December 25, 2012 - Part 2

Maligayan Pasko Pamilya!!!

How was opening presents?  I wish I could have been there with all of you.  Christmas has been good soo far.  We just barely got done with a Christmas devotional.  Russell M. Nelson and his wife talked.  It was pretty cool!  I thought for sure the Prophet would come..  But it was still cool to hear him.  After the devotional was over, we were all walking back to the classrooms and Nelson and his wife drove by and told us goodbye.  How is everyone doing?  You will have to let me know how your Christmas went.  Thanks sooo much for all the packages, Christmas cards, and letters.  I really appreciate them.  :)

So how come our home phone doesn't work? 
That's awesome that you got a cell phone for Christmas mom.  I bet you love it.  I'll definitely call your cell phone on my way to the Philippines.  I'm not sure the time yet, I probably won't find that out until I get my travel plans.  Well this week has been good.  We watched A Christmas Carol last night.  I have never seen that version before but they made the ghosts really creepy.  Ha Ha.  It almost felt like a Christmas (Missionary) scary move.  Ha Ha.  JK.

Ok, so I have another story for you that will make you laugh.  Yesterday then my companions and I got up early to do service.  (We do 75 minutes of service every week in the mornings).  We were super tired.  One of my companions and I were emptying all of the garbage's.  We decided we were going to leave the garbage bags by the door so we could bring them all out oat the same time because it was snowing outside.  We went back and emptied the other garbage's.  When we got back to the door there was no garbage there.  I was thinking "Oh cool, someone must have brought it out for us."  After we finished bringing out all the rest of the garbage then we went and got changed and was on our way to breakfast.  We got to the doors and there was 2 bags of garbage and a pile of card board boxes sitting there.  We stared at it for awhile because we were sure that was not there before.  Come to find out we were on the wrong side of the building when we though someone had taken out the trash for us.  Ha Ha.  It wasn't too funny at the time, but later on that day, every time I would think about it, I would start laughing.  Ha Ha.

Later today we are having another devotional with Greg Olson and then we are watching "It's A Wonderful Life"  so the rest of the day should be pretty sweet.  Sorry this email isn't that long but I am glad I at least  got to send you all an email today.  I didn't know if I was going to be able to because even though today is our p-day.  Because it's Christmas then we don't really get a p-day.  But it's all good.  Today is a good day.

Anyways I better go.  I love you all and I hope to hear from you all soon.

P.S. I'll try to send some more pictures today.  I might not be able to because my batteries in my camera died but if I don't then I will for sure send them next week.

Love, Sister Stowell

December 25, 2012

This is a email from Sister Stowell's branch president to her that she forwarded us. 

Hey all, here is a picture of my zone.  I am going to write more emails later today.
Maligayan Pasko!!! (Merry Christmas)  Mahal Ko Kayo!! (I love you!)  :)

Love Sister Stowell



Elder and Sisters,

Last week we promised to send a copy of the branch photo that was included in your Christmas card to you "myldsmail" account.  We hope you all receive this email.

You can forward this photo to your family or keep it in your list of emails until you get to the Philippines then go to an Internet shop and save it to your camera's memory card because you probably have no way of saving it or printing it while you are here at the MTC.

This is also an opportunity to wish you Mailgyon Pasko (Merry Christmas) one more time.  We hope you are receiving this email along with messages and emails from those you love back home.  Some of you may not have received a letter from your family today.  If that is the case we wish you a special Christmas wish today.

The Christmas story started long before tow thousand years ago at the birth of Jesus Christ as a baby in Bethlehem.  The story of Christmas started when the first prophet prophesied of his coming.  Perhaps it started even before that when you and I along with the other hosts of heaven were given to understand Heavenly Father's plan that called for the birth and death of a Redeemer.  On Christmas I love to listen to the songs of the Messiah.  I relish those powerful words of the prophet Isaiah;

-  For unto us a son is given, unto us a child is born!

- And the government shall be upon his shoulders!

- And his name shall be called, Wonderful!  Counselor!  The Might God, the Everlasting father!  The Prince of Peace.

- And with his stripes, we are healed.

The Birth of Jesus Christ, His life, His Example, His Character, His Atonement, His Death, His Resurrection, His Assention back to His Father all give us the bright hope of a glorious gift.  It is the greatest of all gifts.  It is the gift of Eternal Life.  That is the gift we as missionaries have the wonderful privilege of carrying to the world.

