2014!!!

I had a great Christmas! Even though it feels like it has been years since that skype call.... I needed it so much. I was really home sick before I got to talk to you all, and afterwards I was kinda homesick, but after about an hour I got over it. And I can move on now.

I can't tell you how much I love all of you. I was so happy to see you all and even if I didn't really get to hear your voices, I still loved to look at all of you! Sorry that I was crying. I don't usually do that.(:

Also on Christmas we went to the baptism of the elders because my companion played the piano and I got to see President Lopez baptize someone. It was such a cool experience! President Lopez is the man!

Then we went to our baptism. The other sisters in our ward had 2 get baptized and we had 3. So 5 total. It was such an amazing experience! Their mom was so happy when they got up and bore their testimonies! I was so proud of them, too. 

This week. aside from all the good things that happened... has been a really hard week. I have been chastised so many times buy pretty much everyone I know here. Not because i'm doing anything wrong, but that I'm just not doing things Good enough... and It is really painful. Especially when it comes from the closest person to me, my companion, and publicly. I've had to do a lot of humbling, repenting, praying for patience, praying for charity, and just enduring.  

I also want to testify that member present lessons rock! Seriously, we have had so many miracles happen to us while members are working with us.... like people accepting to be baptized because a member bore testimony that they know this is the true gospel... SO, I encourage you, to get ahold of the missionaries in your ward, and if you are married, work as a couple with them, if you are single work just as a single person. It is so helpful to us as missionaries. Seriously. Take just one hour a week and work with them.... or invite them and and investigator over for dinner or lunch. It is so amazing how much MORE work gets done if the members are involved!

Don't be scared either. just do it! 

So, the last two days the weather has been so strange! It is not raining... but its not dry... its like constantly misting all over the place, and it has been kinda chilly. Okay, lets get this straight, chilly for the philippines. For example... last night.. I got cold while I was sleeping, with the fan blowing full blast on me with no sheet to cover me up. It is like snow flurries, but with just water! It is actually really nice. Reminds me of christmas at home just a little bit.

So... I just want to tell you all that I love you. I could not be here without the support and courage and faith that you all have in me. Well, maybe I could, but it would be a whole more hard! I can feel your prayers for me daily, lifting me up. ANd I need them! SO don't stop! \

I am so thankful for this wonderful opportunity to serve the Lord. It is trying, and hard, but it makes me so happy even when I am really down. WHy? Because the gospel brings people up! it lifts their spirits, and makes them feel loved. 

I've been reading in Alma 23 and 24... I challenge you all to read these two chapters and ponder the things that the lamanites went through... Because I know that we can do that too... even as members we still have things that we can bury. (pride, selfish desires and wants, our bad attitude) I have to work on it every day... and the lord helps me. 

I love you.

Love, your sister missionary,

Sister Young

p.s. hopefully I'll be able to send pictures next week. The computersho that we usually go to is closed today... (: lov eyou all

Malipayon nga Paskwa!!

Merry Christmas everyone! Santa comes to the philippines before he goes to you...(: hahah stinkers!

This week we had I had the priviledge to witness another one of my Filippino family get baptized and receive the gift of the holy ghost! It was a beautiful thing. SIster Joy got baptized right after the Ward Christmas Party so there was alot in attendance and the spirit of Christmas was there! It was such a cool experience.

Yesterday, we had a christmas zone conference. We received an amazing training from my wonderful Mission President about the law of tithing. I want to share some of the things we talked about. 

You know how you can't see faith? well if you want to see faith... Pay your tithing. (: 

Paying your tithing is an act of faith... and when you act on that faith, even if you have no money to pay rent, or electricity, or for food.... the lord will provide because you gave him the ten percent that belongs to him. Thats all that he requires. (: 

When you pay your tithing you will be able to endure anyting. you will have strength. you will not  loose your job. you will have a healthy body. the lord WILL sustain you, IF you are faithful and pay your tithing. 

THis is the way the world sees tithing: $1000-$100=$900

THis is the way of heaven: $1000-$100=$1000+

THe blessings from paying tithing are sacred and personal. 

ALso, The ONLY way to worthily enter the temple and partake of just a part of the eternal happiness and joy is to  pay an honest tithe. 

Pretty amazing right? President also asked us if we would ask our family and people that we look up to to email us their experience of paying tithing and receiving blessings, so that we can use it as an experience for our investigators. so If you would all do that please. 

I have learned so much about tithing. it is such a special Privilege that we as members of the church get to partake of.

Then we got to watch the Christmas Devotional!!! It was so nice to see america again(: I love listening to the inspired messages and hearing the music! President spoiled us yesterday, he let us eat sandwiches and a donut and a brownie and ice cream. He is funny.

Oh, I almost forgot! My companion celebrated my 6 month mark by eating at Mcdonalds... its pretty sad that i think it is so delicious now. I hated mcdonalds in the states... haha. But it was way good, and we had an amazing day of teaching that day! I can't believe that in one year... i'll be back in america, freezing my tail off.

Sorry i'm a little scatterbrained today! (: i'm just so excited for calling you tomorrow! (: aaaaahhh! 

Merry Christmas! 

Love, your sister missionary,

Sister Young

P.S. I'm still sweating buckets here while you all are shoveling snow! (: hahaha

Tis the season..

Hello everyone!

This week has been a little bit of amazing. (: We had an amazing Zone training from our Sister training leaders, and the Zone leaders. It was one of those meetings that the spirit was chastizing you, and you have so much to repent for and do better, but you come out feeling edified! It was amazing. I am always excited to repent and do better! That is the miracle of repentance, it isn't a BAD thing. Repentance is a good thing and you feel so much better afterwards! Try it(: haha

So, on saturday, we had a baptism. It was so.... wow. Let me just explain a little. A couple of weeks ago a less active from Binalbagan came to church and said she was less active and that she wants to be active again and that she just moved here. AWESOME, right? She and her family are converts of like 4 years or something. She has a 10 year old son, Jason, that we started to teach. At the first lesson Rhea told us that her husband had died a couple years ago, and how it was so hard for her to raise 5 boys... I can't even imagine. So, as a result of that, Jason is really really quiet. But he can pray so good, and every night he reads his scriptures.

It was hard to teach him though, because he was so quiet. I was beginning to think that he wasn't ready, but I went ahead and scheduled the interview with the district leader... he passed! I was so happy. This little boy is sooooo smart! Then, he was baptized.

He looked so adorable in his little white jumper, he looked so familiar! As we took pictures I was observing him and how he acted with his family, he was so happy and then all of a sudden he would get really sad. He would have no smile on his face. I was really worried about him.

After the actual ordinance, they always bear their testimonies. There were two baptizies. One from the other sisters and then Jason. Peachy anne went first, and she bore a good 15yer old testimony. And then when it was Jasons turn, we were all expecting a little 10 yr old testimony, but he blew us away with his grown man testiomny.

He started out like normal, telling us the simple truths that he believed to be true. And then It turned personal...he started tearing up, and He thanked me and Sister Moser for teaching him, and how happy he was. And then he burst into tears and told us that he is so sad cause his daddy wasn't there to baptize him, and how much he missed him. Everyone started crying... even my companion and she couldn't understand. It was moving. and powerful.

I was crying so much, the spirit was so strong and my heart was breaking as he was standing here talking. Then it hit me why he was so.... distant all the time. Of course he wants to be baptized... but he was so confused and torn because he wanted his dad to be there. I couldn't help but to think that it isn't fair. How is it fair that this family full of boys, especially this sweet little Jason, that their dad has to die... and leave them. Leave them with nothing. They barely have enough money to buy rice, that BARELY makes their stomachs not hurt so bad from hunger.

I so badly want to just take all of thier trials and problems from them and take them upon myself, and give them all the happiness and joy that I have ever had in my life. All the things that I hvae I just want to give to them.... But, I realized, that they have their priorities straight. They are first seeking the word of god, or the kingdom of god. And the material things come far latter.

I think one of the reasons that this baptism was so special for me is because it reminded me of my little brother, Weldon. Jason and weldon have such similarities. It is crazy. They are both super skinny and they have the same-ish teeth, and dorky ears... So when I saw Jason in his little white jumper, I started tearing up. I was just thinking of how proud I was of him. And how proud I will be of Weldon when next July he will be wearing that same little jumper. I was thinking of how sad I am because I will be missing my little brothers baptism,... but it should not be postponed. I will be there in spirit. I was thinking of the happiness that I felt at my baptism, and how these two speical boys will feel, Jason and Weldon. I wonder what kind of testimony Weldon will bear at his testimony, after his Dad will baptize him....

