I AM ON TOP OF THE WORLD

HOLA!!!

Mi vida esta un pocito loco ahorita.

This week has been the craziest thing of my life. I have come back to my first area. Been in a trio with my trainer. I have my personality twin as my other companion. AMAZING LESSONS!! MIRACLES GALORE!!! And that is only the very beginning of it all!

I am quite convinced that I am the happiest, luckiest, most excited person in the world at this very instant. I repeat, this week has been the craziest thing of my life, but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

I don't even know how to explain everything, but coming to my first area has felt like coming home. I LOVED my last area, but coming back here was an answer to my prayers without me even knowing it. Wednesday was my first day to go back to the Lopez home. I was bursting with excitement THE WHOLE DAY! I wish you all could have seen me the two hours before going over. My excitement just wouldn't be contained at all. My companions just kept on laughing at me. Rightfully so. Going to the Lopez home for my companions has been a constant for their whole missions, but it had been months since I have been able to go over to teach! I was missing it so dearly! I - LOVE - THAT - FAMILY - SO - MUCH!!  I could stay in this area forever.

This area is on fire with possibilities and potential. I hardly know what to do with myself! It means it is time to GET TO WORK! I am ready to just give it all to the Lord and do anything He would have us do.

Let me try to explain this beautiful week justly to you...

Juan

So Juan is someone I knew from before. He used to speak in complete Spanglish! Seriously, every other word in each language. Hermana Quinn and I would try to speak Spanglish like him, but it was impossible! It could only happen naturally. But, about three weeks ago, he came to church and he has been progressing so well. This week we felt like we needed to help him meet some life goals he has. He wants to quit drinking so we taught him about using the Atonement to break free from habits. That lesson was so powerful! I can hardly explain it. He was just so excited to be coming closer to the Lord and he has so much hope. It was truly beautiful. 

GRACE...

is divine means of help or strength, given through the 

bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.

It is through the grace of the Lord that individuals

receive strength and assistance to do good works that they 

otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means.

This grace is an enabling power.

Thus the enabling power of the Atonement strengthens us to do

and be good and serve beyond our own individual desire 

and natural capacity.  ~ Elder David A. Bednar

"I can do ALL things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Philippians 4:13

Rosie

On Friday a phone call came in from a number not registered in the phone. A relative of the Lopez family was calling us and asking what time Church started. She said she would be bringing her family to Church on Sunday! She came and I am absolutely in love with them all. The mom Rosie even signed up to dance in the festival which is coming up next week. At the end of Relief Society Rosie turned to us and said, "How beautiful. I just loved this all!" I can't wait to talk with her more and get to know her family! She is already family to me because she is Lopez family!

La ninas

We get to teach 4 little girls that I used to teach six months ago. They are so enchanted by the Gospel. We go over and read the Book of Mormon with them and they are so cute! I can't wait to tell you more about them as time goes on.

Krystal

Working with Krystal might just be the greatest blessing of my life. Two weeks before I came back to the area she started referring to me as "Momma Phipps" when ever she talked to Sister Boman and Sister Quinn about me. It sounds so strange to me so I am trying to convince her to call me HerMAMA Phipps at least! Ha, ha... But she is a bit stubborn and I can't say no to her, so that just might be my new name for awhile.

Media Blitz

The Book of Mormon play opened up last week in the heart of Spokane. So as a mission, members followed sets of missionaries the entire day in order to take pictures and document what missionaries really do. IT was so much fun! So, there are loads of pictures of me on Facebook somewhere!

Craziest thing of all! Last night the President called Hermana Quinn and asked if she could move to a different area for the last few days of her mission! One of the Sisters there had to go home today and so to fill the void, they needed Hermana Quinn. Hermana Quinn is definitely the Hermana to call! She is AMAZING. I can't even believe just how much she has given her will to the Lord, always. She understands how to go where the Lord wants her to go. We packed up all the stuff she would need for the next 4 days and drove her to the area. We will be seeing her all the time this week still! Of which I am so thankful!!

