New Year's Evolutions: From Overthrowing the British to Monkeys... and Everything in Between

Let’s pretend that I am not 2 days late on this and let’s talk about New Year’s Resolutions. And how they last for about 3 weeks and by the beginning of February we are sitting on the couch, eating nachos, wondering where that perfect, thin, super social, genius of a person we all imagined just a few short weeks ago went. She ran away with your motivation. And left with nothing but frustration. But why? You were so pumped and full of inspiration! You may have even written your goals down, but now you are left in a state of agitation. 

Whoa… Let’s pause and look at some definitions:

Resolution: a firm decision to do or not to do something.

Revolution: a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system.

Evolution: the gradual development of something, esp. from a simple to a more complex form.

(All definitions were copied and pasted from google and therefore are strictly academic)

Now, you may be thinking, “What the heck is she thinking?” What can your New Year’s resolutions have to do with men in three cornered hat kicking out some snobby-tea-drinkin’ British. And monkeys. Particularly the kind of monkeys that magically transform into humans over time. There is a connection. Promise.

So, let’s look at your New Year’s resolutions. The holidays are over and you are trying now to gear up to go back to reality. If you are anything like me you have officially overeaten almost every day and, you know, one more cookie can’t be THAT bad. You reminisce over the year past and come to a startling realization… you are basically the same person you were 365 days ago. You jerk with a start and rush to the nearest piece of paper and hurriedly pound out your New Year’s resolutions. Exercise, healthy eating, getting good grades, being nicer to your kids, breaking that nasty habit. You are going to be perfect this year. You have found the solution. And as the ball drops in New York and you count down the last seconds of the old year, you are confident that this year, well, this year will be different.

Fast forward a few months to February. Remember you are sitting on the couch, pigging out, and wondering what went wrong. I’ll tell you. You wanted a revolution.

Remember a revolutions is a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system. No, you are not a colonial man poorly disguised as a Native American pouring tea into the harbor. But you are sick of the old you and want a new order, a new system. You feel the change in the air. Your inner government has got to go! Off with its head! (whoops, wrong revolution). You want results, and you want them now. Your mind has feed you all these images of instant heroic acts that will fill the pages of history books, and be admired for years to come. Well, I hate to break it to you. It ain’t gonna happen. You are going to lose steam. You’re going to hit your Valley Forge moment and give up. And that’s when you find yourself on the couch, once again.

What I am suggesting is we start New Year’s Evolutions. Now, I am not suggesting that we should all sprout and extra pair of legs or turn blue to blend with our environment. Leave biology behind and look at the definition again from a spiritual, practical point of view. Gradually (did you catch that word? It’s important) becoming a more complex version of a simple form. Right now we are in our simple form. “For ye are all the children of God.” (Galations 3:26)  We are children. We are evolving from a child to what God knows we can become. He see the evolution. The slow but steady progression to perfection. So how do we do all this evolving stuff? I don’t know. I’m still figuring it out, so if you get any brilliant ideas, let me know. But I am going to try something different this year. I thought of four main areas I want to improve in my life. Healthy living, spirituality, social experiences, and education. I came up with 12 different mini (and when I say mini, I mean mini) goals under each heading. One per month. Some are serious like, keep a gratitude journal. Some are silly. I’m going to run the dirty dash in September. And some are just plain fun. I’m going to learn how to take better pictures. My goal is to not be overwhelmed, and not to end up back on the couch.

But in the end I want to be more like my Savior next year. The scriptures say we will know Christ when he comes because “we will be like him.” (Moroni 7:48) This is not going to be a sudden, wake up one morning, “Oh, look I’m perfect! Wonder how that happened?” experience. It takes a while. Heck, a whole life time. And that is what God has given us, lots of new years to become like Him. 

