So let me first tell you all the big news. And it's not good :(( (and you probably found out already through facebook or something) We got this email this morning:
Dear Bacolod Missionaries,
On Sunday, President and Sister Lopez returned to the United States so President Lopez can receive urgent medical treatment. It is not anticipated that they will be returning to complete their mission.
We ask that you join with the Area Presidency in prayer and faith on their behalf.
Arrangements are being made for a couple to be in Bacolod to lead the great work you are doing. In the interim, Elder Mower who serves in the mission office will be able to respond to your immediate needs.
Sincerely,
Philippines Area Presidency
Our lives are just a little crushed. Oh how President Lopez will be missed!! We obviously don't know any other details. Yes Sister Silos and I both cried a little. haha I can't explain how much I love President and Sister Lopez. I'll never forget the way I felt and when President Ardern (of the Area President) said that we as missionaries must have done something in the premortal life to serve under President Lopez. What a statement. I know that President Lopez was and is called of God to guide this work here in the Bacolod Philippines Mission. I don't want to accept that there will be no more mind blowing trainings and humorous jokes from this "little-man genius" that we like to refer to him as sometimes as missionaries :) But seriously I'm so sad. Maybe he can train us over skype in the middle of the night there in America until July (when he's supposed to end his term). I don't know. But we sure are praying for him and his wife for whatever they are facing right now! I LOVE THEM SO SO MUCH!!!!!!! They will seriously be missed.
KAAAAAAAG ano pa. I GOT MY PACKAGE THIS WEEK!!!!!!! It's sooooo awesommmmmeee. The letters were the best part!! I was so happy to read those letters and got such a kick out of the letters from the Shurtleff kids and Hebey. I will eat the MacnCheese every day until it runs out and for dessert.. granola bars. I'm in heaven!!! Thank you thank youuuuu!!
This week our recent convert "Lola" (grandma) worked with us! Let me remind you all that she is 85 years old. Seriously she's the best. EVER. They feed us dinner at least a couple times a week too. It will be extremely hard to say goodbye to them when the time comes.
Oh well we basically had General Conference yesterday and Saturday. Elder Bowen of the Seventy (also a member of the Philippines Area Presidency) came to the Bago Stake and we were so blessed to receive trainings from him. And OH BOY WAS IT A TREAT!! Let me tell ya. It was amazing!!!!!! I really feel like I was attending General Conference.. in a some ways. haha Let me share with you a fraction of the things that I learned!
1. I was touched by what he shared that President Eyring said to him when Elder Bowen was called to his calling as a member of the Area Presidency by President Eyring. He said that President Eyring told him with tears in his eyes: "You will love the Filipino people. They are the most kind, generous, faithful people that I have ever served with." Well I can add my witness to President Eyrings!
Our lives are just a little crushed. Oh how President Lopez will be missed!! We obviously don't know any other details. Yes Sister Silos and I both cried a little. haha I can't explain how much I love President and Sister Lopez. I'll never forget the way I felt and when President Ardern (of the Area President) said that we as missionaries must have done something in the premortal life to serve under President Lopez. What a statement. I know that President Lopez was and is called of God to guide this work here in the Bacolod Philippines Mission. I don't want to accept that there will be no more mind blowing trainings and humorous jokes from this "little-man genius" that we like to refer to him as sometimes as missionaries :) But seriously I'm so sad. Maybe he can train us over skype in the middle of the night there in America until July (when he's supposed to end his term). I don't know. But we sure are praying for him and his wife for whatever they are facing right now! I LOVE THEM SO SO MUCH!!!!!!! They will seriously be missed.
KAAAAAAAG ano pa. I GOT MY PACKAGE THIS WEEK!!!!!!! It's sooooo awesommmmmeee. The letters were the best part!! I was so happy to read those letters and got such a kick out of the letters from the Shurtleff kids and Hebey. I will eat the MacnCheese every day until it runs out and for dessert.. granola bars. I'm in heaven!!! Thank you thank youuuuu!!
This week our recent convert "Lola" (grandma) worked with us! Let me remind you all that she is 85 years old. Seriously she's the best. EVER. They feed us dinner at least a couple times a week too. It will be extremely hard to say goodbye to them when the time comes.
Oh well we basically had General Conference yesterday and Saturday. Elder Bowen of the Seventy (also a member of the Philippines Area Presidency) came to the Bago Stake and we were so blessed to receive trainings from him. And OH BOY WAS IT A TREAT!! Let me tell ya. It was amazing!!!!!! I really feel like I was attending General Conference.. in a some ways. haha Let me share with you a fraction of the things that I learned!
