Monday 30 December 2013

Week 11: Week 5 in the Field: We’ve been given this time on earth not as a test, but as a TEST RUN

Hello all!! 

Christmas was great and i loved seeing you all!! You all look SO GOOD! I’m convinced I have THE prettiest sisters and family EVER! Seriously, you all look so good!!! I loved seeing you and wished I could have had longer. But before you know it, we’ll be skyping again in May and maybe that time I’ll know enough German to try and impress you ;)


Since I just saw you, I don’t have much to update you on. So I wanted to share with you something cool that Sister Smith has talked a lot about with me the last couple weeks.

“What is “perfection”?”

(A lot of these things aren’t my own, original thoughts, but they’re amazing and have made me think)

So we all have a plaque. On our plaques, we all have different things that we have accomplished and things we will accomplish. What we all need to realize is that what is on my plaque isn’t what’s on Sister Smiths plaque. We all have different things to gain. 
  • We’ve been given this time on earth not as a test, but as a TEST RUN. 
Think about it: god gives us all these rules and commandments to keep us “safe”. But safe from what? Ourselves.
  • He created this earth as a time for us to test drive our bodies so that we would know how to use them more perfectly when we are reunited with our body after resurrection and in the eternities. 
  • We have commandments and rules to show us how to let our spirits be more in control of our bodies. They aren’t rules to restrict us, but rules to show us how to be more perfect- but what is perfection? Perfection is doing all that our Father in Heaven has planned for us. 
  • We have our plaques, and we are to learn what is on our plaques… and when we do that, that is when we are perfect. 
  • We don’t have to do these things without mistakes; that’s just not possible. But we do need to find all the things he’s asked us to do. That’s why Christ was perfect.. he did all that the Father asked of him. 
I think that’s beautiful- that God doesn’t expect me to be perfect. But just find out all that is on my plaque, accomplish those things, and gain more knowledge about my spirit and myself. It’s all a gift, really. We have fasting so we can be more aware of our body. We have the word of wisdom so we don’t cloud the connection between body and spirit. It’s just really cool!! I love it. It makes me love wanting to take care of my body and study health and nutrition even more than before because it’s all very spiritual. I love it. It’s so cool to see and make connections like this. That’s why I love my companion- she makes me THINK. And it’s wonderful. 

I’ve learned a lot of really cool things so far. I wish I could share all of those things with you. I can after my mission… everyone hold on- you’re in for a lot of stories!

Mom, you asked what some of my goals are. Sister smith had me write down what I wanted to become and all the things I wanted to get/ be after my mission and in life in general. I thought I would share those things with you so you can see how I want to grow and you can watch the progress with me:

I WANT [TO BE]:
  • Outgoing
  • Someon who asks God because… why not?
  • I want to be 100% full of faith
  • Perfect German
  • Perfect grammar
  • Perfect accent
  • Selfless
  • To always be getting better
  • Talkative… and I want it to be easy and natural
  • I want the members to love me
  • Good relationships
  • Good healthy Habits
  • To be that Sister Gilmour in “That Dream” (I’ll need to tell you about that later)
  • I want new talents
  • I want passions
So there it is, mom! This is who I want Chloe to be! I hope I can become her!

The family looks amazing! I wish I could have been there to party with everyone and to tell them all I love them, but I wasn't. so pass on the message and enjoy all the time you have with them. Family is the most amazing thing I have in my life and I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!! I am so happy we have the knowledge of eternal families and that I get to share that knowledge here in Germany!!

All my love,

Sister Gilmour xx

Monday 23 December 2013

Week 10: Week 4 In The Field: Merry Christmas Eve - Eve

I  HALLO!

So I get to see you all in two days! Let's talk about how excited I am! Too excited!

Since I get to see you so soon, there's not a ton I'm too worried about telling you about cause I can do that on Wednesday! 

We love the markets :)
We're ready for anyone:)
I had a really amazing, redefining moment last night! I think I figured out how I want to be.. and how I want to become that.


We were sitting in our combined Sacrament meeting with the Germans and Americans and I just came to the most beautiful realization.... 

