Dear Family and Friends,
Would you like to know what I learned this week?
I learned to stand up for what you believe in, no matter what. I learned to be spiritually independent. Things are changing; things are always changing, but no matter what, YOU MUST HOLD THE COURSE. Never give up. You cannot compromise what you know to be right. You must not come down! Don't give an inch, when you do, even if it is only one inch, you have lost. Satan doesn't need us to fall hard... only just to let go a little so that he can pry our fingers off of the iron rod, bit by bit.
This past week was crazy. The past few weeks have been crazy. I feel like this is the last test of my mission: WILL I HOLD OUT TRUE TO THE END? Will I do what I know I must? That is the question that we must all ask ourselves. I have learned a lot from President and Sister Alba. I had my departing interview with them this past week, with my companion there in the room with me, because President and Sister Alba are leaving this next week. As Sister Alba asked me three questions, my tears flowed freely. I had been really down on myself and feeling alone, but bearing my testimony really strengthened me. It helped me realize that my offering has been acceptable to the Lord, and that this has meant everything to me. I will write what she asked me at the end of my letter.
On Wednesday, we will have a big all-mission conference where we will hear their last bits of counsel and bit them farewell, and then the new president and his wife, President and Sister Wright, will come to the mission. I am already determined to trust them, because I know that they are called of God. I have learned that on my mission. I have learned to have faith in the Priesthood of God. I know that President and Sister Alba have changed my life forever. I want to be like them. I know that they have loved me and trusted me, and that has meant the world to me. I know that in reality, that is really just the Lord trusting me.
All I want, literally, all I want to do is talk to people. I just want to open my mouth. I've never felt that my entire life, my entire mission, with such intensity. I have learned a lot about marriage from my companions, and from President and Sister Alba. I have learned about being equally yoked, and about standing up for one another and defending one another, about correcting eachother, and having the courage to go foward.
I wrote something in my journal this past week that has really affected me. I was praying about how to help my companion talk to people too. I had this image of a door come to my mind... we were tracting. Sometimes, we do that, but mostly we just talk to people on the street when we are going place to place, talking to everyone we see. Well, anyway, praying about this, I saw a door. I knocked, and stood, and I could feel the nervousness and I just prayed for courage, and I smiled. I felt my companion back down the steps, which is not an unusual thing. I was running over this dilemma with Heavenly Father, begging for help, because all I wanted for this last transfer was to work hard, to be the answer to someone's prayer everyday. It was a heartfelt plea. I recieved an answer:
DO NOT STEP BACK.
I could feel that awkard peer pressure... why are you standing so close to the door, they won't be interested anyway, don't be "too into it", then they think that you are a freak.... all enter my mind. I want to stay where I am, but the pull is so strong. But I square my shoulders, and plant my feet. I will stand. I will not move. I will be obedient, and valiant. I will stand where I need to, even if that means standing alone.
And so that is what I am learning. All my mission, I have had times where I have felt alone, for various reasons. I have also had times where I have felt so surrounded by people who support me and uplift my efforts. But this is the true test for me: Will I stand, even if I have to stand alone? But even more importantly: Will I be the kind of person that will lift her up as well?
We can't lift others if we back down the steps.
We can't lift other higher than we ourselves are standing.
And we can't lift others without love, the pure love of Christ.
In leadership, we must continue to hold fast to the rod. I have learned a lot from reading 3 Nephi and 4th Nephi this week. I will finish the Book of Mormon this week. I have learned a lot from the Savior, and also about the agency of others.
I also have gained a stronger testimony of priesthood blessings. I am clinging to those now. Exactly what I needed to hear is given every time.
I have also come to have a stronger testimony this week of being a daughter of God. We were teaching Gail. A lovely elderly member we love named Sister Freeman was there with us. We bore testimony to Gail of our Pre-mortal existence and I bore my testimony of being a daughter of God. I could see the light in her eyes, and feel it inside as I shared that with her. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for us.
I have seen many miracles, but the greatest miracle is that I am here. That we are all here. That everyday, I get to share the gospel with countless people who would never have the opportunity is Sister Eyden and I hadn't come on a mission. It is the hardest thing I have ever done. Yes.
If I went home, saw my family, and they asked me to come out and do it again, I would.
Without a moments hesitation, I would. I would do it all over again. I love this. Every hard moment has been worth it. I have been supported. I have learned so much, loved so much.
Sister Alba asked me this week during interviews:
What has it meant to you to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ?
What have you learned?
And how have you changed?
And so to share my testimony with you, I will tell you that it has meant everything to me to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that I am nothing, as to my strength I am weak, but I know that it is through Him that I can do all things. All that I have seen on my mission, all that I have felt, He has given to me. I am so grateful that He has allowed me to do this. That is the highest honor... to represent Jesus Christ. Every moment of everyday, I have felt Him helping me when I ask Him. I love that He trusts me. At the begining of my mission, I did not deserve it. Now, even, I am not sure that I deserve it, but He has allowed me to be His servant and His friend. I have loved being on the streets, teaching people, serving people, doing what He would do. I have loved feeling the Spirit reach out and testify through me to others of His love.
I have learned how much Heavenly Father loves all of His children. I have learned how much He loves me. I have come to understand the Atonement, on my end, and also a little bit of what it meant to the Savior. I have learned that He wanted to do that for us, just like I want to do this, and although it was hard for Him, He did it because He loves us. I have also learned that it is through His grace that we can change. I have learned about love and about redwoods, about high expectations and about becoming who we are meant to be.
I have changed in so many ways. I had three goals for my mission, three things that I wanted to be and do and become. To be willingly obedient, to strive to be exactly obedient. I have not been perfect, but I have tried every single day, and I know that the Savior was there with me. I have also learned to feel the Spirit, and that is so precious to me. I have learned to love, especially recently, even when you are struggling. I have learned to love others as the Savior loves them and to see them through Heaven's eyes. They are so beautiful. I have also learned that I can make it to the Celestial Kingdom, and that the Savior will help all of us to do that if we only come unto Him. I know that every child of God can make it there, if that is their true desire.
I know that the Church is true, that we have a living prophet, and that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that the Spirit is real, and that this life is beautiful and worth living.
I love all of you. I pray for all of you. Until this ship reaches the shore, I will keep giving my all to Him, Maker of us all.
Love,
Sister Darby Miller
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
6/15/15: Sunshine, Sunlight, And Sunsets
Dear Family and Friends,
Wow. I really haven't sat down to write a really good weekly email in quite a while. I apologize for that. I want to let you all know how I am doing, but more importantly, to give you a testimony boost by sharing some experiences I have had over the last little while.
So first off, I found out last week that I am staying in Davis until the end of my mission, here with Sister Eyden. That'll make three transfers here to finish off. I end my mission in July. Near the 21st of July. President and Sister Alba leave in the last bit of June, and a new mission president, President Wright, comes in, and he will be my mission president for 21 days. I've already made the choice to be on board and supportive. It's just hard to have President and Sister Alba leave. I really love them. They are amazing disciples of Jesus Christ and they have had a huge impact on my faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am having my departing interview with them this week, earlier than normal because they are leaving so soon, but they still want to talk to all the missionaries that are leaving a few weeks after they do, so that President Wright isn't overwhelmed. In two weeks, we are having another All-Mission Conference, which is the last time that I will see them as a missionary.
Ahh! I am just overwhelmed with love for all of you. My heart is full. There is Sunshine in my Soul Today! That's what the Spirit feels like... Sunshine.
