WEEK 34: I think this week I may have had way too much fun........

PREP DAY NATURE WALK:  We decided to go to Joplin to spend time with Sister Tillotson on her last preparation day before leaving the mission and heading home to Utah.   

We went on a nature walk at a Wild life cat park with a bunch of hiking and walking trails.. As we get out and leave the car we see these dark clouds rolling in and we all look at each other and think  " Ah we will be fine, let's keep going".   As we continue on, the temp dropped and a cool breeze came in. It just starts to POUR down Big Drops of rain and we got so wet and just played in the rain and laughed and ruined our clothes with dirt.  We all made flower crowns out of wild flowers and just spent lots of time with each other. I miss her but I'll see all these close friends I've made here in the mission when i get home. I love the Rain! 

Bridge experience in sketchy El Darado: 

THIS WAS THE CREEPIEST EXPERIENCE! We went to a little town that has high crime and brought one of our investigators Allie with us to teach another Investigator. We watched a movie about the godhead.. (yes it was Approved everyone).   We also made pizza and talked a lot about the Book of Mormon as Allie has been asking questions about the Church lately. We got done with our evening and had to head home.. El Dorado is a creepy and bad place and we have to be careful there due to the KKK.. I took a wrong turn and ended up getting lost in the Pitch dark and was freaking out inside.. i said a silent prayer to please protect us. We headed down this road and something felt off.   I saw this old wooden bridge and started to drive a crossed it. i hear the Spirit immediately  warm me of danger. Something was on the other side of that bridge waiting for us. Allie is yelling " GET OFF THE BRIDGE" i know where we are and something bad has happened here. I throw the car in Reverse and start backing up. Now i haven't felt this kind of warning from the Spirit in a while but it made me so sick i almost threw up. I am very sensitive with energy and listening to the Prompting of the Spirit. I am grateful for that silent prayer being heard and for the guidance of the still small voice this week, especially being in this area of my mission. lots of crazy things happen. It's like serving in a 3rd world country. Very humbling

This is a humbling place:  As i come up on serving my 9 months. I have only been in the outside small towns with lots of poverty, and drugs and homeless people. Living situations are different than the way i was brought up and my heart just breaks to see how even in the states we even have poverty. I have seen broken families, children starving and many other things i wish others to not experience. My experience these passed few months have been life changing and i know that my personality is able to change lives out here in the Boonies and we are seeing it happen here in my area. I love the country and those i have surrounding me in my life here. Also my amazing family back home that have helped me become who i am today. I'm blessed and i thank Heavenly Father for the family and the life and talents i have. Without him, His work would not got forward. You need Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and the Spirit to be your constant Guiding, comfort, Healing, Companion in our lives.

Ward Ice Cream Social/ skate park/ walk with Tina and Kaden, crystal, kallie:

I LOVE THIS FAMILY. We had 14 investigators come to the ward ice cream social this week. Out of the 38 we invited, 14 came.  We walked a few home and also picked up more people as we walked 4 miles that night. We played at the skate park in our dresses and Sister Anderson and i are now Experts at riding the Ramps. We took pictures and taught a lesson and just enjoyed the evening with Tina and her grand kids, and daughter. We also walked Jim home and he was telling us how he knows this church is true.. WE SET ANOTHER baptism date for Jim. Walks in the Country are my favorite, while the sun in going down. They sunsets here run forever and never end.. cause everything is flat.

 

Physc ward ROUND 2! This is always an experience.. but we help everyone we can and this evening was where the lord wanted us to be. We have been here before and had a fun experience with the people inside.. i was a little scared to go back. All you can do it love those around you.

HAY BALE TAG: AHHHHHHHHHHH this was so fun.. You know i've become a country girl when im running around on Hay bales and screaming, playing tag. My companion always makes fun of me for being a City girl.. im trying to be country.. But the city is just who i am, who am i kidding. I went to go make a big jump and my skirt got caught and i Body Slammed the Hay bale and i got the wind knocked out of me. I just laid there while everyone just laughed so hard. Its always a good time with me... i just goof around and love to have fun. Don't worry i'm working hard everyday and i also play too. Gotta enjoy these months that i have. TIME IS FLYING, half way now.

