Week 41 in the Field: Week 11 in Zollikofen: "Thank you mothers and fathers for sending your wonderful children on missions". Sis Gilmour

I think I'll be getting the call to train a new Golden this weekend. Ask me how badly I'm freaking out about it.

Lots. :):)

I'll let you know, though. I've just had the feeling, and it's not going away. 9 months out, I think it's probably time.

Also. I'm almost 20 and I DON'T UNDERSTAND PRAYER. I'm telling you, it makes no sense. Well.. okay, it does. But if you think about it, God does not change our lives and He didn't plan them out. That is clear thanks to our free agency. So like.. how does He answer our prayers? Really. Think about that. I know He is all knowing, and knows the beginning from the end because He is the Beginning and the End. But.. when we pray to Him and ask Him to help someone develop the wish to come to church, He's not just going to make it happen. Right? So.. after praying the entire Sacrament Meeting and talking with Wüst about it, I think what He does is sends the influence of the Spirit to people, and then thanks to our beautiful ability to freely to choose, the choice is then theirs, whether they accept the influences of the Spirit He has sent to them.

Right? (BG: We love Chloe, over thinking but when she gets it, it's stuck for life:))

I'm still verzweifelt damit. I'll be studying this topic this week, along with knowledge, wisdom, testimony, and perfection. Yeah.. it's good, thought- provoking (<---- Did I spell that right?? Y'all are gonna have a hoot reading my journals from my mission, cause they are totally written in the worst English ever. Mostly cause I write when I'm listening in German, so my sentences are really German-ized. Good and funny things.) stuff.

So this week. I'll try not to tell you about every waking moment.

Monday. Spent the day in Bern. Bought placemats to make myself a Scripture case. I was not about to pay 24CHF for a case. I hand stitched it myself. I'll send pics. I miss big citites. We also changed our working hours to the morning. So much more effective.

Tuesday. ZONE TRAINING!! It was SO good!! We have an assignment to talk about Humility. It was SO good. And not because of us, but because of the beautiful thoughts of the amazing missionaries in our Zone. Seriously, I had to keep stopping to write down all my impressions and the things people were saying. I learned so much from them, although I was told to teach them. Yeah right, I have too much to learn to teach people. Everyone told us multiple times how much they loved it. It was really so so good. One comment that really stuck out to me, given by Elder Kelly (a redhead from Ireland. I laughed in my heart when I first met him, too), was that sometimes we are humbled not because we are prideful, but simple cause... we just need to learn humility. I LOVED that!! And then we had a FABULOUS part from Elder Simon (Deutschland) and Elder Melsoe (Denmark, so that "o" has a slash thing through it) about how to be better missionaries. They talked about obedience. SO GOOD. I'm telling you... they are all wonderful missionaries here.

Thank you mothers and fathers for sending your wonderful children on missions. 

They did a great.... Rolle Spiele.... about obedience. They had Elder Cottom come to the middle of the gym and they blind folded him. Elder M stood behind him, while Elder S stood in front of him. Elder M told him to fall back into his arms. Elder Cottom was reluctant, naturally, but decided to trust the voice and fell back. Elder M caught him. Then they set him standing back up. Then Elder M and S switched places, so that the voice, Elder M, was now in front of Elder Cottom. He then told him to fall backwards, and Elder Cottom realized that the voice was now in front of him... but he knew he could trust the voice, and fell back anyway. Elder S caught him. I LOVED THAT!! Sometimes we have rules that really make NO sense, but we fall backwards because He told us to, often when the voice is in front of us, and it makes no sense.

I love the Bern Zone

Wednesday. Went berry picking with Schwester Jakob again. Best Johannes berries and raspberries ever. Really, really hot. Like... 30 degrees or something. Then we went on a walk along the Aares river with the FHV (RS) sisters. seriously, so beautiful. I got to speak with a girl who just left on a mini mission the whole time. She was really nervous, but I think I helped her a little bit. And i got 1.5 hours of pure German in... Good :)

Thursday. Lunch appointment with Ramseyer/ Mössner. Wonderful :) And I got to eat meat. I needed that. The we had Gianatti, a less active. We are making slow prgress with her, but progress, none the less :) I love seeing people progress! Makes me feel like I'm doing something good :)

Then we went to Ava and Brunos. Always a good time with the two of them. They will be bringing a letter to you in September while they are there. Bruno used to be a body builder before he was baptized. The pictures are to die for. I can't even take them serious. They're the best missionaries ever. I love them. Oh yeah... HAPPY HALF- WAY DAY!

Friday. Spontan appointment with a less active. Finally. Then we planned a lot. Gotta love it. Really hot. REALLY hot.

Saturday. Lots of time for walking around and dooring. Nothing. But a few cool experiences with prayer and comp unity :) We also saw a bride and groom being carried to castle on the fork part of a tractor. They ordered fire trucks to spray everyone down as they all walked to the castle. Strangest thing.

Sonntag. Really good. I wasn't tired :) Finally. For the first time in weeks. Thanks to the ground rock minerals I am now taking. But really. So good. I love this ward :) (BG:):))We had a really good appointment with the Mössners.. yes. Two appointment with them in a week. Weird story. But... really good :) I love this family. Their son is serving in London right now, and the people love him. He's one of those missionaries that everyone just loves. We also spoke German the WHOLE day. I know that sounds weird since I have German comp and stuff, but she's pretty much American:). But.. we made it :) It also POURED yesterday. This weather. Meine Gute. No wonder I'm so exhausted!

So.. there you go :) I think that's everything! The church is immer noch wahr :) No doubt about it. Also, Elder Dzierzon, aus Deutschland, is now with our Zollikofen Elder,  and he's wonderful. The sweetest guy. My German will be wonderful after my time here. And hopefully that Golden will appreciate that we will only be speaking German :) I'm pumped! My German will be a mix of Schwabisch, Swiss, and Northern German. It'll be a good little mess :) And who knows what else I'll be picking up in the next 9 months.

Love you all. You're all funny and I love hearing from you :) Keep doing good :) And I will, too ;)

Sister Chloe Gilmour (Oh yeah, I have a first name. Ha.)

xx

P.S.

Okay. I've accepted it. It's OK to be a planter. That's what I'll be if that's what the Lord called me to be. I will prepare the wards and the people for those later on. I guess it's good Dad taught me to work hard ;) By the way, thanks for that, Dad. It's yet another priceless gift you and mom have given to me. Things I can't pay you back with, those are my favorite gifts. I promise I'll teach my children the way you two taught me and the girls :) I hope one day to have a family just like the one you have raised :)