LO MAS LOCA SEMANA DE MI VIDA!

The Subject Line is quoting Hermana Boman.

This week has been so crazy! ~~

But I like the craziness! It makes things interesting...

and keeps me on my feet, that is for sure!!

This past week we were in a trio. SO MUCH FUN!! I am going to miss it! 

Life is flying by, like a blink of an eye. Weeks feel like days now!

For transfer news... I will be staying in my area with Hermana Boman. 

I couldn't have asked for anything more perfect!!

Rosie and Julio's baptism is this week!

Life couldn't be better.

They are my miracle family. 

They are the ones I have been looking for, and of course,

they belong to the Lopez family!!

EMMA'S ADDRESS CONTINUES TO BE:

Sister Emma Rose Phipps

1807 W Northridge CT Apt. #7

Spokane, WA 99208-4355

   We had an FHE with Sister Chavez on Tuesday and she made us make cookies! 

They were yummy! It is fun!

TRES HERMANAS MAKING COOKIES

BOMAN, PHIPPS, & TAYLOR

On Friday, we chalked the

PLAN OF SALVATION

on the parking lot of our church!

So much fun!

Hermana Boman is such an artist!

All of the members loved it when they saw it on Sunday!

  GIANT PLAN OF SALVATION!!

    

Rosie and Julio are doing so well!
They wrote their testimonies and they are so adorable!

THEY GET BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!

   Krystal ran up to us this Sunday and asked if she could sing with us at the Baptism! Of course, I said yes. I think I have yet to say no to anything Krystal asks... Ha ha! Kezi, Erika and Karson and my future sabrino baby Shaw will have fun getting everything they want from me when I get home. I am more of a softy than ever before!! We will be singing "Families Can Be Together Forever" and I am going to play it on the Uke. Hermana Boman and I came up with some harmonies! This Baptism will be so BEAUTIFUL!!

   Today the President asked us to go fear busting with the new missionaries! We go tracting for a half hour just throwing the missionaries into the work! It was such a great experience! The missionary I got to go with had actually served in England for 8 months before having to come home for back surgery. So we shared her miracles in the mission. I love this World Wide Work! Then, she asked me how long I have been on my mission. I told her just over a year. She replied, saying that answer doesn't count. She wanted to know exactly. I had to take 30 seconds and count! I have been losing track! It made me realize just how close I am to coming home. It is just around the bend. 

   I am so nervous to go back! A year and a half is a long time, but I know that is why I have each one of you. I couldn't ask for a better crew to return to. Just keep me busy, okay?!

   I LOVE YOU ALL! 

I want you to know that I know this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I am humbled by the idea that I have the responsibility to share it. 

I know Heavenly Father loves each of you. 

He Loves our Family so much and He can't wait for us to be Together Forever. 

I can't wait either!

So, I just thought I would dedicate this email to my family...

because I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!

I love and miss you all more than I could ever explain!

Love, Hermana Phipps

"GOD HAS A LOT TO DO WITH YOU!"

The title of this email is quoting David our friend 

we sang to at a retirement home this weekend.

Out of nowhere he told me that... 

I am still trying to figure out what he meant!!

Well, this week was the FASTEST week of my LIFE! 

So much happened too! I am just all around amazed!

   On Monday, we had the most amazing lesson with Rosie and her husband Julio. We and Rosie have been pleading with the Lord that Julio's heart will be softened, and the Lord answered back! On Monday, we taught The Gospel of Jesus Christ lesson and Julio was taking it all in. At the end we invited him to be baptized and he said, "Claro!" Which means, "Of Course."

   We came back on Wednesday and taught the Word of Wisdom. At the end we talked to Julio about Baptism and he said he wanted to be baptized soon! So Rosie turned to him and said, "Why don't you get baptized with me on the 29th?" Which is just the perfect amount of time! So, they will both be taking this amazing step in less than two weeks! I...am...absolutely...on ...top...of...the...world!!!

   Now we just get to teach all the Missionary discussions in less than two weeks! This is going to be some big weeks of running! But I am ready to RUN!

   Everyone at church absolutely LOVES them! After church we had three different members come up to us and ask to come to their next appointment. Some members even scheduled some of our next lessons with them. Everything is just absolutely falling into place! After church on Sunday Hermano y Hermana Torres drove Rosie and Julio and their children to the Temple in the Valley. They walked around it and absolutely LOVED it! It is so amazing to be working with this beautiful family!

