September 6th, 2010
Dear Family,
Well this week we did find out about transfers and I am staying putwith Elder S for another six weeks. I am very excited about it because there is a lot of good things happening and we actually having a teaching pool. The BBQ has propelled the area and it gave membersconfidence in inviting people to do stuff. Speaking of the BBQ, it wasa blast and there were more non members than members there. We have afew good potentials and a lot of good feedback from the guests at theBBQ. We were there from 9 AM to 4 pm and we were wiped out for therest of the day. It was hot and in Proselyting clothes, it just getsworse with a tie. Everyone was having a good time there and Iparticapated in the watermelon seed spitting contest. I didnt do sogood but it was fun and also elder s got 4th place in thejalepeno eating contest. He got really sick the rest of the day andhis face was completely pink and just was way out of it. It wasprobably the best thing for this ward out here because it helped themunite and work together and be involved with other's lives. L is doing good and we have a lesson with him tonight. He willprobably get baptized in the beginning of october or at the end ofthis month. He studies out of gospel principles, joseph smith manualfrom last year and the book of mormon. The lord has definatelyprepared him for us to teach and help him. We are working with an Inactive member who I think Ihave told you about, his name is E, and he is a RM.He told us that he is pretty excited to watch thegame tonight and he is rooting for Boise. I wish for just one night I canwatch a football game, but I know that obedience is the price forblessings out here. We are pretty busy tonight anyways so temptationwont be a problem. I can't wait to watch some football with Stellar and dad.I have pictures from the Waller BBQ and I willsend them to you soon.Well I am grateful for the Lord's hand in our lives and I am so happyto be who I am. I have about 8 months left and I have to lengthen mystride and finish working hard. Time is flying by, but that is becauseI have lost myself for the welfare of others, the heat doesn't matterto me anymore because the people need us. The book of mormon is theone thing that has gave me a boost of spiritual power and has broughtme so much happiness in times of afflictions. Never take that powerfulwitness for granted, it is something that saves lives. I hope that youhave a wonderful evening watching the heart of boise on the nationalstage. I love you all so much and pray for each one of you everyday! Love always Elder Loren James Miller
September 13th, 2010
Dear Family,
Well it was a pretty interesting week and we had a big week as far as our teaching goes. The Boise State game was very much a jumpstart to my happiness, I had members invite me over to watch it but I declined. A lot of members watched it and said that Boise State might be too good for the Mountain West and that Kellen Moore is something special.
That BBQ is still causing much good in the Waller ward, oh man we have non members coming to church with their family members who are members now. We have a couple members telling us to go talk to their friends who went to the BBQ. The spirit of missionary work and unity is really radiating in this part of Texas. So we got ourselves this past 6 new investigators! None came from the BBQ, all came by our finding efforts and our faith! So we went to an inactive member of the church's house and she is the only member of her family and her husband used to be kinda ANTI and he has warmed up a lot in the past few years. So we go over there and knock, she isn't home but her 22 year old daughter answers and lets us in and three of her other kids were there as well. We taught all of them and they all agreed to be taught. It was just kind of funny how that happens, we had no idea they had kids at home and so the lord blessed us there. Another new investigator couple we found through old records in our area, they haven't been taught in two years and so we taught them and the wife knows that joseph smith is a prophet and that the book of mormon is true even before we started the lesson. The husband I think feels the same way, I am not sure because they speak only spanish! haha. So they are solid and we are going to really work hard with them and prepare them for baptism.
An interesting experience happened this past week, E, who is inactive, coaches at the high school and his team had a game on friday. A member told us that we should get permission to go to the game to support evroy and we thought it was a good idea. We called President and he told us that we could but there is risks involved with it and that we should pray and ponder about it. So Elder S and I did and we just felt that it didn't feel right and that heavenly father has something for us to do or someone for us to teach that needs us. We called and told President H this and he told me on the phone that he trusts me and that he knows we are making a good decision. So we went out knocking on a random street that afternoon at like 4 pm, friday. Instead of doing something else that would allow us to go to the football game later so we worked on a street nearby another street where we have contacts. So the first door we knocked on, we did the door approach that Elder K taught us that works and the lady told us to come back next week. So a couple doors later, a guy answers the door and lets us in because its too hot he says. We walk in and we talk to his dad mainly who is in his 50's and we had a great lesson on prayer and seeking to know the truth. Towards the end of the lesson, I felt prompted to ask him what his last name is and he told me, then it clicked, he is the older brother of a member in our ward. The guy's name is T and he is very open and wants us to come back teach him. I fully believe that heavenly father wanted us to meet him instead of the football game and it is such a blessing to be guided to people.
