Monday, January 25, 2010

fam sham bam‏

Hi’ya! How goes it? Well this week I started my 6th transfer, my 4th in Park Slope. It’s crazy to think that I have been here for that long…But things look as if they are really going to look up. The ward has set some great goals for this year that sound like they will be really helping us a lot. We are behind in baptisms to hit our 800 goal by November, but with faith, prayers and the wards help, God will def make a way  And I have great news!....we finally, after a transfer or two….GOT AN INVESTIGATOR!  We had a pretty good week. We were out looking up some referrals and actually were able to accidently come across one and we got an appt! But as we were heading back we were trying to talk to everyone who passed. We hit a lil dry spell and then a boy was passing…I hesitated, but did it anyways. His name is Derek and he is 16. I asked him what his biggest fear was and he said death. Which was perfect bc we were able to teach a really good Plan of Salvation talk. The spirit totally led and it was great to feel/hear it working through me. I asked him if he played any sport and he said basketball. It was awesome bc I used basketball to explain how each time we make a basket it feels good, but we able to move back and stretch ourselves and progress, and it’s never ending, we can always get better. I then told him that it’s the same after this life. That we are here to progress and learn and it isn’t wasted; that we do the same after this life. He loved it!  It was great and it felt so good! Well that is pretty much all for this week. We are talking to everyone we possibly can. The work gets harder and harder but that’s what makes it sweeter and sweeter. I can’t wait to see what the future will bring. OH! I think I talked about Candid last time. I think she is really struggling bc I was finally able to get a hold of her and she said she’d call back and she didn’t.  It’s really sad and I really hope things will work out, but I know it’s all in God’s hands. Our whole pad is new. We got 3 different sisters, one of which is BRAND new. She came straight from Maryland bc the MTC said there was some prob with her flying there; even though she had been for BYU. So she didn’t get the MTC experience, SO SAD! She is Korean and very sweet. Sorry this email is kinda lame this week. I wish I had more spiritual experiences to share but I guess you’ll prob get double next week  I hope everyone is doing well and I will be back next week!  Love you! ~Sister Phillips

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

fam‏

Hey ya'll! This week was so so fast! Each one seems to go faster and faster! I can't believe that it's already the end of transfers! I'm beginning my 6th one! The end of Feb I get to go to the temple for my half way mark! crazy! We are staying the same and I'm happy about that. We have great goals for this new transfer. Friday night we went on exchanges and sis. burton came with me to see rhonda. we had taught rhonda tuesday night and we left completely spiritually exhuasted. she really just...doens't believe in premortal life or understand alot. she is rather more confused than anything. she wants truth but is scared to find it. well when burton came rhonda was very quiet and didn't really go against anything we said. it was incredible and the spirit was strong. afterwards, while we were following up i felt a little weighed down wondering what good i was doing and why i haven't seen a baptism yet. i felt better and shortly after we finished the phone rang. it was CANDID!!! Candid is a girl the S. Frodsham fearlessed on the train like 2 weeks before she left. Candid has never been baptized and wanted to be saved. she was even asking if her sister/friends could. frod committed her for jan. 27th. she was so excited and was all hugging frod. well we were planning on teaching her with frods parents but she kinda disappeared. well on the phone she was crying and explained that since she had met us satan has been tempting her in ways she has never been tempted before. she started drinking and smoking and then she found our card. she knew that it was time. she said that she hadn't drank for 2 weeks or smoked for 1. she said she really needed our help. my legs were seriously beastly when i got off the phone with her. the goosebumps seriously didn't stop till the next day. i have high hopes for candid. she is a miracle and blessing from above. Saturday night I was talking with S. Bartschi of how i have had this huge desire to teach mulititudes. :) Since i got to the city i have just had this desire to shout out on the train to all the people and cry repentance to tthem. well we decided to set a goal for this new transfer to teach multitudes. we read a scrip and prayed and were totally pumped. we got on the train to see two not so pleasant...girls...who loved eachother.... and a very creepy guy. I was watching this guy and he'd plug his nose, suck in, his body cringing, turn red and move his scalp all creepy like. he would use his sun glasses to look at people around him. I honestly thought that something was going to jump outta him. I was so scared that i had to sit and cry. i couldn't teach on that train like that! I knew that satan was goingn to through his strongest forces to keep us from really using the power we've been given. With what has happened in Haite, the Lord is truly preparing his people for these last days. We've been able to teach people about the Plan of Salvation. There is alot of sorrow here, since our area where we live is very Haitian. The Lord is going to make a way for his prepared children to find the truth. I know that we are giong to have to give our all and be stronger than ever. We are preparing ourselve each day to take on this new duty. It's time to find those who are truly prepared. Anywho. I love you all and hope you all have a beautiful week. Be safe and strong, and I will be back soon! All my love,Sister Phillips

