Bring the Heat

This week was tough. Not gonna lie, it was really hard. Really taxing, I guess is a better way to put it. Saying goodbye to Sister Lammi was nothing short of devastating (even though I get to see her and everybody else in a few weeks), and that was just Monday. I got to spend time with the Hermana's on Tuesday, which was super fun! I got to use the tiny amount of Spanish that I know and I understood almost everything they were saying, so that was pretty great.

On Wednesday, I got a new companion, Sister Hayes.She is from Missouri and has only been on her mission for 5 months. That's been kinda fun! I'm a whole 12 months older than her in "mission age," so her Greenie Fire is still there and my End of Mission Fire is there too, which makes us a hard working pair! It'll be good. With that fire though, we are a little to hot... the weather up here has been record heat the past couple of weeks. I can't even remember the last time it rained. It was 73 in Newport Beach, CA and 92 up here. I was upset. Haha! It's been incredibly hot, which is why there aren't many pictures for this week... I was too sweaty and gross to take pictures. Ha! Sorry!

One of the other hard parts of this week is that quite a few people fell off date for baptism. Not only did they drop their date, but they dropped US. We are no longer in contact with them, which breaks my heart. THAT has been hard for me. I only have 5 weeks left, so it's hard to think that I'm not gonna baptize every weekend like I thought I was going to. I mean, who knows? Maybe God has other people who are prepared to be baptized and it'll still happen! I'm confident that whatever happens, as long as I keep the faith and do my best to bring forth the Gospel to everyone I can, it'll be right. God has a perfect plan, even though it sometimes clashes with what I would appreciate personally. He's great that way. Gotta be humbled every once in a while!

The great part of this week was Toby's baptism. :) His dad, Charlie, got to baptize him (who was only baptized two weeks ago), so that was pretty special. Toby is adorable, and he is such a good example to those around him! His friend Dylan has been at a few of the lessons, and now he wants us to focus on teaching him! That will be great. :)

It was a very cool baptism. Charlie gave the talk on Baptism, and Mary gave the talk on the Holy Ghost, which was extra special. :) Bishop Henthorn shared with Charlie on Sunday this poem that he felt described Charlie and his progression pretty accurately. I would have to agree with him.

’Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But held it up with a smile:

“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,

“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”

“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two?

Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;

Going for three—” But no,

From the room, far back, a gray-haired man

Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,

And tightening the loose strings,

He played a melody pure and sweet

As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?”

And he held it up with the bow.

“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?

Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?

Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,

And going, and gone!” said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,

“We do not quite understand

What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply:

“The touch of a master’s hand.”

And many a man with life out of tune,

And battered and scarred with sin,

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,

Much like the old violin.

A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine,

A game—and he travels on.

He’s “going” once, and “going” twice,

He’s “going” and almost “gone.”

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd

Never can quite understand

The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought

By the touch of the Master’s hand.

Charlie has come SO far in the last year. And now he is well on his way to having his eternal family. I couldn't be happier for them. I really feel like their family are some of the people that I was close with in the pre-existence, and finding those sorts of connections are some of the best moments ever. I am so grateful that I have had the opportunities that I've had to find those people and to reconnect with them. It's been a fairly long time. ;) I love my mission. Though things have been difficult, they're looking up, and I am confident they'll continue to get better and better. I love you! I'll talk to you next week.

Love Always,

Sister Nicole Guilott

Tender Mercies and Fond Farewells‏

I have been through quite the roller coaster of emotions this week, yeesh! Don't worry, mostly good emotions with just a few moments of the bad kind. :P Each positive thing was paired with something negative, so I will explain them all in that way. I need to remember there is opposition in all things, I guess. The first thing that happened is that we had a Zone Conference on Tuesday for Tiwi's... Tiwi's kinda stink, but they will help us in the end. I don't know if I explained it already, but a Tiwi is a device that is installed to a vehicle that helps you drive.... It has a GPS system in it so it knows where we are all the time, which means it also knows the speed limits everywhere. So if we are driving too fast it'll say in a Steven Hawking voice, "Check your speed." Then if we don't, it sends in a little report to the mission office and he Mission President can see how we are driving. Haha! It checks our speed, if we are wearing our seat belts, if we go over bumps too fast or turn too hard, or if we are out too late or too early. It's pretty intense. So that kinda counts as both a good thing and a bad thing, as does the other aspect of what happened at this conference: They had me give my departing testimony! :0 I was so confused... I still have a whole transfer! But I guess there won't be another Zone Conference until after I go home. I was surprised they had me do it now, but at the same time, I'm grateful I wasn't expecting it because that way it was more raw rather than like, a prepared 5 minute talk. I'm still so confused... I have 6 weeks left... And today marks my 17 months. Oh! The other good part about the conference is that we got an almost selfie with a President Taylor! 

