his last name is welcome). He is a total redneck. When he invited us in he was watching a football game and was cheering for the Washington Sea Hawks who were playing the Ravens. I said if the Ravens win, we get 2 lessons not just 1 and THEY WON! haha. I think my comp. thought I was crazy, but you have to be able to connect to people. That was a way we could gain his trust and understanding, Whatever it takes!!!

Did I tell you the story about Mary? The lady that we met finding last monday? Well everything in our plan went wrong that day. Long story short we didn't have a car, so we had to change our finding spot and go somewhere we could walk to. We decided to go to a place called, lapoma firs-about a 20min walk. It was rainy and cold and about the 15th door we knocked on it was Mary. Mary is a very faithful baptist. She invited us in, gave us something to drink and then wanted to talk business. She knew we were mormon. She got her bibles out and started to almost bible bash with us. What? This lady is like 60 years old. Anyway, we just nodded our heads and smiled, because we are not allowed to bible bash, even though I could prove her wrong on most of the stuff, out of the bible. We told her we had to leave because we had another appt. and this is what she says, "Girls I prayed for two mormons to come to my house today, so I could teach them" What? I was so confused. But it made perfect sense. I know we were led to her house for a reason, that reason I still am trying to figure out!

Mary wanted to talk again. We prayed and felt like we needed to go back. We went back on Friday. By this time she has studied mormon doctrine from Internet sources (not good) and had came up with questions to try to prove us wrong. Again- we smile and nod our heads, trying not argue. She rejects any possibility that God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ are two separate beings. Pretty much she believes in the trinity where they are as one. I won't lie, the bible is confusing about that certain topic, but that is why we have the First Vision!!! We also have the account in Acts where Stephen says he saw both of them and many more. I then was just boggled. I couldn't understand this lady and how she could be so defensive, but yet preach of Christ. I bore by testimony of the Book of Mormon and new without a doubt that it was true. We then invited her to read the Book of Mormon and read her Moroni's promise (moroni 10:3-5), we then asked her if we could leave in prayer.

She says, " No, we do not pray to the same God and I will not allow it in my house, the only thing I need the the good word of God and that is in the Bible"- my heart was crushed.

Remember- I am a greeny and am from Utah!

We left and got into our car and tears started streaming down my face. I was trying to be so strong for my companion, but I just couldn't anymore. I have never had anyone tell me so many piercing anti-doctrinal words before. I couldn't understand why God wouldn't just let her understand through the bible she is reading that it is false doctrine. For example- the trinity,faith alone will save you and the we have a prophet on the earth today. I went home that night and prayed to help me answer this question in conference the next day.

Thank goodness for General Conference....

Elder Christofferson rolls around and what does he say????

"Faith without works is dead". Yes!!! Many people do not welcome the message of repentance, but it is a divine gift that will allow us to return to live with our Father in Heaven. If we do not repent, we will never be able to progress in the way we can.

His talk answered every question that I had. I love that man!

How thankful I am for a Prophet of God on this Earth today to lead and guide this church through these last days. I always use the example to the people we teach-is the prophet is standing on top of Mt. Rainier and can see everything that is happening, where we can only see to the eyes reach. That is what a prophet does. He see's things we can't and if we listen to him we will always be protected.

How was your conference experience? I heard Jeffery R. Holland laid down the law haha. I heard they talked to the everyone about serving missions,even the seniors. hint hint, grandma and grandpa buck!!! ;D Always count on him for that!

I attached some pics. My mom sent me a tomato from my grandpas garden and I made a tomato sandwich. I was soooo yummy! We ate lunch at a members house and there house is giant. The pics of the mountains are from her back porch. Beautiful hu! The sign on the fence in for my mom. It reminded me of her haha. She hates when dogs are on her grass!!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week! I think of you all everyday and hope you are doing well.

xoxoxo

Love,

Sister Phillips

WA-TAC