Hello everyone! whats new what up!? Just another week in the south... but not for much longer....
HARDSHIP... its part of life :D
So heres the low down on all the new stuff. This past week everything seemed to be working against us and we could feel the pressure. We knew that there was something big coming up and the adversary didnt want us to get to it. Long story short our baptism fell through after teaching him for three months. It was the hardest thing for us. We truly went the extra mile to pray for him and help him to recieve an answer that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. And once we knelt and he prayed to ask if the Book Of Mormon was true it came! There was a long pause of silence and then he spoke. Tengo mi respuesta... he said, as to say.. I have the answer. He said how peaceful he felt and how he knew God put the answer in his heart that its true. We were like... finally! he knows and cannot deny that he recieved an answer from his Heavenly Father... He knows that his Father loves him and wants to reach out and communicate with him and now he will desire to be baptized to make the covenant to follow Christ.... well it didnt go quite that way... He said he would like to prepare to be baptized but that he wanted to do some more reading that week. We ended up coming back and we felt very strange teaching him. We felt that he had walls up for the first time with us. Walls that werent breaking down. He was running us in circles of confusing responses that really didnt even make any sense at all and we felt a very bad feeling. We tried explaining the basic principles of the gospel that Faith leads to Repentance and that leads to Baptism and Recieving the Gift of the Holy Ghost so we can follow Jesus Christs exmaple and persevere until the end. We informed him that he was going way off track of what he had come to learn and he didnt even know himself what he was trying to say. He had zero direction or back up of source for the doubts that were coming out. We asked him what had changed after he had recieved an answer from God that this is true. His answer was this... "I cant deny what I felt in my heart when I prayed... I know that The Book of Mormon is true, I know that I feel really good around you missionaries and in your church on Sunday, but I have no desire anymore to be baptized at all. I know that God probably wants me to follow this but im telling you that this just isnt my time to do that." We asked what changed in his heart... he replied, "no, nothing changed in my heart, i know what I felt was good and that it was an answer but...." and then the truth came out... "Ive been reading this book on this hippie guy thats all into science and stuff and I just kinda feel like my life in my life and I should be able to do anything I want and if im a good person, thats sufficient." Trust me, we went the extra mile with this investigator and nothing else was entering his head. We had a very heavy feeling follow us out of his house and it worried me a little. I was so sad for him that I couldnt stop thinking about all our time and effort preparing him. Our zone has really struggled down here in the south. We have really tried all we know how to do and have gone to God to ask what he needs of us because we are just imperfect missionaries that are striving to do his will but cannot complete it without learning through trial and error. WE HAVENT FAILED.. we have just found a thousand ways that dont work! and there are miracles waiting to happen soon. We just know it. We have prayed fervantly for him though and we know that one day he will be baptized.
Miracles
President Gomez is seriously one of the greatest people in all of my mission. I respect him so much and have a great love for him as a leader of the church. He has truly touched my life with inspiration and I know that God sent me to serve here in his branch to learn from him and express my gratitude for him because he was also struggling a little with feeling a little burdened at times. He was very happy to have us sisters working here with this branch. He was able to meet with us and give me a blessing and I will never forget the words that man spoke.
Lets just say... that Satan has never tried so hard to attack us as he did these last two weeks and pressing forward on through the trial has brought us to recognisze the pure saving love of the Savior. What a contrast it is. Misery vs. Bliss. I will just tell you guys that after I recieved my blessing, some very special things happened that are too sacred to mention through my blog email. I will just tell you that I have such a firm testimony that Christ lives and he manifests his power to us in miraculous ways according to our faith in Him. I was blessed to feel my testimony enlarge a great measure. I testify that I know the Savior knows us by name, individually and knows our thoughts and actions. He is more near to us than we could ever imagine and the Heavens are open to us to speak with our Heavenly Father one on one about our hearts deepest desires and concerns. He comes to us when we are calling on him.
The sacredness of feeling his everlasting love is an unforgettable sceptor of truth and light. I have felt this so profound in my mission.
GOODBYE Hna. Milmont...
Sooo this is something a little funny. My companion Hna. Milmont thought she was being transfered to the North. Actually to be honest EVERYONE thought that she was going to be the one to go north... so she ended up telling our whole area goodbye because she wont see them again and she had them all write in her journal and they gave her gifts and hugged her and the tears just kept coming from her eyes with every persons house we went to. We went to say goodbye to Natalia, and she ended up showing us a DVD slideshow that she made of us and our photos together here in the south. Then we all were crying like little sissy la la's because we really felt the difference we made here together. We watched as all the photos faded to the other and the faces of all the people we love so much and we couldnt hold back the emotion. The greatness of the mission captured in picture with these families who have impacted us perhaps more than we have impacted them. Nati said she ended up putting the video on Youtube through her account when we left for our families to see. Im not sure how to find it or if it would have our names or not but you guys can try to find it somehow.
Finally... the call we've been waiting for... dun dun dun
... "okay, who am I talking to? Hermana Gillum? Alright so this is the change you guys will be having.."
After clearing all the confusion... the results of our transfer is my lovely companion Hna. Milmont will be recieving a new companion here in Rio Grande in the south tonight or tomorrow. (we do not yet know her name) we will be a trio for this week up until Thursday. Hna. Milmont will be TRAINING HER!!! I will just be here helping them along until Im ready to catch my flight to go back to the North where I will be getting.... MY DAUGHTER! Ill be training this transfer also but in the North! (and we do not know what area ive been called to yet nor do we know my daughters name yet) All we do know so far, is what ive told you. So im very happy for my companion and I because we really worked hard here despite all the hard things that happened and we feel that the Lord has watched us closely and knows what is best for the work. He has called us both to train with all we've got and teach all that we have learned. Im excited. Im going to love my companion and do my best to be all that the Lord expects of me.
