Week #59 - Gift of Tongues is REAL!

Monday, March 8, 2021 

Another amazing week here in Brazil! I think I'll probably say that every week here haha! But honestly, I haven't realized what a miracle it is that I am actually here in Brazil again until now. I am here to help specific people, and knowing that is amazing! 

This week, I understood a good amount more! I love speaking Português and am still praying for the gift of tongues everyday. There are definitely some people where I understand almost nothing of what they said hahaha, and then others where I understand everything! Patience.... I just need more patience hahah!

This last week was little more difficult, and also miracle filled. We worked a lot with the recent converts. We have 2 girls here, Duda and Vitoria and they are converts of 7 months. They love the gospel so much, but their mom isn't a member. But we went over to their home and shared a message with them AND their mom, Josy! It was awesome. The spirit was very strong and we formed a great relationship with Josy. 

Another recent convert we have is Daleth. She has been a member for exactly one month! She loves the gospel so much. She got baptized the week before I got here. She invited us over to her home and we taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ while her mom was there. Her mom is apart of a different church, but sat and listened! It was awesome. I asked her (in my broken portuguese) if she would like to start taking the missionary lessons, and she didn't give an exact answer, but went on to explain some questions that she has about where we go after we die, and how we can all be saved if we didn't get baptized here on earth. Daleth looked at her mom and said, "Guess what?! We have the answers for those questions!" We are going to go over again this next week and hopefully teach her mom the Plan of Salvation! Then Daleth on Sunday helped us out with a lesson with an investigator that we have. It was awesome, and afterward Daleth told us that she wants to serve a mission! Yay! 

Here is a miracle that turned into a sad story.... we were teaching Felipe Salomão, I talked about him before, but we taught him this last week on Tuesday and invited him to be baptized and he said yes!! YAY! Then we had another lesson with him on Friday, and he didn't answer... and our messages wouldn't send... so we thought that he blocked us and didn't want to talk to us. Then we thought of Facebook and messaging him on Facebook, and he replied! He told us that his phone got stolen. And then...... thay he was moving with his family to Bahia... it was sad, but he still wants to meet with the missionaries there! 

Lots of things happen that sometimes make us feel down. Like someone saying they are moving after showing the desire that they want to follow the example of our Savior. Or all of our lessons falling through (happened to us on Thursday and Friday). BUT what I know to he true, is that the miracles that will show after that are UNREAL! Because God is a God of miracles!

Love you all so much! Thank you for all the prayers and support!

♡Sister Guilott♡

Week #58 - Mission Tour

Monday, March 1, 2021 

Sister "N" Silva (She is called that since there are so many "Silvas")

OI GENTE!!! Wow, another amazing week here in BRASIL!! This week was a really good week. I'll be honest with all of you, when I first got here I was nervous out of my mind. I was also feeling really homesick for Arizona. But... I don't feel that nervousness anymore. The only nervous feelings I feel is for the people we are teaching! But lots happened this week, so let's hop right into it...

What it looks like outside!

So, we started off the week kinda crazy, me and Sister N. Silva went to the sister training leaders area, because me and Sister Souza were going to be going up to Brasília to practice singing our song for Mission Tour that was on Wednesday. So we stayed with the STLs for those couple of days, and then me and Sister Souza would drive up in an uber and practice the song! We sang Este é o Cristo (this is the christ). And it went suuuuper good! While we were in the uber's, we taught the Restoration, Plan of Salvation, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the uber drivers! Hahaha gotta love ubers. 

But then we had mission tour, and I got to meet almost all the mission!! My brain hurt really bad afterwards trying to understand everything they were saying... but it was all good hahaha! Elder and Sister Koch were the ones speaking to us, and they were awesome. It also hurt my head to try and understand everything hahaha. 

Here's my update with portuguese: let me just start off by saying the the gift of tongues is real... when I was here last year, I had the hardest time understanding. Well, I can understand a good amount now! I understand everything Sister N. Silva is saying which is nice hahaha. But once I understand what people are saying, we are on talking about the next thing. So I'm just a little slower right now hahaha. The hard part now is knowing what to say, to form the sentences. And then it's hard as well with training because I am helping Sister N. Silva with teaching skills. Pretty much it's like she is my trainer hahaha. 

