Isaiah & Answers to Prayers

Dear diary,

It has officially been 2 transfers in the blessed land of Lynbrook. 

Transfer calls came in, and I'm going to be staying in Lynbrook with Sister Likiliki for another transfer, but with one small twist. 

We are getting a third companion! Her name is Sister Call. She is a Chinese-speaking missionary, so by the end of the next 6 weeks, I'll be fluent in mandarin. So grateful for all my language-speaking companions. Sister Lines, with ASL. Sister Barnum, with Vietnamese. Y'all, I'm about to be TRILINGUAL. Or maybe I'll just be able to pray in 3 languages. 😂😂 But hey, it is going to be fun.

This week, so much happened. I don't know where to begin. 

Arlie got baptized!!! It was the sweetest moment ever. She came out of the water and just hugged her dad so hard. It was so special. Tears ran down her little face as she said, "Daddy, I did it!" I hope she never forgets her baptism day. It was precious. 

In other news, I had a FANTASTIC exchange this week with the one and only Sister Vera. It was perfect in every way. We were able to find 5 people. FIVE. I know. And each lesson was filled with the Spirit. One of those lessons was with a new person we have named Jontae. Jontae has made some pretty big mistakes in her life, and she's now paying the cost of those mistakes. Her life is in pain and she has been hurting. We read together from Mark 5 where the woman with the blood disease has to reach out to Christ to be healed. At that moment, I felt prompted to ask, "Jontae, do you believe Christ can heal you?" "YES," came the tearful reply. In that moment, I felt an outpouring of love for this woman from God. Love that seemed to have no barriers to sins and troubles and afflictions. Just pure love. I may not understand it, but Christ's love is what Emily Freeman describes as "outside the lines". His love just never ceases. He can heal, and He wants to heal. 

We had so many miracles this week. My favorite miracles were surrounded by the fact that we were able to find 5 people!!! 

We used Facebook and the Lord led us to those who are ready to let God prevail in their lives. We were able to call several people and see that THEY NEEDED IT right in that moment. Haile, Rosanne, Bill, Giovanni, and Zamir. 

Words cannot express my gratitude to Heavenly Father for fulfilling his promise to "lead us by the hand, and give us answers to our prayers." 

I just wanted to end with a spiritual experience. 

This transfer has been hard stuff for Sister Miller. Weeks have been difficult and days have stretched long. While the mercy of God has been evident, the proving and polishing have also been just as sure. On Saturday night, I was feeling a little bit down. Struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel and tumbling through some questions of my own. 

I opened up to the book of Isaiah as I said this prayer. "Heavenly Father, I just need to feel you here, now." 

Then these words pierced my heart: "Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?" (Isaiah 51:11-13).

The answer was there. His love was there too.

In three simple words, I felt the Lord say to me: "I never left." 

Life is hard my friends. There will be days, weeks, or maybe even months on end where we struggle and can't seem to see the light. But my testimony is that the light will come. Every dark night gives way to the sunrise. And because the Son of God came, we have every reason to hope in our bright tomorrows. THE BEST IS YET TO COME! Why? Because He came, He saved, and He makes all wrong things right. He is the Master. 

So when each of us has our moments of pain, I hope we can look to heaven with hope and say, "Please shoulder this with me. Don't take it away, but make me strong." God loves to answer those prayers. 

I love you guys. The church is true. 

Be happy. Be brave. Be smart. 

Love, 

Sister Miller 

1) some of my best friends!!! The wonderful Zls and Sister Felsted, gonna miss em 

2) the church!

3) a new favorite picture of Jesus 

4) Caitlin (Bobby's daughter) showing us Mr. Turtle at church 

5-7) Arlie's baptism 

8) exchange with Sister Vera 

9) service in Brooklyn 

10) the sisters all together for the last time