Continuing the Work: So Much Going On!

Oh my Heavens to Betsy, we had a FANTABULOUS week! So many crazy things happened, but all of them were amazing! The order of events is crucial for this week because if I go out of order, you won't understand anything... Haha! So here we go, I'll start from the beginning. :)

On Monday we had a super fun Pday! We went to VooDoo Donuts, and then got lost in downtown Portland, which is out of the mission... I HATE driving in Portland! It gives me crazy anxiety. Really though, why can't all roads be a perfect grid like Utah? At VooDoo, we got these huge donuts that were too much, but way too delicious to not eat the entire thing ourselves.

So yummy... My goodness. On Monday night, we got a phone call from President Taylor, and we were super freaked out as to why in the world he would be calling us! He told us that a Sister was going to go home the next day, and that we would be receiving her companion in an emergency transfer. We were going to be a trio! We were super stoked, but also not, because Sister Cone and I get along better than anything, and we are practically twins, so we were worried that the new Sister would feel left out... But alas, Sister Kearl just happened to be another clone of the two of us. It is the PERFECT tripanionship! We were kind of freaking out though because on Tuesday morning we were getting a "Mini-Missionary." A 16 year old girl from a nearby stake that would be coming around with us for two days to check out what missionary work is really like. Her name is Sydney Packham. The STL's wanted to help out with the crazy of the whole situation by going on exchanges with one of us, but ultimately it just made things even more crazy! So Tuesday morning we got Sydney, then Sister Kearl showed up at District Meeting, then that night Sister Ivans (the STL) came. We had 5 people in our little cottage! It was crazy town, but only in a good way of course.

Me, Sydney, Sister Kearl, and Sister Cone

Those two days were phenomenal! We got 14 lessons with our mini missionary! 14!!!!! And we never even went on splits. It was awesome. Sydney taught me a lot. She is seriously the coolest cat around. I adore her! And boy oh boy is Sister Kearl wonderful! I love all of them so so so so so much! Our new trio is definitely the bomb.com! This pictures basically describes everything.

The three of us together...? We're crazy. Crazy AWESOME! Haha I love them. Really, I do. :) Anyway, we did some amazing work this week with the three of us. We had a lot of planning to do for the baptism on Sunday! Remember? Sylvia got baptized! It was wonderful. Sunday was crazy though because I had been asked to perform in church. However, some craziness happened throughout the week, so I wasn't able to practice with an accompanist, and I forgot about having to perform in church until Sunday morning... So basically I played some accompaniment for a song that I usually sing, and just added more of a melody to it when I played so that it didn't sound like randomness. It was scary but also kind of fun to improv a song in church! After church we got everything ready for the baptism. I had to give a talk on the Holy Ghost for it, and I wasn't nervous at all until I found out President and Sister Taylor were going to be there... Then I panicked. I was planning on just kind of winging it and bearing testimony about the Holy Ghost, but instead I wrote out a few thoughts and went off of that. It turned out okay.

The baptism itself was perfect. The spirit that is felt at convert baptisms is one of the strongest instances of feeling the spirit that I have ever had the opportunity to experience in my life. Sylvia was so ready for baptism, SO ready to make that first commitment to God, and very excited to be doing so. She is such a sweet woman, and I am so grateful for the chance that I have had to be the missionary to teach her all 5 lessons. I love that feeling! Being able to be with someone for the entire process. It's pretty cool.

The lovely Sylvia! Excuse the stupid face I'm making. Clearly, I was excited.

Sylvia's husband, Brother Hunter (on the right), and Ted Ford (the guy they take care of, on the left).

Aren't they just adorable? I love all of them! There are so many wonderful people out there who need and are ready for the Gospel. Oh man, being a missionary is amazing! Having the chance to work day in and day out to find people who are in need is the best thing ever. I say that in every post, but... that just means that I mean it and that it is important! This post is kind of scattered... sorry about that. I am just so excited about everything that happened this week!

This is kind of a short one, but I don't really have anything else to say other than...

I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK!!!

Keep working hard to help the work go forth! Missionaries that are set apart and called of God are not the only missionaries in the world. YOU are a missionary too, and God needs your help to bring remembrance and salvation to all of His children. ALL of them. Do you realize how much works needs to be done in order to reach everyone? It's a lot. But it's a part of God's plan, and you who are able to serve Him should do your best to bring people that eternal happiness that they all deserve. "When you are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God." Keep going! I love you all very much! I'll talk to you next week!

Love Always,

Sister Nicole Guilott

P.S.

Here are some other pictures from this week. :) Enjoy.