But me and Sister N. Silva are doing awesome. I am teaching her English and she loves it. Her English is already sooooo good! She just needs the confidence to speak it :) speaking of english, me and Sister N. Silva are going to be starting english classes online! We already have 30 people that want to participate... so we aren't too sure how that is going to work hahaha. 

Now for the people in Ceilândia we are teaching...

First is Francisca, she is awesome. We went over to her house and introduced the Book of Mormon to her! She thought that I was a Sister that used to teach her, but I've never met her before hahaha. She was literally convinced. She even ended up coming to church with us! I was going to ask her if we could take a selfie, but she ran out of the church building suuuuper fast. But she is awesome.

We are also teaching Felipe Salomão and he is super cool! He is more to himself and shy, but still doing good. We have some good fellowship with him. He is catholic though and helps out at his church every week the same we have ours... so hopefully he will come one day and feel the spirit there! But he's reading the Book of Mormon a lot! 

We have another guy we started talking to, his name is Daniel. He is a referral from a member in a different ward. He is soooo cool and has a Book of Mormon already, and is really wanting to learn more!

I love being here in Brasil. I still can't understand what a blessing it is that I am here!! Today is also my 14 month mark.... which means I don't have too much time left eeeek! Pray for Sister Guilott to have the gift of tongues!!

Alma 26:3 "And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work."

Alma 26:3 "E esta é a bênção que nos foi concedida: que fomos transformados em instrumentos nas mãos de Deus, para realizar esta grande obra."

♡Sister Guilott♡

Sister Hernandez (who I arrived with on 2/11)

The members bring us food and give us treats!

Week #57 - Brazilian Rain Storms

Monday, February 22, 2021

My fabulous district!

Let me start of by saying that GOD IS GOOD!! I just love Brazil so much. I have seen so many miracles here this past week being in Ceilândia! I love it! I will share some of the miracles from the week: 

This week we spent a lot of time getting to know the area better and the people here better. We reached out to a loooooot of potential people and even started teaching 9 new people!! Wowza! It's been a fun time. On Tuesday we had district council, and yes... I am the only American in the district. The only American in the zone. Now, there are 4 Americans here so more are starting to come! Everyone here really likes to talk to me, which is a little awkward because I never know all of what they said, and when I finally do understand them... we are going into the next conversation. 

Portuguese is coming good... I can understand my companion, but I am still having a hard time understanding others. And right now a lot of missionary work is over the phone.... and I can never understand people over the phone hahaha! 

Here is the funnest experience from the week... we have a recent convert named Duda, she is 14 and her sister who is also a recent convert is 10. Their mom isn't a member. The only way we can go over to members homes is if a nonmember is there. So Duda invited us over to share a message with her and her mom! We were so excited! We were at a lesson with a different recent convert, and after leaving we went to Duda's house. While walking there, it was starting to rain a little bit. Not too much. But as we kept walking, it kept getting darker and raining even more. Next thing you know.... it's POURING rain and we are running through the street trying to find Duda's house. We stopped to look at the address and saw that we  only had 7% on the phone. Then an elder started to call us. After we explained to him that we couldn't talk... WE HAD 1%!!! So we quickly memorized the address, and went on running through the rain again. Drenched. It was so crazy hahaha. After running for a minute, we stopped at a churrasco (which is like a barbeque here) and waited for the rain to stop. But it didn't.. so the owner of the churrasco made us ponchos out of giant black trash bags hahaha. And off again we went running. Turns out we had the wrong address. BUT luckily someone let us in and charge our phone. And we even ended up talking with them a little bit about our beliefs. Not too much, because they expressed they weren't interested. But hey, they helped us out and that was a miracle itself!! 

Soaked! 

A couple days later we went to a different churrasco and got some yummy food there. There was a guy who sparked up a conversation with us there, named Felipe. We explained our purpose, and he showed interest in what we were saying. So we got his number and with my broken portuguese I gave him a Book of Mormon!! We even had a video call with him a couple days later and he really likes the Book of Mormon. MIRACLES!! 

