Monday, May 12, 2014

"I'm hitting the ground running"

Dear family and friends,


I'm not going to type out everything. Just know that it's been a very trying few weeks for me. I've felt a little hopeless at time, and then renewed with hope from Heavenly Father at other times. Regardless, I can still say that without a doubt in my mind, I KNOW that this gospel is true. As a very wise little girl has made known, I would not be doing this if it wasn't true, or if I didn't know that for myself. But I do know that what I teach, live, and know is true. This church is true... it IS the only true church of God... The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

Do you know it? 

If you don't, get to know it.Take it upon yourself to find out. All that is required is that you be willing. Ask the question. Ask with a willingness, an open mind and honest, sincere-wanting to know heart. 


Because there is an answer.


Are you ready for it?





anyways, here's some stuff to read. Sorry I'm not more organized. :) 










President Alba

Mission Letter 5-12-14

Contacting with faith and with purpose.

Dear Elders and Sisters,

I hope that each of you had an opportunity to speak with your mothers yesterday as we all celebrated Mothers Day. I know that your mothers were so excited to speak and Skype with you as I’m sure each of you were as well.

There is a wonderful connection between a mother and her children. I know that each of you have a tender spot in your heart for each one of your mothers. I do, and will forever be grateful for the things I learned from her throughout my lifetime.

In 1 Nephi chapter 7, we learn of the commandment given to Lehi that Nephi and his brethren were to return to the land of Jerusalem and to enlist Ishmael and his household to join in traveling to the promised land. Now, I don’t know about you but if I were Ishmael and his household, I would have had a really hard time being convinced to join in such a venture. Imagine, leave everything behind, home, friends, and all the things with which God had blessed us to go off into some unknown place to follow Lehi and his family.

In verses 4–5 we read:

“And it came to pass that we went up unto the house of Ishmael, and we did gain favor in the sight of Ishmael, insomuch that we did speak unto him the words of the Lord.

“And it came to pass that the Lord did soften the heart of Ishmael, and also his household, insomuch that they took their journey with us down into the wilderness to the tent of our father.”

This is the ideal contact! What a wonderful way for us to learn from the scriptures and to apply these things in our everyday efforts to contact sons and daughters of God so that His Spirit might soften their hearts and persuade them to join in our wonderful journey.

First of all, Nephi and his brethren went up unto the house of Ishmael – in this case, let us replace the name of Ishmael with “investigator” – so are we entrusted with this, to go up unto every house and to proclaim the good tidings that we bear unto all every household. There is something unique in going to up unto each house.

Secondly, they gained favor in the sight of Ishmael. How do you suppose they did that? Do you think they came, knocked on the door and blurted out “Ishmael, we are here to take you and your family into the wilderness to join us in a great adventure!” No, gaining favor in the sight of others is simply done by establishing rapport (a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other's feelings or ideas and communicate well). We must find something in common and gain their favor by understanding each other’s feelings and then communicating them in a simple and clear way. This is how we gain their favor.

Thirdly, they “did speak unto him the words of the Lord.” The Lord had told them exactly what needed to be said and they delivered their message as the Lord had asked them to do so. So too, we must go forth and deliver the words of the Lord – the Doctrine of Christ – unto all so that they can choose to follow. Anything more or less than this is NOT of the Lord but our own words and they will sound hollow in their hearts.

Fourth, “the Lord did soften the heart of Ishmael, and also his household.” We cannot soften anyone’s heart but we must teach with clarity and simplicity the words that will allow the Spirit of God to soften the hearts of those who faithfully hear it. Ours is the responsibility to deliver the message UNTO the hearts of those we invite and the Spirit will then softens their hearts and deliver the message INTO their hearts. This pattern is the pattern that the Lord uses in order to help the elect to follow Him.

Fifth, once Ishmael and his household heard the message that was delivered and once their hearts were softened, then, they took the journey into the wilderness to the tent of father Lehi. It is the same that can happen when we do all the Lord asks us to do. There will be those who will follow even into “the wilderness” to begin the greatest journey upon the earth – to follow the example of Jesus Christ and to be like Him.

I love these two verses as it teaches us exactly what we learn in Preach My Gospel. We must develop the faith, just as Nephi did, to find those who will hear the word and follow it. “He will lead you to them or He will lead them to you.” As Alma declared, so is my desire:

“O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in brining them again unto thee in Christ. Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious . . . ; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.” (Alma 31:34-35)

I promise each of you, my young missionaries, those who have been called to labor in His service that as we follow the formula that Nephi used, we will gain better access to the elect of God. With great faith:

1. We must go up unto their house
2. We must then gain favor by establishing rapport with those we contact
3. We must speak the words of the Lord with simplicity and clarity
4. The Lord will then soften their hearts, and
5. They will then take up the journey with us.

I appreciate all of you who so obediently follow what the Lord has asked us to do. Others who are not yet on board, I invite you to join in this quest and to do it in the Lord’s way.