We are having a lot of success in W and I have a feeling like we are really planting seeds in this wonderful land.I am so grateful for this work and for my mission, I have been out for 16 months and I am just having the time of my life. I need to lose weight but it will come, besides that I have no worries and no doubts, this is where I need to be doing with my life. I am trying to sustain the drive and keep doing good and helping others no matter who they are. The book of mormon is true and though I was not there in 1820, Joseph did see our father and his son in a sacred grove. My mission president is called of god and knows what is best and he has been very good to me. I can't believe general conference is right around the corner and the lord's servants will speak to us again. How great and marvelous is this gospel! I pray that you are all safe and sound, travel safe and be the best you can be.
Love always
Elder Loren James Miller
September 20th, 2010
Dear Family,
So I have to say that the letters were pouring in from family members and others this past week and it has truly been crazy to get stuff each day. I really have to say thank you for asking people to write me. It kind of made my companion a little upset, but he got over it when he got some mail on saturday. I sent an email to Elder and Sister S with my notes from Elder Kikuchi, hopefully that will help them out. I really loved the Boise State shirts, the orange one didnt fit Elder Steagall because its too big but I gave it to a member who I am converting to a Boise State fan. I gave it to the member and he is an old granpa Texan, he said "gee how much do I owe ya?" " I might have to ask the bishop if I can wear this on sunday because this is beautiful". This member almost got choked up a little bit it was cool to see how appreciative and grateful he was for that gift from home.
So yeah our teaching pool, is incredible, we are having a baptism with a 9 year old who comes from a recently activated single parent home. He is going to get baptized between satuday conference sessions and he has came a long way, he didnt even know how to pray or who god was 6 weeks ago, now he knows what baptism is and why he needs to be baptized, he even offers to say prayers now. We have another new investigator as well thats pretty solid, she was a referral from her daughter who is in the w ward. Her daughter called us out of nowhere last week and said hey you should go see my mom and my mom's neighbor. So we are teaching her mom and her next door neighbor but her next door neighbor is an inactive member who doesnt have her records here. It is crazy, our investigator is helping the inactive member come back to church and the inactive member is helping us teach our investigator. We have a lot of good things rolling here in w, it is a dream, we have a teaching pool of like 7 investigators that have a few bumps in their road to baptism but we are going to work on smoothing things out. It is amazing how in a 3 month span, an area has gone from ground zero to the top of the mountain. The baptism of the 9 year old will be a great event because investigators will really feel the spirit of that great ordinance.
A lot of members out here give us peaches and canned things, people are very self-reliant and love farming. Yesterday we had an interesting experience, we were getting into our car and a lady came out of nowhere in a chevy blazer and pulled up to us and said where you elders from. We told her and she told us she taught sister missionaries how to crochet like 20 years ago and she knows members of the ward. I asked her if she can teach us how to crochet and so hopefully this can lead to teaching her! Next week we will head over to her house down the street!
I really am blessed for all that you and dad do! Well I have to get running, but I love you all so much, the gospel is important to me and is in my mind and heart. The Lord loves us , he did before we came and will love us as long as we love him. My mission has saved my life and has helped our family out so much, I am grateful for the book of mormon and the first vision, that spring day changed the world in 1820, it sure has. Thanks for all the support and letters, I have 8 months left but I know that each day matters, and each person is a child of god. I look forward to hearing how this week turns out for everyone, be good and travel safe! I love you!
Love,
Elder Loren James Miller
Septemebr 27th, 2010
Dear Family,
The Lord has definately been taking care of you all and meduring the past 17 months. October is almost here and it is gettingcooler here in Texas, I am done with summers on my mission, now tokickoff the fall is General Conference weekend which I am excited forbecause members really do stop and listen to the prophet's voice. Thisweekend will be a great opportunity for our investigators to come outand listen and go to a baptism in between sessions. Elder Holland oncesaid that 80 percent of investigators that go to baptisms of otherswill get baptized. I am excited to see some of our investigators makea leap of faith and come to a session of conference so that they cangain a testimony of the restoration by hearing the lord's servantsspeak. Many members out here told me about the success of Boise State thispast weekend. More members are starting to follow the Broncos than theBYU cougars, hopefully this isnt just a temporary thing. We had a lotof let downs this week with appointments with investigators fallingthrough but also we have an investigator who is engaged to a memberwho is going to out and teach with us. It is kind of funny to see thata non-member is more willing to come out and help us than the Eldersquorum of the ward. We will see how that goes, but anyhow, we justhave a lot of investigators that have great stories and backgrounds.We just picked up a new investigator this week who is 11 years old andshe is from venezuela and she is a niece of a member family. She is ona 5 year visa for education and trying to learn english. She hasfamily in Venezuela who are members but her immediate family is notall members. She is a great girl and told us yesterday that she feltthe spirit so strong that she wanted to bear her testimony insacrament meeting yesterday. We set a goal with her to be baptized atthe end of the month IF her mom allows her to. We had another great moment with one of our investigators this pastweek. We gave him a pamphlet about the restoration and followed upwith him a day or two later and taught him. The first thing we askedhim if he had any questions and he said to us "yeah, where can I get abook of mormon?". This man who tracted into three weeks ago,completely understands the book of mormon's purpose and he found itout on his own. That is another miracle of my mission, the power ofthe book of mormon in people's lives. If this investigator never getsbaptized within my time here in waller, but understands and feels thespirit of the book of mormon, I will feel accomplished. The difficulty about serving in Waller is the distance between peopleand the miles we are allotted to each month. We are supposed to teachinvestigators twice a week and its very challenging to teach themtwice a week. People are very busy and also there is too little timein the week. I really missspending time with the family, so I hope next summer I have time towork and spend time with family. Well I am very happy to hear about all the good things happening inthat end of the country. I am doing great and I am working hard tobecome better each day, and my mission had definately changed the wayI work with people. In closing I leave you my testimony of this gospel and of therestoration, another great fruit of the restoration is generalconference. I wish I would have been more appreciative of generalconference earlier in my life but I guess that is what the lord hadplanned for me. I still have great memories of saturday sessions andmom turning on conference in all parts of the house, while she cleanedor did other things. No matter what room we were in we can here thevoice of the lord, I ask you to take advantage of conference weekend,and please pray and ask for guidance before the conference sessions.Be together and write down everything! I love you all so much and I amgrateful to be a member of a great family who loves me so much.
Love Always
Elder Loren James Miller
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
I want to apologize, but that wouldn't be enough...
Here are Loren's August Letters- enjoy!
8/02/10
Dear Family,
Well I am so happy to be back in a two man companionship, the three man thing was not fun! I am having a lot of fun learning and working in the spanish community! Elder S is really cool and is really helping me out a lot with spanish. Him teaching me spanish has really helped unite us together so we can teach better because when companions are not united or don't get along its hard for the spirit to be there. There is a lot of spanish people that Elder S talked to this week, it really is hard to just sit there and watch him teach them in spanish, but I am learning and paying attention to him and what they are talking about. We have so many appointments this week, we have 5 houses right next to each other of spanish families that we have appointments with in one day. The ward is really helping us out with the work and really is excited to have a dual companionship. There is a lot of members that speak spanish because of their mission and they still use it to teach the less actives so that is really good. Elder S is kind of in a culture shock because he is so used to everything in the spanish language and so it is really hard to pray at members home in english.
I am glad that you enjoyed the pictures that I sent you and hopefully I can start taking more pictures because it has been hard to find what and when to take a picture. I dont want to look like a tourist or a cameraman, I want to look like a missionary.The W ward is really focused on reactivation and retention because there is a lot of those that fell away not too long ago.
We started doing service recently for a lady that is not a member who manages a property and has her own property for her horses. Last week we cleaned out her horse stalls and picked up her corrall area a little bit. It is so hot and it was good, hard work, and I enjoyed every minute of it. August has just started and that means that I am done with July's on my mission and the summer is almost over.
I have become a consistent and diligent journal writer on my mission, and I am almost done with my second journal.Time is flying by and it is scaring me. Elder H told me the other day that getting close to the end of the mission is really scary. He goes home in October and I really am going to miss him a lot. I had so much fun with him and he is doing so good right now in his new area.
I love you all so much, I really am so blessed to be where I am at and doing what I am doing. If you could pray extra hard for me to help me learn spanish and teach people in spanish. I have a testimony whatever language the gospel is being preached in, it still brings the holy ghost to the hearts of the people. I have witnessed this the past few days when working amongst the spanish community, people are looking for that special thing, and we could be the answer to their prayers. Thanks for all that you do mom and dad, I am the person I am today because of our family.
