I Believe In God…Well, When I Need Something

January 11, 2016

On a recent morning, two elders came to pick up their new cell phone so I talked with the brand new elder who just arrived this past week. "I survived my first week!” he exclaimed, "Just have to do this until 2018!" That seems like a long way for me.  I bet the other missionaries thought the same thing when I told them, "I’m leaving in 2016." haha.

Not such an eventful week but we did find another young man on the street whose mom turned out to be a less active member.  And they both came to church!  Being a missionary at church is stressful because you begin to see everything through the eyes of the investigator, and we see lots of different things that they don’t understand.  There's always a lot of explaining to do after church ends haha.

Everyone here seems to be enjoying his or her vacations at the beach.  Wish I could say the same ☺ but we keep pushing forward.

Talking to so many different people, it always amazes me that most say the same worn out phrase, “I don’t need a religion to have my belief in God", as if their faith is some kind of inner secret that needs no shape or form, unrecognizable even to themselves.  Well, I’m not only happy but also proud to call myself a Latter Day Saint since this divinely organized church and the doctrine it protects is the only thing that holds my faith together on a daily basis.  Its a theme I think I’ve mentioned before, but in the atmosphere I live in as a missionary it becomes ever more prominent.

Most people hate January for the cold, school, and lack of holiday spirit. I for one look forward to turning 20 soon.  :) Farewell teenage days.

Everything is awesome,

Elder Phillips

Ringing in the New Year--2016

January 4, 2016

Hola from down below (unless you’re my friend Grant--Elder Klingler, who is reading this from the bottom of the world haha),

On New Year’s Eve watching from the fourth floor bathroom window, I saw a chaotic world of illegal Peruvian fireworks shattering the crystal night, the sparks shimmering down to piles of old furniture burning on the street, supposedly a ritual to cleanse the old year of its bad memories.  I think it’s just a great excuse for pyromaniacs to make more space in their houses haha.

So a year has come and gone.  According to the latest general conference report, baptisms in Chile have been increasing, and I’m hoping for a lot more these next 9 months.  A good year best fitted with a quote from some lovable Biblical vegetables (Veggie Tales), "I laughed, I cried, it moved me, Bob."

Our unexpected investigator, an 18-year-old young man came to church again this week and went to Institute (a young adult church group).  During our lesson with him in the church he asked, "Since I could remember, I’ve had a mental picture in the back of my mind. Could you explain it?  I’m standing in rows of people dressed in white with three people in front of us. The one in the middle is sitting down with the other two standing, explaining something to us."

“Ummm, that would be the great council in heaven before we came to this earth, with Jesus and Satan both offering to be our Savior.  Jesus was willing to fulfill Heavenly Father’s plan, and Satan presented his alternative plan, which was contrary to Heavenly Father’s plan.”

Amazing moment.

“Oh. Wow”, he said.  "And one more thing, can we walk in the sacrament room again. It’s just so peaceful."

So it broke my heart when he told us he’s leaving for a month on vacation...but he is going to read the whole book of Mormon while he is gone. A tender mercy for this missionary.

Well, good luck with your New Year goals. We still have a couple of good days before we forget about them and go back to our normal life. :)

Everything is awesome,

Elder Phillips

Feliz Navidad 2015!

Cool Watermelon

Christmas Magic and Miracles

December 28, 2015

FELIZ NAVIDAD!

It was a hot magical week here in the world’s driest desert.  It’s SNOWING! Oh, no it was just the flock of pigeons flying overhead leaving their Christmas jollies :)  Did I mention there are lots of pigeons here? haha

This week we went to a hospital to sing Christmas carols to the patients and lift their hearts.  The hospital during Christmas is a clash between sterile white and bursts of colorful rejoicing brought in by small nativity scenes and mini blinking trees.  Some of the people were initially bothered by the joyful disturbance. but after a song or two they were singing along.  I’m pretty sure we were in the newspaper :P

My companion and I are staying here in the area for another transfer and two new sisters are arriving today.