A huge wave of homesickness came over me. Probably a combination of christmas being right around the corner and then thinking of my little brother. I prayed that I would be okay, and slowly my homesickness is going away.

I have really thought about how important my family is to me this week, and this baptism just sealed the deal. I want all of you to know... that I love you so much. And that I pray for each of you everyday. I pray for your safety, your health, your desire to find the truth, your courage to act upon that desire. I want to see all of you in the Celestial Kingdom. What a joy it will be if we are all in the celestial kingdom and then you all get to meet my extended Filippino family there. THink about that. I know it is like impossible for you to meet them in this life, cause that just wont happen. But I want you to meet them. I want you to meet the brothers and sisters and friends that I Promised in the premortal existance that I would find and save. I want you all to meet them, and you can only do that if you get to the Celestial Kingdom.

This Gospel is true. The work that I do everyday is inspired. These people are my family. I pray for them just as much if not more than I pray for you. I love them, and I love you.

Merry Christmas and I can't wait to see my american family next week! Remember to bring a happy spirit(:

I love you,

Love, your sister missionary,
Sister Young

P.s. the picture of Jason where he is smiling so big... doesn't he look like a precious son of a living God? I love that Picture!

P.s.s. We met a lady on the street, and she took us to her house... she is a seamstress. haha and mom, if you lived here, i would imagine that your house and her house would look the same. material all over, and a sewing machine right in the middle! haha(:

Training

Kumusta kamo Tanan?!? okay lang ko diri. (: naga training ako kay Sister Moser. Naghalin siya sa Utah! Maayo Gid siya sa Ilonggo. (: Ginatinguha ko maghumbal sa ilonggo pirme! hahah. \

Okay, now for english. (: How are you all doing? I am doing okay! I am training Sister Moser from Logan, Utah. She is really good at ilonggo. and I am trying to speak in ilonggo all the time. haha. 

This week has been crazy!! I've had 4 different companions. Sister Doud went home on monday, so I had to find a temporary companion. Sister Paula from my ward was so kind and helped me out. Then on Tuesday Sister Solomone was my companion until we got our trainee's. and now I have Sister MOser. haha So many companions!!! But now she is stuck with me for at least 6 weeks(: haha i'm excited!

I've learned alot this week... about how the gospel is for everyone. Let me tell you an experience. its kinda long so i will shorten it...

So, two weeks ago my sister doud and I OYM'ed this old lady and her daughter, and then this past week we had an appointment with one of our recent converts but she wasn't there so we decided to go teach the old lady. We were teaching about the restoration, and how obedience here on earth leads us to return to heavenly father. Then she went off on how her son was disobedient to her and bought a mortcycle and got in a crash and now is paralyzed and how she is mad.  then she asked us if we could teach him. So of course we said yes. 

We walked into the house and she has two sons,. mark-the paralyzed one, and Spiros the one who takes care of him. then we walked into marks room, and there he was just laying on the bed... and was kinda embarassed. I felt bad for him. The mom is not very nice. I asked if we could start again with prayer to invte the spirit. they agreed. I prayed, in ilonggo, with all my heart that the spirit would touch the hearts of these people and that they could understand what we were about to teach them. when we said amen i had the strongest impression to talk about the plan of salvation and focus on the resurrection. so that is what we did, even though we had planned to just sing a song and count it as a contacted referral. 

As I started explaining what we were going to talk about the spirit was there! like so much. Then we just gave a brief overview with the little cut outs of the plan. and focused on the resurrection and how he would have a perfected body and that he would be able to walk again and that he coud go to the celestial kingdom.... we kinda talked about the kindgoms and I asked where he wanted to go, and him and Spiros both were crying and said that they wanted to go to the celestial kingdom. I started to bear my testimony of the blessings and the decisions of going to the celestial kingdom when Brother Mark spoke up and said,

"there were many times with I saw you walk past to go to the other side to the house. I tried to talk to you, I would say hi to you, and you never came and talked to me. You never said hi."

at that moment when he started talking I knew exactly what he was talking about. ANd i felt like i was being stabbed in the heart.... I felt sick. I felt like I was going to puke, like it was so bad. And then It came rusheing to my memoriy his voice calling to me and sister bitter all those times... but I also rememer the feelings that We had to not go and talk to him.. and now I question if those were from the advarsary , or from the spirit.....