Love,
Elder Loren James Miller
8/09/10
Dear Family,
It is very hot here and very humid like always and the barbeque pits full of brisket dont help!
This past week we taught a lot of people mostly in spanish, it is really hard to sometimes sit there and just be quiet and listen to elder Steagall teach it all by himself. We have a few potentials on the english side that are coming from members doing their own missionary work so we hope to have an english baptism and spanish baptism in the future. We have a spanish investigator that speaks english but wants to talk and be taught in Spanish. It is kind of hard to swallow but he is really a golden investigator, he reads the assignments we give him and he talks a lot. The wards out here are really stepping up and helping us out with splits, referrals, and just being friendly.
We are getting pretty busy and working hard out here and the ward's are very helpful. I have a feeling like I will get transferred in 4 weeks when transfers happen because it just feels like I am only supposed to be here to help get the trust back of the members. The area is such a beautiful area and there are some great people that I have met. But all my other areas I was there for atleast 6 months and I dont feel like I will be here for that long.
We work on the ranch in 90 degree weather on wednesdays for this nonmember who got our number from her neighbor who is an inactive member. It is very hot and we work until we are just drenched in sweat, and the lady we do the service for usually feeds us. We are really softening her heart through service, hopefully we can teach her something soon. I have accomplished my goal of having better studies by focusing on the needs of my investigators and the weaknesses of my teaching. I need to set some new goals for this month and I will hopefully put some good thought and prayer into setting them.
Well family this past week, I have witnessed a lot of tragedy in the homes of those in the ward. I have came to a better understanding that satan attacks the family especially the strong ones. One of the families in the ward is going through a divorce and they have 4 kids and they are converts of 10 years and the father was a Branch President a few years ago. There temple marriage was not honored and the father is a ward missionary and he is still coming to church and is helping us. But I can tell that he is going through the hardest thing ever and I know that he is going through much sorrow. We also got a call last night from an inactive member in the ward who was in the hospital who was assaulted by her husband. She wanted us to visit her but the hospital was so far away so we called the bishop. Mom and dad, can you please find a place or time this week and pray as a family all together. Pray for the families in the world in or out of the church who are struggling. I know that our family can help others and as long as we do what we know we are supposed to be doing, everything will work out.
I love you all, Be safe and remember the covenants we have made. I am safe and watched over, you will see me soon, and I will be the man I am supposed to be.
Love
Elder Loren James Miller
8-16-10
Dear Family,
The members around here are veryexcited for school to start because summer break gets a little old. The W ward is reallydoing some great things and we picked up two english speaking investigators last week. We have some spanish investigators and less actives that are progressing. This area is really moving forward and I owe it all to Heavenly Father, it is a difficult area and without hishelp, my companion and I would just go crazy. The members are really helping us out with people to teach and with a good direction. I think most of the nights this week, a member is going with us to teach or is taking us to go home teaching to some inactive families. In fact a old member, who hasnt been to church in a long long time, who's wife isa ctive, told his home teacher he wants us (missionaries) to come over and cut his grass for him. The spirit of missionary work is reallyg oing strong out here and I have to say it is all because the members are re-uniting themselves. There is a little activity on Sept. 4tht hat I have forgotten to mention to you all about. One thing Elder W did was suggest an activity for members to invite non-members to.Well the ward mission leader ( the realest texan I have ever met) took hat idea and ran with it. He has organized a bbq, I mean like this is omething that I have never seen organized before. He has been having embers sign up for items the pasttwo months to bring to the bbq. I mean there is going to a flat bed trailer size bbq pit, there is goingto be brisket, chicken, stuffed jalepeno eating contest, water melonseed spitting contest, tug of war, hay rides by tractor, pinatas, tonsand tons of food. This thing is not just some potluck, this is like aprofessional party. Members were a little hesitant at first to thisbbq, but now the bbq is going to be a huge success because throughthis the ward has re-united. There is supposed to be about 400 peopleat this bbq most of which will be non-member friends. I will send youa flyer in the mail this week, it is going to be so much fun plus alot of hype has been built into this , the stake has its eye on it.This is a big missionary opportunity that the members are reallytaking advantage of. So to answer some of the questions you asked: I am working on the bbqskills thing, it has been crazy busy out here. My spanish skills aregood, like i can understand what elder s is teaching and whatthe investigators say, its just that I cant speak that well. Also membersdont just fix a meal out here, they fix buffet, so we never go homewithout leftovers. I really hope President transfers me to a bikearea, so I can shed some pounds, it is hard in a car area to keepweight off especially in waller county.I know that HeavenlyFather has blessed me so much out here and that my mission has builtme into a man, a disciple of jesus christ. I know that our family isbeing blessed so much and that we needed this mission, it hasfortified our family.I am alsograteful for Elder W, he sent me a letter this past weektalking about how much his mission has been the best thing he has everdone. He finishes in 5 months or less, he is a friend to hold on to,and I grateful that we moved to Utah four years ago. Family, lovethe gospel and look at how many things, even little things, that aregood that has come into our lives. I will definately make sure thatevery moment counts and work my hardest. I love you all so much and do some good for others whenever there isan opportunity. I am safe, healthy, and protected, this is the lord'swork and he has course for me that I must be diligent and faithful tomaintain. I cant wait until next week!
