October

October 4th 2010-
Dear Family,
Well conference weekend has come and gone, it breezed by so fast, Ihave no idea how it could have gone so fast. It was my third generalconference of my mission which means for most missionaries, that Ihave one more general conference weekend left. I really enjoyed all ofthe talks especially Elder Ballard’s and Elder Christofferson. I hopethat dad, you enjoyed priesthood session! Priesthood Session wasfantastic and I got to watch it with my good friend Elder L. Wehad the baptism of A between conference sessions on Saturday andit was great! A has a tough time sitting still during church, usteaching him and just all the time. Right after he was baptized, hewas calm and collected during the rest of the baptism program; it isso special to see how far he has come in the gospel. Well we had interviews last week and it was great to talk to PresidentH. It was another confirmation to me that he was the missionpresident the lord called for my mission. He has helped me so muchthrough out my mission and he helped me out this past week. I have agreat feeling that I am going to be transferred on Oct. 19, I lovethis area but it just seems right. We find out next Saturday, transferinformation and I honestly hope all works out. Our investigators are doing great, not much to report besides that weare getting in with them more consistently. We are working on some less-active members as well that arestriving to come back to activity. Members are so happy to see usworking hard and trust us a lot more. There might not be a lot ofbaptisms in the next month or two but I know that there have been alot of seeds planted. Missionaries in the future will greatly reap theharvest of our work here. I am so thrilled to begin another week of work and to see people havetheir hearts changed by the Holy Ghost. This Saturday Elder Costa, ofthe seventy will speak to all three missions and I am excited forthat. I am praying that this week will commit at least two more peopleto be baptized for the beginning of November. I know that the work isso hard and I know that if only one person even is baptized, the workwill have been a success. I was told this week by President H that I have one of the biggest hearts in the mission. That I have abig heart for the work and for others around me and that really mademe feel great. I owe it to you mom and dad for all the years ofservice to others and to the lord. I am grateful for my family andfriends and love you all so very much. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’tfor you! Until next week be safe and pray always.
Love your son
Elder Loren James Miller
October 11th, 2010
Dear Family,
Well after looking at those pictures, it makes me feel so good to seehow great everyone is. Sometimes, I forget what you all look like! Itis sad I know but it has been a long time since we have seen eachother face to face. The work is well here in W, we have a lotgoing on still but some investigators are hiding from us which isreally not that good. I am happy to see a beautiful baby be blessed inour family and to see one of the fruits of the Restoration, thepriesthood, working to bless the lives of families and individuals. Next Saturday is transfer calls and I am anxious but I need to putthat on hold because I have a whole week until that night. I would love to be transferred to a Bikearea, because I need to shed some weight off and also more people aretalked to in a bike area then in a car area. But as far as towns orplaces, I would like to head out to Katy or the Woodlands, butwhatever happens it will be good with me. Katy is suburbia, and prettynew, and the Woodlands is where the rich people are but is full oftrees and hidden paved bike paths. Our investigators are doing great; we should have at least one or twobaptism at the beginning of November. Elder Costa came and also the area seventy member S. Gifford Nielson,who played football for the Oilers in the seventies. All three Houstonmissions were there and every missionary got to shake their hand whichwas pretty cool. He talked about his conversion story and not to besocial instead, focus on the people as we teach. If we are too casualthen we can let the spirit walk right out of the room as we go. Thiswas the second time in my mission that he spoke to us and he is a veryenergetic and funny man. I turn 17 months this Wednesday and I am still in awe howwonderful this experience has been and I got so much good things tolearn still. I am grateful for the email you sent me, it doesn’tmatter long or short, I just want to know how everyone is doing. Besafe in your travels, I love you all so much. I look forward tohearing back from you soon. This work is true, look at all the goodhas come out of it.
Love Always
Elder Loren James Miller
October 18th. 2010
Dear Family,
Well Christmas came a little bit early this year, transfers have cameand gone and I am heading back to S, TX. I am going to the K/M S wards which were right next door to K ward. Iam going to be living in the most expensive apartment in the missionand going to be in a half car half bike area. Which I am excited aboutbecause I need to lose some weight, and also I am going back to thatgym that I went to when I was in K. My new companion is fromCali and I know him pretty well, his name is Elder T. I have really wanted to serve with him and he is agreat guy. Iam excited to serve with him.We livewith another set of elders.I am veryhappy with the transfers. This week was pretty difficult because a lot of our investigatorappointments didn't happen because they forgot or they cancelled. Sothe other day we decided to go tract in a trailer park. After about 15 minutes we were kind of just like whatever,today isnt the day, nobody is really listening and so decided to knockon two more doors. We saw a school bus drop off kids in theneighborhood and this one girl opened up the gate to her fence in herfront yard and we asked her if we could talk to her parents. She saidalright you can come by, and we go around the trailer and we see alittle cottage house tucked in there. We knock on the door and thelittle girl's mom was so happy to see us. She knew exactly who we wereand told us that she saw missionaries two years ago ride by on bikesand wondered if they would ever talk to her. She has been waiting fortwo years now for missionaries to talk to her, and she is the only nonmember in her family. She has been through a lot in her life and wantsus to teach her and she is pretty much golden. Elder S and hisnew companion will have a great time teaching her. The lord blesses uswhen we keep fighting the fight and work hard and dont waste time.This was an example of that, I never wanted to stop working because offailure, it just pushed me a little bit harder. I amgoing to miss w, they all love me here and there is people outhere that I will always remember. W is a small piece of heaven onearth and its because of the people, they are so open and kind. Remember how much I was involved with thescriptures? Now I finished the old testament, and the book of mormonand I am moving on and doing it again, (except the old testament, thatwas a beast). Well this might be my last area that I go to, so I pray that I mayfinish strong and go out with a bang. I have worked so hard, and Ihave done the best I can, but I know I can do better. I know that godlives and that his work is not supposed to be frustrating and that theholy ghost is the abosolute best companion to have. It will the bestcompanion I will have on my mission because when I have it miracleshappen. I love you all so much and pray for you day and night, pleasebe safe in all you do and I am happy to represent you and the lordeveryday.
Love Always
Elder Loren James Miller
October 25th, 2010
Dear Family,

