Turlock, California - TRANSFERRED!

 We are surrounded here by thousands of acres of almonds, walnuts, pistachios, peaches, apricot trees!
They will soon all be blooming.  I can't wait.  So beautiful! 

OKAY! OH BOY!  DO I HAVE A WEEK TO TELL YOU ABOUT!!! 

It all started with a call from our President on Tuesday telling us that one of the sister's had gotten their visa to Jamaica and that we will be housing the other sister for a week. It happened to be my last companion Sister Bell. WHAT!? I was super excited. But, here was the catch. We were now over TWO AREAS: The whole stake we are currently serving in, AND the last area I was serving in. IT WAS THE CRAZIEST WEEK OF MY LIFE. BUT IT WAS SUPER NEAT! 

As we served in my old area, Sister Bell took us to a man who she has been teaching, and he is getting SO close to being baptized. AND GUESS WHAT!?!?!? FLASH BACK to two months ago when I was serving with Sister Bell and we were biking around and all of our appointments fell through. I had the prompting to knock on a very specific door. It was sooooo out of the blue to just stop for one door in our daily routine. I told Sister Bell: "Hey. we are going to knock on that door!" She was very confused, but she said okay and went with me. We went up to the door and knocked and a man answered, and then I very awkward;y for some reason forgot what to say for a moment.  Finally I said, "Hi! We are the missionaries!" We then started talking about God, and he was interested! We gave him a Book of Mormon and after we tried many times after to see him. He was busy with family life. OKAY! BACK TO NOW. The man that Sister Bell is helping teach and is going to be baptized IS THE MAN THAT WE HAD THE PROMPTING TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR. OH MY GOODNESS. GOD IS REAL. GOD is so nice! He allowed me to be able to see his progress and growth and be able to have a closer relationship with Him and His son, Jesus Christ. God is a gracious God, I totally believe that. Yes, this week has been a crazy week going back and forth. But God was able to show me that the work is still hastening, wherever you are. And we have to opportunity as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints to be able to help others feel joy from living the Gospel of Jesus Christ AND by helping families be together for all time and all eternity. 

To finish off this transfer, I got my transfer call. I will be going to Turlock with the lovely Sister Anderson. We will be serving as Sister Training Leaders together. I have only heard the best things about her. Sister Webb will be staying in YSA ward and be with one of my old companions, Sister Judd. They are going to HAVE A BLAST. I have learned that God is going to make me uncomfortable by helping me go through so many experiences and so much change. BUT THAT MEANS GOD LOVES ME! :) And for those who know me... I DON'T LIKE CHANGE. But I am getting better at accepting it. And learning to accept change and to grow.

I hope you all have a wonderful week, and I will be praying for all of you. I LOVE YOU!

LOVE, Sister Guilott

February 6th

On an exchange with Sister Penman: She is a doll! 

IT'S FEBRUARY!! Already?!? This week was actually.... okay. It has been a really slow week. In all honesty, it was a  difficult week. Our only investigator, who was going to get baptized this week, dropped us. He decided to go to a different church. Let me tell ya, life on the mission gets pretty hard when the people you love decided to use their free agency poorly. We have been praying for him and hope all goes well with him. 

This week I went on exchanges with a sweet visa waiter! Sister P was a doll!! We actually were back in my old area.... WEIRD!! So much has changed, and I only left there a month ago. We had fun experiences. For example, we were knocking doors when we saw some sweet ladies talking at the door we were going to. It was the Jehovah Witnesses, and I admire them for sharing their message but they  often turn to bible bashing. So I tried to hurry away when the Sweet Sister P shouted HELLO to them. They came over, and we had a good conversation from them. :) They shared their beliefs and we shared ours. All I can say is that I am grateful for the gospel. I am grateful for the plan of salvation and how everyone can be saved at the end, only by our choice to follow Christ and being baptized by proper authority. It is true. I know it is. Another experience which was really neat was when we were looking through the area book and we found a woman who had not been seen for years. We decided to try  and visit her. We went over and her first words were:"Oh my gosh. I have been praying for you and you are an answer to my prayers! COME IN NOW!" and she let us in. She was so sweet, she told us how she has felt so guilty from the past and wants to change. We taught her the process of repentance and the Atonement of Christ. She was in tears and now Sister P has a new investigator who wants to be baptized! It was a great exchange. I was thinking that even though my area is not going so good, I know that the areas around me are having success. But all we can do is continue to press forward  and we are working REALLY hard and I know that missionary work is amazing. It's tough, but amazing. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week!!! If  you are having a hard time, go read D&C 18:10. I LOVE YOU ALL. And thank you for reading this blog. I hope you can get something out of it, because I pray for someone to get something out of it every time I write. I love you all!

