Week 15: Week 9 in the Field: Stuttgart: Tough but Better, Very Little Time: New Pics:):)

Hello all!

Well... missionary work is hard. Just incase you didn't know.

I had my sencond austausch this week. That'S when you switch companions with the Sister Trainer Leaders. This time, i was left in Stuttgart. I wrecked everything. I got us lost, I hardly ate anything I was so stressed out, we had a completely planned day, and then everything fell out. I felt weird because she didn't know me, and we couldn't swap ideas. It was just rough. I have never been so happy to see Sister Smith in my life. Man... it's going to be rough letting her go. 

On happier terms... um. I figured out a lot of things about myself this week? We visited Ritter Sport today with the district and went on base. We ate American food and then our Bahn broke down. I bought you all chocolate.. some kinds haven't been released yet, so you'll have to let me know how you like them. I'll send it all home one day. I don't know when.. but one day. 

Ritter Sport day and Museum with the district: http://www.stuttgart-tourist.de/en/a-ritter-sport-chocolate-factory-shop 

 

 

Went all the way to Germany to try Sushi - it was okay:)

Yes, the hair has been cut - I love it; and now dyed-I don't like it:)

It makes me so sad to hear about my Dad's uncle Bob passing away. I don't like hearing about death, but it's so comforting knowing that we can all live together again after this life. He's somewhere that his Heavenly Father loves him, and he's doing so much better there. Maybe he can help me find all those prepared souls here in Stuttgart; we always need all the help we can get, you know :) 

Thank you so much for the kind words of upliftment... is that word? I don't know English anymore. I'm lost in translation. But anywho.. thank you. I really love it. I'm trying to focus on my strengths, but unfortunately, all my doubt keeps creeping in. I don't want it, too, though. Stupid Satan. He's good and knows exactly how to hit me. I just haven't figured out to hit him back and overcome what he's challenging me with. I know the good days are to remind me through the bad days that it's all for my good. It's all because my Father in Heaven loves me and knows I need this and knows that I can handle it :) Time to forget myself and get to work.... that's a lot harder to do than to say, by the way. 

I have no time today. I'm so sorry. I want to speak about everything, but I can't. I'll  be better next week, I promise. 

P.S. I haven't gotten the package yet, but the zone leaders are going to Münchin on Thursday, so I think they'll pick it up then. Can't wait!! 

I love you all SO SO SO SO much!!

Sister Gilmour xx

Week 14: Week 8 in the Field: Trying to forget this past week, lots of weird stuff in my head; NEED your prayers.

Lot’s of weird things in my head today.

What a week:  

I don't know if all missionaries feel this way but i'm feeling an enormous amount of weight and responsibility on my shoulders to do the Lords work.  No matter how hard i try I just don't feel like i'm doing enough.  On the positive side i think its driven by the fact that i really love this place and I love the people.  I didn't know how long it would take me to get to the point where I'd love the people so much that it would hurt when we were rejected, I feel like I'm there already.

I'm loving studying the Old testament.  I can’t wait to further study all the things the Gospel has to offer... there’s so much to learn and thankfully we've got eternity to learn it. Thank goodness!

Pray for me.  I need help relaxing and being less stressed.  I don't think its just me, our Zone Leaders also felt like this week was the pits. 

I did give away 5 Book of Mormon’s, which is a really big step since I haven’t done that much before, since getting to Germany. Whoop Whoop.   We also got a new investigator and she is just lovely!  She wants to visit Sister Smith and I when she comes to Utah.

I love people a lot.  We've worked so hard to make it amazing here and to really get involved with our ward members but it's going to be hard going, keeping it up without good German.  I'm hoping for another great companion like Sister Smith who speaks good German and is so outgoing:).

Lot’s of weird things in my head today.

News Flash - Missionary work is hard.  I’m here to bring assist in helping people come unto Christ and gain Salvation through him by telling them how much their Father in Heaven loves them… BUT NO ONE LISTENS. Gosh. We were talking with a member on the Bahn on our way home for lunch, and she lives by our church where we have 4 other churches surrounding it. She says there are so many people, and so many churches, but no one ever goes in.  The Lord is coming, and He’s coming soon. They’ll realize one day that they should have listened.  Just listen to us and be good people. I think sometimes I just want to move and change so fast that I over look the changes I am making. Blah. Don’t worry about me, though J I’m happy, despite our awful week. We’re going on a run to Schloss Solitude today for a District P-Day… and it’s raining and cold. So bring on the mud and dirt! I’m way excited.

Lot’s of weird things in my head today.

I love you all so much!!! I think about you any time I have a spare thought! You’re always in my prayers. Thanks for all the pictures from Christmas! I love seeing how our friends from all over are doing. It’s cool to see how much everyone grows up! I love them.. thank you.
 All my love,Sister Gilmour xx

Week 13: Week 7 in the Field: The Work is Great; I had to give a talk-Painful!!

Pres Miles has not announced the new Pres, but I have! ;) I have to write to the President weekly, actually. He’s very involved with us in our work.