Okay. So an update. I don't even know where to start.
Our area is doing a lot better. When I first got here, it was struggling, and I went through a rough patch. We have had so many miracles though. Then, last transfer was hard because Sister Eyden was sick a lot, and I even got sick and had to stay in for a whole day. NOT FUN. There's nothing more motivating as a missionary that having to consistently stay in because your companion is sick. But we had a lot of miracles last transfer.
Okay, Okay, The last couple weeks. Let me think:
Melodie has been progressing! She prayed for help, and we showed up after a prompting. She is praying more!
Liz... hasn't met with us. Pray that she will.
The Harriman's and coming to church everyweek! they love our lessons, and have so many good questions!
Gail:
She came to church on her own! She is awesome!
She is reading and praying for the most part, and she understands by the spirit everything we share with her. We feel the Spirit with her so much!
We went and saw the Greenoughs last night for dinner. the problem with them is they only want to meet once a month... bleh. Their daughter is back for a few months from school, and we can tell that she wants to meet more. We are going to drop by next week and see if we can just share short things with them. They like to feed us when we meet, and they won't accept a no, and that's probably why they don't want to meet with us everyweek. sigh. struggles. But it's so cool because they feel the spirit so strong, it is so evident on their faces.
also, we are just finding a lot still. Finding is the best part, if you ask me. It's the "adventure" part of being a missionary. You talk to so many cool people.
As far as getting trunky, I'm almost the opposite. I wish time would just freeze. At the beginning of my mission, I couldn't even see past the end of the week, let alone to the end of my 18 months. Now, I feel like it is slipping through my fingers like water. I have learned a lot. My mission has been really hard from the outside looking in, but I have loved every moment of it. I truly am losing myself, still, but lately I have been finding myself, too. I can see into the future, but only a little bit. It just feels like Sunshine.
I have also learned a lot this week about Believing. We can't get answers about whether or not something is true unless we first believe, and try. That is what faith is. We have to try and experience it first. By their fruits ye shall know them.
Well,
I love all of you. I am so proud of all of you. I feel antsy. I just want to get out and work. That's all I want. I love talking to people. I love missionary work!
I love all of you!
Love,
Sister Miller
Wow. I really haven't sat down to write a really good weekly email in quite a while. I apologize for that. I want to let you all know how I am doing, but more importantly, to give you a testimony boost by sharing some experiences I have had over the last little while.
So first off, I found out last week that I am staying in Davis until the end of my mission, here with Sister Eyden. That'll make three transfers here to finish off. I end my mission in July. Near the 21st of July. President and Sister Alba leave in the last bit of June, and a new mission president, President Wright, comes in, and he will be my mission president for 21 days. I've already made the choice to be on board and supportive. It's just hard to have President and Sister Alba leave. I really love them. They are amazing disciples of Jesus Christ and they have had a huge impact on my faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am having my departing interview with them this week, earlier than normal because they are leaving so soon, but they still want to talk to all the missionaries that are leaving a few weeks after they do, so that President Wright isn't overwhelmed. In two weeks, we are having another All-Mission Conference, which is the last time that I will see them as a missionary.
Ahh! I am just overwhelmed with love for all of you. My heart is full. There is Sunshine in my Soul Today! That's what the Spirit feels like... Sunshine.
Okay. So an update. I don't even know where to start.
Our area is doing a lot better. When I first got here, it was struggling, and I went through a rough patch. We have had so many miracles though. Then, last transfer was hard because Sister Eyden was sick a lot, and I even got sick and had to stay in for a whole day. NOT FUN. There's nothing more motivating as a missionary that having to consistently stay in because your companion is sick. But we had a lot of miracles last transfer.
Okay, Okay, The last couple weeks. Let me think:
Melodie has been progressing! She prayed for help, and we showed up after a prompting. She is praying more!
Liz... hasn't met with us. Pray that she will.
The Harriman's and coming to church everyweek! they love our lessons, and have so many good questions!
Gail:
She came to church on her own! She is awesome!
She is reading and praying for the most part, and she understands by the spirit everything we share with her. We feel the Spirit with her so much!
We went and saw the Greenoughs last night for dinner. the problem with them is they only want to meet once a month... bleh. Their daughter is back for a few months from school, and we can tell that she wants to meet more. We are going to drop by next week and see if we can just share short things with them. They like to feed us when we meet, and they won't accept a no, and that's probably why they don't want to meet with us everyweek. sigh. struggles. But it's so cool because they feel the spirit so strong, it is so evident on their faces.
also, we are just finding a lot still. Finding is the best part, if you ask me. It's the "adventure" part of being a missionary. You talk to so many cool people.
As far as getting trunky, I'm almost the opposite. I wish time would just freeze. At the beginning of my mission, I couldn't even see past the end of the week, let alone to the end of my 18 months. Now, I feel like it is slipping through my fingers like water. I have learned a lot. My mission has been really hard from the outside looking in, but I have loved every moment of it. I truly am losing myself, still, but lately I have been finding myself, too. I can see into the future, but only a little bit. It just feels like Sunshine.
I have also learned a lot this week about Believing. We can't get answers about whether or not something is true unless we first believe, and try. That is what faith is. We have to try and experience it first. By their fruits ye shall know them.
Well,
I love all of you. I am so proud of all of you. I feel antsy. I just want to get out and work. That's all I want. I love talking to people. I love missionary work!
I love all of you!
Love,
Sister Miller
6/8/15
Dear Family and Friends
So we had miracles this week!
Gail is still doing really really well. I will write more next week.
I love you all!
So we had miracles this week!
Gail is still doing really really well. I will write more next week.
I love you all!
<Authors Note: This is something a bit more...sent in an individual email, but I felt I needed to share it. :)>
Well. I am on my last stretch of my mission. Just working hard. I have learned so much, and it hasn't been what I expected it to be. It has been better. My mission has taught me to work hard, to have faith, to be humble, to pray, really pray, and to get answers to my prayers. It has taught me what I want to be. It has taught me that the Gospel of Jesus Christ really is so precious to me, and that without it, my life would have no meaning. It has taught me to believe Christ, to believe my leaders, and to believe in myself the same way He and they believe in me. I have learned to repent, and repent, and repent everyday. I am reminded every single day of how much my Heavenly Father truly loves me, and also how much He loves all of His children. I have been taught patience. I have learned to love and cherish the youth and beauty that naturally flows from virtue, and to recognize the disgusting and pathetic morals and also "beauty" of the world for what they really are: traps in which Satan tries to drag us down to the pit. I have learned to cherish the true nature and beauty of God's creations as they really are. I have learned to open my eyes to miracles, and I have learned to place all on the alter before my Heavenly Father. I have been taught how to love as He loves, and how to listen. I have grown to love so many people, and something that has been really cool for me on my mission is this: I know that I was destined to do this. Looking back, I see every event in my life preparing me for this. I remember little snippets from my childhood, and I know that those things were all pointing me this way, every thing guiding me down my path to where I am now.
I have truly loved my mission. I have learned about the Savior and Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost and have gained a closer relationship than I could have ever imagined. I have met so many people, and have grown to love them. I have learned the value of missionary work. It has been a success to me every step of the way and I am forever changed. I know that although my 18 month mission is coming to a close, the mission of my life will continue, and that I will forever be a missionary. So it is with you. :)
6/1/15: Just Something I Wanted to Send
His Grace Is Sufficient
By Brad Wilcox
How does God’s grace really work?