Everyone says that missions are for the Lord, and they are, but its also a gift to you from the Lord! Here I am, in Germany, becoming someone totally new, seeing amazing miracles every single day. And the whole time I'm just trying to become more Christlike, and He's just blessing me like crazy! And He's given me this time to completely be someone new. I don't think I'll be anyone like Chloe when I get home in 18 months. I don't even know who Chloe is.. or who Sister Gilmour is, either, for that matter. It's truly a beautiful thing.
Life is SO GOOD


I've made goals for things that I want to be when I get home. I want to be outgoing. I want to have perfect German, perfect, grammar, perfect ansprach, and I want an accent really badly. I want to have new habits, and I want to be passionate about something. I want to be a different person. The reason I want this is because I don't think I even knew who I want before my mission. So it's kind of like I'm just finding myself the first time. I don't even recognize myself when I look in the mirror. It's cool, but also very alarming.




From This

To This
Sister Smith has really taught me to ASK. Because why not?! The Lord has promised that if we ask, we shall receive. So I've asked. I've seen MIRACLES with asking the Lord for things on my mission; there's not doubt in my mind that He'll make me into something that I want, but also 100000X-times better than what I ever imagined. It's so beautiful!! It really is... I'm just floored almost every day by the miracles we see.

'Seeing' Miracles
We had another guy just literally walk up to us yesterday, say he remembers talking to us on a bahn, and he wants to talk about that book we had... WHAT IS THIS?! Sometimes I just have the biggest urge to sit on the ground and just repeatedly say "WHAT" because I'm always amazed.

I Know..We're Having Too Much Fun :):)
So Cute...Love This Place!!

I'm so excited to see everyone on Wednesday! It's going to be so so happy!! I love you all and look forward to seeing your beautiful faces!! 

Bis Mittwoch (until Wednesday),

Sister Gilmour


  







Monday 16 December 2013

Week 9: Week 3 In The Field: Miracles Happen..MESS UP STUTTGART..Big Things!!

