Hello family and friends,

This week has been really fun-stressful-fast! I can't believe it's monday
already, I feel like I was just here yesterday! Time flies when your having fun
:) I sure wish It would warm up though, its so cold and rainy. It has rained
everyday for the last week. A couple days it was non -stop to the point I
couldn't hardly see where we were driving. This weather is very bi-polar!

Our investigators are doing great! Denisses family still doesnt know when
she is going to be baptized. I totally pulled I may be transfered in 3 weeks, so
it would be great if you could hurry. I know her son is way more important than
I am, but on a selfish note I really really really want to see her baptized!!
Minh is suppose to get baptized this saturday. He totally put himself on date
during our lesson on friday. We have been working on "asking inspired questions"
lately and it totally works! The spirit was so strong and then our fellowship
decided to ask him the interview questions and Minh got spooked. My thoughts
were "OH NOOOOOO" I had to hurry and whip some good scriptures out and help Minh
understand that you only have to have a "willing" heart you dnot have to know
them perfect. Luckily he understood, but he is still a little shakin by that. He
has an interview with our president tomorrow, so pleeeeese pray that Minh will
feel confident!!!! Peter is awesome! Our lesson on saturday was a little weird.
he was super tired and not being the most responsive, which was understandable,
but I was a little worried about him. We have been praying and fasting for him
to know what we could do to help him get over that stump we feel like he's
under. Then we were at church on sunday and a family walked through the door I
haven't met. I introduced myself and started talking to them and found out this
family had lived in Taiwan for over 20 years...score!!!!!!!! I told him all
about Peter and i'm not even kidding they got to him before I could even
introduce them to each other. They fellowshiped him all 3 hours of church and
then They invited us and Peter over to there house for dinner and a lesson! The
Wynders daughter just got home from her mission from Taiwan and they all speek
Mandarin Chinese. I have a feeling Sister Brown and I are going to be the
minority!!

I am so thankful this week for the Lord and showing to me my full potential
and what I have to do to reach it. The Joseph Smith Story stands as a solid
testomony that God hasn't shut the door on any of His children-He loves us as
much today as he did anciently. That give me comfort and assurance in a unsure
and confused world that He loves us no matter what and there is alaways a way
back! I Know He LIves!

I love you all,
Sister Phillips

Heavenly Father Is So Aware Of All Of Us

Hello family,

Have I ever told you how excited I am to email on Mondays? Well, I am and I love hearing from you all! This week has been really great. Besides the delay this week with my health things picked right back up when we got home wed. night. We have been able to have some great lessons this week.
We had a BEAUTIFUL day on Thursday, oh my, I just wanted to walk around ALL day. The sun was out and it got up to 68 degrees :D You could just feel your body crave the sun, I can't wait until its summer here. This weather really starts to get to you about now. Then the next day was rainy and cold again, oh well!

Saturday Kayden was baptized, finally! We started teaching him in November and his family would just keep putting it off and coming up with excuses over and over again. I told myself I wont believe it until I see it type of thing. His family are members, his mom is a fairly new member of the church, but still struggling with activity. So when she had her baby and the whole family had 2 weeks vacation Kayden and his 8 year old sister Kayla were baptized. Hooray!

Sad news...Radmila is going back to Europe TODAY! They didn't get her paper work done in time for the immigration office, so they are shipping her back. She surprised me on Thurs. and told me she was leaving. I think she thought I would be excited, but I just cried and cried. I will really miss that lady, she has a big spot in my heart. But the good news is she will come back in 6 months and then she will be all ready to go to the temple. :D I think this move will be good for her. We already found her a church to go to in Serbia that isn't to far from where she lives. Isn't amazing that wherever you go there will be a church??? I love it! She can finally intermingle with people that speak her own language :)