"I guess we're not the only ones who make mistakes . . ."

The next good and bad thing that happened is that we have made really good friends with a woman named Marittza, who is a Recent Convert in the Spanish Branch. She has fed us with the Hermana's a few times now, and we've watched movies with her on Pday before, so we've gotten pretty close. Well this week, the roommates she has living in her house went a little crazy... They have what we call "cholitos," or 15-year old wanna be gangsters that come hang out with them all the time, plus some REAL Cholos and one Chola, plus a boyfriend who does drugs and was most likely using the garage to cook meth (just a suspicion), they aren't paying rent, etc. Marittza has told them multiple times to clean up their act, clean up their friends, and what not or get out, but they don't listen. This week, they threatened her, so all four of us sister missionaries went over to be with her, and every time they spoke to her I just wanted to freak out at them! I've never been so heightened with anger towards somebody in my life! I knew that if they touched her, it would turn into a physical fight. Hermana Stidham and I were both boiling, and ready to blow if they made a single move. They ended up calling the police to try and be the first ones to "snitch" or just to get Marittza in trouble before she got them in trouble, but the cop that came over told her that he didn't need to talk to them for more then 3 seconds to know they were bad news. It made me pretty sad to see people who live this way... Just mooching off of other people, turning to drugs and alcohol and nasty men to try and feel emotion or hide emotion. It was so sad. The good news is, all is well now, and they have to be out by the first of the month. So that's happy. :) I hope they find happier things awaiting them and that they turn to more reliable sources, like their Father in Heaven, who loves them despite the way they treat others and despite who they are choosing to be and who to follow. That's one of the great things about God - He will love us no matter what. 

Remember how Toby was gonna be baptized this past Saturday? Well, he's only 11 years old, and he had a mini panic attack because he felt like it was so much information all at one time that he had to know, so we bumped his baptism back a week. He will be getting baptized THIS Saturday instead. :) One of the happiest moments on my mission happened this week while we were teaching Toby - each day when we went over, he had a different friend over who we were able to teach while we taught Toby, and one of the days in particular, he had four friends over all at one time. Their names were Evan, Brody, Cameron, and Dylan, and boy was it a treat to be able to teach all five of them at the same time. They reminded me of the Little Rascals the way they all were with each other. :) Anyway, they LOVED listening to the lesson we taught them, and afterwards, they all wanted a book and something with pictures to look at, so they followed us out to our car and surrounded us while we got them each a Book of Mormon and a Restoration pamphlet. They were so sweet! They ranged from age 5-12, and it was seriously one of the most tender moments ever. It made me understand just a little better why the Savior said to "suffer the children to come unto me." They are so close to God, unlike many of the adults we teach who are stubborn and set in their ways. The children are so willing to change and so willing to communicate with their Heavenly Father. It was so cool to be a part of that! I hope we can go back and teach them some more eventually. 

Another super cool experience we had this week was involving an investigator that has been almost impossible to meet with. Her name is Anna, and every time we set up an appointment with her, she either isn't there or isn't feeling well, so we end up wasting a lot of time driving out to her house for nothing. Well this week when we had a scheduled appointment with her, we discussed in the car before we went inside that if she isn't home or is "sick" that we were gonna drop her because she clearly isn't ready. We said a prayer asking Heavenly Father to help us to discern what it is He would have us do with her, and went inside. She was home, and the lesson went great! We taught her and her daughter, and she asked us to come back again another time too. The best part is, she told us that she is ready for a change, and wants to be baptized. :) We put her on date for the last Saturday in July. :) God answered our prayer, and made it pretty clear that we needed to keep teaching her. He provided a nice solid miracle as an answer. I love it when He does that. 

One of the BEST parts of the week was that we got to go to the temple on Saturday night with a woman who both Sister Lammi and I taught in the Evergreen Ward when we first were companions. Her name is Nikki, and it was quite the way to finish the week. She was a bit overwhelmed, but it was in a good way. One of the greatest feelings in the world is to be overwhelmed by the Spirit, and that's how she was feeling. As were we all! It is so cool to be able to be with people you love as they make sacred covenants with their Father. We get to do it somewhat often with baptism, but only a few times have I been able to be with people as they go through the temple, and boy is it wonderful. 

The only possible down side to going to the temple on Saturday was that it was Lammi's last time in the Portland Temple... Which brings me to my last highlight of the week. Tonight, I had to go with a member of the ward to drop Sister Lammi off at the mission home. She flies home to Sacramento tomorrow morning, and I will be receiving a new companion, Sister Hayes, on Wednesday. Saying goodbye was... Not what I expected. I've never killed off a companion before, so I guess I didn't really know what to expect, but the only companion I'll ever have to kill off just HAD to be my best friend. I know it's only 6 weeks, but it feels like forever. She is sure gonna rock everyone's socks when she gets home tomorrow! She has grown so much just since I was her companion in September, so I can't imagine how much of a difference it will be for her family who haven't seen her in 18 months! She is wonderful, and truly has a heart of gold. I am so lucky I got to serve with her twice and that I was able to find my soul sister! It was strange dropping her off at the mission home, because I got sort of a glimpse of what it will be like for me in 6 weeks... Let's not think about that. 

"On our way to the mission home . . ."

 

Though saying goodbye was difficult, I am reminded that when I prayed about whether I should go home in June or August, the answer was clear as a bell. I KNOW that I am supposed to be here for the next 6 weeks, and I know that it is for a very specific reason. I can't wait to discover the purpose of my being here for this last transfer. I know it's gonna be great, and I am so excited to see it. :) I love you and will talk to you next week. 

Love Always,

Sister Nicole Guilott

P.S. Hahahahahahaha....

"Dad, I promise it's just while I'm a missionary . . . I'll always be a Saints fan."

 

"Call me Guilott son of Glorin :P"

 

"Our apartment IS this crew: Lammi is SpongeBob, I am Patrick, Stidham is Squidward, and Butler is Plankton.
 It's just too perfect."

 

The Lord Will Provide :)‏

So many wonderful things were able to happen this week, and it was all incredibly powerful! God answered a lot of prayers, and provided for us in endless ways, I couldn't possibly count them all and put them in one measly little email. I'll do my best to give you a good idea though. :) It started with the wedding. I knew in my heart that things were going to work out because it was all happening so Charlie could get baptized, but in the mean time, it was scary! We borrowed an arbor from a member in a different ward, then some tool and bamboo posts from someone in our ward. We had planned to have the wedding on a certain beach that day, but when we got there the beach was FULL of people! So we walked down the shore for quite a ways and finally found a good place to have the wedding. We set up the arbor, bamboo, and tool pretty far away from the shoreline, but far enough away from the log the guests would all be sitting on that it wouldn't feel claustrophobic. Well, eventually, after everything was set up and ready to go, Charlie and the groomsmen showed up as well as the majority of the guests. The wedding was supposed to start at 7 pm, but their daughter took her dear sweet time getting there, and so it didn't start until 8. By that time, we had moved the arbor closer to the aisle a good 5 times, until finally it was strattling the aisle. When the ceremony finally did begin, the sun was at a perfect place, the wind wasn't overpowering, and the shoreline stayed where it was for some reason (not by chance. I was praying HARD that it wouldn't come up any higher till after the ceremony), but as soon as they said "I Do" and took a few pictures, the water rushed all the way up to the log the guests were sitting on. Here are some pictures. :)

"This is where the arbor started ... Haha!"

"The arbor moved back a bit with the shore..."

"And this is where the arbor ended up. :)"

 

"Afterwards, this was the sunset while we had s'mores around a campfire.  Pretty, right?"

It turned out to be exactly perfect. As a wedding planner, I was stressed beyond belief the whole time, but I kept my cool and just did my best to make sure the bride and groom were happy. :) We had found a photographer for free and everything, so while they went off to take some pictures, we set up the campfire, played some music, and had a s'mores bar for the guests who wanted to stick around a little longer. That was a nice way to end the evening. Eventually, Mary and Charlie came back over to the fire pit and had some s'mores too, and we all just talked about how nice of an evening it was. Mary was glad to have it be over so that they wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. All we had to worry about now was the baptism and reception, and those would hopefully be much easier to put together... 