   

BYE BYE COFFEE!!

HERMANA PHIPPS & HERMANA BOMAN

   When we taught the Word of Wisdom on Wednesday, Julio volunteered us to take their coffee out of their house to kick-start their Word of Wisdom journey! We took some pictures at home to celebrate! But it was dark outside, so we took pictures inside too!

DUMPING COFFEE IN THE DUMPSTER!! 

WOO HOO!!!

   In Other NEWS... Guess What?!? Hermana Taylor has joined our companionship for this last week! Her companion was a Visa waiter and she left this morning for Mexico. So now we three are covering both the North Area and the Southwest Area! This is going to be such a fun, busy, AMAZING week! I am so excited to have Hermana Taylor with us and to go to the Southwest a bit! We started this transfer in a trio, might as well end it that way!

    

HERMANA BOMAN AND MYSELF 

APPRECIATING THE BEAUTIFUL PINE TREES

IN THE NORTH PART OF OUR AREA!

   For Language Study, Hermana Boman and I

take turns playing "teacher." 

We study a grammar principle we don't understand

until we understand it enough to teach it!

It is so helpful!

HOPE YOU ENJOY MY AMAZING ARTWORK!!

MY COMPANION - HERMAN BOMAN

   I must tell you about JUAN. He speaks complete SPANGLISH!! 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!! Juan is just so excited to be coming closer to the Lord and he has so much HOPE! 

It was truly BEAUTIFUL!! 

   And... for other updates... The BOOK OF MORMON play really hasn't done anything to hurt the work here at all. I think most people understand that it isn't what our Church is about at all! But, ... we are seeing MIRACLES from the Social Media Blitz that we did to counteract the play! 

It is so neat.

ADORABLE!!...

Last Sunday Lucy, the Lopez' dog, had 2 puppies!

I got to hold one last night!!

[Mama Mary editorial note: "I think that made Emma's Cat 'Duckie' jealous!!"] 

BEST...WEEK...OF... EVER!!!

On Monday September 8, 2014 Emma sent the following:

I cannot wait to tell you all that happened this week!

I am just completely in LOVE with EVERY PHASE OF THE WORK here.

I AM ON TOP OF THE WORLD!!! 

I LOVE MY MISSION!!

I can't wait to show you these pictures, so I am going to start with them! This first picture was random, but it just goes to show that this whole week was all building up to the FESTIVAL!

ANYONE READY FOR A PARTY?

So, before I send more pictures, I want to tell you about the FESTIVAL! 

IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL!

We arrived at the High School where they were holding it at five o'clock. They had brought extra Elder Companionships from the West Stake as "security" and gave each companionship heavy duty Walkie-Talkies. Through the entire Festival the Elders were using the Walkie-Talkies and making funny jokes, like calling each other "Captain Moroni" and on and on. I got a Walkie-Talkie too! I got to wear it everywhere I went. They had each set of Sisters be Translators for the English Audience so I got to Translate the Program for some English Investigators from the West that I had found while I was serving there! Such a Tender Mercy!!

The Program was Flawless. Rosie danced so perfectly to her Song! She was Amazing. I cheered so loud for them! I felt like a proud Mom!  Ha, ha! Members and non-members came up and told us their favorite piece was her dance! Though I am biased, I agree with them!

We talked to EVERYONE we could and got lots of numbers. We are currently finding which area each person lives in! 

I GOT A PICTURE WITH ROSIE 

AND HER CUTE LITTLE DAUGHTER ALEAH!

   

I LOVE THESE TWO!!

Hermana Phipps, Rosie, Hermana Boman

Aleah

Our Investigator Rosie and one of our Favorite Members Lisa Rodriguez feed us!

Rosie promised to make us a cake once a week, 

so she can show God her Gratitude for her Gift of Baking! 

I LOVE HER GIFT!!

THIS WEEK HER CAKE WAS STRAWBERRY VANILLA!

I only have 13 minutes to write, but I have so much to tell you all about Rosie!!!!!!!

We had a lesson with her on Thursday. Hermana Boman and I had been praying and praying to know what day would be the right day for her Baptism. We got an answer! So, after watching the Restoration Video with Rosie, we invited her to be Baptized on the 27th of September. She said, "Yes!" And even asked what she could do to help her children get ready for when they can be Baptized one day!!! Of all the Baptism Invitations I have ever been part of extending, I have never heard anyone so sure. After the Lesson, she turned to us and asked us if she needs to plan the Baptism, or if we do that! Isn't she something so special? We reassured her that we would just keep on having daily contact with her and visiting her and all she needs to do is keep on exercising her FAITH! 