Heavenly Father is so aware of all of us. This was witnessed to me many many times this week. I am so grateful that we know that we are all watched over. I could feel the many many prayers coming my way and my recovery has been amazingly quick! This week Jane a recent coverts of mine has been struggling and she was really questioning her testimony to the point where she said she didn't think this church was true. I knew the only things there was left to do for her was pray. That same day I read this scripture in Alma 37:37, "Counsel with the lord in all they doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when though liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall befitted up at the last day. vs.41, "Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works."
That night I know many many people were praying for her and then she showed up at church on Sunday. Not only that but the talks that were given were SO PERFECT for her. I went to talk to her after and she looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, "I'm sorry, I don't know what got to me" then she started filling out her tithing slip. That was a miracle in my eyes.
I hope you can all remember to Pray always and if you do you will see little miracles all over!
I hope you all have a wonderful week. I love you,

Sister Phillips

This is me and mama Wanita! I love this lady. She is convert and just went through the temple :)

The next is some of the sisters at transfer meeting!

Look who we found the other night tracting :)

Miracle Sunday

Good Morning, How has everyone's week been, I hope great! I heard Utah received some snow finally-that is good news. How are the ski resorts doing :/ I couldn't imagine well, if there isn't much snow. The only thing we have here is rain and it is really starting to come and NOT stopping. It is pouring outside as we speak. I guess it is expected with spring coming around,but I still ask people all the time if it is going to warm up and the answer is always "NO"! Dang it! This week has been a great week. A lot of up's and downs with certain people, but they all came around and are doing well. We had our transfer meeting and got to see everyone. I always love going to those. We only had 1 missionary going home and 4 missionaries coming in. I guess our mission is one of the few that the "entire" mission comes for transfers every six weeks. I am grateful we do, because it is a lot of fun and I get to see all of my cute sistas! Its been so much fun to see Sister Brown grow lately! Our goal this transfer for her was to "step up" and I know that might seem harsh, bus she made it up haha! It fits her perfect though, she is so scared and timid that she holds herself back worrying what others will think of her. No, no can do in mission life!!!! But she has came a long way with her confidence and her ability to teach by the spirit. For the longest time she couldn't except that it just takes TIME, you have to be patient with yourself. She has finally started to realize that and now I tell her that she is like a little butterfly getting ready to soar! ha she loves my jokes! :D She thinks I'm crazy most of the time though! This Sunday we had a GREAT day! We had 7 people @ church and 6 of those were in Olympia 3rd ward, which is HUGE!!! My entire mission since this transfer the most I have had in Oly 3rd is maybe 1 or 2. As we were waiting for people to come in the chapel we first saw Kayden (he's getting baptized this sat.) and the cool thing about that was his entire family came as well. They are all members, but it was his dads 1st time back at Church in over a year. Denisse & Rodney came as well, which we the day before I asked Rodney if he would come and he said no, (knowing me I wasn't going to take a no) So I got a maybe out of him and a hand shake ;) And he came!!! He doesn't like to stay for all 3 hours but at least he came for sacrament and brought Denisse. Denisse is the one who has a stroke and it paralyzed her whole left side of her body. Anyway, she has some feeling come back in her leg that allowed her to walk better. Oh my goodness, she was sooo excited she even made us touch her leg so she could feel it haha. She wouldn't even let us help her she wanted to walk all on her own to classes on Sunday! Minh came in a WHITE SHIRT AND SLACKS!!!!! He usually came is baggy jeans and a hoodie and sit down gangsta style in the chapel, but he is changing and it was so cool to see him in dress clothes. Now we just need him to tuck in his shirt and wear a tie :) small steps! Peter showed up! Peter told us he had to work to late so he was going to go to the Centraila building because it was closer to him, but his friend told him no, he needed to go to his own ward and she even came with him! He even showed up in a shirt and tie. *Side not: We tell people to wear whatever they feel most comfortable in when they come to church. We could care less if they showed up in jeans, the important thing is that they are there. But it is so exciting to see them change with it is THEIR decision not anyone elses. You then know they have a true desire to change! Then...Angie Ward came. What? I had to take a double look when I saw her. Angie is a lady we met tracking my 1st transfer here, so about 4 months ago. We instantly connected (not to mention she wears Silpada jewelry). She says, she thinks she is suppose to be Mormon one day because they keep coming into her life. Coincidence? I think Not! Anyway, we visit her and always invite her to church but she has never came. Well, lucky her, her new boss is a MORMON haha! And he is awesome. He is in our other ward. But it was a great fast and testimony meeting and she loved it. Now we just need to work on her coming more! I will always cherish this Sunday for the rest of my mission! Who knows if this will ever happen I sure hope it does, but it was truly a blessing for the ward members to see everyone there and to be engaged in missionary work. They are so excited about these people and I have full confidence they will be taken care of when we leave! Bishop had a smile on his face so big I just had to laugh. They haven't had investigators there for a long time. I do not in anyway give this credit to sis. brown and I. I truly believe it is because of the faith of the ward members that we are even being able to teach these people! For a couple weeks this scripture has been dwelling on my mind. Its in D&C 130:19 and it says , "And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come." I knew that if we were diligent and obedient it was only THEN the lord would make these pathways for us and help us find the hidden "fruit" in Olympia!