On Christmas day we had a wonderful surprise.  A young man had given his friend a Book of Mormon with our number on it of which he read a couple chapters and wanted to learn more.  Christmas day we received his phone call with shouts of joy drowning out my end of the line. and once it was again calm, we arranged an appointment in the chapel.  He is 18 and super awesome with lots of biblical knowledge.  He loves our doctrine because "we have answers to everything”. Well, that’s what happens in the true Church of Jesus Christ!

He then came to church on Sunday, met some other youth and is going to institute this week.  The bad thing is he is going on vacation for a month but whateves.  It was truly a tender Christmas miracle to an undeserving missionary.

The Christmas call home was great.  It gets easier every time, especially since I realize how fast time flies.

I wish you a wonderful New Years.  My year of being a missionary, 2015, has come to an end.  Well, nothing is forever...except for this gospel and my family. And how grateful I am.

Everything is awesome,

Elder Phillips

Singing at the Hospital

Missionary Ornament!

Singing at the hospital

Feliz Navidad!

Hola y FELIZ NAVIDAD!

I can't believe it is my second and last Christmas on the mission--and it's been very special so far.

It’s a Christmas miracle! --I didn’t get sick from my companion!  That’s the work of a true germaphobe haha.

On Saturday we went to a giant market place to take free Christmas pictures with a humble nativity scene I assembled from scrap paper and cardboard boxes lying around the apartment.  We had people write on a paper what Christ meant in their life and we will deliver their treasured pictures this week to their houses!

It’s been interesting hearing people’s responses to the question: "Why was Jesus Christ born?"  Most say, "He died for me!" yeah, so what does that mean, I ask. "Ummmm...he died for me."

How glad I am for an understanding of my beliefs.  Almost all of our questions can be answered with the wonderful plan of salvation God carefully designed for us.  I lived with a Heavenly Father who made my spirit, an earth was made, I was provided a body to grow and be tested here for a short time, and in my life I would make mistakes due to my fallen state.  A Savior was lovingly provided to break the bands of death and sin so that one day I can live with my family and Him forever.

Christmas for me is a renewing of my faith in God, my faith in humanity, and a renewing of faith in myself.  God already gave me the best gift and now I must show my gratitude for his sacrifice.

More than ever the reality of Jesus Christ and his divine mission has been implanted on my heart.  I am eternally grateful.

Feliz Navidad.  I am thrilled you all are a part of my life.

Everything is merrily awesome,

Elder Phillips

My humble nativity

The missionaries were angels at the ward Christmas party

My companion and I

A Savior Is Born

December 14, 2015

Hola Familia y amigos,

I can see the future--I will be sick within 2 days tops.  How do I know? Because my companion is sick and when you live with someone 24/7 there is no escaping it no matter how many times I cover the apartment in antibacterial spray :)

This Christmas season we are sharing a message called "A Savior is Born" with cute little cards and a powerful video (christmas.mormon.org).  But it has been a little difficult since the majority of the people in the streets practice a religion that denies the idea of celebrating Christmas, or they don’t believe in Christmas...However, that didn’t stop us from putting on our Christmas hats and declaring what Christmas really is about. It is amazing what the hat can do with the hearts of people.  Now my companion wants to wear it all the time haha

Unfortunately our only investigator sent his wife to the door to tell us he wasn’t home when we went to see him.  We did perform some service this week—for instance, there was a blind man lost on the sidewalk. We guided him to the "green building" he was searching for...which turned out to be his favorite bar.  You can either laugh or cry.

Since I had more time this week to study while waiting for my companion to feel better, I decided to do some light reading by venturing into a 800 page book entitled "Jesus the Christ" to better understand the man I testify about.

We forget that for almost all of his life Jesus was much like us. Working, learning, doing chores, exploring the world--and as he grew older the depth of his purpose was slowing revealed to him.  He didn’t just wake up one day ready to save mankind, he had to be prepared.  It gives me hope in my life that even though I can’t testify or do everything at perfect level now, what is important is being prepared for those things. That’s the whole reason we are here, right? Preparation for something greater. Oh how I love learning about Jesus!

Well, enjoy the snow or cold wherever you are! It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas (as much as it can in the summertime lol.)