Well I have moved to a new area, I am now in the S area again, this time next door to my old area. I cover two wards, the M S and K Wards. These two wards very active wards and after meeting a lot of the members yesterday, these two wards are pretty cool. The work is rather slow right now, the teaching pool all got baptized the last few months but it is all good, things will work out. This area is simple, members are the major source of investigators and baptisms, either part member families or member referrals. I got sick this week, battling allergies/cold stuff but I am finally getting over it and working hard. We go to the gym I once used to go to and we ride bikes every other day so I should be losing some weight.
Elder T is so much fun and I love him so much. He is a big teddy bear of a guy and loves kids and the youth of the wards. Everyone in both wards just love him and want us to come over all the time. The other Elders we live with are pretty good guys, Elder K is from UT. His companion is Elder S is from Missouri.I am learning a lot from them.

It was a pretty sad day last monday night, I had dinner with the L family and they gave a going away present. I love that family, they have helped us out so much in W and I was sharing a lesson with them on Mosiah 3, which is probably the most detailed account of the atonement in my opinion. When I was reading it, I felt the spirit so powerful and I began to weep and to feel all this emotions. It was very hard to leave w but I know that it will always be there and the lord truly does have other plans for me. So usually the first week or two in a new area, everyone asks where your from and this past weekend, I loved answering that question. I am grateful to be who I am and to be where I am from.

Finally, I am getting that priesthood Line of authority, it has been on my list for a long time! It is so special to me, to know my priesthood authority traces back to the savior himself. It is such a privilege to hold the priesthood and to act in his name to perform the ordinances of salvation. I am happy to represent our family out here and the lord, this is his work and it will not be frustrated. I am blessed to know all of our family is doing so great! Please remember to pray and to give thanks for the help I have received out here. Have a great week! I love you all.

Love

Elder Loren James Miller