You will soon be finished with your preparations at the Missionary Training Center and on your way to the Philippines to deliver that message to the wonderful, deserving families of your mission.  We love you.  We pray for you.  We know you will have a glorious Christmas.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

President Cordon C. Smith - MTC Branch 15

December 18, 2012

This week has been good.  The other day our district leader made a rule that on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday we are not allowed to speak English.  Only if we are teaching or doing companionship study and we don't know the word in Tagalog we can use English.  It started last Saturday.  It was a very long day.  Ha Ha.  I did pretty good but there was quite a few times when I would forget and say something in English.  I kept my English-Tagalog dictionary with me at all times.  Ha Ha.  On Sunday, I was sick of speaking Tagalog that I spoke mostly English.  I couldn't get into it on Monday either.  Ha Ha.

We have guy time for 50 minutes 5 days a week.  I started running a mile every day.  Pretty soon I got up to running 2 miles and walking a little more.  I haven't been able to do that lately because my right knee started hurting whenever I would walk up the stairs.  I had the doctor look at it and he said I have knee patella femoral syndrome.  He explained it to me that my knee cap isn't sitting correctly and so it rubs wrong.  It's not super bad to where I would have to have surgery on it or anything.  They are having me do some physical therapy.  The doctor also told me how to do a couple exercises to help it feel better.  My first session of physical therapy is today.  I don't think I'm going to have to do anymore because the exercises I've been doing has made it feel alot better.  I have still been practicing shooting basketball at the gym.  This is still pretty fun.  I just have to try not to run.  Ha Ha.

Yesterday was kinda hard.  I was just feeling like I didn't want to be here and then to top it off I offered to take a picture for a girl that was getting ready to leave the MTC and right when i went to hand her camera back it fell out of our hands and broke.  I gave her money to buy a new one.

We don't do much on our p-days.  We just mainly do our laundry, write letters and emails, and take a nap.  Ha Ha.  We have been going to the temple to, but it is closed now until January.  Oh ya and every Tuesday night one of the member of the 70 come and talk to us.  That's pretty cool.

Kelli thanks soo much for the package of food!  I loved it!  And thanks for the Christmas presents for my companions and I.  They were so excited to see those.  (They say thanks to by the way)  It was perfect timing because right before I opened it them my companion found out about the cyclone in Samoa.  She was really scared for her family.  Her family is ok, but it made her feel better to get that present.  :)  So thanks again.  :)

thanks for sending me those pictures Bec.  I love them!  Was that at the family Christmas party?  The computer wouldn't let me print alot of my emails out so I'm sorry if I forget to answer something.  I'll do my best to remember what everyone said.  I hope you all have an awesome Christmas!  Sorry I can't call.  I should be able to email because Christmas is on our p-day.  I can call when I'm on my way to the Philippines.  I'm not sure what time, but when I get my travel plans I sould have a better idea of the time and I'll let you know.  I was bored yesterday and I tried to translate a little bit of the song, "I Believe I Can Fly" into Tagalog.  Ha Ha.  Here are the fist 4 lines.  I figured it would be a good laugh for everyone.  Ha Ha.

Maniwala ako puede lumipod
maniwala ako puede humipo ng langit
Isip ko Tungkol sa ito gabi-gabi at araw
lunat ako ko mga pakpak at lumipod wala

I don't know if I did it right but oh well.  Ha Ha.

Oh ya I'm not sure how true it is about the church opening new missions in China.  I was talking to my teacher about it and he said it wasn't true.  So I don't know.  Ha Ha.  That would be awesome if they did open China though.

We have teachers teaching us the language for a total of 6 hours a day.  And then we have 1 hour of language study (where we study on our won) and then we have an hour of TALL (where we study the language on the computer)  It's pretty crazy.  Ha Ha.

Chuck I'm so sorry for not sending you the email for the Christmas party.  I can't write letters or email until Tuesdays.  I hope the Christmas party turned out really well.  I think when I mentioned earlier about my companion getting that present in perfect timing.  That was a miracle to me.  Even though it seems like something really small, I feel like to her it was huge.  When I got my notice saying I had a package, it said second notice on there.  I know it might sound stupid but to me I felt like we was supposed to receive that package on that day for that reason.  I don't have any baptism or conversion stories yet, but when I do I will for sure share them with all of you.

Anyways I better go.  I feel like I could go on forever today.  Ha Ha.  Thanks again for all the Christmas cards, packages, emails, and letters.  I say this every time because it means soo much to me to receive them.  I know the church is true.

