Monday, January 27, 2014

Hermana Miller: Week 15: Aye Aye Aye Hate Nebraska Weather!

1/27/14

What a WEEK. CRAZY.  Just ridiculous. Nebraska goes from like 50 degrees to like 5. AND IT IS SO WINDY. Yuck. Oh well, good thing I love the work! This week was a good week, but a learning week for sure! The Lord truly is stretching me, growing me, and testing my patience. I am grateful He loves me enough to do that. First I will tell you some things that happened!

-We finally got to start volunteering at the Grand Island Veteran's Home! Oh my goodness, I love it so much. We will be spending most of our time in the Anderson unit, which is for the members who are farther along in their illnesses, or have problems like Alzheimers. I love them so much. Everyone knows that I have never been a compassionate person, and that I struggle to love people, but I can't even tell you how my heart feels when I am there. We just get to sit and talk with them, and we will start doing a little church service soon as well. (With a Lutheran minister, we will let you know how that goes.) I have already become dear friends with a few of them- Joe, who made prosthetics for Indian chiefs back in the day (he told us that three times so it must be important,) Jeff, who has ridden across the country on a motorcycle (and was upset he didn't win enough in bingo to buy a new one so he could escape,) Clark (who has had the most interesting life EVER,) and Gerald (who is convinced there is a government conspiracy to keep him from being a State Marshall.) I sincerely love them all and I love hearing the stories these people have, and the things they have done with their lives! It makes me think about the kind of legacy I will leave behind. I can't wait to go back.

-Keyla and Alfy got BAPTIZED!!! We really were worried things were not going to go through with Keyla, because we got a text two days before the baptism from her mom telling us that her dad did not want her to get baptized. Well, we went over and had an amazing lesson that the Spirit taught us all about God's love and how He truly is our Father and wants to give us good things, and his heart was softened. He is now an investigator of ours as well.  Better than the baptism though was her confirmation. The blessing she received from a member in our ward was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. I bawled the entire time. He promised her that she would be a light, example, and influence for good in her home, and also in the mission field. He promised she would play a hand in bringing many, many souls into the gospel as she serves as a full-time missionary in the future! I cried so hard with joy and gratitude and love! In my missionary setting apart with President Crane, I was promised that I would be able to baptize influential people. Keyla is one of them. I love her so much. She is my other little sister! I am so proud of her.

-I got to go on exchanges last night with the English sisters because one of them was sick, but they had an appointment with my beloved KONG FAMILY! So I got to go see them! Oh holy day! They opened the door and all the little girls screamed "SISTER MILLER!!!" and ran and gave me huge hugs! I almost started crying! And then "Mama Gouny" (That's what she likes that I call her,) came out and hugged me and kissed my cheek and told me "Where have you been?! You are not leaving. You are sleeping here and staying here for forever!" My heart almost exploded. The 8th grade girl, Tanisha, kept calling my family her family, because we are basically like sisters. I have never met a more loving group in my whole life. They love God and others so much it is incredible. They are inspirations and examples to me. I am constantly being hugged and kissed on the cheek and things like that at the Kong house. These are people I will never forget. They are rooted in my heart forever.

I had other things I wanted to talk about, but I will just write them in a letter or something since I don't have time. I love you all, but more than that I love the Lord. I can't believe He loves me enough to not only give me this opportunity and these people, but His dear son. I always want to serve Him with all I have.

Be good and pray sincerely!
Todo mi amor,

Hermanita Miller :)

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