This week, Tony read Mosiah 2. When we were trying to make him realize why it was important, my companion mentioned that it was King Benjamin's “dying words” to the people. And Tony goes: Why does he talk so much? If it was me, I would say “Keep silent..... I'm dying!!!!”
Bahaha. That has become the theme of our week. Keep silent, I'm dying!!
Yesterday was seriously one of the BEST days of my mission. SO many miracles! My heart hurts it's so happy.
Tony was having some issues with one of the commandments, and so I was fasting that he would make his date for next week. And to be honest, it wasn't looking too pretty. We stood in the foyer, waiting and waiting for him to come.
And he didn't.
Which is like the worst sensation ever.
And just when we were ready to give up, he came! And all through church he kept talking like he wasn't going to be baptised next week. Cue major stomach twisting. But, we had faith! Before we'd even talked to anyone about it, some man randomly started bearing his testimony in Elders' Quorum on exactly what Tony was questioning. And after church, he said “Okay, I'll see you Tuesday. We need to talk more before my baptism next Sunday.”
And.... resume normal breathing. It was SUCH a miracle. The power of fasting!
Next miracle. There's a family we've been working with for two months that I love to death. I may have mentioned them before. They are less-active, which breaks my heart because he's an RM and they were married in the temple. And they are just awesome. They have three kids—a little girl we are preparing for baptism, and two little autistic boys that are the sweetest boys I've ever met. Whenever we go over, Joey is watching out the window for us. And then he insists that he always says the opening prayer.... “Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for making the ladies come back. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” So. Adorable!
They are having a hard time coming back to church, and they came yesterday!! We were sitting in Relief Society, and I saw them walking up to the chapel doors, and Joey threw them open and came running in like a madman and then froze looking around for us. It's probably one of my favourite moments of my mission. Just seeing him SO happy to be there (in his cute little bow tie!), and his whole family coming in is an image I'll never forget. This is why I am a missionary! To help people come unto Christ. To see them make and keep their covenants. That simple moment just validated my whole eighteen months. Really.
And the miracles just kept coming. There's a woman named Sujetha (she's the one in the arranged marriage we started teaching 4 months ago). She's harder to get a hold of than Waldo. Really. And yesterday we went to go see her. Until now, she's been hesitant and doesn't want to commit to anything other than reading the Book of Mormon and coming to church. BUT a huge miracle happened. They are in love! And she told us...they are pregnant!! :) :)
So yesterday we taught the Plan of Salvation and talked about the temple and eternal families. And we were going to extend the baptismal invitation for the umpteenth time. As soon as she learned about eternal families, she said..... ”when can I be baptised??” Oh it was beautiful! This wasn't even possible a month ago. I am still pinching myself. Because Sujetha will for REALS be baptised on the 18th of August.
(Which, I will probably miss. Transfers are next week. Which is ridiculously heartbreaking.)
And then Sujetha fed us the HOTTEST food that has EVER been known to man. My eyes were watering, my face was red, and I was sweating. I think swallowing fire would have been less painful. But hey. Anything for her making a covenant with her Heavenly Father! And she cured me of my cold.It burned it right out of me!
AND one last miracle. Steven came last night (he's flogged us like three times in a row because he knew he would have to quit smoking ,and he doesn't have the confidence he can.). He came like 20 minutes late, and we were on the verge of giving up on him. But then he came in! And he is going to quit smoking. Which is HUGE. I hadn't realized how hard it would be for him until we asked him to hand us his cigarettes. He couldn't let them go. I just held out my hand, and said “Steven, do you trust me?”
And then I waited an agonizing minute.
Just waited, with my hand held out.
He couldn't even look me in the eye. But he handed them over.
At the end of the lesson, he was given a priesthood blessing. And it was the sweetest thing ever. He was told that God had not forgotten him, and if he could quit smoking this week, God had greater happiness in store for him than he knew was possible. So this week, all my prayers will be including that he had the strength to make it through.
Because he has so much potential.
So we'll see. :) The rest of this week was really challenging. But I figure there were more than enough miracles yesterday to make up for it! God is so good!
Family, I love you more than I can express. I realize that more now than ever! Someday, I'll get the best hug ever from you! Until then, I'm going to be the best missionary I can be, so you can be blessed! I love you!!
I apologize for the uber long email. I am just SO stinking happy today. I couldn't be shorter.
xx
Sister Miller
Miranda
"It warmed the cockles of my heart". OH MA GOODNESS. Cockles exist!
OT took us out to lunch to say goodbye on Saturday. And we talked loads about Ghana. I AM going there someday, just so you know. I love this man!!! He said that his favourite part of England has been meeting us and learning about the gospel. You can just see that the gospel has touched him so deeply. He is why I am in Harborne!
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