I just love being a Missionary.

It has taught me that I can do the things I 'think' I can't.

This week is going to be AMAZING! 

Can't wait until next week so I can tell you all about it!

LOVE, Hermana Phipps

READY FOR TRANSFER CALLS?????

On Monday August 11, 2014 Emma wrote....

READY FOR TRANSFER CALLS????....

I AM STILL FREAKING OUT!!

CRAZIEST...

     THING...

          EVER!!!

Guess where I am going?

HERMANA EMMA ROSE PHIPPS IS

ON THE MOVE AGAIN!!

BACK TO THE NORTH! What?!... I will reach my year mark in the field while I am here! I am loving every single moment! I get to be in what I call my Washington Home Ward! I am not only gong back to my first area... (drum roll please)... I WILL BE WITH MY FIRST COMPANION AGAIN! That is right! Hermana Quinn and I will be companions for the last 10 days of her mission. Can you say this will have to be the best next 10 days of our lives?!  Also, I will be serving with Hermana Boman, Hermana Quinn's current companion whom she trained! Hermana Boman is one of my best friends in the mission already, so this is going to make for some good times! Plus, I get to see my favorite people from both areas all the time!

Just the thought that I get to go to the Lopez home again makes me cry!!

HERMANA QUINN AND I REMINISCING OLD DAYS BEFORE 

WE KNEW WE WOULD BE COMPANIONS AGAIN!!

And remember how I said I was going Marshallese speaking? Well, the district I will be moving to is all Marshallese Elders and one set of Spanish Sisters! I might have to have my Uke sent to me... They all play the Uke every p-day!

Crazy thing, this will be my first change in districts and zones! Ha ha... Time to get out of my comfort zone!

Update on this area (Medical Lake/Cheney). IT IS STAYING A SISTERS AREA!!! :D  Which is so perfect!! Sister Taylor is staying and will be training a Visa waiter that got sent to our mission! I am so happy! How do I keep on being so blessed to stay around all these people I just love so much?!

And, I can't wait to tell you about my week this week! It was packed with JOY!!

MISSIONARY LEARNING MOMENT!

Every moment in the mission is an intense learning moment! I think I should have learned this before... but I definitely have a testimony of this now. On the white board in my Dad's office my dad has a quote written by Albert Einstein. Quoting it the best I can, it says, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." This couldn't be more true than in missionary work! So, on Tuesday, Hermana Taylor and I decided to mix things up and change the pace we do missionary work. Focusing on smaller areas and finding. We received 6 Spanish referrals! All within two blocks! I just need to apply this every day of my mission! IT WORKS!!

On Monday, the McCombies invited us over for Family Home Evening because they had 13 exchange students from Mexico visiting Washington to play in a symphony in Spokane! That was one of the neatest lessons I have gotten to be part of! Part of me wishes we could have done it again because we didn't really know what we were walking into. We got to teach the Restoration to this amazing group of 14-17 year olds! 

Also, random shout out about the random life skills I get to develop here since I avoided them before my mission! I mowed the lawn of our favorite Sister Branch Missionary! Ha, ha... Hermana Taylor told me to do it, so I did! And I did well! I believe so at least!

Oh, and we got to collect eggs from the chickens all week while our members were out of town!

Let's talk about my favorite... Brenda! I have LOVED so completely working with her and her family! I will never forget Lola running to the door with the Book of Mormon in her hand! She is probably the most fun investigator I have had the chance to work with. And she always brings herself to church with all the kids in tow. I look up to her so much! She gets married this week and the reception is next week! We got permission to go dress shopping with her and we went today! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

On Sunday, Brenda asked to have time in Relief Society to say Thank You to the ward. She testified about the change of life she has seen in her life and her family since we started coming by. Moments like this just melt my heart! I feel like the luckiest Sister in the world to help others Come Unto Christ!