Monday, January 11, 2010

family!‏

Hey there, hi there, ho there!This week was a rather slow week. It’s been extremely hard because I’m sure my mono has inflamed again due to stresses of a mission so I have been soooo tired, and it’s pretty hard to get sleep on a mission…and sleep being the only thing that helps mono. But, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming! We met some great people this week though. It’s fun to see the Lord’s hand in our every day. We were having a rough day—very exhausted… and called our media referral to be sure that he was going to be there and not juke us or it’d be a waste to go all the way out to where he is. (He is on the very edge of our area.) So he said we were still on. Well on our way I fearlessed a couple of people, one lady who lived in his same project. She was so sweet! She asked where we were from bc if we were from NY we wouldn’t be around that area at night. When we said Idaho she freaked out and gave us a hug lol. She then gave us her number and said if we ever needed anything or a place to run to we could go to her house. Haha. She was so sweet. I was pretty nervous bc of what she said and when we visited this Media Referral (Bett) for the first time, I remembered something being said about tracting projects, which was our plan after we visited Bett. So I called our DL and he said that we could tract a couple but to not go into any elevators with anyone…lol! Great! Well that’s comforting! There had been an elder in our area who took the elevator at night at a project and a guy robbed them. He took E. Olsen’s camera and Olsen was like, “Can I at least have my memory card?” “NO!” then they just sat there in awkwardness as the elevator went down. Ba hahahahah! Stupid ppl. Well anyways. We got to Bett’s and guess what…he juked! We then called and he didn’t answer. We stood there and someone called right after us…he answered! So we were like well, we’ll just go fearless on the train. On our way I fearlessed a lady named Diane. She was awesome! She had just moved from Massachussettes 3 months ago and was going to a Baptiste church there but hasn’t found a church here yet. We invited her and she said she’d love to come. We are praying she does. She was very sincere. I’m learning how to carry the stress of a mission. The people you serve amongst really grow on you and you gain a very deep love for them. I’ve grown a very strong love for a lot of the people here and am scared to leave. But it’s comforting to know that I have close friends/family all over thanks to the church. Yesterday in R.S we did an activity where we all got in a big circle and took a moment to go around and look at all the women, concentrating on any inspiration that came of how we could serve any one. I just cried as I looked at each one. Realizing that each one of them is a daughter of God, my sister, and each of them is struggling with something. A huge love just blossomed inside of me. Anyways. It was a really cool experience. It is so hard to carry all the things a mission brings. We talked with a LA who told us of sleeping on the street bc they are homeless and the shelter was treating them bad, and then thinking of suicide and just crazy things. I was so overwhelmed and just wanted somewhere to cry. I wish so bad that missionaries were heroes and we could help everyone. But that is how I’m learning to use the atonement. We do all we can to help our brothers and sisters, and when we do do all we can, then we must trust in our Savior and his atonement, knowing that He will take care of the rest. I’m learning to really rely on the Lord. Instead of running to my mom or Bailey when times are hard, I run to my Heavenly Father. It’s been a very spiritual awakening to get down on my knees each time I struggle or need help; and that’s a lot. I love the fact that he is always there to talk to, and realizing the reality of that. No one knows us on a more personal basis then our brother Jesus Christ. He felt everything that we will go through. He is there to succor. I’m so grateful to learn all of this so that when I get home and do go through hard times, I know what to do. Jesus Christ knows how to succor his people bc he knows how it feels. I stepped on the train the other day just after teaching a woman. When I stepped on I felt a feeling of exhaustion as I looked around, trying to be guided on the next person I would talk to. It was then that I felt strongly that my Savior was standing right next to me. I knew I wasn’t alone and that He had been where I was. No, he didn’t preach on a train. But he taught millions of people, alone. He was mocked and spat upon, alone. He wasn’t afraid, for he knew he was on the Lord’s errand. I’m learning to not fear what man can do and use the power and authority that I have been set apart with. I am on the Lord’s errand. He is not a God of fear. I love learning to be guided by the spirit and seeing when it really leads my words. When I go back and reflect on what I said and realize that I said things I haven’t taught before. This is truly the Lord’s work. I know He lives and loves us and will use us for the building up of his kingdom. I know that we have the truth. I love you all so much and hope you have a great week. Help the missionaries and always be searching and sharing the gospel with those who are around you. We need our members so much. The work would be so much easier if our members were really missionaries; especially here in NY. There are people prepared all around us who are waiting for us and our personalities/talents... Who you can save! Love you!Sister Phillips

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

just pics
















the first ones are of her appartment. All 6 girls in the area share it.
they are in the process of finding a new one. thank goodness!