Stay On Higher Ground

sige so Sister Padillo and I are just laughing really hard bc She's the real MVP at checheboreche!  bc sis Padillo informed me that she was the basketball MVP player in highschool if you can believe it. Im pretty amazed. Bilib na bilib ako :D

Pero totoo iyan!

Well family another week of life has past. Another week of my mission. Its weird Ill be writing the date one day and then the next minute Im writing the date for the next day. Mabalis talaga! Let's see first Happy Vlentines to you all! Happy Birthday Great Nana din!

Lets see this week Sister Padillo and I worked to help Raffy and Alvin prepare for baptism. THeyll both be baptized on February 27 at it is amazing to see how they have changed and both desire to overcome their trials and come unto Christ. It trully is the "greatest joy to see a person change. It makes all of the heartache seem nothing" (words of our mission song I love). This week we almost got killed by a few dogs. They are every where here (dogs or aso) and they bark 24/7 but usually arent agressive pero this week we ran into a few pero all is good just shook us up a bit.

Funny story in the midst of saving souls, we saved the life of a goat. :) The people tie the animals (cows, goats, or dogs) up or leash them up with rope that is held in place by a stake in the ground. So this goat had fallen off a small ledge (4 ft) from where its rope was tied to its stake in the ground. SO the goat was literally hanging itself off this ledge and we saw it struggling for its life :( it was so sad so I quickly lifted it and pushed it bck up to the higher ground. Then it kept coming back closer to the ledge so Sis Padillo went and tighted its rope to not let it get to the ledge again.

And you might have already guessed but I realated this too the gospel. How we all have slipped away from our stakes (our firm foundation on Christ). We need to keep our ropes near Christ. The world would have us think we need them long so we can be "free" and have more freedom to roam pero I know as we stay close to the Savior we are safe spiritually and physically from the dangers that we and the world can't see. Stay on the higher ground close to your stake! :)  singing, studying, living, applying His teachings, praying, serving, loving, forgetting yourself and helping others come unto him :)! When our lives are centered on Christ they are filled with Joy! (Alma 33:23)

This week the language is coming the forms and the words make more sense the people are more clear. I can teach what I feel better. Its been a huge blessing. I know that by faith great miracles come and the gift of tongue is a miracle. I know too that the Lord blesses us with knowledge line upon line and its so important to be patient Ive learned the truth of tht these past 5 months :) (dad i sotle this from your message :)

I love you all! The Savior lives and let us proclaim that in every as[ect of our lives! Sty close to Him and always strive to come closer! President Eyring stated  that The invitation to Come unto Christ is the greatest invitation we could ever accpet and then the greatest we can ever extend!

Love you all!
Sister Owen :)
xoxoxoxoxo

                              having some fun doing our hair :)

they're palnting the ride or replanting it (crazy cool process such hard workers talaga)

  

                                           happy Valentines from Sister Padillo, our YSA fellowshipper Giana, and I


                                                                                                   my new fave fruit Lanzones 

         

exchanges : sister dudley is from Australia and says i can come stay at her house when i come visist :P

malunggay grows everywhere here and is so yummy, for bfast here

Remember Valentines

I couldnt forget to tell you about the funeral yesterday. 

On tuesday we had dinner with the Burgos, their lola gma is Vitorian Ilaga.  She is the funny old ilocono lady and i love her to death!   Sadly the next day dear Nanay passed away.  Yesterday we went to their house to pay our respects. 

We sang our hymn medley. (How Great Thou Art and Nearer My God to Thee)  And the spirit was so strong  I share this because I feel that Nanay Vitorian is friends with great Nana now (in heaven) who I have been thinking of a lot about  because its almost valentines day.(Nana’s birthday is on valentines day) I miss her but know where she is and that we’ll see her again. I

 hope your valentines day is full of Love.  true blissful Christlike love! :) THank you for your incredible love to me and all you do I LOVE YOU  MOM AND DAD!!!!!!!!

What Hope Can Do !

Family and Friends how happy I am to email you today! Frist I hope you all took the challenge last week and have been more anxiously engaged in missionary work where ever you may be. If not I Hope youll trust the Lord and try better this week. "Dont think about how inexperienced you are, but think of what with the Lords help you can become" (the work you can do in helping your brothers and sisters find the gospel. :)

 I love you all and  am so grateful for your many prayers on my behalf Ill let you know that I truly feel of your love and support even as far as i am! I can not express that enough to you all because you truly are all so amazing and I thank my Heavenly Father for you all and this life he gave us all in order to "succeed gloriously" :)

So first a few events of the past week. Last week I forgot to mention the 2 earthquakes we had haha. dont freak out they were samll but cool. The first during the confernce in Laoag and the sencond during our studies that one actually moved our house it was pretty cool experience. Btw all the crazy storms you hear about arent anywhere near us here in Ilocos norte kasi its way down in the south philippines where sister padillo is from, but her family is ok too. 

