8/18/14 Steps of Light

To all my dear loved ones,

So I'm staying in woodland. Sister Carter is staying. This is my first transfer that there are no changes. Don't know how I feel about that, but trust I guess. :)

We had so many miracles, but I only have time to share a few.

This week we set a baptismal date with Lynn, Eli's friend.

Lynn has heard the restoration at church and at a few baptisms before, but this was the first  time we sat down with her and taught it, beginning to end, all the way through. It was cool. She has bad eyesight, but she had tried everyday a little read from the Book of Mormon. I'm going to copy and paste the teaching record here because I want to get to the good stuff.

Lynn has a hard time reading because it is all small print, but she us made an effort to read everyday. She has been praying everyday. She has been coming to church the past two Sundays. She said that she is glad that she found this church. She feels comfortable there, not embarrassed or anything else. We went over the restoration, even though she had heard it at the baptism. The Spirit was very strong, especially as the first vision was recited. Lynn was looking at the picture in the pamphlet. When we asked her what were some of her thoughts and things as she heard that, she immediately responded "that would be amazing!" She clearly understood what the first vision meant. We asked her how she felt, and she said warm inside. We invited her to be baptized, and she said yes. We then asked her to be baptized on September 20th and she thought for a moment, and said yes, and asked what it meant to prepare. We went over how she would need to learn the lessons, and also to pray about and come to know for herself that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, that the Book of Mormon is true, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Jesus Christ's church restored again. She said she would pray and ask. She said she would make an effort everyday to read. She said she would come to church, and come to another baptismal service this Saturday. We had Sister Valentine there and it was good because she also had a loved one die, and she expressed to Lynn how the gospel blesses her and how the difference between the life she had before she went to church and the life after were like night and day.

So that's the short version.

The lesson had so many pauses, where we just sat silent for minutes at a time, the spirit washing over us. Sister Carter recited the first vision as Lynn looked at the picture in pamphlet. Right after that I made a conscious effort to stay silent. It was awkward for a moment, but Then I started listening again to the Spirit. Lynn looked up into my eyes, and I bore testimony.

"I know that this is true."

If the spirit made noises, it was like a big WHOOSH.... And I could see it echoed in Lynn's eyes.

I invited her to pray about it.

Then I invited her to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized. Long pause. Then she looked down at the pamphlet, and looked back up into my eyes. A strong yet gentle "Yes." And she said it with her eyes.

SO COOL!

Yup. Other than that, I've been great. Elder Gadd is my district leader again, and he is training. Nothing else is really changing. Most of the zones are staying the same. But now Davis will be a Davis Zone and Woodland will be it's own zone. No more double zone unity. Oh well.

I know that the church is true. Hard times come in missions and in lives. I know that the Savior is there for us.

Sorry it's so short and I wasn't able to really respond. I'm on the iPad again because the family history computers weren't working. So please know that I love you all.

I know the church and the gospel are true. Everyday I see it. I see the difference it makes. All that is good comes from living the gospel of Jesus Christ. The breakdown of the family results from a lack of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I truly do know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is real. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and I know that we can always pray and God will send us the Comforter.

Day by day. The pathway is lit up. Sometimes you have to take a few steps out into the dark (meaning the unknown, not meaning the bad) and have the faith to know that God will guide you. It is at that point that He lights up your path, step by step. That is true faith. Not just saying, but truly following.

Love you,
Sister Miller