I truly can't explain how big of a miracle it is that I am here. I still can't comprehend it. I am grateful that God has given me the opportunity to serve in 2 wonderful places: Brazil and Arizona. 

Pray for Sister Guilott to have the gift of tongues to understand and SPEAK!! Love you all! 

3 Néfi 5:13 "Eis que sou discípulo de Jesus Cristo, o Filho de Deus. Fui por ele chamado para anunciar sua palavra ao povo, a fim de que tenham vida eterna."

3 Nephi 5:13 "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life."

♡Sister Guilott♡

Ubers - How we get around at times.

Rainbow from our apartment window

Week #56 - Hello from BRASILIA BRAZIL!

Monday, February 15, 2021

My new companion Sister Silva - I love her so much already!

HELLOOOOO FROM BRAZIL!!! Wowza... what a week. Honestly. I am feeling sooo many different emotions, with leaving Arizona, being in Brazil again, not knowing what anyone is saying!! It's been crazy. So buckle up, because this weekly email is gonna be a long one.... 

So.. not much happened with leaving Chandler. I wish I could've stayed there long, but it was a good time to leave! We did have zone conference, and I got permission from President Goaslind to go to that. And we also had a little goodbye party at his house 2 nights before we left. It was fun and super sad to say goodbye to everyone!! 

It was strange to be alone traveling until I met up with other missionaries.

Sister Hernandez and I enjoying our last American meal!

Elders and Sisters going to Brazil with us and various other missions in Brazil.

We had a 8 hour layover in Dallas, 5 hours in Sao Paulo.

Sister Westhoff, the other sister going to Brazil the same day as me, so she spent the night before we left at our home. Then we left bright and early! Except her flight left like 3 hours after me. But it all happened for a reason. Because I had the COOLEST experience on the flight from Phoenix to Dallas. I was nervous when I said goodbye to President Shumway, who dropped me off at the airport, because I was all alone hahaha. So I prayed when I got to my gate to know who I should sit by and talk to before we boarded the flight. So I went and sat in this open seat next to this middle aged man. We talked, he asked me about my mission, I told him I was going to Brazil, and then it was time to board and we parted our ways. I decided that I would give him a Book of Mormon afterwards if I saw him. But since God doesn't do random... guess who my seat was by... THE SAME GUY! So he told me that he had lots of friends and co workers that are members of the church, but doesn't know what we believe. I explained my purpose is to help all to understand what we believe, and then we spent the next 2 hours on the flight talking about so much. We talked about the Restoration, the Holy Ghost, the sacrament, the Plan of Salvation, and so much more. And he just took it all in and understood it. I gave him the Book of Mormon afterwards and promised him that if he read it, he would feel his Savior's love for him more. Wow. What a cool last teaching experience in English. 

Arriving after 32 hours of travel!

I arrived in Brasília with my companion from the first week of the MTC, Sister Hernandez. It was so fun to be with her! I got off the plane before Sister Hernandez, and when I came out... wow, pretty much the whole mission was there waiting for me. I saw Presidente and Sister Priday, and they were so happy to see me. It was such an amazing experience. They told me that I was the FIRST American that they had seen since being here in Brazil in August. Crazy. I met a lot of people that day, and then we went to the mission home to have dinner with Presidente and Sister Priday! But first, we went and drove by the Brasília temple that is in construction. It was super fun. That is when I found out where I was going to be for the next transfer. I am in Ceilândia 4 and Águas Lindas (beautiful waters)! I am finishing doing the second half training of Sister Silva. She is from an Island here in Brazil, so all the missionaries call her Moana. Hahaha! We are both new to the area, and don't have any way right now to know who we are teaching. But hopefully in a couple days we can know hahaha! WOWZA Brazil is so fun. Before I got here in Ceilândia, I was with the STLs and spent 2 days there. We went to church with them, and taught some lessons with them! It was a lot of fun and good to relax after the long trip here. 

President and Sister Priday

This banner greeted us - along with many missionaries!

I was so touched by the welcome from everyone!

I am so happy to be here. I would be lying if I told you guys that I am not overwhelmed hahaha. It's a lot of take in. New place, language that I still can't understand too well, and a new area that me and my companion know nothing about. But, with all of that, I have so much trust in my Savior and all that He has done for me, and all the miracles I have seen. Thank you for your prayers! Remember in your prayers to pray for Sister Guilott to have the Gift of Tongues so she can speak and understand this amazing language. 

