My Final and Last Email

Going to miss this

So this is what it feels like to be ending the mission... weird! It feels so weird. I'm just in the silent admiration stage. Taking it all in for the last time. Every person I talk to I find myself admiring the setting no matter how cold, hot or tired I feel. Its like everything is perfect. Even the unfortunate things. I just smile and say... "I love the mission." I can´t even count how many times Ive looked at my companion in silence and just said... "ya know.. I'm REALLY going to miss the mission." and she just smiles and responds the same as always, "I know you will hermana" In the beginning of this week I woke up crying in my morning prayer. Telling Heavenly Father how grateful I am for being called to serve 19 months. This last transfer was the most rapid growth and transformation for me I think. I feel like now I know what I'm up against with the world, but now I know what I'm made of and what my relationship is with God. I know what real happiness truly is and Ive learned how to keep it. Live the Gospel. Living it is the answer to everything. I remember when I first got here, the steps of the gospel (faith, repentance, baptism etc) were just important terms that I knew. Now I can say, that Ive taught them everyday for almost two years. Ive lived them and Ive taught others to live them, and in return Ive seen the millions of fruits and blessings from doing so. I know what works, and what doesn't. My Heavenly Father has guided and loved me. My Savior Jesus Christ has walked with me, I know because Ive felt him. Ive felt the protection of guardian angels surrounding me in danger and sorrow and Ive also felt Concords of angels singing hymns with us. Ive gained a deep testimony of the faith of a pioneer and Ive felt those pioneers who have gone before me pushing me forward when I didn't want to keep going. The Holy Ghost, my constant companion, has testified to me in sacred power that this is the truth. I can say that Ive learned to put down my walls to be meek enough to learn from on high. I can say that Ive obtained my own oil for light and built a testimony that wont leave my heart. where there was pain, I feel peace, where there was sadness Ive now found joy. Ive found the most beauty in myself while forgetting myself to help others and loving them completely. What more could I ask for of my lifetime then this most amazing experience!? Its filled my heart full.

MY STUDIES THIS WEEK

In some of my studies this week, I found this to be insightful. "The great challenge of life is not to ADD on more perfection, but its to strip away blindness and corruption... to discover who we truly are!" just something for you guys to ponder... I really like that.

Preparing to partake of the Sacrament:

Something I liked that our Bishop has challenged our ward to do is prepare for the Sacrament for 6 six days of the week. I know that seems like the response should be "well obviously" but I reflected on how I can better prepare to take the sacrament with a broken heart and contrite spirit, never growing numb to the spirit of revelation and gratitude of the Saviors Atonement. Our Bishop said, " sometimes its difficult for us to make changes, sometimes change is tough, but we are going to do this differently as a ward... we are going to enter the doors by 9:00 or else we miss partaking of the sacrament. We need to be on time when the Lord asks us to be here and partake of this sacred opportunity to renew our covenants. And how do we expect to renew them if we show up late? We are going to repent of being late and show him that we are serious about our progress. May we think of the lesson worth learning with the 10 virgins and those of them without oil for their own light who procrastinated until the end. Lets sacrifice just a little more, let us give a little more to the Lord on His day. I invite you to PREPARE your hearts for Sunday"

