A Personal Savior
Okay folks, here we are again.
As I write this, I overlook the New York City temple. I had the special gift of staying the night with the Holmes yesterday with my sweet best friend, Sister Mather.
We gave a mission devotional on extending invitations last night to the entire mission and afterward ate treats with the Holmes and talked about the gospel. Honestly, probably one of the sweetest nights of my mission. Sister Holmes is going to be making us brunch this morning and Sister Mather and I get to play around a little bit together. Talk about a fun time!!
Ah, let's get to the good stuff.
Let me tell you about the miracles.
So many, so many. On Friday night, they just seemed to overflow. We prayed fervently and left our apartment with a desire to go where God needed us to go. We decided to go knock on a formers door who hadn't had contact for a year or so because their phone wasn't working. Off we went.
We knocked on her door and it opened. We started talking and the next thing we knew, we were teaching her and her daughter, cleaning the dishes, crying about God's love and putting them both on baptismal date. Harmony and Somaya are so prepared. It was such an incredible experience, I can't even put it in words. As we left, Sister Rasband and I celebrated hard with high fives, tears and a prayer of gratitude. Finding a family is always an incredible experience. Oh how grateful we are.
Earlier in the week, we decided to go finding at Central Park. An old man was passing by and I felt like I needed to say something. I said, "How are you?" He looked up at me with big, sad eyes. "Do you really care to know?" "Yes, of course," I said. We began talking. Rob has been through so much in the past year. We were able to find him, teach him and bring peace to his broken heart. He came to church this week and afterwards, he tried to explain the feelings in his heart.
"I felt funny this week. I thought maybe I was going into another anxiety fit, or something. But then I realized, it was hope. I hadn't felt that in so long." We testified that it was the Spirit of the Lord and he agreed. Please keep Rob in your prayers. He is incredible.
Nicole has really been struggling and we haven't had the best contact this week. Please pray for her.
Ah so much has happened and yet so little. I sure love being a missionary here in New York City, the G R E A T E S T city in the world. I love it here, with my whole soul.
For my spiritual thought, I wanted to share something I wrote this week in my journal about my Savior and His love for me and for you--what I have learned over these past 17 months.
I want to bear you my testimony of Jesus Christ. He is my Savior. He is our Savior. He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. He is the hope of the world.
Over the course of my mission, I have come to know my Savior, Jesus Christ, more deeply than I ever have. I always knew Him. Luckily, I was raised in a very believing home and was taught much concerning Him and His life. My grandpa took me aside before my mission with these words: "It will surprise you how much more deeply the Savior can enter your heart when you practice the law of consecration to the fullest. As you focus on Him, give your time, talents, and efforts to Him, and as you study Him with vigor, you will have an increased testimony of Him and His redeeming power." Grandpa proved true on every count.
As I devoted all of my heart, mind and strength to the Lord, I came to know Him for who He really is for me. A personal Savior.
Over a year ago, I was asked to train out of training. Don't worry, all things worked out, we only took one trip to the ER, and no, I didn't break her. Success. But with all that in mind, I was a very scared trainer with many feelings of personal inadequacies. One day, we went to drop off a Book of Mormon to a friend when we had a terrifying experience.
We got to our stop and we were about to head out of the subway. But there was a man in the stairs, yelling and drinking liquor all at the same time. He was making gestures and I didn't know what to do. There was a pit in my stomach. All of a sudden, a man appeared on my left. He looked at me with a smile and said, "Hello Sister. Can I walk you out?" Warmth flooded my body. I gratefully accepted. He said, "you don't need to be scared. I'm here." That was when I learned of Jesus Christ as my Protector. He had promised to always walk with me, and I knew in that instance that He had sent someone just for me, to remind me that I was beloved and known by Him.
When I moved to Lynbrook, I came to know my Savior as a constant. I struggled with loneliness and frustrating events. I remember the precious opportunities each Sunday to partake of the sacrament. I honored the bread and water and took it with deep, personal conviction. I came to understand what the Savior meant when He promised to "come to us" and to "not leave us comfortless."
In Connecticut, I learned that the Savior was the hope of Israel. It was His work, and not mine. He led people to us, and us to them. When I first got to the area, I found myself on my knees, begging for help and direction often. I found that that help was always given. Hope was restored. I was amazed to watch the miracles that seemed to rain from the sky. I came to love the challenges that arose, knowing that the Lamb of God, the Holy One, died to help me overcome all things. Although in the beginning, I felt so far and isolated from others, it became one of the most sacred areas of my mission. Holy. Hope-filled. Jesus was there.
Then I moved to Brooklyn. In Brooklyn, I learned that Christ was the mouthpiece of the Lord, the messenger of peace, the word. I committed to opening my mouth and not letting one child of God pass by me without feeling my love. It was incredible to see my words become His. I learned how to in reality be an instrument in the hand of the Lord. He was with me, and I was with Him. I had His word as my weapon, as my covert, as my guide. I never had to question what to say. With Him always, I magnified my office.
On the Upper West Side, I learned more of the Savior's role as Redeemer. He has bought me. He has already paid for my sins, and for all our sins. He knows perfectly my pain and anguish as well as my joy. He stood by me then, and stands today as the risen Lord. I will forever be indebted to Him and His grace. How can I pay Him back? I will remember Him. He is Savior. He is redeeming love. That is the message I get to carry to so many.
My grandpa was right. As I dedicated my time, talents, efforts and energy to the Savior of the world, I came to know Him deeply. He has written His love on the fleshy tablets of my heart. While someday not too far from now I will take my tag off, His name will be engraved on my heart. It is Him whom I will forever praise, sing and adore. I am so grateful for my mission, because it brought me to my Savior, and along the way I was able to help my friends come to feel of His matchless love. God be thanked for His divine Son.
