Hello my favorite people!
This has been a bit of a crazy week. A sister in the mission, Sister Paongo from Tonga who is serving in Frisco got a call Sunday night that her father passed away. Sister P is really good friends with Sister Aumua, so that was really sad to hear. We ended up singing for the funeral on Saturday over Skype. So we spent quite a lot of time over in Frisco this week spending time with Sister Paongo and just trying to comfort her. It's crazy because she has a sister serving in Chicago right now as well, so they had a double Skype going on for the funeral. It broke my heart, but it was still a powerful thing.
Monday: We went downtown to the JFK museum. That was amazing! I didn't realize that President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, but alas he was. The museum was amazing. It is on the 6th floor of the Texas Book Depository exactly where the shooter shot from. It was actually a really emotional experience. Monday evening we met with a man who was a soldier in WW2. He actually helped liberate Buchenwald. It was crazy to hear of his stories and experiences.
Tuesday: Sister Aumua and I were able to give a training at our district meeting! That was fun. We taught about the importance of following up. In Acts 3:1-8 it tells the story of Peter and John healing the cripple man at the temple. They use their priesthood authority and heal him, then follow up and extend their hand to help pull him up. That's part of our main responsibility here as missionaries. We invite people to be "healed" and to change their lives, then we follow-up and help pull them up to stand. The next part of the story is the best though. Peter, John and the man all walk together into the temple. That's how it can be as a missionary. We invite, follow-up, help them progress, teach them correct doctrines, and then once they choose to be baptized and are on that path, we can walk with them into the temple. Such a special experience. Besides that training and an appointment with Tr* (where she asked for all the lessons again so she can better understand - wahoo!!!), pretty much every single appointment that we had fell through. Including dinner. But we were able to meet with a less active family in the ward and try to help them out a little bit. Kinda crazy.
Wednesday: we got to go to activity days and talk to them about missionary work. That was super fun! We gave Co* a church tour and had a wonderful lesson with him about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He's super excited to get baptized. Then we met with H* again. The poor lady is going through so much in her life! I can't even believe it. So much divorce and sadness and all that. But we had a really wonderful, semi-emotional conversation with her and extended a baptismal invitation. She said that she would think about it which is definitely a step in the right direction! woot woot. :) She's amazing.
Thursday: HAPPY 3 MONTHS TO ME. In the MTC they always said, "make it to Sunday and you will be okay." Then when I got here to the field, they said, "make it to 3 months and you'll be okay." So, I made it to Sunday. Yay! We started the morning off with donuts and service. So fun! I love love love the missionaries here in Allen.
Friday: Paint the Town! A bunch of us missionaries got together and painted fire hydrants all over Allen. So enjoyable. Then we went to a little restaurant called Pie 5. So yum. You get to make your own pizza and then they cook it for you.
Tr* and H* were both able to come to the broadcast on Saturday night! That was seriously so amazing that they both were able to be there. :) We asked how they liked it. Tr* LOVED it. She said she watched the one from last April and loved that as well. She's loving the spirit and church and the gospel so that is super amazing. H* loved it as well. She loved President Utchdorf's story about the umbrella's and stuff and felt like it really applied to her life. She also loved Sister Marriott! Sister Marriott spoke at the MTC while I was there. She's a convert. H* just loved how real and honest she was. The whole time the broadcast was going on I was just praying and pleading that the messages would touch Tr* and H*'s hearts. I was a little worried for a while because they were talking about the temple so much, but I realized that that is what it is all about. Ya know? What better thing to focus on than the temple. It was so wonderful.
So transfer calls were supposed to come Saturday night. But the assistants texted and told us that they were going to be delayed until Sunday night! Holy cow we were dying. So at church, I bore my testimony, said some goodbyes just in case and yeah. So then Sunday came and I got a call.
Okay I have big news. I'M GOING TO GILMER, TX!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay wow I have so many emotions right now. Like I'm so so so so so sad to leave Allen and Sister Aumua and all the amazing ward members. But I get to go out east!!! Holy cow I am so excited. so nervous. But so excited. You'll have to look up Gilmer. So there's that. :) I can't believe it.
My new address is 6381 Bois D'arc Rd. Gilmer, TX 75644. My companion is Sister Christopherson. I'll meet her later today or tomorrow. So crazy news is going on! Transfers are normally on Tuesday morning, but since I'm going out east, I have to leave today at 2! So the transfer calls came last night at 9 and then I called a bunch of people and said goodbye then stayed up til 11:30 packing and trying to wrap my mind around it all. Then I just packed all morning and stuff. Packing is hard. I feel like a chicken with my head cut off just running around and stuff.
So I don't have any time to have real good goodbyes, but that's okay.
Alli shared a scripture with me last week. D&C 3:1-3. I really loved it. It spoke about how God is unchanging, has one eternal round, and is the same yesterday, today, and forever. When I think of this, It makes me think that His love, His plan, His purpose for US is also unchanging and forever. I loved how President Uchtdorf said that God's perfect love for us doesn't change depending on how we look, act, or anything. It's perfect and forever. God so loved the world, he so loved me, he so loved each and every one of us that He gave his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. That sounds like perfect, all consuming love to me. How grateful I am for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and also for our Heavenly Father's love for us.
I am so blessed. I love you all so much. Keep being amazing.
Love,
Sister Gilbert
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