Another interesting thing in the philippines is there superstitious beliefs. They have a ton. Like you dont want to wash your face when your tired  or youll go blind and you cant wash your feet if they are tired bc youll get those veins that pop out also they believe in werewolves and witches oh my ha. Serisouly though there were 2 werewolves here in San Lorenzo and everyones mother saw them so... :) tapos (then) there was a witch in town too so everyone that saw us procelyting at night was really concerned and would let us come in (and teach them booyah) so we were safe :) haha 

Lets see also ive been doing lots of singing on my mission strangely enough haha. Ive been blessed with two comps who love to sing. Sister Padillo is amazing and we sing hymns as we walk its so fun and beautiful especially at night if we are in a far area its comforting :). We usaually start our lessons with a hymn too and its so ppowerful. Sister andelin our stl in our house too she is a piano and musical genius and actually was called by pres Anrada and wrote our mission song which is incredible ill send you the lyrics next week or soon. But us four sisters in our apartment created a medley with How Great thou Art and Nearer My God To Thee and we sang it at ZTM with Pres Andrada and then at a funeral yesterady. Its so beautiful and I really have felt the power of music here. We are now preparing for a muscial fireside for our stake its of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through music. I am pretty excited. 

Did I tell you yet how much I love sister padillo and how she is the greatest ever. We have become best friends this transfer and are having a hard time thinking shell prob be leaving :( but for now we are grateful to work so hard together. It makes all the difference when you are both so motivated and workig hard to lose yourself in the Lords work. everything seems to slide into place and together our desires are for the people and the work grows anmiracles happen!!!!!!! :) 

How grateful i am to be here in the Philippines. The sacrifice is the blessing its the joy of the mission life. It's refreshing to wake up everyday and know i get to bring people back to their father. Families, brothers and sisters moms and dads. This week we saw a miracle of Hope. On thurs we had ZTM and President was there. As we started to set goals for the coming month President gave some great advice. We were all sitting in silence when our zone leader elder tanner from oklahoma asked 'so how do you feel about the 4 baptized converts for each companionship?" Of course I want to say yes lets do it but here in the philippines our investigators have to come church for 4 consecutive Sundays to be baptized so we already all knew who our prospective bapts were for feb bc we have those goal dates alreay. For sister and I we only had 1 potential baptism who had come to church thus far for Feb 13. Well president shared an amazing story about a man in Elder Hollands ward back when who payed his tithing above that which he earned. When Elder Holland asked the brother why, he humbly responded that he was paying his tithing according to what he Desired to earn by the end of the year. SO... this inspired us all. We thought we dont know whose out there only the lord lets set the goal of our righteous desires and lets work hard and do this with the Lord. Seriosuly if we hope for these rightouse deisres and work for them seeking first for the kingdom of God, All things work out for our good. 

So  can i tell you how many potential baptisms we now have... We have 6 baptisms for the month of February. Brother Alvin, Daniel, Renz, Raffy, Estrella, and Donna. It is nothing short of a miracle from thurs morning thinking well hopefully next month we'll do better, to totally changing our attitudes and hoping for a brighter tomorrow by working so hard today and the Lord helped us find these people and they are coming to church and we are preparing them for baptism and many more for march and Hopefully more for February too. :) This is the Lords work lets not lean on our own understanding but lets look to him and put our hope in Him acting by faith now in things we cant see in order to accomplish the Great and Marvelous work He has for us to do. :)

I have to say it all starts on our knees. All of our success in this life will come more easily if we will humble ourselves before our Savior and pray to him with all the energy of our hearts each day to forgive us and keep us unspotted from the world. The atonement isnt necessarily to wash us clean everyday I realized but it is to keep us clean everyday. Dont get bogged down by little mistakes along the way be humble submissive and find strength and great Joy as promised in the infinite and eternal sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Chirst! 

I hope the JOY of the Everlasting Gopspel of Jesus Christ fills all your lives with HOPE and happiness in the coming week! I hope youll do all you can to share wuch Joy with all those around you. Pray for the spirit take the p[romise so literally that He may infact be your constant companion each day :). Live with the Saviors name always upon your lips so that you might always be ready to testify of Him.

I love Presdient Monson last address in GC for us to let our lights shine  (3N12:16)as we are examples of the believers (1Tim 4:12). May you fin miracles iun this coming week as you hope for a bright future and follow His words. I love you all. Nagpapasalamat po ako para sa inyo lahat!!!!!!! :)

Hanggang sa darating lingo!

Sister Owen :)

Hope that was a good make up for the small letter last week ;) haha pasensya ang dami! (sorry its a lot)

"Do you want to be happy? Forget yourself and get lost in this great cause. Lend your efforts to helping people... Stand higher, lift those with feeble knees, hold up the arms of those that hang down. Live the gospel of Jesus Christ." - President Gordon B. Hinkley 

Warmth of the Spirit...or the Sun

Not a lot of time and a whole lot of feelings. To make it short there was a historical worldwide missionary conference this week that was basically a training for the armies of God from Elder Bednar, elder Oaks, and others of the 70. I Learned so and sister padillo and I are really using these teaching to be the greatest missionaries God called us to be. I Love how through the atonement we are blessed with the spirit and by the psirirt we can know the truth of all things and recieve the gifts we need to accomplish Gods will for us. His plan is the greatest, its unto Salvation and its full od Happiness! Never forget whose you really are and where you are trully heading. And may each day each choice be determined by that eterenal goal! Love you all may the power Atonement of Jesus Christ change your life each day into something more beautiful than you can ever imagine!

Sister Owen

Kalimuten mo and sarili at magwork!!!!! :)

riding the korong korong with president and the YM leader brother Gerald to go to our investigators Chirstian (16) and Kristine (14) to give their gma who has overy cancer it was an incredible experience. Then we got to teach them. 

thanks mom love the cap

they get water from the wells hear :)

saw sister vea for th last time before she leaves next tranfer :'( at the conference

proselyting finding teaching in the Forrest glades i wander :)

the hanging bridge of bamboo in Payas one of the "towns" in our area

“Anxiously Engaged”

Hello po pamilya! Isang Lingo tapos ulit. sobrang mabilis talaga! Namimiss ko kayo talaga!

