I am Alyssa's mom, Angela Miller. I learned from a random email from Alyssa one week ago Monday that read "Mom, I am SO sick, I am so fatigued, I can't wake up on time - I have NEVER been this tired... I am on antibiotics for a double ear infection. The Dr thinks it might be mono.... Please pray for me." that she was sick. However, until two days ago, on 9/15/2014, I didn't know how sick she was. I received another random email this past Monday from Alyssa saying, "My Mission President's wife, Sister Weston, needs to talk to you today." That is when I got a pit in the bottom of my stomach & in my heart. That is when I knew I had a sick girl.
I called the Mission Home & Sister Weston informed me that "Sister Miller: You have a very, very sick daughter... she has seen several Dr's & none of them can agree on what is making her so sick." Her medical records have been sent to SLC & an Area Medical Specialist has been called in to oversee & manage her case. Her companion is tracting during the day with another companionship to relieve stress from Alyssa (she was stressing out about "slowing / stopping the work with her illness & fatigue") & she has been ordered to rest by the Mission President & her Dr's (while another sick Sister missionary stays & studies with her each day), until further notice.
I need to tearfully bear my testimony of the goodness of our Loving Father in Heaven & how He is ever aware of us, our children & our motherly pleadings to our Father on behalf of our/His children. I posted late Monday (2 days ago) about my sick missionary daughter, Hermana Alyssa Miller in the Nebraska Omaha Mission on a private Facebook Group for mothers of missionaries that are currently serving worldwide. This group is about 6,100+ strong. It was about midnight on Monday, when I asked for their support & prayers on her behalf. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the support that came as a heavenly avalanche in my inbox on FB & in the comments & likes on their Facebook page. I, also, need to bear testimony of the earthly angels that bless our lives & serve as the Lord's hands on earth - ministering to the sick & afflicted, lifting hearts & spirits, caring for a complete stranger's earthly child with love & hugs of tenderness - that only women can offer - as mothers in proxy, when this mother can't be there in person like she wishes she could be. Two members of this inspired group (& in my daughter's stake) reached out to her personally in the last 24 hours & contacted me to see what they could do locally. One delivered flowers & chicken soup on my behalf, sent her a personal message that was undeniably from her mom, using a nickname only her own mom would know.
Then, I wake up this morning to a FB message from another amazing Relief Society (the women's auxiliary in our Mormon church) sister in this group letting me know that she took Alyssa & her companion dinner & a huge hug on my behalf last night & updated me on her physical appearance (she looks good, but very tired) & the details only a mom would think to look for or ask about. And, they informed my sweet girl of the overwhelming amount of all of YOU that are praying for her & Hermana Miller was humbled to tears!
Our Father in Heaven is real. Jesus Christ lives & is ever involved in our daily lives as we minister to each other. The Holy Ghost is an ever present & active member of the Godhead working tirelessly to help us to be the blessing to each other that these women & each of you have been to me & my family in our time of need. I am forever grateful to each of you, my heavenly sisters, fellow RS sisters & Missionary Mommas! Thank you to ALL of you!
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Wednesday, September 17, 2014
"Sister Miller: You have a very, very sick daughter..."
Hermana Miller: Week 47: Why NOT Smile About It?
September 15, 2014
I am going to start this
email with a wonderful quote from Marjorie Pay Hinckley:
“The only way to get
through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry.
I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache”
Amen to that, sister.
The mission has taught me
so much recently about being happy. About being truly joyful. Joy
does NOT mean that everything is perfect. Joy has something to do with fighting
and working for something. It has something to do with personal peace of mind.
And joy has EVERYTHING to do with trusting the Lord. I want everyone to know
right now that today, I am joyful. We can choose to be joyful in our
circumstances, not BECAUSE of our circumstances. Because everything that
happens to us, every single little thing, is a blessing. Some are hard
blessings-blessings in disguise (or "opportunities dressed in work
clothes" as Bro. Guerrero used to tell me in Grand Island,) but literally
everything that happens to us is a blessing-if we choose to see it as so.