Eu amo vocês muito! Obrigada por todas coisas! 

♡Sister Guilott♡

Week #55 - Last 3 Days in Tempe; It's hard to say goodbye!

 Monday, February 8, 2021

My companions in Chandler for the past two weeks

My last week in America... that sounds crazy doesn't it? But it is true. I am leaving in 3 days (Feb. 11th) to BRAZIL! But holy cow I have learned so much while being here in Arizona. I have learned that my Savior Jesus Christ is my best friend, and that when people know that Jesus Christ is their best friend, it is eternal happiness. But here are some highlights from the week:

Sometimes bathroom selfies at the church are the only way to get a picture!

Service Exercise Day with these fun ladies!

This area us definitely a little slower now since the Lugos go baptized, so we were thinking of some things we could do, especially during our modified quarantine. So, we made cookies from scratch! 😋🍪They didn't end up the greatest... but we still delivered them haha. We didnt know who exactly to give them to though. We thought about our bishop, the family that just got baptized, and a less active that lived closed to them. And then we had one more thing of cookies left, and we thought of this random family (the Knauers) to give it to. So we went and doorbell ditched the cookies. And the next day, Sister Knauers gave us a call and told us that yesterday she was really sad, because her dad had passed away the week before... which we didnt even know!! She went on to say that throughout the day, she was craving chocolate chip cookies, but didnt have anything to make the cookies. So she just prayed that somehow, she would be able to get some cookies... WAHBANG she got the cookies!! That right there, is a testimony of following the spirit, now matter how simple or easy it may seem. ALWAYS. FOLLOW. THE. SPIRIT.

I also went on exchanges with beautiful Sister Packer this last week. We had to wear masks the whole day, so that made it a little difficult haha. But it was so much fun. We spent 6 hours outside, and it was a blast! We actually met a lot of fun people. At one point, we were at a park doing some language study and this little 10 year old girl came up to us and started talking with us saying how she's a member as well. She told us that she wanted to serve a mission, and then ran away haha. It was adorable. We also were walking back from a lesson in an apartment complex, and this guy stopped us asking who we are. We told him that we are missionaries, and then he asked if he could come to church with us! We said DUH of course. I don't know if he ever did end up going, but he was super down to go. It was a super cool day! We also ate some yummy acai! 

Honestly, the time I've spent here in Arizona for the past 9 months have been amazing. I love it here and might even move here one day because its warm 24/7 haha. I am sad to say goodbye to all my friends and my mission president and his wife, but I'm pumped for my new adventure I will have in BRAZIL 🇧🇷🇧🇷 thank you for all the prayers!! Next week, I'll start adding some more portugues to these!! 

♡Sister Guilott♡

Week #54 - Chandler: Quarantine and a Baptism

 Monday, February 1, 2021

Saying "goodbye" to my awesome companions!

Wowza another amazing week as a missionary in the Arizona Tempe Mission! I had to sadly say goodbye to Yuma and my amazing companions. I would've stayed there if it weren't so far away from the mission home. BUT now I am in Chandler in the Pleasant 3rd Ward, and I love it here already so much! I do miss Yuma a lot. I learned so much there about my testimony and my Savior. I am grateful for the life long friends I made there, including my wonderful companions: Sister Martin and Sister Hartley. They are the BEST! 

Chandler is fun! It's a lot of big houses, and a lot of people live around here. So I am in a trio again for the 10 days I am here, Sister Risk who was originally assigned to Australia Mandarin speaking! She is super awesome and outgoing! My other companion is Sister Curry and this is her original mission. She is more on the quiet side, but is also super fun and amazing! But here's some craziness that happened with our trio... Sister Risk got exposed to covid, so she was in her area up until this last Saturday night, when transfers are usually on Wednesday. She had to wait until she got her negative covid test result, and then she got it. Then she started showing symptoms so she had to get another negative test result... she FINALLY got that and then made it here! And right in time for the best miracle...