Advice to the Average: From One Average to Another

If you've read the Book of Mormon or gone to any youth lesson about sexual purity you have heard about Helaman, The Prophet, and Corianton, The Rebel. But what about Shiblon... The Average? Ever heard of him? It's alright, he's not a main character in the Book of Mormon.  He is the second son of the great prophet Alma in the Book of Mormon, and served a mission the Zoromites. That's all we really know about him. But then his father, the great political leader, victorious army general, and the mouth piece of God, becomes old. And being a father he wanted to leave some last words of wisdom for his three sons, Helaman, Shiblon, and Corianton. Helaman, The Future Prophet, gets 2 chapters, 77 verses, and whole book later. Corianton, The Rebel, gets 4 chapters, 91 verses, and is cited in every lesson about chastity for the rest of eternity. Shiblon, The Average, gets 1 chapter, 15 verses, and forgotten. Are you sensing the injustice? Shiblon is a good person, served a faithful mission, and then is pushed to the side as neither The Future Prophet nor The Rebel, but The Average.

As I once again read through these chapters this week, I did what most of you probably do. I skimmed the chapter, because it was so short. But then something stopped me (Maybe because the next chapter was about sexual sin), and it told me, "Read it again." So I slowed down and re-read the chapter in depth and I learned something about being An Average. I served a faithful mission but never reached a record amount of baptisms, or trained right away. I only became a senior companion a year into my mission and most of my interviews with the mission president were good, but were 5 minutes long. Nothing spectacular. Grades in college? Average. Number of friends? Average. Except for my height, my whole life I've been nothing but average. I usually have to introduce myself three or four to someone before they even remember I exist. I invite myself to things and play the role of the third wheel quite often. Completely An Average. As I read this chapter again I sympathized with Shiblon. So I decided to look for advice to The Average. One Average to Another.

1. 'Inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence.' Basically keep the commandments of God. It doesn't matter if you are A Leader, A Average or A Rebel, when you keep the commandments, you are blessed.

2. 'Steadiness' Steadiness does not denote quickness or sporadic activity, but  consistently doing good and being right.

3. 'Faithfulness' Faith is an action word!

4. 'Look to the Lord your God' Trust Him. Trust that you can look to Him for answers and help. Trust that when He says you can, that you can.

5. 'Blessed is he that endureth to the end' Enduring to the end is steadfastly, faithfully keeping the commandments and knowing God will provide or your needs.

6. Develop Christ-like Attributes. 'At the beginning of His mortal ministry, Jesus Christ walked along the shore of the sea of Galilee and called out to two fishermen, Peter and Andrew. "Follow me." He said, "and I will make you fishers of men" The Lord has also called you to His work, and He invites you to follow Him. The incitation to follow Christ is an invitation to follow His example and to become like Him.' (PMG How Do I Develop Christlike Attributes)

7. 'For I know that thou wast in bonds... now  thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee' Remember God will deliver you out of any bondage.... because He is with you, and He loves you.

8. 'That ye may learn wisdom.' Learn from The Leaders and The Rebels. Learn wisdom from others.

9. 'Be diligent and temperate in all things.' Ok, ok, to be honest the first thing that popped into my head when I read this was, 'Now, girl! Don't go crazy!' in a southern accent. But it's true! Know you don't have to be perfect right this moment. It's a process. Diligently be temperate.

10. 'Bridle your passions.' Although there is a great lesson to be learned here when it come to the law of chastity, I'm not thinking about it that way this time around. We all have passions and loves! And it's a good thing. This has been so clear this year to me, that if we are all passionate about one thing, we'll have it all covered! Just take me and my roommates. Between the six of us we are going to help people with special needs, troubled teenagers, the homeless, people with bodily limitations, the environment, and kids that hate math! Whoa! Talk about passion! Bridle it towards something good and worthwhile.

11. 'Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethren.'  Don't think you are better than someone just because their sins and their faults are different than yours.

12. And the final, 'And may the Lord bless your soul, and receive you at the last day into his kingdom, to sit down in peace.' Not so average after all, eh?

This counsel and these blessing apply to all Averages out there. So the next time you are feeling overlooked, underappreciated, just plain average, just remember you are in good company. God sees you. God uses your personal strengths, and to God you are never just average.