Well, she just amazes me so much each day! I don't have much time left, but I want to share some quotes she said during Church on Sunday.  Right after two Missionaries bore their Testimonies in our Branch she turned to us and said, "I just love this feeling. It feels so happy! It is like the Butterflies I got in my stomach when I met my Husband for the first time. I know that being here is right."

So, we took some coloring pages that we printed from the Friend magazine and she asked if she could take them home. She then said,"I am going to have Aleah color them and then we will hang them up in our new home so her friends can ask her about them and we can tell them about the Church!"

And then in Relief Society, she took notes on what small things we can do each day to feel closer to God! She is simply Amazing! I can't believe we have only known her for less than a month! I feel like she is a Friend From and For ETERNITY! I can't wait for these next few weeks!

I love this work. I love helping others find the absolute JOY of the Gospel! 

I am just in LOVE with my MISSION!  

Here are some more pictures from the Festival. 

Bad news... I am running out of Time on the Computer! 

Here are two little girls from our Branch who danced.

MOST ADORABLE 

THING EVER!

One of the BEST MOMENTS of the Night...

...When the BAND came in Alicia Chavez,

(one of my favorite members from the SouthWest)

just IGNITED with EXCITEMENT!!

So... Hermana Boman and I teach English Class every Tuesday and Thursday! I absolutely LOVE English Class! On Thursday, we learned words related to food and grocery shopping and at the end of the class, we gave them a test by giving them a Recipe for Pineapple Salsa and had them work as a team to make it! (The Recipe was the easiest thing ever, we found it in a 'Friend' magazine!) I had a random laughing attack as they were making the salsa just because it was such a HAPPY moment! Ha, ha. Thus is my life!

Love you ALL and talk to you soon!

Love, Hermana Phipps

FESTIVAL FRENZY!

What an Amazing Week!

And...yesterday was the best day ever,

so I am pretty sure life can't get any better

for a Missionary!!

TO TOP EVERYTHING OFF:

   The Festival (the biggest event for our Branch every year) is this Saturday!!! I can hardly wait! We have been talking to everyone telling them about the Festival. They gave us Missionaries 1000 flyers to hand out in 2 weeks. Announcements are in the newspapers, online, and on the radio! It is going to be BIG! That night all the Missionaries will be on a Mission to become Friends and then get contact information on every Spanish speaker we can there! It will be a GREAT night!

   Yesterday I kept count of how many people we talked to about the Festival. We talked to 29 people in one day! It is so much fun. If we see anyone outside we make it a point to speak to them and ask them where their Spanish Speaking neighbors live! We found three Spanish Speakers in one apartment complex!

   The first Sunday Rosie came to church, she signed up to dance at the Festival! Talk about getting herself involved! It is tradition for one investigator to dance in the Festival and then get baptized. I call Rosie! She practices everyday with the best members of our Branch. The entire Branch loves her already! But not as much as Hermana Boman and I do. Last Monday she made us the BEST tasting "PAN" in the world!! It had real chocolate melted into it. So delicious. It is a gift the Lord gave her which she learned about while reading the Book of Mormon. SO Adorable!! She is so strong.

   We had a lesson with her last week that just blew me away. As a missionary you quickly come to know that just as hard as we are working to help others find the peace of the Gospel, there is opposition from so many sources trying to distract our investigators. Countless are the times we find someone so perfectly golden, but shortly after, we can't get in touch with them because they start backing out, forgetting the Spirit they have been feeling. I promise you that each investigator faces so much opposition. No one gets a smooth ride.

   Most investigators just quietly draw back, but Rosie is so golden that she wouldn't let that happen to herself! As soon as she started to feel the opposition, she had us come for a lesson. She told us about having such a huge desire to read the Book of Mormon and go to church, but at the moment she goes to act, she feels this opposition trying to tell her it isn't worth it. She sat down with us and we were able to talk it through with her! IT WAS AMAZING! 

   Then we were able to share with her how that is our role as Missionaries, to help her keep going, especially in those moments of opposition. She is SO AMAZING! She calls us her angels. I wish she would understand how much of an angel she is to us. Oh, and she told me and Hermana Boman that we can never go home, ever. I told her that I will stay in this area as long as I possibly can!