A young woman once came to me and asked if we could talk. I said, “Of course. How can I help you?”
She said, “I just don’t get grace.”
I responded, “What is it that you don’t understand?”
She said, “I know I need to do my best, and then Jesus does the rest, but I can’t even do my best.”
I said, “The truth is, Jesus paid our debt in full. He didn’t pay it all except for a few coins. He paid it all. It is finished.”
She said, “Right! Like I don’t have to do anything?”
“Oh, no,” I said, “you have plenty to do, but it is not to pay that debt. We will all be resurrected. We will all go back to God’s presence to be judged. What is left to be determined by our obedience is how comfortable we plan to be in God’s presence and what degree of glory we plan on receiving.”
Christ asks us to show faith in Him, repent, make and keep covenants, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. By complying, we are not paying the demands of justice—not even the smallest part. Instead, we are showing appreciation for what Jesus Christ did by using it to live a life like His. Justice requires immediate perfection or a punishment when we fall short. Because Jesus took that punishment, He can offer us the chance for ultimate perfection (see Matthew 5:48; 3 Nephi 12:48) and help us reach that goal. He can forgive what justice never could, and He can turn to us now with His own set of requirements (see 3 Nephi 28:35).
Grace Transforms Us
Christ’s arrangement with us is similar to a mom providing music lessons for her child. Mom pays the piano teacher. Because Mom pays the debt in full, she can turn to her child and ask for something. What is it? Practice! Does the child’s practice pay the piano teacher? No. Does the child’s practice repay Mom for paying the piano teacher? No. Practicing is how the child shows appreciation for Mom’s incredible gift. It is how he takes advantage of the amazing opportunity Mom is giving him to live his life at a higher level. Mom’s joy is found not in getting repaid but in seeing her gift used—seeing her child improve. And so she continues to call for practice, practice, practice.
If the child sees Mom’s requirement of practice as being too overbearing (“Gosh, Mom, why do I need to practice? None of the other kids have to practice! I’m just going to be a professional baseball player anyway!”), perhaps it is because he doesn’t yet see with Mom’s eyes. He doesn’t see how much better his life could be if he would choose to live on a higher plane.
In the same way, because Jesus has paid justice, He can now turn to us and say: “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19); “Keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If we see His requirements as being way too much to ask, maybe it is because we do not yet see through Christ’s eyes. We have not yet comprehended what He is trying to make of us.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has said, “The repenting sinner must suffer for his sins, but this suffering has a different purpose than punishment or payment. Its purpose is change” (The Lord’s Way [1991], 223; emphasis in original). Let’s put that in terms of the child pianist: The child must practice the piano, but this practice has a different purpose than punishment or payment. Its purpose is change.
The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can live after we die but that we can live more abundantly (see John 10:10). The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can be cleansed and consoled but that we can be transformed (see Romans 8). Scriptures make it clear that no unclean thing can dwell with God (seeAlma 40:26), but no unchanged thing will even want to.
The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can go home but that—miraculously—we can feel at home there. If Heavenly Father and His Son did not require faith and repentance, then there would be no desire to change. Think of your friends and family members who have chosen to live without faith and without repentance. They don’t want to change. They are not trying to abandon sin and become comfortable with God. Rather, they are trying to abandon God and become comfortable with sin. If the Father and the Son did not require covenants and bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost, then there would be no way to change. We would be left forever with only willpower, with no access to His power. If Heavenly Father and His Son did not require endurance to the end, then there would be no internalization of those changes over time. They would forever be surface and cosmetic rather than sinking inside us and becoming part of us—part of who we are. Put simply, if Jesus didn’t require practice, then we would never become Saints.
Grace Helps Us
“But don’t you realize how hard it is to practice? I’m just not very good at the piano. I hit a lot of wrong notes. It takes me forever to get it right.” Now wait. Isn’t that all part of the learning process? When a young pianist hits a wrong note, we don’t say he is not worthy to keep practicing. We don’t expect him to be flawless. We just expect him to keep trying. Perfection may be his ultimate goal, but for now we can be content with progress in the right direction. Why is this perspective so easy to see in the context of learning piano but so hard to see in the context of learning heaven?
Too many are giving up on the Church because they are tired of constantly feeling like they are falling short. They have tried in the past, but they continually feel like they are just not good enough. They don’t understand grace.
There should never be just two options: perfection or giving up. When learning the piano, are the only options performing at Carnegie Hall or quitting? No. Growth and development take time. Learning takes time. When we understand grace, we understand that God is long-suffering, that change is a process, and that repentance is a pattern in our lives. When we understand grace, we understand that the blessings of Christ’s Atonement are continuous and His strength is perfect in our weakness (see 2 Corinthians 12:9). When we understand grace, we can, as it says in the Doctrine and Covenants, “continue in patience until [we] are perfected” (D&C 67:13).
Grace is not a booster engine that kicks in once our fuel supply is exhausted. Rather, it is our constant energy source. It is not the light at the end of the tunnel but the light that moves us through the tunnel. Grace is not achieved somewhere down the road. It is received right here and right now.
By Brad Wilcox
How does God’s grace really work?
A young woman once came to me and asked if we could talk. I said, “Of course. How can I help you?”
She said, “I just don’t get grace.”
I responded, “What is it that you don’t understand?”
She said, “I know I need to do my best, and then Jesus does the rest, but I can’t even do my best.”
I said, “The truth is, Jesus paid our debt in full. He didn’t pay it all except for a few coins. He paid it all. It is finished.”
She said, “Right! Like I don’t have to do anything?”
“Oh, no,” I said, “you have plenty to do, but it is not to pay that debt. We will all be resurrected. We will all go back to God’s presence to be judged. What is left to be determined by our obedience is how comfortable we plan to be in God’s presence and what degree of glory we plan on receiving.”
Christ asks us to show faith in Him, repent, make and keep covenants, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. By complying, we are not paying the demands of justice—not even the smallest part. Instead, we are showing appreciation for what Jesus Christ did by using it to live a life like His. Justice requires immediate perfection or a punishment when we fall short. Because Jesus took that punishment, He can offer us the chance for ultimate perfection (see Matthew 5:48; 3 Nephi 12:48) and help us reach that goal. He can forgive what justice never could, and He can turn to us now with His own set of requirements (see 3 Nephi 28:35).
Grace Transforms Us
Christ’s arrangement with us is similar to a mom providing music lessons for her child. Mom pays the piano teacher. Because Mom pays the debt in full, she can turn to her child and ask for something. What is it? Practice! Does the child’s practice pay the piano teacher? No. Does the child’s practice repay Mom for paying the piano teacher? No. Practicing is how the child shows appreciation for Mom’s incredible gift. It is how he takes advantage of the amazing opportunity Mom is giving him to live his life at a higher level. Mom’s joy is found not in getting repaid but in seeing her gift used—seeing her child improve. And so she continues to call for practice, practice, practice.
If the child sees Mom’s requirement of practice as being too overbearing (“Gosh, Mom, why do I need to practice? None of the other kids have to practice! I’m just going to be a professional baseball player anyway!”), perhaps it is because he doesn’t yet see with Mom’s eyes. He doesn’t see how much better his life could be if he would choose to live on a higher plane.