The Work: The work is really great!!! We work almost 100% with members and we see A LOT of success with it. We have managed to reactivate a lot of less actives and it’s so rewarding to see. 

My favorite members? Hmmm… it's hard anywhere getting some members to open up and work with the missionaries, comfort zones.  I don’t think the ward here has been considered too friendly in the past.  I don't know why, but I love it, and I love the Kieffers!! They are the MOST AMAZING member missionaries!!! Really.. the best. Sister Kieffer speaks like… 5 languages, so that’s so great. They’re saving to go on a mission soon. I also really love Schwester Meiswinkel. She’s older and she’s in a home, but we Basteln (craft) with her every Tuesday AND I LOVE IT! I love all the people there. She’s a great member missionary, as well. Too be honest, I really love our ward. We really do have amazing members here and I’m really blessed to be working with them J

We only have 3 investigators…. Germany is hard, okay? No judging J we see SO MUCH SUCCESS, though. You would drop out of your seat if you knew all the good things we do that can’t be counted in numbers. So we don’t really worry about it. We just keep hastening the work like we've been asked J we do things pretty differently than a lot of missionaries, I think….

I can talk to everyone and I smile at every one and the Germans think we are SO  weird... but it always makes me laugh :) I don't have a problem talking to people. My hold up is the language. But I had my first quarterly interview with President last night and he told me to bag it and talk to people in Spanish, English, German, Sign-language... anything. And so I did (it was all in German, though, so that was really cool) and we talked the whole way home and she was really nice and she told me about herself. I love president! He really cleared up a lot of thoughts/worries I have about the way we do things. But turns out, we're doing everything right :) He even gave us 2 more hours for Internet use for our investigators and our work during the week. He's the best :) A truly inspired man and I'm going to miss him. 

I'm excited to see what President Kohler brings to the mission, though. He seems like a great guy and just what Germany needs :) Thanks for the intro - picture Dad.

I LOVE MY DISTRICT!!! We just got Elder Escher, who’s from Switzerland. And Elder Jerman from AF. We went to school together, actually. We have already had so much fun and I love them!! We are all going to have so much fun together. And we’re gonna get some serious work done here in Stuttgart!  Our zone is doing well… I think. I don’t really talk to the other missionaries too often. I have two elders from the MTC with me in this zone, and they’re having completely different experiences. Good, over all, though. The Zone leaders had a baptism last Monday. It was good. We have 6… areas, I think? 6 wards in our zone. We’re really big.

Future in Stuttgart: I have a feeling I’ll be here for 3-4 transfers. So.. 5- months. We think Sister Smith will be leaving after this transfer, but I’m really hoping not because we have just started to turn our ward around and I need her to help me get it more organized.  We will do as much as we can together while we still have time.

The Package: I got Ali’s package. SHE IS PERFECT! I obviously lived with her last summer because she sent me so much that I loved. I loved it all! She’s the best! We’re clearly related J

 

My Talk in Church: The talk you gave looks great dad! I don’t think I have your talent to speak, though. Sad L 

I was asked to give a talk yesterday in church. It was horrible J I want to cry just thinking about it, actually. But it’s over and I WILL make these members love me and listen to me when I speak, haha. And I WILL speak German with them. Soon. They’ll be so shocked they won’t even know what to say to me. 

I was definitely very worried, but I accepted. The topic was personal and family goals, but I kinda threw that out the window and talked about miracles and how we can do anything. I got up to speak and I was really nervous. I started to speak, my German worse than usual because it was magnified through a mic. No one was listening to me. I was so MAD. Here I am, I've been here for 7 weeks, I'm TRYING to speak your language, and I'm a golden (NEW) still.  Let's just say that German wards are different from American ones. Very different. 

New Clothes:): I love the pictures of the clothes you're sending us, go ahead and send them, we'll share them and mix and match like you did with your companions mom on your mission:)... thank you so much!! I'm so excited to see what they look like in person and to have a little bit more fun with my closet. I don't mind a lot of my skirts, but some can be hard because they're hard to wear with thick tights. And also, I wear a black jacket everyday... so fun skirts is a nice way to bring some color to my dreary, winter wardrobe :) You're the best! 

  

Stuttgart is lovely: The people here are so nice! They speak Schwabisch, so I don’t understand them very well… but I’m learning to work with it. 

 

What specific things do you want to know about my work? I do a lot J

The snow shoeing trip looked gorgeous! I miss snow shoeing so much! I miss the snow, too! We have NOTHING here. It's literally like spring. It's crazy. I'm starting to wonder if we'll have winter. I hope your cold goes away soon. Sister Smith has been sick a lot lately, too. It's pretty bad. I haven't managed to get the sick bug, though. Thank goodness!! Take advantage of the gorgeous things we have to enjoy in Utah. I really miss it. Silly things like Main Street and the four way stop by the church. 