The BAPTISMS

Bueno, so I guess I will tell you guys about the wonderful baptisms that we had! I woke up so happy feeling like so much good was waiting to be had and we planned out the whole baptism for Vilma Ponce for Friday! Satan kept putting doubts in their minds that they should procrastinate the baptism for a later time but we didn't give up. We knew what God´s will truly was and is for them so we just kept the faith to plan it and pray hard for them to feel its right. Sure enough faith moves mountains! Emiliano (who Ive been teaching for 3 months now) stood there in his doorway doubting like crazy... and then we taught the doctrine of baptism and bore our testimony. Didn't take long for him to hear the spirit speak... he looked right at us and said... " you re right, I have no reason to put it off and I know that its true... I guess I just needed you guys to help me remember." I was so happy to hear him say this! I'm grateful to my kapa companion for following the spirit to go visit him in that very moment even though it wasn't part of our plans. The spirit tells us all things of which we should do. Thank you FAITH! Hno. Ponce called and just said... "hey missionaries, come over to my house, my wife is there and we need you guys to get the plans for the baptism all figured out!" I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! all night that man just said how he was going to wait another month or two and then thanks to prayer BAM! He called and said to get it planned! so I didn't know how to respond, I just said... "what? for you? are you serious?" and he just says, " no not for me, for my neighbor... yes for ME chicas get out your balloons and bake me a cake because I'm getting baptized!" haha we were very content to say the least. We just had to have the kind of faith that President Gulbrandsen has tried so hard to convey to us. The faith to believe "the campo está blanco! Ready for the harvest! YA! NOW!" We were not with family Ponce overnight... and by the morning they had made the decision to be baptized because that's the Lords will and they know it... talk about miracles! Angels are preparing these people to accept the gospel not just us! God is rolling forth his work and we see it everyday. Long story short Hno. Ponce needs one more week to prepare for baptism but his wife Vilma is reading the Book Of Mormon like crazy and super independent with her progress, in the way that she doesn't need us anymore, shes got it all down! She understands the importance of the OLA to pray, read and come to church. So It was a very busy crazy hard and fun week for us all! Friday morning, we finally attended the wedding of Emiliano and Evangelina!!!!!!! it was AWESOME!!!! then Friday night was Vilma's baptism and she was so cute. She had a huge grin ALL night! The friend that baptized her is extremely tall. hes a very nice guy. and then Saturday, Juan Emiliano Uncos entered the water of baptism. Right before he walked into the water my comp. and I had a moment to look him in the eyes and remind him that all of his sins of the past would be left in the water for good and he would become a new person. we told him to focus on his Savior. His eyes swelled with tears and he nodded is head and said thank you and before we knew it he was walking a very happy Emiliano completely filled with light! Sunday we made sure to get our investigators to church for their confirmations and those also were very amazing! Emilianos confirmation said that he and his new wife would one day serve a mission together! We were amazed to see all of the 5 less active families we have really worked hard with, all came to the church FOR THE 3rd TIME IN A ROW!!!!! this was a huge feeling of peace. I was especially happy to see Diego and his children, and all of our baptisms in this area active and happy in sacrament meeting.

OUR FINAL TESTIMONIES:

Well since its general Conference this weekend, we are not having a despedida :( its sad that we wont be able to see all of our converts over the span of our mission and say goodbye to them but its okay. We are not here to celbrate for ourselves anyway, we are here for the Lord. And when we all go home, we will celebrate the homecoming with our families there.

Elder Christensen and I were asked to share our final testimonies and the emotion didn't hit me for a while. I was super strong until the counselor Hno. García looked at me and then nodded me to come up and said, "hna. Gillum.. Your last testimony" then as I walked up, I hinted for Elder Christensen to go first... As i sat on the stand behind him... hearing his testimony... and seeing all those faces looking up at us.... the tears couldn't be held back any longer. I just got up to the stand and sniffled and cried and laughed about telling them to pray in that moment for me to have the ability to speak now and cry later... they all laughed. But half way through my testimony... I felt the presence of my Savior standing directly behind me and I looked into the congregation and saw that 70 percent of the people were crying with me and I wasn't alone. I think Its sufficient to say the spirit was felt. I thanked these people for changing my life. I thanked my savior for the ability to be forgiven and to serve others. I thanked these people for their humility that I just couldn't have learned any other way in my life other than living among them long enough. I felt so much peace in my heart. the assurance that my Heavenly Father is proud of me for the testimonies of which I've given. I feel peace in that assurance. Ive come, I've served, I've changed.

Ive cried tears of joy, happiness, sorrow, sympathy. Ive cried with the young and the old, the rich and the poor, I've cried with lonely and broken hearted and abandoned. Ive fed, clothed, nourished and cared for the sick and the weary. Ive been a good Samaritan and a sincere friend. Ive found my greatest potential in the work of the Lord. There is a time for everything right?

