Little miracle from Heaven

One year ago today was my farewell talk. Crazy! Then I had all those goodbyes that were so hard. Honestly, I don't know why they were so hard. a year and a half is no time at all. I'll be home before you know it. But I do miss you all dearly and I am grateful for the prayers, the letters and the emails of support and encouragement. I always need them. Then I had an awesome MTC experience where I learned so much and grew and made awesome friends. Then I went to my beloved home of 9 de Octubre. I was there with Hermana Norton, Hermana Brito and then trained Hermana McCally there. I am so grateful for each of those sisters and for the members and the less actives and the investigators that I had in those 7 months. I learned so much and I know that God placed me there with those companions for a reason. They made me the missionary that I am today!

Then I had my first transfer. And a hard one too. I got here to San Felipe with Hermana Waite. We were such a great companionship if you ask me! I loved teaching with her and learning with her. Our investigators and our moments together were powerful and now I have Hermana Wood. Hermana Wood and I are the dynamic duo of the decade. I love teaching with her. I can honestly say that my Heavenly Father knows me and what I have needed to learn and who has needed my talents in this last year. It's been a huge blessing and an amazing experience to be here in Peru. I have finished the Book of Mormon. I have finished Preach My Gospel. I have learned so much about the atonement, personal revelation and prayer, patience, charity and humility. I am a changed woman and I LOVE the Gospel. 

So this week we had a cool experience. Last Thursday we were walking to an appointment and I turned to my comp and said, "Lets cross the street so we can knock on that door."  So we did. And we knocked on this random green house and I pulled out a contact card and was about to give it to her and she opened the door all the way and said, "Come in." This week on Tuesday and then on Friday we visited her and she is a little miracle from heaven. She has 2 boys, 7 and 8 years old. She told us she never opens up for people and she did to us.  Then she said that she doesn't feel like God loves her, like he has abandoned her. That is probably the hardest thing for me to hear because I FEEL THE LOVE HE HAS FOR HIS CHILDREN and it is immense. And it is for every single one of us. Anyways, we told her that God hasn't abandoned her because he sent us and we told her about last week and how we randomly decided to cross the street. She cried and we just promised her that we have exactly what she needs. We gave her a Book of Mormon and taught all of lesson one. She always has really good questions and she has already noticed that she feels the spirit when we come. Oh, and her name is Miluska and she is so great. We are so so excited for this little miracle. 

Hermana Williams came with us to teach Hermana Jayde. It was a great lesson on repentance, I loved it. Her prep is going well and everything is set for her baptism on Saturday. 

Just wanted to share: 

Acts 13:52 and the disciples were filled with joy and with the holy ghost. 

I am so filled with joy. And with the holy ghost. I love the mission. I can't believe I am home in less than 6 months. I am just going to live it up and enjoy every moment.  Today we went to eat at a really nice Chinese place with President and Sister Williams to celebrate our 1 year, because they have the same. I love them.  

Everyone needs the gospel and we really have such an intense responsibility to teach the gospel in such a way that they will realize it is true and it is what they need. It's all laying on the shoulders of us 18, 19,. 20, 25 year old missionaries. God must really trust us. 

The mission really is amazing and if I had to pick 3 things I have really learned it is 1. The power and the need of the atonement for EVERYONE. 2.  Preach My Gospel is the best and teaching PEOPLE instead of lessons is so important. 3.  Every comp and investigator I have had makes me who I am. God has a perfect plan for my mission. 

Thanks again for all of your support.

Love,

Hermana Pilling

Exhausted, but joyful

The time is literally just flying by. I cant believe it's been a year. I am going to be home before I know it and I don't think I'm okay with that. I have been REALLY really exhausted lately though. A year with the same clothes is tiring. A year of walking 7 miles a day is tiring. A year of constant gospel focus is GREAT but it also seems to be more tiring. I have to really push it and focus this last 6 months. I'm so excited for everything though. I can see the little miracles every day and I am so excited to work with the Lord to bring more people to Christ. 

I SENT A PACKAGE HOME. And I got to the post office and I didn't know the new address. So I sent it to the Steed's house and they should get it within 3 weeks... I hope. :)

This week we had the blessing and the privilege to watch the broadcast of the youth cultural celebration and then attend the temple dedication sessions the next day. President Uchtdorf and Elder Bednar came down and we attended all 3 dedicatory sessions and it was beautiful. President Uchtdorf was trying to talk to the kids and just kept talking in English and it was funny because they didn't understand but he was trying so hard. It was cute. I loved seeing all the different typical dances and performances and being inspired and uplifted by the messages given on Sunday. I have realized that having a temple less than an hour away is a huge blessing and I need to go way more often. There are some Peruvians that are making the sacrifice to go once a month. It's 3 hours away and costs 30 soles, which is only 10 bucks but for a Peruvian that is like 2 weeks worth of breakfast meals. I need to definitely go more often. I have realized that the sacred work we do for the dead in the temples is such a blessing and it's all thanks to the restoration of the gospel. I am so ready to get going on family history work. The temple is where we need to be so that others can be with their families forever. I have realized that the spirit is the best feeling in the whole world. I sat in the chapel and listened to Mormon Tabernacle Choir for half an hour before the dedication and I felt the love of God. I felt the spirit testify of this marvelous work that I am doing. I felt so JOYFUL to be here in Peru. I also realized this weekend that I am so proud to be a missionary in Peru. It's been such a blessing. 

I absolutely love you all and I hope and pray that everyone is in good health and is happy and is praying. Prayer is the greatest blessing God has given us-AFTER the life and atonement of His only begotten son. 

Love,

Hermana Pilling

More Personally Converted

This week was another toughy.  We REALLY need some new investigators.  We are trying to be more efficient with our contacts, to contact more, and especially to work with the members more.  Hopefully this week we can find some golden investigators.  This week we just walked A LOT.  I swear everyone went into hibernation, but they didn't.  It was just so hard, but we were happy, of course.  We made homemade pizzas with Guillermo and Jayde. We watched Mormon Messages with a recent convert, one called My New Life, and I cried.  

The investigators we do have are doing great.  We passed Jose over to the Elders.  He came to church again and I think he will get baptized.  I really think it's a smart move to have the Elders teach him now. I think he is doing well.

Jayde came BY HERSELF to a ward mission night we had.  Her husband was working and she just showed up, which is huge.  She also stayed for all 3 hours of church all by herself because her husband left for a family emergency.  This week we are hoping to finalize her fears and doubts and put a fecha bien firme.  I have so much love for her and Guillermo and their kids.  

Miriam is a reference that is kind of just mind boggling.  She read the first 3 lessons and answered all the questions with the scriptures at the back.  She started reading the Book of Mormon and has prayed and knows it is true and has already read up to the end of Mosiah.  She is starting to change and feels more of the spirit in her home.  She wants to get baptized and it has all happened in just over 2 weeks.  

I love seeing the gospel continue to change people's lives.  I have been deeply studying Preach My Gospel my whole mission and I finally finished!  The last section, the very last paragraph talks about staying active in the church and I feel more and more personally converted to the gospel every single day.  I see it in others as they read the Book of Mormon and as they find out more of the little golden truth treasures in the gospel.  It's the best ever!

Thanks for all of your support!

Love, 

Hermana Pilling

This is where we live

Sister Wood and I with a ward missionary

Jayde and Guillermo with their homemade pizza they made us!

Canadian Companion

This week was so so so weird.  We felt odd and useless until we thought back at all the great lessons and experiences we had. 

President showed a video at the change meeting that is about the atonement and missionary work.  It's by Elder Holland and the video is great. It's been the one talk to motivate me during my mission.  It's just amazing.  I am so grateful for the atonement and I, as a missionary, need it more than you'd think.  I love it so much. 

