Monday, December 15, 2014

I Still Serve God

Hello hello. This week was a tad bit slower, but that was for multiple reasons: I got sick, my companion and I both were in the "Holiday Away from Home Slums," and my Facebook got shut off! 

Speaking of which,  I must apologize for my name being "Nicole Guilott (Sister Guilott)" on Facebook now rather than "SisterNicole Guilott." Don't worry, I am still a missionary. Facebook deleted my account completely because it said my name was not my real name. I am the only person this has happened to so far because I have so much traffic through my page. Hundreds of messages and 800+ friend requests (that I have not responded to) because of my video. So I had to submit a picture of my ID and an appeal as to why I want my Facebook back. At first they rejected my request, so I wrote another appeal and said I would be willing to compromise and have my current title be in parenthesis next to my actual name. So they changed my name for me and said this: "Please keep in mind that you'll no longer be able to update your name from your settings, if you need to change your name in the future (ex: you get married), please fill out this form." I was pretty furious. But it is what it is. I am still a missionary and I am still serving with all my heart, might, mind and strength! Never fear. 

Despite the crazy of the week, we still saw miracles! We had a wonderful Pday last week, hanging out with the Bristow Girls in our footie pajamas! They are my favorite. The Bristow's I mean. Okay and footies. :) 
They are the best. At Bible Study this week, prayers were answered for some of the residents who attended, and it was a heartwarming miracle! Before we started reading, one of the residents expressed a concern he had and that he was praying about, and the chapter ended speaking directly about the concern he voiced!!! It strengthened everyone's testimony and made them all feel like praying and reading their scriptures more! Haha it was wonderful. 

Thursday night, the power was out. The wind gets crazy here and blows trees down and there's forest debris everywhere! And this week's wind storm caused the power to be out for a while. Our dinner appointment called us and let us know that the power had been out, so the food might be a bit cold, but that they would feed us no matter what! ...yay. Cold food. Well when we got there, the power was on! They said that just seconds before we knocked on the door, the power came on! Our dinner was still on the colder side, but we ate in the light. We found out later that five minutes after we left, the power went off again. I guess we bring the light with us or something! Unfortunately, Sister Borchardt got food poisoning. So we ended up at Erica's for the rest of the night where the power was off and we taught in the candle light. :) I thought it was lovely. Sister B did not... Haha! 

We had yet ANOTHER miracle lesson with Annalee on Friday. We keep getting so nervous before every lesson with her because we feel unworthy to teach her, but we are always so happy when we leave! This time, she told us that ever since last week she has been so excited about baptism!!!! And we didn't even invite her! She told us though that she would definitely have to pray about it, although she is pretty sure she knows what the answer is going to be. :) We are overjoyed. Her one concern was that she knows God isn't going to stop blessing her just because she isn't baptized by a certain person, and I responded with a scripture in Mosiah 18:8-10. And I explained to her that of course blessings aren't going to cease if she doesn't get baptized, but they will increase if she does. Verse 10 says, "Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?" So really it would just be allowing God to open a flood gate and pour out the spirit more abundantly upon her. She liked that answer. I am always amazed when I am able to open my mouth and the spirit fills it with words. :) It was the right answer, and it was amazing. I love Annalee! 

On Saturday, we had the ward Christmas party where we sang "Mary Let Me Hold Her Baby" from the forgotten carols in front of everyone, ate yummy food, and had more people to talk to than we knew what to do with. There were at least 12 nonmembers there, Annalee and a few others from Bible Study included, and we were just busy busy busy all night long! It was crazy! TONS of less actives and part member families were there too, so by the end of the night, we were tired. But it was so worth it! 

I had started getting sick on Wednesday, but because I knew we were singing at the ward party on Saturday, I willed myself to stay healthy enough to sing! I succeeded, but as soon as it was over, the sickiness came at full force. I woke up yesterday morning with a sore throat, plugged ears and nose, aches all over, and a hard time breathing. Sister Roniger commanded that I stay home and rest, so I had a blessing and we went on exchanges so that Sister Borchardt could be at church for our investigators who planned on coming. Guddi came! She went to church all on her own! It's a Christmas miracle. When Sister Borchardt got back from church, she informed me that I would be leading the Christmas program this upcoming Sunday because the music person is going to be out of town. Whoopdido. Nah, I'm excited. :) It'll be good! If I'm not still sick and have no voice... Haha! Despite being sick and losing my Facebook and all that good stuff, I am still a servant of the Lord! And I LOVE doing His work. :)

Well I love you all very much and I am excited about this upcoming week. According to Sister Borchardt, I am turning the age of perfection. No longer in my teens, but not quite a legal adult, so I'm technically nobody. And NOBODY'S PERFECT!!! Haha I'm excited to turn 20. It'll be strange to be away from home, and even worse if I'm still sick, but it'll be all good nonetheless because I am a missionary. And this is the only birthday I get on the mission, so of COURSE it'll be a good one! Till next week! 

Love Always,

Sister Nicole Guilott

P.S. I had real sushi for the first time. It was scrumptious. :)






No comments: