August 8th, 2016- Trials of Faith Are More Precious than Gold!

This week is about adversity...
Trials are hard but I know God's motives are all good. He does everything out of pure love for us so there is a meaning behind every loss and every tear. I feel like Alma in Mosiah 23:10, "Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth."

I am glad that God has allowed me to do his work despite my weakness... It has been a difficult week and I also felt like the people of Alma later in that chapter  who had been trying to be obedient and do all they could but...

21. Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.
22. Nevertheless--whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with [Sister Zimmerman]. (And thus it is with all of us if we will trust in God)

Yeah... So it was a hard one! But when discouragement comes or Satan tries to tell us lies and drag us down we can turn to God and He will always save us! Mosiah 24:12-15

12. And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.


13. And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.


14. And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord
God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

15. And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

There will be times when our burdens and trials weigh us down... But those trials are given for a purpose and are the very things that will purify us, strengthen us, and prove us worthy to live with God someday.

My mother felt inspired to send me this... It's great:

"If we don’t experience personal storms and drought, our roots never have the chance to become strong. Ironically, smooth sailing is its own test—and a difficult one. The absence of problems can soften us if we aren’t careful. We may “not watch [ourselves], and [our] thoughts, and [our] words, and [our] deeds, and observe the commandments of God,
and continue in the faith” (Mosiah 4:30) without a trial that bends our knees and works on our hearts."
I have come to understand that trials and absence of trials are both challenging."

Here's another scripture about trials...

1 Peter 1:7 "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold

that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto

praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ"

Some lyrics that comforted me this week:

Hymn #103 
"Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer"
Precious Savior, dear Redeemer,
Thou wilt bind the broken heart.
Let not sorrow overwhelm us;
Dry the bitter tears that start.
Curb the winds and calm the billows;
Bid the angry tempest cease.
Precious Savior, dear Redeemer,
Grant us everlasting peace.

Don't know why I wanted to include this but I know this is true...
"No matter the circumstances we can learn to love those that we serve
and pray for."

Kind of scattered this week but that's what I've got!
HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!
- Sister Zimmerman

Josh Barton wearing the ARMOR OF GOD!

My MTC companion Sister Hirschi and I. Love her!