Hello!!! 
With Friends

Loving My Mission
Life is Good
Our Apartment
 



This week has been a week of miracles.. for sure. I am still in complete awe at how in control of everything god is. We see it on an hourly basis and our “Wundern” (Miracle) calendar is filled up.
I’m going to tell you about our day yesterday, because that was one of the biggest miracles we've seen so far this week:
FIRST:
So we have this big… thing… we’re working on. There's an organization here called Gospel Forum and Sister Smith has a lot of connections to this; a lot of VERY specific things. We don’t want to tell too many people because it sounds crazy. It really is a very crazy thing, but we both know there's something there and we are determined to figure it out. So we called President Miles to get his advice of this, but he thought we were pretty crazy. So the next person to call is the stake president, President Snyder. He is… AMAZING! Everything he said was perfect. At first, you could tell he thought we were crazy, but it was really cool to watch as he started to think and how his ideas about our presented problem changed; you could literally watch him making the changes in his mind. He gave a lot of amazing advice and he shared a lot of personal ideas about how missionary work is done here in Germany. The thing that stuck out to me the most is when he spoke about other organizations. Have you ever thought about why so many churches have a lot of the same, good things we believe? President presented the idea that maybe we couldn't do it all by ourselves, so there are other religions that still allow people to feel of the spirit, so that one day, when the savior comes again, they will accept the Gospel much easier because they know a lot of the truth already. Not saying that’s an excuse to believe whatever just because you’re having a spiritual experience, just that its good they want to come closer to Christ and have a spiritual experience. It was really neat and is the focus of my personal study right now.
He also told us that we've given him a lot to think about and that we need to be the ones to “mess up Stuttgart”!! so that’s our theme: MESS UP STUTTGART! Because things really need to change, and I think we’re doing what the Lord wants.
SECOND MIRACLE OF THE DAY:
We have a less active, her non-member husband, and her less active friend who wants to become reactivated at church yesterday!! Whoo hoo!!!! (Background story) we were at an appointment the other night and Elisa, the women, started speaking to me about this woman from Brazil. I thought I understanding what she was saying o me, but I totally wasn’t. Turns out…. She has a friend from brazil who lives here in Germany and found her on face book, asked if she was Mormon, then told her she wants her 15 year old son to have the lessons and be baptized and that she wants to be reactivated… and she wants to meet with us. Okay… what?! Amazing.
THIRD:
We had an eating appointment with the elders and die Familie Brauer yesterday so that we could discuss our Familie Missions Plan. And guess what? They voiced to us their concerns about how previous missionaries were here and would only speak in English and wouldn’t try to get to know the members and they flirted with the elders. So obviously.. Sister Smith and I were not happy with that (Sisters have a bad rep in this ward. We’re slowly gaining more respect). So basically they told us everything they want in missionaries is EXACTLY what we are trying to do with them. It was awesome!! Then they invited us to Silvester (New Years Eve). We’re going to be out until 3am and we’re eating fondue until we throw up. So we’ve gained their respect…. WHAT’S UP SISTEEEERS!!
FOURTH: (they keep coming.. don’t even worry- this was ONLY yesterday…)
MARISA! She’s our Italian investigator and she speaks so little English and German, but we luckily have a lot of people in our ward that are superheroes and are translating everything for her. She said that she didn't know she was already Mormon in her heart.. . It was the cutest. She came with us to the stake Christmas concert… that was crazy amazing! The kids here don’t mess around- they were playing 15 minute Mozart pieces and they were 14 years old. Yeah. Don’t even worry. She’s just amazing. You would have to know her to fully understand.
FIFTH:
So we’re going home after our eating appointment and we’re talking to the elders. But that isn’t good missionary work, so we go talk to this sweet old lady. She was so cute and we just made her night. She got on the Bahn and left. Then there was only one other person on the Gleis… so we went to talk to her. Turns out… SHE GOES TO GOSPEL FORUM AND HER DAD IS THE HEAD PREACHER FOR STUTTGART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
·        If you aren't freaking out... Maybe I didn't explain it well enough *
HE. IS. THE HEAD. PREACHER. FOR. STUTTGART. And we just met his daughter. You really have no idea how much we were just freaking out!!!! She was so so lovely, we got her number, and I think she might be the answer to all of our prayers!!!!
So basically… this week has been exhausting. I’ve knocked my first doors (yes, I didn’t knock one door until my third week on my mission), I started 3 conversations on the Bahn in one day (that was one of my goals.. and it happened on moms birthday… HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!), and we threw our hands up and said “we don’t know what to do” and he had 2 people in one day literally just straight up ask to meet with us; we didn’t even do anything. We were just being obedient.
Miracles happen people.. They really, truly do!!
Also. Missions heal you. I have had a lot of really deep conversations about how different I’ve become. Its like suddenly, everything that mattered before my mission, doesn’t matter anymore, and that is so beautiful. I’ve come to a lot of realizations about myself and the kind of missionary/person I want to be. I’m in this limbo stage of myself where I’m not Chloe anymore, but I haven’t figured out who Sister Gilmour is, yet, either. It’s really cool that I can stand beside myself and see the changes I’m making. I love that I’m losing myself and becoming the truest form of myself; that I’m so in tune with my spirit, which is the purest form of myself.
Sorry for the length… a lot happens in a week and I want you all to know about It! Just be grateful I haven’t recorded everything that’s happened this week… you wouldn’t enjoy it.
It’s been a rough week, but we’ve seen so many miracles and I don’t even care. The good things out weigh the bad things tenfold.
We had a lovely Zone Conference and we talked a lot about family Christmas traditions. I knew I loved my family, but I have never loved people more in my entire life! You are my life and the knowledge I have that I get to spend eternity with you gives me more happiness than anything on the plant. That’s all I need J thank you so much for being the amazing sisters, parents, aunts, uncles, nanas, and everyone else that you are! I appreciate the family unit more now that I’m so far away more than ever...I’m so grateful for all the things I’m learning here!!!
I love you all! I can’t wait to Skype!! I don’t know the times yet, but I will soon. I’ll let you know next week!
Mom, I hope your birthday was amazing. That exhibit sounds so cool! Bummer that I missed it! I sent a postcard- be looking for it. Your hair looks awesome- I have a babin’ mom and a really talented 'HAIRDRESSER' sister!! Way to go, Brook!!
Tchuss! Have a good week.. I know I will
So much love,
SISTER GILMOUR xx