Sister Guilott

A gift from a member in my old ward!  How sweet!

California sky this morning!

Changes in Missionary Schedule Announced

After the broadcast! It was my 9 month mark, my companions year mark, and a day of CHANGE :)

HELLO WORLD! HAPPY HUMP DAY TO ME!!! And we celebrated it the best way possible! On January 25th, on a Wednesday. We had a Worldwide Broadcast from the Brethren in the church. They talked to us missionaries about missionary work and how to better improve the work so we can help more people learn about the truth on earth today and bless their lives. And the craziest thing happened: we got a new schedule change! So I can now say that for 1/2 of my mission I lived one schedule and now will I live another. Here are the two schedules:

This is the first one, the one we use to live by:

 Now! Here is the new one! IT IS A BIG CHANGE!!(well... that is what I think)

But I know that God has a huge trust in missionaries now. The schedule is more relaxed (my opinion) and it reminds me of when I was at college. It gives us the opportunity to really choose for ourselves when to do things. AND we get extra sleep if it is needed. AND IT IS NEEDED. :) But a lot of missionaries either love or hate this new adjustment. I think of this adjustment as keeping the commandments. We have commandments that we may not like, but we have to trust the prophets that got revelation that these things are here to help us to learn and to grow. And to be able to show to God that we can be obedient. SO I SUPPORT THIS CHANGE, even though is it tough. I know that it is for our benefit as missionaries. 

Well, that was the biggest news we had this week. There was a lot of sunshine this past week here, which is a good thing and a bad thing. I love the sun, so it was good to finally see that. But a bad thing because California is in a HUGE drought, so we need the rain to come back! I am praying for rain. :) Even though it is a pain to bike in, we need to help this beautiful area. 

Honestly, it has been a tough week. But I am trying as hard as I can to find and help people. It is great! And with the truth that we have, everyone needs to hear it! I was actually in church yesterday and they shared this video, I invite all of you to watch it! It is really neat and it puts in perspective of what happens when we align our will to God's, even when we are in the hard times in our lives. 

Here is the link: 

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-003-mountains-to-climb?lang=eng#d

Watch it, it could help you like it helped me. 

I love you all so much and hope you have a wonderful week!

Love, 

Sister Guilott

January Miracles

Good afternoon everyone whom I love and adore! This is Sister Guilott reporting from California, serving in the wonderful YSA ward.

This week was a crazy week. But it was very rewarding. This week we had many crazy storms here that seemed like we were in a hurricane! But those don't happen here. But many floods and hydroplaning on a bike it fun... dangerous... but fun! I thought that when I got called here to Modesto California that there would be a lot of sun... NOPE. Just a lot of crazy weather. What else happened this week was I was able to go on two exchanges! I stayed in one with Sister M, and I went to someone's area with Sister A. Both areas were GOLDEN and these sisters are fantastic. I feel like I am the one learning and I am experiencing SO MANY MIRACLES. I am grateful to have the opportunity to see these things happen.

The Group: Me, Ripon sisters, Sister WEBB.  Don't we look super cool. We drive the ONLY white car in the mission. Besides president and his wife. YUP.