This is the time to work until my plane leaves Buenos Aires at 9:00 pm. Monday, reminisce

I'm very grateful. To you all for your support and love. To my family in the U.S. and my family in this beautiful country of Argentina. I know this is the True church, I testify that God knows and loves us so much that his plan for us is much better than our own plans for ourselves. i testify that repentance brings healing and comfort. I testify that there is no problem to small and insignificant that the Lord doesnt want to heal, I testify that there is no problem too big that he cant heal or take care of when we just let him. Hes the master potter and we are the clay in his hands. When we are humble, we are easier for him to shape into a better and more beautiful masterpiece. I testify that true beauty doesnt come from material or popularity but it comes from within. And when the whole body is filled with light it shows in ones eyes. I testify that We need not worry of burdens too big to carry. He shapes our backs to bear them and he prepares the way to accomplish all good and prepares the way to escape all evil.

I leave my last testimony as a missionary with you all in this time in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I'm grateful to be able to say....

I left my nets behind to follow Him, it was the best decision Ive ever made, I'm proud to say that Ive served a full time mission as a servant of the Lord.

Once a convert to the church not too long ago, and NOW I can say

that I was, and I am a Sister Missionary of the Lord, and I shall always be.

I love you more than you guys will ever comprehend....

...SISTER Ashley Ann Gillum

Buenos Aires Norte Argentina Misión

15th of September 2010 -- 1st of April 2012

Full of Love

Hola Queridos,

Bueno no tengo mucho tiempo, tampoco muchas cosas decirles. Este semana era buenísimo. El Señor Jesucristo es tan misericordioso de bendecirnos tanto. Gracías a Él y sus oraciones, tuvimos 3 bautismos! Despues luchando muchísimo por los bautismos de Lautaro, Agustina, y Gustavo, este Sabado pasado finalmente llego! Fue un bautismo hermosísimo! Sergio necessita un poco mas tiempo de preparacion. Queiro contarles que este semana es muy emocionante para mi. Todo este trabajo era muy difícil de cumplir. Era loco corriendo en todos lados cada día pero tenemos una "VISION" bien claro gracías a nuestro Presidente de la misión y sus consejos. Aun que todo esta loco, estoy muy tranquila. Tengo bastante paz en mi corazon. Estoy mirando los momentos con mas valor y meditacion ya. Es hermoso el cambio puedo sentir en mi corazon. Sé que estoy en la obra del Señor y ÉL me guía siempre. Sé que Argentina estará en un espacío muy importante en mi corazon. Las Famílias ha cambiado mi vida para siempre y las amo. Sé que mi Salvador esta en la misión. Sé que Él nos ama por cada sacrificío. Mi testimonío esta craciendo aun mas con el tiempo volando.

We have had many opportunities this week to help the sick and the old. Its touched my heart being in the service of them.

I never knew it was possible to love these people as much as I have come to love them. Its in the little moments that we give them hope and speak light to their mind or offer service or help or comfort. Let me tell you that I have been overwhelmed by the spirit testifying that the little things make a big difference. If this is what I feel for Gods children here in Argentina I cant imagine how much

I will love my own children. A whole lot. I Also know that the love we offer and feel as imperfect mortals, cannot even come close to the comparision of an infinitely glorious and perfect love of a perfect Heavenly Father. His love is too good to be felt all at once. It must be felt in parts, here a little there a little, and we must do our part to help call that love down into our own lives.

Trusting him to open the future for us as he sees is best. In losing ourselves doing His will, is truly when we find ourselves. I have come to know this. I now know why I was called to serve 19 months and not just 18. The Prophet and god himself knew that I needed this last transfer and that I had more work to do here at this time. Its been amazing.

Thank you for your prayers. As a witness to build your testimony of prayer, I testify that we feel your prayers

You are all being heard by our Father in Heaven and these people are being blessed by your prayers!

I will be seeing you guys in 2 weeks....

keep being the missionaries the Lord needs you to be.

Until I can show you all my love in person,

I send it to you through my words.

All the way from Argentina...

Besitos!

