Monday, September 3, 2012

Daytona'ing uuuuppp!!!

So transfer day and I will be serving in the Daytona North area. How exciting! This past weekend, we have been a tri, Sister Showell came here from Lake Mary and she will be staying here and also Sister Barlow will be coming as well. So the Eustis sisters will be a tri.

I must say, I have felt my work in Eusits was a success. I didnt baptize 100's like Alma did but the work that was accomplished here was far greater. Yesterday, we got to see Johnathon Sinkovich get the Priesthood from his dad. What a sweet moment. As soon as Johnathon got the Priesthood, I knew my work here was done. Its like a feeling of peace and joy. I have loved less active work here. Its just as important I have love rescuing members and helping them make and keep commitments. I have seen so many people grow and the ward has seen it too. I know the gospel is real and I know its needs to be shared with everyone--member and non member-- that is why home teaching and visiting teaching are so important. As members we have to come together to help one another. This world is hard, it s a test, but with the Gospel anything is possible. I love this work. I just love it. I cannot believe I will be hitting my one year in only 11 days. Its surreal. But I know I am where I am suppose to be. When we give it all to our Heavenly Father and rely on our Savior, His Atonement can carry us.

Sorry this is so short but....I have some packing and some good byeing to say!!

love you all!!

Sister Ploth.

Picture attatched! Our trio!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Hurricane?!?!

Hello All!!

Well it was back to President;s email, so I am almost out of time. Rats. Its raining a lot and I love it! Feels like Seattle. Everyone here is exciting about that Hurriance or they just dont see a big deal in it. I think missioanries are excited in hopes for some extra sleep. haha.

Well Missionary Olympics was a blast! The Elders were crazy and they loved it. A lot of them said that it was the best district prep day they have had. 10000000000000000 points for the Sisters!! 

I had some pretty cool stories...gimmie a second....okay! So Thursday we got to go to Belleview and do a big church tour with the Belleview elders (E. Pearce and B. Bennett). That was way cool. A group of people contacted the church there and asked if they could come tour, we talked about missionary work and what we do to prepare and what we do when we are out here. it was cool. After the Bishop had a little Q &A and oh my, that got crazy. There was this Rabbi there that got up and compimented the church but then started criticziing about baptisms for the dead, epsecially Holucaust victims, and then some lady got upset about the idea of being baptized under the Priesthood authority. The poor Bishop. No Spirit. The whole time I am thinking of Ephesians (One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism) and how God is a loving Heavenly Father. So I ask the Bishop if I could speak, so I testified of those things. I cant remember exactly (directed by the Spirit) but I want to share it with you all:: I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father. How can I tell specifically, because I have loving Earthly parents. My mom has always told me if I am hoenst with her and communicate with her, even if I am in trouble, she will do everything she can to get me out of trouble. if my earthly mom can do that, why cant my Heavenly Father do that. I know He doesnt want to save just a few people, He wants us all. Just like how my parents want me home and all to themselves...haha. Heavenly Father does all He can, including sending His Son. I am so grateful for that! I am NOTHING without the Atonement of Christ.

Also something really cool. Brother Saurette got the Melchizdek Priesthood yesterday and he was going to give it to J, his 12 yr old son. It was after church and we were talking to some and J and Cody run up to us and pull us and say "Come with us to the Bishop's office!" J wanted us there to see him get the priesthood. Brother Saurette was so nervous! But it was amazing! i love this family so much! they are so special to me and I am so grateful to be apart of their lives!!

Well I love you all!!

have a great week!
sister ploth.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Hellllloooooo!!!!!

Hello All!

No letter to President again this week but I have wasted my time on who knows what!!

This week was great! We had zone conference and it was so good to be replenished. We brought back a lot of good things to the area. I have this problem where I want to fix so much but I know I should focus on just a few things. Our investigators this week were kind of AWOL but we saw a lot of less actives which was cool.

We are going on a cool adventure to Belleview this week. They are doing a church tour for a group of people and they want Sisters there to show how the church respects women. We are really excited for that!

OH AND ALSO!!!!!
The Chandlers had their Babies!! I dont know if I have mentioned this BUT Brother Chandler is a former FOM missionary and he came back and married a gal here and they were pregnant with twins. Well she had to go on bed rest because baby B wasnt doing so well. we have been praying for them so hard! i didnt know that they were only trying to keep B alive for A and they were expecting only A to love. Well 5am on Tuesday (sis kerns) birthday Sis Ray (Sis Chandlers mom) texted us! they are both our and breathing on their own!! woot woot! Baby B's name is Faith and baby A is Allie. I am so excited for them but they still need all the prayers they can get! i truly love this family!!

well time is up and we have to get ready for the 1st annual FOM Missionary Olympics!!
We are America!! woot woot!!

all my love,

sister ploth.

picture 1: zone conference with zone leaders
picture 2: i gave brother reising a panda tie!! (:

Monday, August 13, 2012

Longer than usual....