Then President called Hermana Waite, and she got sent to JAEN where it is really hot but really green and I've just heard it is pretty.  Then they called a girl and she stood up and President said, "Zona Chiclayo Peru" and I instantly knew she was my new companion.  I started crying and jumped up and ran to her.  MY COMPANION IS SISTER WOOD FROM CARDSTON  ALBERTA CANADA!  Another gringa. hahaha It's funny because Dad was certain I was going to have my latina.  But ya no. I am so happy though. God really does know exactly what we need and with everything that happened last week on pday, I just know we were meant to be together.

Hermana Wood is so great. It's awesome not having to explain Banff or Waterton or anything Canadian and to hear someone else say washroom or parkade. hahaha She is also so outgoing. She knows the investigators and she talks and is super friendly with them and I just love it!  We are a powerful teaching team. I am so excited for this transfer.

We sang Come Thou Fount in spanish at the baptism with the other sisters and it's so pretty. Here are the words in spanish for anyone that can understand them. It's prettier in spanish than in english.  Its meaning is a little different. 

"Fuente de mis bendiciones, ven y afina el corazon 

compasion que nunca cesa, engendra mi cancion. 

un soneto enseñame por la lengua celestial

hazme firme en tu monte, eterno manantial.

Mi voz levatare por tu ayuda al llegar, 

y seguro en tus brazos morare en tu hogar

errante yo estaba y jesus me encontro

con su sangre derramada del dolor me rescato.

Mecesito que me ligues a tu vida celestial

este corazon errante se apronta a desviar

y me alejo yo lo siento abandono a mi dios

tomame mi corazon y a tu monte sellalo.

I didn't put all the accent things in, sorry. But the lyrics seriously saved me this week. I love them soooo much.

Guillermo blessed the sacrament this week. It was perfect. 

We ate lasagna and apple pie with our ward mission leader and his family on Saturday. It was delicious.

I love the mission so much and I feel so motivated and so eager. I have so little time left and I owe so much to my saviour. I am so grateful for all your prayers.  I really felt them this week. 

Love,

Hermana Pilling

When missionaries get sick...

Hey everyone.  It was an up and down week for me. 

Jayde is doing great. We've decided to wait until the end of the month for her baptism; just because it's harder to teach the lessons with her. She broke her glasses so she hasn't been able to read the folletos.  She isn't as smart as Guillermo so understanding these COMPLETELY new non-catholic concepts is harder for her. 

Some interesting things to note:

Nevada means snow covered in spanish. 

Las vegas means the tobacco plantations in spanish.

Tuesday we had 3 lessons go through IN THE MORNING. This is a miracle. and they were great lessons!  One with Blanca, who knows that Joseph Smith was a prophet and CAN'T wait to read the Book of Mormon. Another with Zamira. Well, she isn't progressing quite as much but she wants to understand our point of view.  She's attentive and really really nice.  I love her.  The other one was a reference from the stake president, and those are always golden!

Wednesday I got letters from grams that had socks in them. I am always in need of socks! And I got 2 letters from you mommy. One all about the youth conference and your experience. I had no idea so thank you so much. What a cool experience. It would be life changing if these Peruvians could have experiences like that. LIFE CHANGING. Count your blessings. The other letter from you was the reply to the mothers day letter I sent you, which was absolutely amazing! I have read it many times.

We also had intercambios.  I stayed in the area with Hermana Gonzales, who was my sister leader when I was in 9 de Octubre too. She's great. 

Thursday after intercambios, Hermana Williams came out with us. I LOVE HER. I have been so blessed to have this time with her. She's been my mommy out here in Peru. She's a great person. We taught 2 lessons with her and it was amazing.

Friday I got sick, but we stayed out all day.  At 9:30 I got right into bed. 

