: )

How do I even summarize this week. It’s been as crazy as the weather—brilliant one minute and then pouring the next.

This week, we had a complete miracle. It’s something I’ve never has anything like, and is really precious to me. Last week (so eight days ago) Jennifer came to church a little bit late. She sat there with her head down, and I thought that she wasn’t really enjoying church. After Sacrament meeting, I got up and went and sat by her. She was crying.
I wanted to ask if she was okay, but for some reason instead I said “Is there something you need to ask me?”
She looked up with tears in her eyes and said “Can I be baptised this Saturday ?”

I was absolutely gobsmacked. I just kinda stared at her, and said “Do you mean in Cardiff?”
(Again.  I win the intelligent question award.)

She told me all about the experience  (it was the one I mentioned last week), and then said: “God told me this is right. It’s the whole truth, and I need to live it if I want to become what He needs me to be.”

I wish I could explain the Spirit I felt this week. I can't adequately describe it.
Honestly, it seemed impossible to get it organized. There were extenuating circumstances with her, her family, the ward, and everything that made it seem like it wasn’t even possible.  I wish I could give you a play by play of the 5000 miracles we saw.

But I guess I have to shorten it by saying the stereotypical, which expresses nowhere near what I felt and experienced:
Jennifer was baptised.
She made her first covenant with God. And nothing will ever be the same for her. She is a kingdom-builder.

I have felt like I've been floating all week.



Nothing else I can share can measure up to that, but I'd best tell you a bit more about my week.

Remember how I said we gave Keith loads of pass along cards? He is officially finding people for us to teach. We called him on Friday, and he goes “Sisters, I have been waiting to hear from you. I have a comrade here that I have told all about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. He is ready now for you to teach him your message. Shall we meet in the park later today?”

Uh, okay Keith.

 

So we meet in the park. Keith is normally the chatterbox of all chatterboxes. So I was worried about who would actually be teaching his friend—him or us.

We sit down on a bench—Keith was on one side of me, and Sister Eldredge and Gary were on the other side. We were doing some how to begin teaching, and Keith was being pretty quiet. As we started to teach the Restoration, Keith leans forward And whispers “Sister Miller, Give him the Book of Mormon now.”

 

A few minutes later: “Sister Miller, I suggest you give him Alma 5—a highly enlightening chapter.”

 

And he did that the whole lesson. It was SO funny—a Catholic priest was cueing me on how to teach the Restoration.

 

 

 

And Rebekah (our psychic) is doing well. I cannot even tell you how much I love her. I just have so much charity for her. One of my favourite things about my mission is being able to see people with Heavenly Father's eyes. Every lesson we have with her, I learn again on a deeper level the worth of a soul to God. She came to church, and it was hard. The Gospel Principles lesson was on the hardest thing it could have been for her. We ended up not going to Relief Society, but instead we resolved some major concerns that she had.

 

I've never prayed so hard or studied so diligently for my investigators as I am right now. We are teaching people with concerns that I didn't even know could exist, let alone be overcome. It's a very real way that Heavenly Father is showing me that the Atonement of Christ can conquer all things. It's so real. Through Christ we can be cleansed from our sins. I say that in my mind and ponder it so many times each day. What a precious statement that is.

 

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

 

Sister Miller

Post baptism hot pot!!!! Okay. I have loved getting to know so many Chinese people throughout my mission. They are AMAZING, and I love their culture. One thing they have is called "hot pot". Basically, it is the most social fun meal you will ever have. You all sit around a huge table around the pots. The pots have boiling water and loads of spices in them, and you just throw all the food in and then gradually pull it out and eat it as it cooks. The meal is designed to be long and it's so fun. I guess in China they have it like twice a week. I've had it a few times now, and I've eaten some weird things with it. Squid is my favourite. It's the most interactive fun dinner you will ever have. Why do we not do this????? New family tradition for Sister Miller.

This is Maqsood. When he found out we could be moving (this week is transfers), he insisted on getting photos with us. I just love this man.

Jennifer's baptism!! we didn't teach Cassie (the one cwtched in to me), but she is a sweetheart. Jennifer was just glowing the whole time.

 

"Man, I see those girls everyday. They go EVERYWHERE together" Yep, we do :)

So. I’m going to start with a movie reference. That’s right. Sorry to be slightly dodgy, but it is exactly how I feel.

BEST DAY EVER!!!!!!!!


If you know that’s from Tangled, three bonus points in my book. :) My trainer and I used to say that all the time.
This week has been full of the best days ever. Can I just say that I am so thankful for the many tender mercies of the Lord? This is truly His work. There is no doubt in my mind about that.