   

CUTEST MOMENT OF MY MISSION!

   Well, can I paint a picture for you of the cutest moment of my Mission? First off, Krystal is still here! Her mom is too. I have heard lots of rumors, but Leticia is working on convincing her that Krystal needs to stay. Yesterday, we planned to go to the Lopez home to have a Family Night. While driving down the street, we saw Krystal outside playing with the kids on the block. We taught 7 of them last week when Krystal told us that everyone in her home was asleep and we should have the FHE outside with her and all her friends. Half way through the FHE with the kids, Leticia came out and said no one was ever asleep, but Krystal had told us that to spend more time with her friends. Ha, ha! I love nine-year-olds. We had an amazing FHE with all of them and Leticia told us it was perfect that we got to have the FHE with the kids on the block, because they needed it. Krystal needed it too, because she gets so excited about sharing the Gospel with others. When we went to the Lopez home a few days later, one of Krystal's friends was outside and yelled, "can we have one of those home night things again today?" We yelled back and told him to come over on Monday and we would have another one. 

THIS PICTURE IS OF HALF THE KIDS 

ON THE BLOCK THAT WE HAVE FHE WITH!

   So, the next Monday, as we pulled up to the Lopez home, 10 little kids flocked our car all saying, "Hello Missionaries!" They all stood in front of our car and said we could only park if we would do a Family Home Evening with them. I wish I could have taken a picture of my car being surrounded by them all. BEST...MOMENT...EVER!!! We had an amazing Family Home Evening. There is a little girl named Maddy who has had a tough nine years. While walking to the Lopez home, she said to me, "I have been thinking a lot about prayer since last week. My sister passed away a few months ago and I have been really sad and scared. Could you help me pray to feel better?" She said the most tender prayer last night. I just love being with these sweet spirits. 

   At the end of the Family Home Evening, the funniest conversation started. It went something like this: (All these statements were said by the kids).

   "We are doing this Family Night thing every Monday, Okay?!"

   "Yeah! We can start a Club, would the name 'the Mormon Club' work? Then we could start a study group and read the Book of Mormon together."

OH MY HEAVENS...

I AM SO IN LOVE WITH ALL THIS ADORABLENESS!!

   Jorge, my recent convert, is doing so well! He went to English class, but went too early and thought no one was coming. Then, yesterday, thinking it was Tuesday, he went again to the Church! Ha, ha. He is reading the Book of Mormon again and came to Church! He also promised that he would come to all three hours next week and says that his desire to do everything is coming back!

I AM SO HAPPY!!

   Well, the only thing I am freaking out about is the fact that some how it is already September! 

   I know this Gospel is available to all. Rosie's husband is hesitant about church, but she told us that she can't go on living without it. She has already seen such a growth in her relationship with God since she has come to Church. It has made all the difference. He makes all the difference, and I love being part of His work!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Hermana Phipps

     

PICTURES WITH HERMANA QUINN!

HERMANA QUINN SENT ME A FEW PICTURES TO SHARE

OH YUMMY!

WE WILL MISS HERMANA QUINN!!

ELDER & SISTER WILSON

WITH HERMANAS PHIPPS & QUINN

HERMANA PHIPPS, BOMAN, & QUINN

THREE GREAT ELDERS AND

HERMANA TAYLOR ON THE RIGHT

ACT UPON THIS LAND AS FOR YEARS!

HOLA MI QUERIDA FAMILIA Y MIS AMIGOS!

I will forever be in LOVE with my mission.

I am starting to understand the true perspective of all things.

   This week I read an article from the August Ensign. It is called, "Act Upon This Land As For Years." I just love this article so much! I have read it and re-read it and almost every part seemed to talk right to me! Coming back to my first area was a heavenly dream come true. But as soon as I heard I was coming back, a question quickly came to my mind. I thought,"Well, but for how long do I get to be there?" At first I started making judgments about how hard it would be to go back and then maybe leave again soon after. Now I have left all those thoughts behind. I am going to do as the talk says and act as if I will be here for years and years and do the kind of missionary work that would be lasting. There is something just so exciting about this area right now. I am on cloud nine.

   

   Since the last few weeks have been crazy, I haven't gotten to talk about some obvious things! I am repenting now though.

