#AlwaysThere

Hello everyone! This week was pretty good. I can't believe we are approaching April! So crazy.

On Tuesday I said goodbye to Sister Westover and basically bawled my eyes out. My new companion, Sister Mastroianni is super good. She's 22 and like 5 feet tall and so cute. She's from Napoles, Italy and has only been a member for 2 years! Her English is decent but she gives herself a hard time. Ive already learned so much from her.

Well this week has been tough because all the university students are going on Easter break so we couldn't really set up any appointments. It was also a bit stressful because I've had to be senior companion in an area I know so little about. We spent most of the week finding on Oxford road. This week especially there were so many people bashing us. It's funny to me how at the beginning of my mission, rejection and people bashing us used to make me so sad and discouraged but now it doesn't even phase me!

Huge miracle happened Sunday. We had no one scheduled to come to church cuz everyone's out of town. As soon as Sacrament started, a man me and Sister Westover met on the street a couple weeks ago came it! It was a man named Ken from Taiwan. Miracle!

Huge miracle pt 2 happened THIS  MORNING. On Friday, we met with an investigator, Chuyun and she was going through a lot and having a hard time so I mentioned receiving a priesthood blessing. She said the moment she got it, she felt strength. This morning we woke up to a message from her saying that she wanted to be baptized before she returns to China and to pray for a date for her. WHAT. Priesthood Power People!

The church has come out with an Easter Campaign called #AlwaysThere. I'm excited because as a district we have discussed ways we can use this for our street displays. I've been thinking a lot about the message of a Savior who really is 'always there' for us. I know the Savior has been there for me countless times in my life. I think since coming on my mission, I've been able to recognize his role as my Savior and Redeemer more clearly. In D&C 76:22 Joseph Smith says,
 “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!”

I know He lives. Love you all! Happy Easter/General Conference/April Fools  this week!

Sister Gilland
England Manchester Mission

Pic 1#Candid
Pic 2 Chuyun! (with my previous comp Sister westover #rip)
Pic 3 china town in Manchester
Pic 4 Found out the only taco bell in our mission is 10 minutes from our flat #BLESSED

Nicely Played Satan + Transfers

Hi all! I hope you're all doing well!  This week unfortunately was a bit discouraging but it got better in the end! Missions have loads of ups and downs!

On Monday night as we finished making Diego's baptism program, we received a text from him explaining for various reasons that he didn't want to get baptized. As a missionary, of course, we develop a love for the people we teach and it's painful when they are so close to receiving the blessings we have -the blessings of baptism- and then just like that, Satan gets a hold of them and ruins everything. It got me thinking that this must be how God feels when he sees me or any of His children stumble on the path. The pain and disappointment I felt Monday night is something unfortunately most missionaries will go through. And God goes through it all the time! I can testify that Heavenly Father is our literal father who loves us and wants the best for us. Unfortunately that darn agency we have sometimes gets in the way. Luckily Diego still wants to continue reading scriptures, praying,  and coming to church. Anyways, nicely played Satan!

We had another lesson with our friend Lucy! She's learning and growing so much. Even though baptism isn't in the cards for her at the moment, I know one day it will happen. We had a lesson on tithing and temples this week and she really loved it. She's going out of town for a couple of weeks and we all had a feeling one of us would get transferred and so when she said her closing prayer, she said "Heavenly Father, please look after my missionaries." Ah she's amazing!

Transfers! I'm Staying in YSA & Sister Westover is headin' to Liverpool!
So even though we had a rocky start to the week, Sister Westover and I had an amazing last week together. I can't even begin to express how much I'm going to miss her. I could honestly serve my whole mission with her. I feel jipped that I only got one transfer with her. She has taught me so much and I'm so grateful for her. As much as I love her, I know she's missed speaking Chinese and so I'm excited for her to get back to that.
My new companion is Sister Mastroianni! She's a convert from Italy! I meet her tomorrow! I've heard good things. She's a transfer younger than me so I'm senior companion so that'll be crazy. But I'm really excited!

That's about all for the week! On Sunday we talked about how the gospel is our light in the darkness. As we feed that light and learn and grow in the gospel, it just gets brighter and brighter!
D&C 50:24 That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

I'm grateful for the light and clarity the gospel brings in my life! And I'm grateful for all of you as well! I hope you're all doing well! Have a good week!