I can’t even tell you every thing. You know how I get so excited sometimes I forget English and just happy dance everywhere and squeal? Yep. That’s where I am now. (Yeah, my companion is learning that side of me now. haha.)

Let me try to tell you why. :)

Okay. Antti. We taught him in a park one day (we couldn't get a member), and just gave him the d.l. on the priesthood. He doesn't get authority. So, we were just whipping out loads of OT verses and examples in Acts, and then I pulled out Dad's priesthood line of authority card. Let me tell you, I am so grateful I have that. I can't even count how many times I have used it. It should be in the "pack this" list.
As we taught, I had one of those cool moments again where the reality of the gospel just hits you. This really is the restored fulness of the gospel. We asked him what it would mean to him if the authority to act in God's name had been restored through Joseph Smith. I felt like it was the first time he really internalized our message.
He said : "Well, I guess it would mean everything I believe in is wrong, because it doesn't have all the truth."
We clarified that he isn't wrong, he has been prepared to accept the fulness. He's on a date, but it hasn't clicked. We think it kinda freaks him out, but he doesn't tell us what is going through his head. Frustrating.
And there is a Finnish YSA girl in the ward who came with us for another lesson. She just testified to him in Finnish for a long time. It was really cool.
We weren't really sure how to move forward from there at first----his concerns are not your typical PMG concerns. But during planning, we had direct revelation on what to teach him. It's gonna be good.

And Maqsood. I cannot tell you how incredible this man is. He asked us for 5 Uurdu copies of the Book of Mormon, because he has friends that cannot read it in English and he doesn't have enough time to keep translating it for them. He has shared the gospel with everyone he knows here, people he works with, and people back in Pakistan. He keeps apologizing that he hasn't brought anyone else for us to teach yet. He asked if we could get him a badge, and if he could come out teaching with us. This man is going to change the Church in the Middle East with his testimony.




Also. Chalk up another "first" for Cardiff....We started teaching a psychic. Like, a proper psychic medium. I know. Right?
She is so cool, though. I have so much charity for her. She could feel the Spirit immediately when we pulled out the Book of Mormon, and nearly started to cry when we read Moroni’s promise. And she wants to be baptised--she said that se feels like that is what God has asked her to do now. We put her on a date.
She has a long way to go, but I have complete faith that anything is possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. None of us are past the point of change.


Also, we keep running in to Keith. (Moses on a Motorbike). Everywhere. We figure there has to be a reason for it. So we gave him a stack of mormon.org.uk cards, and asked him to pass them out. He asked who to give them to. We said anyone. So he is!
Also, he calls us and reads out of the Book of Mormon to us-- "Sisters, is your Book of Mormon handy? Let's crack it open to today's reading.". It cracks me up. He always picks where he reads to us from, and he always comments over and over about the power of it.

And biggest miracles of miracles is Jennifer. I wish I could tell you everything. It’s almost too precious to plaster everywhere in this email though. Remember how I shared about her singing I am a Child of God? This week she had one of the most amazing experiences ever. Maybe I'll tell full details someday.
After our lesson with her last night, she didn't want to leave and neither did we. So we just sat there, grinning like fools and just feeling the Spirit. We had like a twenty minute lesson and then just sat there for ages. I was just so happy I didn't want to think about doing anything but sit there with her and thinking of how miraculous everything is.
Knowing her for just a few weeks has really changed me and my understanding of how the Lord works.
Basically, our God is a God of Miracles.  "Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles." (Mormon 9:15)
xxx
Sister Miller

The Bay.

When you put in the Elders in charge of District PDay, they will remember the grill.... and the food..... and the sports equipment, but not the utensils. haha. (Also: these are disposable grills you can get for a pound. Cheap fun.)

On our way to Zone Conference. I can't tell if this is the one with the hilarious guy in the back or not, but his face was great. haha

I assume the same campaign is going in the US, but look! Share a Coke with Suzanne. :) xx

I am a Child of God

Okay, I am just going to jump right in to my favourite moment of the week.

Saturday morning, we were GQing in the park right next to Cardiff Castle (it’s one of my favourite places to talk to people.) There was a Down Syndrome man and his father riding a side-by-side tandem bike. We smiled and waved and said hello as they went past. The dad turns to his son and goes: “Did you see them waving at you?”

And the son gets this HUGE smile on his face and says: “Dad, do you know how many girls have flirted with me already today?”

Oh my goodness. Cutest thing ever. It reminded me a bit of Bruce. It totally made my day.