In the same way, because Jesus has paid justice, He can now turn to us and say: “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19); “Keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If we see His requirements as being way too much to ask, maybe it is because we do not yet see through Christ’s eyes. We have not yet comprehended what He is trying to make of us.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has said, “The repenting sinner must suffer for his sins, but this suffering has a different purpose than punishment or payment. Its purpose is change” (The Lord’s Way [1991], 223; emphasis in original). Let’s put that in terms of the child pianist: The child must practice the piano, but this practice has a different purpose than punishment or payment. Its purpose is change.
The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can live after we die but that we can live more abundantly (see John 10:10). The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can be cleansed and consoled but that we can be transformed (see Romans 8). Scriptures make it clear that no unclean thing can dwell with God (seeAlma 40:26), but no unchanged thing will even want to.
The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can go home but that—miraculously—we can feel at home there. If Heavenly Father and His Son did not require faith and repentance, then there would be no desire to change. Think of your friends and family members who have chosen to live without faith and without repentance. They don’t want to change. They are not trying to abandon sin and become comfortable with God. Rather, they are trying to abandon God and become comfortable with sin. If the Father and the Son did not require covenants and bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost, then there would be no way to change. We would be left forever with only willpower, with no access to His power. If Heavenly Father and His Son did not require endurance to the end, then there would be no internalization of those changes over time. They would forever be surface and cosmetic rather than sinking inside us and becoming part of us—part of who we are. Put simply, if Jesus didn’t require practice, then we would never become Saints.
Grace Helps Us
“But don’t you realize how hard it is to practice? I’m just not very good at the piano. I hit a lot of wrong notes. It takes me forever to get it right.” Now wait. Isn’t that all part of the learning process? When a young pianist hits a wrong note, we don’t say he is not worthy to keep practicing. We don’t expect him to be flawless. We just expect him to keep trying. Perfection may be his ultimate goal, but for now we can be content with progress in the right direction. Why is this perspective so easy to see in the context of learning piano but so hard to see in the context of learning heaven?
Too many are giving up on the Church because they are tired of constantly feeling like they are falling short. They have tried in the past, but they continually feel like they are just not good enough. They don’t understand grace.
There should never be just two options: perfection or giving up. When learning the piano, are the only options performing at Carnegie Hall or quitting? No. Growth and development take time. Learning takes time. When we understand grace, we understand that God is long-suffering, that change is a process, and that repentance is a pattern in our lives. When we understand grace, we understand that the blessings of Christ’s Atonement are continuous and His strength is perfect in our weakness (see 2 Corinthians 12:9). When we understand grace, we can, as it says in the Doctrine and Covenants, “continue in patience until [we] are perfected” (D&C 67:13).
Grace is not a booster engine that kicks in once our fuel supply is exhausted. Rather, it is our constant energy source. It is not the light at the end of the tunnel but the light that moves us through the tunnel. Grace is not achieved somewhere down the road. It is received right here and right now.
***
My email got deleted for this week :( but this is what is on my mind! :) and we had a spectacular week! We picked up this lady named Gail and she is awesome we taught her the whole restoration and she came to church and loved it. I feel your prayers, and I love you!
Love, Sister Miller
5/25/15: Simplicity
So tech problems... And I don't have enough energy to re write it,
I will write it all and save it for next week, just know we had some more sick days.... Hue whole zone. But things are going up... Getting better!
We met withy Melody again and it was awesome. She understands pray to know. She is so awesome. More in her next week,
Also.... I learned a lot about prayer and my relationship with Heavenly Father. And the atonement. Of with I will rewrite again next week.
I love all of you!
Love,
Sister Miller
I will write it all and save it for next week, just know we had some more sick days.... Hue whole zone. But things are going up... Getting better!
We met withy Melody again and it was awesome. She understands pray to know. She is so awesome. More in her next week,
Also.... I learned a lot about prayer and my relationship with Heavenly Father. And the atonement. Of with I will rewrite again next week.
I love all of you!
Love,
Sister Miller
5/18/15: Light Worth Living...and And Living.
Hey everyone!
This week was great! I feel like I just emailed! So we had some miracles this past week! We met with this lady named Melodie. Another person we are teaching invited us to come over and share with her uplifting messages, and so we went over. Her house is currently being remodeled and it was very distracted when we went over, but we shared with her our testimonies and mostly just listened to her as she opened up about some struggles in her life right now. So yay! We are teaching her now!
So last week when I was sick, Sister Eyden had called absolutely everyone in the area book. She had set up a dinner with the "G" family. Craig and Valerie had had missionaries tract into them before and had let them in to leave a house blessing and had chatted for a while with them and then nothing more every really came of it, but they had had missionaries a long long time before that too, apparently, and so they had offered to feed the sisters at had left a house blessing. That was a few months ago. They were excited to feed us.
Well, earlier that day we had some emergency meetings in our zone, so our zone leaders drove us out to a neighboring town to meet with another companionship out there, and earlier that day we had had a zone service project at a local park spreading mulch. It's really cool because their church has a new website called "Just Serve" and the city of Davis just picked it right up, and we do a lot of service
projects weekly in the community, and this is one of those ongoing service projects. Every month we spread mulch. It's great; I love it. It gives me time to just worked with my body and to give my head a
break. And it's a lot of fun with the zone! So we did that Saturday morning. Then we went to this meeting. Long story short here has just been a little drama and miscommunication and it wasn't as big a deal as some thought. So yeah, then we went back to our dinner with the G family, and it was weird, because I realized as the elders dropped Sister Eyden and I off at their front door that we didn't even know these people, and now hey we're going to feed us and let us teach them the gospel. I don't know why it was such a big deal to me, because that is what is supposed to happen, right? But for some reason, it just felt surreal.
We went in, and they visited with us. We thought we were just chatting while dinner finish cooking, but then Valerie got up and out something in the oven. So then we chatted for a longer bit. They are really family oriented. They are both middle aged, with their son and daughter both in college. They showed us there house, and tons of pictures. They made hints at the gospel now and then, but would not ever go into detail.
For dinner we ate the best salmon and asparagus I had ever had, with a roasted pepper sauce on rice, and rolls. As we ate our candlelight dinner, we talked even more about there life. I started to sense a bit of sadness and longing when they shared certain things with us. Out of nowhere, a question popped out of my mouth. "What is one thing that you did that made all the difference in your parenting." Craig shared how he felt it was that they out there kids first. They talked about how their kids aren't the most religious, but how they are good, and have high moral standards. They talked about technology and about how they put the family first and how that was their top priority.
Then after that we helped clean up a bit and asked if we could share a message. They Saturday s back down in the living, right where we started. The day before, my companion had been inspired to share the Because He Lives video,
https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-04-1010-he-lives-celebrate-easter-because-jesus-christ-lives?lang=eng
and so we did.
Craig was noticeably different. Usually talkative and confident in a cheery way, he was now still, deeply touched, hand on chin, and deep in thought. Valerie was crying. None of us said anything.
The spirit is a funny feeling.