All my love,

President Alba


Dear President Alba,

What can I say? I love my mission. We have really been trying to teach as we are finding, and we are teaching a lot of neat people during our contacting time. We literally talk to everyone. Sister Murphy is teaching me to slow down, to really listen to what people are saying, and then to testify. Things are starting to really flow well between the two of us during contacting, and I'm feeling a lot more confident about it. We are trying to make every contact meaningful, even if they speak only Spanish. Why else would an English missionary need a Spanish pamphlet? *smile*

I feel like I've given up on being frustrated. I feel renewed and excited, and I don't feel like I have to fight for it like I have been the past few weeks. I feel bad about dropping people, but how long are we supposed to call and stop by with no response? We have places to go and people to baptize! I don't have time to beg! I need time to listen to someone with a sincere desire to draw closer to our Savior... those are the people I want!

Elliott... I know that even though it's been a long process with him, he was starting at zero. He didn't believe in God. But look at him now! Just last time we met with him, he expressed his commitment to Jessica as the one he wants to be loyal to, and he expressed how he knows that this church is true and that he can't deny it. He expressed how he can tell a difference when he lives the commandments and when he doesn't. He expressed his desire to deserve baptism, and how it's no longer an if, but a when. We are really going to crack down on Word of Wisdom and make a baptismal plan with him. He felt really bad about missing his date. He brings up baptism before we even have a chance to follow up.

When I first met him, he was the last person I would have expected to progress to this.

And then there's Maria. She approached us as we were tabling at SSU this week. She approached us! WOW! We had a lesson at a table on the Restoration, and she ate it up and had a million and one questions. She agreed to think about being baptized. Then we taught her the very next day about the first part of the Plan of Salvation. I've never had a lesson like that before. She said that she believed all that we were saying. She said that it seemed familiar, like she had known it all her life. She set a baptismal date on her own for Aug 30th, and she is excited to meet with missionaries where she was moving to. (sad... she's moving. but the missionaries there will love her! and then when she comes back, she'll be in the Redwoods Ward. Yay!)

I just realized that I probably won't be here for all that to happen. So sad, but I am happy to have been a part of her grand beginning!



Then last night we met a homeless man downtown that I've talked to time and time again. He's always had big, long spiels to tell us, but finally he listened. He let us participate in the conversation, and we got down to the root of some problems. It was neat. Sister Murphy told him straight out, "Your body is a temple" and all I could do was smile. He lit it up and apologized. I told him that he has the agency to smoke, but that if he does, he has to be willing to deal with the consequence. That opened up a big conversation about church and how he doesn't feel like he would be accepted. His concern was sincere, and he seemed not defensive, but sad rather.

Funny enough, just earlier on Sunday, the Bennett Valley Elders had a new investigator attend their ward, and then he (Sean) stayed for Redwoods Ward Sacrament Meeting as well. He just got out of a sticky situation, and said that he is starting over, rebuilding his life, and here was where wanted to start. "I'm hitting the ground running!" Wow. That's what Christ can do for us... white the slate clean, and help us rebuild our lives and character to be more like Him- more full of joy and peace and willingness to obey Heavenly Father. Sean kept saying, "I'm full of the Holy Spirit!" So cool.
I told the homeless man about this, and he stopped talking. He thought about it a long time. He ended up giving us his cell phone number, which he wouldn't do all the other times we talked with him. Hopefully he will come to church, but again. He has the agency.

But I also have the agency to reach out.

I love missionary work! It's moments like these that I live for! It's tender mercies like Elliott and Maria that let me know that Heavenly Father is in control, and that He loves me too, and knows that I want so much to succeed in life and on my mission.

I've reached the point where I really want people to have questions. I want them to ask crazy questions, so that I can answer with my testimony. I love Sister Murphy. I'm becoming more like her, hopefully. Instead of a big sister, she seems like a little sister, but a brave little sister who is a good example to me.

I love you and Sister Alba.
I pray for you.
Thank you for putting up with all the downer stuff as well. You both are so positive, but I know that you probably have some interesting experiences as well. I want to be more positive like Sister Alba.


Thank you for your letter on contacting. It really is a boost. I'm an awkward person, so I think that building rapport is something I'm going to learn to do.


I love Santa Rosa. I can finally say that I love the people here. I love it here.


Your mission daughter,
Sister Darby Eleyce Miller
#hittingthegroundrunning #cleanslate #templetrip-hereIcome!

I know that Jesus Christ is real.
And what I mean by that is I know that He is real in my life.



so that was my letter..... and now back to you, dear family and friends....

Are you hitting the ground running? :)


If not, start. Go HAM it..... (Hard as Moses) and look what he was able to do, with God's help, of course.


Expect the miracles. They will come. That is a promise from a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are willing to live the commandments, then the miracles will come.

Faith, and then miracles.
Not the other way around.




I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jesus Christ is real. I am not brainwashed, because I don't have to listen and rely upon others to know it. Jesus Christ is real, and this is His church, and Joseph Smith did in fact see God, Our Loving Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ. I know it for myself. 
I will not ever deny it. 


Sister Darby Eleyce Miller


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