 

I love you SO MUCH J I miss you, but not like I want to come home. A mission has shown me how precious you all are to me and how much I can’t wait to scream it to you in person when I see you again!! I’m so proud to be your daughter and to have the sisters that I do. You are all amazing J

I'm excited that you're getting back into training full time, mom! That's so exciting! I love you! Get better and hug the girls, and Nana for me! Tell the girls to pray about young women's and to participate in everything they can, ward and stake. Hug the ward for me and tell them I LOVE them!!! 

 

How many Fast Sundays are we down to, now? I’ve forgotten…. (FINALLY)!!

 

Love your favorite missionary,

Chloe xx

Sister Gilmour xx

Week 12: Week 6 in Field: Sis GilGil: I never want to stop learning:) I'm personally being converted and daily seeing the Lords hand in my life!

Hello :) Another week down, just a few more to go ;) But I'm not counting, I promise. I love it here.

I guess I'll just recap everything that's happened in the last week.. there's been a lot.

1. Sister Smith baptized me by fire by letting me (making me) take charge of everything. I KNOW NOTHING. I literally know nothing. It was horrible. For 2 days I wanted to just... scream at my own stupidity. I saw how hard it is to do everything on your own, and I was so happy when she stopped letting me drown and mercifully picked me out of the water and gave me a towel and says "you've got 2 minutes to wipe the drips from your face and then we're going back in, but this time I'll teach you what to do and help you if you drown. But always keep moving. The Lord doesn't help those that stand still". Yeah, it was rough. But! I've seen myself change and become better and I love Sister Smith in a whole new way now!

2. I wanted to ask what you think I need to change about myself? What's something you always thought would make me better? Sister Smith, after receiving a crazy spiritual inclination, told me that she wants to get to know the real Sister Gilmour and she feels like I'm in a box and I don't know how to get out. Okay. No one has ever been so spot on in the way I am before ever in my life. She started crying because the spirit has never spoken to her in that way before. It told her my soul and I didn't even realize that's what was wrong. So I guess instead of changing myself, I'm going to uncover myself. I've buried a lot of the things I love and think because I was always so scared it wouldn't get approval from those around me. I realize a lot about myself here. It's pretty creepy sometimes, actually. So, if you could blatantly ask God what it is that I need to work on, that would be lovely. I'm determined to be the best version of myself when I get home :) Also, pray about what kind of work i need to do. I want to know what my focus is on my mission. I know, it should be serving the people. But... Sister Smith has made me see that we all have a thing. And I want to know to what that thing is for me. I've fasted and prayed about it, but I haven't received a specific answer. So who better to ask than my family? 

3. We continue to see miracles here. We could literally do nothing except for talk to random people... cause that's what we're supposed to be, and then someone will WALK UP TO US and ask to see us or know more. I'm just so over being stunned. Of course this is happening.. we're doing all that we've been asked. It makes me realize how out of control we are in missionary work. He only called us to be the puppets... everything we do is not because of ourselves, but because He makes them happen. I have no control over anything here, and I love it like that. I would mess everything up if that were the case. 

4. We went on a fabulous run on Monday after emails. My gosh! It was amazing! It was like we were in a fairy tale, but not one of the glitzy ones in America, but the old, German Ashenputtel (Cinderella) kind of fairy tale. I have never seen Sister Smith more herself. It was a real blessing to be able to see her in her complete element. We ran through mud, trees, off the beaten path, to beautiful overviews, we tried to find a castle, but got terribly lost in the mean time, and we did this for about 3 hours. It was amazing. I can't wait to be back here in Germany and to run everywhere I go! We have now made it a goal to run like that every P-day. Today's run wasn't nearly as good, though. Next week!

5. I really felt the love of the members this week. When we got the news that Sister Smith and I were staying here together in Stuttgart for another transfer, I was so pleased. I think the biggest reason we're staying here together is because we have so much to do with the members. They are amazing! I am so blessed to be in this ward and to work with all the amazing people. I hope I can make life long friendships here. I love missionary work!!

6. New Years was last week, I think? We were out until about 2 and it was horrible. It was like a war. I thought I was in Iraq or something. For sure the Germans know how to do Silvester. The amount of fireworks going off were insane!! We were at the YSA center and it over looks Suttgart... you couldn't even count because there were so many. It was cool, but definitely like Sodom and Gemorha... however you spell that. One down, one to go. But our district made some pretty cool goals. Got them all on film... now they've really got to keep them ;)

Over all... I'm so happy with everything :) I love you all and I miss you, but I know that I'm here because this is where I'm needed. I'm learning so much and I never want to stop learning. I can't wait to see what the Lord does with my life :)

This is what happiness is! 

You all sound like you're doing amazingly! That run in the mountains and snow looked breathless, mom and dad! You both look great! I love you SO much!!

Chloe xx

P.s. oh wowo about Spencer Nelson!!! Another American Fork-er?! that'll make like... 20. A boy who graduated the year before me is being sent to my district to be zone leader with Elder Moon on Thursday. that'll be pretty weird.