I hope you are all having a beautiful week! I had an inspiring week! First I met one of our  recent converts who is an LA now too. His name is Ivan he is 15, hes struggling but we made a goal with Him to finish the Book of Mormon this year 2016 to help him each day. I felt like I was teaching lil Nicky and I have been praying and fasting for dear Ivan that he'll come back and come to church and he is a part member family so there is more opportunities there to teach his mother and brother din. He was hanging out with the YM and came to church this week and went to play Volleyball with the youth so lots of miracles with brother Ivan. 

On tues we had exchanges and its nice because Sister Andelin our STL (from Washington state) is in our house with sister aquino (who is in my batch from manilla mtc) so we didn't have to travel. I learned so much from sister Andelin about how it really all starts with BRT (build relationship trust). When they truly feel your interest in their life they are more likely to be interested in us and our message. Its part of loving them and seeing them the way our Savior would. The importance of the spirit in the work was also something I recognized that you are trying to help them feel that spirit to have the truth pressed upon their hearts and minds in order to have a desire to feel the Joy of the gospel through faith, repentance, binyag, receiving the holy ghost and enduring to the end! 

Thursday we got invited to a birthday of a very wealthy family nanay Uleps cousin and there were about 300+ people and I got to pray the crazy thing was I was the ONLY white person which is normal but I just havent been in such a tight space like it was being the only one haha. lots of stares but it was a great time and we had some Dugo or fried pork blood :) masarap! It wasn't bad actually! 

On Friday we met with President Andrada after weekly planning! It was so Inspiring! He helped me realize the constant effort of finding in order to always have a large pool of investigators and then you can find those who are truly prepared to be baptized. Its like a constant work. He also emphasized on how we need to be personally converted everyday in order to bring these people closer and closer to Christ as we bring ourselves din. 

I have a challenge for you all! Pray everyday for oppurtunities to sahre the gospel then take the oppurtunities when they come (follow the spirit) and then give the missioanries a referral, then email me about your experience (well you don't have toi email me but :) I know that we are commanded to take the gospel to all the world that we need to help in these later days. there are so many wasy to share the Gospel. Family History is one awesome way! Our new goal for all our members is to do Family history and prepare to tale a name on their next temple trip :)! It's powerful work and I know its part of the gathering of Israel! Oh we had the Area Presidency Conference and I loved what Brother Shayne Bowen (mom and dad I think that's the guy you were talking about) said about obeying (loving God), covenanting(making eternal promises), and establishing\(building his kingdom). We have to be anxiously engaged in this great cause! We have to wake up everyday seeking the kingdom of God and then go about doing just that amidst the school and work and play. "If you haven't chosen the Kingdom of God it mattereth not what you've chosen in the end" Luck 22:31-32  Jacob 2:17-19  3N 13: 32-34  other scripts to read: Alma 28: 14,  2 Cor 8 (Christs example)  2 N 2:8 

This week I hope you'll seek the JOY of missionary work and even fellowship with the missioarnies :))))) Hel 16: 3 YES! 

I love you all so much! Make each day count dont count the days! 

Hanggang sa muli (darating lingo)

Sister Owen 

                                                                    walking to church through the bucked

                                                                       our YSA fellowshipped Giana

                            teaching our RC si Andrea shes like our little sister LOVE HER and her baby sister

dennis the mennis is leaving on his mission hes our almost full-time fellowshipper we'll miss him 

there are the cutest puppies everywhere but we cant touch animals :/ pero our fellowshipper Eunice did for us :) (she reminds me of Bella)

Volleyball with the YSA this morning :) 

New Area New People Choose to Be Happy

So where do i start its been quite the week! New area New people new languages new places! Awh man its been fun and hard too! But what else is new haha! Alright so my new area here is amazing more jungle and forest than back in Vigan. There are goods and bads to it but as members of the Church we've got to learn to always look for the opportunities in our opposition! That's the enduring well part of our journey :) I think the most important thing in life is to look for the good and then act on it! "its like that" or in tagalog "ganyan" haha Sister Bulatao says that all the time when shes trying to speak english to me its hilarious! She is a mother in our ward (Yes I am in a ward now:) She feeds us lunch every Saturday! The ward is so so sweet and were so welcoming and loving on Sunday! Then they had me speak haha!  We don't have a bishop so that's a little unusual but their calling one yata!

San Lorenzo really is so great :)! I Love it here! The people are so sweet and my companion is the greatest! Sister Padillo reminds me of aunt cari a lot she eats so slow and barely anything haha shes so tiny and adorable and so hilarious! I love her! I cant believe how blessed ive been! I know my father in heaven is so aware and leading me every step of the way here! 

Sister Padillo has helped me so much this week with the language its amazing how much you learn when your comp is Pinoy! Its like language study 24/7 ,  its the best :)! She knows English well though and also ilocano and visayas her native language in Cebu! We have had a great week and are the pinakamagkasundo haha! Its been hard with tagalog but really it was me stressing myself out about it and not remembering to forget myself and 

go to work, di ba? That changes everything its amazing! Sister padillo was so sweet and has helped me so much! 

I really love this new area and dad your going to freak out when you see our house, its a mansion! I am so blessed some times i forget im in the philippines its a beautiful area here! 