Remember that girl that came up to us by the river? Yeah, we taught her four times this week. She is amazing. Her name is Jennifer. She said she just cannot figure out what is drawing her over and over again to our church. She told us that she knows that this church is Christ’s church, and she is so grateful that she found it when she was twenty so it can shape the rest of her life. Amazing, right?

She goes back to London really soon, and sadly she’ll be baptised there when she goes back, but teaching her has been a miracle and I am thankful just for that opportunity.

Slight jump in topic:  Saturday, we stopped a girl who name I cannot spell and will not attempt to. I think I will call her Lucy. haha. When we told her about the Restoration, she said “ I think that could change the whole world, if that’s true.” It was just the most amazing conversation ever.
And guess who her best friend is...... that’s right. Jennifer. Jennifer had already told her about the Book of Mormon and invited her to meet with us.
Lucy leaves tomorrow for four months, but she said that when she comes back, the first thing she wants to do is come to church with Jennifer. Isn’t the Lord so amazing??
The world never seems as small as it does when miracles happen.


I think the moment that is kinda “painted” in my memory the clearest is when Jennifer came to church with us. She sat next to me in Relief Society--the opening hymn was I am a Child of God, and the closing one was Teach Me to Walk in the Light.
Even though she’d never heard either song before, she was singing. And I listened to her. It was like hearing her newfound testimony. Do you know how strong the Spirit is during the hymns? I hope you sing them with your whole heart, no matter how you sound. Jennifer didn’t really know the tune, but she was trying.
And I could tell she was paying attention to every word, and what they meant. I felt like I was hearing them again for the first time. The message of those hymns is incredible.

I am a child of God, and He has sent me here…. Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way. Teach me all that I must do to live with Him someday.

Can you hear that? I just sat there and realized (for the millionth time) how precious the opportunity to be a missionary is. She is learning that she is a child of God, and that understanding changes everything. Think about it. What about us is not transformed when we realize our divine natures??
I have been blessed to be able to share that with people. What an amazing calling. I think I will always think of Jennifer now when I sing that I am a Child of God.

After church, she said that she felt so good. She said that “it was like coming home after a long trip away. I feel like everyone is comfortable here and has just made me feel like I belong.”
For the record, I managed to not cry when she said that. But the Spirit just bore such strong testimony to me that she will be an influence for good in the gospel.


Basically, the church is true and the work is amazing. Also, next week, when I’m not busy ranting about Jennifer, I want to rant about what I have learned about charity this past week. SO COOL.

Xxx

Sister Miller


Pics:

Last Pday, we went to Caerphilly Castle. (We realized that we live in WALES and never go on adventures for PDays. Silly us.) It is like the "stereotypical" castle.  Basically, the best adventure ever. I may have pretended I was a princess.

:)

We had a lot of bittersweet miracles this week. (It felt like everyone went two steps forward and five steps back.) There were so many witnesses that we were exactly where we needed to be, doing what we had to be doing. So even though a lot of things didn't work out, I know that what happened was meant to be, and I am trying to just leave it in the Lord's hands.
But I will say that my companion and I have been so blessed. We have been so unified in our lessons—so many times it has felt as though we really are “one” as we teach.

Also, Dad... fast update on Antti. He is SO solid!!! He has the most serious, genuine questions ever. He really wants to know. So keep him in your prayers, but he is great.

So, cool thing.  We left Beulah’s after our lesson with her, and literally right in front of her house was Keith. He was sitting there just staring at the river. We didn’t really have time to stop and talk to him, but it just didn’t seem like the best idea to leave an alcoholic right next to a river, ya know?
So we plopped down next to him, and asked him what he was thinking about. And he told us that a lot of people have committed suicide in that river. Ah. Comforting, Keith.
We started talking, and we pulled out the Book of Mormon to address some of his concerns. We were explaining to him, and suddenly, this girl (who had been walking by behind us) jumps in and says: “Excuse me, is that the Book of Mormon?”
“Um, yeah.” (I know. Highly intelligent answer. Good job, Sister Miller.)
And she goes, “Oh, good. I’ve been studying it. Do you mind if I join in?”
“Um, no.” (Again. So inspiring.)

She had the most fabulous questions ever. She was so sincere. She had been meeting with the elders here in Cardiff, and then went back to London, and is in Cardiff for a month again. (We tried to get her to agree to meet with the elders again, but she said no. Which kind of crushed our hopes. And then she said that she’d meet with us instead, if that was okay. yeah, that's definitely okay.)
Before we closed the lesson, we used her phone to show that mormon message 'Because of Him'. People were slowing and watching it as they walked by, and one guy kept riding his bike slowly back and forth to see it as well.
It was so cool, in such a ‘hardened’ place to see people who could still be touched by the spirit in a unique way. The guy on his bike came up after the video finished and asked to meet with us as well.

