WEDDING CRASHERS !

Transfers are here!

I’m staying in London! Sister Bodine is going to North Toronto. So,… like down town Toronto. She will do so well there. I am lucky and blessed that I had Sister Bodine. She is an amazing missionary. She was a great example and taught me many things.

My new companion is Sister Warnlass. I think that is how you spell it? I will meet her tomorrow. I am so excited!! New things to learn. I will make it as successful as I can and  I will make it as fun as I can. Missionary work can be so fun!

I heard she is great, everyone keeps telling me that.

Another wave of friends at home have their mission calls and others still waiting to hear! So exciting! Simply the best thing we can be doing in our Youthful Life! 

So….

Miracles in London 1st!

This was such a Great week! We had some really fun experiences! Monday was Sister Bodines birthday! She is so old now!! We had the sweetest ward members take us out for her birthday! It was so fun!

We also got to attend our investigators wedding and baptism!

Kats husband was a less-active and she got interested in missionary work when her family was having missionaries over for dinner. We were able to meet Kat and continue to teach her about the gospel. She is amazing in every way! Her main purpose is to live with Heavenly Father again. She has the strongest faith and just wants to follow Gods commandments. As soon as we taught her the law of chastity she started living it and made plans for when she could get married! We were able to attend her wedding on Saturday! She looked beautiful. The next day she was baptized! Soon her and her family will be able to be sealed in the temple for time and all eternity!

Kat is such an amazing example to me. All of our goals in this life should lead us to someday live with Heavenly Father again some day. And all he asks of us it to follow his commandments!

We also have an amazing investigator named Mxxx! He also is a great example of following Gods commandments in faith. He has been trying to quit smoking. He knows it is hard but with faith in Christ he knows it is possible!

I love how much we are able to learn from our investigators. We go in ready to teach them a lesson, but come out learning so much more!

We are able to learn so much, but we have to be willing to open our ears and heart to be able to learn.

Love,

Sister Gillins

Kat and Joey's Wedding Day
Sister Bodine, me and their son Josh

Kat's Baptism Day (2 great days in a row!)

Our Friend and New Investigator
(he came to Kat's Baptism)

I love to Look for Rainbows

Weather here in London is like Utah. One moment it is sunny and hot and the next it is a down pour. Sister Bodine and I were tracting in the rain!! It was the best though. People were willing to let us in and then we were able to share our message with them. We met a cute little family and they are willing to listen and see how through the Gospel of Jesus Christ they can live together for forever!

This week I really had to learn how to approach and talk with people because we had a lot of time to walk around and meet people. Sister Bodine is also having me take the lead in everything,….so it is up to me to start the conversation, get their information and ask for referrals and such . It was scary, but I did it! And the more I did it, the more fun it became. There are so many people in this world with so many different stories and you can always relate it back to the gospel. I think it is amazing that as missionaries we aren't trying to change people’s minds, but just adding upon the things they already know and believe.

We have some amazing investigators who are giving up so much in order to be able to live with our Heavenly Father again some day. Some people are giving up their way of living to follow Christ. It is amazing to watch and see.

Sister Bodine and I got to hold some baby ducks yesterday.. and my oh my they are too cute! They are so fluffy and they squeak! Oh, they are so cute! So, we definately took pictures!!

Loves ya!

-Sister Gillins 

"Teaching in the Rain"

Rainy days are the Best!

FLUFFY  BABY  DUCKIES!

I feel like I have Leprosy

The city of London is known for its allergy season and I’m getting the worst of it! I have never had allergies in my life and I come here and WHAM! My eyes are red puffy and I have rashes all over my face.. It’s a little scary looking, but a good conversation starter!! People are willing to tell me their advice on what to do and in return I share with them the way to salvation.

The hardest part of teaching lessons is that our investigators LOVE to talk. So it takes us about 15 minutes for us to even start the lesson and then once we get started it’s so hard to keep them on topic. We asked someone how she could use "The Family: A proclamation to the world" to strengthen her family and she said… "What is the smallest cat you have seen survive?!" And then ran to her room and brought back a baby kitten. It was really fun trying to bring it back to families, but somehow we are always able to.

We are teaching this sweet family and every time we see their little boy, he runs up and gives us the biggest hug around the legs and then asks where his stickers are. (Thank you Gilbert family for sending me stickers!!) They are planning on getting married within the next week so she can be baptized soon!! :)

Our investigator Adam was baptized on Sunday! He is wonderful and so prepared!! He already knew so much about the gospel and would say "It just makes sense!" We only taught him for about 3 weeks! The Lord truly does prepare his people. We just need to open our eyes and share our message with them!

