Hello everyone!

Another week has come and gone! It's crazy to think that time has already flown by so quickly :) This past week we haven't been able to get much missionary work done, as we've been busy moving. Out of Balmoral/the epitome of Babylon into a much nicer and better apartment. It's nice to be out of there now :) 

We had Zone Conference this past week, and that was an awesome and excellent experience. The Spirit was very strong there, and I learned a lot of things that will hopefully help me to become a better missionary :) I really love the Spirit! Whenever the Spirit is present, you are guaranteed to have a good experience. When He is absent...well, you're on your own, which isn't always fun.

I got a letter from home this week, and I wanted to share with you a fun and great experience that I had with it. My dad wrote some words of counsel and advice in this letter, words that I really enjoyed :) Anywho, the morning after I got this letter I was doing some Personal Study, as any missionary does. As I was reading Enos 1:1, I noticed the part where he mentions that he (Enos) learned a lot from his father. It was at that point during my Personal Study that I decided to pull out the letter from home and reread what Dad had sent me. He shared with me the scripture Alma 26:22-31. I'd now like to share with you what I wrote in my Study Journal from the experience I had with that scripture before I go any further:

"Yesterday I got letters from home. Dad...wrote me stuff, and he shared a scripture in it--Alma 26:22-31. This scripture has FILLED me! :) I am eternally indebted to my father on earth and my Father in Heaven! This scripture has filled me with hope, because it describes not only my current situation, but also the potential the future holds! Praise be to the Lord of Hosts, who can strengthen the weak and embolden the weary! :) I have felt His love, my dad's love, and my brother's love--I have the help of MEN and ANGELS, and a firmer hope to do the work of God :) "

Brothers and sisters, tragedy and hard times will strike at the best of us. We decide how these tragedies affect us. At the time that I was doing that Personal Study, I'd been struggling with lots of feelings of inadequacy and failure--the night before we'd had a lesson that really proved how little Chinese I know. But as I read the scriptures and the comforting words from my earthly father, I felt the Spirit of my Heavenly Father testify this simple truth: It will be ALRIGHT. Essentially, He says to each and every one of us: "Let Me take care of it." I've struggled with letting Him take care of it, but I'm working harder on being better about that. 

I testify that Jesus is the Christ, that we are truly blessed to have on earth the fulness of His ordinances, covenants, and Gospel! God is our loving Heavenly Father, and He guides us with a hand as steady and strong as the mountains!

Let Him take care of it--whatever it is, let Him take care of it. Pray for His help, for His strength, then go forth and do all that you can, and after that's been done: Let Him take care of it :)

I love you all!

God be with you till we meet again,

Mai Zhanglao :)