On my mission, I have felt many things, all emotions in their vast array, depths that I didn't understand before my mission. In the process, I have come to realize that with me, very rarely does the spirit make me cry, but if you had asked me that a few years ago, I would have told you that every time I feel the spirit I cry. The difference is not in me, I have learned; the difference is that now I am constantly looking for the spirit, and so now I know better what it feels like, and all the many ways it reaches out and touches me. Each of us react differently when we feel the spirit, and each individual
is in their own life touched by the spirit in different ways in each different circumstance they are presented with. It has been amazing insist past week. I have started to notice it in the little things. As a member of the church, having entered into the covenant of baptism, and having received the Holy Ghost, and accepted the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I have learned that truly that Holy Ghost can be with me at all times. I have learned this as a missionary especially in times where I have lost the spirit by some act of disobedience or in a situation where someone else has done something that would cause a loss of the spirit. I have felt the spirit in a voice of warning telling me and my companion to flee very real darkness, and I have also felt the peaceful, curiosity that it strikes within me, guiding me, and also the confident certainty that the way we were going was the right path. This may seem off topic, but hold onto what I just said for a moment about the G family, and also about the spirit, and how I've learned to notice it.
I read a scripture this morning that has stuck in my brain, a jewel I have never before even noticed.
"And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will."
Words of Mormon 1:7
It's a whisper. The Spirit is a whisper. Now, here is another thing that you have to know about me, that I'm sure most of you know anyway. I can't hear anything. Really. I have bad hearing, so most of the other missionaries I serve around know that they have to speak up when they are speaking to me, otherwise I am lost because I don't understand. Now, what does Sister Miller's hearing (or lack of it) have to do with the Spirit?
Most of the time, we ask "why aren't we getting our answers!" Now, if we are a little smarter, we might ask "Why aren't we hearing our answers?"
Unlike hearing noise, hearing the spirit is something we have to tune ourselves to. The reality of it, is that we are spiritually deafened, and that to hear the precious message that the world drowns out we
have to pull our head out of the world, and put ourselves in a place to receive answers... A place where we can hear the whisper, a place where the whisper can no longer be drowned out.
The other thing that I have learned is that when we have put ourselves, our lives, our attitudes into a place where we are humble enough and willing enough with real intent to get answers, there is still another problem that we may face. The problem is that we may have spent so much time in the world,
without trying to hear the spirit, that we forget what it is like, especially for us. We have to learn to understand, and that takes time and practice. It is like a relationship. It takes time.
So the reason I say this is this past week, as I have been sitting in lessons, I have had countless experiences where I feel the spirit, but not in the usual whole body tingling sensation, or in the rush of joy feeling inside, although those are some ways that I do definitely feel the spirit in lessons at just the right moments. I have been learning that if I listen more often, I I hear Him more often. It is like a
steady hand on your shoulder feeling, but on your heart more. I'm still trying to figure out how to describe it, but it is really cool. Just because the spirit isn't saying something specific doesn't mean He isn't with you at all times. The only time that He leaves is when you leave him by any disobedience in act or feeling of your own choice, otherwise, the spirit is just always with you.
Anyway, I relate all this to you because I felt this during the G family lesson. I felt the ebb and flow of the spirit.... When He too was just whispering, and when He was whispering something specific and strong, just for them. It was a really cool feeling and I just can't quite explain it. But during their lesson, they expressed the health hardships they have had, and also, out of the blue, right after one of
those silences during which the spirit was strong, and Craig asked me why I had asked about their parenting. I told him because the family is important. Immediately he followed up with asking us what is the thing that is most precious to us that draws us to the gospel. Sister Eyden and I just looked at each other. :) we had the same exact answer.
We spoke of eternal families, and eternal marriage and the blessings that Heavenly Father has given to us through His Son, and how it is through Jesus Christ that we can be together forever.
They soaked it all up, had many questions about baptism, and we invited them to read the Book of Mormon and to pray and ask if it true. They were a little hesitant, but Craig said that he was going to
search through all the videos on lds.org because he has been looking for a while. They both felt it. My question is do they know that they felt it?
I know that this gospel is true. My mind is turned back to the experience I had with the WeLick as and Sister Whimpey, where we both proclaimed with everything inside of us that "I know. I know for
myself the gospel is true." It is no longer just a believe sort of thing, I know now, but that is how it started. And like the scripture at I shared earlier states, "I do not know all things, but the Lord knoweth all things; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will." I know that He knows
everything. And I know that He knows, and I know it because of the whispering so of the spirit, and the feelings of the spirit that has filled my whole soul with light... Light worth living.
So pray for us. I feel your prayers. Pray for those we teach, they feel it, even if they don't yet know it. Pray that they will recognize their answers, and also pray for yourself, that you will recognize answers that come through the Spirit.
Moroni 10:6-7
I love all of you, and love your support.
Love, Sister Miller
This week was great! I feel like I just emailed! So we had some miracles this past week! We met with this lady named Melodie. Another person we are teaching invited us to come over and share with her uplifting messages, and so we went over. Her house is currently being remodeled and it was very distracted when we went over, but we shared with her our testimonies and mostly just listened to her as she opened up about some struggles in her life right now. So yay! We are teaching her now!
So last week when I was sick, Sister Eyden had called absolutely everyone in the area book. She had set up a dinner with the "G" family. Craig and Valerie had had missionaries tract into them before and had let them in to leave a house blessing and had chatted for a while with them and then nothing more every really came of it, but they had had missionaries a long long time before that too, apparently, and so they had offered to feed the sisters at had left a house blessing. That was a few months ago. They were excited to feed us.
Well, earlier that day we had some emergency meetings in our zone, so our zone leaders drove us out to a neighboring town to meet with another companionship out there, and earlier that day we had had a zone service project at a local park spreading mulch. It's really cool because their church has a new website called "Just Serve" and the city of Davis just picked it right up, and we do a lot of service
projects weekly in the community, and this is one of those ongoing service projects. Every month we spread mulch. It's great; I love it. It gives me time to just worked with my body and to give my head a
break. And it's a lot of fun with the zone! So we did that Saturday morning. Then we went to this meeting. Long story short here has just been a little drama and miscommunication and it wasn't as big a deal as some thought. So yeah, then we went back to our dinner with the G family, and it was weird, because I realized as the elders dropped Sister Eyden and I off at their front door that we didn't even know these people, and now hey we're going to feed us and let us teach them the gospel. I don't know why it was such a big deal to me, because that is what is supposed to happen, right? But for some reason, it just felt surreal.
We went in, and they visited with us. We thought we were just chatting while dinner finish cooking, but then Valerie got up and out something in the oven. So then we chatted for a longer bit. They are really family oriented. They are both middle aged, with their son and daughter both in college. They showed us there house, and tons of pictures. They made hints at the gospel now and then, but would not ever go into detail.
For dinner we ate the best salmon and asparagus I had ever had, with a roasted pepper sauce on rice, and rolls. As we ate our candlelight dinner, we talked even more about there life. I started to sense a bit of sadness and longing when they shared certain things with us. Out of nowhere, a question popped out of my mouth. "What is one thing that you did that made all the difference in your parenting." Craig shared how he felt it was that they out there kids first. They talked about how their kids aren't the most religious, but how they are good, and have high moral standards. They talked about technology and about how they put the family first and how that was their top priority.
Then after that we helped clean up a bit and asked if we could share a message. They Saturday s back down in the living, right where we started. The day before, my companion had been inspired to share the Because He Lives video,
https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-04-1010-he-lives-celebrate-easter-because-jesus-christ-lives?lang=eng
and so we did.
Craig was noticeably different. Usually talkative and confident in a cheery way, he was now still, deeply touched, hand on chin, and deep in thought. Valerie was crying. None of us said anything.
The spirit is a funny feeling.