Love Elder Loren James Miller
8/23/10
Dear Family,
This past week was a great one, a lot of success is happening in the W Ward. Elder S and I are doing really good and the members have recognized it. TheBBQ is coming here quickly and it is the talk of the county. I was outof the area for two days, because of exchanges with our zone leadersand our district leader. In fact I went back to the S Branch areafor a day and it was really weird. It felt like I went back and droveby a old house we used to live in. I was really happy to return to w though because we have a lotgoing on out here and we are busy. We are going to have a baptism in a few weeks with our investigator M, he is the son of a member who used to live in w. He islike 32 and is really spiritual and loves talking the gospel inSpanish but he does speak great english. He reads the book of mormonreading that we give him and he even does the cross references witheach verse. Also we are going to start working on some englishspeaking member referrals that are promising. This week we have a lotof appointments on both sides of the area. Also this week we have zoneconference and Elder Kikuchi is going to be speaking to us for a longtime. He has asked us a month ago to memorize the standard of truthquote by joseph smith and D&C 4. I thank you dad for always pushing usin young mens to memorize that and recite it each week. I hope youstill have it memorized dad. I really need to start losing some weight out here because we get fedso much and we are in a full car area with no gym near by. I am tryingto run each day so hopefully that will start to progress. I dontreally drink any soda anymore, mostly water that we get for free frommembers that have water purifyers. It is really really hot down hereso I be thankful for the weather up there. It is football season and Icant even imagine doing two a days in this humidity, oh man that would be crazy.I love you all that read this letter, be an example to others andbe the best you can be. I have came a long way and it is because ofthe gospel of jesus christ, nothing else has influenced me more. Thereason why we are having success in life is because of christ andbecause of our obedience to his laws not our own wants. I am having ablast and I am safe and well taken care and I can't wait to hear backfrom you next week.
Love
Elder Loren James Miller
8/30/10
Dear Family,
Well this past week we had a great opportunity to hear from anespecial witness of Christ. Elder Kikuchi came and gave a phenomenal zone conference and our mission definitely needed it. The meeting wasabout 8 hours long and we got a lot of help for our teaching and ourfinding methods. He talked about how we need to slow down in ourteaching and let the Holy Ghost be there and speak as well. He emphasized how important the story of Joseph Smith is and how we needto teach it slow and sincerely. He told us that obedience to keepingthe morning schedule is our tithing to lord so he can pour out theblessings from the windows of heaven. He told us we need to have ourown sacred grove experiences in our prayers. He also taught us aboutthe different experiences he has had in reactivating and sealingfamilies. He mentioned the families in Idaho and after zoneconference I went up to him and told him that I am from Idaho.Elder Kikuchi taught us other ways to approach people and ElderSteagall and I have tried each one since conference and they all work! The Waller ward is getting really jazzed up for this activity thisSaturday and we are going to have a little booth with informationabout what we believe. Our ward mission leader in the W ward isamazing and he is like Captain Moroni, not kidding at all. He gets thejob done and is a leader and really is restoring the W ward.Members are really doing a lot of missionary work out here by invitingtheir friends to come to the BBQ and paving the way for gospel topicsto be discussed. It is going to be weird after the BBQ, because thisall that anyone talks about out here. This past week members evenbought us groceries and have helped us with rides into C for district meeting. We live in the middle of nowhere but we aredefinitely making some noise. We have a good teaching pool ofinvestigators and tonight we are teaching someone who is prepared tobe taught. We are teaching L tonight, he is a teacher/soccer coach at W HS and a year ago he noticed something different about one of his students who are the member who introduced us to him. Thatmember gave him a book of Mormon and invited him over to the family’shouse for FHE a lot. The whole family has taken him in andfellowshipped him and he has been to the singles ward every Sunday thelast 2 months in C. He knows the Book of Mormon is true and thechurch is true and he is a great guy. So I am excited to teach in English!! Haha, by the way Idid bear my testimony of Joseph Smith in Spanish in a lesson! Crazyhuh! We are very busy this week leading up to the BBQ and also thisSaturday night we get transfer calls. I am really nervous because Ithink I might be leaving because I was in my first two areas for awhile and I just have a feeling about it. But whatever happens I love W and I don’t mind staying!I love you all and I am doing great, the lord isproviding ways for things to get going in this area. I have reallystrengthened my testimony of the first vision and the reality of it inmy life. Everything in my life that has been good comes from thegospel and Joseph Smith’s visit from the Father and the Son. Takeadvantage of the time now to study Joseph’s vision and ponder it. All is well here in Houston, I look forward to hearing from you nextweek and I pray for each one of you everyday in my sacred grove.