We got to the church on Saturday afternoon to set up early for the reception, but when we got to the cultural hall and turned on the lights, there were intricate decorations all set up for what looked like a luau for a teenager. We were petrified! Where were we supposed to set up for the reception?!? Well, it turned out to be a graduation party, but they had it BEFORE graduation that day, so while we were in the young women's room filling up the font, this huge Polynesian party was going on! Someone came and found us and told us we HAD to join in the celebration, so we did. :) It was so fun! Lammi and I decided that we must marry into the Polynesian culture because it was just so much fun and it was normal to yell out and make noise and laugh like a crazy person. ;) That's just how I do. Haha! Anyway, they were done with the party and all cleaned up by he time the baptism started at 6, but before we went to finish getting ready for the baptism, the man who threw the party for his daughter told me he would leave his professional sound board and speakers up so we could play decent music at the reception. I almost cried. I was just planning on using my iPod and a dinky little speaker that I have, but there is no way that would have filled the cultural hall. I was so grateful! He left us a microphone as well as the sound system, so it made the reception feel a little more planned out and just a lot better altogether. It was great! 

Before the reception, came the baptism. I cannot describe to you the immense happy spirit that was there. Charlie has been dying to be baptized for at least a year now, but he has had to wait because they kept putting off the wedding. After the wedding ceremony, he came up to me to thank me for all we were doing and he said, "I am SO excited..." as he said this a tear escaped his eye, "to be baptized." No one could deny that the spirit and angels were present at Charlie's baptism. It was so much stronger because Charlie had had to exercise his faith and wait for so much longer than normal to get baptized. But he remained faithful the entire time. After he was baptized, there was a huge smile on his face the rest of the time. It was priceless. Everything about that baptism was just wonderful. There were nonmembers there who felt the spirit just as strongly as I did - they were brought to tears as Charlie was baptized and then as we taught the Restoration. Families were there together, the children that were there were reverent and sweet, and everyone was just happy. It was a beautiful atmosphere, and I wish I could explain to you the feeling, but it's something you have to just experience for yourself. 

I'll remember each baptism for a different reason, and this one will stay in my heart because of just how happy Charlie was. His spirits were lifted so much, and he had a peace and calm about him that can only be brought on by the spirit. On Sunday, he received the Holy Ghost. That was beautiful too. :) But the best part is... He received the priesthood yesterday too! Usually, you wait a little bit, but he had to get it right away because at the reception after the baptism, we asked their 10 year old son, Toby, what he thought about baptism, and he said he wants to be baptized! So he is getting baptized this Saturday, and Charlie is going to be the one to baptize him. :') It's such a cool blessing! I am so excited. We haven't taught Toby anything yet, so we are going over every day this week to give him the lessons and prepare him for baptism. It'll be pretty special to see Charlie baptize him only 7 days after his own baptism. I am thrilled. And so is the whole family and the whole ward! 

Speaking of the reception, it went so well! I was shocked, because we had kinda forgotten about it since we spent so much time and energy worrying about the actual wedding, so when it magically all came together I couldn't help but be grateful and amazed at how much God blesses us. The relief society showed up during the baptism and set up beautifully for the reception, the bishop's son baked and decorated a cake for them, and we had the wonderful sound system. It came together beautifully! The important part is that Mary and Charlie were happy, and I think it was a success. :) 

Altogether, this week was phenomenal. Yes, I had a major migraine on Sunday when it was all said and done, but it was worth it. I'm so grateful I was able to help put together their wedding, reception, and Charlie's baptism. I love planning, I really do. :) I also got to go to dinner with my dear Rowley's again, and then I got to work in the Vancouver 1st Ward for a day while Sister Lammi attended her end of the mission temple trip. I feel so blessed to have served in such wonderful areas with such wonderful people and such wonderful companions. My mission is precious to me, and I can't believe I only have one transfer left... 7 weeks are gonna fly, and that terrifies me, but the genuine happiness this gospel brings is eternal, it won't just last while I'm serving a mission. That's one of the beauties of it. We asked a recent convert this week why she decided to join the church and live the gospel and she said after she had read the Book of Mormon for the first time, "I had my testimony confirmed that Joseph Smith couldn't have made this up. And if that's true, I don't have a choice." If this Gospel is true, then we don't have a choice. We MUST live it. We have to do all we can to follow our Savior, and as we do that, we will feel the happiness that comes from the companionship of the Holy Ghost and the love of our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ. I love this Gospel, and I will never forget the feelings I have had as I serve Him with all my heart, might, mind and strength. I would encourage you to do the same so that you might taste of the sweet joy that comes from it. I love you and I'll talk to you next week! Hurrah for Israel!

