The Goat

Hello Everyone!

Well This week has been so awesome. On Saturday, we went to this farm out in the country side for a ward activity and spent some time with less actives that were there, and then I got to go to America for Pday today... no seriously. A member of the military ward invited us to lunch on the military base, which is considered "American Soil." We had Taco bell, and I went shopping and bought a 24 pack of Root beer since we can't get it anywhere else in Europe. So great! After that, we toured a chocolate factory. It has been a pretty successful pday. Then, tomorrow we get to go to Munich and meet President Nelson!  I am so excited for that. Only missionaries from the Salzburg, Stuttgart, and Munich Zones get to go because of train ticket costs. So only half the missionaries in our mission will be there.

   Well, I have made it through my first transfer in Germany.This thursday we get a new set of missionaries from the MTC. We are getting one of them in my district. Onto some more exciting news, we set a baptismal date this week! His name is Raimund, and he has been steadily progressing the last few weeks. I am really excited for him to progress in the gospel and watch it change his life.

Well, I hope everyone had a fantastic week. I am excited to hear from everyone. Sending pictures is encouraged. Love ya!

    Elder Phillips

Fermented Cabbage

Hello!

I am so glad to talk to you this week. We have been having a really good week. This is the last week of my first transfer in the field. So cool that we get new missionaries next week. June is missionary month here, and so every one in our ward has been inviting their friends to come to church. It is really exciting. I hope some new investigators come out of it. Also, we had an investigator in church this week and he cried the whole time. The ward gave such powerful testimonies. We might be setting a baptismal date this week. Also, a really cool thing happened this week. Our investigator from Nigeria (Unity) has still been having a hard time deciding to get baptized because of his mom. Elder moon and I didnt know how to plan our next lesson with him and so we just said a quick prayer. Later that night we got a call from a guy who said he was a newly baptized member that had just moved into our area from Urkraine. He is also from Nigeria. We met with him at church and he told us of how he got baptized and his story was very similar to unity´s situation. He bore a really strong testimony. This week we are going to bring him into our lesson with Unity to see if he can help. Pretty cool.

I am so glad that I can be out here to witness these miricles in the lives of the people. I am doing just great. The language is coming along, and I am starting to understand the members at church. Also, I tried home made German Saurkraut and its actually pretty good. Who new fermented cabbage could be so good? Well, I love you all. Talk to you next week.

Love, Elder Phillips

The 100 Year old Egg

Hey Everyone,

How goes it?  This week, was really awesome, but so fast. Not even kidding when I say it feels like I emailed you 2 days ago. But I guess that means im loving the work if it is going this fast. This week, We had an appointment with our Nigerian friend who is still having trouble with deciding to get baptized or not. His mom and priest are really against the church, and he knows that the book of Mormon is true. Teaching him was really cool, since we teach him in english. We fasted with him last week, and this week we told him that we could give him a blessing if he wanted one. We will see how our next lesson goes... Other than that, we ate at our Chinese investigators house again, and I found out what 100 year old eggs are. Its a hard boiled egg burried in the ground for 3 months. I thought I was eating an avacado.Elder moon said it was good for me since he thinks I have the taste buds of a 7 year old. haha.

The rest of the week was really good as well. We run into so many languages here on the street it is ridiculous. Syrian, Italian, Romanian, you name it. Sometimes it makes talking to people difficult. In these situations we usually just give them a mormon.org card. Also, I am really starting to develop a good relationship with the ward. I think they find much excitement in trying to help me learn German. Well, Elder Moon and I found a burger king on the way here, and so we are going there for lunch. Hopefully its just as good as the ones at home. Oh, one more awesome thing! On June 11th we get to go meet Elder Russell M. Nelson in Munich since Sister Miles is his Daughter. I am so excited for that. Talk to you next week!

Love. Elder Phillips

Greetings from Waiblingen!

This has been such a good week! Let me start off by telling you about an experience I had. We have a Chinese investigator that is a Chef. He invited us over for dinner to try some of his traditional Chinese cooking. He invited his girlfriend over as well. His girlfriend is learning English, and so she was practicing with me. She also spent two years as a foreign exchange student in France, so when she heard that I took French in high school she was determined to speak French with me as well! Long story short, that night I ate Chinese food, with two Chinese people, and spoke German, French, and English and listened to Chinese while in Germany! I must say that it was the most cultural day of my life thus far.

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And the Journey Begins...

I received my Mission call on November 20th 2012 to serve in the Alpine German-Speaking Mission. It covers Southern Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and most of Switzerland. I will report to the Missionary Training Center on March 20th 2013, where I will begin to learn to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and study the German language. Many people may wonder why I will be giving up two years of my life, leaving all personal affairs behind to go on a mission and the answer is very simple. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Book of Mormon testifies of him, this Gospel is true, and Families can be together forever. Leaving my friends and family is a very difficult thing, but having a firm testimony in these 3 things makes me want to share it with EVERYONE!

While I am gone, my letters will be posted on this blog to keep everyone updated on what I am learning, what city I am serving in, and the people I am teaching.