Love Always
Elder Loren James Miller
8/02/10
Dear Family,
Well I am so happy to be back in a two man companionship, the three man thing was not fun! I am having a lot of fun learning and working in the spanish community! Elder S is really cool and is really helping me out a lot with spanish. Him teaching me spanish has really helped unite us together so we can teach better because when companions are not united or don't get along its hard for the spirit to be there. There is a lot of spanish people that Elder S talked to this week, it really is hard to just sit there and watch him teach them in spanish, but I am learning and paying attention to him and what they are talking about. We have so many appointments this week, we have 5 houses right next to each other of spanish families that we have appointments with in one day. The ward is really helping us out with the work and really is excited to have a dual companionship. There is a lot of members that speak spanish because of their mission and they still use it to teach the less actives so that is really good. Elder S is kind of in a culture shock because he is so used to everything in the spanish language and so it is really hard to pray at members home in english.
I am glad that you enjoyed the pictures that I sent you and hopefully I can start taking more pictures because it has been hard to find what and when to take a picture. I dont want to look like a tourist or a cameraman, I want to look like a missionary.The W ward is really focused on reactivation and retention because there is a lot of those that fell away not too long ago.
We started doing service recently for a lady that is not a member who manages a property and has her own property for her horses. Last week we cleaned out her horse stalls and picked up her corrall area a little bit. It is so hot and it was good, hard work, and I enjoyed every minute of it. August has just started and that means that I am done with July's on my mission and the summer is almost over.
I have become a consistent and diligent journal writer on my mission, and I am almost done with my second journal.Time is flying by and it is scaring me. Elder H told me the other day that getting close to the end of the mission is really scary. He goes home in October and I really am going to miss him a lot. I had so much fun with him and he is doing so good right now in his new area.
I love you all so much, I really am so blessed to be where I am at and doing what I am doing. If you could pray extra hard for me to help me learn spanish and teach people in spanish. I have a testimony whatever language the gospel is being preached in, it still brings the holy ghost to the hearts of the people. I have witnessed this the past few days when working amongst the spanish community, people are looking for that special thing, and we could be the answer to their prayers. Thanks for all that you do mom and dad, I am the person I am today because of our family.
Love,
Elder Loren James Miller
8/09/10
Dear Family,
It is very hot here and very humid like always and the barbeque pits full of brisket dont help!
This past week we taught a lot of people mostly in spanish, it is really hard to sometimes sit there and just be quiet and listen to elder Steagall teach it all by himself. We have a few potentials on the english side that are coming from members doing their own missionary work so we hope to have an english baptism and spanish baptism in the future. We have a spanish investigator that speaks english but wants to talk and be taught in Spanish. It is kind of hard to swallow but he is really a golden investigator, he reads the assignments we give him and he talks a lot. The wards out here are really stepping up and helping us out with splits, referrals, and just being friendly.
We are getting pretty busy and working hard out here and the ward's are very helpful. I have a feeling like I will get transferred in 4 weeks when transfers happen because it just feels like I am only supposed to be here to help get the trust back of the members. The area is such a beautiful area and there are some great people that I have met. But all my other areas I was there for atleast 6 months and I dont feel like I will be here for that long.