Also... craziest, funniest moment on my mission! Brenda and her Dad, Steve, went to California last week to pick up some family and Sister Taylor mentioned that she has been dreaming about In and Out Burgers her whole mission. Guess what they did? They bought a mini cooler, tossed in hand warmers, and brought us back In and Out semi-fresh from Cali! REALLY!! Hermana Taylor didn't even know what to think! Really funny. And super funny how us missionaries don't know how to deal with situations like that! Ha ha!! 

I Am So Glad I Get To See Them Every Week At Church!! 

One last note! On Saturday, we had White Night! It was beautiful! It didn't quite go as planned or as the zone wanted, but it was perfect and beautiful in every way. Plus, it is showing our Faith to the Lord that we have a vision and are ready to get to work. The four Hermanas... Taylor, Quinn, Boman and I all got to sing! I will send my camera card home soon and then you can see a video recording of it!

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!

Let's get some more pictures up!

A PICTURE FROM OUR ZONE MEETING! 

A PICTURE FROM MY YEAR MARK!

This picture was from last week, but I forgot my Camera!

I AM CELEBRATING WITH A HUGE LOLLIPOP!!

LOVE YOU ALL!

HELLO! ~ A BRAND NEW SHINY WEEK!

LIVING THE GREAT LIFE...

IN SPOKANE

A PICTURE OF OUR HOUSE IN A

PART OF THE TOWN OF CHENEY

WHERE ALL THE HOUSES LOOK 

LIKE DOLL HOUSES

THIS IS A TACO TRUCK THAT ONE

OF OUR INVESTIGATORS OWN...

BUT THEY DON'T ACTUALLY USE IT!

[Hermana Phipps & Hermana Taylor]

Honestly, I do not know how this is the last week of this transfer. Who knows what is going to happen! Since Sister Quinn will be leaving, and no new Spanish Sisters will be coming in, something crazy is bound to happen. There is a rumor going around that I will be going Marshellese speaking next transfer! (That rumor may or may not have been started by me. 8D... and NO, it is not going to happen.) There are not any Marshallese speaking sisters in the mission and I need to get Spanish down first. ;)... but it is fun to pretend!

This week I got the most wonderful surprise from Laura!!! SHE SENT ME A PINATA!!! AND THE COOLEST PINATA I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! So much fun!!! Hermana Taylor and I opened it during lunch on Tuesday. It was FULL of TONS of GLITTER!! SO much FUN!!! But, it was a dolphin and it hurt a bit of my heart to be whacking a dolphin! Friends are the BEST!! 

GLITTER GIRL (Emma), RECEIVED A

DOLPHIN PINATA FROM HER GOOD FRIEND

LAURA STRATTON ~ AWESOME!!

THE DEAR DOLPHIN

IS BROKEN! :(

On Monday, we had a great Family Night with Brenda and her family at a member's house. Her dad Steve came and he was sitting there telling us how important it is to go to church (even though he hasn't even come yet), and how it really blesses his life. He is really opening up!

Wednesday we had a lesson with Carmen (she is the one who came to church last week and who is going through therapy right now). She is going to progress slowly, but she wants to come to church which is always one of the hardest things to get people to do!

We had a few other appointments and at every single appointment someone offered us pop or ice cream. Sugar Overload! They get so excited though when they can give something back to you :). I am getting a lot more used to letting people give me stuff, but it still is very humbling!

Thursday we had a Sports Night at the Church that Brenda and her family love coming to. They got there about 20 minutes early and we were there helping with English Class, so we had a little lesson with them. Then Lola pulls out her Book of Mormon (SHE CARRIES IT EVERYWHERE!!), and shows us the scripture her Grandpa had helped her mark when they read together! As we shared Mosiah 2:41, Steve just soaked it up. I am amazed at how his heart keeps softening and Dustin (Brenda's husband), is opening up soooo much. He still doesn't want to really learn, but he talks and jokes with us now and played volleyball for the first time and smiled the whole time!!! 

SO LOLA 'RADIATES' JOY!!