Sister Gilland
England Manchester Mission

Pics 1&2 : Sister W and I did a photoshoot in the beautiful city of Manchester
Pic 3: Posh Japanese restaurant a ysa recent convert owns
Pic 4: When we got transfer calls :(

6 Months! + Happy British Mother's Day!

Hiiiii everybody! This week was really good! Every day just seemed to get better. I love being a missionary! Also yesterday was Mother's Day in the UK. Unfortunately mom, I don't get to FaceTime you til American Mother's Day. But I thought of ya all day! Also tomorrow I hit my 6 month mark. I can't believe it. Just like that, a third of my mission GONE.

Well Thursday, the Elders had a Baptism for their friend, Luis from Ecuador. We were able to bring our two most progressing friends, Lucy and Diego. Lucy was really amazed by it and she said on her bus home, she was thinking about it so much that she actually missed her stop. How precious is that?! Diego also loved it and passed his baptismal interview and is getting baptized Thursday the 15th of March!  After the baptism, he said, "I'm ready to live a life trying to be like Jesus." He is so ready!

Update on my Chinese... I'm basically fluent now. Lol jk but I'm actually starting to pick up a couple of phrases. Hats off to all you missionaries who learned a language. I can barely teach the gospel in English.

Omg transfer calls are this week! Time needs to chill! I'm really hoping I'm granted another 6 weeks in YSA. I really love it here and I love my companion. I could honestly serve my whole mission with her. Hopefully nobody gets transferred!

Also yesterday while street contacting, I ran into a knee high cement post. Whose idea was it to put a knee high cement post in the middle of a side walk? Luckily I didn't roll into the street and get hit by a bus! :)

To end on a spiritual note....
Something that hit me this week is that the Lord truly puts people in the right place at the right time. Coming to England, I thought I'd only be teaching British people but boy was I wrong. Every day, I meet people from all over the world. Our current teaching pool consists of people from England, China, Japan, Columbia, and Ecuador.  I'm so grateful that the Lord has placed me here in Manchester at this exact moment so that I can meet such amazing and diverse people.
Mosiah 3: 20 "And moreover, I say unto you, that the time shall come when the knowledge of a Savior shall spread throughout every nation, kindred, tongue, and people."
I know that to be true! Love y'all lots! Xx

Sister Gilland
England Manchester Mission

Picture: Sister Wood asked if this was Big Ben and we all made fun of her 

Blood Puddin Ain't Bad

HELLO! This week was super good! Oh my heck it was so cold! Nobody warned me England was this cold! Apparently it hasn't been this cold in Manchester in decades. I just want it to be spring!  We had lots of lessons and and our investigators are still continuing to progress. We had a hard time finding this week because it was so cold.

We had a really powerful lesson with our star investigator, Lucy. She told us she feels different when she comes to church. She loves the atmosphere and the YSA community.  She has a few concerns but she is so solid. We are hoping to get her on date this week.

Another investigator, Diego from Columbia is super solid and officially on date for baptism! He's investigated the church since October and he's finally decided that he wants to be baptized! On Sunday, we took him to our New Member Fireside in Liverpool and he loved it. He is amazing!

Something fun that happened this week was on Saturday, the YSA missionaries (all 10 of us) were invited to breakfast at the bishops house. We had a 'proper English breakfast' which consisted of eggs, bacon (ham), beans on toast, sausage, tomato, mushrooms, and blood pudding. Blood pudding is fried sheep's blood in a patty. It tasted like stuffing to be honest.
On the way home from breakfast, I was chatting with bishops wife and turns out, she and her family had my dad over for dinner back when he served here! It's crazy how many people I've run into that know Elder Gilland!

Well this week a scripture popped out to me found in Deuteronomy 4:29 "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul."
This scripture was shown to me my sophomore year of high school in seminary. Back then, I really didn't have a huge understanding of this gospel. Now I'm not saying I know everything but I do know that there is a God who loves us all so much. That's the first thing I teach to people. It is most important. I challenge you all to seek the lord this week!

Sorry no pics this week! Love yall!

Sister Gilland
England Manchester Mission