We work on the ranch in 90 degree weather on wednesdays for this nonmember who got our number from her neighbor who is an inactive member. It is very hot and we work until we are just drenched in sweat, and the lady we do the service for usually feeds us. We are really softening her heart through service, hopefully we can teach her something soon. I have accomplished my goal of having better studies by focusing on the needs of my investigators and the weaknesses of my teaching. I need to set some new goals for this month and I will hopefully put some good thought and prayer into setting them.
Well family this past week, I have witnessed a lot of tragedy in the homes of those in the ward. I have came to a better understanding that satan attacks the family especially the strong ones. One of the families in the ward is going through a divorce and they have 4 kids and they are converts of 10 years and the father was a Branch President a few years ago. There temple marriage was not honored and the father is a ward missionary and he is still coming to church and is helping us. But I can tell that he is going through the hardest thing ever and I know that he is going through much sorrow. We also got a call last night from an inactive member in the ward who was in the hospital who was assaulted by her husband. She wanted us to visit her but the hospital was so far away so we called the bishop. Mom and dad, can you please find a place or time this week and pray as a family all together. Pray for the families in the world in or out of the church who are struggling. I know that our family can help others and as long as we do what we know we are supposed to be doing, everything will work out.
I love you all, Be safe and remember the covenants we have made. I am safe and watched over, you will see me soon, and I will be the man I am supposed to be.
Love
Elder Loren James Miller
8-16-10
Dear Family,
The members around here are veryexcited for school to start because summer break gets a little old. The W ward is reallydoing some great things and we picked up two english speaking investigators last week. We have some spanish investigators and less actives that are progressing. This area is really moving forward and I owe it all to Heavenly Father, it is a difficult area and without hishelp, my companion and I would just go crazy. The members are really helping us out with people to teach and with a good direction. I think most of the nights this week, a member is going with us to teach or is taking us to go home teaching to some inactive families. In fact a old member, who hasnt been to church in a long long time, who's wife isa ctive, told his home teacher he wants us (missionaries) to come over and cut his grass for him. The spirit of missionary work is reallyg oing strong out here and I have to say it is all because the members are re-uniting themselves. There is a little activity on Sept. 4tht hat I have forgotten to mention to you all about. One thing Elder W did was suggest an activity for members to invite non-members to.Well the ward mission leader ( the realest texan I have ever met) took hat idea and ran with it. He has organized a bbq, I mean like this is omething that I have never seen organized before. He has been having embers sign up for items the pasttwo months to bring to the bbq. I mean there is going to a flat bed trailer size bbq pit, there is goingto be brisket, chicken, stuffed jalepeno eating contest, water melonseed spitting contest, tug of war, hay rides by tractor, pinatas, tonsand tons of food. This thing is not just some potluck, this is like aprofessional party. Members were a little hesitant at first to thisbbq, but now the bbq is going to be a huge success because throughthis the ward has re-united. There is supposed to be about 400 peopleat this bbq most of which will be non-member friends. I will send youa flyer in the mail this week, it is going to be so much fun plus alot of hype has been built into this , the stake has its eye on it.This is a big missionary opportunity that the members are reallytaking advantage of. So to answer some of the questions you asked: I am working on the bbqskills thing, it has been crazy busy out here. My spanish skills aregood, like i can understand what elder s is teaching and whatthe investigators say, its just that I cant speak that well. Also membersdont just fix a meal out here, they fix buffet, so we never go homewithout leftovers. I really hope President transfers me to a bikearea, so I can shed some pounds, it is hard in a car area to keepweight off especially in waller county.I know that HeavenlyFather has blessed me so much out here and that my mission has builtme into a man, a disciple of jesus christ. I know that our family isbeing blessed so much and that we needed this mission, it hasfortified our family.I am alsograteful for Elder W, he sent me a letter this past weektalking about how much his mission has been the best thing he has everdone. He finishes in 5 months or less, he is a friend to hold on to,and I grateful that we moved to Utah four years ago. Family, lovethe gospel and look at how many things, even little things, that aregood that has come into our lives. I will definately make sure thatevery moment counts and work my hardest. I love you all so much and do some good for others whenever there isan opportunity. I am safe, healthy, and protected, this is the lord'swork and he has course for me that I must be diligent and faithful tomaintain. I cant wait until next week!
