Spring Fever!

Hello all! It's been a beautiful SUNNY week over here in GB. Hopefully spring is coming. I'd love to never put on my winter coat again.     
Sister Buck and I have had a lovely week!🌞🌞   
 
Our friend Espoir was interviewed for baptism by Elder Hardman and he passed! He is very excited to be baptised and can't wait for Saturday! He asked for our wonderful Bishop, Bishop Branch to baptise him. The Whitefield Ward absolutely loves this family and we hope they will each join one by one.     
We also called by some friends we haven't see  in a while Valdemiro and Isa. They are a young couple from Cape Verde and they have a 2 year old and a newborn. When we knocked, they immediately let us in. They were having a family get together and they offered us some of the food and then we just started teaching them. They were all so nice and wanting to learn more. Definitely doesn't happen every day!   
   
Well that's pretty much all that's happened this week! I'm excited for the upcoming week ahead. A scripture I loved this week is found in Jacob 1:19 "And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day."   
I feel like this verse is all about having a sense of urgency in this work. It's up to us as missionaries and members to spread the gospel to to tell as many people about this gospel. It's such a privilege to be a representative of Christ for 18 months but it's important that we represent him ALL our life.   
   
I hope you all had a wonderful week! Love and miss you all!   
   
Sister Gilland   
England Manchester Mission

Victory McFlurries after Espoir's Baptismal Interview
Street display in the rain
Spring selfie
Found a cat

Dream Team

On Wednesday we all met at the Manchester stake centre to meet the new missionaries and be introduced to our new companions! I'm training Sister Buck from Nephi, Utah. She and I are so similar it's scary. We also have like 10 friends in common haha. She is so excited to be here and start strong. I literally want to extend my mission a transfer so I can finish training her. She's amazing. Dream Team for sure.

Literally prayed so hard that Sister Buck and I's first lesson together would run smoothly so that she could see how a lesson is supposed to go. We taught our friend Anthony and it was AMAZING. Neither of us had ever taught him and so we just got to know him and then shared the plan of Salvation with him. Our mission president invited us and our trainees to extend a baptismal invitation once a week and so I thought "why not now?". When we asked him, he said something like "Its funny you mention baptism because when I was reading the scripture you just asked me to read, I actually pictured myself being baptised." Amazing! We were absolutely thrilled. He's got a long way to go but I really feel like he will one day know that these things are true.
We also taught a couple other really strong lessons. Our friend Espoir is still on date for March 2nd and his interview is this week. We are so excited for him!

Something I read in my studies was the scripture Helaman 5:9 "O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world."
I've really tried this week to remember and reflect on the things I've learned over the last year and a bit and it's been amazing to see how coming to know our saviour really shapes and changes us into better people. It's been amazing to watch this change in people I've taught and also in myself.

Well I'm excited to FaceTime my fam for the last 6 Mondays of my mission! 😂 I can't believe how many things have changed in the church since I've been out. It's actually crazy to me. I wish I could FaceTime you all but I'll see you soon enough. Have a wonderful week everyone!

Sister Gilland
England Manchester Mission

Pics
Libby and Sean came and visited me in Whitefield!
Me and sister buck thought we'd match our first sunday.
Valentines Day😘
Another selfie with sista buck.

Temple, Two Baptisms, Transfers, & TRAINING!

Crazy week people! We got the call Saturday morning from President informing me that I'm training a new missionary. It's also my last transfer. This is exactly how I wanted to end my mission so I couldn't be happier! We had Train the Trainers Sunday night and I pick up my greenie tomorrow!

On Thursday we got to go to the temple with our recent convert Christine. So many miracles took place for this to happen. We were worried that Christine would get nothing out of the temple because she doesn't speak any English and her 9 year old daughter couldn't come help translate. When we got there, there was a man who spoke swahili! He explained everything and we just watched her face light up. It was so special.