This week i tried some coagulated blood cubes and intestines, BBQ!  you knowe the usual road side bbq foods oh and they have chicken heads everywhere we will see if i get brave enough haha! 

Love you all have the best week yet! :)))

Ill leave you with these great quotes from Pres Trask at the Manila MTC:

"We don't have to be perfect today. We don't have to be better than someone else. All we have to do is to be the very best we can." --- Joseph  B. Wirthlin

Choose to be Happy.

"So much in life depends on our attitude. The way we choose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference. To do the best we can and then to choose to be happy about our circumstances, what ever they may be, can bring peace and contentment. ...We can't direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. For maximum happiness, peace, and contentment, may we choose a positive attitude."  --- President Thomas S. Monson. 

1. our huge house crazy

2. at a members house the kids were going crazy for pictures haha

3. in the bathroom haha good experiences in the CR

Palm na po Vigan !

There is sunshine in my soul today! Although change is hard it's good. It gives us an opportunity. An opportunity to grow to learn to progress! It's our attitude that determines where the change takes us din! Well, you might have guessed already but yes we have transfers this week! I just got my email! My new companion is Sister Padillo and I am going to San Lorenzo area! Its nearer to Laoag! I am so exctied for the new experiences Ill have there, at the same time its so hard to say goodbye to Sister Vea and it was so hard to say goodbye to all the members yesterday especially Mark Darwin and the whole Loang pamilya! Hey if you go on FB Regina befriended me I think! I LOVE THESE PEOPLE! Man i can see how its going to be so hard to leave! Bc it is haha! It was a beautiful week though great weather for my last week and great work din! We have found so many LAs and we are bringing them back to the fold! I'm so excited to use all that I've learned in my new area and to apply all the things I've come to know and to keep learning more Tagalog! Sister Padillo is from Cebu so she's magaling at Tagalog :) So that will be such a blessing to have her help! 

I love you all! I m going to send pictures now! Muah Muah twu two! 

Sister Owen :)))

                                                                      

                                                                                    nanay maria

relief society

at the area conference

Max's wel be eating here on return :) get excited haha fancy last meal

eating with Nanay Alicia Urbano :)

HAPPY 2016

Pamilya at kaibigan ko! :) Hello and Happy New Year! Another week come and gone. 4 Months down this week how crazy is that! Well This was by far the BEST week of my mission thus far! 

Im going to go by days again:

Monday

Simply a good Pday. Funny moment though we got the 15 peso icecream cones from 7/11, and as we were walking down the street to get a trycie little kids came to ask for money and I put out my icecream instead as a joke, but it was no joke to them they took it straight haha and then says "Its pasko" haha too good! He enjoyed it more than I would I know :)!

Tuesday

We taught Sister Lisa Del Roasrio who served with Elder Matthew Olsen in Japan so thats a crazy connection and motivated her to come back to church! YES! The Lord works in wonderful ways! Got some Pamelones from sweet nanay Maria our RC (pamelones are like giatn gratefruit so masarap)

Wednesday:

I gave that Zebra stripe gum to the little kids and an investigator and they LOVE IT! :) Oh the PHIs won Miss Universe haha. Also Burkenstauks and joggers are HUGE here! 

Thursday:

We visited the district leaders house (Ruiz family) its a stright filipino mansion with 3 stories and had some good Kang-kong (leaf of some sort) adobo (cook in soy sauce) masarap. Also my the gift of tongues is real and incredible and I am understanding the people SO MUCH better this week and speaking and the grammar is strating to click for me :)! YAY!

Friday:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

SO no sleep last night because You Americans DON'T EVEN KNOW FIREWORKS!  hahaha I Mean we are talking the world was one big bom for about an hour straight! And from our apartment room you can see in both directions so we just watched about 50  different shows it was nice for the first 10 mins then our ears started hurting and we were done haha! It wqas so beautiful though :) 

In the morning we had Flan haha Dad youd ave loved it Sister Rosario made it so good! They love it here! we also ate a sweet sticky rice that had coal in it (yes the black coal you use for fires). Sister Ruiz made it for us they all laughed when i looked shocked that it was coal i was eating bc i wasw like "Bakit ang grey culoy?" (why grey?) We also had an RM, Sister Salvador, who served here in June come work with us, and with one of our RCs Vangie today. it was incredible! I really realized how Bold i need to be with these people. A lot of them have such strong testimonies but are too shy to say it and too lazy to live it. They really need a loving push to read, or pray, or magsimba :)! She took us to so many LAs and members who we hadnt gone to. Its pretty tough with over 300 LAs in or branch so we've got work to do but what a wonderful week this week we found so many of them! And so many new really great and progressing investigators!

skip to Sunday:

THE BEST DAY EVER! 

The power of fasting is so real for my new years resolution I am starting to do real 24 hour fast ever month. Wow and how incredible it is! Sister Vea and I both are! We prayed and fasted so much for these dear people and the fruits of our labors were present in church! We had 3 LA families there and so excited and it was an incredible testimony meeting! I got to bear mine in tagalog and it was amazing to look into all these peoples eyes and feel their love they are amazing I love them all so much talaga! We have transfers this week and im secretly praying i dont tranfer but ill go where he wants me to go :)! I read through "How Great Thou Art" hymn 86 my favorite and cant express the beautiful love our our Heavenly Father! He's probably so excited to see us so soon because the time is nigh! What are we doing to prepare to stand before him and make him proud! we can learn waht to do from Mormons example in Mormon 3:16

I love you all so much remember by small and simple things are great things brought to pass, that's the way the Lord has worked from the beginning! Have faith and endure each day well looking for every oppurtunity (never for problems bc the world gets too caught up in the problems)! They are all around us if well only be humble and trust Him! 

