UGALI

So about the Ugali thing, that means attitude and it is mine and Sister Veas motto for our kasamahan (companionship :) We also come back to that! We are stoked to bein Vigan to help in building Zion dito. No matter the predetermine rumors of the area or the people, we know with the strength of the Lord we can build Zion and unify this Vigan 2 Branch :)! It's all about your ugali because that reflect your faith in Christ. Mom i remember when we were driving on a trip in Utah once and everyone was complaining about something i cant remember but what i remember is when you said "hey if you just have a good attitude and choose to be happy you whole day will be fun" I  didn't believe you but then i decided to see and so i sat up in the car and smiled and said its a good day in my head, that was the day we went ice blocking on the hills in sugar house and had such a blast in sugarhouse park (is that what its called)! It was a great day indeed and it was all in my attitude :) So thank you for helping me to come to know that and being such an amazing example of this. Its a principle so vital to missionary work and staying focused :)

okim giving  up on punctuation and the such because who has time for that haha. Well i hope this letter will make sense then...? haha no ill try my best :)!

So sorry about the unfinished or small letters of the past weeks. Its hard to fit this all in when the computers work so slow too. Thank you Sonbrang Samalamt para lahat mga emails from eveyone :)!! It relaly lifts my spirit especially the pics its good to see your smiling faces!

This week has been a learning lesson, well actually everyday is haha! the mission is sobrang hard, everyday... but at the end of the day I smile and laugh with my companion and we update our records and the spirit reassures me that its all for the Kingdom of God! Woah... this is a great a marvelous work that i dont even fully comprehend but little by little i am seeing just how incredible and real it is. President Holland says 'This is the closest to reality you will Ever get"  I love being able to do His work, to be on His team, to be in His hands, going His way, in this i know all things will work out and the blessings are forever. 

So an AWESOME experience this week. On WednesdayWe had Elder Haynie (in the Phi area presidency and spoke in General conference just this month) come and do a mission Tour here (basically talk to all us Laoag missionaries and see a few houses and areas. Ours didtn get checked pero we got to go to Laoag for a day and hangout with the ilocos norte missionaries! It was so fun bc i got to see all my elders from provo! We laughed and talked about how we are all struggling and the language is insane haha good to know we are in this together! Elder Haynie really taught us how to get more Baptisms (even though its not about the #s, it is about saving souls, and gathering zion) And we dont know who that is so we have to Open Your Mouths (OYM). He was very sweet and the spirit was so strong, it was incredibly strong and I felt a bit of heaven there. I felt the spirit just pouring out on me have come to know even more the calling ive been given, the gifts and strength that ive been promised. I am not here working blindly or alone, no we are here working with God working with His army and His angels. We have the whole church with us. The Kingdom of God on Earth ruled by the greatest being in the universe our heavely father. We are guided and lead by him and blessed by him. He loves us and His love is perfect and the center of it ALL!and i dont know if everyone was feeling it but the personal revelation of the who are father in heaven is and his son and the holy ghost, and even our dear heavenly mother was so special. I know they are with us here. They live and this is their plan. There is a greater work going on and if we strive to come unto Christ everyday well come to know of this more and more everyday!

Well, its been getting faster, the time that is, but it does feel like ive been away for a long time haha! We actually got back from Laoag on wed night and had to go back thurs morning bc Sister staples our STL had dengue fever (shes from sandy btw and went to ALta). It was so sad, one for her adn two bc we didnt get to work. Pero all is good our works is progressing each week we are getting to know the ward and l love them all so much and fellowshipping and its just wonderful :) My favorite fellowshipperis Sister Cecil shes so sweet and loves working with us! I also love the Branch president Pres Piddad we got to have dinner at his house on Friday for Elder gibbons bday our District leader it was masarap! 

well... :)

Family Friends I love you all! Have a great week! And Help others come unto Christ! :) Find JOY in all you do by putting Jesus first, Others second, and then You :)! Pray and talk to your Heavenly Father everyday. I Invite you all to Pray for an opportunity to share the gospel this week! Pray openly and with real intent (meaning you desire to act when he time comes) and I know heavenly father will send you that oppurtunity :)!

Mahal na Mahal Ko Kayo!!!! 