Hermana Ashley Ann Gillum

Being grateful brings much more, of that which we can be thankful for

Im so tired. All the time. SO tired. Ive come to know its a good thing. Means we´re working hard. Theres so many great and wonderful things that have happened this week. Miracles! Hard work sure paid off. All the fasting and diligenec and submitting to Heavenly Fathers will were all helpful with increasing our goal of investigators in Sacrament meeting in church! We doubled our goal! Theres nothing better then sitting in a row full of our investigators in the church for their first few times and then seeing more and more walk in the door all dressed nice and ready to join us in their best outfits that they have. Its so cute! And they all ask... "is this shirt okay?" and I just get so happy and say yes ofcourse, the important thing is that you and your family are here where the Lord wants you to

be! We have been praying so hard for Emiliano, Family Ponce, Family Dominguez, Sergio, Lautaro! and all of the less actives too!

THANK YOU GUYS FOR PRAYING SO MUCH FOR OUR INVESTIGATORS!!!!!! WE KNOW THAT THANKS TO YOUR PRAYERS THEY ALL CAME TO CHURCH!!!!!!!! You guys are so awesome for including them in your prayers!!!! you are all great missionaries! once a missionary always a missionary!

As far as me and my companion go... HORRIBLE.... JUST KIDDING! She is the most amazing girl. I really cant sum up how blessed I feel to have her in my life but we definately bring out the best in eachother and I love her so much. We are making the most of all this.

We had an awesome Sunday! We showed all of them around the church and introduced them to all the church leaders and that made a big difference. They were all warmly welcomed. Our meeting with the ward council was the best ive seen yet. I highly believe that it was better than ever because after our day of weekly planning we decided to visit the bishop and give him our report record on all of our plans and progress and what our investigators needs are then on Saturday we went to the bishops grocery store that he owns and we did service for his family by scrubing and mopping the floor. He was very appreciative and in return he was excited to help us with our work as missionaries!!! Saturday after our service we went to see each family and followed up with them that they would come to church for sure. We called all the members to help. The Bishop during our meeting was so excited to talk about his new plans with our investigators. He is getting the ward together to help Diego with his addiction recovery and home teachers, hes getting the ward to do a service project for a family that has a tiny home in a very bad condition. He wants them to redo some of it and repaint everything for them! The two sons are scheduled to be baptized next Saturday! I wanted to cry because of all that the Bishop had helped us with! My companion and I decided we are going to fast again and pray often to show Heavenly Father how thankful we truly are for these blessings. We wont be like the 9 leppors who didnt come back and thank Christ. We are going to remember our Heavenly Father and that this mission is His, not ours. I feel his love for us each day as we work hard.

I pondered to myself and came up with a list of reasons for why we had so much more success this week and these are the things we came up with...

1- exact obedience

2- charity and love of christ

3- specific prayers

4- giving the informe de progresso (progress report) to the bishop the same day that we plan!

5- Serving the bishop and church leaders

6- contacting each investigator daily and fasting for them with humility and desire for the welfare of their souls

7- Reading Presidents weekly letters and applying them

8- Thoughtful planning and setting up the right members of the ward to accompany us.

9- visiting the leaders, teachers and members of the ward at least once a day to express our love and gratitude for what they do to fulfill their callings and feed the Lords sheep (which also excited them to do more)

10- using the Book Of Mormon to resolve all doubts, problems, sorrows and to strengthen the faith of our investigators and ourselves.

These things have brought us so much more success and we know that they were revealed to us by our Heavenly Father who desires that we always seek to do His will in His way and not our own. He desires that we seek out the answere of the HOW and WHY and WHEN and WHERE we do things so that he might teach us a higher better way of doing the work hes given us to do.

We have found more happiness in this formula. We are learning so much in this time.

We are not just teaching individuals we are teaching families together and asking that each member participate in the discussions. We say that we are "un equipo" (one team) and we cant make it to the Celestial Kingdom without a single team-player. We focus the goal on getting there as "A FAMILY" and not seperated as the world would have us be.