"This is the paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing, yet we are everything to God."
                                    - President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

PS There are many more I did not cover I suggest reading Alma 38 and visiting lds.org

It's the end of the world as we know it...

Or my world is coming to a shattering halt. I think I'm dying. Just sent my last email to President Stucki, washed my clothes by hand for the last time, went to market market for the last time, and the list goes on and on. Tragic....

But on to better and happier things! 

Janet and Nixy got baptized this week! Only one tantrum was thrown and only one fire alarm was pulled. I consider that a success! But let's back up and start at the beginning. We told them to be there at 9 so we could take pictures and start on time. They got there at 9:50. We hurried and got them dressed. But all of the suits' zippers were broken and not fitting. We finally found two that fit. and then the 6 and 7 year old came out of the baptismal fount. Whaaaa....? The 6 year old decided he wanted to go swimming. we was soaking we up to his knees. Then the tantrum was thrown, when he realized nixy and grandma were "going swimming' and he wasn't. Then he didn't want to stay for pictures. So we decided to take them without him. That was not ok, so he was a little beast and stood backwards in the pictures. But it made me laugh. They were finally baptized and Janet gave a beautiful testimony, about the light that has come back into her life because of the gospel and because of the people she know through the church. When I asked the RS president if she could get some VTs, she said they were already assigned and informed! Sweet! But then on the way out, the 6 year old decided to kick the divider, elevator, and pulled the fire alarm before anyone could stop him. Oh, dear! 

Then on Sunday, I told them to be there at 9 again, so they would actually make it on time for the confirmation. They squeaked in right in at 10:10, but Nixy was wearing a brand new white shirt and tie with black pants and shoes! He was so Pogi! And so proud of himself. He came and sat right by us. He doesn't like competing with his brothers. He was wearing the CTR ring we gave him. Janet also had a nice new dress that had sleeves. We Never said a word to her about that, she picked that up just by watching other members. Irish, her sister, is right on track to be baptized on the 6. Super exciting!

We went to Gospel Principles class and we had no teacher. I was talking to  Irish when I looked up and saw both of the Elders and Sister Thompson with their fingers on their noses. Curses! Well, it just meant that I had to teach a lesson about the sabbath day with no preparations  Good thing I teach about that everyday and live it every sunday! 

Thursday/Friday I was on splits with the new training sisters (they are kind of like the female zone leaders) Sister Hunt is one of them, but of course we were not companions. Sad day. But at least I got to see her again, before I left! :) I am also glade that will never be one of my jobs. They turned them in to monster robot things. Scary! Good thing it was my first and last experience. Sister Thompson had been complaining of a headache all week, and when I got back she had a fever of 103. Well, we got some tylenol in her and put her to bed. Well, it hasn't gone away so we finally texted sister stucki. It's official she has Dengue fever. We have only gone out to go to the baptism, church (which we weren't suppose to) and right now. And we are going to go home right now, and she is going to crash! So, I've kinda been stuck in the house for a really long time, by myself. Took a lot of naps, started to pack, cleaned the house, took some more naps. And then when the other sisters got home, I talked them to death. 

So that's really all. Do you realize this is my last email? Strange. Add it to the list of my lasts. The next time we talk it will be in reals. Strange. Really strange.  I really still feel like I will be doing this the rest of my life. Strange.

Still love you all! 

Sister Lyons (Another one of my lasts) 

New email and pics!

This week's been great!

Tuesday we taught our really astig investigator, Janet, and her family. I feel like she is the member present, because teaching her is like teaching a recent convert. She reads all of her assignments and understands them so well. She basically teaches herself. Her sister Irish, is pretty much awesome, too, but is pretty much like and normal investigator. She was kind of down on tuesday and asked why when she was just getting close to God all of these trials started to appear. We gave her the story in Mosiah to read about alma and his people being put into bondage, (more on that later!) We taught Janet's grandson the Plan of Salvation in under 5 minutes, cause that kid will not sit still! Whooo!

Wednesday, did not go as planned because we were told that the new Elders were coming and we had to go pick them up and then take them around the area. Yeah.... since we worked in their area for about a day.... we were a lot of help. But at least we showed them 3 investigators 2 recent converts and the bishop's house. After that, they were on their own. One of the Elders in actually assigned in India but his visa has run out so he has to come here until it comes back. He can't speak and Tagalog and people here thought he couldn't speak English either (because His companion keeps telling them that he is from India.) It's great! So we just showed them around. 

Thursday we taught chance about Priesthood. (he is the one that was baptized, hopefully you will get that picture and he is also the one that is wearing our name tags. We had him teach us one day) That kid really wants to be a prophet some day. He kept asking how to become one. He pulled out his dad's Ipad and started looking up all the pictures of the 12 apostles and prophets. It was great! We taught Janet again the Word of Wisdom. She had stopped coffee right when she read the Pamphlet we left her. She was like, this makes perfect sense! Yep, yep it does.

Friday was a lot of walking but then we taught Janet and her sister Irish and her friend Flor. It was crazy! They are all in their late 40s and love to sit and chat... over each other! I felt like I wanted to just put on my duster and join the club. (The orange thing I am wearing is one of my (many) dusters) 

Saturday, taught Chance again about service. He told us that he wanted to go on a mission although in the eyes of a 10 year old, that's like dying for 2 years! But I think he figured if he wanted to be a prophet, he'd have to go on a mission. Then at the end of the lesson he refused to pray. So Sister Thompson, Juvy (the girl working with us) and his brother, and I, all just sat there with out arms folded and eyes closed. He was still being stubborn and would say thinks like, "I can wait all night!" But then he finally broke down and prayed AND he apologized in the prayer for making us sit there for  minutes. So cute! Then we went to another recent convert family, the Pasilan, and we woke up the three kids. The 3 year old woke up and smiled at us right away! When his mom said he could go back to sleep he said, "Not now!" and came over to shake our hands! The 17 year old boy eventually forgave us an smiled at us. The 14 year old girl sat in the corner with her hair in front of her face and wouldn't even look at us! It was classic. I remember what it fells like to be a teenager! Then we had dinner at Jeff's house. He is an almost 30

Sunday was great! Irish came to church with Janet and loved it! We taught them both afterwards and Irish said that no one else had been able to answer her question about the trials, but us!

Wakie Caterpillars :)

Happy Easter Fam!

I hope the Easter Bunny found you all just fine, kc he found me! I got my box last Tuesday. Thanks for the new Easter dress and ALL the candy, that has been officially all consumed as of yesterday... That's what you get when for girls live in one apartment and 4 hungry Elders live one floor up. (they can come down in about .00000005 seconds after you tell them there is food)

You asked some questions, So here's some answers. My ward is called Makati 1 (soon to be Boni 8) The biggest landmark is probably Kalayaan st. It is a really big street we have to cross everyday. Our area consists of Guadalupe Nuevo and Pinagkaisahan (yeah, that took me awhile to get down) It is probably not the Stake President in my Stake, because I am not really in Manila. Makati is it's own city. It's confusing. There is Metro Manila, which is all of the big cities here, but then there is just a Manila, which is where the capital is. Easter, doesn't really exist here, oh, but Holy Week does. Everything shuts down one Wednesday, and everyone sits around singing songs to Jesus... really loudly.  Which is not that different then every other night, when they sit around and do videoke. Just different topic, but the red horse intake is about the same. Then on Friday, no one takes a bath. And the city looks like a ghost town. On Saturday they have all these parades (that are really long and makes it hard to get places and I always feel slightly guilty, because the white hand book says to avoid that kind of stuff... whoops!) But they all have really pretty white flowers and dresses. Then on Sunday, all the stores open up again, and everyone goes back to work.

Now of my week...

Monday: We had FHE with one of my favorite families, the Fajardos (i will try and send a picture) The Elders were in charge of games. We played mind games... I they loved they we didn't know them. And they would always try and make us loose. Those little stinkers! :)

Tuesday: Package day!

