IMAGINE THE SWISHHHHH

Welcome back to another week in the dream.

I really got to thinking about it this week and I'm convinced that this (missionary work) is the greatest of all labors. I will one day take off my tag and go back to college, but I will not go back to normal life. I am forever changed.

This week, miracles seemed to be pouring from an endless basket in the sky. WOW. I don't even know where to begin. Sister Mather and I felt impressed to move up our friend, Joseph's, baptismal date to next Sunday the 29th. We immediately began making preparations. We had a really amazing lesson on Saturday. We spoke with him about tithing and he had a really hard time understanding it for a minute. We stopped and said a prayer and in that moment. The peace that entered the room was remarkable. It washed over each of us in a surging wave. After, we asked Joseph how he was feeling. With remarkable faith he said, "When there is a will, there's a way." Please pray for Joseph as he prepares for baptism this next week. He is so very ready.

We also were able to find 5 people this week. One of those people is our new best friend named Christian. We met Christian on Facebook. We had a call with him and he loved it! He came to our online church service (since in-person was canceled due to the hurricane haha), and he LOVED IT. We had invited President and Sister Stratford to join our church service and talk about the temple with our people (President and Sister Stratford are the temple President and Matron over the Hartford CT temple.) Afterward, Christian texted us asking how long it would take to join our church and asked how soon he could go to the temple!! We were able to put Christian on date for September 12th. It is miraculous that the Lord has been preparing him for so long. We love this man so much. Unfortunately, we are going to have to turn over the lessons with Christian to the YSA elders, but we are excited for him to come closer to our Savior no matter who gets to teach and baptize.  

We found out on Saturday that we were going to be hit by a hurricane. At first, we thought it would be no biggie, but the news really started taking off. We were then told that CT would be "sheltering in place" during the hurricane. We hurriedly went to get supplies at the store. We were told to get 5 days worth of nonperishable food and water! By the time we got to the store, there was no water left and the cans and other food was scarce. We got what we could, but I couldn't help but feel worried that we didn't have enough. As we got in the car, we got a call from our ward mission leader, asking us what we needed. We told him how we didn't have water and a few other things. Within just an hour, he had brought several supplies to the church including oreos, nutter-butters, and hot chocolate mix. It was honestly such a tender mercy.

We had run out of time to get dinner because of everything that was going on, so we hurriedly got in the car to make a quick run to Bagel King. We got there only to find that the workers were leaving--it was closing because of the hurricane. We were so sad. One of the workers asked us if we were coming to get bagels and restated that they were closed. But before we could say anything, this old man asked, "Do you want Italian bread or bagels?" and then ran back inside to make us both a bagel. When he appeared back at the window, I handed him my card, but he shook his head vehemently. "No charge. Good day." I teared up at the genuine goodness of this man who didn't need to be this kind, but was. I just felt OH so loved. God is so mindful of us, and He made sure we got dinner on our crazy Saturday in preparation for the storm.

I know you want to know how we survived the hurricane... Welp, it really wasn't bad at all. It was more like a rainstorm than a full-blown hurricane. We are safe and sound, and back to the Lord's work! 

For my spiritual thought, I wanted to share a REVELATION I had playing basketball this week. YUP, call me Kevin Durant. Sister Mather and I are officially pros. We have been practicing basketball every morning so that we can "basketball find" the kids who play pick-up ball in downtown Bridgeport. As I was shooting hoops, I got frustrated because I was missing. Suddenly, I had a thought--I needed to believe that I was gonna make the shot. I needed to imagine the swish. So there I was, at the free-throw line--I closed my eyes and imagined the most beautiful swish. Then I shot and right before my eyes, it SWISHED. I repeated the process and put a second shot straight through the net.

As I walked away from the basketball hoop, I realized how much this applies to us today. IF WE BELIEVE we can make it, we will. Do you believe that your home can have the Spirit? Do you believe that you can repent? Do you believe that tomorrow will be better than today? When we choose to believe, we choose to live a better life. Life really is a series of beliefs that we put into action. According to the Prophet Joseph Smith, every action we take is derived from faith. We believe that food will give us energy, so we eat. We believe that wearing our seat belts will keep us safe, so we buckle up.  So let's put our faith in the one thing that is never changing and always constant: Our Savior. Choose to believe in Him, and watch what actions will follow. Perhaps we will find that our life will be filled with a few more "swishes" and a few less misses. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I know He lives.

The church is true.
I love you all.

Be happy, be brave, be SMART.

Love,
Sista Miller