Monday, December 28, 2009

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!!

I had a such a wonderful Christmas! I had a BLAST at our ward parties and of course calling home was the best present ever. I loved your song mason and I taught it to one of my favorite little boys here his name is dallin but you'll know who he is when ya'll get my package. I was FREAKED out by Ashton, Brinley and Jaydas voices they are soo big I can't believe how well they can talk. They will probably be better at English than I am when I get home haha.

The Baptisms went great and it was such a sweet experience seeing all 3 of them receive the Holy Ghost on Sunday and see the members embrace them so fully into the ward. I know they will be such strong members. I visited a Less Active member on Sunday night and had such a special experience. He is 38 and contacted a rare bone disease somewhere and has been confined to his bed for the last 2 years forcing his wife to work in manila to support his 3 small children. I talked with him for a good 20 minutes but ended up receiving much more than I'm sure he did from anything I said to him. He has overcome sooo many trials and his testimony is as firm as anyone I've ever met. He has read the Book of Mormon 5 times this year and the Bible and every Liahona mag every month since he just has to stay in bed. In the short 30 min I was with him he taught me soo much. He loves music and being away from his family and in his condition he was feeling a little down during Christmas so I took my violin and played all the Christmas songs in the Hymn book, The spirit was soo strong! His mother, the ward missionary with me and his 2 home teachers (everyone in the room) were crying. I had to stop playing a few times because I couldn't see my notes! Then he bore his testimony and I was done for, when he closed, he asked me to play his favorite hymn The Spirit of God. are ya kidding me? It was incredible and I'm so grateful for the power of music and the blessing of the gospel no matter what our circumstances are.

There has been soooo many experiences here on my mission that have truly affected my whole life and desires for the future. I LOVE IT!
I love you all and miss you but I'm so glad you are all doing so well.

Always,
Sister Grant

Monday, December 21, 2009

Merry Christmas!

BUT WHAT WOULD I WEAR!!!! Haha that will be the first movie I watch when I go home I don’t care if its June! Glad to hear the Annual Jones Party went well and there were a few extras to join in on the fun (Ben and Cory and Heather) Hope you all enjoyed yourselves.

We had our baptism on Sat and it went great, I just love Richard and his little family. I’m excited for this sat for our next 3 Virgie and Angienick and Theodore, it will truly be a White Christmas and their faces after baptism is the best present ever…corny yes, but fact none the less.

We have our Christmas conference on Thursday and then all the sisters will sleep at the mission home for Christmas. I’m excited to see all the sisters here on Negros but of course will be missin my Sis Fairweather I wish she was on the same Island as me but at least Sterling is here with me so Ill get to see him. We also had our Zone Activity earlier this morning it felt so good to play basketball. It was way fun.

Thanks so much for the Christmas Tree its sooo cute I love it everyone was jealous of all my pictures and the tree, plus the count down is always fun. I also got a package from Ammie and Papa you have no idea how excited I was for the tootsie rolls and cashews! Haha I will probably gain 50 pounds when I get home just eating all the food I miss right now. More to love no?

Well glad to hear all is well sorry I don’t have much time to write right now since we had our activity earlier but next week I’ll write all about our Christmas and the baptisms. Stay safe and keep writing! Love you all and miss you sooo much can’t wait to talk to you on Christmas!
Happy Be-lated birthday to Cynthia, Chelsea and Tinkerbell!! Love you girls, your still my girls even with your husbands and babies and what not

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Always,
Sister Grant

Monday, December 14, 2009

The Elect!!!



(She said this picture was her reenacting the movie "Fern Gully" lol only Brooklyn)

Hello everyone! Man the work is going sooo great! We have a baptism every Saturday the rest of the transfer and I’m so excited for all of them. On Saturday is Richard Agbones he is a 9yr Part member and we Reactivated his family. Then on the 26th is the remarkable Sis Virgie and her daughter Angienick the other daughter is only 7. Their story is so cool, one day she just got a random text from the wrong number and they ended up talking for awhile the conversation turned to religion after a few days and come to find out the guy on the other end is an RM and in Luzon the big northern Island. He calls her bears his testimony answers her ?s and then challenges her to find a chapel in her area. The next Sunday she just randomly shows up at church with her 2 daughters! We meet her and get her address, begin teaching her and BAM! She is what you call a GOLDEN investigator, they are soo receptive and they have such a burning desire to learn more about the gospel. She includes herself in all activities, very active in the classes and has just immersed her family and herself in the Church its incredible. Then on Jan 2nd we have Marlon the nephew of the “Korihor” even though his uncle is truly scary and I can’t even stand being around him, RM and then went apostate and now is doing everything he possibly can to destroy the church…his nephew is Awesome! He is 23 and is soooo excited to serve a mission. He just kind of ignores his uncle and is so strong when we went to see him on sat he had memorized all of D&C 4! Haha I love it

Last night I got to watch the first pres Christmas devotional! I was so happy. I loved every minute of it and of course a few tears were shed when they sang 2 of my favorite Christmas songs, O Holy Night and Silent Night I thought of Uncle Lyle and singing in circle with candles at the spilsburys. I love my tree ya’ll sent me! Thanks so much and can’t wait to see pictures of the lights on the house and of the tree.
I’m sending a package tomorrow with lots of pictures and books and some cool things dad you’ll have to drill holes in the 3 shell things so mom can hang them as ornaments on her WORLD WIDE tree. It’s not a real PINE unless its got some real PINES on it. I love you all and miss you soo much can’t wait to talk to ya’ll on Christmas

Love ya,
Always,
Sister Grant

Sunday, December 6, 2009

New York!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Hello!!

Well this week was really good. We were literally led to 3 very "elect" investigators and the teachings with them were sooo powerful it was awesome you can definitely feel the difference when you find those that have been prepared to listen and accept your message. Like they always say the message of the gospel has a "familiar ring" to them. I LOVE THAT. It so true and wonderful when that happens.

I also came in contact with a modern day "Korihor" this week it was an interesting experience for me. Man am I grateful for the guidance and influence of the spirit. It truly is one of the most powerful and effective tools we have. This man was a wolf in sheeps clothing for sure. I instantly felt at unease when we arrived. I had an interesting experience with him and learned a lot about the deceptions of Satan and his powerful influence in the confusion and deceiving of men here on earth. Its scary, but if you are doing what you know you should and following the will of the Lord we are promised a constant companion to help us and guide us and clear our minds of the confusions of the world. I am so grateful for that and know it is available to all of us.

Mom, I have no idea where that address is that you gave me sorry haha can I get a Barangay name? or province? something else because I have no clue. I haven't got a package yet with a tree in it but maybe tomorrow at District mtg. I DID however receive a classic Tinkerbell package from alli and jeffy and beana I almost died when I opened it haha thank you guys soooo much I sure miss and love you all!

NEW YORK!! NEW YORK!! are ya kidding me?! Mamma Mia on Broadway! SPOILED ROTTEN!! jealous party of one your table is ready?! ahah busy over here trying to save souls and ya'll are taking over the big apple?! haha Hope you guys have a blast and try not to think of me to much while your all bundled up freezing and I'm in a tropical paradise? Melakalikimaka!!! haha I was singing that song the other day and just laughin at myself as usual and my comp just thinks I'm crazy but hey what can ya do right?

So the work is going really well, I have 4 baptisms lined up for this month and i'm excited for all of them they are really strong investigators and I know they will be great additions to the ward here!
I can call anytime on Christmas day or Christmas eve so it depends on you guys you just tell me when you want me to call and I'll do it. CANT WAIT!!

Love ya!!!
Always, Sister Grant