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