Love Elder Loren James Miller
8/23/10
Dear Family,
This past week was a great one, a lot of success is happening in the W Ward. Elder S and I are doing really good and the members have recognized it. TheBBQ is coming here quickly and it is the talk of the county. I was outof the area for two days, because of exchanges with our zone leadersand our district leader. In fact I went back to the S Branch areafor a day and it was really weird. It felt like I went back and droveby a old house we used to live in. I was really happy to return to w though because we have a lotgoing on out here and we are busy. We are going to have a baptism in a few weeks with our investigator M, he is the son of a member who used to live in w. He islike 32 and is really spiritual and loves talking the gospel inSpanish but he does speak great english. He reads the book of mormonreading that we give him and he even does the cross references witheach verse. Also we are going to start working on some englishspeaking member referrals that are promising. This week we have a lotof appointments on both sides of the area. Also this week we have zoneconference and Elder Kikuchi is going to be speaking to us for a longtime. He has asked us a month ago to memorize the standard of truthquote by joseph smith and D&C 4. I thank you dad for always pushing usin young mens to memorize that and recite it each week. I hope youstill have it memorized dad. I really need to start losing some weight out here because we get fedso much and we are in a full car area with no gym near by. I am tryingto run each day so hopefully that will start to progress. I dontreally drink any soda anymore, mostly water that we get for free frommembers that have water purifyers. It is really really hot down hereso I be thankful for the weather up there. It is football season and Icant even imagine doing two a days in this humidity, oh man that would be crazy.I love you all that read this letter, be an example to others andbe the best you can be. I have came a long way and it is because ofthe gospel of jesus christ, nothing else has influenced me more. Thereason why we are having success in life is because of christ andbecause of our obedience to his laws not our own wants. I am having ablast and I am safe and well taken care and I can't wait to hear backfrom you next week.
Love
Elder Loren James Miller
8/30/10
Dear Family,
Well this past week we had a great opportunity to hear from anespecial witness of Christ. Elder Kikuchi came and gave a phenomenal zone conference and our mission definitely needed it. The meeting wasabout 8 hours long and we got a lot of help for our teaching and ourfinding methods. He talked about how we need to slow down in ourteaching and let the Holy Ghost be there and speak as well. He emphasized how important the story of Joseph Smith is and how we needto teach it slow and sincerely. He told us that obedience to keepingthe morning schedule is our tithing to lord so he can pour out theblessings from the windows of heaven. He told us we need to have ourown sacred grove experiences in our prayers. He also taught us aboutthe different experiences he has had in reactivating and sealingfamilies. He mentioned the families in Idaho and after zoneconference I went up to him and told him that I am from Idaho.Elder Kikuchi taught us other ways to approach people and ElderSteagall and I have tried each one since conference and they all work! The Waller ward is getting really jazzed up for this activity thisSaturday and we are going to have a little booth with informationabout what we believe. Our ward mission leader in the W ward isamazing and he is like Captain Moroni, not kidding at all. He gets thejob done and is a leader and really is restoring the W ward.Members are really doing a lot of missionary work out here by invitingtheir friends to come to the BBQ and paving the way for gospel topicsto be discussed. It is going to be weird after the BBQ, because thisall that anyone talks about out here. This past week members evenbought us groceries and have helped us with rides into C for district meeting. We live in the middle of nowhere but we aredefinitely making some noise. We have a good teaching pool ofinvestigators and tonight we are teaching someone who is prepared tobe taught. We are teaching L tonight, he is a teacher/soccer coach at W HS and a year ago he noticed something different about one of his students who are the member who introduced us to him. Thatmember gave him a book of Mormon and invited him over to the family’shouse for FHE a lot. The whole family has taken him in andfellowshipped him and he has been to the singles ward every Sunday thelast 2 months in C. He knows the Book of Mormon is true and thechurch is true and he is a great guy. So I am excited to teach in English!! Haha, by the way Idid bear my testimony of Joseph Smith in Spanish in a lesson! Crazyhuh! We are very busy this week leading up to the BBQ and also thisSaturday night we get transfer calls. I am really nervous because Ithink I might be leaving because I was in my first two areas for awhile and I just have a feeling about it. But whatever happens I love W and I don’t mind staying!I love you all and I am doing great, the lord isproviding ways for things to get going in this area. I have reallystrengthened my testimony of the first vision and the reality of it inmy life. Everything in my life that has been good comes from thegospel and Joseph Smith’s visit from the Father and the Son. Takeadvantage of the time now to study Joseph’s vision and ponder it. All is well here in Houston, I look forward to hearing from you nextweek and I pray for each one of you everyday in my sacred grove.
Love Always
Elder Loren James Miller
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