Feliz Navidad and Everything is Awesome,

Elder Phillips

Don't Ask

I Can Find Disneyland Anywhere

My Mamita

Our District--Most of Us

Our Adventure to Lake Chungara

 

I Finally Found Some Green and Snow

The World's Highest Lake

December 7, 2015

Hola,

Not much time to write since we went a cool long trip today!

Week 3 in the cleanest city in my mission.  I finally figured out why it is so clean--no one walks on the streets!  They all hide behind their cement walls to avoid us.  They think they are so clever but we will see who wins!!

We did find one guy who met with missionaries before with his wife and wants to hear again, this time more seriously to fill the spiritual gap that remains empty in his heart.

We woke up at 4 AM for an adventure to the world’s tallest lake, El Lago Chungara.  I was fine until we arrived at the summit where it felt like air no longer existed.  My companion was worse off.  But we played with llamas, flamingos, and carsick elders!

Some other exciting news is that my two investigators in my other sector got baptized!  Sad that I couldn’t be there, but in the end that’s missionary work-it's never ever about me, it's about other people, which in turn ends up helping me feel blessed. Ah, its confusing haha.

Have a wonderful week.

Everything is awesome,

Elder Phillips

A Little Green Looking Below

High On A Mountain Top

Picture Perfect

Cute Llamas

Elder S's Selfie

Happy Llamas

Fun Times

Great Day!

Thanksgiving Surprises

November 30, 2015

Hola Familia y amigos y random people who might be reading this,

This week we ran a marathon!  Well, actually we just walked it.  Missionaries who have cars or bikes don’t know what they are missing. This is a real mission!! haha.  This new area is a hard one to work in with because half the houses are government centers, schools, or summer vacation homes that no one uses.  So it’s been a little difficult to find people to talk to.

But with fasting and lots of prayer we were lead to a less active lady and her son’s family who were interested. We celebrated with hot dogs and took a picture with a giant snake in the restaurant. Don’t ask...

On Thanksgiving I had no expectations of a dinner or anything but my companion planned a dinner with new converts, a real American feast with turkey, sweet rice, applesauce, and hush puppies!!  I was VERY pleased. Yeah!!!!!!

I love talking to people who were converted to the church.  During lunch I heard this story from an older couple:

"It was a 1975 summer day in Santiago.  We heard a big bang followed by a groan against our apartment door. We went to investigate and found two white teenage boys, with one of them lying down holding his head who mumbled 'would you...um, like to hear a message of Jesus?'  We let the poor things in."

"We both liked their message but we weren’t convinced by it, until one night we received our confirmation by dream. In my dream I walked to my catholic church to pray to the virgin right outside.  I knelt down to pray to the statue and as I looked up the once beautiful virgin I saw it had transformed into the devil himself. I ran and ran until I entered a building in which the devil could not enter past the doors. Turning, I saw a sign identifying the place: “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints."

"In my husband's dream God read from a book of beautiful scriptures he had never heard.  He woke up and ran to the bathroom where he had placed the book left by the elders.  As he read it for the first time he found the scriptures were word for word what he had heard in his dream.  We were both baptized, sealed in the temple, and haven’t left the church since."

Wow, this work is full of miracles.

Speaking of miracles we taught an Evangelist pastor with our ward mission leader this week.  He is a religious professor (and so is our mission leader haha.) We made sure it wasn’t contentious and he liked it so much we are going back in two weeks.  But he kept saying, Well the Bible says...where is that in the Bible...we need no more Bible.  How close people can be to the truth but be so blind to see that God is more than the Bible.  It feels like I’m teaching calculus principles and someone says "well I already know algebra so I need no more knowledge."  How great is this knowledge! I believe in a God who STILL talks with us and guides us like before.  How can I be 19 and understand God’s nature better than a man who spent his whole life engulfed in the teachings of ancient prophets? Now I understand how poor Joseph Smith felt. :)

Everything is awesome,

Elder Phillips

Can't Believe I Did This!!

So Fun!

Look At This Beautiful Thanksgiving Turkey!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Most of Our District

Having Fun