Love Always,

Sister Nicole Guilott

P.S. A few more. :)

"You know who they are. :)"

"My District plus the zone leaders.  Good group of missionaries for sure!"

Marriage and Miracles!

I never expected that wedding planning would be a part of the job description as a missionary... But I LOVE it! We have an investigator named Charlie, who has been ready to be baptized for at least a year now, but he hasn't been able to because he and his girlfriend/fiancé are living together, but aren't married yet. They have planned to be married and then get baptized maybe 5 times in the last year, but it always ends up stressing Mary (the fiancé who is a member) out too much, and they postpone. Well, you know me, I like to get things done and I am stubborn. Especially if it means someone is going to get baptized! So... I volunteered us to plan and pull off their wedding. :P I'm kind of surprised by how well it is coming together! Mary and Charlie were high school sweethearts, and they were married once before, but unfortunately, they got divorced and were separated for a number of years, but now they are back together and happy as ever! This wedding will actually be their second wedding, so it isn't AS big of a deal (which makes things a little easier for me and Lammi), but it is still special and exciting. They are getting married on Tuesday then Charlie is getting baptized on Saturday. The reception will be after his baptism as well, so we might have a bit of a full house at his baptism! It'll be wonderful! 

Although we have been busy wedding planning and doing all we can to make sure it happens smoothly, we have definitely not forgotten the work of the Lord! And He has not forgotten us either. :) We currently have 5 people on date for baptism, and 4 out of the 5 of them are on date for this month - it is a huge miracle! The 100 baptisms in a month that our mission is striving for is really going to happen! We were able to put a new person on date this week, and it was one of those miracles that are just jaw dropping and unbelievable. I need to stop being so surprised when God provides these kinds of miracles, because it is His work and He has prepared so many people! We had received a referral a few weeks ago, but hadn't been able to meet with her until this past week. She has been looking for a place to belong to, and she wants so badly to have a relationship with God. She hasn't been religious since he 8th grade, she didn't even know how to pray. It was such a tender lesson as we taught her who God is, who Christ is and how He relates to her personally, who the Holy Ghost is and His role in her life, and how to pray. As we taught Joseph Smith's 1st Vision, all she could say afterwards was, "Wow..." The Spirit was so present during the entire lesson, and at the end, we invited her to be baptized and she committed to June 27th. :) Her name is Briena, and she is so ready. 

It is just so amazing to me the many ways that God prepares His children for His Gospel. Often it is that He has to allow them to reach an all time low in order to build them back up in faith. After all, it is when we are our weakest that we think to call on God for help. It's no fun to be in that position, but the reward for striving to be faithful and relying on our Heavenly Father to get us back to happiness and safety is so worth it! This week, Sister Lammi and I took a minute to appreciate the beauty of this area, and took some pictures high up on the mountain so we could look over Longview from more of an aerial view, but trees are so tall we could hardly see anything! But it was beautiful anyway. :) 

We were also able to have interviews with President Taylor on Tuesday. He is such a wonderful man. I am so blessed to have him as my Mission President, I don't know if I can say that enough. I truly believe that part of the reason I was called to this Mission is because of my amazing Mission President. He always knows exactly what to say to me, and he is always so ready to address the questions I have about the Gospel and about how the Lord wants me to work in this part of His vineyard. He is an inspired man, and I am so grateful for the privilege of serving under his guidance and direction. I could never thank him enough. 

"President Taylor's dear sweet wife. :)"

"Me, Lammi-Lou, and Hermana Stidham waiting for our turn at interviews."

I am so excited for this week. For the wedding, for Charlie's baptism on Saturday, and for the many chances I am going to have to find the elect! There is nothing better that I could be doing right now than serving the Lord. There are low times, but the high times far out way the low, and I am so glad I get the chance to be here. Let me be the first to say that if you have EVER had a desire to serve a mission, you are called to the work! Do everything you can to serve others and serve God, and I promise that the joy you feel will be incomparable to anything else you've ever felt. I love you! Keep serving! 

