In His Vineyard: Happy Father's Day!

What a great, tough, and rewarding week it has been!! Thank you all for the wonderful emails, packages, and letters telling me happy birthday! It truly made my day to be able to see that there are people who remember! ;) I know that all of you care and I care for you too! I am beyond excited to be able to serve for the whole year I am 20, and then some! I can give this whole year to the Lord and I am so grateful to be able to do that! Not a lot of people get to do that.

Well, let me tell ya, this week has been a growing week. It has stretched me mentally, emotionally, and of course spiritually. I can see the Savior more in my life and it is incredible to be able to see all the things He has done for all of us. If you ever want to be able to see the Lord more clearly, I would recommend getting on your knees and praying. Ask for forgiveness of all your weaknesses. If we think about it, weakness is a gift to us! We may not want to see it (for me, I don't like seeing it as a gift), but it is a gift to help humble us (reference Ether 12:27). When we are willing to be want to change, God will see that. And He will do everything He can to help us grow. There is a wonderful story given by one amazing apostle we have, Elder Christofferson. When you don't want to change, God will help you to change. This is how the story goes:

He told of purchasing a rundown farm in Canada many years ago. As he went about cleaning up and repairing his property, he came across a currant bush that had grown over six feet (1.8m) high and it was yielding no berries, so he pruned it back drastically, leaving only small stumps. Then he saw a drop like a tear on top of each of these little stumps, as if the currant bush were crying, and thought he heard it say: "How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth...And now you have cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me...How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here."

President Brown replied, "Look little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn't intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, 'Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down."

Later in the story, President Brown is denied a huge position for the Army because of being a Mormon. He questioned God and asked him why would he do this? Then he thought of the currant bush. I love this story, I feel like this is relating to everyone on earth today, especially those who are going through so much trial. I know that God will make us into the beautiful currant bush He wants us to be.

Kourtney, baptized by her husband....IT WAS AMAZING!!

This week we also had our investigator BAPTIZED!!! Kourtney was baptized Saturday and BOY OH BOY!!! Isn't she just glowing?!?!? I am so excited for her and she is going to bring such happiness to the lives of everyone around her. She was confirmed the Holy Ghost that next day, and I just felt the Spirit so strong! I am so grateful for her and for the Spirit! It can truly touch the lives of so many around us if we have the heart and the mind to be open to the things we can learn. I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Love from your favorite missionary,

Sister Guilott