On my mission, I have felt many things, all emotions in their vast array, depths that I didn't understand before my mission. In the process, I have come to realize that with me, very rarely does the spirit make me cry, but if you had asked me that a few years ago, I would have told you that every time I feel the spirit I cry. The difference is not in me, I have learned; the difference is that now I am constantly looking for the spirit, and so now I know better what it feels like, and all the many ways it reaches out and touches me. Each of us react differently when we feel the spirit, and each individual
is in their own life touched by the spirit in different ways in each different circumstance they are presented with. It has been amazing insist past week. I have started to notice it in the little things. As a member of the church, having entered into the covenant of baptism, and having received the Holy Ghost, and accepted the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I have learned that truly that Holy Ghost can be with me at all times. I have learned this as a missionary especially in times where I have lost the spirit by some act of disobedience or in a situation where someone else has done something that would cause a loss of the spirit. I have felt the spirit in a voice of warning telling me and my companion to flee very real darkness, and I have also felt the peaceful, curiosity that it strikes within me, guiding me, and also the confident certainty that the way we were going was the right path. This may seem off topic, but hold onto what I just said for a moment about the G family, and also about the spirit, and how I've learned to notice it.
I read a scripture this morning that has stuck in my brain, a jewel I have never before even noticed.
"And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will."
Words of Mormon 1:7
It's a whisper. The Spirit is a whisper. Now, here is another thing that you have to know about me, that I'm sure most of you know anyway. I can't hear anything. Really. I have bad hearing, so most of the other missionaries I serve around know that they have to speak up when they are speaking to me, otherwise I am lost because I don't understand. Now, what does Sister Miller's hearing (or lack of it) have to do with the Spirit?
Most of the time, we ask "why aren't we getting our answers!" Now, if we are a little smarter, we might ask "Why aren't we hearing our answers?"
Unlike hearing noise, hearing the spirit is something we have to tune ourselves to. The reality of it, is that we are spiritually deafened, and that to hear the precious message that the world drowns out we
have to pull our head out of the world, and put ourselves in a place to receive answers... A place where we can hear the whisper, a place where the whisper can no longer be drowned out.
The other thing that I have learned is that when we have put ourselves, our lives, our attitudes into a place where we are humble enough and willing enough with real intent to get answers, there is still another problem that we may face. The problem is that we may have spent so much time in the world,
without trying to hear the spirit, that we forget what it is like, especially for us. We have to learn to understand, and that takes time and practice. It is like a relationship. It takes time.
So the reason I say this is this past week, as I have been sitting in lessons, I have had countless experiences where I feel the spirit, but not in the usual whole body tingling sensation, or in the rush of joy feeling inside, although those are some ways that I do definitely feel the spirit in lessons at just the right moments. I have been learning that if I listen more often, I I hear Him more often. It is like a
steady hand on your shoulder feeling, but on your heart more. I'm still trying to figure out how to describe it, but it is really cool. Just because the spirit isn't saying something specific doesn't mean He isn't with you at all times. The only time that He leaves is when you leave him by any disobedience in act or feeling of your own choice, otherwise, the spirit is just always with you.
Anyway, I relate all this to you because I felt this during the G family lesson. I felt the ebb and flow of the spirit.... When He too was just whispering, and when He was whispering something specific and strong, just for them. It was a really cool feeling and I just can't quite explain it. But during their lesson, they expressed the health hardships they have had, and also, out of the blue, right after one of
those silences during which the spirit was strong, and Craig asked me why I had asked about their parenting. I told him because the family is important. Immediately he followed up with asking us what is the thing that is most precious to us that draws us to the gospel. Sister Eyden and I just looked at each other. :) we had the same exact answer.
We spoke of eternal families, and eternal marriage and the blessings that Heavenly Father has given to us through His Son, and how it is through Jesus Christ that we can be together forever.
They soaked it all up, had many questions about baptism, and we invited them to read the Book of Mormon and to pray and ask if it true. They were a little hesitant, but Craig said that he was going to
search through all the videos on lds.org because he has been looking for a while. They both felt it. My question is do they know that they felt it?
I know that this gospel is true. My mind is turned back to the experience I had with the WeLick as and Sister Whimpey, where we both proclaimed with everything inside of us that "I know. I know for
myself the gospel is true." It is no longer just a believe sort of thing, I know now, but that is how it started. And like the scripture at I shared earlier states, "I do not know all things, but the Lord knoweth all things; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will." I know that He knows
everything. And I know that He knows, and I know it because of the whispering so of the spirit, and the feelings of the spirit that has filled my whole soul with light... Light worth living.
So pray for us. I feel your prayers. Pray for those we teach, they feel it, even if they don't yet know it. Pray that they will recognize their answers, and also pray for yourself, that you will recognize answers that come through the Spirit.
Moroni 10:6-7
I love all of you, and love your support.
Love, Sister Miller
5/13/15: 100%
Dear family and friends,
This last week was great! We just got back from the Sacramento Temple and it was pretty much amazing. I was so ready for that! In the Celestial room, I sat and pondered life and the mission and what it has taught me. It was really amazing, because I am serving around my MTC companion, Sister Day, and she came up to me and sat next to me as I was deep in thought. Slowly, everyone else left, and it was just her and I. She turned to me and we started talking. What she said really was an answer to my prayers. We talked about what we have learned and how even thought a mission isn't for you, it kind of ends up being so.
I love serving a mission! I realized the other day how short of a time it really is... and I don't really know how I feel about it. It was so good to talk to the family... I realized just how much I do miss them and how much I do fit in. I am excited to see them. And that just made me want to work harder, and go stronger, and reach higher than ever before.
I love what I have learned over the course of my mission. There are definitely times that are hard, but they are so worth it. The experiences where you feel the spirit are so worth it.
Something that I have learned from my mission is that I always want to live the gospel. Before my mission, I didn't really believe in myself. I didn't really know if I could make it to the Celestial Kingdom. I hope that I could, and I wanted to be able to, but I wasn't too sure if I could actually
make it. Looking back, I realize that the mission has taught me that I can do hard things, and that especially those things that are hard yet help us live the gospel.
That is another thing that I have learned. The gospel is always worth living. I know and have learned from experience that repentance is real, that it is hard, but that it is so worth it. Repentance require us to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit, to be humble and full of charity and love and submissive to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I have also learned that Heavenly Father loves me. That I belong. I belong in His presence. That part of me will never change.... That's what I want and that's other thing that I have learned.
I want to live the gospel.
It is so engrained into who I am, and I have chosen that, a little bit everyday. There are some that would look at missionaries and say that we are being brainwashed, indoctrinated, and forced into living the gospel. To them I say this: I have chosen this every day I have been out here. I have chosen to live the gospel, to teach and testify, and to share what I know to be true. At any point, I could have turned back, I could have come back home, but for me that was never an option. Has the mission been hard. Definitely there are hard days, but in the long run, I look back on every transfer with sweetness. I have loved being out here.
It is the thing which has been of most worth to me.
Okay.
So .
A quick snapshot of the past week.
So last Monday we taught Liz the Restoration. The Spirit was so strong. She is awesome. I don't even know what to say about her lesson because it was perfect. So we taught about how God called prophets and how when people reject a prophet they are then in an apostasy. We taught her about how Jesus Christ called twelve apostles and gave them the priesthood and the authority to lead His church. She took it all in, having perfect questions and then she asked us "Okay, so then what about this Joseph Smith guy, tell me about him?" I literally thought she was a member, just playing a joke on us, pretending to be a golden investigator. Well, long story short, we share the Restoration with
her, and the Spirit is so strong. She understood everything so perfectly. She then came to church on Mother's Day and she absolutely loved it! She said as we met with her again last night that she felt
so many answers. Last night we talked about the Spirit, and the Gift of the Holy Ghost. She said she doesn't know if she has ever felt the Spirit, but then we explained what it felt like, and how she could
recognize it. The feeling in that room was so real. Liz really is a perfect investigator. She has definitely been prepared. We have asked her to pray about being baptized this week, and she said she would. She said that she has always believed that there were more testaments than one, and so she is excited to continue to read the Book of Mormon.