Tuesday 10 December 2013

Week 8: Week 2 In The Field: Doing Things Right; Daily Miracles

Wow! It’s been a wonderful week! Lots has happened!
I went on my first austausch! That’s when the Sister Training Leaders switch with the sisters in the zone and you cover their area with your comp and you with them in their area. I was with die Sister Jenks in Lahr.. it was a beautiful and quaint town! I learned a lot and I was happy it happened while I was so new. My comp got a lot out of it as well, and we got confirmation that they way we do missionary work is right and very effective. We've thought and thought, and prayed a lot about the way we do things and if it's the most effective or not.  But no, we aren't. we’re doing exactly what they want us to do. Of course, my comp has thought more about this than I have, since I've only been out 2 weeks, but I can tell that this is all happening like this so that, when its my turn to have a different comp, I will be all trained in the way Sister Smith does things. Its cool to see things turning out here. 
I've thought a lot about the kind of missionary I want to be. And sadly, I don’t have the answer, but I’m working on it. I’m getting little pieces of what and how I want to be daily, but there is still so much to learn and to become that I constantly feel like there's something missing; like I’m missing a huge thing that I should be seeing! Its so annoying! I know we’re on top of something really big, we just don’ know what yet.
We’re seeing so many miracles with the ward! Oh my gosh.. Its really incredible. We had an incredible Christmas party! I feels like they cut down half of Schwarzwald trees to decorate. The Germans KNOW Christmas…. Its really insane! We spent 8 hours decorating. It wasn't a disappointment when it was finished, that’s for sure!
We got two new investigators this week. We are working really well with Shana.  We got to go to her daughter’s piano recital on the American base. Boy was that weird.  I really like my small Europe. But it was cool to see a little slice of America for an hour or two. She’s an amazing person and I’m so glad we've got to become so close with her. Wow… talk about a miracle.
So much has happened and I've come to understand a lot, but sadly there just isn't the time to tell you all that I've come to know. But just know that I KNOW I’m here for a reason. I've got something to learn and its going to be hard, but its going to be great. If we sit and listen, we will receive the answers we spend so much time looking for. I know that life is hard, I know… I’m a missionary, but I also know that if I’m doing all that I need to be doing and I wake up tomorrow having no idea what to do, but a heart full of faith, I’ll go where I need to go. I really have no idea what I’m doing here. I still can’t speak the language!  But I’m just doing it… hoping it's what I need to be doing, knowing I’ll be blessed for it down the road. It's so comforting to know that someone is in charge of this… its so nice to know I can pray for comfort or for help at any time and that I’ll receive help. Really… this is all so incredible. I wish I could explain all the miracles I see daily. Just know that I’m happy, I’m loving it, it’s hard, and its cold ;) but it’s all good J
I love you all and I’ll speak with you in a few weeks!!!
MWAH!
Sister Gilmour xx

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Week 7: Happy, Happy, Happy - Stuttgart, Germany with Sister Smith from Orem, UT

It is so great here in Stuttgart! Everything is so so good! The people, the wards, my COMPANION!! She is so wonderful! She is a total answer to my prayers and she is so much like me. 
We work so so well together and I learn so much from her daily.  She is 100% obedient to everything and let me tell you… it is so refreshing. I love it. We are definitely being so blessed for it, too. We have had so many miracles come to us in the past few days and I know its through the diligence and obedience that we show to our Heavenly Father. It really is so amazing to see how there is a bigger picture behind all that we do.. I am so grateful for all the rules we have.
Oh yeah.. my companions name is Sister (Eve) Smith J J she really is so good. She and I are going to be really good friends- I can already tell. She’s 20 and she’s from Orem..