Ingat! :)

Sister Owen

Christmas gifts

oh yes and i got mom a bday gift and zander and you hilly plus ill be bringing home christmas gifts pero its sobrang mahal to send so it will all come in 18 months :P!

Sige so para pasko uh...:

probably lang:

First if you ship over use whats called LBC instead of Fedex or ill have to pay to get it from the office (something like that:)

-PB & PB m&ms & honey :)

-CHRISTMAS Music para mission they allow like piano guys, enya, or like hymn covers, can you send me the drew tretrick music too (DAD)

-also just some more church music  (hilly all those readeemer of israel songs and mindy glehill stuff)

-some more of the bug spray (deet free lemon& ucalyptis kind from REI its working the Pinaka best!)

-like 2 pairs of mesh garments 42 bottom reg and then like md top :)

-and then just lil gifts idk that me and all the sisters can share whoever my comp is :) 

sige tapos na love ya!

Lots of Pics from my first Week in the Philippines

so I am going to do this in pictures sort of bc i have a million! but firstIll say a few things!

So this week was incredible! Full of miracle! WE met lots of members, our fellow shippers, LAs, and lots of new investigators! We are so stoked to be here this area is amazing! The Lord is leading us to accomplish His work. so this week guess what amily... I TRIED BALOT hahaha...haawheeehhhh... It was NASTY! hahahaha ya sry i wouldnt recommend it :/ haha! Its pretty nasty! 

We also had lumpia and grahm cake those are amazing! 

We had one investigator at church hes so cute he is getting baptized on the 28th and can only get off work sunday so we teach him after church so thats pretty perfect :)! Hius name is mark darwin he is 14 and reminds me of Junior. Hes so cute and humble and loves the gospel plus his cousins are in the ward! :)

Sister CEcil fellowshipped with us she helps me with tagalog and is the sweetest! We are teaching a nanay (gma) named florida who is so excited everyotime we visit... there are so many incredibly prepared and wonderful people here you just have to pray in faith and work really hard and the Lord will provide!

Ok here are the pics:

food on the plane ride to PHI from LA

president trask and his wife. this man inspired me and changeed the way i looked at and do missioarny wrok hes amazing!

it’s Christmas here !

All the new Vigan Sister and Elders i came with 

Eating at Chow Kings, the big restaurant like Mickyd’s but Phi food

  the cutest little boy who loves the americanos

  at the gewenwich cafe where they have itaslian food or well kind of haha its like fake cheese idk what that stuffs made of but awh it tasted good haha! grabbe weird falvors.

i also ate dragon fruit, and mangos, good stuff here :)

Hello From the Pines

Hello family! I have arrived! Its Friday Oct 23 here in Laoag!

So we had two canceled flight so they sent us up on a bus it was a 10 hour flight woohoo! haha BUt we are all safe a happy and the storm didnt even hit here president said and no damage seen so all good :)! I love you all this is a crazy experience that bus ride was insane i would just  start laughing out loud sometimes because it was so fast through these tiny towns and they just honk and you pray everyone gets out of the way. So we are at the mission home today and we will meet our trainers gabi tonight and Ill write to you this coming pday on the incredible and indesctribable week im having awh! haha I love you this is the greatest work ever i lvoe these people. Gift of tongues im seeing more and more araw-araw! I can naintindihan mas. :)

sige mahal ko kayo! bye bye po!

Sister Owen

ps got your package thank you thank you! What is Sabulong btw?

So I hope the birthday is wonderful and  I hope utah and az have been
great! So fun your in az for a while! For birthday :)! This morning
Sis Giles left at 4:45 to her mission adn that was the hardest part of
my mission Thus far! I cant even begin to explain the blessing she has
been! I LOVE HER and miss her but we are going to tear it up out here!
So its not pday but bc we are suppose to be in laoag there wasnt plan
for us to be here so pres allowed us to email :) so awesome! Here in
the manilla mtc there is about 200 missionaries compared to provo with
about 2000! So here I have already met about everyone its
pinakamabuti!!!! On the 21 hr plane ride over (yes it was horrible and
idk if ill be coming bck to america haha) I got to give our a book of
mormon and had some Sweet experiences! IT WAS AMAZING (as much as I
didnt like riding in a plane that long) But it was with all my bros
and sis from provo so we all had a fun time! :)

I wish I could be there ngayon to give you a hug, but for now ill do
it via spirit and email :) I hope your birthday is AMZAING! I am so
good in Manilla! our group to laoag is not going until tmrw bc of the
storm so everyone left this morning to their missions and we got to
the airport and to the gate and it got canceled perop ok-lang dahil we
dorve back(craziest flipping drivers in the pine oi grabbe i mean mom
you are like the best driver ever EVER compared to these people haha
love you) its like no joke race cars and jason bourne style out here
haha! Idk how i havent seen a crash it is Crazy!