Love Always,

Sister Nicole Guilott

P.S. A few more. :)

"Isn't this a cute idea? They have a plaque for the missionaries serving in their ward!  Great idea.  The ward used to be the 2nd Ward, but now it's Mint Valley."

"Bubble in the car.  We have too much fun. :P"

"Two of the Rodriguez's came to visit!  I sure love them."

Angels and The Atonement‏

There is a veil placed over our eyes that keeps us from remembering our life before earth, and usually keeps us from seeing angels and spirits who reside here with us. It is one of the coolest experiences to recognize the hand of God and the influence of angels in your life even though you can't see them. This happened quite a few times this week. 

This is me and Sister Lammi. I love her quite a lot. She's definitely one of my eternal best friends, and I adore her. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to serve around her! And I am grateful that we were able to experience this week and the thinness of the veil together. The first experience we had was going to the temple as a zone. I love having the chance to reside in the Lord's house for a little while - nothing brings greater peace. This time at the temple, I received intense revelation. I always feel more receptive to the Spirit in the temple, and this time was no different. However, the revelation I was given on Wednesday was not exactly the answer I expected to my prayer. God was honest with me, and that is what I asked for. He was gracious enough to tell me what I need to change so that I might be able to have a complete focus for this last 2 months of my mission, and for that I am grateful. I had to be able to understand it loud and clear, so God made sure I heard Him! It wasn't a fun thing to hear at first, but then I realized it it what God wanted me to know so I could grow more and become better. And it was so fun to be with the whole zone! What a day! 

The second rare opportunity we had was to have a Mission Conference where Brent Neilson of the First Quorum of the 70 came and spoke to us. He taught us a lot about the Atonement. He discussed with us the difference between the Redeeming Power of the Atonement, and the Enabling Power. Most Christian's just focus on the Redeeming Power - "Have you been saved by Grace?" etc. But Elder Neilson helped us understand the importance of the Enabling Power as well. Yes, by repenting, we are saved by grace, but through the Enabling Power of the Atonement, we can be changed by grace. That is, after all, the purpose of this life. We are put here to change our nature. I was taught from on high that day, and I am very grateful for the things the Lord taught me through the Spirit. And I got to see some of my favorite people! 

It was a wonderful experience and I loved getting to see everybody. :) The last thing and probably most significant thing that happened this week was that we were in a car crash. My dearest Lammi-Lou was driving, and she ran a red light... I yelled "RED!!" too late, and we went into the intersection. As we did, a cat was coming from the drivers side heading right for Lammi. Lammi slammed on the breaks, but... The car didn't even screech. No slowing down, no nothing. The breaks didn't work. I wondered if maybe she hit the gas instead, but we didn't accelerate either, we simply went the same speed we were going, which made it so that the other car hit us on our back bumper on the drivers side. Logically, Sister Lammi should have been hit right on, leaving her seriously injured or maybe even killed. But we knew that God had intercepted. I didn't haven't have to see the angels push our car forward in order to know that they did so. The moment right before the car hit us, I knew we would be okay, and that was due to the comforting power of the Holy Ghost. The other guy was okay too, by the way. We actually ended up giving him a Book of Mormon and we now have a referral for the missionaries in his area! Woo Hoo! 

"The damage to our vehicle.  Hardly anything."

"The damage done to HIS vehicle...A little more than ours."

What I learned from this was that if we are doing all we can, if we are striving our best to serve God and show Him that we are willing to do as He asks of us, He is going to protect us. Even when we make mistakes, He will be there. The accident was our fault, but both the Redeeming Power and Enabling Power of Christ's Atonement were able to be used that day. He forgave us for our mistakes, and He enabled us to change through that experience. I am grateful for what He is teaching me, and I know that God doesn't do random. We are safe, I am driving now (haha), and we are continuing His work. I love you! I am excited to talk to you next week. :) Be safe and keep praying! 

Love Always,

Sister Nicole Guilott

P.S. Other pictures! 

"One of the Hermanas we live with: Hermana Stidham.  I love her to pieces."

"Exchanges with Sister Hughes!"

"The view of the Columbia River.  Isn't it great?"

"Jacob.  One of our investigators. :)"

"President and Sister Thomas took us out to sushi!"

"The elephant I'm holding (among her vast collection) is the same one that I had from the circus from when I was little!
I sure loved that cup.  Wonder what happened to it...Mom. :)"