Ingat po hanggang darating lingo! 

Sister Owen! 

Ps. funny experience: Suday night a little kid peed in my shoe and i didn't know until i put it on so that was a nice surprise haha! 

pps. We had burgers for dinner !!!

oh and i made crepes for chirstmas!  

Christmas in the Philippines

  It’s Christmas in the Philippines



Hello family! Sorry I dont have time to send a full email but It was such a blessing to see all your faces this week! I love you all dearly and am grateful for Gods great plan that He sent us all together! I really truly dont know how I got so very blessed to be in this family! You are all so strong and faithful examples to me! 

This Christmas week we learned about consecration! About staying far from crocodiles of the world by being a consecrated servant of the Lord. We found some golden investigators this week! Sis Michlle, Melanie, the Garcia family, Aquinos, Cuyos, etc. I love these people! Im so blessed to do the Lords work! 

Its the easiest as I forget myself & go to work each day!

My new favorite scripture is Alma 26:16 because I too "cannot say the smallest part of which I feel"  But what I can do is consecrate myself more each day and do the Lords will! Love you lots! 

Magkaroon and mabuti lingo! Mahal ko kayo! 

Sister Owen :) FIND THE OPPORTUNITIES not the problems! There are SO many! Look at it from the Lords perspective!

I love you mom so good to see you all and your smiling faces I feeel you so close through your prayers know of my happiness and health and just how wonderful it is over here! Yes its hard but the oppurtunities the blessings the beauty of such a great and marvelous work is more than I could ever ask to be blessed to be a part of! This is great than we can comprehend! I love this work I love my Savior and HEavenly Father more and more everyday as I see their hands in my life! I love you all and know that angels are watching over us and God is with us :) He loves us! :)

“Even as I am"

Dinner at a nice restaurant                                      And yes those are real chics


Hello I am so happy to hear from you all today! I love you all and am grateful for your continued support prayers love and examples! I have been more than blessed in my life to have such an incredible family and friends! It has been a slow week in Vigan but nonetheless a wonderful one. 

This week I got sick (dont worry mom all is well). Im pretty sure it was a small case of Dengue pero I dont like going t =o the hospital and we had work to do so I waqs stubborn about that :/... pero I realized it wasnt really doing me any good bc I had to walk at snails pace and was bascially soaked through in sweat. Tuesday we rested and I bascially slept for 24 hours then Brother Rosario gave me a blessing :) I knew then that heavenly father didnt want me to be sick and knew that he needs me to get to work! I dont have time to be sick and I know as I do everything that the Father needs of me he has blessed me with great health and will continue to as I continue to lose myself in his work. sister andrada wanted me to still get checked for dengue so I did but that was on Friday when i felt pretty much better and the blood test was negative and my platelets were like 305 :)! Yata mabuti iyan ( i think that is good)! haha :)

Oh ps so sorry if i didnt ever do a translation i thought i had been. 

So this week I am so so exctied we have Marks baptism on saturday :)!!!! And his birthday was yesterday and he turned 16 :) His family didnt do anything "awan daw" (nothing he said) when i asked "kamusta(how is/was) ang birthday celebration mo(your)?" We were so sad so we got him a card and decorated it with scriptures and stickers and gave him a picture of christ and printed one of us and his family and mom I gave him one of those shirts you gave me. He LOVED it :)! He couldnt stop smiling seriosuly they are so grasteful here for the simplest things! For his binyag we are giving him a tie and a journal! I am so very excited! 

We had excahnged again this week for the tranfer crazy how time is blowing. I was with Sister Kong this time she is form down south PHI in Mindanaw (where James was, which is very dangerous btw was he ok). She is the sweetest sister ever like an angel and talks so sweetly too :). It was wonderful. We taught our new investigators who are a referral from our neighbors son Brigham Rosario. Theyre his 2 classmates Angelica and Charlenne :)! They are preparing for baptism on Jan 30th :) 

sige well I truly am so grateful for this week! I love how even in our weakest moments the Lord is so merciful to bless us and strengthen us! He truly is caring us along! I love him and his erfect plan! We ended the week with the christmas devo last night and i thought of the family as it desplayed the SLC temple :) and  allthe chirstmas lights! :) I know that this gospel that I have been called to preach in the PHIs is the "glad tidings of great joy" that the angels told of so long ago! The message of our dear savior Jesus Christ! I can feel that same joy of Christmas here so far from home as I lose myself and find my Savior and share his LIGHT with ALL!!!!

May we give the gift of Christ to everyone God puts in our path (and that's a lot if you just look around :)! I know this is His work and His glory! I know that it brings the great jouy and everlasting happiness and how blessed I am to be in His service! I love you all I love my Savior Jesus Christ and pray you might all come closer to Him this Christmas season! Maligayang pasko family and friends! 

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Owen :) 

pasensya wala pcitures this week! but lots nxt week!

Ano Lingo na ito ?

Hello once again family! I love you and miss you! This week was so fast every week is and then its also so full of wonderful experiences! Ive lost coutn which week is it now? I know its been a little more than 3 months now.

So this week Im going to go day by day.

