Argentina #5

 QuE PaSa FaMiliA Y AmiGos!

The weather here is so crazy! it goes from hot and humid to pouring rain and then back to hot and humid in a matter of minutes haha. Its real warm though and I love it.

WOW what a huge change this week has been! A miracle actually! I get it now... thats why they say.. its only AFTER the trial of your faith that you are blessed hahaha here I was thinking who knows what, but obviously I had forgotten that its AFTER! hahaha Im SOOO HAPPY! Here it goes... so last week... MUCH tribulation!

Diciembre, 2010 (Tuesday- Monday) - We caught a remise to Capital to speak with Sister Ottonelli and she & I had a great conversation. I swear she is superwoman! She has been through so much and still she stands so strong... like a few woman in my life that I know back home  she is full of great advice of how to conquer the world. Its beneficial to everyone that knows her. Then My comp and I were able to go to the Presidents house to speak with them. Let me just say this because I can´t say it enough. WE are SO BLESSED. We seriously have the best mission President in the world! He & I had a great conversation and he shared many scriptures and analogies with me that brought the spirit to my attention. She looked me right in the eyes and with all the sincerity in the world he said, "I have had an apostle lay his hands on my head to give me authority as YOUR mission President, to know what our Father in Heaven has in mind for you. The greatest assurity we have is that our Father in Heaven knows what surrounds us, what we need and what we desire, and the best part is that all of it is centered around whats BEST for US. He always has in mind whats best for us. What will truly make us most happy. He sees the whole picture." Then he looked into my eyes with sincere Christlike love and said, "Never ever forget, that you are a Daughter of the most high, you are worthy and endowed with great power to be here as one of His representatives. These people need Hermana Gillum. They have been prepared for you. I KNOW with my Authority as your Mission President, that you need to be here at this time. I know it and our Father in Heaven knows it. Don´t ever forget who you are and how sacred that knowledge is!"  I also spoke with his wife Hermana Gulbrandsen and that woman is incredible! They lost their son a few years back and what a heart ache it was for them. They used the Gospel as an example to me that the clock is ticking, and this life is hard but with the Gospel of Jesus Christ we can all see with clarity and come to know who we really are in the eyes of Heaven. Here I was thinking that I am to inadequate to be here and my testimony is too fresh (being how ive only been in the church now for 17 months) and im already out here as a missionary! I knelt and prayed if the Lord really wants me out here as a missionary or if im wasting His time. I felt this confusing mixed feeling that didnt feel good and it told me to go home. It was a bad feeling. Go home ran through my mind as a question and I got up and we went to our next appt. As we were about to share a scripture... Mine fell open to:

D&C 10 and I read these highlighted words..."Satan stirreth them up, that he may lead their souls to destruction, and thus he has laid a cunning plan, thinking to destroy the work of God.... ye he stirreth up hearts... Thus Satan thinketh to overpower your testimony in this generation, that the work may not come forth in this generation." It was clear as day the answer from my Heavenly Father that told me I need to be here and Satan wants me to doubt so these people will not be taught. Here I was thinking im not good enough and my companion caught me comparing myself to Joseph Smith and she laughed. She said, we are not perfect, and we are no where near the courage and strength of Joseph Smith hermana! haha I have learned a big lesson. The greatest part about learning lessons on the mission, are that you dont just learn them, they go from being a thought, to words, to actions, to character, and eventually to destiny. They become who and how you are. You become a master of yourself in the alignment of HIS will. Ive come to see that tithing is much like trials, everyone has to pay their 10 percent in this life, but they shouldnt forget the 90 percent blessings. I have learned the simplicity of filtering God vs. Satan. or Good vs. Bad in thoughts. Its this easy for us all... IF its good and from God, it will invite us to: 1) DO good 2) BE good 3) SERVE OTHERS because those are the actions we need and what will truly make us happy rarely has anything to do with ourselves so serving others is neccessary. and IF its bad, it persuades us to: 1) DO bad 2) FEEL bad 3) Be Bad 4) and DO NOTHING. Satans greatest desire is to persuade us to be captive to him, and stop our progression in life, and those are the ways that he does it. Its not of God for us to doubt ourselves. God is stretching each one of us til we reach the TOP that he knows we can. But ones "top" might be different than another, or he may trust some with trials that he wont trust to give to others. Its a blessing to be tried. It means he TRUSTS us. Sometimes I dont know why he trusts me but when he does, now I can see the reason. When I felt that my comp and I were rejected I found a scripture in the Bible:

     JOHN 15:18-27 "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have CHOSEN you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. ... if they have perscuted me, they will persecute you... They hated me without cause... but when the comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, BECAUSE YE HAVE BEEN WITH ME FROM THE BEGINNING."

That really really changed my thoughts. I remembered my Savior and felt him here with me. I became even more humbled and I thanked him for the lesson. Just as He has said "my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth... let not your heart be troubled nor let it be afraid." And truly I was no longer troubled. I have shed layers that I didn´t know I had until he had shown me again my weaknesses. I have had a life changing lesson this week.

One day when Hna. Allen and I were walking we saw a bum cold and wet in the pouring rain under this little roof of a store and I gave him a couple pesos. He called us angels from God and blew us a kiss haha. when my comp and I were headed to an appointment I heard a family fighting... unfortunately I watched the father figure abusing his daughter and wife in the yard. They ran inside crying and the spirit prompted me to go to the gate so the spirit could be there. So I walked over there and the little girl ran out crying and I hugged her in my arms. I held her and calmed her down. She saw our name tags. The father came out and we left. I felt so helpless. I knelt right their in the dirt. Just hit my knees and prayed with all my heart that they would be at peace and be protected. I got up and we continued on. My comp thinks that little girl will somehow remember that forever. I hope one day she remembers the sister missionaries at her gate who held her when no one else would. Those are examples of the little seeds we plant when we can as we journey through the mission. We have been blessed with SO many investigators. We have full families that are progressing and guess what.. I HAD MY FIRST BAPTISM YESTERDAY!!!! David Medina! I love the medina familia! His little brother is getting baptized next sunday with another investigator of ours and we have some planned the next sunday also!!! I cant tell you how powerful it is to see someone you have been teaching all this time has progressed and studied and prayed and now has made the choice to step into the waters of baptism to be cleansed of all their sins and start aligning their life with the Lords will. He also has been talking this whole time about wanting to also serve a mission! MY FIRST BAPTISM WANTS TO BE A MISSIONARY! I cried tears of joy. It changed my life and I thought to myself... this is why we are here doing this. Its all worth it. We are working our butts off and its been an incredible time! Everyone here is evangelica or catholic but not one of them really knows what exactly they believe they just say they follow their pastor. One family says they are forced to never talk to other faiths about God or even read other books. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT! To not be able to find out for yourself! To be considered brainwashed or condemned if you are not happy, to find the truth elsewhere. To have to ask permission from your pastor of how to live your life. What happened to one of the greatest gifts God has given us, to CHOOSE for ourselves. We explained to this family that God has given them agency and we love them no matter what they choose but that this Gospel will bring them more truth and happiness then anything else in the world. So ofcourse they agreed thats what they want and we are teaching them this week. Some of the Milla Familia came to church sunday and We have two investigators that will be recieving the Priesthood this month!!! I have seen SO many miracles. I have seen these people in despair and pain with hardly anything at all turn into bright happy families with great love and humility for the Lord and this work. I have been told to say and do things by the spirit that is so strong in my teaching that I know I need to follow. I have seen the impossible happen right before my eyes. Hard hearts turn soft and the wicked become righteous loving people. I Love ARGENTINA! Its beautiful, so are the people and I cant express my happiness enough. Im SO happy now. Gotta go for now... wow that was alot! haha I love you all so much thank you for your love and support.

Chao! xoxoxox

 

Con Amor siempre,

Hermana Gillum