Mosiah 2:41  "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

And... if you look at verse 40... this was written to: "All ye old men, and also ye young men, and you little children who can understand my words, for I have spoken plainly unto you that ye might understand..."

Saturday we have EXCHANGES! :S ... CHANGES ARE COMING!

Hermana Phipps & Taylor with the 'DISTRICT'!

Our District was taking a normal picture, but the ELDERS

decided to act like GANGSTERS, and we did not know it!

We have an Elder that is leaving...

So, he is taking a FUNERAL PICTURE!

Yesterday, after church, we stopped by and talked to a guy named Eisael. We had talked to him 5 weeks ago, but hadn't seen him since. He was so open and asked why we were always so happy! I LOVE that question! (I wasn't even feeling my happiest right then, but everyone can just see the difference the Gospel makes!) He had questions about the purpose here and where we go! He was so prepared and open! He works out of town during the week, but we left him with a Book of Mormon and he said we could text him during the week to see how it is going. We have an appointment next Sunday!

Dustin brought ALL 4 kids to church by himself and he was smiling!! He said he got up at 6 to get them all ready! I was so impressed!!!

Okay, now for the truth... Sister Taylor wrote 50 percent of this email! I was running late so she forwarded hers and I mixed ours together! But really, reading through the miracles of this week from her eyes is so much fun! Maybe nothing HUGE is happening right now, but I would not trade ANY OF THIS for the WORLD! All these miracles are really all I could ever ask for!!

LOVE YOU ALL!

Hermana LIPS, as Hermana Taylor calls me.

No one ever says my name right and it is HILARIOUS!!

MORE PICTURES:...

SISTER QUINN SENT MORE BEAUTIFUL

PICTURES OF KRYSTAL'S BAPTISM DAY!

EL BAUTISMO de Krystal Lee...

SUCH A PERFECT DAY!! 

FOUR BEAUTIFUL SISTERS!

IT WILL BE SO HARD TO SEE SISTER QUINN GO!!

(Sister Phipps, Sister Taylor, Sister ?, Sister Quinn)

SIX MONTH & ONE YEAR EXPRESSIONS!!

[From Emma's Mom: When Emma had been out six months, she wrote a letter home on Lisa's Birthday (February 18, 2014) and shared 5 THINGS THAT KEEP EMMA GOING ON HER MISSION! Since she just passed the YEAR MARK, I thought it would be good to share her letter here.]

My Dearest Family,

"Try a little harder each day to be a little better!" ~ President Hinckley

   This small quote is keeping me going. Sometimes the fact of how hard missions are catches up with me! It is easy to feel overwhelmed and under-qualified. But above almost everything I have learned on my mission, I have learned that you cannot give in to discouragement. It can tear at the strongest foundations. That is why I want to share with you today, 5 THINGS THAT KEEP ME GOING HERE ON MY MISSION.

   1 -- THE SCRIPTURES -- Especially since I am reading 16+ pages a day. I am seeing just how much SCRIPTURES are my life line. They always help me focus and feel that everything will be alright. They give me assurance. Not only written Scriptures, but the Words of the Prophets and Revelation are Modern Day Scriptures that I can't live without. I try to make sure they are a daily part of every missionary moment.

   2 -- MY DEAR FAMILY -- Every letter I receive and every e-mail I print off are Sources of LIGHT for me! I love every word you so lovingly send! Not only that, but countless are the times the SPIRIT reminds me of family memories that I feel impressed to share with our investigators. Last week we taught Karelis and her family. Grace and Shanteen, (her daughters who are 8 and 4) love our lessons too! When planning the lesson we felt like we should focus on getting the kids excited about church. Sister Quinn and I were thinking of how we could teach reverence in a way the girls would understand and be excited about. I quickly remembered our visits to Aunt Elsie's home. Mom always would remind me of the game I should play at Aunt Elsie's house. It was the Princess Game! I remember really wanting to act exactly like a princess as soon as I crossed through the second entrance door into her home. I wanted to impress the Queen Aunt Elsie! (Not sure if I was ever perfect though.)  So we told that experience to the family of Karelis and they loved it. In the middle of the story the girls ran into their bedroom and changed into their Princess Dresses, found Crowns, and started "practicing" for church! ~I LOVE MY FAMILY!!