One fun experience was we went to someone's house and no joke the whole house was Star Wars themed. Like black walls, rounded door ways to make you feel like you are in a space ship... MANY FIGURINES. The husband even came in in his jedi costume... He knows George Lucas and knows all the things that are going on with him. It was very exciting and we got a gospel lesson out of Star Wars. 

Another neat experience happened when a Sister came to my area: we saw this cute girl who had not gone to church for months. And because this sister got a long with her so well, SHE CAME TO CHURCH and made many friends. YES. That is the magic from going on exchanges. It can be overwhelming, but it gives me an excuse to keep my apartment extra clean and gives me the practice driving on the highways. I am so grateful. 

Our investigator is super excited to get baptized. He wants to go to the temple already and is planning all these things. HE IS ON A SPIRITUAL HIGH, and I LOVE IT. I honestly am jealous of converts, since they had the opportunity to learn from the missionaries and grow a strong testimony. I have to admit that I have lived a very long time on my parents testimony. So being out here, my testimony has grown very strong. I am just so grateful. I hope you all have a wonderful week and remember that God loves you and gives you trials because He knows you and wants you to grow. 

LOVE YOU ALL!! 

Sister Guilott

I got a super cute necklace.. trying to model with it. FAILED. :D Thanks Nicole!

THERE IS THE GHIRARDELLI FACTORY HERE. WE WERE IN HEAVEN.
My stomach wasn't afterwards... I only ate like 1/3rd of it too. Silly stomach. 

 

Driving, Exchanges and Miracles

Our car.: we strap our bikes on the back to go to the different places we need to work.  I am learning to drive
California freeways. . . .Miracles happen on missions!!!

HELLO WORLD!! 

Oh boy, how grateful I am for all of you that are still reading this blog! Just know I specifically say while praying: "bless all of those wonderful people reading my blog... Because I don't know how they still keep reading it. But thank you!" So thank you all, I love you.

Okay... I am almost at my 1/2 mark AND I AM FREAKING OUT!! I LOVE IT HERE! I DON'T WANT TO GO HOME! THIS IS MY HOME!! So... I will not think about it. I am just going to "forget myself and go to work" :)

This week I was able to go on my first exchange! I got to go to Modesto again! (I miss it!) and serve with Sisters that were in my last zone! I got to be with the wonderful Sister B (changed the name for confidentiality) ! BOY SHE IS A POWERHOUSE!! 

I love the sisters I get to work with!

We got to find so many people, and had sooooo many miracles happen! We got to teach one of their investigators for the first time (she got interested by watching "Meet the Mormons" OH YEAHHHH!!). The investigator had many questions, but the Spirit was there and she was able to commit to baptism!! HOORAY!! Sister B was amazing at discerning her needs and was on a roll. Then the next day we were biking, trying to contact as many people as we could and this woman came up to us saying: "Hey! I have been to your church a couple of times and I want to be baptized! Can you help me?" .... MIRACLES PEOPLE, MIRACLES!! God is GOOD. So that was the best. I am so grateful for wonderful missionaries like Sister B, they make the work get going! This upcoming week, I will be doing two exchanges. So I will let you know how those go. 

Sister Webb and I: She is AMAZING!

Back in my own area, Sister Webb and I had many lessons with our investigator Zach. HE IS SO PREPARED BY THE LORD, IT IS AMAZING. He was learning about the Word of Wisdom and just told us how much he loved it and it made him feel something good inside.... SPIRIT! :D Then we invited him to church and because of the WONDERFUL members there... He has been fellowshipped and he wants to come to church every week and wants to go to the temple. OKAY. Yeah. He is planning on being baptized soon. :) But he is still praying about that. But I am just SO grateful to be able to be apart of the conversion process of all these wonderful people. It is really neat.

So. Yes. I hate driving. Yes. California drivers are the worst (please don't be offended, I am being honest). BUT I have been able to drive many highways this past week. And yes. Me and Sister Webb didn't die, or we didn't kill anyone. This is HUGE for me, if you don't know me... I hate driving. So God knows that I need the practice, and I am getting it all right. :)

I hope you all have a wonderful day! I love you and pray for you!