First, Monday! We had a sports festival with the Vigan 1 branch and got to hangout and play some pinoy games with everyone oh and they had a guitar (a lot of people do here) so I learned Glorious and we all sang it it was so fun! They all sing way off tune its the best but they're so passionate and get into it I love it :)! They are so happy and excited about life here! They fed us some freshly smoked fish right on the bone that's the only way it comes here. pero ive learned how to eat it so I don't get the bones. masarap! 

Tuesday was fantastic! we have two families we are teaching together bc they are kapid-bahay (neighbors)(which means they have a sheet separating their homes. Pero they're like related somehow basta they're awesome and all accepted our baptismal invitation. :) we are preparing them for January 2! 

Wednesday we visited the sweetest less active in our ward. Her name is Marlita she is handicap and crawls around their dirt floor home to get from place to place. She has a brain tumor yata and is so humble and happy regardless. She comes to church when her dad will take her or a member in her wheel chair so we are trying to find someone who will be more willing to do that each week. Adn her Dad is the only one in their family who's not a member so PM work buhay! : ) 

Thursday we had a Zone conference in Sta Domingo bc we are planning our Christmas Conference skit and song. We all go to Laoag for 2 days on the 21st &22and have a Christmas conf with President :)! So excited! The best part of today was teaching Romeo! He is the best SO prepared!(TBC) We are starting to figure out that everyone here is related. So its great for referrals! 

Friday we have weekly planning in the morning from about 8-11ish. I love weekly planning bc it literally effects our whole weeks effectiveness. ITs so important as we consider each person and follow the spirit to help them. The spirit really helps us to gain a Vision for the area, of what and how our Heavenly father wants us to carry out his work here. 

Saturday was awesome! We worked hard in the morning. Taught our lola Sister Crisencia! Shes this cute catholic na catholic lady. Pero she's so opened and accepting of the gospel we are just trying to help her understand that there is a difference (the restoration) between us and the catholic church :) Thats pretty tricky with the catholic influence here! But I feel she's so ready for this. She calls us her grand daughters its so sweet :)! I love her! Satudary night we had our adult session of our Vigan Zone Conference. President and Sister Andrada were here and Elder Villenueva of the 70. There were not many people so it was really up close and personal neat experience with elder villenueva! Also Bro. Rosario (the family whose home we live in) was his comp on their mission. It was all about ward members uniting with the missionaries in an effort to build the kingdom of God :)! Yes that is the key!!!!!

After we headed to an appointment with our fellowshipper Vangie who is an RC and she took us to a lady who used to be taught, Sister Joanne! She was so happy and lives in one of the crazy hut neighborhoods where people have literally built as many houses as they could squeeze in. Its just unbelievable how some of them live here and I just want to give them all my money :(. 

Afterwards we checked our phone and saw 3 missed calls from presidet :/ oops... He called again and said they're are waiting bc they're taking us and the other sisters to dinner :)! Haha I love President and sis Andrada! They're seriously The Pinaka!!!! We went to a place called Max's and had the best tofu and mango graham cake ever! It was so nice I couldnt beleive we were still in the Pines. President and Sister heard I like to cook and are letting me bake at Christmas :)!!! YES! So excited so Mom I Need Recipes! They are so funny and I can't wait for my tagalog to improve and I can talk more tagalog with them :)!

Sunday was the pinaka! We had our Zone Conference so the chapel was actually almost full. The meeting was really focused on Sabbath Day observance, tithing, and obedience! They stressed how these things are going to take the vigan area from a District to a stake! That'll be the day :)! THE BEST WAS... ROMEO & Mark Darwin were there :)!!!! Romeo showed up all shaved and clean cut in CHURCH CLOTHES after he told us he didnt have any and we were like dont worry just your best :)! He was a little nervous because we had him meet President Andrada bc siyempre they might be family :)! but he told us later Sunday night that he was so grateful because this message is changing his life in every way. What an incredible miracle. He is so prepare! Pres and his wife wnat to come to his baptism on Jan 2 too! :) Maybe we can celebrate at Max's again haha ;)

Sunday night we taught Mark and he is loving everything and doing so great! His testimony and prayers are so strong! They gave us a ride out to our farthest area Tamurong. It was way in the bukid, and we taught the Anchetta family. Regardless of the distance they are so active and strong and an amazing example of true conversion. 

Ok I love you all dearly! Woah that was a long one! Just a full week of fun and happiness and hard work :)!!!! sige mahal kita!!!! have a happy week! Im bringing you all a rainbow chick home haha! Those are being sold in the market haha! (the pics)

Ingat hangang sa darating lingo,

sister Owen

Maligayang Pasko !

Sige so pamilya at mga kaibigan! Sobrang masaya ako para apportunidad magsulat sa inyo ngayon araw! Pagpapala na ito sa email! Awh exciting news! First SKYPE! Its only like 25 days away... well actually president said anytime in dec for an hour :)! Yippee! Buhay! Dalhil isipin ako ng skype 45 min lang pero hindi! 

Sry tagalog later para mas naintindihan ng email ko! :) 

SO We can skype in dec for an hour so start thinking when? it'll be a day ahead and I think like 12 hrs ahead here di ba? so excited to see your faces :)!

