3/25/2014
 |
| Sister Beers, Hermana Pocock & Hermana Miller |
Hello
to all my dear hearts!
It's
amazing how much the Lord is able to refine us over such a short time. I truly
have grown a gratitude and deep appreciation for every day in the missionary
life-both the great and the difficult. I found a scripture this week in Ether
chapter 10. It's verse 7, one that I have often just kind of skipped over. It
says:
"Wherefore he did obtain all his fine work, yea, even his
fine gold he did cause to be refined in prison; and all manner of fine
workmanship he did cause to be wrought in prison..." (Ether 10:7)
I found that to be incredibly interesting, that in one of the
most difficult and challenging environments on earth, there was precious gold
refined and made into something beautiful. We have felt that quite strongly for
a while now-that we are being refined through our trials. And this scripture
gave me strength and the courage to trust the Maker, the Refiner, if you will,
and His experienced and tender hands. He will not keep us in the fire even one
second longer than we can bear, but just enough to purify us so that He can see
His image reflected in our countenances. Before the mission, I had a very long,
difficult period where the Lord taught me patience, and I found solace in the
words of Job:
"Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward,
but I cannot perceive him:
On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him:
he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I
shall come forth as gold.
My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not
declined.
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I
have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food." (Job
23:8-12)
That
line "When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold," touched my
heart, and became the title for a spiritual blog I had before I left on my
mission. I found it again this week and it reminded me just how aware the Lord
is of us, even on the days when we feel all is lost, and we have been left to
fight the fight with our own insufficient strength. As we continue being
exactly obedient, and joyful, and trusting Him with all we have, we too shall
"come forth as gold." I don't doubt that one bit. This work is true.
He is loving. He is our Father. He knows
what we need to grow, and loves us enough to put us through the paces. I love
Him for that.
Hermana Alyssa Miller & her beloved Grand Island fellow Missionaries
I
love you all! Hope life is great and you
are being refined too! Embrace it!
Los
Quiero!
Hermana
Miller
P.S.:
Just a
little update I forgot about the woman with leukemia from my last email.
She is doing very well.
She told me that she resolved things with her fiancé, they are still planning
on getting married in the temple, and she found out a few days later that all
of the sudden her cancer is dormant again, and she will not be needing the treatments!
We got her to come help set-up for the
Relief Society party, and she taught us how to crochet this week. Both her and her fiancé will be taking us out
for dinner this week as well. I have
been trying to find reasons to give her purpose every day, and let her serve
other people, and praying, as have other people, I am sure. I love that lady, and am happy she is being a
trooper. The Lord is so good. She
actually got to help another older woman who passed out in Relief Society
yesterday, so I think that helped her see the big picture and how important she
is too. (Yes, the ambulance came in the
middle of church, it was an interesting day.)
Love you all! Seek out
the lost sheep!
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