As I studied in Doctrine
and Covenants this morning, I came across two wonderful scriptures that really
touched me heart:
"Do
not murmur, my son, for it is wisdom in me that I have dealt with you
after this manner." (D&C 9:6)
"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."
(D&C 123:17)
Why is it that so many times in
our life, as soon as a drop of rain lands smack dab in the middle of our
forehead, that we pack up the beach picnic and head for the ark? Sometimes, if
we looked up a little more, and at ourselves
a little less, we would realize that not every trial that happens is the end of
the world. Not every raindrop leads to a torrential downpour. Something I have
been learning that I think is very important to remember is that it is OKAY to be happy even when life isn't perfect. And too often we don't let ourselves live that way. We think that
if we don't walk around with a face like we are sucking on a sour pickle then
we aren't truly suffering. Our challenge isn't that hard. False. It is possible
to have a broken heart and a face that still is smiling. Why add to the misery?
We can choose, as we learn in the Book of Mormon over and over, whether we are
happy or whether we are miserable, based on how we react to our situations.
Will we react pitifully, or prayerfully? It makes all the difference. I choose
to be happy. And I hope you will too. It's possible to have peace and joy in
EVERY circumstance, when you know you are on the Lord's side. He is always on
ours.
Yesterday I had the
wonderful opportunity of attending a Catholic worship service. It was a great
experience. They are really good people doing really good things. I sincerely
enjoyed it! As we were participating though, I had the strongest spiritual
confirmation come over me of the reality of the Restoration and the
"marvelous work and a wonder" that our Loving Heavenly Father did
through His prophet, Joseph Smith. I am so grateful for the complete and
restored church of Jesus Christ here on this earth. It brings so much light and
joy and understanding to things which much of the world considers to be
mysteries. They don't have to be, because God still speaks to us through
personal revelation, an open canon of scripture, and a living and breathing
prophet here on the Earth today. And now isn't that something to be joyful
about!!!
I love you all,
Hermana Miller
PS- I know Grandpa McCleery
is smiling on all of us this week. He loves us so much. And he is still very
present and involved in our lives. Make him proud, everyone.
(Tomorrow night just past midnight is the 13th
anniversary of his death… )
Monday, September 8, 2014
Hermana Miller: Week 46: Nada!
September
8, 2014
 |
I am
going to start this letter with a joke:
"Que hace un
pez?"
........
"Nada! "
It's
(mildly) funny if you speak Spanish, okay? No judging.
(In Google Translate it says: “What does a fish?” “Nothing!”…. yep… don’t judge! HA! ~Angela)
This
week flew by so fast. I feel like someone hit the "fast-forward"
button on my mission and I am really resenting them for it. Someone asked me
last night how long I had been out and I started to say nine months, and then I
realized that in a week it will actually be eleven. What? It was crazy to go to
Spanish Conference and see my "brothers" from the MTC and realize
that they will be hitting their half-way point very soon. They are all growing
up so fast. I really love the mission and everyone I have met here.
Spanish
conference was just wonderful. I got to see some of my dear, dear friends
again. Especially the GUERREROS!!!!! (The best, oldest people EVER who I just
LOVED from Grand Island.) they drove all the GI missionaries out. I think I
spent more time joking with Hermano Guerrero than with anyone else there. I so
love them. It was wonderful to hear from Hermana Buhler that some of the people
I taught in Grand Island will be getting baptized soon and others are really
progressing. It doesn't matter that I am not there, I am just so happy for all
of them. Grand Island will always be in my heart. That is such a special area
full of incredibly special people. I love them dearly.
We
also had a party this week for the ward to celebrate Mexican Independence Day (Sept
16th,) but we did it to celebrate all the countries since we have so much
diversity in this area. It was so fun! I think I am finally winning the members
over (lots of service and love is the key there,) and I am really feeling like
I have a family here in Omaha too. It's amazing how much I love everyone I have
ever met on my mission, even the more difficult ones! :)
The
mission has taught me a lot about love. "Pure love, flowing from
righteousness, can change the world." That is truth! We all need to take a
little more time and effort to love ALL those around us, including ourselves.