Hello everyone! We have zone conference tomorrow so President didn't send an email and we don't have to email him...so it feels weird to have all of this time.

We were informed of some sad sad news. So sad, that I might cry just writing this. Well our TOP investigator, our 1 baptism we would have this month, isn't in our area. ): For awhile we were told by members that they didnt think it was, but our map and our area book said it was. Sister Kerns had so much faith, but I should have taken the lead and really found out. Gina has been doing great. Reading and stop smoking and all this. She just couldnt go to church because she had a family emergency in Deland so of course her date how to get pushed back. I started thinking that this was only happening because she wasnt under our stewardship. BUT the Bishop and other members saw her address and nobody still said anything, the Zone Leaders even went over and gave her a blessing and nothing was said. So I thought we were good but still something didnt feel right. We thought we would ask our district leader again this morning. Yes, her road was in their area (Leesburg E). I called Elder Gubler this conversation went something like this...

Me: Hey Elder Gubler, we have a refferal for you

E. Gubler: Really?

Me: Yeah. Her name is Gina.

E. Gubler: WHAT?! We dont want it! Are you sure? Do we need to call the mission office???

I love the Elders is this mission. They are so sweet. Especailly the leadership ones. I couldnt stop crying and apologizing to him but of course we didnt know but I still felt bad because I ignored a prompting. I dont know if it was me being selfish and wanting a baptism or just I was so excited because she is so prepared. So we are doing a hand off lesson. All that matters in the end is that Gina found the restored Gospel, not who baptizes her.

As many of you know, I am so hard on myself and being a missionary I am even more hard on myself. But I am so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through Him, my pain can be lifted. I can find peace not only in this work but in this life. I know that I am here for a reason. I want to serve people, I want to teach them about the restored Gospel. It doesnt matter whom, I just want to fullfill my purpose and I know that I am. We had an expereicne with a member who asked us if we would ever marry someone who isnt LDS, my answer, "No." I know there are a ton of GREAT people out there. I dont beleive in one person for us. But with the truth that I know of the restored Gospel and the commandment of Celestial Marriage, I cannot afford to be disobedient to the Lord. I have no doubt that I could marry a baptist, methodist, muslim, ect and be happy but I dont want to risk not having children and husband for eternity. That is the power of the Priesthood.

Another cool miracle::
Yesterday morning, we went over to the family of 5 we are teaching, so they could follow us to church. We got there and they were just waking up. Dellan (boyfriend/step father) told us to go ahead, they still needed to get ready, and they will be there. Well sacrament starts, nothing. Sacrament ends, nothing. Speakers....still nothing. I have grow to dislike the word "try" on my mission. I will try shows our lack of commitment, did Christ TRY to atone for us? No, He did it. Well that was what one of the talked was about. The Atonement. So I was sitting there, doodling on the program, thinking of the atonement and all the blessings I see in this great work. When I feel Sister Martin tap me on the shoulder, "Sisters, that family you are teaching is here" YES!!! 10 mintues before sacrmanet endsand there they are!! I couldnt sing the closing hymn, I was crying because I was so happy. The Lord really extends his mercy. Everything is on His timing, not mine. no matter how frustrating it all is, it works out.

So we had a GREAT work. Tons of miracles. And you know what?? Next week is going to be even better!!

love always,
Sister Ploth

Matthew 11:

 28 aCome unto me, all ye that blabour and are heavy laden, and I will give you crest.

 29 Take my ayoke upon you, and blearn of me; for I am cmeek and dlowly in eheart: and ye shall find frest unto your souls.

 30 For my yoke is aeasy, and my burden is light.


Monday, August 6, 2012

Food & Basketball

Hello All!!

i hope everyone had a great week! We sure did. Lots of miracles! We are teaching a cute family right now of 5. 4 of them are baptsim age. keep them in your prayers, we are seeing them TONIGHT!

Gina wont be getting baptized this weekend. ): She had a family 911 but we will still be working with her.
We are taking Ashley and Sister Saurette on a temple tour this Wednesday. That will be fun! I havent been on one since April!

We are working our tails off!!! Praying hard. I was even so frsutrated yesterday that we knocked a street and if you havent noticed I HATE KNOCKING! Only one person opened but she invited us back. I was willing to show the Lord that I would do whatever. Because of that though we were able to meet with our Family that we are teaching (they were running late).

We had an AMAZING break the fast dinner last night thanks to the Westcotts. Normally, I dont request meals because no one can cook like my mama and daddy! But this was amazing!! We had porkchops, sweet potatoes, corn on the cobb, mushrooms, lemonade shake ups, and cheesecake! Look at that excitiment on the picture attacthed!