Sergio is progressing incredibly!!!! Hes gone from heavy metal, several piercings, all black clothes, long black hair, tough skinned, smoking drinking and violent personality traits to a SAINT!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! This kid amazes me! I knew from the moment I met him that he was special. He is slowly but surely changing alot! Yesterday he promised to completely stop smoking, drinking, and strictly promised to obey the Prophets council on the word of wisdom. He asked if we could cut his hair next week to look more professional. He says he will be taking out his piercings one by one this week! we shared the scripture of 1 corrinthians from the bible chapter 12 vs. 30 where it says: "when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." I explained that a bunch of piercings in our face is taking Gods greatest art of all and tacking it with fish hooks and worlkliness that takes away from all the beautiful understanding of our value as sons and daughters of God. He agrees that its worldly he plans to take them all out for good! im so proud of him! I know Heavenly Father is even more!

He will be baptized on next saturday with his little brother Lautaro. Please pray for them! This week we would like to visit these two kids that are not yet baptized (incomplete family) and we want to invite them to be baptized this saturday. All the rest of our baptismal dates are scheduled for the 24th of March!!!!!! one big white march! im so happy to see these families progress so much! please keep praying for them all month! they need your prayers! We will also need your prayers. The weather all month has been full of rain storms and flooding streets. But we continue working and complaining isnt even an option because this is so worth it.

I love you all so much. I cant even express how grateful I am for each of you individually but its a lot. You all make a huge impact on me and my life. Thank you for your support and love and care for us!

So mom, you telling me that I get released at 8:30 makes me wanna cry. I cant imagine coming home and finally not being a missionary anymore because ive never experienced that transition before... yet... but it will be wierd. However, I will be so glad to hug and hold all of you guys again! I know how everyone goes to do the traditional CAFE RIO lunch after they get home but When I get to the airport, the first thing we gotta do is one last temple session before im released. Then the next day we can all do something. I still think its so sad to think of be released so I just dont think about it. I just work and pretend like its never going to happen so that when it does it will just be another thing that I say... okay lets get it over with before I cry too much. haha I love and miss you guys and im excited to see you. Pray for us! remember that the attitude of GRATITUDE makes all the difference!

Bye loves

Besos,

sister gillum

MARCH "Gladness" is going to be all white

Hna. Dunn is so awesome. Love this girl. Life is good. The mission is amazing. Im just soaking the last of it up while I can. Thursday we had a conference in San Fernando with President Gulbrandsen. It was one of the most spiritual experiences of all of my mission i think. I was asked by Pres. to go up and do a practice with him in front of the zone for one of our investigators that had doubts about the Book Of Mormon. So we sat facing eachother and he looked at my eyes while he prayed in his heart to know what I needed in that moment and then he asked me inspired questions.

"(name) do you believe that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ?"

" umm... good question... im not really sure... my mom says so but im personally not sure if he did or not."

Then we read the invitation in the introduction of the book to READ, PONDER, and PRAY about it.

" so what is the promise there that you can know about Joseph Smith?"

"That he was a Prophet of God."

" Have you prayed specifically to know this?"

"Yeah by myself, but I just feel normal, I dont get an answer."

(then President tells me aside of the practice... by the way, she DOES have a testimony that its true.)

He just knew it as if God had directly told him that she does. It was so inspired.

then he said, "(name) what did Joseph Smith do to know the truth?"

"he read in the bible, went to a place to kneel and pray and ask?"

"exactly. So what must you do to know?"

"the same that he did."

(then handing me the Book Of Mormon again, he said)

"(name) the Book Of Mormon contains all of the answers we need, no matter what it is. You can know for yourself. Open the Book to any place and wherever it falls open I invite you to started reading aloud the very first verse you find."

I paused for a second wondering if he was sure that I could open it anywhere and then I did.