Wednesday: Sister Thopmson and I walked and walked until 5 and still did not find anyone at home. We both got a little sun burnt. But then after that we had some really good lessons.

Thursday:I'm pretty sure something happened. Wednesdays and Thursdays are always a little blurry...

Friday:Was another day of walking. We were trying to contact the last few less actives and former investigators. It was late and most everyone that we had been to, had moved. I was about ready to get up, but out of desperation, we went to the last name on the list. He was there as was his wife (who is not a member). They told us that just earlier that week they were feeling God had forgotten them. They have had really hard lives but they were so open and grateful that we came. I was just grateful, we hadn't given up.Oh, and Elder Morales also transferred. It was a sad day. :( So we all had to take pictures. He is the one making the screaming face. You can't tell what he really looks like, but it is my favorite of all of us.

Saturday: was a good busy day, with lots of good lessons

Sunday  Ryan came to church! He is a returned missionary and a great person, but he has just made some mistakes in his life that make his a little shy to come to church. Two week ago he committed to come to church, but fell asleep, because his work is from 6pm to 6am and our church is at 10. He felt really bad that he wasn't able to come, but he committed to come this week. We taught him on Monday and on Friday night planning Sister Thompson and I both felt that we needed to visit him again on Saturday, to keep his commitment fresh in his mind. Our appointment before him went a little long, so when we got to his house he was leaving for work, but we were just able to make contact with him and remind him. On Sunday his whole family walked in, but him. But as we were singing the opening hymn, he walked in! He told us that he hadn't gone to sleep just to make sure he could make it to sacrament. He looked so tried but so happy. He is the really tall on in the back of the picture with lots of people. That was our FHE.

Oh, the other picture is a green Caterpillar and me! It was the biggest one I have ever seen. So I had to pick it up and take a picture with it. I haven't changed that much. :) But I still love you all!

Love you more then green things and wakie pictures (means silly)!
Sister Lyons

I found a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup!!

Eat all of these chocolate eggs for me! It is weird to think that this is the second Easter I have been here for. Strange. I am going through Cadberry eggs withdraws ... wait is that even what they're called? You know, the ones that we always chow down on, and they now have at Christmas? Anyways, THOSE ONES! But is is all right I live in the city, which means I found a Reese Pieces Peanut Butter cup that when I saw it, screamed, grabbed it (without looking at the price) and promptly bought it. Oh, was it good! A year in the province does things to you. 

Monday was great. After we chatted :) we went to dinner at this ladies house that lives in a boarding house. When we were done we asked if we could share and if her friends/other borders would be willing to listen. She was nervous, but she invited them and 3 of them listened and it was really good! At first I was a little concerned, cause they kinda acted like they didn't want to be there, but when we started they got serious and actually listened and asked questions and excepted a return appointment.

Tuesday was district meeting. Our whole district all lives in the same apartment complex, so we did more laughing then anything. And it is so hard to practice with them all seriously like. It's like trying to teach your little brother. Then we went to this less active man that we had never met before. He had a stroke in 2003 and has not been able to walk or talk since then. He is the only member in his family so he can't really come to church. We asked if we could share with him and his family, and they said yes. Because he can listen and he understands. We asked him if we had a Book of Mormon and he reached right to this bag right by his bed and pulled out 2 copies. When Sister Thompson and I looked at them we almost started to cry, because they were all marked up with notes and everything. We asked him if he read everyday and he shook his head yes. Here is this man that has not been able to go to church in more then 10 years, but he reads his Book of Mormon everyday. It was amazing! We shared about the Resurrection it was perfect!

On Wednesday we taught Ryan Fajardo, who is a less active return missionary. He made a dumb mistake after his mission and just feels guilty about it. He calls himself the Lamanite and is such a punk. He never really listened to the Elders but every time we go there, he always stays and listens and he even showed us some of his mission pics. We taught about the Atonement using the pit story in Sister Burtons take. It was great. I love teaching the Atonement that way, cause it makes sense. And I secretly love teaching punks :)

Thursday....yeah, about that.

