Dear readers,

This is the last of my weekly emails! I hope that in my 18 months of writing and your 18 months of reading you have somehow benefited from what I try to share each week. 

I know that upon my return home in 6 days people will ask "How was your mission?". And I will feel as the Prophet Joseph Smith when he said, "Language is a narrow little prison.". I wish there was a way for me to share with you a portion of the joy that has been mine as I have served the Lord and His children in the Georgia Macon Mission. My time here has been unforgettable and is so precious to me. I cannot count the miracles I have seen and cannot begin to express the gratitude that I feel to my Father in Heaven for calling me to His work.  

It has been a happy and busy week in Zion!

K is doing really well and has accepted an invitation to be baptized. Teaching him has been different than anyone else my whole mission. We use a lot of examples and scenarios to explain principles. Visuals help him a lot, too. he is so service oriented and really loves his Savior.

I went to my last zone conference this week and on my last exchange - with Sister Orton! 

R has made the decision to join the Church of Jesus Christ and will enter the waters of baptism this Saturday - my last Saturday in the mission field. It has been a privilege to teach her and watch her faith and understanding enlarge and expand. She is a miracle and I have a firm hope that she will continue on the strait and narrow path to making more covenants in the temple. 

Sister Dillard is finished her training. Warner Robins, and whoever comes here to replace me, will be in such capable and good hands. 

I feel a great deal of peace and calmness about returning home. The Lord has taught me, over and over, about the importance of and joy that comes from willing service to God's children. There is more to be done upon my return home - more testimony to share, more hearts to gladden, more burdens to lift. And I am eager to continue helping Heavenly Father fulfill His purposes and plan.

I know that God lives and that He is loving and kind to all. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our Savior. He invites ALL to come unto Him - to repent - to receive His image in our countenances -  and "whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely". I am grateful for the Holy Ghost - as a testator, comforter, and friend. I am thankful for the daily and hourly guidance of the Spirit - to respond and speak under the power of the Holy Ghost is such a sweet thing!

Thank you for your prayers and faith and thoughts and letters and emails. You are wonderful.

See you next week. :)

-Sister Emma Gore

This email will be super lame and I apologize for that but it has been a crazy day and I've spent most of my time here organizing photos to send to the Assistants so they can make the slideshow for departing missionaries.

While doing service this past week at Emmaus Table (soup kitchen) I was stirring a huge pot of cheesy grits and they got really hot and started boiling and some hot grits landed right on my arm and gave me a nice heat blister...... when in the South. But man they were good grits! 

Sister D and I are having more fun than I thought possible. I love her and am so grateful for her example of exceeding faith in the Savior.

Today we went out to Andersonville National Historic Site. Amazing.

Tomorrow is my last zone conference and then exchanges!! It should be an exciting week.

Keep on keeping on! I cannot tell you how excited I am to see you soon. 

Jesus Christ lives! Oh , how He loves each of us. Lean of Him, listen to His words, and walk in the meekness of His Spirit. (D&C 19:23) 

Yours,

Sister Gore

p day fun

boiled peanuts - in the south

I do believe that in my 17 months and 26 days of missionary service in the Georgia Macon Mission I have neglected to make mention of one of the South's greatest treasures : The Prayer Tent. 

Georgia's streets are covered in churches. As frequent as fast food there is a church... Nearly. There is a Saturday morning practice that many churches of all denominations participate in! Members of the congregation sign up for a shift, take their canopy tents and lawn chairs to the curb in front of their church, and put up signs. "Need Prayer?" "We've Got Prayer" "Come Pray With Us" "Prayer Tent" and people pull over on the side of the road and the members of these churches will speak with them about their needs and situations and then offer a prayer with them. And they'll do it for hours on Saturday. And it's awesome. 

Other things that are awesome: WARNER ROBINS.

R is a solid rock. Actually, she is building her foundation upon a solid rock. We went over yesterday to teach her the plan of salvation but she had done her studying so she taught it to us instead. Yeah. She's awesome. Last Sunday she had stayed up really late taping boxes (she's preparing to move) and she said "I was really tired and I didn't feel well but I knew that going to Church was more important than staying in bed so I went anyways." Amazing. 