Going to the temple with Becky on the 7th of July 

WE are going to do baptisms with Becky who just got baptized June 9th. It will be her first time and i'm happy i get to be here for this time in her life. She is radiating with Light and happiness because of the Gospel.

3 Baptism dates set for JULY! 

July is going to be crazy. We have Becky's temple trip on the 7th of July, then July 14th we have Scott's Baptism, On July 21st we have jims baptism, And July 29th we have Benjamin's Baptism. We are starting to plan for August and are praying daily for miracle and for the help of the Savior to lead and guide our every step. To soften the Hearts and to Prepare and Help us change lives around us. We will be setting a date with Tina, Kaden, crystal,Katie for August as they call have talked to us about getting baptized. We are thinking to do the First week in august to keep the work going forward. 

AMAZING THINGS are happening here. I'm so happy to have a companion who loves to just work work work.. an Idaho girls who knows whats up but we also have so much fun.  Sister Anderson has learned how to have fun with me but balance it with hard work and finding. She's grown so much and it will be amazing to see what we can accomplish in the next  6 weeks together.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!! have and amazing week 

LOVE- Sister B Gilmour xoxo❤❤

WEEK 33: Fun in the sun and humidity of Missouri

This week was AWESOME. 

We went to the temple last Wednesday and the was the Highlight to my week. The Kansas City Missouri Temple is Beautiful. I was able to do sealing for a family of 10, that was an amazing time for the family that was being sealed together for time and all eternity. ( My Dad was in town the same day for business and was only 20 mins from where I was.  I know it was killing him to not come see me but it would've been too hard for both of us).  

Family history has been a big part of my missionary life lately. I love the temple and the Personal revelation i am able to receive in the temple. I'm so thankful for the time i was able to spend in the Lords' house.  The temple is my happy place and will forever be apart of my life.

TRANSFERS came, I am staying another 6 weeks here in Nevada  MO and get to stay with Sister Anderson. This will be my 4th transfer in Fort Scott and my 3rd in Nevada. We set another Baptism date for July 29th for an investigator named Ben, We have Scott's coming up on July 14th. ​​Nevada is growing so much, along with Fort Scott KS and good things are happening. I was hoping to stay but also understood if i left that the Lord needed me to go to another area. 

Some funny things happened this week. Lately i've been really loving all the wild flowers that are here in the South and the Country.. SO in the middle of the Highway i parked the car and ran across the field of ticks and i'm sure other bugs to grab a flower that i wanted.. I got stung by a bee for that beautiful flower. I have a lot of them now in my journal that i am drying and will make something out of them. 🐝

Another funny story. We got lost on the dirt roads and our phones died.  We were in the dark in the middle of no where.  We were trying to get home but i took the wrong turn and was so afraid. I may be 22 but i am afraid of the dark and being in the middle of now where with crazy people hiding in the bushes.. well that's what i think. As i said a prayer i opened my eyes and a man was standing in front of our car and i look at Sister Anderson and i said " Check and lock the doors" he is NOT GETTING IN. I don't know what he was doing but he must have been lost too. I just cracked the window a little so he could here me yell.. STEP AWAY FROM THE CAR. I think he was on some kind of drug.. but i saw my life flash before my eyes and threw the car into reverse. I looked at Sister Anderson and said " Only in the boonies does this happen". We both just laugh about it now but in the moment i think we both panicked and my heart was afraid. I know that we were being protected and that there was only one man not multiple. It's funny now but it wasn't when it was happening.

We met a lady who is from Thailand the other day. We are now teaching her about the Gospel and has been helping us make food from all around the world. She is the Most giving person I've ever met. She loves God. That is one thing i love about serving out here is that everyone loves God and they all have strong relationships with him. I love how they aren't afraid to talk about there beliefs and they want to do everything they can to be 'saved and be with the Savior again. 