SIDE NOTES TO THE FAMILY ABOUT SOME THINGS...
- Michaela THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH FOR YOUR LETTER! thats awesome that you were able to do humanitarian work in India!!!! amazing! miss you!!!
- "17 miracles" ... Robin, about this movie... yes thank you so much for sending me this movie. We were able to watch it as a zone together on our preparation day and we all loved it! But actually we just found out this morning that we are not able to watch ANY other movies besides the teaching videos. None of us down here in the south seemed to know that. Infact all of our leaders here in the branches were saying how its important for us to watch that movie to remember to keep going in the mission and give it our all but President Gulbrandsen has asked us that we dont watch any other movies in the mission without calling for special permission. So good thing I was able to see it beforehand and the next time will have to be at home. It really made a difference for us though. Thank you so much!
- NEW BABY NEWS!!! ... WOOG im soooooo happy for youuuuuuu! I knew it was a boy because you were feeling all kinds of different feelings that you didnt feel with Hailey and I am so excited for you guys! I told you that he just needed more time to prepare in heaven to finally come down here! Im so happy and cant wait to see the ultrasound pics! Ill think of some names or something but what ever name you guys come up with i know Ill love so congrats woman! Love you tons!
- Hailey, WOW ANOTHER NEW ADDITION TO THE ANIMAL FARM! I am just loving that miniture horse you guys got hailey! It looks just like the one on "Rob & Big" haha I laughed when I saw the pics because its too funny and too cute with Hailey and her precious little model photos! Shes one lucky little girl! Halloween looked like lots of fun for all of you guys! I loved all of your costumes! Jace looked pretty realistic haha! Loved all of the costumes! you guys are the best. im glad you all dressed up! Way to keep it fun! I was a missionary for Halloween... it wasnt too hard to find the right costume... it wasnt too scary or anything... at least for those that have seen us before... the Jovahs witnesses get a little scared of us though. We just smile really big and wave at them and say hi... and they just walk faster and cross to the other side of the road haha They are funny. For those that know us and what we do, they gave us candy because they knew it was Halloween in our country. They dont celebrate it here much, Thanksgiving (same)
-THANKSGIVING however for us was very wonderful! We are soooo blessed to have Hna. Downs and her amazing cooking here in the South! She made a Thanksgiving dinner for all of our zone and it was BOMB diggity! SO yumm! And we all recorded what we are grateful for and what not. It was fun.
-JOCELYN..... hey baby girl... thats not fun im sorry to hear your "new news" painful yes, but part of life my dear! I have to tell you though... I as your big sister was not wanting to hear that on my mission... haha you need to stay little and not keep growing up so fast! I cant believe you will be 14 after I get home! Your huge now! Im glad you told me though joce, I like that you keep me updated in all of your life still! Love you bug!
-THE PICTURES, thanks mom for all the new pictures of the family at Thanksgiving, looked fun! I cant believe how big Rosannas baby Brooke is!!! She looks like a mini-Rosanna and Branson looks like a mini- Ryan!!!!!! THE KIDS ARE GETTING SO BIG!!! AHHH! cute as ever though! Im going to smother them with kisses when I get home!
- OFFICIAL UPDATE OF COMING HOME, okay so you all have been confused about when Im coming home and some of you have asked if ill be able to make it to some things that are happening in March... heres the sitch...... My time of serving 18 Months is actually up on March 15th... so people have the option to go home a transfer before or transfer after their time depending on when there time is up and different circumstances at home.... I had thought of going home the Transfer of Feb. But at this point in my mission I would rather stay an extra 2 weeks and finish april 1st! (april fools I know but its the truth) So ill be flying into the new airport in St. George or Las Vegas... depending on my mom and the flight booking. Sorry DYLAN I LOVE YOU BUD YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND IM SO PROUD OF YOU THAT YOUR BIG DAY IS COMING UP AND YOU WILL BE GETTING BAPTIZED!!! I WOULD LOVE SO MUCH TO BE THERE BUD BUT YOU WILL HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE! I WANT TO SEE ALL OF YOUR PHOTOS WHEN I GET HOME OKAY!!!!
I love all of you guys (friends) but Ill see you later on, I really dont want anyone else to be at the airport besides mom, joce, Robin, Brooke, Tal, the kids, laura & mike, Cam & hailey, Nikki, Ry, Geral & Rick, the main family, just more personal but we will figure all of that out in another 12 weeks or so... right now im Argentina... and Im lovin it!
- Mom thanks for the info on school but I need to know that info on the spring semester!!!!! and the dance team stuff!!! its important!!! Thank you!
WELL... im going to really miss the south... its been an amazing experience all together and im so grateful for the time ive had here, with my amazing comp, with the wonderful Downs, and with all of our converts! I loved the time here and i have not doubt ill love the area im going to and the comp that Im going to be training. Im excited for what ahead! CHRISTMAS is around the corner!!! crazy! Ill be seeing you on skype!
keep being kapas I LOVE YOUUUUUU! besitos for you all!!!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Hna. Ashley Ann Gillum
No comments:
Post a Comment