We also met a girl this week. We were headed to do some finding in an area and we got a text message. "Hi,  I don't know if you still have my number but I met with the missionaries a while ago. Sorry my life has been so crazy but can y'all please come back?". You already know we turned that car around and went to see her. She lives part-time with a member family and she is engaged to their son. She is a LIGHT. She bore a sweet and simple testimony of The Book of Mormon and it brought the Spirit into that home so powerfully. She has a really good handle on the doctrine and she wants to come unto Christ. however, she is facing some pretty hefty family opposition when she tells her mama she's converting. We don't have a date for her baptism yet.. Partly because K is hesitant. Her family has been going to the same church since the 1700's.. Pray that she will have the faith and courage to go wherever the Spirit leads her, regardless of the circumstances/reactions she may face! 

We went to do some contacting at a park this week and met a lady who just recently moved here to Warner Robins for a fresh start and better opportunities. As we spoke with S we felt impressed to share Mosiah 2:41 with her from The Book of Mormon. "Consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God". Tears welled up in her eyes and she testified that she knew God had sent us to her that very day. We offered SThe Book of Mormon. She responded, "Please. I wanted a copy but I didn't know if I could ask." 

Sister D is on fire. It's such a wonderful thing for me to get to watch her confidence grow. And she teaches me new things every single day. 

All in all all is well. I'm happy. And the work rolls on as a stone to fill the whole world! I am grateful to be a part of the Lord's marvelous work and to have a front-row seat to the miracle of Jesus Christ's Atonement in the lives of those we meet and teach here. 

This week I challenge you to say a grateful prayer. Don't ask for anything. Just thank the Lord for everything you can think of and do it sincerely and it will lift your heart. 

-Sister Gore 

This week we did service at Trinity United Methodist Church. Actually, we do it every week that we don't have appointments on Thursday nights. They have a soup kitchen and we help prepare and serve and welcome people and all that good stuff. So fun!

Update on some people: 

-J is doing really great. He has questions about everything and he keeps saying that his questions usually either intimidate or annoy people... Not us! I love questions! They are the birthplace of sincere testimony borne to us by the power of the Holy Ghost.

-R keeps soaking in The Book of Mormon. We are also helping her pack her house up. 

The ward has us tracking down members and especially member families in which some people have not yet been baptized! That's been so amazing. We've found someone at home at every house we've knocked. Working through these families is the slower/harder way but it is the most fruitful. We have a few appointments next week with these families! 

Other news: I don't really feel like I'm coming home from my mission. Maybe that will change? I do feel a lot of peace. So I'm grateful for that. Sister O is coming to Warner Robins for preparation day today - how exciting. Next Monday is Zone Conference, turns out I do get one more! Yay! 

Remember who you  are and what you stand for. 

Matthew 5

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Yours,

Sister Gore 

Dear everyone,

I wish that I had sufficient time to tell you all about the last 8 days but I just don't. Trust that we are so busy and so happy and I love Warner Robins!! 

We are in the Warner Robins 1st ward. There are some elders in the WR 2nd ward. We share a building. Sister Dillard is awesome. I learn from her every day and it is really pushing me to be a trainer again! Also I didn't realize how incredibly humid it was in Pooler until I came here... wow, sweet relief. There's even a cool breeze here on occasion! 

J - Is very knowledgeable about the Bible, the sisters met him immediately after offering a prayer to know where to go to find someone who would listen to their message. Like... They opened their eyes and he was standing in front of their car in his yard. Crazy. He came to Church on Sunday and really enjoyed it! 

Soooo R called us. 3 seperate times. And left 3 seperate voicemails. They all went a little something like this, "Hi, this is R. I'm fixin' ta join the Church and be baptized. I have a Book of Mormon and my friend has been helping me. If you would just give me a call back I would love to have y'all come see me." Yeah. So she has a member friend in another ward in the stake and she is so ready to make changes in her life and be baptized. She hasn't been to any church since her husband died 10 years ago and she is soaking in the restored gospel. She came to Church Sunday and was so happy.