Love, 

Sister Guilott 

Our apartment: seems like a mansion after my last one.  It is so nice!

Half Way - Hump Day!

Lots of rain and flooding!  Always fun on a bike!

Good morning family and friends! 

I am so happy to be able to write to you today! I am in my new area and I am loving it!! I am serving in a YSA ward which covers five towns and it is HUGE! The members here are fantastic and they are so strong! I am very excited to be able to work here and help them to be able to see their potential. We have the BEST stake. We had stake conference this past week and it was incredible. Many people who had joined the church this past year was able to speak and hearing their testimonies helped mine grow SO MUCH! We also had one of the Seventy (a member of our church who helps with bigger areas) came and spoke. His name was Elder Clayton and HE WAS INCREDIBLE. I learned so much from him and I am so grateful he came.

Well. I started my first week as a Sister Training Leader. I should probably explain what that is. A Sister Training Leader is an assignment from the Mission President to oversee and help a number of sister missionaries. I am over 5 sets of sisters and I know a couple already, so that makes life a little bit better. I go on exchanges with them, I do an exchange once or twice a week for a totally of six each transfer and see how they are doing. I get to go teaching with them and just see if they need help. I am going to be learning SO MUCH FROM THEM. I am very honored to have this experience and I know that God has chosen amazing missionaries here for California Modesto Mission.

Well, my companion is seriously one of the most successful missionaries here. Sister Webb is INCREDIBLE. I actually got to go on exchanges with her once (she was once my sister training leader) and I was star struck the whole time. She has such an amazing testimony and she teaches so simply yet so with the spirit that you just want to listen to her the whole time. I love her very much and I am excited to see where this transfer takes us.

We have an investigator on date for January 28th and he came to church this past week. His name is Zach and he is such a GREAT kid. He is so prepared by the Lord and I knows that he is loved by Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. I am very excited to see where he goes and what the Lord has in store for him. 

I am so grateful to be here on a mission. Yes, it gets VERY HARD. But I know that God loves us. He knows what we need. And with the world today, we have to go through VERY HARD THINGS. Satan is sneaky. I hate him. And I know that I don't have to give in to the things he wants me to do that would bring me unhappiness.  SO I TELL HIM TO HIT THE ROAD!! :) And I trust God. :)

I hope you all have a wonderful day! I love you ALL!! I keep you all in my prayers!! 

Love, Sister Guilott 

New Year and a New Assignment

Hello World!!

We asked the person at the door about the fruit on this tree and he said we could pick some.  It was so HEAVY!  California GRAPEFRUIT in December!  

I have to make this email a little bit shorter because... I AM LEAVING!! I am very nervous and excited!! I love my ward here, and I am going to miss it SO MUCH. This place feels like my home and I have loved my time here as I have learned and grown as a missionary.  But time to start a new adventure.

I will be going to a magical place called Manteca. :) I will be over a Young Single Adult ward there, That will be exciting to be with young people again! It is just like college! And I am going to be with the wonderful Sister Webb! I have met her before and OH BOY! She is like a powerhouse!! I have also been called to serve as a Sister Training Leader. It will be wonderful to have the opportunity to work with other missionaries and I am humbled by the assignment.  

I have been blessed with such amazing companions. Sister Bell will be staying AND TRAINING!!! :D I am super excited for her and I know that she will be amazing. Being Sister Bell's companion has been such an amazing experience, I am going to miss her so much. But I know that she will be amazing and her new missionary will love her. 

I hope you all had a wonderful new years! Make this new year a GREAT ONE!! Since it is 2017, I am going to find 17 miracles this year. ;)  I am super excited for all the coming changes. I love you all and hope you are having a great week! 

Love, 

Sister Guilott

Sister Bell finally got one - it was bigger than our head!  

We got random cat cookies...super cute but they made our teeth black!

Us with the one and only Susie!