All I could do was repeat say sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.....

He said that it was okay cause now we were here, and now he knows. We kept going on with the lesson, and the spirit was SO STRONG. everyone in the room had tears in their eyes. I was crying. and it is so hard to talk in ilonggo and cry . haha, but I learned so much.

Everyone deserves the Gospel! I'm still trying to figure out why I got the feeling Then to not go talk to him... maybe its because Sister Moser will have the testimony that he needs? maybe its becasue it just wasn't the right time? or maybe it was really the satan... Grr him. 

Somtimes I feel like the worst missionary ever. Sometiems I make such stupid decisions, like not going and talking to him. Sometimes I forget to talk about a principle and I have to go back and talk about it. Sometimes I just feel so inadequate. And Training doesn't help. Training a new missionary and having such a sacred trust and responsibility puts a lot of stress on me and makes me think I hvae to be perfect... and because I can't be perfect I am noticing all of my weeknesses. I swear, it never gets easier! haha

Always trying to become better, and always trying to help and serve everynoe... its so hard. Rewarding, but hard.

I have to remember, and keep reminding myself, that when Jesus was going through a hard time, instead of turning in, he turned out and served. ANd that Is just what I have to do. Just serve. alwasy. 

I have another really amazing experience. 

We have an Investigator, sister Joy, sister rosaleahs house help... we have been trying to fgure out why she is struggling so much and WHY she is struggling. I talked about her to my district and they didnt' really help me too much... But then a couple of days ago we wernt and taught about the law of tithing. 

All of a sudden everything just started coming out... about how her mom doesn't want her to be baptized and how she is 2 now so she can make decisions for herself, and just all this stuff. SO I asked if we could visit her mom, and just be friends. And she said no. I think she was afraid. 

Then I was prompted to share my testimony of how the gospel really blesses families and how it blessed mine. So I told her about how I have a broken family, and how my parents went off the straight and narrow, and how I spent days and nights praying and crying to heavenly father to help my family, all of my family return to the gospel, and how my decision to come on am ission has truely blessed my family. and I could tell that there was a little spark in her, a spark of hope.

We ended the lesson, and I asked her if she would pray.... this would be the second time she has prayed. she said yes. and then I asked her if we couled all kneel down... she said yes. I was praying so hard that the spirit would wrap his arms around her and that she would feel peace and comfort for her decision...

She barely started her prayer and she started crying. Everyone started crying because the spirit wrapped ALL of us up in his arms!  SHe was so choked up that she couldn't speak... I reached out and put my hand on her arm and I knew that that is what she needed. she needed to feel that we loved her. Her prayer was so heartfelt and sincere. She said..".Please help my mom. Thank you for all the guadance you give me. Thank you for sending Sister Young to me. I need her. Please help my; mom. Please help me for strength. THank you for the Sisters."

I love her so much. She is so tender and sweet, and I know that this gospel will bless her life. I know that it can soften her moms heart... I know it did for my mom. (:

After the prayer, I bore my testimony of the spirit, adn I told her that I love her and I am here for her. She said, through her tears, "I want you to visit my mom"  That Is what I needed to hear. 

Family, Friends, I can't think of a better work to be engaged in besides this. I have so many experiences of helping people.... So many things that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Things that I never want to forget. I wish I could have for ever to write them all in my journal... but I don't. I wish I could just be a missionary forever. Even though it is so hard, and so trying, I want to just help people. I just want to bring them to know the savior, I love to see the change in people as they accept the gospel in their lives!!!! I KNOW this is the true chruch. 

I love you all! SO MUCH. I hope you can understand my experiences, I'm kinda rush writing them. But I just want to share everything with you. Because It is all so amazing and I love it! 

Have a great week, I'll be praying for you. Have a stressless christmas, rmember its not about the Presents, and the fancy stuff, its about Christ, its about family, its about love and being together! Its amazing. 

I lvo eyou all.

