Monday, November 7, 2016

Seven Months Out

No pictures today so mom got to include a favorite!  :) 
Hello Wonderful World!!

I can't believe I hit my 7 months out on my mission this past week. WOW! I look back to where I was before and looking at myself now and I can see so much change and that is all due to my Heavenly Father and how He has helped me see my true potential as His daughter. I am seriously so grateful to have has the opportunity to come out on a mission. I see all the wonderful people around me and I just feel so much joy. I know if I would have been home, I would not have gotten this far or changed (for the good) so much. I know and feel my Saviors love.

This week was a week full of wonderful member present lessons. Our investigators are progressing slowly yet surely. I am so grateful for them, and they make me learn the attribute of patience and listening with my heart, mind and ears. We had a lesson with one of our investigators this week, and we were learning about the Plan of Salvation. Our investigator would say many funny comments, but at the end of the lesson, he knew that it was true. Just learning about the Plan of Salvation is really neat, because so many people have the questions of "where did I come from?" and "why am I here?" and "where am I going after this life?" And when you teach someone who learns this for the first time, it is SO EXCITING. They feel hope in their lives and they are able to understand their purpose and potential in this life and the next life to come.

I was able to go on exchanges this past week! I went to Spanish work AGAIN!! I don't know why I always get to go Spanish, but I seriously LOVE IT!!!!!! We had so many neat experiences! I was able to pray in Spanish  without ANY NOTES!! I felt so proud. And I also got to read in espanol and didn't do too bad! And there was such a neat experience I was able to have while I was on exchanges. We were teaching a family (and at the time I did not know they were all investigators; Hermana didn't tell me so I thought they were members with maybe one investigator.) They asked me to pray and read and I was very willing and open to try. I was terrified but I knew that God would help me. And He did.  (After all, I thought they were members)  During the lesson, everyone was reading in Spanish and I just felt the spirit so strong. It was so neat to not be completely understanding it, BUT I knew it was true by the spirirt. So after my companion spoke, I asked her if I could say something. She translated and I just shared how I know everything that was being said was true from the Holy Ghost. The family stopped and stared. They started to ask us about the gospel and about missionary work. Then the mom looked at me. And asked me why I came on a mission. I then bore my testimony on everything. And I have never felt the spirit so strong in my life. I cried and spoke as much spanish as I could and they all cried. They all committed to go to church. That was seriously such a neat moment that I am going to treasure for the rest of my life. 

Want to hear one crazy experience we had this week? I won't say names... But I think I had the craziest lesson of my mission this past week: We met with one of our investigators who is progressing and is very interested. He always has many questions and he gets deep into the doctrines of theBible and the Book of Mormon. We had a lesson before with him, and the doctrines he was asking about were so complex that we needed help. Also because he was getting through the Book of Mormon so quickly! So we (Sister Bell and I) prayed about who could join us in the lesson as a member present. We got the prompting to bring our Stake President (who happens to be in our ward and always offers) to come! We knew he was so busy but we felt he was the one to ask, so we did and he was excited to come!  He is a very inspired man who has a broad knowledge of the gospel. So we knew itt was going to be perfect. That day, we were praying before we went into the lesson. And there was a strange feeling that came over me. I knew that something was going to happen. So we knocked on our investigator's door, he opened up the door quickly. The times we have been there before, he was kind and open. This time, he was very scattered minded and not in the right mindset. We all sit down and our investigator quickly get out his notes and was very frustrated. We continued to pray and read with him,  but he just kept going off on a Bible bash. Instead of reading the Book of Mormon, he was "tearing" it apart and trying to prove it false. Thankfully, our Stake President was able to be patient and gave some knowledgeable answers.  I was so glad he was there with us. Our investigator did not like these answers at all. He stared to stand up and shout. We all were silent. Until I felt the spirit prompt me to say something.... So I said in a kind voice:"We are here to not take away anything you know. We are here to bring you the good news of the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We know as you pray, you can receive an answer." He calmed down, he said a prayer saying that our church was full of lies and to help us to see that we needed to be humbled. Then we left. There was a scary spirit of contention in that home. Right after leaving his home, the spirit came back. Boy. CRAZY. But I am glad that happened. It made me realize how lost some people are and they are not willing to change or have a open heart. Lesson learned.  And how thankful I was that Sister Bell and I had not gone there alone, but had followed the Spirit to take along our wonderful Stake President.  

All I can say now is that I know that I have gotten my own confirmation that this gospel is true. That the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the church on this earth with all the complete truth. I know that the Holy Ghost will come to us and help us know the things we are in need of knowing. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and he was the one to restore the church back on the earth today. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and if anyone reads from it and ponders it in their hearts that they will know it as well. I know that Jesus Christ lives.

Have a wonderful week everyone! I love you all!! Sorry, no pictures this week... BUT I will get some next week!

Love, Sister Guilott

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