Sunday, June 21, 2015

AYO2X

Guys,this is it! This week will be my last week in the field and then next week Mama and Papa Lauck will be here in the Philippines!

To sum everything up, can I just share with you a quote from David O. McKay? He said, "No man can sincerely resolve to apply in his daily life the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth without sensing a change in his whole being. Happy is the person who has truly sensed the uplifting, transforming power that comes from the nearness to the Savior." It perfectly sums up how I feel. I am so happy! How could I not with the fullness of the Gospel in my life, having spent 18 months serving Him? My Heavenly Father and my Savior have become real to me as I have come to know Them through the trials, the work, and through living this Gospel. 

I am especially grateful that I had the chance to do His work here in the Philippines. I can now say, as I was told before my mission, that serving a mission here is like 18 months of girl's camp haha but in spite of bugs, lice in my hair, eating duck fetus, washing clothes by hands, and sweating 24/7, these people make up for it in every way. They are the most kind, humble, giving, and diligent people I know (: What a privilege it has been to serve amongst these Filipino's who I LOVEE! What a privilege it has been to serve my Father in the small way that I could.

Thank you everyone for keeping up with me and supporting me these past 18 months. The prayers, the emails, the fasts, the love- every little bit helped! I can't wait to see everyone and give them a big hug (:

Until then, amping my friends!
Love,
Sister Lauck





Sunday, June 14, 2015

LAKAW2X

The big news in our mission this week: missionaries are no longer allowed to ride motorcycles. Which is totally fine, unless you're assign to an area with hills and mountains that doesn't have another mode of transportation.... like our area..... haha when we first found out Sis. Labador and I in unison were like, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" haha but good thing she's 23 and I'm 20 and we're healthy and our legs will get us where we need to!  Actually, it's been so neat b/c now that we walk everywhere, we've had so many more opportunities to talk to people on the roads. We saw Heavenly Father's hand in our life and in our work this week, no doubt.

I went on splits with a super great sister from Tahiti this week, Sis. Tatarata- Maheahea (and I thought my middle name was long). This is just her 2nd transfer in the mission, but she's doing great! She told me though that she had a really hard time starting lessons and usually just defers to her trainer to do most of the teaching. In our first lesson after the opening prayer Sis.TM looks at me like "you teach first and I'll follow". So I gave her the head nod and then me being me I told the investigator, "So right now Sis.TM would love to share to you about prophets". The classic companion hand-off haha

So I was doing a little bit of reflecting this week (it's like I'm almost about to go home or something). I remember when I made the decision to go on a mission, I came with the attitude that I was purely serving and that I would be receiving nothing in return. Well boy was I wrong! I have learned priceless, eternal lessons as a missionary that I know I could not have learned any other way. The scripture Mark 8:35 (For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.) has become so real to me.I'm so so so so so so so so so grateful that I have been able to serve as a full time representative of Jesus Christ. What a privilege my mission has been for me (:
 I love you all!
Sister Lauck

pictures:

so one of the pictures is a picture of a grandpa cleaning the butt of his chicken (people are really into raising chickens here)

and then there's picture of me with my favorite person in the world, nanay casas! she's the cutest little grandma who always likes to speak in english to me. she gave me that red/black handkerchief I'm holding




Sunday, June 7, 2015

Greetings From Consolacion!!!!!!

Hey y'all! 

I had my last MLC this week. My batch and I were given an opportunity to give our "final testimony" with the other zone leaders and sister training leaders. What the heck happened to the time???? It was so neat though to hear from each of my batch how coming to Christ has changed them.

Mary Ann & Rey are doing soooooo good! We taught them the Word of Wisdom and in the lesson Sis.Mary Ann confessed she's been drinking coffee every day and then Bro.Rey admitted that he gambles from time to time. When we asked them how long they've been doing this Sister goes, "Well I started drinking coffee so I could stay awake when I read the Book of Mormon at night". Then Brother goes, "I've been gambling so we can get the money we need for our marriage so we can be baptized by July 4th". hahahaha I was dying laughing. They are sooooo good! We explained they'd be better off not drinking coffee or gambling, they committed to following the word of wisdom right on the spot (:

And the coolest thing happened yesterday. Sis.Labz and I were laying on the floor after our nightly planning and Sis. Labz says, "Why are there little circle marks under your knees?" I thought it was just a mosquito/spider bite (the norm), but then we looked at Sis.Labador's legs and she had them under her knees too. After 5 minutes it finally hit us where the marks came from. They are callouses from us always kneeling in prayer. And I never ever ever want to lose them. I love my mission b/c there are certain principles of the Gospel that have been engraved in my heart and no matter where life takes me or how busy I'll be when I go home, I am willing to sacrifice all to live these principles. Personal, daily prayer is one of them.  How grateful I am to have learned, out of many things, the blessings and power that results from consistent, heartfelt, and diligent prayers to our Heavenly Father.

Love you guys! 

Sister Lauck

p.s. these are all pictures from our Mission Leadership Council and our STL meeting (: