Letter #8

BUEN DíA FAMILIA Y AMIGOS!!! :)
HOLA everyone!!! Thank you so much for the emails of support and love
its nice to have a break for a second and remember all the people that
love you while you are so caught up in the mission work. Its just what
I need to get all recharged for the week! There have been some scary
things ive seen and felt a few times in the mission now but these
things have only proved to me even more, how the battle of good and
evil are raging about us day by day. I not only want to sit on the
right side but I want to prepare each day and fill my testimony as
much as possible to fight against the pushes of the adversary and his
followers. EVIL is REAL, and so is GOOD and LIGHT and PEACE. So which
side do we choose? Every day should be spent bettering ourselves. I
have such a firm testimony of the priesthood authority in our Church.
May we never ever take it for granted! So Hermana Romo from Los
Angeles is SO FUN to have as a companion because shes super obedient
and HILARIOUS! She makes me laugh constantly and it makes it more
enjoyable! I love her dearly. We have been working mostly with the
less actives from the ward because the ward has dwindled. Sadly when
missionaries get transfered their investigators stop coming and so we
have all been trying to follow what our President wants most...
STRENGTHEN THE WARD through the members!!! Im not really sure what Ive
told you in past emails or not but REVELATION in this work is REAL! I
have recieved so much revelation and not even realized it was until
later! Lately ive just had strong feelings that we need to strengthen
the ward and bring them more together... I didnt know why this was my
focus. Several times it was impressed on me to express to members how
important it is that we do this together even when the missionaries
leave. Also once at a members house I felt the strong prompting to
teach about the temple and covenants that we make with our Heavenly
Father. My comp wasnt sure if that was too much info since they are
recent converts but sure enough... I felt it was important and later
we went to a meeting with our president and those are the things he
spoke about most that came from the prophet. So this is what my comp
and I have been doing now. TONS of walking (my shoes are still hangin
in there) TONS of work and pouring sweat in this heat haha. Ive been
telling me comp, I used to not like the wind... now I PRAY for it!
haha now i know that the wind is a tender mercy for the over heating
missionaries haha. We usually wet our clothing with water and wring
them out to wear them but they dry up fast. We have found some amazing
people and we have strengthened the people that have been fading
away... its lots of work. Some days i wonder... man... was all that
walking a waste of our time since no one wanted to listen to our
message... but then Im assured by the tender mercies of the Lord that
is NOT the case. We are examples everywhere we go and we wear Christs
name under ours with gratitude and appreciation. Not to mention... our
families are greatly blessed and every single prayer that ive prayed
HAS BEEN ANSWERED! My mom and sister and friends have been blessed and
I pray that each person who helps the missionaries may recieve
blessing one hundredfold. I have no doubt that they are. Heavenly
Father takes care of them that sacrifice and give, I know because Ive
seen it time and time again already. I have learned so much in my
study time in the mornings... I was reading in 2 Nephi and I love
verse 23 : ¨FOR I AM A GOD OF MIRACLES!¨ I looked up Miracles in the
Bible Dictionary and found this description: =an important element in
the work of Christ, not only divine acts but forming divine TEACHING.
Intended to be proof of Christ. Most teach by symbols and the cure of
sin; the value of FAITH, the law of LOVE. Miracles of healing also
show how laws of love are to deal with actual facts of life. Miracles
were and are a response to FAITH and its best encouragement. Miracles
were NEVER WROUGHT WITHOUT prayer, need and faith. They are VISIBLE
TOKENS of INVISIBLE POWER. Miracles are mighty works because they are
the works of one who is ALMIGHTY! - now this is the best part... THEY
ARE THE NATURAL RESULTS OF THE MESSIAHS VERY PRESENCE! I thought that
was incredible! Everytime in the Bible before the Lord would do a
miracle He would ask ¨do ye have faith enough to believe that I can do
this?¨and all of us need to remember to answer "Yea Lord, I do!" If
miracles cease its because FAITH has ceased. He understands us better
than we think. We often forget how much that is! like the scripture
that says: " shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had
no understanding?" He DOES understand us all and he is the ONLY thing
that carries us.

My comp left me 5 really great pieces of advice to always remember: 1)
we dont change the people, the Holy Ghost does! 2) Everything happens
for a reason, God is the master potter and we are the clay, He places
us where we need to be when we need to be there. 3) Obedience is
EVERYTHING 4) Trust in the Church, its organization is perfect even
when all the PEOPLE are not. 5) Dont ever doubt yourself, the Lord did
not intend for you to do that. He loves you so YOU should love you.

We have had a lot of people that lack the faith to proceed with
learning because SOMEONE in their life is stopping them but my
insightful comp found this passage in the Scriptures that was real
helpful... Matthew 19:29 - Everyone that hath forsaken houses, or
brethren, or sister, or father, or mother, or wife or children or
lands FOR MY NAMES SAKE... SHALL RECIEVE AN HUNDREDFOLD, AND SHALL
INHERIT EVERLASTING LIFE! Ive just come to know that when our leaders
and loved ones are asking us to follow rules and be better, we need to
do it, not because they say so but because God has asked us to be
obedient in ALL things and honor thy father and mother. And above all
CHARITY is most important. He knows what will set us free so its His
will we need to follow . Ive come to believe so strongly that a
CONSECRATED life is the way of true and lasting happiness.

I loved Apostle Elder Christofferson´s talk in October when he said: "
Every minute of our span of mortal years must sometime be accounted
for. And it is in THIS life that you walk by faith and prove yourself
able to choose good over evil, right over wrong, enduring happiness
over mere amusement, and your eternal reward will be according to YOUR
choosing... A life dedicated to service, to love and harmony in the
home, and the fruits of honesty toil - an acceptance of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ- of its requirements and commandments. To consecrate is
to SET APART or dedicate something as sacred devoted to holy purposes.
True success in this life comes in consecrating our lives- that is,
our time and choices- top God´s purposes."
I also loved in Apostle Elder Anderson´s talk he spoke of not getting
offended nor being ashamed of Christ. " the soul that on Jesus hath
leaned for repose, I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes; That
soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, ill never no never ill
never no never ill never no never no never forsake!" "when the Savior
asked his apostles "will ye also go away?" Peter answered: "Lord, to
whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. ..."we believe
and are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
I as a missionary, can also testify that I know this Church is true
because I see countless miracles in this work and people emerging out
of despair into a beautiful new hopeful life of lasting peace. This is
the ONLY way. and just and Joseph Smith testified... It shall roll
forward until it has sounded in every ear. I love these people here, I
love this work, and I love all of you for being the greatest examples
and support. Thank you, with all my love, until next time, suerte
Con Amor,
Hermana Ashley Ann Gillum