As a little child. Atonement. Change: Week One, Tranfer Three

Dear Family and Friends,

I love you all. Thought I should let you know :)

and here's a letter from Sister Alba. It says President, but I can tell from her voice in my head as I read it ;)

President Alba

Letter to the missionaries 4-21-14

“HERE AM I SEND ME”

Now is our time, and now is our season. Each one of us, in our own way has said, ‘here am I send me’, and the Lord has heard and answered our prayers and sent us one by one to the California Santa Rosa Mission. We know what He expects of us. We know we are His children. We know we have been given much. This is an extraordinary time we live in and we are riding on the crest of the wave into the future. So, how are we doing?

Let me start by saying to each one of you that President and I love you like our own children. I didn’t know that I would feel that way… I didn’t know that it was even possible…but it is true and when I look at you I see you as you really are and I see your astounding potential.
Every one of you is like a shooting star, brilliantly flying across the sky leaving your trail of light wherever you go. Do you feel it? Do your understand that you are in His hands? Do you know that you are surrounded by angels? Do you know what power you carry when you testify of the doctrine of Christ?

“We teach the Doctrine of Christ, we will know it, express it and live it.” (CASRM motto)

The time of the second coming of Christ is drawing near. The church is forever changed in the way the missionaries work and teach and more change is yet to come. You have been on the forefront of it all. You have led the way. Will we be called on to continue to lead the way? It is all up to us. So, how are we doing? Are we still striving every day to be the most obedient mission in the world? Are we true to the commitments we have made? Are we living the challenges He has already given us?

Your time in this mission is short. It flies by at warp speed. Are you on the train? Are you all in? If not now… when will you do it… When you go home?

Now is your time, now is your season… the season of giving up your will to God. The season of working until you drop each day. The season of obedience. The season of love one another. The season of joy. Don’t wait another day. Change your attitude if you need to… only you can do that. Don’t wait another day… live up to your astounding potential and be like Nephi, be like the sons of Mosiah, be like Christ.

77 And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.
78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;
79 Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—
80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.
81 Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.
82 Therefore, they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads.
83 He that seeketh me bearly shall find me, and shall not be forsaken.
84 Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come;

Sisters and Elders, let nothing stop you. Over come your fears and ‘Trust in the Lord.” Turn away from temptation and ‘Hold fast to the rod’. Step forward into the light of your sacred calling and ‘Arise and be Great’.

You can do this… you were meant to do this… you were prepared to do this… you were born to do this.
Now is your time… Let this season in your life be truly ‘Divine’… only you can make is so.

Love you my mission children, my lambi

Thank you for all your love and support.

This week has been a whirlwind. Probably one of the hardest I've had since being out here. Yet, the Lord always provides a balm in Gilead. Always. He gave me stake conference to lift me up.

I love talking to everyone. I'm learning to change. Change is hard, but it is good.

I am overjoyed to say that I still am entirely IN LOVE with being a missionary, a servant of Jesus Christ! There is no other place that I would rather be.

I think I have thought a lot about the Atonement and about change this week. I am not one that naturally likes change, and I cried and cried after Sister Zenger and Sister Henry left. It was the strangest feeling. I felt like a part of me was leaving, and I still kind of feel that way. But the Lord provides! Funny enough, before the last transfer was over, I let Heavenly Father know that I wanted to change more. I pleaded for His guidance in becoming a better missionary, especially with contacting. Look! Now I have Sister Murphy, who talks to everyone she sees, and won't let a person walk past her without hearing her testimony. So many miracles have happened because of her. I want to be more like that!

The point is that Heavenly Father knows me. He knows me perfectly. He loves me so much. He answers every prayer. We just have to have eyes to see.

I loved how President Henderson (our stake pres) talked about how the Atonement is all about the word "CAN." Because of the Atonement, I CAN find the elect. I am recommitting to being the most obedient missionary. I want to find the elect. This is the desire of my heart. I'm out here of my own free will, and I want to obey with exactness. "Choose the right let the consequence follow."

I will not submit to discouragement, for I am a daughter of God. Discouragement is beneath my divine nature. God never gives up. I am His daughter, and I will not give up, either.

I love how the Atonement really does cover everything.

I've pondered this week over how I have changed, but the past day or so I've had the reoccurring that more change is coming. Change is not easy, but it is possible.

This morning on our run we met a 87 year old man, who dismissed us politely because he thinks he is "too old to change [his] ways, and [is] content with [his] life the way it is."

I thought a lot about that. I don't agree. It just doesn't set right in my heart. One of my favorite poems comes to mind. (I'm paraphrasing, because I don't remember it exactly...)

"If in vision thou couldst see

Thyself, the man God meant,

Thou couldst never remain

The man thou art, content."

Am I happy? YES. I love being here!

Am I content? No. I can't stand it. It's just out of my reach. I'll keep reaching. Maybe I'll grow a little taller. :)

Eternal progression truly is an exciting thing!

I am so excited for this week! It's going to be amazing!

Goals for this week:

Work the hardest I have ever worked before.

Talk to literally everyone.

Love the sparkles and giggles out of Sister Murphy.

I know that this gospel is true. The more I pray/ponder/act on this, the more I know that it is true. 

The way to know is so simple. Try it out. Pray. 

I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. I know that He loves each and every one of us, and that His love never ends. When we are discouraged with ourselves, when life pulls a fast one on us, when our hearts ache and we feel like nothing can ever heal us, all we need to do is trust. Stop. Stop listening to the voice of the adversary. Stop listening to your own voice, if it's yourself that is putting you down. Listen to the Voice of Truth, who won't mince words, but who won't lead you astray.

Living the gospel is so worth it. Is it sometimes difficult? Sure. But so is everything else in this life.

Let us live worthy of the Spirit. Let us try. 

It's amazing what happens when we try, when we committ.

Our area is struggling a little. I'm feeling a little in over my head, but I've come to a conclusion. I WILL DO THIS. 

Can I do it alone. Nope. I'll be the first one to tell ya that.

But I'll also be the first one to tell you that I know that it will happen. Why will it happen? Because it's not really me that is doing this. It's HIM. He who rose the third day. He conquered death, and hell, and all my weaknesses. Very literally. 

He can and will do it again, if I let Him. 

Because of Jesus Christ, nothing will ever be the same again.

#BecauseofHim.

Look up the video "Because of Him" from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I know that "come what may!" I will stand with Him. I do not know what my life holds. Quite frankly, I'll walk that path when I get to it. Right now I am here to serve Him. I will follow His lead. I will walk in His footsteps, just like a child walks through the snow, in the footprint of someone who watches over her. I know that no matter what happens, my testimony can never be taken away. Oh how my heart burns! Can you feel that too? Do you want to feel that? It's simple. The gospel never is as complicated as some make it out to be. It's hard. BUT it is possible, and so simple. It can be summed up in two words: 

Follow Him.

I know that Jesus Christ lives.

I know it. 

Do you know it?

Love you all with all my heart,

Sister Darby Eleyce Miller

Oops.....
I forgot to mention that my "baby's" name is Sister Murphy, from Wendover UT. She's great!  :)

more to come later.