Dear everyone,

We started teaching a Book of Mormon class in the ward this week and I'm so excited about it. In part, because I love the Book of Mormon and now I get another hour to study it each week. But also because this is such a good way for us to help our investigators to have a better understanding of the Book of Mormon, a handful of less-active members of the Church came, and the active members are coming and inviting and gaining confidence in us as missionaries which makes them more likely to refer us to their friends. (Sorry for that awful sentence structure but not sorry enough to fix it). 22 people came the very first time! Including A and her mama. Amazing. Good all around. 

On Saturday we were trying a former investigator and had plans to contact in the area afterwards. There weren't many people home but there was a boy in the street shooting hoops. We went and met him. 14 years-old. Plays center on the basketball team in Warner Robins. J is probably the most meek person I have ever met. Very quiet and gentle. In no way cocky or puffed up. We asked him if he or his family attended a Church/if he would like to. He said, "Well... my family doesn't go but I think that I would like to." "Why is it that you want to attend a church?" "I just think that when you go to church that good things can happen." Such a simple and pure testimony! When we go to church, when we keep God's commandments, good things can happen. My heart was so full of love for this young man who wanted to do what was right with his meager understanding and humble desires. He lives outside of our area but we're sending missionaries to him. :)

On Sunday we were teaching a man about doing the small and simple things every day. We talked about the brushing your teeth analogy: Let's say you don't brush your teeth all week long. So it gets to be the end of the week and you put 7x the toothpaste on your toothbrush. That'll make up for it, yes?

AND HE SAID YES. And told us that sometimes if he missed a day he would brush his teeth 2x the next day. So that didn't work. And it was funny. And he is so light-hearted so we all laughed and then helped him understand differently and got him the BOM app on his phone and he's gonna read every night. It was just so funny. 

We had several miracles happen with our investigator R. First, we've been meeting with him at an assisted living home but that is crazy hectic because it's loud an there's people everywhere and his roommate likes tv. But it also hadn't been working out to get him to a member's home for lessons. So this week he told us there's a library at the center and we can meet there and we did and it was so quiet and good!!! 

Also there's a burger place in our area called Bad Picture Burgers. The idea is that they serve really good burgers but show really awful movies. Like... poorly-made-cringe-worthy movies. Isn't that so creative? I've also heard the food is spot on but.. we can't go there cause we don't watch movies. 

The weather is becoming more moderate and that is mucho appreciated. 

Each time that you make a right choice, you are allowing the Lord to pour out a shower of blessings that we deny ourselves by doubt or fear or sin. Keep closing the umbrella. (see Living the Gospel Joyful, President Uchtdorf). Press on.

If we do what’s right we have no need to fear,

For the Lord, our helper, will ever be near;
In the days of trial his Saints he will cheer,
And prosper the cause of truth.

How thankful I am to labor for the cause of truth.

Sister Emma Caroline Gore

This week we went to zone conference in Macon and it was awesome. I got to play the piano and they changed all the songs at the very last minute and I still managed to play through them because I prayed about it and the Lord enabled me to do so. It was exciting. I love zone conference because I always leave with an expanded vision of what the Lord would have me do and who He would have me be - and I leave with the tools to accomplish it. This cycle we learned about the Book of Mormon and the power that that Book has. It speaks for itself. It testifies of Christ. I loved love loved these training because the Book of Mormon is.. well, it's the heart of why I'm a missionary in the first place. I began a serious study of that book and it changed my life and here I am. So I'm gonna remember all that and use that book more. 

We had a service project this week at a member's home cause she lives alone and needs help anyways we were gonna clean out her screen room out in her backyard. and her and the members were like "oh yeah just sweep it it'll take like 10 minutes no big deal" and then the room was full of every spider known to man kind and their babies so that was fun. We didn't clean out the screen room after all. There was no bug killer to be found on the premises. But Sister O was very brave and killed some spiders anyways. Good stuff. 

WeI met a wonderful lady on Thursday, she was a media referral who requested a Bible. Most people who request Bibles are already comfortable in their churches and just wanted a Bible. But she was different. She was raised Baptist and had been church-going for a long time and has fallen away from all of that. G requested a Bible because she wants to rekindle her relationship with her Heavenly Father. Her heart is soft. She is searching. I felt so blessed to sit on her couch and tell her about the Book of Mormon as yet another testimony of Jesus Christ. 

Jesus Christ lives. 

-Sister Gore

Amelia is my bff in case you didn't remember.

Dear everyone,

I'm not sure I'll be able to say this how I want you to understand it but I am going to try: 

Sister O and I sat on the couch of 2 less-active women in our ward last night. We talked about the conversion of King Lamoni's father who would give away all his sins to know Jesus Christ. (Alma 22:15-18) We talked about how the price we pay to come closer to Jesus Christ is forsaking our sins - denying ourselves of ungodliness - burying our weapons of rebellion - putting away even those sins and transgressions that we think bring us comfort or pleasure in the moment - yielding to the enticing of the Holy Spirit - being changed such that we have no more desire to do evil. The Savior taught, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3).  Giving up our sins is life eternal. We are given commandments in this life such that we can practice living heaven. Such that we can be comfortable dwelling in the presence of God. We choose by our actions where we want to be after we leave this frail existence. We talked about how if an individual has sinned or lived below their potential and is unrepentant, they will have no desire to be with God as Alma the Younger expressed, "Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds." But how much we can learn from comparing this to Alma's attitude after he repents and is forgiven and made clean through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ: "Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God yea, and my soul did long to be there." We will not desire to be with God in the eternities if we have not practiced living as He does while here on Earth. Oh how the commandments are such a blessing! To be able to learn and grow inside of the safe and happy laws that a loving and all-knowing Heavenly Father has provided for His children. 

These are not concepts that I unearthed myself, or that are new, or that have not been spoken of in Christ's church. But as I talked of them last night I just.. understood. Really understood.

I find that as I study basic, fundamental truths of the gospel and then go out and teach them to others that I am blessed with this incredibly clear understanding. The things I have learned about all my life are just.. They're just true. And it's so cool to get to share that because it's almost as if my spirit is like, "Well, duh. Of course that's true." The Holy Ghost blesses me to understand the laws of God logically and it is amazing the new depth of my convictions and how the words of the scriptures are sinking into my heart and becoming part of who I am. . It is so good to be a missionary.

This week we were sent a media referral IN PERRY. We get referrals from mormon.org usually 2-3 times a week but they are always from people who live 45-60 minutes away. So it's really hard to get out there. Because we have limited miles. And members have lives. But we got a referral in Perry this week and she wanted a Book of Mormon (How could you not?) and we got to see her for a quick minute on Sunday and we are going back on Wednesday. Good stuff.

A is doing well though still not on date for baptism. Her mom has started sitting in on lessons which is awesome. And they are starting to research their family history.

Also we had snails for dinner this week and they were 10/10. 

Yours,

Sister Emma Gore