More compliments, less criticism. More service, less selfishness. More
patience, less pestering. The Book of Mormon is teaching me a lot about that
this time around. I am always amazed at the patience and love with which Nephi
responds to his difficult brothers. Can't we all just be a little more like
that? I know I for sure need to practice it.
I
love you all, and so does out Heavenly Father. Be good. Be kind, and be
grateful God is kind. It is a happy way to live.
Love,
Hermana Miller :)
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| Hermanas Carlson & Miller at the Mexican Independence Day celebration |
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| Hermanas Miller & Carlson (top, far right) at Spanish Conference 2014 |
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| Spanish Conference September 2014 |
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Hermana Miller: Week 45: What A Week!!!
September
2, 2014
This
week went so fast I don't even know what to write! It's all a blur! I guess I
will start out with a cool miracle though!
Hermanas Carlson & Miller
About
a week and a half ago we went to a Greek Festival for dinner (Hermana Carlson
and I love exploring the world through food-we probably have the most exciting
meals in the entire mission. We also hit up an Italian Festival this week, and
we will be going to a German one soon! It's such a great experience because you
get to enjoy your passions and talk to a ton of people! We are gonna get a
world map and start marking off every country we have "traveled" to!)
At that festival we talked to two really nice ladies-Christiana and Nancy. We
talked to them for quite a while about the Church and didn't think much else
about it. Well that festival was put on by the Greek Orthodox Church here in
town, so this past Sunday we felt prompted to go to their service before
we went to our own. (We are trying to go and do a bunch of church swaps to try
and understand the people we meet better.) So we went! It was such a beautiful
and wonderful experience! (Especially as a Humanities nerd, being surrounded by
Byzantine art was a dream come true.) It really helped us understand the
experience our investigators go through as they experiment coming to our church
for the first time! It was a traditional liturgical service-a lot of chanting
and singing in response, about 50% Greek and 50% English. It was a lot
confusing at first, but a lady in front of us turned around to help and lo and
behold it was Christiana! She was so happy to see us! She talked to us
afterwards and was so pleased. And then they had a "linger-longer"
sort of deal and Nancy came up to us and was so excited that she started
introducing us to everyone nearby as "the Mormons!!" And then she
told them all about missionaries and what we do! Turns out she was raised in
Utah and has fond feelings towards the Church. We talked to her for about 20
minutes and she asked us for all of the Church's info out here and our info as
well, she wants to have us over for dinner! Amazing! That was a great
experience.
We
have Spanish Conference tomorrow, I
am SO excited to see everyone! All of the hermanas will be performing that song
that I wrote a few months ago when I was with Hermana Buhler. Keep tuned to see
how it goes and please pray I will get over this cold by tomorrow!
I
got to give a training today in District meeting. It was all about personal
revelation and how personal worthiness affects our prayers. Make sure you
repent daily and that you are praying sincerely. Don't live below your
privileges. If you get a chance, read the chapter in Teachings of the
Presidents: Joseph Smith book about
Prayer and personal revelation! It's beautiful!
Love
you all!
Have
a great week,
Hermana
Miller
Hermana Miller: Week 44: A Mighty Change of Heart!
August 25, 2014
Hello world!
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| Hermanas Carlson & Miller, Omaha Spanish Ward, Omaha, NE |
Another wonderful week in
the mission! And I just got done
playing a missionary volleyball "tournament" so I am happy as a clam.
(Are clams even happy? Where did that
saying come from, anyways?) We had enough people for five teams and there were
a lot of really great players! I have missed it a lot. I still love
competition, so between Monday morning volleyball
and Saturday night Futbol (Soccer) I am loving life here in Omaha.
(And I am starting to get a very loose hang on soccer! It's fun! Especially when
you play with all the members. Hermana Carlson and I are the only women who
play though....but they don't give us any special treatment! Haha!)