Also, this past week, we picked up another investigator! Yay! She was referred to us by another person we are teaching, and it was really cool. She is going through a lot of lifestyle changes with her housing situation, and is working really hard. She is open to meet with us again, but we are hoping that it sinks in a little deeper. She kind of believes in God, but she isn't sure. Yet, she did open up a lot with us. We are going back to see her tomorrow.
Also, I was sick this past week. Food poisoning. That wasn't fun. Then Sister Eyden has been having massive headaches, and then I caught a horrible cold. I don't know what it is, but we have just been sick a lot. Not fun. Pray for us. But other than that, we really enjoy each other, and we organized our whole area book and are ready to get better and go out and find the elect!
Well.... I'm not sure what else to say, so I'll just leave it at that for now. Just know that the Gospel is true and that Jesus Christ is always there for us. He never lets us go! He will never give up on you! There is no hardship that is too great to have the true Gospel of Jesus Christ in your life! There is no person, no career, no hobby, no fear, nothing, literally nothing, that can get in the way of us living the Gospel in our hearts and in our homes if we set our mind to it. Choose.
We always have the choice. That is, and will forever be ours. The Gospel is always a choice.
Another thought that I kept having this week is that it is so much easier to live the Gospel 100% than to live it only in part. It is so much easier to give things 100% than to only give a portion of the
effort. It is so much easier to repent 100%, to contact 100%, to be obedient 100% and to love 100%.
Although we are not perfect, the Savior still loves us and can help us, even when we don't have it in us, and even when we do.
He is and will always be the only way back home.
John 14: 15,18,21
John 15: 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
John 16:21-24 as well.
Love,
Sister Darby Miller
P.S. My goal for the rest of my mission is to live my 100%! No holding back! No saying tomorrow, or next time, but really enjoying it and giving it my all.
This last week was great! We just got back from the Sacramento Temple and it was pretty much amazing. I was so ready for that! In the Celestial room, I sat and pondered life and the mission and what it has taught me. It was really amazing, because I am serving around my MTC companion, Sister Day, and she came up to me and sat next to me as I was deep in thought. Slowly, everyone else left, and it was just her and I. She turned to me and we started talking. What she said really was an answer to my prayers. We talked about what we have learned and how even thought a mission isn't for you, it kind of ends up being so.
I love serving a mission! I realized the other day how short of a time it really is... and I don't really know how I feel about it. It was so good to talk to the family... I realized just how much I do miss them and how much I do fit in. I am excited to see them. And that just made me want to work harder, and go stronger, and reach higher than ever before.
I love what I have learned over the course of my mission. There are definitely times that are hard, but they are so worth it. The experiences where you feel the spirit are so worth it.
Something that I have learned from my mission is that I always want to live the gospel. Before my mission, I didn't really believe in myself. I didn't really know if I could make it to the Celestial Kingdom. I hope that I could, and I wanted to be able to, but I wasn't too sure if I could actually
make it. Looking back, I realize that the mission has taught me that I can do hard things, and that especially those things that are hard yet help us live the gospel.
That is another thing that I have learned. The gospel is always worth living. I know and have learned from experience that repentance is real, that it is hard, but that it is so worth it. Repentance require us to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit, to be humble and full of charity and love and submissive to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I have also learned that Heavenly Father loves me. That I belong. I belong in His presence. That part of me will never change.... That's what I want and that's other thing that I have learned.
I want to live the gospel.
It is so engrained into who I am, and I have chosen that, a little bit everyday. There are some that would look at missionaries and say that we are being brainwashed, indoctrinated, and forced into living the gospel. To them I say this: I have chosen this every day I have been out here. I have chosen to live the gospel, to teach and testify, and to share what I know to be true. At any point, I could have turned back, I could have come back home, but for me that was never an option. Has the mission been hard. Definitely there are hard days, but in the long run, I look back on every transfer with sweetness. I have loved being out here.
It is the thing which has been of most worth to me.
Okay.
So .
A quick snapshot of the past week.
So last Monday we taught Liz the Restoration. The Spirit was so strong. She is awesome. I don't even know what to say about her lesson because it was perfect. So we taught about how God called prophets and how when people reject a prophet they are then in an apostasy. We taught her about how Jesus Christ called twelve apostles and gave them the priesthood and the authority to lead His church. She took it all in, having perfect questions and then she asked us "Okay, so then what about this Joseph Smith guy, tell me about him?" I literally thought she was a member, just playing a joke on us, pretending to be a golden investigator. Well, long story short, we share the Restoration with
her, and the Spirit is so strong. She understood everything so perfectly. She then came to church on Mother's Day and she absolutely loved it! She said as we met with her again last night that she felt
so many answers. Last night we talked about the Spirit, and the Gift of the Holy Ghost. She said she doesn't know if she has ever felt the Spirit, but then we explained what it felt like, and how she could
recognize it. The feeling in that room was so real. Liz really is a perfect investigator. She has definitely been prepared. We have asked her to pray about being baptized this week, and she said she would. She said that she has always believed that there were more testaments than one, and so she is excited to continue to read the Book of Mormon.
Also, this past week, we picked up another investigator! Yay! She was referred to us by another person we are teaching, and it was really cool. She is going through a lot of lifestyle changes with her housing situation, and is working really hard. She is open to meet with us again, but we are hoping that it sinks in a little deeper. She kind of believes in God, but she isn't sure. Yet, she did open up a lot with us. We are going back to see her tomorrow.
Also, I was sick this past week. Food poisoning. That wasn't fun. Then Sister Eyden has been having massive headaches, and then I caught a horrible cold. I don't know what it is, but we have just been sick a lot. Not fun. Pray for us. But other than that, we really enjoy each other, and we organized our whole area book and are ready to get better and go out and find the elect!
Well.... I'm not sure what else to say, so I'll just leave it at that for now. Just know that the Gospel is true and that Jesus Christ is always there for us. He never lets us go! He will never give up on you! There is no hardship that is too great to have the true Gospel of Jesus Christ in your life! There is no person, no career, no hobby, no fear, nothing, literally nothing, that can get in the way of us living the Gospel in our hearts and in our homes if we set our mind to it. Choose.
We always have the choice. That is, and will forever be ours. The Gospel is always a choice.
Another thought that I kept having this week is that it is so much easier to live the Gospel 100% than to live it only in part. It is so much easier to give things 100% than to only give a portion of the
effort. It is so much easier to repent 100%, to contact 100%, to be obedient 100% and to love 100%.
Although we are not perfect, the Savior still loves us and can help us, even when we don't have it in us, and even when we do.
He is and will always be the only way back home.
John 14: 15,18,21
John 15: 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
John 16:21-24 as well.
Love,
Sister Darby Miller
P.S. My goal for the rest of my mission is to live my 100%! No holding back! No saying tomorrow, or next time, but really enjoying it and giving it my all.