Saturday I was sick. We stayed in.  I honestly don't think my digestive system will ever be normal. We watched 10 movies/videos. I gained a testimony, or was reminded of my testimony, of the pioneers, Joseph Smith, Christ's sacrifice, and the power of prayer. I love this church so much.

Sunday I was still in bed. Real sick with the tummy wummy. This time we listened to conference talks on Hermana Waite's ipod. I listened to The Atonement: After All We Can Do by Brad Wilcox and Mom, you're right, it was amazing!  It changed my perspective on that scripture which is one I have on my wall.  

Well, we also found out that my comp has transfers. It's super sad, especially with all the success we are having in our area. I am going to really miss her support and her friendship and her spiritual strength. She has helped me more than anyone can imagine. 

Next week I will let you all know if I have a latina companion or not. 

Oh also, I have been out here for 11 months! CRAZY. I'm loving the mission I love the lord. 

Love

Hermana Pilling

Clair being her crazy self

Clair "with the girls" at church

Happiest place on earth

Today we went to the mission home and president was telling my comp and I about how he met his wife and their first date and their engagement.  Since he was an institute director he also went off about preparing for eternal marriage.  He was talking about how fun marriage was and how important it is.  It was so so so comforting because lately I have been worrying that I will get depressed when I get home. The mission is literally the happiest I have ever been in my life. I am so so so so so full of joy! But when he was talking, I just knew that getting married is so important and that I will be happy with my husband, whoever he may be... it was comforting because it was a real fear I've had lately. 

I hope I don't miss the mission a lot. I am scared about it. 

I am just so happy. I love life. Next week we will have news to see if either of us have transfers. I hope not. But we will see. 

I've seen the missionaries that are in my old area, 9 de Octuber and they say EVERYONE still asks when I am coming back or how I am or where I am serving. hahaha My converts are doing good. Elizabeth, the first one that is 67, leaves to accompany the sisters to some of their lessons and said she is just a firecracker. She is so serious with the people and telling them to read every day and just loves the scriptures. hahaha I can completely imagine it. They said that Lola, the 81 year old, is getting more and more sick. Her great grandchildren can't go to church now, their mom got mad, so she goes alone. But she is doing great in the church.  I'm excited to go back and see everyone. I defintely miss 9 de octubre. 

The missionary work is AMAZING. I love my companion.  Sister Waite is just such a hard, humble worker. We had our baptism a week ago and Guillermo and his wife were able to travel to Trujillo with the ward to go through the temple open house. His wife, Jayde, and he had an AMAZING EXPERIENCE. We taught them both (the first formal lesson with the wife present) and she told us that she wants to get baptized. She wants to feel the spirit all the time like she did in the temple. She wants to be sealed in the temple to her husband for forever. She wants to have a testimony of a true church like we do.  She wants to change and she wants to do family history work and save her ancestors. So, we invited her with a fecha for the 13th of June, which is really soon! We have so so much to teach her. But she honestly wants to learn and understand and she is always home so I don't think it will be a problem. We will need a lot of help from the Lord too.  Anyways, I cried.  She is just so ready and I can already tell that their marriage and relationship together has changed. They are happy. They are excited and I am too to say the least :) 

My new favorite scripture is 2 Nephi 2:25. I really do know that MEN ARE THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE JOY! That is what God wants and that is what the Gospel provides. I promise. 

The spirit is the best feeling ever. 

I have sick problems. I don't think it will ever go away. 

I love my companion so much. 

Guillermo and Jayde are so great and I never want to leave them. 

President and Sister Williams are amazing. 

Also, we sang in sacrament meeting with the sisters in our district. We sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer and I haven't felt the spirit that strong in a church meeting in a long time. Music is so powerful!

Also, President is LITERALLY Dad. I can't even begin to explain how much I miss daddy, especially when I am around president. 

Love you!

Clair

Guillermo's Baptism

Happy Monday everyone!

