Miracles in the Work!!!

This week we got 3 new investigators, so now we have a total of 4 investigators that we’re actively teaching. Two out of our four investigators have set a date for baptism!!! And we've gotten a few referrals for potential investigators as well!

The Oakland Temple:
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candle stick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." - Matthew 5:14-16

Oakland Sistas!

Last Monday we went to the USS Hornet as a district. One of the less active members we visit used to serve on the ship.

District Field Trip to the U.S.S. Hornet Museum Ship

U.S.S. Hornet

On the flight deck with Sister Rice.

Pilot Ready Room. This is where the pilots would sit when they were being briefed before takeoff

Carrier Landing Grades. The pilots of each squadron were graded on every landing they made. Red = bad!

I'm glad missionaries aren't forced to sleep like this!

Hanger Deck with different aircraft and helicopters on display.

A-4 Skyhawk painted as an 'Agressor' aircraft. Used to mimic Russian fighters for air combat training.

On July 24, 1969, the U.S.S. Hornet was used to recover the Apollo 11 Command Module.

Apollo Command Module on display in the hangar deck

Sister Rice looking inside the Apollo Command Module.

And I thought the beds on the ship were cramped. I can't believe the astronauts spent close to two weeks inside!

Apollo 'Couch' the astronauts sat in for launch and splash down.

When the U.S.S. Hornet picked up the crew of Apollo 11, they didn't know if the astronauts has been exposed to anything dangerous in space so they were equipped with a Mobile Quarantine Facility made out of a modified Airstream Trailer.

Mobile Quarantine Facility made out of a modified Airstream Trailer.

Dining area of the Mobile Quarantine Facility made out of a modified Airstream Trailer.

Mobile Quarantine Facility made out of a modified Airstream Trailer.

Does anyone know what this is? (LOL)

Mural showing all of the different aircraft that flew off the U.S.S. Hornet

We were at the Oakland Temple Visitors Center on Easter night so we didn't go to a member’s house even though tons asked us if we had plans. But some members brought food to church for us to eat that night.

I guess my email is really short but that kind of sums up this week. :)

I hope you all had a great Easter!!  

Love you all!! <3

Sister Alyssa Phillips

Cat has a Baptism Date!!!!!!

Ok so trying to finish from last week... 

Thursday 3/30: we got up at 5:35 am to run before sports... yay WATCH THE NEW EASTER VIDEO!!!! www.mormon.org #princeofpeace and do the really cool daily things to prepare for Easter!! I had an amazing study in chapter 2 of "Our Search for Happiness" By M. Russell Ballard! It was all about the Apostles and what happened after Christ was killed. And awesome stuff happened on Mormon.org today! A Book of Mormon referral who was really happy to reconnect with the missionaries had them over for a 2nd visit and brought some friends and they committed the guy to a baptismal date for April 29th! And I called a guy who requested a free Bible and basically taught him the last half of the restoration of the gospel and invited him to be baptized over the phone! He didn't necessarily say no, but said he's already been baptized a few times. But after hearing the half of the restoration lesson I taught, he seemed more open to meeting with missionaries. We'll see where it goes :)  Also! A guy from Vietnam asked for ward information so he could go to church! Apparently someone in the US military told him about it there :) And a recent convert came into the Visitors Center and we showed her the ‘Prince of Peace’ video and the long version of the 1st Vision movie. By the end of the movies she was sobbing. An inactive member called me at the Visitors Center and asked me to say a prayer with her over the phone for her younger daughter who isn't hanging out with the best people. It thought it was so cool how she thought to call us for that :) 

Friday: Did weekly planning and I learned one of the new Visitor Center sisters, Sister Ye who is from Taiwan, used to compete throwing the Javelin! 

I just realized I'm almost out of time! 2 min! Go!

So this week we got 2 new investigators and one on a baptismal date! She's going to get baptized on April 27th!!

I got to hold a first edition Book of Mormon and see Joseph Smith's personal pocket Bible and So many other great things because of a Bible exhibit at the Oakland Temple Visitors Center!! Also included in the exhibit was JRR Tolken's personal Bible with his signature and one of George Washington's bibles. The guy who collects and buys these is based out of Provo, Utah! Moon's rare books or something like that!

