WEEK 16: NO PLACE LIKE HOME is what they say in Kansas right???

THIS WEEK has been crazy. 

I went from a beautiful home with wonderful people in a wonderful neighborhood to a little town in the Kansas BOONIES.   We're learning to love the long 20+ miles we walk throughout the week and being 1 hour away from our home on foot.   Our cute church building has 30 members and they are all over 70 yrs old.  I just have a lot of new grand parents and they are the cutest.  

Fort Scott is a little town.  It has lots of poverty, lots of gangs, drugs and violence.  It's a shame but it's home for a while. 

We walked really far the other day into a really scary neighborhood where there happens to be a lot of crime.  Apparently a lot of the time when violence happens no one calls because the cops get called over to that area a lot.   we've heard lots of stories about the area, not going to lie it's a bit scary.  D&C 84:88 popped into my head. It talks about angels being on your left and on your right to bear you up.  I felt the protection as we walked in the streets at night trying to get home. As scared of the dark as I may be at times and how dark the street may feel, the light and protection I can feel around me from angels, and passed on family members like my grandad makes walking every long hard step home feel safer.  As I get home I cant help but drop to my knees and thank Heavenly Father for the protection and light to guide us home. 

My fast walking skills are turning into a fat man jog.  I wake up and work hard everyday. My companion is amazed at how fast I fall asleep. 1....2...3...4...5... I'M OUT and I SNORING.   It's okay, we got her ear plugs.

Thanks Mom for the Valentines package, we love them.  

Regardless of all the scary stuff I see, this town has so much potential.  I'm so excited to see what can happen here in this town. We found 10 NEW investigators in 4 days and we are trying to build this branch up as much as we can.  I feel your love and prayers back home and thank you for supporting and helping me. 

I know that this is the only true church here on the earth, my appreciation for Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon for bringing me closer to Jesus Christ has grown since I've been on my mission.  Heavenly Father loves us so much and i want all of you to know he hears and answers your prayers. Be patient.  Hard things are possible to over come. 

I LOVE YOU ALL xoxo

Love Sister Gilmour - who is stuck in the Boonies