   Let me introduce you to my companion! Hermana Boman. She is absolutely AMAZING. We are sooooo alike too! It has already been such a blast working with her. She is from Logan, Utah and has been on her mission for 5 months. She knew a TON of Spanish before going to the MTC. She even was in a special MTC class for Advanced Spanish speakers. She is a Spanish speaking pro!! She is such an amazing teacher too! I just love everything about being companions with her. We have the makings of really good unity, if I could just stop being so chatty when I meet all my old dear investigators from this area! Ha, ha,... I am working on it!

   Here is some background for Hermana Boman. She reminds me of a mix of me and all my best friends. It is kinda crazy! Before her mission, she went to USU and was studying Art. She is such a great artist! After her mission, she wants to head to good old BYU! Where we will be friends forever!! Also, she loves Doctor Who and every postcard her mom sends her has a connection between Doctor Who and the Gospel. IT IS SO GREAT!! [Note from Emma's mom... Emma's good friend Mariah who is serving in El Salvador is a great artist who loves Dr. Who! Too Fun!!]

   Hermana Quinn and I said our last good-byes last night, though I haven't accepted this fact yet. It doesn't seem real. We have worked in the same branch together for just under a year. 

   For the last few nights, I have been learning how to play hymns on the Uke! My favorite thing ever. No matter what is going on when I pick up the Uke, I can just feel the Spirit of the Song and I know everything is going to go the Lord's way.

LET'S TALK ABOUT MIRACLES!

   Rosie, I have been referring to her as "nuestra investigadora de oro" Golden Investigator because that is completely what she is. Guess what! She is the niece of Leticia Lopez! She also is the most ABSOLUTELY AMAZING person I have ever met!

   When we were teaching about the Book of Mormon, she asked us, "How can I get one of these books?" With HUGE smiles on our faces we said, "Well, that is exactly what we are here for! We have a gift for you!" She has been reading it non-stop since then. We left her to read Moroni 10:3-5. When we texted her the next day to see how her reading is going, she said, "I am in love with what I am reading! I can't wait to talk about it with you tomorrow!" When we went by for our second appointment, she told us that she read all of chapter 10. While reading it she read about gifts from God. She then told us that she has realized what her gift from God is. She is a baker! She said that after reading, she went and made 3 cakes to celebrate realizing her gift from God. She is adorable!!

   She has the two cutest children too! Oh my, I wish each of you could meet her. Actually! She used to live in Utah and she will be visiting in December! 

   She came to church yesterday. I love sitting with her family! We have our third lesson today with her at 6 pm. I can hardly wait!

   Well,... I need to tell you all a story. About a month or two ago, I had this really strange desire to know why I was on a mission. I kept thinking about how strongly I felt that I needed to go on a mission and how I felt like it wasn't even an option. It was just what I was supposed to do next in my life. But I prayed and prayed and prayed and one specific answer would not come to me, but I knew Heavenly Father had an answer for me. Coming back to this area was Heavenly Father's answer for me.

   I now know one of the biggest reasons I came on this mission is because I needed to meet Leticia Lopez and the whole Lopez family. They have completely changed me and how I view the world. I owe Heavenly Father everything for this chance to know them. We had an appointment set up this Friday with Krystal and Javier. When we went there, Leticia pulled us aside to have a lesson with her. We did and it was simply a sacred moment.

   During the lesson, she told us some startling news. Krystal's mom said that she might pick her up and take her to another state again. Lots of change for one nine year old! The moment I heard the news my heart started to break. Then the combination of what Leticia was bearing testimony of and a thought from the Spirit lifted me up. 

   First a thought rang clear through my head saying, look at Heavenly Father's hand in this. You were still in the branch when Krystal returned and was baptized. You got to spend two whole weeks with her before she leaves again. Have no fear. God is in all of this. Then Leticia bore testimony to me that between all that has happened within the last year, she is so grateful for her deeper relationship and understanding of the Lord and His hand in our lives. I wish I could have written her testimony in that moment, I am sure angels have transcribed it and I will be asking for it in heaven.

   Krystal might stay. Her mom is very wishy-washy about things. But no matter what, I have faith in the Lord. I have Faith in His timing. I have Faith in His guidance. This week, along with all this I have now found my favorite hymn, "Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me."

   This is my humble prayer, that I will give the wheel to Him that He may chart my course.

I LOVE you ALL and I am so grateful God has given me each of you

to help me on my way!

Trust Always in HIS Guidance!!

Love, Hermana Phipps

HERMANA PHIPPS & HERMANA BOMAN!

[Emma sent this on Mon. August 25, 2014 -- Her mama is a little behind getting them in!]