Another Busy Week

Okay, so the thing with Elder Bednar..now things have changed so I don't know if we still get to go hear him. We are going to try to go still, because the President of the branch can't go, so we are going to try to take his place. If they don't let us, we cant go, so that is super disappointing. In this sector I have had the most success, but it has been the sector that has been the most frustrating at the same time.

So that's cool that Alyssa Rasmussen and I have the same release date. I was emailing Chris Sorenson and he said he is coming home like three weeks before me. That isn't good that the Patriots lost, but I bet Kylie is happy. So who is going to win the super bowl? So will I have my license when I get back, or do I have to do anything when I get there?  That will be weird when I start driving again.

With the conferences we had this week, they were good. I learned a lot from them both. I watched a face to face thing with Elder Rasband and a girl asked, "When we are resurrected, are we going to be the same age that we died or how does that work?" I thought it was a good question. I was just wondering if you know? Tell Grandma Showell Happy Birthday this week from me. This week was not as hot as usual. It rained one day during the night and that was a surprise because it never rains during this time of year. 

With Rita, she is one of the most stubborn ladies I have ever met in my life.  Hopefully, she should get baptized this change. With the audits, we have questions for the district. They kept saying they would come and help us, but they never came. I don't know.  We might be in trouble when this guy comes to check them out.

How did Scott Dickerson get the job in Lyman coaching?  Wasn't he coaching in Mountain View? That is cool though. He should be good. I am glad i made it the four years with Coach Bradshaw. 

I don't know what they are going to do with this branch presidency, to tell you the truth, but something has to happen. Out of the mission, the zone that I am in right now is the farthest behind church wise. Before my mission, I thought I wouldn't ever mind being a bishop one day, but now it's like I don't know. I have certainly gained a ton of respect for what the bishops and everyone does. I hope you have a good week. You better enjoy all that snow, because I miss it,

Love,

Elder Gililes

Didn't Get Transferred

So who is Coach Lueck still coaching the boy's basketball and is Coach Bradshaw still coaching the JV boys with Coach Hill the freshman coach. I did not get transferred and I still have the same companion, so not much has changed. I will be here for six more weeks and then I will have to see what happens after that. I don't think I will stay here another transfer, but you never know. I will be here in Salmanca all summer. It is one of the hottest areas in the mission, but it's ok. This week I have zone conference and then a mission thing on Wednesday, so we will be on the bus traveling a lot this week. Then yesterday I gave a talk in sacrament meeting. I prepared a little on Saturday night. The first speaker I thought would talk longer, but he left me twenty minutes, but I made the twenty minutes. The second counselor conducted for the first time, until he had a little melt down and then I had to finish it up for him. However, he did a little bit, so that was nice. We have been busy with audits and all of that stuff. I can't wait to get that over with. So next month I will get my wish. I will be able to see an apostle. All of the presidency of the wards and branches get to go to a meeting in Vina on February 20th to see Elder Bednar. So that is pretty exciting! He is probably going to have to straighten us all out, but it will be cool to see him. I will be one of the few missionaries that gets to go to this, so I am pretty excited.

Is Utah ranked or not? That is good about the Patriots. They better beat Denver. Sorry Kylie!

We are finding people to teach, but it's hard getting them to come to church. We had an activity this week in the branch and it was like a singing thing. One sister came all dressed up and danced and the whole works. It was pretty funny.

So do you think that I will draw out for moose this year? Or do you think it will be one more year, because I have ten points now or is it only nine? That would be nice to draw out. Oh, yeah, I wanted to ask if you know if Laramie has guitar classes? Also could you please send me the recipe for the cinnamon rolls and frosting. Other then that, not much has happened, Have a good week.

Love, 

Elder Gillies

Transfers on Wednesday

Bishop Huntsman was in as bishop for 4 1/2 years.  It sure didn't feel like that long. They basically took almost all my young men's leaders that I had when I left and put them in the bishopric. That is cool. That will be interesting when I get home. That is cool that the Chiefs won.  That would be cool if they won a super bowl.  I hope Clemson wins too.  I don't want Alabama to win.  

I had taught Ilamilett since I got to this area. She has heard the  discussions for a year, and we were the missionaries that took our time and didn't pressure her like the missionaries had in the past. So she got baptized.  With Nicole, her mom and sister are members but her dad is not.  However Nicole's parents are separated now. I don't know how the dad is. I have never met him, but it's better that they are separated. He didn't sound like a good guy when he would start to drink. 

This week we found a lot of new people and that was really cool. I will know about transfers tomorrow. To be honest, I really don't know if I will get transferred or not. I would like to go to another sector, but take three families from here with me, but we will just have to see. This could be the last time I change sectors. I still don't like the stress of transfers after all this time. The waiting and wondering if you are staying or going is hard.

That is good about the basement getting finished. That will be nice when everyone comes home. Now you guys won't get kicked out in the garage, and I can still have a bed. We are having a lot of activities to try to get the branch going and they are working really well. Almost every day we have something going on in the church. Today we asked some people to let us use their bikes, so we are going to see what we can go find this week. I learned a lot in the scriptures and in the conference talks, so that was really cool. This month we should have a seventy come, but we will have to see. Did you go to the wedding reception of Hazen Dickerson? Did he meet her down at UW or what. You asked about the Cokeville Miracle movie that we watched on New Years. The movie was in English with subtitles in Spanish. It was a good movie. The intestines that I ate weren't that bad. They just needed a little ranch dressing! Ranch dressing makes everything better. Other then that, not much has happened. Have a great week.

Love,

Elder Gillies

Nicole & Ilamilett's Baptisms

So Bishop Huntsman is getting released?  Let me know who the new bishop is. Bishop Huntsman wasn't in there very long was he? This week was great. We had both the baptisms and the confirmations without any problems. The baptismal font worked and everything. I think it was first time in the history that everything worked out. It was an emotional weekend for these two families. They have both waited a really long time for this day. I got to baptize them both so that was really cool. This week we were the only missionaries who baptized in the mission, so that was a shock. Yesterday we went out to Chanlinga and we got in a house about ready to teach.  We thought we found two new people. But then the guy kicked us out of his house. I have never been kicked out like that before. It was weird.  Other than that, it was a good week.
  
I hope Clemson wins. I don't want Alabama to win. 

This week was the new year. We got to eat dinner with a family. I ate some intestine that they had. It wasn't too bad. Then we were waiting for the fireworks at midnight. They didn't start, so we kept waiting.  Then we finally gave up and went to bed. Then when we laid down, they finally started. It was a crazy night. Then the next day President Diaz let us have another activity. I was so surprised. It was so fun. We got to watch the Cokeville Miracle movie. It was interesting. I was the only one who knew the story. It was cool to see parts of Wyoming and all that. 

You will have to send the pictures of the basement when it is finished. Also do you know when BYU starts and when you have to have the papers filled out? It's not for me, but for my companion.  Also President Diaz gave us permission to use bikes here, so we just have to find some. Transfers are next week, so we will see what happens whether I stay again or if I go. It should be interesting. How was your New Years holiday? Other then that, not much else happened. Have a good week.

Love,

Elder Gillies

Ilamilett's Baptism with Me and Elder Viana
January 2, 2016

Nicole's Baptism
January 2, 2016

Nicole's - 11 years old