Letter # 61 11/25/2013 Tres Cruces‏

Dear Friends and Family,

I write to you from Montevideo. Today Hermana Linnell had to sign her residency so we're in the terminal waiting for our bus. Two hours here, two hours back. Tomorrow we have a conference here, so we'll have to return-- two hours there, two hours back. So I'll at least have some time to catch up on my journal. I'll need the time, because a lot has happened.

Elda Ricardi got baptized on Saturday!!!!!! I love her so much! Like Hermana Linnell keeps saying, the angels did a really good job preparing her, because we feel like we didn't really do anything. That's how it is when you're teaching someone prepared. When people open their hearts to let the Spirit in there's really not much else to do. Keeping commitments becomes no problem. Now we'll be working to retain her in the church and help her daughter come back to church as well. (If you want to pray for her too, her name is Eva Cardozo)

We are currently teaching a golden family: Federico, Cecilia, Nicolas Federico, and Belén. Amazing little family. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have found a family to teach. The only obstacle seems to be finding them all together. They work a lot.

Yesterday it was SO HOT. You'll probably read that phrase a lot in the next couple of months. I need to start wearing my hat again, even though I look a little funny; it's better to look a little funny than to pass out of heat exhaustion. Mom-- every time I put sunscreen on my ears I remember you, because at home when we would go on hikes I always forgot. Almost without warning you would grab me and put sunscreen on my ears. I guess that's a weird thing to remember, but it's the little things that make me think of home.

We have talked to an unusually large number of people who are devout members of other churches, in recent days. Not that that's bad-- I'm happy to talk to people of other religions. It's just frustrating when the conversation turns into them inviting me to their church. That must be how they feel, I imagine. We stopped some ladies in the street the other day, and I wanted to give them one of our pass-along cards with Jesus on it. The first one took it, but the second one practically leaped back and said-- very offended-- "No, I don't accept images of God. Jesus asked us not to worship graven images." I felt bad for offending her, and even though I explained that it wasn't to worship, but to remember our message, she refused. So I gave her the pass-along card with the nice-looking family on it instead. Later that day we passed by an evangelical church that was holding its worship service with all the doors open: there were the three ladies, preaching into microphones. Awkward.

I love you so much and hope you are doing well.

Love you forever,

Hermana Phillips

Letter # 59 11/11/2013 Bebés Alrededor del Mundo‏

Dear Family and Friends,

I may have already mentioned this, but even so it never ceases to amaze me how different people's lives are-- how different we all are.

My sweet newest nephew was born a few weeks ago, and he will grow up in a loving, caring, gospel-centered home where his parents will teach him about Jesus Christ. I have every reason to believe that Luke will grow up to be a worthy priesthood holder and enjoy the blessings of raising his own family, which he will do after the pattern he learned from righteous parents.

Yesterday we tried to visit an investigator's family, who just welcomed a tiny baby into their home, a little boy named Santino. They are very poor, and are not married. When we arrived the dad greeted us and asked us to come back later. He said his wife was sleeping, and he couldn't talk to us then because he was "a little drunk." Later that day we got to see the baby, and he radiated with the same baby innocence that all babies have.

As I reflected on the experience later, the Spirit penetrated my heart and taught me a very important truth. Although Santino's parents obviously love him very much, the only thing they have to rely on are the natural instincts of care-giving and mother- and father-hood. I understood a little bit more about why my function as a missionary is so vital. Families need the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is only by applying the basic principles of that wonderful, perfect plan that we can achieve joy and happiness in this life; otherwise we are left to our own devices, our own vices, and the deceptions of the devil and humanity's flawed philosophies.

There are so many people who "are kept from the truth because they know not where to find it," nor are they willing to listen to two North-American girls in skirts.  People are suspicious of religion and religious representatives. The importance of member missionary work is incalculable. What they are not willing to listen to from missionaries suddenly becomes easier to hear from a loving friend, a neighbor, teacher, or whatever other important role we play. We ALL have people within our sphere of influence who could be blessed by our invitation to hear the glorious truth of the restored Gospel.

I had a nightmare last night that I was in the airport coming home my mission. My dream-self was panicking, wishing for more time. I woke up and thought how silly that was. When you're a missionary, you're set apart from the world and given a special calling. When you're released you are placed back into the world with more greater knowledge, greater understanding, and greater conviction than you could possibly have gained on your own. You only become a different kind of missionary, released into the world to continue to do good and serve the Lord. To paraphrase Elder Holland, after such a life-changing experience, how could anyone just go back to fishing? Although the mission experience is sacred and singular, it is not meant to be isolated or confined to 18 months or 2 years.

The more I am here the more I understand the continued call to "bring the world His truth." It is so much more than we can comprehend.

Thank you for your support and your prayers.

Love you forever!

Hermana Phillips

Letter #51 09/09/2013

Dear Friends and Family,

We woke up Friday night to rain pounding furiously on our roof of corrugated metal. It rained all day Saturday and was blowing like crazy. The elders told us it was a "Santa Rosa," which means it would be raining with strong winds for at least four days. Three days later there's hardly a cloud in the sky, and the weather warmed up so much people are starting to walk around in their shorts and tank-tops-- minus the missionaries, of course, and everyone thinks we're crazy. When I looked up "Uruguay" on the internet before the mission, it said that the country is "susceptible to frequent weather changes." An understatement if I ever heard one.

This last week was full of challenges, ending with a beautiful tender mercy and answer to prayer. We began the week with a really high number of new investigators (30), but by Friday we had dropped almost all of them, or they had dropped us. The Lord is full of tender mercies, however, which we knew, so Hermana Nelson wisely suggested that we fast this Sunday. The first person that we talked to after ending our fast was an incredibly prepared single mom of three kids who believes strongly in God and in family values, and who now has a baptismal date for the end of this month. Without us even bringing up the subject, she informed us she would be coming to church, and she would be bringing her kids (all above age 8) with her. An incredible experience-- it humbled me and filled me with gratitude. I am so happy here and learning so much about myself and about the Lord.

I've also been seeing my ordinarily pessimistic attitude gradually changing, mostly due to my wonderful companion. She is always so happy and enthusiastic, and so aware and grateful for her blessings. She makes me play her "gratitude game" with her, in which we basically take turns naming our blessings until you run out of blessings. Of course, we're still not finished.

I've been reading "Our Heritage" in my personal study, and loving it. It shares so many stories of the incredible sacrifices made by the early saints. It's basically about how no one had food or clothes or money or a home, and had to travel thousands of miles. It's very humbling. I looked up from reading yesterday and looked around my house. I realized that there was literally nothing there that I could see that those early saints, much less those early missionaries had. When the sun is really hot and my feet hurt, I think, "At least I'm not walking barefoot over the sharp, frozen wilderness of Iowa to escape a Mormon-hating mob." It gives me a little comfort, and also motivation. That is not just the heritage of the church-- that is MY heritage. I come from a long line of noble disciples of the Savior Jesus Christ. Because they sacrificed so much, I am able to preach the gospel and become the means through which people can learn about the Savior's Atonement.

Mom, a few weeks ago you asked me to send you something for Grandma's birthday. I guess that's it-- a giant "THANK YOU." There are no words that can express how grateful I feel to my Father in Heaven for placing me in a family that loves me, keeps it's covenants, and is strong in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When I was 15, I got my patriarchal blessing. In it, it states that "There are those who are very close to (me) who have been great examples of faith, endurance, and stability." Every day I begin to realize how true that is. My family is the greatest blessing the Lord has given me, apart from my testimony of Him.

Grandma, I love you. I love your love of the Lord, and I love your testimony of Him. Thank you for the countless hugs and kisses you gave to me as a little girl, a struggling teenager, and a confused young adult. Thank you for your faith in me and our family. Thank you for the numberless pounds of mashed potatoes. Thank you for the opportunity to make testimony gloves with you. Thank you for supporting me in my mission. Thank you for countless hours of fun with cousins that I had in your back yard and at the crater. All those blessings (and so many more that I can't even count because I only get an hour on the computer) were possible because of your personal righteousness and your faithfulness to your covenants. Thank you. You are a huge part of my heritage.

Love you forever,

Hermana Phillips