Amina
Amina is the cutest and probably the smartest little 9 year old I know. She speaks perfect English and swahili and was the key to her mom, Christine's conversion. When we taught Christine, Amina would translate the lessons. As she did so, she started to realise herself that it was true. Her testimony started to grow. She absolutely loves primary and learning. She told us that one day she wants to be a missionary. She is amazing!

Libby
I'm sure you all know about the famous Libby but if not, I'll catch you up. Libby is a direct result of following a simple prompting. I first saw Libby whilst we were having a lesson with our friend in McDonald's and she was working a shift there. She caught my eye for some reason so I went up and talked to her for a couple of seconds. I felt prompted to leave a note with our name and number on the table when we left. She ended up texting us that very night. For that day forward, we cultivated an amazing friendship. We watched the light of the gospel touch Libby's life and saw and incredible change in her. She began reading the scriptures and praying seeking to get her answer. It took a few months but as she continued studying and learning and reflecting on the little coincidences that occured, she realised that God was with her all along. He never left her and he never will. The boiler in St Helen's was broken so they held the baptism in a neighboring town called Warrington. When they got there, the boiler was also broken in Warrington. The chapel was so cold, you could see your breath so you can imagine how cold the font was. But despite that, it was amazing to watch and the spirit was just incredible.

I've been reading in 2 Nephi and chapter has become one of my favourites. In verse 41 and 47 we are reminded how crucial our Saviour is in this plan and how desperately we need him.
"41 O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.
47 But behold, my brethren, is it expedient that I should awake you to an awful reality of these things? Would I harrow up your souls if your minds were pure? Would I be plain unto you according to the plainness of the truth if ye were freed from sin?"
We are all imperfect people. But because of Christ, we all have the potential to arrive to our Heavenly Father but we must utilise the keeper of that gate, Jesus Christ. There is no other way.

When we were at the temple, myself and my companion did baptisms and we of course weren't wearing our badges on our jump suits. When I introduced myself to others, I kept pointing to where my badge would normally be. I felt so empty without it. I've gotten too used to having a badge and I never want to take it off. I can't believe how fast the time is going. I really hope things slow down. I can't wait to see what this transfer brings.

I love you all.

Sister Gilland
England Manchester Mission

We'll Sing and We'll Shout

Well it's been absolutely freezing here. England doesn't know what to do with snow because they never get any so when it does come, nobody shovels or plows or anything (because they don't have shovels or plows or anything) so everything just gets super slippery and ice doesn't really help the uncoordinated so I've slipped twice so far. So hoping it warms up soon!

It's been an insanely quick week. We had District Council Tuesday and afterwards we had Amina's baptismal interview... She passed! Also Libby back in St Helen's passed as well so they're both good to go! Amina turned 9 on Saturday so we got her a little gift and made some cake, it was lots of fun. She's looking forward to this Saturday, as are we! Should be a crazy upcoming week.

We've been calling up people in the area book lately and seeing if they would be able to meet up for a lesson and most have said yes so we've just been meeting and teaching all sorts of new people. We taught Liam again on Thursday about the Plan of Salvation and he liked it. He's very philosophically minded so he entertains most beliefs and considers everything. Also our friend Waleed from Sudan is amazing! He is literally so prepared and just wants to know more and more. We gave him a book of Mormon in Arabic and his face just lit up. He read Moroni's promise and said "So what this says is if I read it, and ask God if it's true, with a sincere heart, he will answer me?" and we told him yes and he was like "I can't wait to find out for myself and become a better person along the way". He's so precious I love teaching him so much!
On Sunday, we got to attend a new member fireside with Espoir. It was an especially good one. Some amazing stories were shared and the spirit was so strong. The closing hymn was "the Spirit of God" and when we all sang, it was like electric. The spirit was so intense you just couldn't deny it!

Well over the last week or so, I was challenged to write/draw what the Plan of Salvation means to me on one page. This was an amazing activity and I really loved studying about God's plan for me and all his children. I'm grateful for this plan and grateful I get to share it with those around me!
Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he [Jesus Christ] became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.

Love you all! Have a good week!

Sister Gilland
England Manchester Mission