3/23/15 iPads and Personalities

So, so dear family and friends,

Things are so different. Good, but different. It's weird going back to the same stake as Woodland. Seriously. Woodland is a 15 min drive away. Sister Comer and I drove up there he other day to speak at an 8 year old's baptism and it was the weirdest feeling in the world. It seriously felt like coming home. It has been very interesting. Even Sister Comer made the comment that she could see me living here. It just feels like home. Arcata and Woodland both. I am still adjusting to Davis. It is a college town and there are a lot of Asians here, and it is WAY different than Arcata, which was full of very colorful and varied people, but a The people here are a lot higher class and very smart, but dress like a bunch of college kids.

So Sister Comer is a greenie. I am follow up training her... Which means that she has only been out for a month and a half. She is 22 and she speaks her mind. It's been fun already. She is very different than me, but I guess it's going to be a good thing.  I think it is so interesting two missionaries that are so completely different and that they could come to an agreement and do missionary work. It has just build my testimony that my personality is important, and same with her personality.

I'm sure next week I will have more to write about. Currently we are trying to find some more investigators, and to meet with the ones we have. So, next week, I am sure I will have more to talk about.

In the mean time, I want to tell you a story about the Noriega family from Arcata. I don't know if I ever shared it in full.

So we met the Noriegas on Christmas Eve. We had only been there less than a week, and Sister Whimpey and I didn't know anyone. We had only picked up a couple investigators, and so we went with the YSA elders to go caroling to our investigators who lived on the third floor. On the way up, we saw some people on the second floor, so we decided, why not? Let's go carol to them! We did, and we met the father, who was not completely himself. While we were singing, he brought his 11 year old son out to talk to us because apparently he was interested in a lot of different religions. His father told us that he wasn't interested, but that he really really wanted us to come and teach his son. We didn't really take him seriously, just because of his circumstance, but we had a good little chat, sang another sing or something, and then went on our way. Well, about a week or so later, our investigators cancelled, and we stopped by and taught them. They let us right in, and ever since then they started listening to the lessons, fully participating. Then, they started reading the Book of Mormon. They started praying. They started to really understand what we were sharing. They came to church, accepted s baptismal invite, and then really meant it and were excited to be baptized. They are scheduled to be baptized this Saturday, hopefully. I might be able to skype in, but I don't know.

My whole mission, I had never taught people like the Noriegas. I know they are the elect, there are people out there like them. I know it. It's all just an exercise in faith.

I know the gospel is true, I know the Church is true. There are so many blessings that come from living the gospel. Heavenly Father doesn't expect us to be perfect all at once. He knows us, and loves us, and BELIEVES IN US. He trusts us. That is why He sent us here.

I know that the spirit is so essential. That is how you can know what you should do, by reading the Book of Mormon and the other scriptures, by pondering, and by praying to know what you should do. The answer comes by the power of the Spirit. If you are wondering how to help someone, or to help yourself, this is the spiritual method for finding out what Heavenly Father wants us to know.

So yeah.

Know that I love all of you and believe in all of you. Thank you for all of your support. It means the world to me.

Something I said a few days ago to an atheist: "I don't think science and religion are opposed to each other, but rather I see that God is the Greatest Scientist." I then pulled out the Lord's iPad that I carry. "Hand this to someone 3,000 years ago and what would they think? How would they describe it? They wouldn't have the words to. That is how it is with us and understanding God and all creation."

Sincerely,
Sister Miller

P.S. Watch "Because He Lives" this Saturday, then share it!