K  -  the sisters met while walking. He is from Burma and speaks Burmese.... The Book of Mormon has not yet been translated into Burmese... So! We are working on reading with him in English. His pronunciation is great, he just doesn't understand what's happening... Wish us luck! Pray for Kham!

R - Rjust moved from Washington. He called us, too. "Hi, I'm moving to Warner Robins soon and I want to attend church with you guys. I have a Book of Mormon - where can I read it to learn more about faith?". INSANE. We are having a lesson with him this week. 

Monday we had Mission Conference with Elder Clayton C Christensen, Elder Jack N. Gerard, and their totally powerful and inspiring wives. It was incredible. They were all such happy people and so full of conviction and strength in the gospel. Elder Christensen spoke primarily of the nature and role of the Holy Ghost. He talked about how we must be spiritually engaged in every minute of every day. It was such a good day. I was asked to play piano for the meeting and that was also a good experience. 

Sunday I spoke in Sacrament Meeting. I was hoping I would get to do that. The ward here is amazing

All in all I am so happy. And grateful every day for my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Sister Gore

Emma Caroline Gore	Tue, Aug 21, 10:01 AM (11 days ago)
to Roger, me, Amelia, K.R., Heidi, Jordan

Another week of miracles in the Georgia Macon Mission --

And I've been transferred! I am no longer serving as a Sister Training Leader but have instead been assigned to serve as a trainer! We pulled out of Pooler, GA at 7am this morning and I am so excited to spend the last 6 weeks of my mission in Warner Robins, GA! My companion is Sister Dillard from Layton, UT. She has been out 6 weeks so I will finish the 2nd half of her training before heading home. She has a lot of energy and excitement for the work!

A summation of the work in Pooler when I left:

Brother M is still doing awesome! He and his wife came to Church on Sunday and LOVED IT. He is recognizing the goodness and happiness that is beginning to stream more fully into his life as he begins to learn about the restored gospel.

H came to Church again, the ward leaders are meeting her parents, she just got started on Personal Progress. Awesome awesome.

There were 5 visitors in the congregation Sunday! Amazing!

We also did Pooler's blitz on Saturday and it was phenomenal. So many members came out to help us. And we discovered a few part-member households in the ward that Sister Jensen and her new companion will get to start working with!

Today is the first day of my last transfer as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I can hardly believe that. I remember distinctly the day that I hit my 2-month mark. Feeling like I would be on my mission forever! And here we are. 

I have set some important goals for myself this transfer and I am so grateful for the time that I will have here to learn from Sister Dillard and to help these people! Slowing down is not an option - the time is far spent - and my heart is eager and willing to do whatever the Lord requires in His great work of salvation. 

Please know that I love each of you dearly. I am so grateful for your emails of encouragement and your prayers. You rock!

Jesus Christ lives. He is the Son of God. I know that as we follow His perfect example that we can find sincere happiness. Not fleeting pleasure, but God-given joy that fills us and carries us through life's sometimes stormy seas.

Make it a wonderful week! 

Yours,

Sister Emma Gore

Hello hello --

Big thank you to everyone for their prayers and emails this week. I feel your prayers, really truly, and am appreciative of your exceeding faith and kind concern. 

Also, tomorrow I will have been on my mission for 17 months!! Incredible. 

This week..... WAS AWESOME.

Last Sunday Sister Jensen and I had just a few minutes left of our night and didn't quite know where to go. We held still for a minute and the Spirit directed "Drive straight". So we did. Similair impressions led us to a neighborhood that I haven't been in in maybe 12 weeks. We parked the car and got out and met a handful of people. A 15-year old who has bright pink hair, was walking her dog. We spoke with her and she said we could contact her via text to share more of our message. Honestly, we didn't think much of it. It was a very average contact. Two days later I can't shake the feeling that we have forgotten something. In the middle of the morning it comes to me - We need to text her. We message her and apologize for our lateness in contacting her and ask if we can send her a video to watch. The response is almost immediate, "Wow, I'm so glad you texted me. I was starting to get worried that you had taken my number wrong.". Whoa. We quickly learn that she has discussed her meeting us with her parents and has felt very drawn to the LDS Church since she met us. Hayden has experienced a lot in her lifetime and her parents really want her to develop a relationship with God but was unsure about all of that until now. So her parents are fully supportive if this is the direction she wants to come in.  

