December 5, 2011

Goofing off at the Second Hand Store!

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Celebrating 99 days left on the mission!

The Ninety-Nine Restaurant tradition!

Well, what a crazy week! I can not believe that it is December. It is weird over here right now because it is still really warm. I am having such a great time. We are walking more and more of our huge area and have a plan to get bus passes this week, which will be good. I am just loving this area and cannot believe that Christmas is approaching. It is surreal how fast time is going by. Next week is transfers and by the time I write next week, I will only have 2 transfers left.

We are making progress with a few people. We are working hard and I really love the work. Everyone got sick this week. It was awful! Even one of the missionaries in the apartment had to go to the hospital. We had to leave church to give them our car. This weird throat thing is going around. I was only sick for one day and I am almost completely over it now.

I have no idea what will happen during transfers next week, but it is almost a guarantee that Elder Morris and I will stay together to finish his training. He is improving so much and just doing great! He is understanding more and more and getting more involved with the ward and everything. It is weird that Elder Morris' first transfer is ending...it seems like he just got here the other day. We are even closer than ever. We have so much fun walking and talking and testifying and teaching all day long! We are excited for a few of our investigators that are really seeming to get it. They know that the Book of Mormon is true and that the gospel is restored. It is awesome! A few cool things have happened. First, we were told that a less active member that we were visiting is going to go to the temple. We might get to go to the temple with them, which would be really awesome! It is just fantastic to be a missionary! Next, we got to go to Providence for a Zone meeting. During the zone meeting, 5 elders were celebrating their 99 days left on the mission! It is a tradition that at 99 days left we go have lunch at the restaurant called Ninety-nine! Instead of celebrating, we mourned because no one wants to go home yet! It was fun and I was able to take a few pictures. I never thought that I would celebrate going home...it still feels like I am in the middle of my mission! Lastly, we were excited to go to church this week and see how many people would be there. We had quite a few new people tell us that they were coming this week. As the time approached for church to start, there are only 15 people there! We were really sad because we seem to having so much success and feel that people are really progressing. Then slowly by slowly, the church just filled up! We had a few investigators and a few less active members come! We are working so hard and it is fun to see results! To see the branch grow is such a good thing!

I love you all so much! Peace and Blessings! Have a magical week!

Elder Phillips