I love my Savior Jesus Christ and it is only through Him that we will have the greatest Joy! I truly testify that if we will be diligent and obedient the Lord will bless you and make your life more full.

I love you all,
Sister Phillips

OLYMPIA!!!!!!!!

Yes.....I get to stay in Olympia for another 6 weeks!

I have been so happy this week, even though there has been A LOT of road blocks-miracles are happening all over the place and I can't help but shake my head and keep smiling!

I told Pres. Weaver to pllleeeease keep me here and I was pretty sure I was staying because I was still training Sis. Brown. I think Sis. Brown was going to have a heart attack if she left, so good thing she is staying as well. She doesn't do good with change! I am so grateful I get to stay and to hopefully see our hard work pay off and see the people we are teaching progress to baptism! Please oh please oh please!!!

This week has been crazy busy! I am grateful for the work we are blessed to have and the people we have to teach.
Denisse and Rodney (denisse's husband) came to church on Sunday. I was so excited. Rodney has told us before he would come and he never came. We had been meeting with them on wed. nights because it was good for the daughter but bad for our fellowship because that was 3rd wards youth night. Anyway-we finally met on Friday and Bro and Sis. Rose came with us. Rodney and Bro. Rose connected so well and It was a reminder to me how IMPORTANT fellowship is. Because of that Rodney came to church and then got to meet so many other people. Denisse will be getting baptized in a couple weeks. we are waiting for her son to fly home from school during his spring break so he can be here :D

Peter......
He is so awesome. He calls us his angels from heaven! I am so proud of peter. He works 30-40 min away from Olympia in a town called centrailia. He had an appt. after work which was at 1 (church was at 1) therefore he couldn't make it to church. Well he found out that it was moved to 3:30 so what did he do? He went and found the church in centrailia and went to church there. He is so awesome. He text us and said he remembered us teaching him how important church was so we decided to go. :) We also through combined ward effort found Peter perfect fellowship as well.

We are still working with the Sanvigs and many others! I am so grateful for a loving heavenly father who is so aware and in tune with our lives. We pray for fellowship and many other things and to my mind it doesn't make sense, but to my surprise it turns out to be just perfect! Why do we question the Lord so much? One day I think I will get the hang of it...probably not though! I have been thinking a lot about our divine roll in this world and how truly every single person in this world came down here with a purpose. I love the scripture in Romans 8:16-17 "The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs;heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer WITH him, that we may be also glorified TOGETHER." I am so grateful that we have the knowledge that we can be glorified even as our Savior Jesus Christ and not just be "oblivious" after we die.Yes-WE HAVE A ROLE IN THIS WORLD! What is it? To "come unto Christ" by Faith, Repentance, Baptism, RECEIVING the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the End or "The Gospel". We all have a divine purpose! And as we go through those dang trials, just be grateful and know that you have a loving Heavenly Father who is molding you and preparing you to be ready to return back to Him.

Thank you all for all your love and support!
God Bless!
Sister Phillips

Love and Happiness in My Heart

I truly have so much love and happiness in my heart right now. I am so
touched by the overwhelming of Love that has enveloped me right now.I want to
let you all know how much I love this Gospel. In our training last week we were
asked what is the Gospel??? We Preach His Gospel, but what exactly is it?

