November 14, 2011

In front of the Chihuly sculpture at a local restaurant.

Thanks for the Thanksgiving package!

WOW! I feel like there is not enough time to breathe anymore. It is just crazy how busy we are. My companion is awesome and he says, "I feel like you are dragging me along all day long!" I love it so much! It is great to work with someone who likes to work hard, too. He is always tired and stuff! Ha Ha! I am trying to do my best to inspire the other people around me to work hard too. It is pretty awesome. I just love my position as a District Leader and Trainer. I feel like I can help so many people...it is really really fun!

The branch that we are in is giving me more and more responsibility and the people are trusting me more. It is great! The Stake President came to our branch yesterday. We had a quite a few people at church. We had guest speakers and musical numbers. It was great! We get used to things like that in Utah, but not here. It was nice to have the Stake President speak Spanish. He is a great man with 10 kids. He is someone I aspire to be like some day. He is a great example and still has time for individuals. It is so cool. He goes out with the missionaries and is friends with the missionaries. I respect him and love him. He is working hard for the stake and guiding our little branch.

Recently, people have been talking to me about going home...I hate talking about it because I love this so much and don't want it to end at all. It will be terrible. I feel like I am just getting started and I feel like I want to keep going and do it forever. Maybe go home for a while and then come back. It is the best thing I have ever done in my life and the most fun too! I am with the best people that make me happy. I used to make fun of cheesy missionaries and now I am actually one of them!

This week we had a zone meeting in Worcester. All the missionaries kept asking me, "What did you do to make these people love you so much?" The people in Worcester gave me so much special treatment. It made me feel so good! It was fantastic! It makes me not want to come home even more! Ha Ha!

My new companion is just fantastic! He is like a sponge and we tease and have fun together. He has such a love for the gospel and for the people already. He was just so surprised about how much members and investigators trust us and love us. Anyway...I am fine and happy and having success. We are just doing what the Lord wants us to do and doing it how he wants. We are making good relationships with people. I know Elder Morris will be a good missionary. I see his desires and how he wants to help people. We have a couple of new investigators and we had 5 or 6 less actives come to church last week. That doesn't seem like a lot in a crowd of 500, but in a crowd of 50 it makes a real difference! It is fun to see results!

Peace and Blessings!

Elder Phillips