"We Love Thee"
What. A. Week. This has been such a wild one.
OKAY HOLD ON TO YOUR SEATS, THERE IS SOOOO MUCH TO SHARE.Our recent convert went through the temple on Saturday and received her temple endowment. Wow. I have never seen anyone so happy. Ana has been preparing for this for so long. We were so happy.
Wednesday, we got some big news. After 11 and a half months of being on the mission, WE ARE FINALLY ALLOWED TO STREET CONTACT. I don't think I've jumped so high in my life as it was announced. I want to share the gospel with every man, woman, and child on the earth. This was the best news. Ever.
That day, we went to a park to talk with a friend of ours who was really struggling. We got there, but she was running late. We asked ourselves what we wanted to do while we waited. The answer was simple. Street contact!!! We made a quick goal to place 3 Book of Mormon's in the next 30 minutes. I HAD NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, but so much love was in my heart. I had done this on Facebook countless times, it couldn't be that hard. I found myself walking up to people, sharing the gospel, and feeling the words roll off my tongue. It was magic. We were able to place all three Books of Mormon's and get 2 phone numbers with return appointments. It was so cool. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love sharing it. I never want to stop. Please pray for Cash and Christobel, our friends we were able to contact.
OKAY AND THE LAST BIG HIGHLIGHT:
Giancarlo got baptized on Sunday. Best day ever. I have been teaching Giancarlo since mid-January. Six whole months of work and sacrifice and testimony building. He has changed so much. When he came to church, he was glowing. But after, he was shining even more. It was MAGICAL. Seeing him go into the water was probably one of the happiest moments of my life. I knew how ready he was to make these promises with God. I know that Heavenly Father let me come to Lynbrook to be able to meet Giancarlo. I am so grateful to have been a part of his journey. In his testimony after his baptism, he said something that touched my heart. He said, "For a long time, I was drowning but wouldn't take His hand. But today, I take it. And I'm never letting go." Giancarlo really did just that. He is going to change lives. Thank you all for your prayers on behalf of him for the past 6 months. He already invited me to his temple endowment in a year, so I guess I'll be back soon!
OKAY, NOW THE NEWS THAT YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! I know you are sitting on the edge of your seat. Sister Miller has been in Lynbrook for so long. Isn't she getting transferred? All signs point to yes...
I AM GOING TO CONNECTICUT! I know, I am as blown away as the rest of you. Yes, it is still in the mission, but I am about as far away from everyone as possible! Haha! Fun fact, the area I'm going to wasn't in the mission one week ago, but there was a realignment and I will be blinding into the area with Sister Avondet, a Haitian Creole-speaking missionary. I really am coming home quadrilingual--thanks to these companions of mine!! ;) (Maybe not fluent, but at least able to say a prayer haha!!) So, we have quite the work cut out for us. One thing I'm learning is that just as we get comfortable, the Lord allows us to stretch. So here come's Sister Miller's stretching period. He loves me enough to help me grow. I have a feeling that Connecticut will be holy ground for me. I will learn things there that the Lord needs me to learn. I will learn better how to be His disciple. I am excited to take up this challenge and rise to the call. And, I'm excited to see some trees. It's been a while!
A quick funny story for you all. Sister Thompson was calling formers this week and she had to leave a voicemail because the former didn't answer. She was saying something pretty usual "Sorry we missed you! We want to call and talk about Jesus Christ with you...Call us back..." When all of a sudden words tumbled out of her mouth that seemed to utterly horrify her, but she couldn't stop them. "We love thee," she says. Absolute fear crosses her face and the next words seemed to be beyond her control. "In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. AHHHH..." she finished with hanging up. We were hysterical. We have been saying so many prayers it just joined a phone voicemail. It was hilarious. I love Sister Thompson. She and I really get one another.
With transfers, I'm really going to miss Sister Call and Sister Thompson. They have become some of my best friends. This always seems to happen to me. I get the best companions and then I have to say goodbye to them and it is SO hard. But I know they will do great things in their field of labor. Sister Call is going to Chinatown and Sister Thompson will hold down the fort here in Lynbrook. I'll see 'em after the mission. Until then, I just feel oh so grateful.
I also had to say goodbye to the Peguero's. They have been my family away from home these past 6 months. President Peguero gave me a priesthood blessing as I left yesterday. I am going to miss them so much. They have made such an impact on me. Not only has the Dominican food been amazing, but their love has gotten me through the hardest of weeks. In the blessing President gave me, he said that God was so aware of me and that He would carry me through. I knew that that was true as he said those words. He will never leave me, or you. He will carry us through. Goodbyes have never been my forte, but that's okay. Because "hello" is right up my alley. I'll say hello again one day.
For my spiritual thought, I just wanted to share something Sister Yan shared in her departing testimony this past week. Sister Yan is one of my mission heroes. She was the one who took me on my very first exchange. She made me feel loved, known, and cared for. She helped me see that I can do hard things. And she shared this--this week and it really touched me. "I thank you all for your courage to bring the lost sheep home. I was one of the lost sheep. I was found. Trials in life are really just stepping stones. I learned so much on my mission but I really learned to say three things more. "Thank you" "I'm sorry" and "I love you." I hope I say those words every day. Through Him, I can do things I couldn't do on my own. I love Him."
Couldn't have said it any better. I love Sister Yan.
GUYS THE GOSPEL IS TRUE. I can't wait to take it to Connecticut.
See y'all in Bridgeport next week! Please send prayers especially this week.
I love you all.
Be happy. Be brave. Be smart.
Love, Sista Miller
1 CCC Last time serving in Brooklyn
2-4 At the Park
5-6 Matching with Sister Thompson
7 Ana going through the TEMPLE
8-11 Gian Carlo's Baptism Day
12-13 Saying Goodbye to Peguero's
14 Saying Goodbye to Chandra
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