Friday also happened. We taught a recent convert family about the temples, because they are really close to their one year mark, and are super active! I love stories like that. The missionaries found them when she was doing her laundry. It's stories like that, that just want to make me talk to everyone. Then we went to dinner at the stake president's house as a zone. Which was fun. But the trip home was a lot funnier. I wish I could just record our Elders, they say the funniest things, but it's how they say it. And then half of the time it is in Tagalog. Oh, well, if wishes were fishes....

Saturday was a day of walking.

Sunday! We had our first investigator at church! We had one and the Elders didn't have any. That tell you a little about the city. But we were super excited about our 1! She is great and was super excited and nervous. She said she would come back next week too! :) Sister Thompson and I gave talks. She stressed about it all week and I pulled my typical self and procrastinated until I was sitting up in the front listing to the prelude music. But no one ever knew.... :) But Sister Thompson almost throw up because she was so nervous. Then we sang "I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord." And she burst into tears. The poor little elders in the congregation looked so concerned. But they were cute about it and didn't say anything to her afterwards. Then we ate dinner at a newlywed couples house. Ewww! Ewww... But the food was good.

And then today.... Went to Market Market, eat pizza, and shopped in an American sized store. With way to much American food in it for me. Then we came back here to email you! And later on we are going to ask the Elders to teach us how to throw these cool Filipino tops that we bought. It is going to be great!  

Times up! But I still love you!

Love you more then thunder and lightning at night!

Sister Lyons

Release Date: July 3!

... and family and friends are all excited about it... but Danielle doesn't want to talk about it. We're afraid my parents may not be able to get her to come back to the United States. Cross your fingers...

Here is her most recent email :)

We walk a lot. and a lot of people have moved. But we still have a laughing attach EVERYDAY! Sister Thompson is hilarious. And so are the Elders that live a floor above us. There are 4 of them and 4 of us and we're like a big family. Except all the boys are Pinoy and all the girls are Canas or Fijian. It makes for a great jumble of language. Which makes us laugh even harder.

Sister Thompson is amazing, but is going through american withdrawls right now (she is handling really well) Just buy her a Kitkat and she can handle anything. Including eating pig skin, taro, and nose bleeding in Tagalog. She doesn't really nose bleed. It is just a joke among the Pinoys that if you make them speak in english, it is so hard for them that their noes starts to bleed. Nagnonosesbleed sila! She's doing awesome though, and I totally remember being in her shoes.

The ward loves us. They have a dinner calendar and every one of the dinner appointments was very specific that it was just for the Sisters. Needless to say the Elders were a little bummed. And someone made a public announcement that they needed to give the Sisters referrals. The Elders just don't get it! But it makes us smile.

Then we did some more walking.

And then got lost. And walked up and down the same street about 50 times. The city is a little bit different then the Provence, but I love the challenge. This zone is actually really struggling and is the lowest baptizing in the mission, but our area is going to baptize, someday! We just have to find them first!

I think I told you this before, but I am pretty sure Chad is the the 12 week training program. Like I am 100% sure. We were studying, and i was like, hey... I know that kid. He married my sister! Strange.

Mara is as adorable as ever! I love seeing her pictures! I found the picture that Jen and Kevin gave me of her when I left. Oh, man has she changed! Kevin should be very worried about her in about 15 years. I love getting all of your letters. Now that I only live about 3 minutes away from the mission office, I actually get them more often. There are benefits here. :)

Sister Hunt sent me a Palawan bag and real pearls! (Dad you might want to give mom a limit on the pearls she can buy, because they are real, and they are cheap)

We went to Market Market again to day. That place is the size of a small (ok not that small) city. I feel really our of place there, even though there are more Joe's there. But I don't belong to them anymore. They are all a little weird.

I once again have used all my time and English up. But I still can say this...

Mahal kita! (if you type that into google translater it might say love see, but it means I love you!)

Love you more then American things!
Sister Lyons