We were walking in Fort Scott the other day and Met a lady on the side of the road as we were walking the streets. She's recovering and is looking to let God into her life because she knows through him anything is possible. I have seen so many amazing people find there way with God and it makes everything worthwhile being away from my family and Career. I love being a missionary because i can see the Light come into the darkness surrounding them and change their life. The Book of Mormon is true and its a tool to protect us from the darkness. 

Every hard, exhausting day is worth the person that the Lord needs me to find and bring back into his fold. Everyone matters, and we must help Gather Israel. 

I love you all, Have an amazing week! 

Love Sister B Gilmour

WEEK 32: HEY HEY HEY! this week was so much fun and we had some amazing things happened.

HEY HEY HEY! this week was so much fun and we had some amazing things happen. 

BECKY GOT BAPTIZED and we went to a fun carnival with her and another investigator that we are teaching. That was a long day but a very happy and well worth all the aches and pain.

It's been crazy.

I know short email but I'll send some pictures and I love you all. 

I'm happy to be here and I know this church is true.

WEEK 31: Stand Out and Be Different, let your light shine.

WOW can i just say that the Devotional Sunday night given to the youth was AMAZING! 

President and Sister Nelson are amazing and I love the Words and Guidance they gave us to Stand Up and Be Different as members of the Church. 

If you haven't watched it, it applys to not just the youth but the Entire world and Members of the Church. Here are some things that the Spirit helped me see as i listened to there words. ☀

Temple and Family History: Since being on my mission I've been pulled towards helping my ancestors that have that chance and opportunity to get eternal happiness and Joy. There are a lot of People here on this earth that have not had the opportunity to accept this Gospel on this earth, or the Promises and covenants we are able to make through Baptism and Eternal Marriage. My Testimony of this is true and i know as I/we share it with others we can help build and gather every one of Gods Children.  

Social Media: Yes i have 'missionary' social media access but I only spend 20 minutes on it ever other day.  I have seen as i am serving the Lord and aligning my will with his that Social media can be used in good ways.. but a lot of the time, it is degrading to our Personal Self worth.

Knowing my worth as a Daughter of God, I am able to know what he has in store for us as his Strong, Beautiful Children whom he loves Dearly.  We often see the things that others want us to see and Satan comes in to make us feel like our Personal life and Achievements just aren't good enough.. BUT YOU ARE and the things that you are accomplishing are outstanding to our Father in Heaven. 

You are loved and we all have a Part in the Gathering of Israel.  At the end of the day the only Opinion that matters is our loving Heavenly Fathers and his son Jesus Christ's. 

One last thing on the Devotional: 

• Would you like to be apart of this Great work? 
• What are you going to sacrifice in your life to contribute to His work?  Everything we've been given, isn't ours, it's His.

This week has been filled with amazing experiences, filled with and guided my spiritual experiences. 

Yesterday was Fast Sunday and Becky is Being baptized this Saturday at 1.  She looked at me yesterday and said" Sister Gilmour i want to bear my testimony, because i know this church is true, can you come up with me?" I looked at her and said "of course" As i walked up with her, my heart was saying a silent prayer. I sat down behind her as she stood for the First time and Bore her testimony, as my eyes filled with tears and the spirit whispers in my ear. Brooklyn, we are all so proud of you, you've done what the Lord has asked of you. She knows this church is true and its changes her life just in 7 weeks. There is a light and happiness that has come into her life of truth about the Gospel and right now is her time. I know that Heavenly Father placed me randomly in Walmart that day, as i met Becky 7 weeks ago. As i opened my mouth with a simple " i love your hair" that was a phrase that i will never forget as the next day we met with her and she felt that love in her heart of the truth of the Gospel.  

It's amazing, Gods timing is perfect, we are his mouth piece to lead and guide his children to the truth.

Many other experiences happened this week that i needed and i can testify that this Church is true and THIS IS THE TIME for us to change our lives if we are not aligned with his plan for us. 

Pray morning and night, study your scriptures daily, and stop comparing yourself to others, because you are perfect in the eyes of Heavenly Father. 

I love you all have an amazing week, Let your light so shine.

 ❤Sister B Gilmour