I love you all and miss you soo much!  I hope you have the best Christmas ever!

Love Orlean
 

December 11, 2012

Kumusta Pamilya!

How is everyone doing?  It's crazy that I have almost been here for a month!  Time really does fly!  This week has been good.

They asked our companionship if one of us wanted to say the closing prayer in sacrament meeting.  We did rock, paper, scissors to see who had to say it.  I lost.  Ha Ha.  I had to say the prayer in Tagalog.  One of the Elders didn't know I was saying the prayer.  We were all betting who they would call on to talk.  I told him, "I bet I'm going to get up there."  He didn't believe me.  It was super funny when they announced that I was giving the prayer.  Ha Ha.

I brought my language book with me to sacrament to study what I wanted to say.  It was a super short prayer, but I did really good.  President Smith came up to me after and said I was doing pretty good at the language.

I hope you all don't mind if I answer all your questions in this email.  It's super hared to send separate emails to everyone with only 30 minutes to use the computers.  But I love hearing from everyone so keep sending all the emails and letters.  I really appreciate them.  :)

Kelli I asked my companios if they had any preferences and they said no.  We appreciate anything that is sent to us.  :)  Zucchini chocolate chip bread sounds super good, but I don't know if you could mail that.  Ha Ha.  I'm trying not to eat alot of junk food because since I got here I have been putting on a few pounds.  Ha Ha.  Two of my skirts have either torn or broken zippers.  I'm hoping it's because the material is cheap.  Ha Ha.

Bec I did get yours and Brooklynn's email last week.  I couldn't read it until today because my time was up on the computer.  I love getting stuff from everyone.  It's never too much!  :)

Willy thanks for the story you sent me.  It was very uplifting.

Johanna thanks for sending me my usb cord.  I should be able to send pictures today.

I came across this verse in the Aklat ne Mormon (Book of Mormon) during personal study.  2 Nephi 31:3.  It says, "For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work amoun the children of men.  For the Lord God giveth light into the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding."  That made me feel good about teaching the gospel in Tagalog.

I'm going to end with my testimony in Tagalog.  I still have to copy it from my book because the grammar is still coming slowly.  Ha Ha.

Alam ko po na totoo po ang simbahan ni Jesucristo ng mga banal sa mga huling araw.  Totoo po ong aklat ni Mormon.  Mahalaga po and panalangin.  Alam ko po mapagmahal po ang ating Ama sa langit.  At alam ko po na buhuy and aking manunubos.  Sa pangalan ni Jesuscristo amen.

I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true.  The book of Mormon is true.  Prayer is important.  I know that our Heavenly Father is loving.  And I know that my redeemer lives.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

P.S. I forgot to tell you this funny story.

One time we were teaching a lesson and I didn't know what to say.  I was looking in my book for my written testimony and started reading something.  The teacher (Investigator) looked at me super confused....  Ha Ha.  I realized I was reading a prayer instead of my testimony.  Ha Ha.  Then we went to sing a song and I was off beat so my companion was pointing it out for me but she didn't realize she was covering up the words...  ya, it was super funny....  I wanted to crawl in a hole.  Ha Ha.

I don't remember if I already told you that but if I did here it is again, Ha Ha.

Tell Carl I'm super sorry.  I wrote down his email address but I forgot to bring it with me...  Will someone forward these to him and I promise I will add him next week.

Ok, I'm going to send pictures now

Love you all tonz

Love Sister Stowell

December 4, 2012

Kumusta Pamilya

This week has been going pretty good.  The language is still coming a little at a time.  My two favorite phrases are Ano ba lyan (What the Heck) and Hindi lo Alam (I don't know).  Ha ha.

How is everything going at home?  How is my banana tree?  Ha ha.  I know it has been only 3 weeks, but is there anything new.  We had mission conference on Sunday and sadly they announced that we won't be able to call home on Christmas.  :(  There are too many missionaries here.  We wouldn't all be able to call home.

Now when we teach a lesson even though my sentences don't have correct grammar, I feel like I can somewhat carry on a conversation.  It's pretty cool.  Some lessons are still better than others though.  Sometimes I'll walk out of the room feeling pretty good about the lesson and sometimes I'll walk away thinking to myself, "What just happened?"  Ha ha.

