Rollin' along with the Tumblin' Tumbleweed ~ In Spokane!

Found a tumble weed! Next thing I knew I was running in the wind. I caught it, and took it home...

NOT SURE WHY!

Hermana Quinn and me with the

TUMBLE WEED

in the background!

That is a pretty big TUMBLE WEED!!

BEST WEEK EVER!

   In my Mission Prep Class at BYU, my teacher told us that when we are on our missions we should always write the 3 Reasons why every day was the Best Day Ever. So I am going to do just that.

Three Reasons Why this Week was the Best Week Ever!

1.             On Sunday a father of the husband of the family we are teaching made his third appearance at Church! He lives with the family we teach but we have only seen him once.  This Sunday we decided that we couldn’t miss the Lord’s hint anymore. We asked if we could come visit him and he said, “OF COURSE!” Because of missionary meetings and such, we weren’t able to set an appointment for him until Wednesday, which is today, and we are so very excited! Tell you the miracle as it continues.

2.             We had specialized training yesterday. We learned LOTS OF AMAZING THINGS! Including, how to let the scriptures teach themselves, since they, with the spirit, are the best missionaries we have.

3.             We went on exchanges this week. I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! I was a tad bit nervous to be going on exchanges so much this transfer, but the Lord truly showed me that this is going to be such a blessing. I have so many reasons to rejoice!

   I couldn’t be more grateful to be a missionary. I LOVE YOU ALL, Hermana Phipps

ESPANOL?!?

   On Friday Feb. 7^th we will go on exchanges! I am excited but honestly a bit nervous too. This will be the first exchange where I will be in my area and the only person who speaks SPANISH! Ah! :S Please pray for me! I know the Lord will give me aid and I LOVE exchanges anyways, so I don’t fear too much, but the prayers are still needed.

   Oh…I got called to pray in Sacrament Meeting! It shouldn’t have scared me, and it didn’t until I started speaking. I am still such a “greengo.” Also, the other missionaries were translating so that scared me too! I hope I made enough sense! Everyone in the Branch was nice and supportive though. I could not ask for better members to work with!!

   Sister Quinn wrote: “The other day, in Branch Correlation, our Mission Leader said to us all, ‘You know, I was talking to my wife and we were speaking about how impressed we are by Sis. Phipps. She may not speak the language perfectly yet, but it doesn’t matter because her Spirit is so Strong.’” 

PROOF THAT SPOKANE WASHINGTON

DOES SPEAK SPANISH!!

FAVORITE MIRACLE & FUN MOMENT!

   Reflect back with me to my first day in my area. We were heading home and Hermana Quinn told me about how Costa Vida was half off for missionaries and she took me there. Well, Costa Vida just got new owners and now give 70% off! Our area was reduced last transfer so Costa Vida is just outside our area, so we can only go there on the way to mission meetings and on P-days. Well, last week we got to go. As we were walking in, Hermana Quinn told me that there was a worker there that spoke Spanish and she always orders her food in Spanish. He was there and I got to order in Spanish! Funny thing though… Hermana Quinn ordered EXACTLY the same thing I wanted so every time he asked me what I wanted I said, “Yo tambien.” (Me too!) He thought it was HILARIOUS! So every time after, he always laughed and said, “Yo tambien” twenty times.  BUT… the big MIRACLE is that the new owners are closing their restaurant on Sunday! We were able to talk to Jesus who told us that he can now come to church because he does not have to work on Sunday. AND… he set up an appointment to come on a church tour tomorrow! He is so great and I couldn’t be more excited!!! 

SLIPPING, SLIDING AND SLEDDING IN THE SNOW IN SPOKANE!

On Monday I fell two times on ICE! Ha ha! One time I fell underneath the car. Sister Quinn is a PRO at never falling and this morning she fell for her second time this week, so officially it is super slippery right here, right now! It is because it keeps on snowing and then raining and freezing on the snow! But it keeps us alert!

   Driving conditions got so bad that Hermana Quinn (who learned to drive in Texas where it is warm), called the mission office and asked for permission for me to drive until the streets cleared! So I got to drive for 3 days and I LOVED IT!

   We have really handled some very slick snow. Hermana Quinn is doing really well as the driver. She keeps on suggesting that I drive again, but I think it is best for her to gain the experience of driving in SNOW!

   We were told one day not to use our cars until the roads were cleared. This is rather tricky since we live in the wilderness and the roads never get plowed! So, just as long as it is mostly safe to drive, we do. Then, knowing we would be home for the full lunch hour, we went SLEDDING!... because Sister Quinn and Sister Ridge have never gone before. It was interesting to see what sledding clothes I could find!?! Brother Falstrom might be the greatest 70 year old member I know. He made us a sledding path on the huge slope he has in his yard. He just jumped on the sled on his stomach and made his way down. He is the healthiest person I know.   