It is
1. Faith

2. Repentance

3. Baptizm (sacrament after baptizm)

4. Gift of the Holy Ghost and

5. Enduring to the End

That is the Gospel in which Jesus Christ wants us to spead to the entire world. So if we will just focus our lives of these 5 principles and always "remember" the promises we made-we will always be growing in our testimonies and our roots will be "rooted deep". I love preaching His
Gospel, it has brought so many blessing and miracles in my lfie that I know I would have never been able to experience otherwise.

This week Sister Brown and I have been so blessed with our investigators.
They are all struggling in there own way, but they are progressing and that is
what matters. Lori White was baptized on Saturday. It was a really neat
experience. She has been waiting patiently for a very long time for that day to
finally come. Can you believe transfers is next week already? It has gone by so
fast. I already begged president to keep here in olympia for at leaset 1 more
transfer!!!!!!

We went and did service at the Sanvigs home on saturday in the rain and we were
drenched as you can tell :/

I love you all so much,
Your in my prayers,
love,
Sister Phillips

P.S. Sorry so short!

Oh and I had the BEST Valentines Day EVER!!!!!

Lets
just say I have the best family and friends in the world

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Happy Valentines Day!

Can you believe we are half way through February???? It has flown by!

Well this last week was probably one of the busiest weeks. Sister Brown and I were running around like chickens with our heads cut off from appointment to appointment. We truly have been so blessed by the Lord. I told Sister Brown we need to start praying for members we can go ask for referrals from and she said, "What, we can't do that! I don't think I can handle anymore" lol She is a goof! She def. got thrown in during a really busy time. The rain is back officially :( The weather here plays mind games on you and I don't like it. But it is all worth is when the sun finally does come out, it is sooooo beautiful!

This week we had stake conference and Elder Brinkerhoff from the 70 came and spoke to us. He is a really neat man. He had a meeting before the conference started with all the Recent converts, less actives coming back to activity and all investigators. He had some people stand up and bear there testimony and then our stake pres. and himself shared there testimonies as well. It was a very powerful meeting. How grateful I was though to be able to have some of our investigators come and be apart of that and to feel of the pure, undeniable spirit. Right stake conf. on Sunday was going to start I was standing my the door greeting people. I was trying to stand as long as possible because my back has been bothering me and we were sitting on the hard chairs :/ But I saw this old man about 70yrs old and I shook his hand and told him it was nice to see him and asked him what ward he was in and so forth. Well after the meeting he came up to me with tears in his eyes and said, " young lady I want to thank you for greeting me earlier this morning. Today was the first day I have been back to church in over 20 years. Many people came up to me and shook my hand, but you were the only one who really meant it." He then told me the story of his life and said he should have came back a long time ago, but how grateful he was to know that a loving Father in Heaven was aware of him that day. Wow! I was overcome by the spirit. I had so much gratitude in my heart that I was in a place that the Lord could use me as a help to one of his children. I will never forget Bill Miller!

I encourage you all to look around you when you go to church on Sunday and even any meeting you attend. Go meet people who you have never seen before and tell them hello and you are happy they are there, reach your hand out to them, Because you never know if they could be a "Bill Miller". You never know the lives you can change by just being there friend!

At stake conference I heard this quote that caught my attention. Is starts:

"Never give up what you want most, for what you want in the moment."

I think about obedience when I hear that. As missionaries we are counseled to be obedient in all that we do. But what about in our everyday lives. When we are being obedient its not that we are blinded, but rather that we can see! Everything the Savior did was out of obedience to the Father. He understood the Love that our Father in Heaven had for his children. I think if we could see how much Love He has for all of us individually we would want to be obedient and like Pres. Uchtdorf said, "we would make Love our walk and our talk".

I want you all to know how much I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. I know that it is when we strive to love others, He then will pour out His love upon us. I know of that to be true with all my heart.

xoxoxox

I love you all,

Sister Phillips