I have never had any thing like that before, and I was so grateful for it. People actually wanted to talk to us! And they were completely sane! That right there is a one time thing. haha.

Also. The other miracle of the week. We usually walk to church with Beulah. She was about five minutes late, and as she came up she asked if we had come and rung her flat at 9am. We said no. It turns out that her alarm hadn’t gone off, but at 9am, someone came and rang her flat. She answered it, but there was no one there.
Heavenly Father definitely wanted her to come to church on Sunday. Before my mission, that would have been a weird point that someone attributed to a miracle. But now I know differently.


Love you all!!

xxx Sister Miller


PICS:

I wish you could tell, but it was absolutely chucking yesterday. So naturally I had to jump in puddles.

On the river, there are swans everywhere! There were probably at least sixty swans there yesterday. They are seriously one of my favourite things.

Moses on a Motorbike

Okay, I seriously feel like I just barely emailed home. Where has the week gone?
But we were so blessed this week. Really. We found some incredible people.

My favourite? A man named Keith. He lived in the US for a long time, and his wife and two children were killed by a lorry driver. Kind of as a result, he become a Jesuit. And then it wasn’t enough and he couldn't cope and he became an alcoholic. (I guess I could make a quip about teaching an alcoholic priest, but this is one of the most gentle men I have ever met. He’s gone through a lot of hard things, and he has a lot of character.)
And he’s met missionaries and been taught a few times before; apparently his nickname is Moses on a Motorbike. J
Anyway. He told us why the Catholics can never fire a priest—because in the Old Testament there is a verse that says Melchizedek will be a high priest forever. And then he went to explain who Melchizedek was. And we said “Yeah, actually, we know and it’s a term we use quite a lot.” We pulled out the Resto leaflet, explained the differences between Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods, and pulled out Matthew 16:5-19 and explained how that sealing power had been restored, and explained temple marriages. We told him that in a temple, we don’t say ‘till death do you part’, but rather we say for ‘time and all eternity’, because that authority to do so has been restored.
The Spirit was so strong I almost couldn’t breathe. He just stood there, and looked at the picture of Peter, James, and John giving Joseph Smith the Melchizedek priesthood and then back at the “timeline” in the Plan leaflet. He just got it, in a way no one other than a Catholic Priest could. You could see the hope come into his eyes.

 And then he asked if we could answer his questions that no one had ever answered before.
The answer to that is yes. It has always been and will always be a yes. The restored gospel can answer all of the questions of our souls.

Isn’t he just incredible? I can’t wait to teach him. He reminds me so much of Steven from Harborne.



And our other major miracle this week was Maqsood. We met him on the street,  and he told us we were an answer to a prayer that had been unanswered for seven years. He came to church, and then we taught him a few times this week. The first lesson, when we invited him to be baptised, he said:
“Okay. Alright. When will this happen?”
I’ve never had someone ask for a baptismal date before!

And then our next lesson, he told us he had asked for all Sundays off of work ,and had asked for his baptism day off as well.He is resolving his own concerns and progressing so well.  And he said my fave thing ever: “What time will it be?”
That’s what I get for mocking step three in weekly planning each week when it says to prepare them for a specific date and time for a baptism.

We went to go over his reading, and he hadn't read the chapter we had marked for him. He’d only read the title page. At first I was like how can I talk about that? There isn't too much there.

But then he said, oh my goodness, he said: “From the title page, I prayed. And God has told me this Book is true. I know this is the word of God. But it has to be, because I already know that Joseph Smith is a prophet.”
And then he went on to bear testimony of Joseph Smith, and how the restored gospel will bring the needed healing to the world, especially the persecution in Pakistan to the Christians. (He’s a Pakistani Christian, and there are terrible things going on there right now.)

I can’t even tell you how much Maqsood has touched my heart. And what a contrast between last week and this—Mike read the whole thing and knew it was true, and Maqsood read the title page. I am so grateful for both of them. Both taught me so much.


I am learning so many simple things as a missionary, but they are the powerful ones.

xx
Sister Miller

Pics:Okay. So I am sending you guys some weird ones this week. sorry. I just feel like it.

The first one is kinda for Sister Roscher. Did I send the picture home where I papoosed her? An investigator taught us how to do that. And guess what I saw this week! (Yes, this is a totally creeper pic. haha.)

This right near our flat. I LOVE this thing. It says land of my fathers. :)