Continuing the Work: Working for our Goals

I don't know if I've told you, but our mission has a goal of 100 baptisms in a month. We have decided to aim for May (because there are 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays haha), and the most we have ever had in a month is 48, so it is quite a jump. But I know that this is the Lord's will. It is what He expects of us, so as we show our faith and work our hardest, we will be able to accomplish the goal He has set before us. I am SOO excited about it! We have been praying fervently for God to put us in the path of those who are ready to receive the restored gospel, and it's been amazing because He has been answering our prayers!

We had a lesson with one of our investigators, Ivan, who is on date for August 4th. The Spirit was incredibly strong (it always is when we teach him), and as we taught about the Plan of Salvation, I felt prompted to teach him a little bit about the temple and the importance of the covenants we make in the Lord's Holy House. So I did. We eventually got around to telling him that the covenants he makes in the temple will mean the most to him, and since August 4th is a significant date to him, it might be better for him to get baptized as soon as he is ready, and to aim for going through the temple on August 4th of next year. He said he felt good about that, and guess what date he decided he is going to pray about? May 9th! We were thrilled. And kinda shocked. I don't know why there is always the element of surprise, I KNOW that God is in this work and that He knows what He is doing. After all, Nephi says it best in 1 Nephi 3:7 -

"...I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

God wouldn't tell us to aim for 100 baptisms if He was just gonna sit on the sidelines and let us figure it out ourselves. He will provide a way! Later in the week, we had another miracle. An investigator, Heidi, has been waiting for her husband to be active in the church again before she gets baptized. It's been hard... but she was on date for next March. Yeah, March of 2016. :/ A few days ago when we went over to teach her, we prayed beforehand to know what we can ask her so that we can better understand her concerns, and know how to best teach her. We hardly had to say a word, and she told us everything. Long story short, she told us she would like to bump her baptismal date up, and she is now praying about May 30th. :) It blows my mind how this is all happening. And that was just in one week! I can't wait to see what other miracles happen as we go forth with faith and continue to pray for those miracles. This truly is God's work.

Besides all the miracles, this week was FUN! I love seeing my progression as a missionary, and I know that this week I grew somehow, because I have been genuinely enjoying the work! I mean, I have always loved this work, but sometimes it is hard... And this week, it didn't feel difficult at all because we were doing our best, and we had a good time while we did it. :) We laugh and we sing and we teach and we bring people closer to Christ. There's nothing better. We got to teach a 15 minute "lesson" of sorts about modesty to the activity day girls, and that was super fun! There were only 4 of them, but they were adorable! We also got to do service for one family who has a 16 year old daughter, and then 5 boys under the age of 10. They JUST had their 5th baby, and Dad works, so we spent something like an hour a day doing dishes, laundry, and just tidying up the house. You all know that I LOVE cleaning. That's not sarcasm! Cleaning and organizing is relaxing to me, and sometimes super fun! So that was pretty great too.

I am so grateful that I get to be here in such a beautiful area serving such beautiful spirits. I know that I'm not perfect, but the Atonement is real, and I will always have the chance to repent! Someone said recently, probably quoting an Apostle, that "of all acts, mans repentance is the most divine. The greatest of all faults is to be conscious of none." I have many a fault, but I am aware of most of them and I am doing my best to change them. God is good, and He loves me. I am so excited to see what other miracles He brings so that we might accomplish the things He has asked us to do. I love you! I'll talk to you later!

Love Always,

Sister Nicole Guilott

P.S. Pictures