"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, THE RESTORED GOSPEL?" | 7.25.16

Hey y'all!

Wow! What at amazing week!!

First, transfer news!! Tomorrow I will be leaving Las Lomas/Stone Oak and headed up to Austin! My companion will be Sister Mckee. She is just out of training. I am so excited! I will miss everyone here in Stone Oak and Las Lomas. I have honestly grown to love them like my own family. It's hard to describe how much I love the people here and how much I will miss them. Sister Olsen will be getting a new companion here who will finish out her training. I will miss her but I know they will do great work here! I'll tell you more about the new area and my new companion next week!

There is so much that happened this week! We have been blessed to see so many miracles!! I will just share one of them. Over a month ago, Sister Jones and I were biking through a neighborhood and we stopped to talk to this man who was getting out of his car in the driveway. As we talked with him, he opened up to us a lot and told us about how his wife had recently passed away. The way he talked about her, you could tell that he loves her so much and that he is so heartbroken and misses her like crazy. He didn't really accept anything that we told him and said that he has a very scientific mind. He says he would like to believe in God, but there is no way to know for sure. We told him he would be able to see his wife again but he just didn't believe us! My heart really hurt for him! We would stop by occasionally and try to see him again, but he was just never home... we left him scripture notes every once in a while and even left a Plan of Salvation Pamphlet on his porch. :) I didn't think too much of it and didn't really expect to ever hear from him. Sister Olsen and I stopped by this week and he actually answered the door!! He told us that he is really looking for God now. He started crying and told us that our notes are so wonderful! He says he looks up the scripture and goes and reads the entire surrounding chapter in the Book of Mormon! He even came to church this Sunday and wants to meet with us this week! It makes me SO HAPPY!! It's amazing to see the power of the Atonement and the comfort that Jesus Christ offers, especially through the Book of Mormon. He was asking us all sorts of questions like, "What is the Restored Gospel?" Haha! I felt like such a missionary... well, let us tell ya all about it!! :)

We had another investigator promise us that she would read the Book of Mormon every day. She even gave us permission to text her and remind her to do it. ;) In another lesson, we were able to read the Book of Mormon with a less active couple and it brought the spirit in SO strong. You could just see their faces light up and their understanding increase!

I LOVE seeing the miracles that happen as we read God's word from the scriptures. My own testimony has grown so much as I have studied the scriptures daily. There is so much power in that! The real miracles are the changes that happen in the hearts of people. If you are ever worried, stressed, or have doubts... READ THE BOOK OF MORMON! The gospel of Jesus Christ brings true peace and joy and changes the way we see things. I love my mission with all my heart.

Thank you for all the love and support! Hope y'all have a fantastic week!

Love,

Sister Philpot

FROM THE SUBURBS OF SAN ANTONIO... | 7.18.16

Hey y'all!

It has been quite a week! It's not getting any cooler... but that's okay! We love it! This week we had exchanges again so Sister Gillespie was here with me. I love her so much! I'm pretty used to the biking by now but Sister Gillespie took a spill! Haha I felt so bad... I just heard a big ol crash behind me and she was laying there on the ground! Sister Olsen's bike had to go to the shop... Sister Gillespie was a bit scraped up too, but all is well. We got to see lots of people that day and she was a trooper! 

We have AMAZING members in this area. They are all just the cutest and I love them so much. We got a big Texas bbq meal last night.. wow I love Texas. :) 

Yesterday we were really hoping that our investigators and less actives would actually show up to church like they said they would... nobody actually came that we were planning on... but! This man walked in with 4 kids and one of our members just grabbed him and took all his kids to primary! Then she brought him to come and meet us. He was actually at the wrong (but very right;)) church! Haha but his kids loved primary SO much. They said it was the best church that they had ever been to because they actually got to go sing and learn! I thought that was so cool! All you really need to know is what you learn in primary. I thought it was so cool that they ended up there by "mistake" and the kids just loved it. 

Love y'all and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Sister Philpot

"Do you want to be happy? Forget yourself and get lost in this great cause. Lend your efforts to helping people. ... Stand higher, lift those with feeble knees, hold up the arms of those that hang down. Live the gospel of Jesus Christ." -President Gordon B. Hinckley

THERE'S A REASON I'M IN SAN ANTONIO | 7.11.16

Hello Everyone!

This week has been great! We had 4 investigators at church yesterday! Maggie has now come to church 5 weeks in a row! She is so cute! She has no religious background at all, but she loves coming to church and learning more! After the baptismal service we brought her to, we asked how she felt and she said that she doesn't think she is ready for that yet! But she loves coming to church and I know she will feel ready soon enough. Her husband and her son came back from China this week and we were able to meet them both! CJ (Her husband) was a lot more open and supportive than we were thinking he would be, so that is really exciting! And her son, William,  was so excited and kept saying, "I wanna go to church, I wanna go to church!" Haha Yayyyy! They are the cutest family ever. Even though CJ isn't super interested or ready yet, I know he will be one day too! He has the desire to believe even though he doesn't have much religious background and a very scientific mind. He said it's hard for him to believe things unless its a scientific experiment and something that could be measured. We read in Alma 32 about experimenting on the word and making a place in your heart for the seed of faith to grow! He liked it more than I thought he would. There are so many cute families in the ward that are friends with their family and it makes all the difference! I love to watch Maggie come to church and just go sit by the ward members and feel at home. It makes me feel so successful when people don't need us. It sounds kinda funny, but its true! When people are friends with the members and truly converted to the gospel, they don't need us to tell them what to do! It's so exciting to see her sincere desire to come to church and come closer to God. Hopefully her family will come next week! They were home asleep during church because they are still adjusting to the time difference from China!

A week or two ago we were walking in some apartment complex, and this man was outside. Well we talk to everyone, right? So we gave him a card with the website and our number on it. He didn't seem too interested, but still friendly. We didn't think too much of it because that happens all the time. Later, we got a text saying that he wanted to meet with us and to come by on the 5th! Wow that never happens! Well we brought another sister from the ward and we went over. I was so curious to see what this guy was gonna say... I had no clue what to expect. But he is so great, wow! His name is Matt. He was talking about how he hasn't been practicing religion for a very long time but he knows he needs to. He kept saying, "There is a reason I moved here to San Antonio!" He is searching for something that will make him really happy. He promised us that he would come to church every single week and he accepted the invitation to be baptized! He LOVED the first vision and he gave us a ton of referrals! He is so prepared, it's crazy. It's definitely not a coincidence that he moved here right next to the temple!! Ah! We are so excited to teach him more. 

Wanna hear something funny? it's kinda sad actually... It is SO HOT and we just bike around and get so so sweaty and it's really pretty gross. We biked to a lesson that we had with Maggie, and we were just sitting there red faced and so nasty... haha Sister Morris, the member we brought, was all, "are you okay Sister Philpot? Get her some cold water!" Haha sometimes it is really hard to focus on teaching a lesson when you are a roasted tomato.... Now Maggie always offers us rides and water and it's probably because we are SO SMELLY! Haha its the worst! But it's all worth it. :)

Sometimes I feel like people don't take us too seriously. I mean I look like a 15 year old biking around with my goofy helmet in a skirt... what even is that? I love it but people seriously stare at us! We just smile and wave! Haha! Yesterday, we biked up to this house and walked up to the door the same time as the plumber... and he goes, "Is your mom home?" Hahahah I was like what? We don't live here.... hahahaha oh man I do look 15. 

It is a good thing they make us wear helmets though. We were biking down the street and stopped to talk to these people. Just picture it... these two sweaty sweaty girls in their helmets trying to talk to people about Jesus on the street... Anyway, we were in the middle of our conversation and all of a sudden some rock or something super hard fell from a tree or something and just whacked my helmet! Haha sometimes I just think it is so funny! I would never be biking around talking to people with a helmet on and get whacked in the head if I were at home in Utah. I'm so glad for all these fun adventures and I am SO grateful that God sent me on a mission. I love it with all my heart! And I love all the people here in Texas. Haha what a great week!

Love y'all!

xoxo

Sister Philpot

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! | 7.4.16

Family and friends,

I hope y'all are having a great holiday! It has been a great week here for sure. Today our ward had a bbq picnic so we got to go to that. I even wore a festive red white and blue skirt. Happy 4th of July!

Last Monday evening, sister Olsen and I were walking to an appointment on one of the busier streets. Our area is kind of like a mini Utah up by the temple so we get people honking and waving at us all the time. We were walking down the street and I hear someone yell, "sisters!!" And I turn and look and the AP's are parked over in this parking lot and are waving at us to come over... I was so confused. I thought they were offering a ride but I was thinking don't these Elders know we can't ride with them? Haha I was so confused.... THEN! There was some senior missionary that I had never met before that was driving the car. He got out and started walking over to us. We met him halfway. I was kinda confused but alright, sure I'll meet this Elder. So I shook his hand and said nice to meet ya. He said, "We saw two delightful sisters and we had to stop and meet them. I'm President Polley." What?!! I was NOT expecting that! Oh my goodness I was so excited! And that is the story of how Sister Olsen and I were he first sisters in the mission to meet President Polley.  Ah! He is so amazing and I am so excited. I don't know why it didn't click in my mind when I saw him... And don't ask me why I didn't look at his name tag. I just wasn't expecting to meet President until the meeting the next day!! But that was a really cool experience. I was freaking out about it all
night. Haha. :)

I am loving the mission. Even though some days are hard, there are so many things that make it worth it! I love the people here so much. Even when we are dying of heat biking up these hills all day I still love it. Haha and people are really nice and offer us water all the time. I can tell the difference when a family is centered on Christ and I know that's exactly how I want to live my life. A mission is just the best thing!! It breaks my heart to see people struggling and I know how much the gospel could bless their life if they'd just let it! Everyone go make a new friend and help someone out this week!

12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit. (1 Nephi 8)

Love y'all!

Xoxo
Sister Philpot

BIKING AND BAPTISMS | 6.27.16

Hello Everyone!