Love, your sister Missionary,\

Sister Young

My christmas wish list

So many of you have been asking me what things to send? I'll just make a quick list, but you can use our imagination(:

Macaroni and Cheese

Cereal-captain crunch, chocolate somehting... i dunno.

Peach rings

Candy

GOrmet jelly beans(:

Food.

Mild sauce from taco bell

Chocolate

clear fingernail polish

refried beans

gold fish

pretzels

ANd anything else(: it will all be appreciated

MERRY CHRISTMAS, is it really december?

Merry Christmas everyone! This week has been..... SO HARD!! President Lopez advised us not to tell you about our companionship trials, but to include faith promoting stories... but my faith promoting stories come from my companionship trials... haha so... just know that I am doing okay with what ever I say. (: I get through things with the Lords help(:

So we actually got some work done this week! I was so happy to go out in the hot sun and sweat my face off to preach the gospel. I hate being stuck inside the house when there are people that I know that need the message that I have to offer, even if it is in broken Hiligaynon. We didn't teach as many people as I wanted to, but thats okay.

I have been extremely lonely this week. My companion does not like to talk. Infact she told me that she Hates to talk to people... so, she hardly says anything other than "i don't know" or "okay"   It is so hard for me to not talk... you all know that. I love talking. haha. I feel bad too, cause I can't help her, I can't fulfill my responsibility of helping her if she wont talk to me.  It is so frustrating. But because she doesn't talk I have had a lot of time to study and to pray and to just think. And of course talk to myself. (: I've learned a lot about patience, and about hard work, and I have thought about what I want my future to be like. It is kinda a blessing and a curse.

I've decided that this is just one of the "trial of faith before you get anymore blessings" kind of a thing. Which while going through it it totally stinks, but, the end result is amazingly better than expected. I just have to endure it well.

Oh, how was thanksgiving? I hope you all ate a lot of good food... I totally forgot about thanksgiving. That day, we got punted so many times by our investigators... meaning that we hardly taught any lessons because people were busy or just not there or whatever. Then that was the night that my companion told me that she had made up her mind about going home... yeah, sad huh. So I just made this roman noodle stuff for my thanksgiving feast. yummy huh.

SO, this week I have been trying to talk to my companion and help her overcome this weakness of hers... if you all remember the struggles that I had at the beginning of my mission. She is kinda having the same problem. I talked to her, and I told her how I over came my depression and my trial and I told her that she could do it too through the atonement. Just like I did. But I don't think she believes me... she is going home, today or tomorrow. It is so sad. I know what she is going through though.... I know how hard it is, cause i've been there, but she just wont listen. She is splada, or stubborn. haha kinda like me too. (:

In some of my "awkward silence" time I was reading in mosiah. I love mosiah. And I came across the scripture that Saved my mission, that SAVED MY LIFE. Mosiah 7:33:

"But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage."

Or out of my trial, or hardship.

I was so excited to share it with her, but she would not listen to me. It was heart Breaking. I am so sad for her.

As I read that scripture though, I was reminded of how hard it was for me at first to put my full trust in the Lord. I didn't believe that something like that could happen, that I would be "deliver[ed] out of bondage". But you know what? The Lord NEVER forgets his promises. And he ALWAYS follows through with them.

I am so grateful that I was able to use the atonement to come out of the rut that I was in, I am so grateful that I was able to take that leap of faith and put all of my trust in the Lord. And I am so grateful that he kept his promise!

I am so blessed to be a servant of the Lord. To walk somewhat of the path that he walked, and to touch some of the lives that he would touch. I have a great responsibility to fill and you know.. I can only do it if I do it Through the savior. I can't do it on my own, Because I am just a little human being. I can only do the things I do by divine assistance from HIM.

For example:

The gift of Tongues... Yeah, that Is a real gift. Heavenly Father has blessed me with, but first I had to go through the Trial, the long days of studying. and I have to continue to study so I can master the language...

The gift of intrepretation... Thats a real gift too!

The gift of the Spirit

The Gift of Faith

Basically everything That I have as a missionary is a divine Gift from Him, made possible through The Savior.

Its amazing. I love it.

I have to go, but I love you all and I am trying so hard.

Love, your sister missionary,

Sister Young

P.S. I'm training this transfer!! I'm really scared, but i'm kinda excited too. (: Pray for me!