Mountains

Hello from California! Sorry I didn't get an email out last week, but

you all know how the missionary life goes, busy 24/7 even on those

preparation days.

I hope you all watched general conference like a month ago (sorry for

the late follow up) the reason I bring that up is because the last

talk given by Elder Holland, has been on my mind a lot, and I have

incorporated it into some lessons even!

 The main point that I took from his talk is that we must go from peak

experience to peak experience by first going through some rough

valleys. Now I know what y'all are thinking... Oh boy we got a rough

valley email here, and that is not true. In fact this week was

probably the week we laughed the most as a companionship. It was so

good! But I want to focus on this valley and peak analogy of life. As

you hike in mountainous areas you can see so many peaks to other

mountains, sometimes you can see the valleys ahead of you too, but all

in all that's what makes the scene so beautiful. The points in our

life when we feel the spirit with us constantly and we feel and see

the love of God so abundantly are those peak experiences. When trials

and hardships and hopelessness come those are the valleys of life.

Thankfully we all have peak and valley experiences. If it were not for

the valleys we could not enjoy the beauty of our lives. If not for the

peaks we wouldn't have the hope for something new and better. The

struggle is knowing how to climb back up the mountain from the valley.

And for me right now, and always it's the savior. This week I learned

not just about the atonement but about the part in the atonement that

we don't always teach as missionaries. What we usually teach as

missionaries is that through the atonement we can be clean from the

mistakes we have made or others have made. What we don't teach often

enough is that through the atonement we have the strength and the

ability to change. Though the valleys will be hard we can not pray to

God to remove them. Instead we must pray for strength to move through

them, to learn and to press on to our next peak.

"No matter how serious the trial, how deep the distress, how great the

affliction, [God] will never desert us. He never has, and He never

will. He cannot do it. It is not His character [to do so]. … He will

[always] stand by us. We may pass through the fiery furnace; we may

pass through deep waters; but we shall not be consumed nor

overwhelmed. We shall emerge from all these trials and difficulties

the better and purer for them.' Now, with that majestic devotion

ringing from heaven as the great constant in our lives, manifested

most purely and perfectly in the life, death, and Atonement of the

Lord Jesus Christ, we can escape the consequences of both sin and

stupidity--our own or that of others--in whatever form they may come

to us in the course of daily living. If we give our heart to God, if

we love the Lord Jesus Christ, if we do the best we can to live the

gospel, then tomorrow--and every other day--is ultimately going to be

magnificent, even if we don’t always recognize it as such. Why?

Because our Heavenly Father wants it to be! He wants to bless us. A

rewarding, abundant, and eternal life is the very object of His

merciful plan for His children! It is a plan predicated on the truth

“that all things work together for good to them that love God.” So

keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing.

Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever." Elder Holland

When we taught this to one of our investigators she said that she

would feel selfish asking God for help and strength when she feels she

has done so much wrong. It is easy to feel that you are not good

enough for the love of God, but that is not true at all. His love is

always there "believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we

know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." God

knows us and notices our every effort, and he will strengthen us to

continue onward, especially when we ask.

I'm sorry this email is so long, and if it doesn't make sense. I got

like 10sec. left to email. I love you all very much.

Thank you for your prayers and support and love!

Sister Plumb

教堂 Church

Hello? Is it me your looking for?

I don't know this song by Adele but some investigator was playing it and

I thought it sounded good! And it's been in my head all week! ANYWAYS

let’s get talking about missionary work.

Yes so this week was pretty normal, which is just how I like it. A

good balance of... STRESS and of laughing, and also of peace that

comes from living the gospel. Sister Gong’s English is climbing. We are

starting to have like real conversations now, without her always

turning to her translators (yes plural, she has 5 that she carries

with her. Why?- because Chinese). So it's been really fun getting to

know her, from her and not her past companions.

This week we were so frustrated because we literally have been trying

so hard to get people to church. We got 5 new investigators last week,

and we did everything we could from calling them, to wake them up, to

even going to some peoples houses because they didn't have a phone,

and none of them came 😑.  So ya that was a bummer, but tis life of a

missionary. The good news is we got 2 new investigators this week, and

they seem promising. So ya there's a quote.......

"There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts

to inspire, and souls to save. Are we doing all we should?" (Pres.

Monson).

There is always more to be done for people who have heard of the

gospel and then fallen away again. We don't give up on those who have

the desire to try. Mosiah 26:30 "Yea, and as often as my people

repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me." We have this

one investigator that just feels so guilty every time he doesn't go to

church, but he wants so badly to be forgiven of his sins and to be

washed clean.

Seriously people just go to church. Why? Why not? It's not gonna hurt

you. You won't burst into flames once you past the threshold. In fact!

Quite the opposite. People will want to shake your hand. They will

welcome you and treat you like family. It doesn't matter who you are,

what you've done, or where you've come from. Church is for every one

and it can change your life. It's changed mine and so many others. So

give it a chance. You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

I really hate to say goodbye....... (Actually don't know if those are

lyrics to that song....)

Sister Plumb