It was another amazing week in the great state of Texas! This week the YSA sisters had a baptism and we were able to bring three of our investigators to the service! It was a great experience. We are continuing to see miracles every day. It has been getting HOT though and its pretty killer biking these hills. I remember how hard it was my first few weeks though, and I feel so bad for Sister Olsen! Haha. The biggest news this week is that President Polley gets here today! We all get to meet him tomorrow. I'm excited to see what it's gonna be like. I love the Slaughters so much and I will miss them! I have learned so much from them. We are all excited for our meeting tomorrow. The whole mission will be there to welcome our new President. 

I think one of my favorite things about my mission so far is getting to meet all different kinds of people. I've really been able to see the way I want to raise my family and the type of person that I want to be. It's so fun to see so many different people. I love the members in these wards so much! There are so many young families and it just kills me because they are so cute! You can tell the difference when a family is centered on Christ and that is what I want in my future home.

Love y'all! Don't forget to write.

Xoxo

Sister Philpot

MARRIAGE! | 6.20.16

Hello everyone! I hope y'all had a good Father's Day weekend. Shout out to my daddy and all the great fathers in my life.

It has been quite the week! Lots of big changes with transfers. Sister Olsen and I are here in Las Lomas and Stone Oak. I can't believe I am training! Hopefully I don't ruin her;) But it's just the two of us in our apartment, instead of living with two other sisters. So it is definitely a lot quieter. Sister Olsen is probably the sweetest girl you will ever meet. She is from San Diego. I feel so bad for her biking up these hills because she got here right as its starting to get really hot. But she is a trooper, I'll tell ya! She is very smart and knows her stuff so that is good. She studied genetics at BYU for a year before coming out on her mission. 

TAKE ME TO THE BEAUTY PARLOR! | 6.13.16

Hello Everyone!

It's getting really hot these days! I don't know how we even survive but I am constantly dripping sweat! Haha I am loving it though and we are seeing success! We had a few investigators at church this week and it was so exciting! 

The biggest news is that this week is transfer week! Sister Jones sadly will be leaving. I'm pretty jealous of her next companion. She will be training again, this time up in Austin. She gets to go to a brand new ward that has just been created! So exciting for her! I will miss her a lot. I will be staying here in this area and getting a trainee myself! I'm a bit nervous seeing as I just finished my training and still have no idea what I'm doing... but this is the Lord's work so I know it will be so great! We will have fun and see lots of miracles. I can't wait to meet her. I'll tell y'all more next week.

We are teaching Maggie, who came to church! She is the sweetest lady I have ever met I'm pretty sure. She is so cute and sincere. She had never prayed before until we taught her and it was so cool to hear her pray for the first time! She is from China so just picture this in a cute Chinese accent. She said, "Dear God Father, thank you in this beautiful day for Jones and Prophy to introduce me to the word of Christ. In the name of the God, Amen." Ahh! I will never forget that experience because it was just such a special moment. We invited her to be baptized and she said she will think about it. I love her even though she can't say my name hahaha. :)

We are also teaching Alex who came to church too! He is becoming fast friends with a lot of the ward members which is great! He loves to sing the hymns and he really listens when we teach him... which may not sound like a big deal but it is such a great feeling!  We also invited him to be baptized and he said he has already been baptized. We talked more about the priesthood and why it is so important. He understood and then he just said, "I have one question. Do you think I should be baptized again?" It was such a sincere question and he was so sweet about it! I wish y'all could have been there. Of course we said yes! Haha and he said he will think about it.

Poor Justin... he was so excited for his baptism... he is really struggling right now though. We went and saw him last night and he was just a mess. I think he gets stressed out thinking that he isn't good enough. He just needs that personal relationship with the Savior and understand that his sins can truly be forgiven! I just love him so much and it's so sad to see him get down like that. Needless to say, he won't be getting baptized on the 18th, but it's okay because I know he will be one day!

We saw Myra quite a few times this week as well. (The less active member we found who's records were lost. She has health problems.. no toes and only one eye. Her.) I promise we are just best friends. She is so cute! We have been trying to get her to take a picture with us forever but she just say's, "I'm too ugly! I look like an old hag!" We just laugh and tell her she is beautiful and try to talk her into it. We asked what it would take for her to let us take her picture and she said, "Take me to the beauty parlor first!" hahahaha Well, finally we talked her into taking a picture so here it is! Once in a lifetime opportunity to see the cutest old lady Texas. Myra... wow I love her!

PICTURES! | 6.6.16

Hello everyone!

It was an amazing week as usual. I am loving it here!! I was really bad at writing in my journal this week, but that's okay because we took a ton of pictures! It was really rainy this week and we got caught out in the rain quite a few times, walking and even on our bikes! It's crazy how fast it just starts pouring here! Haha I love it. We also did service for some members who are about to move in. We ripped out some carpet and tile and got to knock some walls down. They are totally redoing the house before they move in. So that was a lot
of fun! It will be really nice once they're all done! I can't even tell y'all how grateful I am for my mission. I have met people and had experiences that I will never forget! There is nothing I'd rather be doing.  Love y'all! Have an amazing week!

Xoxo

Sister Philpot