Monday 9 March 2015

Week 74 in the Field: Week 19 in Zurich: It's Great To Be Alive!!! Life is Good!!!

Instead of trying to find some clever way to start out this email, I'll just tell you how my week went.

It was really rough :) But I'm still smiling! So that's good! 

Actually, only the first half wasn't so nice. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR APPOINTMENTS FELL OUT. Not one happened. We spent all day, every day, on the streets, knocking on doors, and we didn't end up finding anyone new. It's a refining moment, let me tell you; to have some of your best weeks of your mission and then to have everything completely fall apart. It's not so nice. 

We were just about done with everything. We were feeling really down. I kept asking myself what I was doing wrong? I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't a punishment. It's just how things go.

We went to Munich on Thursday- Friday for MLC. It was really nice. My last one. Really emotional. But that's just been me for the last couple of weeks. :)

I made a few new friends! That was actually quite sad cause I knew I wasn't going to see them again! I love the relationships I've built here. It's been such a loving time of my life. I've really learned what it means to love and to  feel love. 

As I was sitting in the Sunday session of Stake Conference, we sang the song "Sehet Ihr Völker". I think this was one of my favorite times of the conference. I was so overcome with the Spirit I could hardly sing. Heavenly Father really, really loves me. I was thinking about my time here; how I've been a good missionary, but I've also been completely imperfect. He loved me enough to call me to the work so I could have to experience of learning to become more like Him. I realized that my mission isn't anything more than a big gift from Heavenly Father. If He sent me here for anyone, it was for me. Yes, I helped people here, and I taught the Gospel, but, just like Elder Holland is always reminding us, we are to come home with at least one convert: OURSELVES. And.. I've done that. I am converted. I'm still gonna make mistakes in my life, and I'm going to stumble. But I've been converted. Even when I may only be holding on by a thread, I will still be converted. That is success. I don't care how many times someone tries to tell me that numbers play a part in success, cause I will never believe that. Numbers show how many people are progressing toward... CONVERSION. It is all about our conversion to the work. I'm not a huge number fan, can you tell? ;) (BG: Oh, Yea-wonder how she would've done with me as her zone leader:) It's a balance!)

The Saturday Adult session was also really great. Actually, it was just a little strange. I have never seen anything like it before. But... okay :) (BG:???) The lesson we had with Will after was the BEST. We had a joint teach, which is even a miracle that I am so happy about, cause I usually freeze up a little bit in lessons when there is a member there. But it was so good. We gave him a Triple Combo cause he really wanted to read Moses. We were a bit nervous about that, so we made it very clear how important the Book of Mormon is and what it means to accept Joseph Smith as a Prophet of God. He told us all about what the Book is about and about Josephs experience with the Angel in his room and... he ACTUALLY READ WHAT WE COMMITTED HIM TO. That was the best tender mercy the Lord could have ever given us. We had a really great, spiritual lesson and he pretty much bore testimony about how similar his story is to Joseph Smiths and that he has already been praying to know if this is the true church and if Joseph is a prophet and if he should be baptized. Talk about amazing! 

It's an amazing time to be a missionary. Yeah, this work is hard. There is a lot of pressure put on us and His servants, and even more being an STL and having to lead the Zone. But I wouldn't want it any other way. I can become so much more between now and when I leave. Elder Huby gave me a blessing on Tuesday, and he said something along the lines of how my last weeks are going to be hard. But that I have special gifts and talents that I still have to uncover while I'm here; that I still have so much to learn. It was a very comforting blessing. I am grateful for his friendship. 

I don't think this week is going to be particularly a walk in the park, either. But I am ready to do what the Lord wants me to do. And I'm going to do it positively and happily :) The best I can. 

We have Zone Training tomorrow. We are talking about how we can be cleansed from sin through Jesus Christ. It should be good. It will be my last one, so I have to give my "final (we call it death:)) testimony". I think it's a bit unfair. I still have a month:). I haven't learned everything yet! But I'm excited to share what I've learned with those that are there. I will express the love I have for my mission. 

Have a wonderful week!

Sister Gilmour
xx

Photos: 
Elder Pingle and I. We came in together. 
 
 
Marei and I. She is in Zollikofen :) 
 
 

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