Week 30: Week 1 in Zollikofen, Switzerland: New Companion, New Ward, New Everything - but love it!!

Special thanks to the people, my companions, who made Stuttgart special, great missionaries, friends FOREVER!!
Till we meet again:):)

I'm probably going to keep this pretty short cause I Skyped you yesterday, and cause the keyboards here are YET AGAIN different. Why can't everything just be the same?

Chloe is so happy on her mission.  We had 45mins, we had her tell us about the weather in German just so we could hear her accent and see how her German was coming along.  It sounded great to US:)  She bore us her testimony and it was awesome, tear flowing for everyone.  She bears a very unique testimony.

First item of business:  NEW ADDRESS

Sandstrasse 46

3302 Moosseedorf

die Schweitz

NO words explain Chloe's love for Erin, she will miss her.

Chloe with Kathryn, another very special friend.

Chloe with some of her good friends who were in the MTC with her, in England

Next. Switzerland. It. is. gorgeous.

I actually don't know how beautiful cause I literally stay in the same town all day, every day. My area is 15 miles big.. on a good day :) I actually really like it. 

Everyone always says that the German here is really weird. They weren't lying ;) But I really love it. I think it sounds like German with a Scottish accent. So I feel right at home here :) 

My companion is probably the sweetest thing ever :) Really quiet, but a dilligent worker. We are so excited to start over here and really find those people the Lord has prepared for us to find. I mean... there's a temple here. There must be a reason for that!

And yeah, that also means that we have no investigators who are making any progress... so that's what I mean when I say start over :) I think two weeks ago I would have been more terrified to face an area with nothing than to like... dive off a cliff or something. But not that I'm here, I love it. We really have so much to work with, it's just finding the gold mine that is gonna take that faith. There is so much potential here it's crazy. And I couldn't be more excited to take it on :)

We had a baptism on Saturday. Way to be welcomed into an area! It was really amazing. I love seeing people who really get it. He, Andi, really gets it. 

I think one of my favorite things here in Switzerland and in this ward and that EVERY Sister served a mission. Every single one of them in our ward. THAT is cool. And that is why the are so missionary minded. I love them. 

My companion is a convert of about 2 years... and my gosh does this lady get it. I have never met anyone that understands it like she does. And especially for being a convert of only 2 years! It just goes to show that the Lord really does have a plan and really does prepare people to accept the Gospel in their own time and place. And she's German, so I really hope mine skyrockets with her. She also has perfect English... so sometimes it's hard cause I want to resort to English with her. But I will be strong!

Also something that I have really loved about coming here is that I don't feel the overwhelming feeling that I'm not doing enough; that I'm not a good enough missionary and that I need to be doing more. I don't feel that here. I love how the Lord works in mysterious ways. He gave me those feelings in Stuttgart so that I could come here and really appreciate myself and the things that I have learned from my last 6 months. And to take those things and apply them here. 

Pics from my last week in Stuttgart:

I love it! Mind you, Zollikofen has it's out set of trials waiting for me, but I'm ready to take them on :) 

And remember how I need to know all the Romance languages? Well.... I really need to know them. French would come in handy here. I don't know how I'm supposed to learn it, though. 

It was really great to be able to Skype yesterday. I really love you guys a lot :) But I think you knew that already.... the tears gave it away, didn't they? ;) You'll see me again in no time. 7 months is NO time at all. and 11? even shorter :) 

There's not much more I have to say, unfortunately. I'm in Switzerland... that's the most exciting thing :) 

I love this Gospel. More than anything. You all know that already :) 

Also. I challenge you to go read D&C 89 about the Word of Wisdom. Really study it. I love it. I think we over look it as members of the church, when we should really be setting the example. I'm on my body and spirit kick again :)

Love you all!!

Until next week,

Sister Gilmour

xx

Transfer day, exciting and nerve racking.