1. I was touched by what he shared that President Eyring said to him when Elder Bowen was called to his calling as a member of the Area Presidency by President Eyring. He said that President Eyring told him with tears in his eyes: "You will love the Filipino people. They are the most kind, generous, faithful people that I have ever served with." Well I can add my witness to President Eyrings!
2. Elder Bowen encouraged our prayers (as members) to change from not only "please bless the missionaries that they may find the honest in heart".. to... "please bless me to help my friends and family to accept the gospel and return to church."
3. Do we realize how special we are to know what we know from the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ??
4. The Holy Ghost instructs, edifies and sanctifies to help us become more like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We have to become like them to be able to live with them.
5. Elder Bowen shares a story about a friend in their ward that was a less active member and their family started inviting this family to their home for Family Home Evening. Overtime, they returned to activity in the church and one day Elder Bowen asked his friend why they are not sealed in the temple. His friend said that they cannot pay tithing. Elder Bowen bore his testimony to his friend that a mere 10% temporal sacrifice is nothing compared to the blessings of having an eternal family. After some time, his friend called him and said that they worked things out and will be sealed as a family. Elder Bowen and his wife were blessed to be there. [It was so touching as Elder Bowen shared this experience...]. Now fast forward years and years, Sister Jones gave "still birth" to twin boys. Elder Bowen comforted his friend telling him "you have not lost your boys" because of the temple blessings. Now fast forward again.. [Elder Bowen shared this small part of the story in the October 2012 General Conference. I remember this talk and I even went back and found it and reread it. Way good.] 8 month old Tyson Bowen aspirated a piece of chalk and passed away. Well Bro. Jones was the first phone call Elder Bowen received.. now it was his friend's turn to comfort him. Elder Bowen shared his testimony of the blessings of the temple and of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we will all live again and these angel little children around the world that are taken from families can be and will be reunited with their families for time and all eternity through the blessings of the temple. Now the Jones family is serving in the Philippines and one of their sons also served in the Philippines.. that son was just sealed in the temple to his new wife (the same temple where his family was sealed) by Elder Bowen. Everyone was in tears as this story was told by such a tenderhearted man.
I learned SO much from Elder Bowen and wish that I could share it all. It was cool to get the more detailed version of this General Conference talk given in 2012. I hope in SOME way you all too were touched by this very personal story retold by Elder Bowen to us. I am so eternally grateful for eternal families. I can't wait to have an eternal family of my own. I know that temple blessings are real and only possible through the priesthood of God that has been restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
I love you all SO SO SO much! have a great week!!
Sister Judd
3. Do we realize how special we are to know what we know from the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ??
4. The Holy Ghost instructs, edifies and sanctifies to help us become more like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We have to become like them to be able to live with them.
5. Elder Bowen shares a story about a friend in their ward that was a less active member and their family started inviting this family to their home for Family Home Evening. Overtime, they returned to activity in the church and one day Elder Bowen asked his friend why they are not sealed in the temple. His friend said that they cannot pay tithing. Elder Bowen bore his testimony to his friend that a mere 10% temporal sacrifice is nothing compared to the blessings of having an eternal family. After some time, his friend called him and said that they worked things out and will be sealed as a family. Elder Bowen and his wife were blessed to be there. [It was so touching as Elder Bowen shared this experience...]. Now fast forward years and years, Sister Jones gave "still birth" to twin boys. Elder Bowen comforted his friend telling him "you have not lost your boys" because of the temple blessings. Now fast forward again.. [Elder Bowen shared this small part of the story in the October 2012 General Conference. I remember this talk and I even went back and found it and reread it. Way good.] 8 month old Tyson Bowen aspirated a piece of chalk and passed away. Well Bro. Jones was the first phone call Elder Bowen received.. now it was his friend's turn to comfort him. Elder Bowen shared his testimony of the blessings of the temple and of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we will all live again and these angel little children around the world that are taken from families can be and will be reunited with their families for time and all eternity through the blessings of the temple. Now the Jones family is serving in the Philippines and one of their sons also served in the Philippines.. that son was just sealed in the temple to his new wife (the same temple where his family was sealed) by Elder Bowen. Everyone was in tears as this story was told by such a tenderhearted man.
I learned SO much from Elder Bowen and wish that I could share it all. It was cool to get the more detailed version of this General Conference talk given in 2012. I hope in SOME way you all too were touched by this very personal story retold by Elder Bowen to us. I am so eternally grateful for eternal families. I can't wait to have an eternal family of my own. I know that temple blessings are real and only possible through the priesthood of God that has been restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
I love you all SO SO SO much! have a great week!!
Sister Judd
No comments:
Post a Comment