Letter #43 07/15/2013

I felt like I should write to my home ward. If possible, Mom, could you have this one be read to our ward? Thanks.

But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

1 Nephi 1:20

Dear Family and Friends

Thank you so much for all the support, prayers, letters, emails, packages, and good thoughts that have been sent my way. I don't think that until now I have been as grateful as I should have been. I know that it is a sacrifice. I know that Heavenly Father has heard your prayers and honored your sacrifice, and that He, in His infinite mercy, is choosing to bless me and the people of Uruguay as a result. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much.

Last week was an extremely difficult week for me. Where missionaries are the recipients of so many blessings, I believe that we are also subjects of great opposition-- and opposition is not something that is always immediately visible to the natural eye. Fortunately, the Lord looks upon the heart, and one of my favorite names of Christ is the Great Physician.

I know that the mission is the only place in the world where I could understand the Atonement at the depth of understanding that Heavenly Father has blessed me with through these experiences. I am so grateful to be surrounded by leaders who have firm and unwavering testimonies of Jesus Christ. It is through their faith and help that God has reached out to me this week. I testify of the power of priesthood blessings given by faithful and worthy priesthood holders.

I testify of the incredible strength and divine help that is found in the Gift of the Holy Ghost, a gift which I too often take for granted-- or even forget that I have. During times of difficulty (whatever form that difficulty may choose to manifest itself), I testify that we can find refuge in the Holy One of Israel, who will never fail us, who will never loose patience with our own repeated failures, who remembers His covenant people in everlasting mercy and grace. It is through His small, tender mercies that He manifests His mighty hand. The same hand which crafted the universe and keeps the cosmos in order is in every aspect and every corner of our lives, and if we look we will see that we have, in reality, have enough resources to keep going, the strengthe to press forward with a steadfastness in Christ.

My dear family and friends, I plead with you wherever you are that you turn to Heavenly Father in prayer, and search the scriptures diligently for His guidance and counsel. In short I plead with you to remember that Jesus Christ is your Savior, that He gave all of Himself for you, and that there is no such thing as not worthy enough, not smart enough, not experienced enough, not spiritual enough, too old, too young, nor too sinful to have access to the Atonement of the Son of God.

I love you forever,

Hermana Phillips

Letter # 37 05/27/2013

Dear Friends and Family,

It's been yet another interesting week. I got sick again. This time it was food poisoning, I'm fairly certain. I was completely wiped out and unable to work on Sunday after lunch, but I think it's resolved. Our ward mission leader and one of the other brethren from the ward came over and gave me a priesthood blessing and I immediately began to improve.

My poor companion-- she's been so patient with me and this crazy week. As I explained, Hermana Spradlin is brand new from the MTC in Argentina, but she's going to the other mission in Uruguay. She studied Spanish for 8 years before the mission so she speaks as well as, if not better than, I do. So in the MTC she was in an advanced group that was only there for 4 weeks. The other mission won't have their transfer day until the 6th of June, but there was no reason to leave her in the MTC when she was ready to be in the field. So, the arrangements were made and since my other trainee had to go home for knee surgery Hermana Spradlin is with me for a few weeks and then she'll be going to her mission. I can't imagine having such a crazy beginning to my mission. I thought my first 12 weeks were rough, but they really were nothing compared to what some of these new missionaries are having to go through. There are SO many changes happening in missions all over the world.

Speaking of other missions, can someone send me Sarah's address? I'd really like to be able to write to her. Also if she's sending out mass emails like I am I'd like to be one of the recipients!

Also-- I finally received the package you sent me! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I don't know what I'm going to do with so many sticky notes but I will definitely find a use for them! Thank you for the chocolate, for the cards, the PENS (!), and for sending my flag! The goldfish got a little bit damp from the humidity here and traveling for a month but still edible and worth it! The Symphony bar tastes just like Christmas and home. I don't know why, but chocolate tastes so different here. I love you so much!

Here at the threshold of my 9 months and having a lot of time to think while being so sick lately, I have been reevaluating a lot of things and making new resolutions. One of my resolutions is to start enjoying the moment. I've been stuck on autopilot lately because change is always hard for me emotionally, and I haven't really been enjoying the miracles that I am living and witnessing every day. I am praying to find more joy in the journey, as President Uchtdorf is always talking about. Life is meant to be enjoyed.

I love you so much!!!

Love you forever,

Hermana Phillips

Letter # 36 05/21/13

Queridos Familia y Amigos,

This week has been another crazy one of changes. Yesterday we found out about changes (even though we already knew because President already told me) which is why I didn't write yesterday. In our ward there were 6 missionaries-- 6! Now there are four because the elders got taken out. Now me and my companion will be taking over their area (another whitewash!) which is a relief because I was getting frustrated only getting to work in half an area. Also we didn't have ANYONE to teach which is the worst.

So my corto plazo (part-time missionary, Hermana Laurito) arrived on Monday last week, and she is AMAZING. She came on a corto plazo to try it out to see if she wants to serve a mission. Hna Laurito is the answer to a lot of prayers. I went from a difficult trainer/trainee companionship to a triple companionship to a corto plazo in the space of about a month, but she made it really worth it. She's very laid back and helps me stay sane. There is a phrase in my patriarchal blessings that counsels me to accept light and truth in whatever form it may be because "there will be people that will be inspired to come into (my) life at the very time (I) need something with help and with encouragement." That promise has never been fulfilled so specifically before now.

She came with a cold though, and all four of us caught it. I think it was because we had to wake up really early one morning to go to a conference in Montevideo, and it was really cold, and our immune systems must have been really weak. All I know is that by the end of the conference that day we were all feeling ill. It got so bad that on Friday afternoon we all came home early, and on Saturday we didn't go out at all. I also didn't feel well enough to go out and work on Sunday, and the other Hermanas went out for a few hours and had to come back because they were dying in the street. President got wind of what was going on, and because our area is only 45 minutes from the mission home he and his daughter, Stacy, got in the car and brought us a care package with vitamin C tablets, dark chocolate, benadryl, medicinal tea and four bags filled with corn (it's like a rice bag you put in the microwave but corn stays warm longer). There was such a heavy, anxious spirit in the house, but when they got there I just knew that everything would be OK. He gave us all blessings and when he left we were all feeling so much better. Today I feel 100% better.

One of the changes from last week is this: The new missionary that I was going to train this change tore a tendon in her knee at the MTC while playing fùtbol and she had to go back to the United States for surgery. Hermana Laurito was going to stay for the rest of the change as a result, but on Sunday President Armstrong called again and informed me that there was an hermana missionary in the MTC that was going to the other mission (Uruguay Montevideo WEST) but for some reason or another they can't take her until the 6th of June. She's in an advanced group in the MTC and there was no good reason to keep her there so they're sending her to me for two weeks. After that, Hermana Laurito will come back and finish out the transfer with me. I'm going to go pick up my new companion tomorrow morning super early. Here we go again! :D

I love you all so much! Take care and remember that the Lord LOVES YOU!

Love always,

Hermana Phillips