Ok so this week was harder but I learned SO MUCH! God really brings us to hard times because he knows we have room to grow! I know that's sooo true and we can learn so so much as we humble ourselves and seek his guidance and direction. The saying "work harder not smarter" has really been a huge lesson of this week. We did so much work but little teaching which is the way as missionaries we accomplish our goals and purpose. I also realized how we can strnethen our spiritual talents and gifts. They are so important and so necessary and wonderful! I have relaly seen the gifft of tongues so much this week! I am starting to understand speak and "get" the tagalog more this week! It's important to recognize that we have gifts but we have to Be Believing and work to us and grow the gifts and talents we have! 

More good news... I had a reunion with all my elders from provo :)!    SO fun to see there faces! We had a good time laughing about the struggles together and sympathizing with each other! We've all had some great and not so great times and cant wait to get better at tagalog! our district is still the best there ever was haha long live district 15H!! :) 

Even better news... NO TRANSFERS in our apartment! We all get to stay here in Vigan for Christmas (Maligayan Pasko = Merry Christmas!) I am so so happy! We are all best friends!  So exctied to be here all the members are planning christmas parties for us and we have a branch chirstmas party and plus im gonna make crepes when we have lock down chirstmas eve at the apt :)!

I love you all times up so have the best week ever! thank you for the prayers and love! I love you so much! I am so incredible grateful to be here to be doing this work there is no greater joy! To give all my time and energy to Him who has given me all I am and the chance to live and be and receive eternal happiness! 

mahal ko kayo

sister owen

Happy Birthday Hillary

HAPPY FLIPPING BIRTHDAY HILLARY!!!!!!! I FLIPPING LOVE YOU AND SENT A LETTER HOME! SANA IT GETS THERE BEFORE I GET THERE HA pero I LOVE YOU!!!! I hope you had the greatest bday and oh ya it was thanksgiving i totlaly forgot haha well thats good cuz i wouldve been distracted pero I hope it was delicious and wonderful!  But I didn't forget about your Bday Sis I am so sorry i didnt mention it last week tho! I sang to you about 5 times and we celebrated with you bc here it was Sister Miriati's (meedeeawhs) birthday!!!! Did you dance to the T Swift song? :) 22!!! Woohoo that's unreal!

Fun Pics from the Philippines

stars they have everywhere for christmas this was in the hidden garden last pday its a garden and has the best halo and empanadas there



eah chirstmas time in ilocos sur

oh dad ilocano is way diff than spanish andtagalog and EVERYONE speaks it yeah haha hard but ok they get tagalog too and the lord blesses me :)

run to the beach and we went this morning as a dirtrict (forogot my camera though)

1: at the beach on pday last week cool pic of badges

2:at the Tilladas teaching Sis. Tilladas 4 kids who got baptized last year and we are working on sis t :) the girl in the middle with peace sign is Genel she is 14 (the other is their friend grace)

3:at Mark Darwins house with his cousins and fam doing the "Pabebe" wave the famous hand sign here for like being "cute" or "girlish" haha pero now its bawal (not allowed) to do hand signs in the mish this was taken before ;) 

Thats Mark Darwin Loang in the back hes THE BEST and getting baptized Dec19th :))))) YEAH!!!!! Nick he is 15 and turning 16 on dec 13th yeah!!! 

So you gotta find him on insta and FB and befriend him! You two are going to be best friends i'm so excited!

“Pray On"

What a week! Wow, so first we had EXCHANGES! I went to Santa Domingo with Sister Staples :) Pero forgot my camera sorry. Pero I learned a TON form our STL she helped me really get on track for Language study and do it more effectively! I HAVE THE FIRST VISIONDOWN YES!!!!! Hindi ko alam pero sobrang mahiriap iyan para akin! Pero ngayon perpekto! 

Wednesday was exchanges. I also realized just how I need to teach more simply and powerfully we call it kisap (keep it simple and powerful). Sister staples sis awesome and gave me lots of help and it was refreshing to be in a different area and get ideas that will help our area! Also I fell in love with these pressious girls she is teaching! They are 3 sisters who are 6,7,&8 and are so intune with the spirit and LOVE the gospel its touching I cried when the oldest siter prayed it was amazing. 

Thurs we had a weird day, We started our first lesson and then a huge crowd of people came to the house and were all staring at me saying "awh americano, wow pintas.." It was hard bc we really could teach the lesson especially when this crazy old lady came in and started dancing and telling me i was her best friend ha it was an interesting but pretty hilarious moment. She was insane and apparently is the gambling queen in that Baranguay (village). Sige po haha. 

We are teaching our neighbors the Del Rosarios they are less actives (not the family whose house we stay in thats the Rosarios lang) and their kapid-bahay Nanay Gudy. Nanay Gudy is MY FAVORITE. Friday was a hard day, one of those ones where you get discouraged with the language and then have little success and feel like going home... pero we ended with a lesson at their home and Nanay just sat and massaged my hands the whole time after when we were jsut talking. Then last night she gave us cookies (oreos called bingo here) and Pepsi. Nana Im think im gonna drink more pepsi than you ever hve by the end of my mission haha prob the whole owen family combine ha... i hope not i really hate it i literally just chug it and then eat the food haha. 

well My dearest fam and friends I love you all! I take great happiness in the amazing tender mercies of the Lord Eveery Single Day! Hes amaizng! My new Favorite Script to Ponderize this week is 2 COR 12:10! Awh all of paul is inspiring and uplifting! He exemplifies true discipleship and how in every moment and choice we can always look to Christ example and examine His way to know how we need do things and what to do! 

We ended the week last night and accomplished our gaols of 30 lessons :)! Its was incredible to be able to do that with Sis Vea shes so excited and we have such a wonderful friendship io lvoe her! We found a man named Romeo Andrada (our pres last name so maybe related) whio ehard us singing the opening hmn in our lesson and decided he wanted to learn bc he wants to chagne his life hes sic of his sins. Hes golden and what a blessing it was toi be inspired to start with a hymn. I love the power of music :)! We have abapt for MArk Darwin and many more coming his is Dec 19 and like 5 on dec 28 :)

I LOVE THIS WORK! I love my SAvior Jesus Chisrt and HEaenly fAther and the Spirit and this life adn all our oppurtunities! May we go forth with faith! 

Ingate mahal pamilya! 

Sister OWEN

  This is our house.  We are so blessed.  Sister Vea

By the Power of God continued

Ok enough about food haha! I promise Im eating healthy and good! Bc missionary work is a spiritual, physical, and mental effort! Sister Hammond adn I do splits to go running in the mornings :) WE run to the BEACH, pero keep nakalimutan my camera so sian ;/ next week ill send a pic. I got called Mom by a passer by this week, i get called lots of things but that was weird haha... I was like "anak" which is to say "child" we had a good laugh! Sis Vea always makes it a good time. We were walking home the other night and I look up and the stars here are like 3D so bright :) and I see the little dipper and say: "Hey its the little dipper look at that" and she goes "woah is that a dipper?" hahaha ok maybe you had to be there but boy it sounded like dad joke haha! so now we keep saying "woah SisV is that a dipper" 

Another great story. We went to teach our investigator Esmi. An old 72 yr old that live with her 3 sisters who are all 60+ and all so beautful old ladies and very sweet. SHe is a loom weaver (in the pic) They make table clothes, bed sheets, rags, etc. We taught her and are so excited to cont bc they are very open and accepting Pero her sis is a super catholic as i like to call them. And she comes in half btwn our lesson adn sits in and was so excited about our message and just starts saying "by the power of God' "by the power of God... By the power of God your here" "By ' ' ' ' you are sharing this message, " " " " we are children of God" then she said "By the Power of God you are in the Philippines... ( & I added ) " yes and a very long plane and bus ride" Another good laugh there :)

She really loves saying that though so now everytime we have a miracle or awesome experience we say "BY the Power of God"... hey its true de ba? :)

Well family this is the time when my fingers start to hurt and start  to cramp up and i keep seeing the time winding down adn think i still have everything to tell you, pero ill end with a wonderful experience this week.

First in the picture we are getting a ride home from My Favorite investogator of ours Mark Darwin :) Hes sitting on the front og the tricy and is 15. He is getting baptized on Dec 8 :)))))) He reminds me of Junior so much! Hes amazing! He lives with his older brother and his family who are members. His brother brought him here bc he saw him stuggling at home with friends and drinking such an awesome brother and MArk is so humble and reads and comes to church adn prays araw-araw!!!! I love progresssing!!!!

I learned so much this week. I got to fast this week and it was incredible to see the power in fasting. I received so many answers, and had so mcuh more time to study and pray it was a beaufitul exp. During which i came across a talk by elder Mervyn B Arnold of the 70 called "Where Am I? lll end with the quote that inspired me a lot:

"It's what you do with what you have that makes you what you are"

Let us recognize all we have and all weve been given before we et upset or frustrated with what we dont have. Use your gifts and talents and grow in them and gain more :) HEavenly father has so much he wants to offers us we just have to ask and work :)

I love you all have a wonderful week! 

Mahal na mahal kita!!!!!! :)))))

Sister Owen 

  We love Mark Darwin.  on then front

“By the Power of God"

Hello po mga tao! Kumusta ang buong lingo n'yo? Mahal na mahal ko kayo! :) 

Its was a wonderful week! so this week we had maraming dinner apt. :) That means GOOD Pinoy Food! Buhay! It was masarap! First we had a dinner at the Rosario's. It was sister Rosarios bday thurs. We actually live next store to them, bc our house is their extra house they let the missionaries live in. Its very nice this is the best house of the whole mission so they say ;). They are so so sweet and sis rosario reminds me of you mom! As you can see in the pic the food is on banana leaves on the table, and you Eat With You Hands :)))) ITS THE BEST HAHA! And you have to eat like all the rice about 2 ft long in front of you. you better believe we were full haha! Best muscles ive ever eaten :)! Dad would have loved it! We also had FHE with the Villenueva family and they fed us a classic pinoy dish that is savory oatmeal. They even sell it Quaker brand here with beef and meat in it. It was masarap. They also gave us these DELISH Japaneses rolls that taste like ebalskevers (hindi ko alam spelling there) with cheese in the middle. We also had a dinner for this sisters bday they had the sweet spaghetti (pinoy fave they ell it everywhere). Lumpia with chicken, also beef lumpia, cinnamon lumpia, banana sugar lumpia, pb&j lumpia, the list goes on haha. Lumpia is so good. Oh we made some masarap spinach smoothies too this week :)! And guess what they have a ton of gelly drinks here with the bobba balls in them. They called black pearl drinks SO GOOD! 

Coconut and ilocos, Snakes and Chicken

drinking some coconut water this was the fist week here :)

the illoco sur (south)sign they paint it for each holiday now its christmas 

I actually fabricated a chicken dito hahahha so hard with that knife hahah

I kissed a snake haha everyone flipped out adn all the sisters were flippin haha it was a good laugh :)

  Elder Haynie of the 70 came for the conference