<authors note: Holy frijoles, her hair is so long!!!! She was quite persistent that she wasn't going to cut it on her mission...looks like she stuck to her word>
5/4/15: Greater Faith: Blessed are Those Who Have Not Seen, but Still Believe!
Dear Family and Friends,
So a quick recap on the past couple weeks. Sorry. I realized that I am not as good of a writer as I once thought. Something to work on in the future I guess... :)
So...
Things really worked out with Sister Comer the past two weeks. We worked hard and had a couple really heart-to-heart talks about how to make things work. I realized that I have a lot of strengths that she needed, and she has strengths that I really needed. Wow. Those last two weeks were AMAZING with her... Not that they were bad before... but we just weren't as open in communication as before. We began to see so many miracles, and by the time transfers came, we both really wanted her to stay. I was so sad that she got transferred to Vacaville. But before she left, we had this one miracle that I want to share.
So we do a lot of member lessons with active members.. part of our goal to teach three lessons a day. So Mondays we always meet with Sister Nelson. She is awesome. Young... in her 20's, and she loves to learn more about the gospel. So two mondays ago she texted us and asked if her friend Liz could come. Long story short, Liz took the lessons as a young girl with a friend. Her friend ended up getting baptized, but Liz didn't. Years later, she asked if she could come to church with Sister Nelson. She came to that lesson, and it was one of the most spiritual lessons I have ever had. She wants to be baptized, and she is committed to praying to know if this is true. We taught her about trials, about many bits and pieces of the gospel because she had so many questions. I feel the spirit just thinking about it right now. All the questions she asked were so perfect, so genuine, and she was so willing to believe. Anyway, she missed church because she got called inot work. Tonight we are meeting with her again, and we will be teaching the Restoration in full, all the way through. Pray for us! I am so excited!
Anyway... We are searching, searching for more people to find.
Something funny that happened yesterday: we ran out of gas on top of an overpass, and the elders had to go buy the gas and come get us. Awkward. Let me tell you, I've never had something so embarrassing happen. :) It was good though. We had a really really good heart-to-heart.
I am companion's with Sister Eyden. I love her so much! We get along so well... Just like Sister Whimpy and I did. Seriously, this could possibly end up being one of the best transfers of my mission.
Also, I have added a new goal onto my goals for my mission. Heavenly Father is teaching me a lot about faith. I love the idea of faith. It is the motivation for keeping every commandment, and it will lead us to everything else we need.
And since I have three minutes left on my computer, I will just copy what I told my mission president. I am pretty much an open book. Just take it as you will, and know that I am loving this more and more every day. Thank you all for what you do for me.
I have learned a lot about the Savior here on my mission. I have been continually humbled by what He has shown me, and allowed me to experience. I have learned a great deal, and I do not regret any day of it, even the hardest of days. There have been moments that have been so worth it, so precious. Darkness cannot overpower light, but even the smallest light banished the darkness, and leaves no room for it. When there is light, that is all there is. We can see clearer, and things are simpler when there is light. But it is those dark times that teach us to trust that light will come, even when we can't see.
Something I asked Heavenly Father during hour of prayer was if I ever was going to find that family that I was sent here to find.
Something I learned is that it is not about me.
And then He taught me to have faith.
And so, I add a fourth goal, something I feel encompasses all my goals for my mission:
I will have faith.
I will have faith in my Heavenly Father, and not fear.
And so that is my goal for the rest of my mission. To have greater faith, and then when I go home, to have even greater faith, line upon line, a little more light every day.
Also, something that President Cuvelier said yesterday is something I have though a lot about lately. "When you go home, you are no longer set apart as a full-time representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but... you are still a missionary. Always remember that."
And that's what I want. I just want to be a missionary forever. I love it. It's not just what I do anymore. It's who I am. And I want to continue to grow in that
Love,
Sister Miller
I'll send pics next week! :) Love ya'll
p.s. I love you Mom!
So a quick recap on the past couple weeks. Sorry. I realized that I am not as good of a writer as I once thought. Something to work on in the future I guess... :)
So...
Things really worked out with Sister Comer the past two weeks. We worked hard and had a couple really heart-to-heart talks about how to make things work. I realized that I have a lot of strengths that she needed, and she has strengths that I really needed. Wow. Those last two weeks were AMAZING with her... Not that they were bad before... but we just weren't as open in communication as before. We began to see so many miracles, and by the time transfers came, we both really wanted her to stay. I was so sad that she got transferred to Vacaville. But before she left, we had this one miracle that I want to share.
So we do a lot of member lessons with active members.. part of our goal to teach three lessons a day. So Mondays we always meet with Sister Nelson. She is awesome. Young... in her 20's, and she loves to learn more about the gospel. So two mondays ago she texted us and asked if her friend Liz could come. Long story short, Liz took the lessons as a young girl with a friend. Her friend ended up getting baptized, but Liz didn't. Years later, she asked if she could come to church with Sister Nelson. She came to that lesson, and it was one of the most spiritual lessons I have ever had. She wants to be baptized, and she is committed to praying to know if this is true. We taught her about trials, about many bits and pieces of the gospel because she had so many questions. I feel the spirit just thinking about it right now. All the questions she asked were so perfect, so genuine, and she was so willing to believe. Anyway, she missed church because she got called inot work. Tonight we are meeting with her again, and we will be teaching the Restoration in full, all the way through. Pray for us! I am so excited!
Anyway... We are searching, searching for more people to find.
Something funny that happened yesterday: we ran out of gas on top of an overpass, and the elders had to go buy the gas and come get us. Awkward. Let me tell you, I've never had something so embarrassing happen. :) It was good though. We had a really really good heart-to-heart.
I am companion's with Sister Eyden. I love her so much! We get along so well... Just like Sister Whimpy and I did. Seriously, this could possibly end up being one of the best transfers of my mission.
Also, I have added a new goal onto my goals for my mission. Heavenly Father is teaching me a lot about faith. I love the idea of faith. It is the motivation for keeping every commandment, and it will lead us to everything else we need.
And since I have three minutes left on my computer, I will just copy what I told my mission president. I am pretty much an open book. Just take it as you will, and know that I am loving this more and more every day. Thank you all for what you do for me.
I have learned a lot about the Savior here on my mission. I have been continually humbled by what He has shown me, and allowed me to experience. I have learned a great deal, and I do not regret any day of it, even the hardest of days. There have been moments that have been so worth it, so precious. Darkness cannot overpower light, but even the smallest light banished the darkness, and leaves no room for it. When there is light, that is all there is. We can see clearer, and things are simpler when there is light. But it is those dark times that teach us to trust that light will come, even when we can't see.
Something I asked Heavenly Father during hour of prayer was if I ever was going to find that family that I was sent here to find.
Something I learned is that it is not about me.
And then He taught me to have faith.
And so, I add a fourth goal, something I feel encompasses all my goals for my mission:
I will have faith.
I will have faith in my Heavenly Father, and not fear.
And so that is my goal for the rest of my mission. To have greater faith, and then when I go home, to have even greater faith, line upon line, a little more light every day.
Also, something that President Cuvelier said yesterday is something I have though a lot about lately. "When you go home, you are no longer set apart as a full-time representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but... you are still a missionary. Always remember that."
And that's what I want. I just want to be a missionary forever. I love it. It's not just what I do anymore. It's who I am. And I want to continue to grow in that
Love,
Sister Miller
I'll send pics next week! :) Love ya'll
p.s. I love you Mom!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)