On Friday morning we traveled to Macon for MLC. It was an incredible meeting. Very.. bittersweet. We spoke a lot about what the culture of our mission is and what we want it to become. I realized something as we counseled : Culture is not a group activity. It is an individual decision and state of being. I remembered when I was transferred from my first area and found that the district of missionaries I had joined had a different culture than the one I had left. I discussed this with President Grayson and he asked me what I hoped the culture of my district could be. As I shared my thoughts with him he said, "Sister Gore, you be and do all those things.". And so I did. There is power in just ONE individual who chooses to be different in righteous and holy ways. Bettering the culture of the Georgia Macon Mission seemed overwhelming until I connected all those dots. I just need to be my best self and do all I can to teach and serve the missionaries around me. Perhaps you desire a change of culture at your work, at school, even in your own home. Decide with the Lord what you will do to be a light to those around you! Be courageous and good. The Lord is on your side. 

I thought that my time in Hebrews had been a fruitless effort but in reality it prepared me to answer Brother M's question from the Bible so that he might understand the Savior's perfect, sinless life. This led into a brief discussion about the Savior's Atonement for our sins and pains and infirmities. Sin must be paid for, either by us or by someone else. Jesus Christ alone, as the Lamb without spot, was able to atone on our behalf and make possible our salvation. Amazing. We taught Brother Martin about when Peter, James, and John gave Joseph Smith the Priesthood. Brother Martin said, "Okay so that would mean that you've had an unbroken line in your Church to the prophet today." EXACTLY. Oh it was so cool that he made that connection all on his own... well, by the Spirit. At the end of the lesson he shared with us his own feelings - that this felt good and more right than anything he had learned before. He expressed to us that he had never felt comfortable discussing religious things before but was comfortable doing so with us. And that he was going to pursue this. Please pray for him! 

I know that God is mindful of His children and has been preparing Brother M to receive the gospel! I actually met him... 18 weeks ago? He expressed 0 desire to learn more and excused himself from the room. But we left her  our phone number. She knew exactly where to find us. Truly, no effort is wasted if we are engaged in the work of salvation!

Saturday evening Sister Jensen and I were involved in a minor accident. We are without a car for now so Heavenly Father has blessed us with bikes!! Haha we are sharing the car with the Elders in our ward and biking some and members have been really gracious in helping us to get to our different appointments and meetings. We are both safe. Minor aches and pains but they've been more than bearable and I know that that is a direct result of your faithful prayers on our behalf! Thank you thank you. And can I just say that attitude is everything? It has been wonderful to work with the members this way and to bike and I'm just happy. And grateful for my mission leaders and also I LOVE BIKING. I just appreciate GA on a whole new level from the seat of a bike. Last night we road down a street at about 7:30pm. The sun was red-orange and the sky was beautiful hues of purple and pink. Pine trees lined one end of the neighborhood. Crepe myrtles and tall cottonwoods, all covered in spanish moss, lined the other side. A cool breeze attended us and we rode past little brick houses with shutters and front porches and  semi-cluttered yards and I did everything I could to make that happy feeling last as long as I could. It almost comes back as I write to you. God is good. Also, I can bike with no hands. ;)

Monday was the very last District Council 4/8 missionaries in our district will attend! Elders Holzer, Hooley, Cameron, and Egan will all head home next Monday so they each gave a training. They were just asked to train about whatever they felt impressed to share. Each training was unique and their personalities and accumulated experiences shone through and brought the Spirit so strong! I have been so blessed to serve around these missionaries the past 12 weeks. We have become so united and I am grateful for their ever-obedient and diligent examples. So bittersweet to think about the 2 years they have spent serving the Lord and laboring in behalf of the people in GA. They will each go on to do incredible things and continue to build God's kingdom! 

I need you to know that I know of the divinity of Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God - our Redeemer - He is the first fruits of them that slept - He lives today, imploring us to come unto Him. I know that God lives! That His work and glory is OUR growth and exaltation and eternal life. I know that Russell M Nelson is a prophet, called of God, for our day and that He leads the Lord's living Church and people. 

 Sister Emma Gore