Another great week!  Monday night after pday, a photo picnic with the other Hermanas and some seriously needed relaxation, we went out to preach... and we didn't have any success at all.  We also got back to the room and realized we had forgotten our name badges.... coincidence? 

P-Day at the wall

Tuesday we had a lesson with Yenifer, who got baptized last march with Hermana Norton, my first companion, and her friend Rocio.  It was such a cool lesson. Yenifer is so converted to the gospel and has such a strong desire to share it with others.  When she testified to her friend, the spirit was so strong. It was so cool to be there and see that references really work and they are way better than just street contacting. So, if any of you have friends that are you just dying to share the gospel with, JUST DO IT and you will feel the spirit and be so blessed and your friend with be so grateful. 

Wednesday we had the multi-zone conference. more notes to follow

Thursday we went to the chapel for Guillermo's baptism interview. Elder Allgaier, our district leader, said it would be maybe 20 minutes. Ya, well they were in there for an hour and I was honestly starting to get worried but, everything is all great.  He was so excited and we asked Elder Allgaier how it went and he said Guillermo just went off a couple times about fish and politics, but that he has a lot of faith and he's going to be a good strong member.

Friday we taught Guillermo one more time as an investigator. We just reviewed everything and shared our testimonies again. He prayed and in his prayer, he said that he has never been so sure in his life about something he can't see is true. I feel the spirit more and more every time we go visit that old man. 

Saturday was his baptism. Details to follow. 

Okay so the zone meeting. First off, Hermana Williams's spanish is so good. She has improved so much. I am so proud of her :) The only Latinos she ever talks to are the missionaries on the phone when they have health problems really. She doesn't have the opportunity to leave and talk to people like we do, but she sounds great, honestly.  Hermana Williams taught about the scriptures. D&C 11:21 "Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men". She talked about how we need to study the scriptures, love the scriptures, treasure the scriptures and use them in every lesson because they have the power to convince! 

She also said, "We, as missionaries and as members of the church, need to trust God. We cannot trust someone we do not know and we cannot know God if we don't study and treasure the scriptures." I too testify to that. 

Sister Williams and Sister Waite

President taught us all about Jacob chapter 5. It was AWESOME... and too much to send home.  At the end he got emotional and forgot to speak spanish, hahaha.  He said, "Thanks for hanging in there when you were all alone, and when you had 40 investigators and not a single one progressed to baptism. Thanks for hanging in there when you can't seem to find the strength to go on." It was pretty powerful. I am so grateful for president and for his wife, for there love and guidance and prayers and teachings. What would I do without them? 

Okay, now about GUILLERMO'S BAPTISM. His wife has listened to maybe 2 of our lessons. She is always really nice and participates but is Catholic, like the rest of the Peruvian world. The day before his baptism she walked in and asked us if we thought he was really prepared for baptism. We told her yes, he keeps all his commitments, he has faith, he's been to church every Sunday since the first one, and he meets all the requirements found in D &C 20:37 (I think). She left and we asked Guillermo how he felt. He said he honestly felt good. Saturday,  Guillermo and his wife, Jayde, showed up at 4:40. Our ward mission leader gave them a tour of the chapel and then they got changed. Afterwards we took photos and then started the service. The messages were great. The  four of us sister missionaries sang, which was beautiful because Sister Waite and Sister Hepdon have amazing voices, and then we went to watch the baptism.  Right before we got to the font, Guillermo's youngest daughter showed up with her boyfriend. She is 25 and her boyfriend kind of looks like Robert Downey Jr. hahaha. Anyways, he got baptized and it was all good!  Then we watched How to Find Faith in Christ while we waited.  He then shared his testimony and it was literally a perfect testimony. Sunday he was confirmed and I still feel an extra spirit with me. I am so grateful for him and his example and everything he has taught me. He also says that I look like my brother Cale. It was a great week!

Love,

Hermana Pilling

Guillermo's Baptism