Linda, our recent convert, spoke at this past Sunday at the “Why I Believe” fireside. This is a fireside that members, recent converts and investigators can come to hear recent converts share their conversion stories :)

Lone Peak High School’s choir performed at the Visitors Center on Sunday and Cat, our investigator who set her baptismal date, came to church! I have to tell you about a miracle happened with her! We realized that we hadn't taught her about the Word of Wisdom yet. She's supposed to get baptized in 2 weeks but investigators who want to get baptized have to live the principles behind the Word of Wisdom (no smoking, alcohol or coffee) for 3 consecutive weeks. Thankfully she doesn't drink or smoke and randomly gave up drinking coffee last month!! I also met a guy on a chat session at Mormon.org. During our discussion, I set him up perfectly to learn about the Plan of Salvation using the new Prince of Peace video but I had to get off of chat, so I transferred him to someone else. I hope he's meeting with missionaries now because of it :)  

Just a short summary of the awesome things that happened this past week! We have to leave because we have a district activity :) We're eating lunch at 2:30 in Alameda and then going to see the USS Hornet which is an old aircraft carrier that picked up the first astronauts :) One of the inactive members in our ward actually served on that ship and gives tours on Fridays. he's in his 90's

Love you all!! <3

Sister Alyssa Phillips

SARATOGA SPRINGS TEMPLE, CONFERENCE, BAPTISMS!!!!!!

Watching General Conference at the Oakland Temple Visitors Center

HI EVERYONE!!!!!! This week was great!!! 

I don't remember where I left off from last week... sorry.... 

BUT! 

Monday 3/27: I made Mexican pie! And we fixed our light problem in our bathroom by putting up Christmas lights :)

Tuesday: I read Helaman 15 & 16 for part of my personal study and learned a lot about keeping covenants and also seeing how there are 3 kinds of people on our mission:

·         Those who will be ready and listen to you

·         Those who will take more effort but will eventually listen to you

·         Those who are not interested at all.

I've also come to see the importance of always reading your scriptures daily, and praying daily and going to church. If you feel your testimony wavering or you're doubting; do these things and I know that if you turn to God you won't have to fear or doubt. Doubt not, fear not! 

Wednesday: A Book of Mormon request on teaching center made my day when I called him!!! He said he was super excited to meet the missionaries and that he loved it when they stopped by back in the day. He's recovering from a stroke and has a very positive attitude with it. He said if that's what it took to humble him and turn him to God then he's super grateful and the Elders said that he committed to be baptized! 

Thursday: We got up at 5:35 am to run before sports... yay. WATCH THE NEW EASTER VIDEO!!!! https://youtu.be/Ly9xk59Qkfc Find peace in a troubled world by learning more of Jesus Christ. This Easter season, learn principles of peace from the #PRINCEofPEACE. Go to www.mormon.org to learn all about the ‘Principles of Peace’ and do the really cool daily things to prepare for Easter!! Use #PRINCEofPEACE on your social media too!

 

Sisters rocking the mini-golf course on P-Day!

Friday: On of our members gave us a referral for her nanny! We’re going to see them this Wednesday! Also, a girl I met on a chat session from mormon.org got baptized back in February. She got engaged to her LDS boyfriend and they're getting married next month!!!!!! 

So for Saturday morning we were at the church for the first session of General Conference and a member from the Samoan ward fed us lunch. Saturday afternoon we had lunch at a members house and then watched the afternoon session of General Conference at their house (yes, we had 2 lunches xD)

Sunday morning we were at the church again for the morning session of General Conference. Then, Sunday afternoon we watched the afternoon session at the Oakland Temple Visitors Center. I don't know which was my favorite talk, but I loved Elder Coasta's talk for investigators and recent converts! By the way, I actually know his daughter! She's here in our mission and is a Visitor Center sister but since I've been here in the mission, she's been serving as a full time proselyting missionary instead of splitting her time at the Visitors Center. But I've seen her a few times.

Love you all,

Sister Phillips