A BAPTISM! I only met them a couple days ago, but April and her 2 sons, Xzavier and Ethan, all got baptized on Sunday! It was so awesome, and I loved being able to participate. I got here right when we needed to plan the whole thing, so that's what I spent most of my time here in this area doing so far! But they were so happy to make that covenant with our Savior and Father in Heaven. It was an amazing miracle. And Sister Risk got here right in time!! 

Another miracle that happened this week was at the baptism, another one of April's sons who hasn't ever been interested in learning more from the missionaries, came up to us telling us he was interested!! So we got his phone number and we are going to start teaching him! Yay!! 

One of my favorite scriptures from this week is Mosiah 16:9 - "He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened." Look for Christ as that light in your life. He is there!! ☆

♡Sister Guilott♡

Week #53 - Last Week in YUMA; Going to Chandler and then . . .Back To Brazil in Two Weeks!

Monday, January 25, 2021

I will miss my companions - LIFE LONG friends for sure!

Hello!

What a week. This week was full of miracles. We also found out about transfer news, and I am leaving to Chandler to the Pleasant 3rd ward in another trio. And, my companion from the first week of the MTC in Brazil... My new ward in Chandler is her home ward! WHAT ARE THE ODDS?!?! But I am so sad to say goodbye to my companions right now. They are life long friends for life. BUT I do have some really exciting news. I will only be in my new area for 2 weeks... Because I am GOING BACK TO BRAZIL!!! Honestly.... This is such an amazing miracle, and I am humbled and so excited that I can return to this amazing country. I am very sad to be leaving Arizona. But it is all in God's plan! But here are some other amazing miracles from this wonderful week:

We have been trying unsuccessfully to get together with our relief society president and finally, this week we finally had a lesson with them. Her daughter's father-in-law who isn't a member of the church is living with them. His wife recently passed away, and he is looking for some peace in his life. Well... it's a good thing that the gospel is what brings the most peace to us!! We shared a message with them about eternal families and he had sooooo many questions now about what we believe and we are hoping to meet with him again soon!

Our amazing Elders Quorum President in our YSA ward loooooves talking to people about the gospel, and he gave a Book of Mormon to his boss at work, and we were able to meet with this awesome man at his house and shared a message with him and he wants to learn more! He is awesome!! He was already reading The Book of Mormon and loves everything we have shared with him. 

Mark Concha, the amazing man who got baptized a couple weeks ago, his son is turning 8 next month and wants to take lessons like his dad did to prepare for when he gets baptized! So we met with him this week and did a lesson with him over video call, and he is the smartest 7 year old I know. He gave the opening prayer, and in the prayer he said: "Please help me to gain a remission of my sins through baptism." I don't know about you, but I've never heard another 7 year old say that hahaha. But he is doing awesome.

BIGGEST MIRACLE EVER!! Ever since me and my companions have been together here in Yuma, we have been working with this family who wants to come back to church, and they haven't been active in YEARS!! But this Sunday.... after 3 months of teaching them.... THEY FINALLY CAME TO CHURCH! And they loved it. They weren't going to bring their 2 year old daughter, and so her parents were going to watch her. And we told them that Satan would do whatever he could to make it so they wouldn't come to church. That morning, her mom texted her saying she couldn't watch her daughter.... but they still came! And they felt the spirit so strongly. It was an amazing miracle.

Wonderful friends!

We have been working with Murphy, and he doesn't necessarily like to pray. But he finally prayed for us this week! But he still says he feels nothing. And our member who was in the lesson with us, lost her necklace that her mom had given her that day. So we went outside to find it, and Murphy told us "we will never find it..." and so while Sister Hartley went with Kylie, me and Sister Martin were with Murphy looking. And I told Murphy that if he prayed right there that we would find it. And he just stared at me and said he didn't know what to say. So I literally said a prayer for him so he would know what to say, and he said it!! And right after he said amen.... kylie yells "I FOUND IT!" Murphy's face was like he had seen a ghost. He felt the spirit and he knew it. It was awesome!! 

I am so thankful for all of you and your prayers, especially with being able to return to Brazil. GOD DOESN'T DO RANDOM!! 

♡sister guilott♡

More goodbye photos of wonderful people I will remember forever!

We cooked a healthy meal!