 GO UTAHNS! (Everyone here is from Utah. I know so many people its ridiculous).
 Okay.
So here are the way things have been… minus a lot because we’re really busy and always have somewhere to be and something to do. So I’ll give you the rundown of the majors:
I arrived in Munich on Wednesday after waiting for hours and hours for our plane. Turns out we were never actually booked on a flight. So that was bad. They almost sent us back to the MTC, but I think they knew none of us would actually go back. We got a flight, and then had to wait 5 more hours because it was delayed 2 hours- MEINE GUTE! It was a crazy day. We arrived 8 hours late in Munich, and then they took our things, and sent us on a bahn! We got to contact and guess what? It was the most incredible feeling. Sister Smith and I worked together with this lady that we asked to help us with our German. We ended up practicing our message with her and we read Heleman 10:5 (I think). She didn't quite understand it when we read it to her, but she read it again and the look she had in her eye after reading it… it was incredible. SHE GOT IT. You could SEE something change within her. It was amazing. We had to then get off…. And we didn’t even leave her with a card! WHAT WERE WE THINKING! We even took the Book of Mormon from her…. What?! I pray that she has a chance to run into missionaries again.
 So my first moments were so great.
We then got to the mission office! I actually went in this time!! (Hehe.. I’ve been there before). Everyone was so nice and we got ushered in to get oriented with everything. I got my packages: THANK YOU MOM!! I loved the “Greenie” idea! It was so cute! I accidentally opened the other one too, but then I realized it was for Christmas and closed it. It's now sitting in my flat with an open top. But there it will stay until December 25 J and I got Ali’s letter, too!! THANK YOU!! I gave the chocolate to a starving elder on our way to Stuttgart… he was leaving die Schweiz, so I think it helped calm his nerves a little. Chocolate always helps J
A lot has happened. Really a lot. We went straight to thanksgiving dinner with an American family from the American ward. They had three nonmembers there, one of them is an investigator… and she is AMAZING!!! Her name is Shana and she is soooo ready to be baptized! She just can’t seem to give up the social part of alcohol. We’re working on her. Her daughter, Olga, told us yesterday she wants to be baptized and Shana started crying because she was so proud of her. She’s really working towards a date. We’re meeting with her and her nonmember friend on Thursday. This friend is visiting from the states and really loved what we were doing here and agreed to come to church and to meet with us again. MIRACLES HAPPEN, PEOPLE!!
I’m all settled in and everything is so great. We live in a really NICE apartment… like way nice. It’s so cute and so homey J I love how Sister Smith is so organized… it’s so great. She’s a HUGE runner- like runs 100 miles a week. She’s insane. We run every morning and I love it J she doesn’t even care that I’m a health freak. She’s a gift from the heavens if I ever saw one. I love her SO MUCH!!!!! She’s always so happy and she’s the absolute cutest thing ever!
 Okay, I really like her and I think I’ve established that J
I saw the pics of the Ironman!! WAY TO GO DADDY!!!! I thought of you and the family every second I could free up some space in my head. I was so sad that I couldn’t be there with you to cheer you on, but you were in my fast and in my prayers- you always are. I am SO PROUD of you!!! I’m so lucky to be able to say my dad’s an IRONMAN!! Seriously dad, I love you so so much!!! I look up to you and you are definitely one of my heroes J I’ve come to realize just how special and important it is to have an eternal family- I get to be with you wonderful people until the end of time. I am so happy about that and I give it thought all the time (what time.. .there is none ;) ). Really- I love you all so much : ) I have the best family ever : )
Yesterday was my first day of German church. Meine gute…. I was asked to give the opening prayer….. WHAT?! I said I wasn't quite ready to embarrass myself but that I would next week. I was asked to bare my testimony… and I did. This ward is so loud, but once I got up there… no one made a sound.
Okay cool… you can’t listen to people with perfect German, but you’ll listen to someone who can’t speak anything correctly? Makes perfect sense.
It was a really amazing day. We saw so many miracles. We had the chance to meet with two families in the ward. The first, the Kieffers, we broke the fast with them. Talk about member missionary work- I was incredible how on board they are.
(By the way, that’s how we do missionary work here… 100% through the members. It is so efficient!! I love it J )
We broke the fast with them and then headed to another appointment. Die Familie Happel are also very good MM’s… so cool!! They fed us, too, but they fed us German dinner… so I ate apples and carrots and this cool fruit I’ve never seen before yesterday. Its my new favorite.
Long story short: yesterday is exactly what good missionary work looks like. Its so rewarding!!
So we get fed a lot here. Like… we have an eating appointment every day. And that’s really good because they always have nonmembers with them and we always get to teach. But I am determined not to gain weight, so I’ve got pretty good at no having to eat a lot. On Christmas and Christmas Eve, we have 3 appointments per day… WHAT. I know.. Crazy, huh??
Hmmm… what else??
I guess there’s a good chance that I could be transferred after 6 weeks instead of 12 because there are a lot of people “dying” (leaving to go home from their missions) and they need people to fill their places. But who knows. I don’t want to leave my companion that fast! Fingers crossed I don't!!
Its pretty cold here. Not overly bad, but two-jackets-worthy. I’ll be buying another one, I think.
The German is coming along. Not fast enough, but coming a lot faster now that I’m in Germany and always surrounded by it. I can’t wait until I can say whatever I want!!
I think that’s it! I love you all so so so much and I pray for you every time I pray… which is a lot J
All my love,
Sister Gilmour xx
Note, I have a new address:
Deidesheimerstrasse 2
D-70499
Stuttgart, Germany