We were able to go out and tract yesterday. It was a clear and warm day. It was so nice to be able to go out and talk with people. We had a few shut the door on our face, tons of glares, and someone got really angry and told Sister Bodine and I that we were brain washed from the time we were born and that it’s ridiculous that we go and tell people about this. We just smiled and said "Have a good day!" :) We didn't end up getting any investigators from tracting yesterday, but we did plant seeds and that many more people where able to hear about the gospel!

This week we were also able to go with some girls in our ward to sing to an older lady who's husband just passed away 3 weeks ago. They are an amazing family. They do missionary work like crazy!! So, we decided to walk to her house and as we went they talked with people with us and helped us spread the Gospel! Such a fun experience. They will be great missionaries some day!! Isn’t my “Little Helper” friend adorable? I have a picture with her.

I love all of yous!!

Sister Gillins

(PS: I still love making ugly faces..:D)

My Adorable friends and "little helper"

Weird Faces are the best

"A New Life"
05-17-14

Mommy Day!

We had such an amazing week! We have some wonderful investigators who are progressing so well! So we had some fun and amazing lessons!

To start off our week Sister Bodine and I rewarded ourselves with a white chocolate brownie for hitting standards 3 weeks in a row. So that was yummy and a good way to start off the week.

Then we got to meet with some great people! We have such a cute family we are teaching. We are teaching Kxx. Her fiancé is a less active. She has the cutest 5 year old ever. He always wants us to bring stickers when we come. She loves the gospel. She gets so excited about everything that we share.

We also had an amazing lesson with another investigator. He is having a hard time wanting to quit smoking. We had no idea what we wanted to do. So, Sister Bodine, a member and I all decided we were going to bear our testimonies on what has helped us the most through hard times. We each had our turn. Sister Perreira and I shared our favorite scripture and Sister Bodine sang a song. The spirit was so strong. It gave him the strength he needed to have the will to start slowing down on the smokes. Anything is possible if the Spirit is there!!

So... sometimes, if people don't come to church to get confirmed Sister Bodine and I go to their homes and knock on their doors and throw rocks at their windows and yell "Come on!! You need to get the Holy Ghost today!!" For reals… That was an adventure. We had to do that this last week….

It’s hard.. because you want people to do things and progress, but we all have our agency and that is one of the greatest gifts our Heavenly Father has given us. All we can do is share the gospel and invite the Spirit and hope for the best.

Mother’s day was awesome!! I loved being able to talk to my cute family!! I am grateful that Heavenly Father sent me to my wonderful mother who has gotten me this far. If it wasn't for her I would not be here in Canada. I am also so grateful that we are allowed to talk to them on mother’s day. :) It’s only been like 2 and  a half months, but my brothers have grown! They are turning into men!! Their voices are deeper and they are growing taller. I can’t even start to imagine what it will be like in a year!! But I was so grateful that the bishop allowed us to use his home to be able to Skype my family. They even let me take selfies!! :)

I hope everyone had an amazing mother’s day!! I am so grateful that we know that families are meant to be forever. That life doesn't end after we die, but that we can live forever and with our families!

Love,

Sister Gillins

Mothers Day 2014

Blonde Brownie Reward

Elder Urrutia caught us in the act of "Contact"
Great Timing

What Happened?

So this week was wonderful, but I’m not too sure on what happened. It is all a blur, but that’s what is wonderful about missionary work. If you are doing what the Lord wants you to do then you don't need to worry about what happened or is going to happen, everything will fall into place as you work hard and focus on the needs of your investigators.

We have a new investigator. When we first talked to him he told us his name was Endeavour. Then he told us that it was actually Yusuf in a text he sent to us. Then when we actually met with him for a lesson he told us that it was really Endeavour and that he wasn't sure if he wanted us to have his real name yet. So, we went on with our lesson calling him Endeavour. Well the next day he told us his real name is Axxxx and that he felt he could really trust us with his real name once he met with us. It was the strangest thing that has happened since being in Canada, but we are glad that he trusts us. He is amazing and is progressing so well! He is even trying to live the word of wisdom and we haven't even taught it to him yet!!

We have been truly blessed. We have some amazing investigators who are wanting to follow Christ. It is fun to watch how much the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bless them. This week we took away a pack of cigarettes from one of our investigators. The packs here are so weird; they have a picture of a man dyeing on it! It’s supposed to stop people from smoking.. but it’s not working because everyone still does.

I love seeing the blessings that come from people living the word of wisdom. The people are filled with a more amazing light and able to feel the spirit so much more. They are blessed physically where they say they have more energy, but also blessed spiritually. They are able to think more clearly and feel their Saviors love so much more.