This week I spent a lot
of time reflecting. This is a little
unorthodox, but I want to apologize to everyone. I need to apologize for the
person I was before the mission. Especially, during high school. I was not a
good example of anything, except what NOT to do. This is my sincere and
heartfelt, penitent apology to absolutely anyone who I ever offended, hurt, or
blew off. This is an apology to anyone I ever let down, or led astray. This is
an apology to everyone to whom I owed a good example, and fell short. I made a
lot of mistakes in my life. The mission has definitely humbled me and helped me
to recognize just how much more I could have done and been. I'm so sincerely
sorry, from the bottom of my heart. I didn't live the way I should have. I was
self-conscious and easily swayed from doing what I knew was right. I recognize
now that a lot more people watch you than you think, and I feel sincere sorrow
for all the people that saw me do things that didn't reflect the will and love
of our Heavenly Father. I promise I
really have changed. I don't even recognize, nor want to associate anymore with
the person that I was, and I will never go back to being that girl. Please, please feel the heart I am putting
into this. I messed up. A ton.
But I don't want to anymore. I'm not perfect. No one is. But, I am
grateful to the Savior for giving us the chance to change. I hope everyone I
ever hurt can forgive me, too. I am grateful to each of you who will permit me
to change and be a better friend, family member, and example to you.
Anyways, now that I have
that burden off my chest, this week went well.
We found some new families and definitely saw some miracles. We had Zone
Conference this week. Hermana Carlson and I were asked to perform a musical
number, so we wrote a song to the tune of "Little Wonders" by Rob
Thomas! We were really scared and kinda sickly, but it went off rather
smashingly. People seemed to really,
really like it! Even President Weston
pulled us aside and told us how strongly the Spirit flooded in.
Zone Conference was
incredible. We talked all about the Book
of Mormon! We are going to flood this
mission with it! Go to scriptures.lds.org right
now and watch the "Scriptures Legacy" video! I want to extend the same challenge all the
missionaries in NOM are doing to each of you - start the Book of Mormon over,
and highlight all names of Deity, all the Atonement, and every time you see the
word "heart." We are going to finish on December 8th. That's
about five pages a day. I can promise that as you do that, you will feel the
power of the atonement work in your life and you WILL have a change of heart. I
promise that with all MY heart.
I love you all! Be good!
Love, Hermana
Miller
Hermana Miller: Week 43: 10 Months? What in the world?!!
August
18, 2014
This
week was a blur. It's just been crazy. I don't even know what to write about!
 |
| Hermanas Carlson & Miller |
Something
really neat I have been really amazed by this week is personal revelation and
stewardship. As Hermana Carlson planned our vision for this area, we both felt
we should work a lot with the part-member families in our ward. I scheduled us
some meetings with the Bishop and the Ward Mission Leader, and they both had
received the same promptings. I know as we do that, we will see miracles. It is
so important to work with the Priesthood.
If
there is one thing that I have learned to LOVE on my mission it is the
Priesthood. I love and respect all Priesthood holders dearly. I LOVE Priesthood
blessings. I wish I could have one every day. And something else I have learned
to love is the way that Priesthood power and the divine role of women work
together. No one is excluded from the blessings of the
Priesthood. They are for EVERYONE. Just like a woman
cannot bring life into this world (which is the most incredible privilege and
honor God could bestow on us,) without her husband, neither can a man exercise
the fullness of the Priesthood power without his wife. If anyone says
that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is prejudiced and
unfair, they do not understand the gospel. Men and women are a
team in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our Heavenly Father loves us so dearly and
I am constantly and consistently amazed at the eternal and Celestial (and
different) responsibilities we have each been given. We need each
other. Men and women are not meant to compete for glory or rally for position,
but to encourage and lift one another to a higher, more celestial plane of
living. Cooperation, not competition, is the key to happiness. Humility, not
hostility. Oh, how we all need each other. I wish everyone could see and
understand that. I know that as we work together in callings, and in
relationships, righteous men and women could change the world.
What
it all boils down to is pride. Pride is the root of all vices, just as charity
is the source from which all virtues spring. Let's just all be humble and work
together and make the world a beautiful place, okay? :)
I
love you all! I am doing great. Hope you each are as well.
This
week I challenge you to make prayer journals! As you pray and ask questions to
the Lord, write them down and then record the promptings you feel and the
answers you get through the scriptures. It's so wonderful.
Love
you!
Hermana
Miller
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