Thank you all for who you are. I love you, and I am forever grateful to have people at home who cheer me on, pray for me, and still read these emails.
YOU are the real MVPs. I hope you all know that I love you. I am here for you.
Love always,
Sister Miller
Ah, let's get to the good stuff.
Let me tell you about the miracles.
So many, so many. On Friday night, they just seemed to overflow. We prayed fervently and left our apartment with a desire to go where God needed us to go. We decided to go knock on a formers door who hadn't had contact for a year or so because their phone wasn't working. Off we went.
We knocked on her door and it opened. We started talking and the next thing we knew, we were teaching her and her daughter, cleaning the dishes, crying about God's love and putting them both on baptismal date. Harmony and Somaya are so prepared. It was such an incredible experience, I can't even put it in words. As we left, Sister Rasband and I celebrated hard with high fives, tears and a prayer of gratitude. Finding a family is always an incredible experience. Oh how grateful we are.
Earlier in the week, we decided to go finding at Central Park. An old man was passing by and I felt like I needed to say something. I said, "How are you?" He looked up at me with big, sad eyes. "Do you really care to know?" "Yes, of course," I said. We began talking. Rob has been through so much in the past year. We were able to find him, teach him and bring peace to his broken heart. He came to church this week and afterwards, he tried to explain the feelings in his heart.
"I felt funny this week. I thought maybe I was going into another anxiety fit, or something. But then I realized, it was hope. I hadn't felt that in so long." We testified that it was the Spirit of the Lord and he agreed. Please keep Rob in your prayers. He is incredible.
Nicole has really been struggling and we haven't had the best contact this week. Please pray for her.
Ah so much has happened and yet so little. I sure love being a missionary here in New York City, the G R E A T E S T city in the world. I love it here, with my whole soul.
For my spiritual thought, I wanted to share something I wrote this week in my journal about my Savior and His love for me and for you--what I have learned over these past 17 months.
I want to bear you my testimony of Jesus Christ. He is my Savior. He is our Savior. He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. He is the hope of the world.
Over the course of my mission, I have come to know my Savior, Jesus Christ, more deeply than I ever have. I always knew Him. Luckily, I was raised in a very believing home and was taught much concerning Him and His life. My grandpa took me aside before my mission with these words: "It will surprise you how much more deeply the Savior can enter your heart when you practice the law of consecration to the fullest. As you focus on Him, give your time, talents, and efforts to Him, and as you study Him with vigor, you will have an increased testimony of Him and His redeeming power." Grandpa proved true on every count.
As I devoted all of my heart, mind and strength to the Lord, I came to know Him for who He really is for me. A personal Savior.
Over a year ago, I was asked to train out of training. Don't worry, all things worked out, we only took one trip to the ER, and no, I didn't break her. Success. But with all that in mind, I was a very scared trainer with many feelings of personal inadequacies. One day, we went to drop off a Book of Mormon to a friend when we had a terrifying experience.
We got to our stop and we were about to head out of the subway. But there was a man in the stairs, yelling and drinking liquor all at the same time. He was making gestures and I didn't know what to do. There was a pit in my stomach. All of a sudden, a man appeared on my left. He looked at me with a smile and said, "Hello Sister. Can I walk you out?" Warmth flooded my body. I gratefully accepted. He said, "you don't need to be scared. I'm here." That was when I learned of Jesus Christ as my Protector. He had promised to always walk with me, and I knew in that instance that He had sent someone just for me, to remind me that I was beloved and known by Him.
When I moved to Lynbrook, I came to know my Savior as a constant. I struggled with loneliness and frustrating events. I remember the precious opportunities each Sunday to partake of the sacrament. I honored the bread and water and took it with deep, personal conviction. I came to understand what the Savior meant when He promised to "come to us" and to "not leave us comfortless."
In Connecticut, I learned that the Savior was the hope of Israel. It was His work, and not mine. He led people to us, and us to them. When I first got to the area, I found myself on my knees, begging for help and direction often. I found that that help was always given. Hope was restored. I was amazed to watch the miracles that seemed to rain from the sky. I came to love the challenges that arose, knowing that the Lamb of God, the Holy One, died to help me overcome all things. Although in the beginning, I felt so far and isolated from others, it became one of the most sacred areas of my mission. Holy. Hope-filled. Jesus was there.
Then I moved to Brooklyn. In Brooklyn, I learned that Christ was the mouthpiece of the Lord, the messenger of peace, the word. I committed to opening my mouth and not letting one child of God pass by me without feeling my love. It was incredible to see my words become His. I learned how to in reality be an instrument in the hand of the Lord. He was with me, and I was with Him. I had His word as my weapon, as my covert, as my guide. I never had to question what to say. With Him always, I magnified my office.
On the Upper West Side, I learned more of the Savior's role as Redeemer. He has bought me. He has already paid for my sins, and for all our sins. He knows perfectly my pain and anguish as well as my joy. He stood by me then, and stands today as the risen Lord. I will forever be indebted to Him and His grace. How can I pay Him back? I will remember Him. He is Savior. He is redeeming love. That is the message I get to carry to so many.
My grandpa was right. As I dedicated my time, talents, efforts and energy to the Savior of the world, I came to know Him deeply. He has written His love on the fleshy tablets of my heart. While someday not too far from now I will take my tag off, His name will be engraved on my heart. It is Him whom I will forever praise, sing and adore. I am so grateful for my mission, because it brought me to my Savior, and along the way I was able to help my friends come to feel of His matchless love. God be thanked for His divine Son.
Thank you all for who you are. I love you, and I am forever grateful to have people at home who cheer me on, pray for me, and still read these emails.
YOU are the real MVPs. I hope you all know that I love you. I am here for you.
Love always,
Sister Miller
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