   At the beginning of February, it SNOWED!! A LOT!! A Whole Lot!! And one day it was very slippery! I fell a dozen times! Ha ha… but falling isn’t too bad. Car sliding is BAD though. We live on top of this HUGE mountain and when we were driving up on Wednesday we started sliding back down the hill and began to turn towards the cliff. I WAS SO SCARED! Luckily the car drifted into a snow bank and Brother Fallstrom saved the day. He was clearing the driveway when it all went down. He got in the car and we pushed and directed it all the way down the hill for a half hour. It is amazing all the things I can do in a skirt!!

    The Lord moves in Miraculous Ways. It is interesting how He answers prayers! Almost every day I pray that people will be put in our path that the Lord needs us to talk to. Yesterday we got REAR-ENDED in the SNOW. I knew it was coming with all this snow. BEST THING EVER THOUGH! It did no damage to the car, and when we got out we started talking to the woman. She moved to Spokane just two days before and she is a less active member. She hasn’t been to church for years. While Sister Quinn called the mission office to report the wreck, I got to talk to her. We had the best conversation. She had actually just been given a Book of Mormon two weeks ago by a friend and had been having feelings that she needed to go to church. Then she said, “The Lord has really been directing me lately! Then He literally had me run into the missionaries. I know He loves me and He wants me back. I’ve turned away from Him for a while, but I am done with that.”

   It is strange, half the people we talk to end up being less actives, which is logistically not possible, but I know the Lord has us cross paths with them. Miracles!!

  

A LETTER TO LARRY & SHIRLEY OLSON

[Emma wrote the following in a letter to our wonderful neighbors:]

   I wanted to thank you for the example you have been for me in my life. I remember one of my favorite family trips happened when we traveled to Martin's Cove and spent some time with the AMAZING Elder and Sister Olson. We have a set of Senior Missionaries serving in our Branch for six months. They are the most amazing missionaries I know! Having Senior Missionary examples set by you and them make me so excited that I can someday return to wearing Christ's name on a missionary tag. I am so blessed.
   I hope all is well in Little Brigham City and I am sure Miracles are happening just as beautifully in the work there.
   Much Love, Hermana Emma Phipps

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

 What is DEAR to My Heart:

   I can’t help but realize how much I have and have always had. I have, first of all, my amazing family who have been the very best to me in every way. I’ve seen a lot of homes where family isn’t quite being cared for as it should be. It is quite sad to see.  Also, I have the Gospel of Jesus Christ to bless my life every day! Not just a Gospel, but THE Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Being in member’s homes all week long might be one of my favorite parts of being a Missionary! The Spirit is SO strong and the members always seem to excite me to help others find their way!

   Thank you for being so focused in the Gospel throughout your lives. It has blessed me and I couldn’t be more grateful!

   During our Stake Conference, one of my favorite speakers talked about how parents make all the difference in ‘Hastening the Work of Salvation.’ As parents strive to best love and care for their children, with Christ’s love they are directed to gain their own testimony. I know that what he said is true. Not only is it true, it is an eternal principle that when acted upon will Hasten the Work as the Lord is asking. Thank you for being the amazing parents you are and helping me feel Christ’s love so that I can now help others feel that life saving power!   

FAITH & PRAYERS WORK!...

   So, here is a story: Hermana Quinn has been praying that our investigators who were supposed to leave for Venezuela for a month, would stay if it was Heavenly Father’s will. They were supposed to leave tomorrow. So, today, we went to give her the address for the Church in Venezuela, and she told us she wouldn't be able to go as planned because her husband’s passport did not come in time! 

Strong Prayers and Faith make things happen!   

   So, just another reminder that PRAYERS work. What a powerful tool we have in our lives! Ramiro has been meeting with us! And is progressing more than he ever has before! We asked him to read the Intro to the Book of Mormon and he did! Actually he read the Intro, the 8 witnesses, the 3 witnesses, and Joseph Smith’s testimony and we didn't even ask for him to do that! MILAGRO!!!  He understood it so well! Oh heavens, the Miracles I see here are beyond belief! He now has a baptism date set!!

…AND POSITIVE THINKING?!?

   In January something happened that was really, really strange! Sister Quinn, Sister Pillimai, and Sister Ridge all got nearly deathly sick. I put it in my head that if I tell myself I won’t get sick, then I won’t get sick! IT WORKS!! Well, almost! I was bragging to the Sisters about how I wasn’t getting sick. Then, that evening the STRANGEST thing happened. I was at a lesson and I felt super hot and super sick. Then my face flushed purplish Red! Suddenly, all these weird bumps started appearing on my arm! When we got to the car, Hermana Quinn asked me what was happening and she pointed out that I had the weird bumps all over my face too! I started freaking out! Hermana Quinn said it looked just like Chicken Pox! I thought I was being cursed for bragging that I wasn't getting sick! But… we kept on going to lessons, and… then all of a sudden, they all went away! I don’t know if I will ever know what happened to me. It sure did teach me to stay humble!