One of my companions was sick on Saturday.  We got to stay in our room for most of the day.  Even though we still studied it was still a good break.  That night while at the gym, one of the Elders was telling me what our teacher went over in class.  He said, "The teacher went around the room and told everyone what he could tell our gifts are,"  (Both of our teachers are our investigators)  He said, "I had the gift of discernment."  He went on to say, "Even though I couldn't understand what he was saying, I always knew what he needed."  That made me feel really good.  I really needed to hear that.

Another district is leaving to go to the Philippines this week I think.  Pretty soon it's going to be our district leaving.  It's crazy!  There is also going to be another district coming soon.  We aren't going to be the new district anymore.

Oh ya, I heard a rumor that they are opening China up for missionary work.  I can't remember how many missionaries they said would be needed for that mission, but I know its in the thousands.  I wonder if that's why they lowered the age for missionaries.

Anyways, I gotta go.  Love you all tonz!

Love Sister Stowell

November 27, 2012

Kumusta Pamilya

This week has been good.  The language is coming along.  I'm still working on being able to say my prayers and testimony in Tagalog without looking at the book.  The words are starting to stick a little bit more now.  We all bought a hymn book in Tagalog so we can sing a hymn at the beginning of each class period.  Its kinda fun.  A lot of our sacrament meeting is in Tagalog.  (Everything but the speakers).  We have to write a 3-5 minute talk for every Sunday just in case we get called on to talk.  Luckily I haven't been called on yet.  (knock-on-wood)  We are supposed to write them in English and then translate them into Tagalog.  I haven't translated mine in Tagalog yet because I haven't had alot of time (and I don't really know how to haha)  I have to laugh at myself alot because I still don't understand very much.  Otherwise I would be very frustrated with the language every day.

Paul B. Pieper came to talk to us on 11-20-12 (He is a member of the first quorum of the seventy) that was pretty cool.  Jeffery R. Holland and his family came on Thanksgiving.  Sister Holland and Jeffery Holland talked to everyone at the Thanksgiving devotional.  We also got to hear from a couple of their family members.  I felt so blessed to be there when they first walked in.  It brought tears to my eyes.

I'm glad you guys had a good Thanksgiving.  I wish I could have spent it with you.  I was half tempted to to go spend the day with all of you haha.

Thanks for all the emails and support everyone.  I love getting them.  I look forward to be able to read them on p-day because they are what keeps me going.  I'm super nervous to go to the Philippines.  The more time that goes by then reality sets in more haha.

Oh ya Kelli, me and Sister Tupa'i are going to the same mission but Sister Edwards is going to the Bagio Mission.  Thanks for setting up a blog for me.  It is much appreciated.  How do I put the letters on there? 

Thanks Bec for the Package.  It is much needed and appreciated.

Joe, I'm getting pretty good at my 3 pointers.  We will have to play when I get home.  Some of the Missionaries were playing elimination and right when I started playing I got a couple of the Elders out haha.

I won't be able to send pictures this week because I haven't received my usb cord but hopefully next week.  Anyways I better go.  I love you and miss you guys soo much!  I can't wait to get your emails next week.  :)  Mahal Kita (I Love You)

Love Sister Stowell

November 20, 2012

Hey Everyone!

How are you all doing?  I'm doing good!  Life in the MTC is super busy.  Every minute of our day is scheduled for us pretty much, but its good.  I'm scheduled to leave for the Philippines on January 22.

The language is super rough.  The first day I got to the MTC I walked into my class and the teacher spoke nothing but Tagalog while teaching the class.  Most of the lessons are taught in Tagalog but the last couple have been part English.  I have two companions.  Sister Edwards (from New Zealand) and Sister Tupai (from Samoa).  We have been teaching this investigator.  Its super rough cuz we can't understand her and she can't understand what we are trying to say to her.  We taught her again last night and it turned out really good.  I have to write down different phrases I want to say to her cuz if I don't I just sit there all confused.  haha.  oh ya, the food here is really good!  haha.

So what do you guys have planned for Thanksgiving?

Well this letter is going to be super short cuz I forgot to get a usb cord to send you pictures so I want time to do that as well.

Hope all is good!  Love you all tonz!

Welcome to My Blog

I decided to make a blog with all the weekly letters of my mission for all of those that want to see how I am doing out here if the field.  This may be an easier way to update everyone without having to spend all day on my Preparation Day writing a massive amount of letters to all of those that want updates. Thank you so much for all of your love and support!  I really appreciate it. So stay tuned and my family will update my progress.  I'll see you in 18 months! 

- Orlean