From the Other Side of the World

I am sitting in our classroom on the laptops they supply right now tuning in front the Manilla MTC! WOOHOO

That was the longest flight of life oh my goodness I really don't know if im coming back hahaha! Its too long felt so weird! But I had an incredible missionary experience!!! Gave a book of Mormon and 2 pass-along cards ill tell the story later :)!!!!!! So I love oyu all and know im safe and happy ahppy happy happy... SOBRANG MASAYA!!! :) I LOVE IT HERE I LOVE THE PEOPLE I FEEL AT HOME ITS AMAZING!!! Also who are the people that are that ladies parents in our ward? 

Alright ill tty later! Bye bye po mahal ko kayo!!!!

Sister Owen from the other side of the world!!!

Heading Out to the Pines

-I never told you I am the STL haha its AMzing ive learned os much and been so humbled by the lords trust in me and love for me and guidance for me! His plan is greast! Its organized and inspired!

-totoo! Sonbrang maganada!!!! :) Salamat nanay!  perpekto! :)

-ps. in reply to your other email! Ill def read Alma 8 thank you! Another good one we read in class todya is Alma 38 as if Heavenly father is speaking to you! Pretty incredible siya (it)! Well come bck and send pics in a bit :) AWHHH GOING TO THE PINES EEEEEEH =D

-Totally! Ill talk to you tmrw at about 10ish MAHAL KO KAYO!!!!!! XOXOXOXXOXOXOXO :)))))

Week 7 - MTC

Ok a short one for like the BEST week yet, but i have run out of time :/! 

first, GC!!!!!! The greatest weekend! Oh my goodness what an inspiring and incredible time that was! I hope you all enjoyed those messages. I hope you found some sweet answers and wonderful revelation there! I hope you got to watch all the sessions too because they were inspiring! In the philippines they watch them this weekend so that would have been fun to be there nad watch it twice but ok-lang :)! I have 5 more days in America! Opo!!! Oi grabbe!  

This week ive met a ton of incredible people. First on Sunday after GC we ate dinner with the MTC second counselor and His wife Bro and Sis Burtosos (something like that mom will you fix that for wbsite haha idk spellin). They are so awesome like two young adults at heart i love them! Bro burtoso leaned in and was like "wanna know a secret" and his wife is like "dnoit you tell him" then he smiels and says "im going to tell them" haha and then he says "so toniught we are going to have alittle fun after all the meetings this weekend, we are having vocalpoint for our sunday devitional!" Oh my lanta not way! It was INCREDIBLE! so we left right then with them and got front row eeats haha! it was incredible at the end they finished with nearer my god to thee" the vocal point version that SO PWRFUL!!!!! 

on tues Sister Linda Burton (the general relief society president of the church) spoke in our tues devo about the magnitude of the fact that we have a Living prophet of god on earth and He is the head of our church! (reference to scripts and to elder bednars GC talk and pres Monson's) 

It was incredible bc after Sister Giles and I snuck down and gave Sister burton a Hug, she was booming with this incredible light of christ, of my goodness I started to tear up the spirit was so strong in her. She told us to "go tear it up in the PHI" :) I love the enthusiasm of our church leaders :)

On thurs we ate lunch with President and Sister Burgess the MTC Pres that was really special I love them! They are the sweetest people! 

Also our president, pres. Howard and his wife are the BEST! I will miss them dearly!!! He opened the mission in the PHI way back when! He literally brought the church therer and has the randest stpories about how it all started so we are caring on his legacy :)!!!

Well i cant wait to be in the Pines and will send pictures from the field next week! LOVE YOU TONS!!!! Remember we are in the business of bringing souls unto slavation, and this is no small task, so Trust in God and Pray Always!!!! :)

Mahal kita everyone,

Sister Owen