   3 -- MIRACLES! -- As you know, I am always seeing MIRACLES and the Lord's Hand! It makes me remember that this isn't my work, or what I do at all. IT IS TRULY THE LORD'S WORK!! 

   4 -- SERVICE! -- Every time I feel even the slightest of being not in the best mood... a SERVICE opportunity comes my way and changes my perspective for the better. Service should always be sought for!!

   5 -- THE LORD... Last but not least,... The LORD! If I could ever explain the strength He gives me, I would share it every moment to every one I meet! 2 Nephi 22:2 couldn't be more true!! Remembering all the Tender Mercies of a Mission really makes me feel in debt to the Lord for ALL the help He sends to me to bare me up! 

2nd Nephi 2:22 "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation."  (See also Isaiah Chapter 12) 

   I LOVE YOU! Thank you for your ceaseless support, love and prayers!! Your daughter, 

Hermana Phipps    

  

HOLA! WONDERFUL WEEK ~ AS ALWAYS!!

HOLA! [On July 28, 2014 Emma wrote...]

This week was WONDERFUL! (Like Always!)

Last Tuesday was so much fun! We got to teach English class and we actually had a student come. I love teaching English class, because I learn a whole lot more than I teach. We went over how to introduce yourself and meet your neighbors! Seriously, I just love English class. SO MUCH FUN!!

This week was miraculous! We biked and walked a lot. Great way to celebrate Pioneer day, right?! I just think about them and I can't complain. I actually am getting the hang of biking in a skirt! I love it too!! Hills are the only things that make me question if I really like biking... ha, ha. What is amazing is how, no matter how we go about doing missionary work (biking, walking, driving), the Lord finds a way to put us in the right place at the right time. This especially happened two times this week:

On Friday we visited one of our favorite families, Carmen and her son Juan. They are the greatest. When we went by, guess what we walked in to? Carmen was sitting with her friend (also named Carmen), and was inviting her to come to church! The friend is from Cache Valley, Utah. She is an Adventist, and the sweetest and most beautiful woman I have ever met in the world! She came to church and after she said (in Spanish), "How perfect, how lovely! I just loved it so much. It really felt beautiful being here!"

She talked to so many members after Church and the members kept coming up to tell us that they found our new investigator! It is exciting!!

Also on Friday, we had planned to bike to Medical Lake, but when it came time to go, deep down in my heart, I didn't want to. We only had an hour and a half of proselyting time and more than half of the time would be taken up biking. But we had it in our plans and we knew we needed to go there so we went! The main reason we went there fell through, so we tried our back-up. That is where we needed to be! We met two of the most prepared people in the whole entire world! We knocked on the door at 8:30 at night. Sister Taylor had her helmet in hand and we were both still a bit short of breath! As the door opened Sister Taylor started talking to the lady so humbly, it was so touching! At first the lady told us that they watch a pastor on TV everyday, so they didn't need to hear what we had to say, but Sister Taylor just kept on testifying and teaching. Soon we heard a voice coming from the background saying, "Wait, where is your church?" The husband let us in and we sat down. He told us that he knew God was softening his heart and that the last year was preparing him to accept us! How amazing is that?! We passed him on to the English missionaries. They love the Book of Mormon! It was AMAZING!!

And yes, though I hardly believe it at all, this week marks a year for me being my missionary-self. Oh, how the time flies!!

We went to visit Lola on her Birthday. She is just so adorable! (See picture below) We have a Family Home Evening planned with all her family and our Favorite Member Family the Burnett's tonight. I...CAN....HARDLY.....WAIT!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOLA!!

Love, Hermana Emma Rose Phipps