I had faith that I could find an answer and therefore I proceeded to do so. Miraculously the pages fell open to Alma 32 (perfect chapter for this circumstance) and Then I looked at him feeling that the savior was standing by me. Then he invited me to read aloud the very first scripture I found in front of me. I just began reading in the middle of the page and I couldnt believe the spirit that I felt so powerfully. The words I read are found in Alma 32: 35-36. If you guys want to know what it says.. its a good scripture study that you can do personally :) I could only say the first sentance.... which reads:

In castellano: "Luego, no es esto verdadero? .... os digo que SI!"

and in english: "O then, is not this real?..... I say unto you YEA because it is LIGHT. And whatsoever is light... is good..."

after only reading that sentance I paused for a long while because I was filled with emotion. tears swelled my eyes. This was an answer to not only our investigator but to MY personal prayers! It was inspired because of the moment and the way that I felt when I read it. It hit my heart and testified to me... that God hears me. That He hears all of his children and he speaks through the scriptures and through feelings in our hearts. President began to kneel. He invited me to pray to my Father and ask if the Book of Mormon is really true. As I knelt and prayed.... I was filled with emotion of peace. I was filled with the sure answer of "OFCOURSE it is.... my dear daughter you know very well.... THAT IT IS the truth and the light!" I felt with all of my heart that the room was completely filled with giant protecting angels. Guarding the missionaries and the sacred records of the scriptures that they held in their hands. I felt as if the very humble presence of Joseph Smith himself was standing near me with in his humble way of testifying of truth without even having to speak any words at all. I opened my eyes and Presidents eyes were filled with tears. I felt as if President could feel the same in the room. Presidents spirit connected with my spirit WITH the Doctrine of Christ... and when we make ourselves instruments to connect with someones spirit WITH the DOCTRINE... that person becomes moved, enlightened, filled with peace and with the desire to align their lives with Christs teachings. I learned so much in that pracitice with our humble President that Ill never forget the way I felt or the answer I recieved and it will be something I teach all of my children to search and find for themselves.

Friday - was a bit rough. Didnt go how we planned but it was still miraculous. Zuni and her family cooked us the most tasty asado Ive ever had in my mission and I really dont like meat usually but this was fancy stuff! Ill never forget it because it was amazing! We have had to drop a few investigators that we have been working with forever because they just hit a brick wall and we cant get past it. They flat out told us that they know this is the right way to go but they dont want to live righteously yet. They told us that they dont want to talk to God and do what he wants them to do (even though his will is always better for us then our will) so that was way hard for us but we moved on to those ready to progress. We have a lot of back up plans when things fall through so we decided to go to a less active incomplete familys house and we found the kids playing outside. One named jasmin so we were like "JASMIN Hiiiiiiiiiiii" (Nijeli... its just a joke from the district movies we always have to watch) anyway we went inside and found out that the grandma is the only member and we asked all of the family if they wanted to be baptized if they recieved an answer from God that its true. We put 4 fechas with the older kids and the parents are planning to talk about marriage and baptism after! So we have 9 baptisms planned for March 24th.... At home I used to LOVE march madness but right now... im LOVING so much more that we are going to be having a very white March! Please pray for all of them to come to church each Sunday and be baptized on this day! Pray for Emiliano, Jessi, Family Ponce, Family Dominguez, and Luciana!!!!!!!!!

This last Sunday a member thats been helping us walked in with one of our toughest investigators and let me tell you it was a miracle because he is pretty gothic and told me he would never even be caught dead in a white shirt... but lo and behold there he was long ponytail and all with his nice pants and white shirt!!!! He participated in all of the classes and it was a miracle!!! Jessi´s dad was also able to give a blessing which means... hes able to baptize her now I think.. but we will have to ask the bishop. And Emiliano who is usually later came bright and early to be there with a smile! it was awesome! I love seeing my investigators happy and prepared! All in all we are working our heads off and praying like crazy to follow the spirit. We are being exactly obedient and bringing out the best in eachother and in our companionship and its been so good for the work we are doing. My companion is great at teaching so its good to have the both of us on the same page and with the same fire to help these people. We are super focused on our investigators that we talk about Them all day and how we can help them. This is the BEST LAST transfer I could ever ask for!

Now we are going to play volleyball and futból with our ward and our district so I gotta go but I love you guys!

QUE LOCO...Ill see you in 5 weeks... crazy crazy... pray for us ... love you all chao!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxox besos

love hermana ashley gillum