We also went to becky ray's basketball game on saturday. so fun. she is 7 and we love her. we are actually giong to go play basketball with her today!!


well i love you all!!! keep being awesome!

love, sistet ploth



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Monday, July 30, 2012

Gimmie more of that Felix Felicis!

MIRACLES!
Quick Harry potter reference. I feel like Harry did after he drink the potion and was able to get that information from Slughorn and all the other cool things that happened! man! I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this work!

The first one has to do with the Saurette Family. Sister Staley and I baptized Cody (9) in May. We were going over to teach them the MOTR because we knew they had a cousin that would be intersted and we wanted to get them to be confident to invite their cousin. We planned to teach the MOTR using cups (were you build up the church). Earlier Sister Saurette texted us and told us that Ahsley would be there. I thought Ashley was their other cousin, one they have brought to church before and is 14 years old. Okay, no big deal, we will teach with her there. On our way to their house their home teacher, BrotherEvans calls to talk about the lesson. We were so confused why he was going to be there. Turns out Ashley was actually the girl they gave a BOM to a few weeks ago and they had invited her over to listen to us. WHAT?!?!?!? We had NO idea. We kind of freaked out because we didnt plan for this. But the Lord calmed us. Ashley is a 20 year old, single mom (Jenna 8 months) that loves Christ and wants to be a good mom to Jenna. She wants to be active in church again. It was an amazing lesson. We taught according to her needs. Brother Saurette even said "I would love to be the one to baptize you since I hold the Priesthood" and Sister Saurette bore the sweetest testimony of the BOM and church. It was so great! She commited to be baptized. We took her on a church tour and she said she felt safe in the chapel. She describes the spirit as a wetsuit that is keeping her all in and dry. So cool! She was unable to make it to church  but Sister Saurette told us not to worry, that we will get her. (:

NEXT UP is Gina! We met Gina a month ago and could never get ahold of her. She lives way off so we couldnt really drive there to stop in but we finally got ahold of her and taught her on Friday. That was equally amazing. She is so prepared. She knows the Bible so well and even started talking about the 12 tribes of Israel. She beleives in revelation and prophets. She came to church and was so into the talks. During Gospel Principles, we talked about the Fall of Adam and Eve and she basically taught the lesson and it was CORRECT! She agreed with EVERYTHING! After she made a comment Brother Ambs (WML) even said, "Amen! We can all go home now" EVeryone was so suprised. Gina even made a commment that she always thought these things and others told her that she was crazy and she was happy to know there are others who beleive the same thing. We took her on a  church tour after and showed her the fount and invited her to be baptized. Her respone "Really? Thank you! My whole life I wanted to be baptized and no one would baptize me and I had to beg a Pastor to baptize me and it didnt feel right but I knew i had to be. Now you are aksing me? Yes!!" she is a way cool lady! I think Sister Kerns and i wanted to hug her guts out!! So cool! She WILL get baptized Aug 11th.

I am just so happy. I love being on the Lord's errand. I know when we are obedient and do the things that He wants us to, He will provide!

I hope everyone is well!!

Love, Sister Ploth.

Picture: Us with Sister Pam Smith. She is a recent convert and is amazing!! Love her!



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Monday, July 23, 2012

Transfer 8??

Well hello! Here we are transfer 8! I am still here in Eustis with Sister Kerns (yay!) but there has been some crazu swtiching around! President is always so sneaky! Elder Goodrich (zone leader) will be leaving! so sad, i served with him when he was in valencia (spanish) and I was in Lake Mary. This is also Sister Durr's last transfer. Crazy to think my mama will be heading off soon!! And I wont even see her at zone conference because she got transfered to buena vista with Sister Staley!!! ):
 
 
This week was good and crazy. Exchanges to deltona were awesome. love sister ursenbach. I def learned that I need to be here in Eustis with Sister Kerns at this time. We are seeing some awesome miracles. The Sinkovich Family ( a member family we are working with) came to church on Sunday. All but one son! But that son sat in on the lesson yesterday. I love them so much! They are an awesome family!
 
We had President Interviews/ apartment checks. That was fun. President loved our lamp. Sister Kerns picked it up from the dumpster her first week here. hahaha.
 
Pioneer day was fun! Lots of good food and great company.
 
We are working with a lady who has a lot of doubts. I wont mention her name but def keep her in your prayers!!
 
Well this is short. I suck. Slap me on the hand, I will never learn!
 
Wanna a cool scripture? Neh. 6......WE ARE DOING A GREAT WORK AND WE CANNOT COME DOWN!  this is the Lords work and I am not coming down for anyone!!
 
well love you all!!!
 
Tara: WOOT!
Mallory: Loved your email....send me you addy so I can write back!
 
pic 1: pioneer day on saturday
pic 2: district!
 
 



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