Sister Bodine and I have been tracting a lot more. We need to find a family. So we go to big neighborhoods now. Tracting is so ineffective, but if people aren't willing to give us referrals it’s the only thing we can do. Many people will not listen and shut the door on our faces, many love to argue. My favorite is when people say they don't like to talk about religion but end up having a 15 minute conversation with us on their porch. Even though they aren't willing to listen now, we are planting seeds. The Gospel is for everyone and that is why we are here, to share it.

I know that Jesus is the Son of God and that He lives. He can bless each of our lives, but only if we allow Him to. Everything is possible through Jesus Christ. He is our brother and loves us more than we can comprehend. Let the atonement work within you. Give yourself over to our Lord.

Love,

Sister Gillins

McFlurry Day

This is the picture on front of cigarettes
here in Canada

I don't think this picture is working!

McFlurries

                                                                            

This week was such a great week! We really depended on the Spirit a lot. And wow, our lessons were amazing!! Most of the time this week; we would go in planning on teaching one thing but end up teaching another. And one of the most amazing things, is that Sister Bodine and I can still teach in unity with one another! It has been so fun to be able to teach with Sister Bodine :)

So, we were teaching a few 10 year olds about the restoration and then one of them asked about the sacrament. We told them that the bread represents the body of Christ and one of them said ,"Christ was made out of bread?!" Haha, we may need to be more specific and clear as we teach younger kids.. ;)

Sister Bodine and I have been trying to visit a less active for awhile now, but when ever we try to go over to her apartment we always end up talking to people on the street until we have to go home. But, this week we were able to finally meet with her and it was amazing! She told us about her amazing conversion story. (The Elders asked her what she thought the world needed and she said a prophet. That is every missionaries dream!) But she also told us that she feels judged at church because she split from her husband and that it is all her fault. We bore our testimony to her that we think she is such a strong lady and that she can do hard things. Then Sister Bodine bore the most beautiful testimony I have ever heard! She told this lady that she knows the reason she has stayed in London so long is to meet her and bring her back to church. The Spirit was so strong. We all just sat and hugged each other and cried. She ended up coming to church with us this Sunday. Ugh!! I love missionary work!!

Haha. So our investigator George wears a suit every time we meet with someone in our ward. We told him he doesn’t have to, but he doesn’t listen. So we met with him and the Bishop on Saturday. And before we walked in Sister Bodine said "I bet George is wearing a suit. If he’s wearing a suit then we get a McFlurry." Long story short, Sister Bodine and I got a McFlurry today. :)

Missionary work is the best. Many people won’t listen to you, they may run away, but no one can ever take away the truth from you. I know that this is the true and everlasting gospel, that Joseph Smith has restored Christ’s church back to its full, and that Christ is the Son of God and that He Lives.

I love you all so much!

Sister Gillins

P.S. (all I really want from people is hand written letters :) Every once in awhile. I LOVE THEM!

I'm Staying in London!

Transfers have come and Sister Bodine and I are staying in London! Woohoo!! 

This is Sister Bodines 5th transfer in London. She has been here since the start of her mission! Crazy huh?

Anyways.. It’s the end of the transfer so that means we have no food. All we eat is cereal, toast and multi-vitamins. Good thing we have such a loving ward that feeds us so much! :) As well as all the Easter candy y'all have sent to us.

We had exchanges this week.. and let me tell ya! They were amazing! I went with Sister Stats to Bramfort and it was so much fun! It is the best to be able to learn from other missionaries and see how you can teach the gospel. She is an amazing example in truly loving your investigators. You can tell that she has a love for everyone she meets. I am so glad I got to spend the day with her.

  

Can I just say how glad I am that the Spirit is the true teacher. Because I say some of the dumbest things that make no sense what so ever, but our investigator will be able to come out of the lesson with a stronger faith. It has taught me that no matter what you do, as long as it is Gods will and with the Spirit, everything will work out.

So Easter was wonderful! We were able to use the eggs Grandma sent us for a family we are teaching. They went crazy for the eggs. They didn’t even follow the list that I gave them. It was so fun to watch them.

We had our own Easter egg hunt. Well I did. Sister Bodine stole our presents and hid them from me. So I spent a good 10 minutes looking for our treats. But we had a blast.

That night we went to the Alders for Easter dinner. We love the Alders family. Sister Alders has us call her Oma (Grandma in German) We were able to eat as a family and talk about Easter :)

Haha so we had one of our investigators teach us a lesson the other day and when we went to meet him out side we saw that he made this sign. It ended up being a great lesson. He was so excited to be able to teach us.

One of the best things about missionary work is seeing the change in people. The Gospel can truly make our lives better; we just have to be willing to let it. I know that the commandments God has given us is not to stop us from having fun, but to keep us safe and to better our lives in the future.

Love you all,

Sister Gillins

Easter Egg Hunt with Grandma Glovers Eggs

George surprised us with a Lesson ;)

Sister Bodine Hid my Easter Treats