2/10/14
This week has had too
much in it to even begin to explain in the short time I have. This may be a
list letter!
1.) This week we had
32 lessons! A little short of our goal but we worked our little behinds off!
There were a lot of hard emotional situations this week, and as missionaries it
really hurts to see your brothers and sisters hurting, so my heart has been a
little sad. There was one specifically really tough day where all of our
appointments cancelled and people were treating us really pretty bad and I just
ended up crying at a less-active member's house that we were trying to serve.
The elders were serving there too, and let me tell you, Grand Island has the
greatest elders in the entire NOM mission I think. Earlier this week we came
home two find two cute little goldfish for us on our doorstep (named Nacho and
Steven,) just to make us smile! (We had to give them away though, haha.) And
then the really hard day, we came home and the elders had left us two cartons
of ice cream, Sesame Street spoons for each of us (I am Cookie monster, Hermana
P is big Bird, and Sister B was Elmo,) and both of them had bought each one of
us sweet cards and had written us long and encouraging notes and found specific
scriptures for us. I definitely bawled. On Sunday, our other elders came
in the morning, swept and scraped our car, and then started it for us so it
would be warm. They are all such blessings.
2.) I started a 40 Day
fast this week! That means that for 40 days I will be abstaining from ANYTHING
that distracts me from being a consecrated missionary. I have a lot of work to
do, but I can feel the Lord strengthening me and I can already see a big
difference in myself. Can't wait to see day 40! I encourage you to do this in
your lives-find something to sacrifice that is keeping you from being closer to
the Lord!
3.) Tried Menudo this
week. It tastes like doo-doo and I hate it. But we were eating with members so
I had to pretend I liked it and eat the whole bowl. If you don't know what it
is, look it up.
4.) While we were at
the Veteran's Home this week, an older gentleman decided to relieve
himself about ten feet away from me in the living room area. Never thought
I would see an old man bum on my mission. Twice. Yes, he did it a second time.
Surprise.
5.) Hermana Pocock and
I had the honor of speaking in sacrament this week, and my topic was love. (How
timely, with el Dia de Amor y Amistad coming up!) I truly adored this topic,
and it strengthened my testimony so much. As I studied how much our Heavenly
Father loves us, I started to realize why it is the first point we share as
missionaries; it is EVERYTHING. All that God has ever done, does now, and ever
will do is because He LOVES US PERFECTLY. That's so incredible! He created the
world, bodies, families, this gospel, commandments, families, and more than
anything else, He sent us a Savior. In the greatest act of love of all time, He
sent His Beloved Son to live, suffer, and die for us-His other oh-so-imperfect
children. And our Brother, Jesus Christ, loved us and His Father enough to do
it. Wow. As I think about that my heart swells and fills with love and
gratitude...it feels like there is too much for my little heart to hold.
Everything that we have is an evidence of His love-especially the commandments!
They know how painful it was to suffer for those sins, and they want us to
avoid that same pain! And they want us to return to them! I love the story of
the Prodigal Son, it illustrates this perfect and unfailing love and desire to
live with us with such poignancy.
"And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."
We are still yet a great way off from being worthy of living with our Father again, yet, because He loves us, He offers us this sacrifice, and it is never too late to return. He is always waiting with arms wide open. When I think about all the love my Father has, it makes me want to be a better daughter. It makes me want to serve Him with all I have and be exactly obedient, not just for 18 months but for eternity. I love the story of Jacob and Rachel, because of this verse:
"And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her."
As I come to understand the love of our Lord and Savior, I am growing an even greater desire to serve Him and His children, my brothers and sisters, tirelessly. I love them so much. I hope you all focus on the perfect and pure love of Christ, charity, this Valentine's Day. That's true love, and it is an eternal love story.
"And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."
We are still yet a great way off from being worthy of living with our Father again, yet, because He loves us, He offers us this sacrifice, and it is never too late to return. He is always waiting with arms wide open. When I think about all the love my Father has, it makes me want to be a better daughter. It makes me want to serve Him with all I have and be exactly obedient, not just for 18 months but for eternity. I love the story of Jacob and Rachel, because of this verse:
"And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her."
As I come to understand the love of our Lord and Savior, I am growing an even greater desire to serve Him and His children, my brothers and sisters, tirelessly. I love them so much. I hope you all focus on the perfect and pure love of Christ, charity, this Valentine's Day. That's true love, and it is an eternal love story.
I love you all! Happy Valentine's day!
All my heart,
Hermana Miller
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