Hello Dad, Mom, Reece, and Remi!
Thank you for your email! I was really surprised to read about going to California because I had no idea! [Elder Miller gets to speak in his "home" ward in Visalia on August 22!] Hopefully I will still get to spend some time with you before we have to leave for school. [Uh, YES!!!]
This week was very eventful for my new trainee, Elder Bailey Thomas, and I. He is from Montpelier, Idaho and is excited and ready to do the work! (see photo) He has four older brothers who all served missions so he is also prepared! With his second door that we knocked on we were blessed to set two baptismal dates with for July! - Yes, Dad, he is definitely on fire! Their names are Elizabeth and Marc. Saturday we set another date with John for the 24th and he is very committed to this step of baptism in his life. John is the one who I told you is going through a difficult trial in his life, but he wants to be baptized and continue becoming a better person regardless of what happens. Three dates for July and counting!
Elder Engemann is doing well in his second area. We had a great time serving together! Here is a photo of our dinner at Benihanas (one of those Japenese cooked in front of you places) with Karolyn and Jonathan the night before he left (see photo).
In other news this week I have had some trials but they have all been met with comfort and help from the Lord, "to make weak things become strong unto [me]." Let me give you some examples:
>On Saturday I got my first flat tire ever on my mission while biking in the rain to our appointment with John. But the blessing of this was that we called John and he gave us a ride the rest of the evening and we didn't have to bike the rest of the night in the rain. Even more of a blessing was being able to teach him from Alma 7 about how the atonement could specifically apply in his life through baptism and then set his baptismal date of July 24th. I will get to see his baptism!
>On Friday while simply doing the normal push ups and pull-ups that I do I pulled a muscle in my neck which has been very painful. But the Lord still blessed me to be able to keep my commitment to the B. family by helping them move on Saturday. My neck didn't really hurt the whole time we were helping them!
>On Friday night I got pulled over for the first time in my life. It was dark and raining and I had gone straight from a poorly marked right turn lane. The police officer simply said to be careful because he knows we don't want to get into any accidents. It was a blessing that he was kind!
>Before President Darrington had left I got permission from him to call BYU-Idaho and ask them questions I had about class sign ups and scholarships. I was told that I no longer had my original scholarships (they were only two semester scholarships), but that I had been blessed with the Nielsen trust fund, qualified for Pell grant funds, and received a private grant as well. What blessings!
I know the Lord loves and blesses us and helps us through our trials when we serve him.
Our new mission President is really cool. I miss President and Sister Darrinton, but I know that the Halls will do an amazing job as well. President Hall is a former football coach, sports and athletic director for BYU-I, as well as recently the Vice President of BYU-I. This leadership experience will really help him to "rally up the team!"
I can't believe that tomorrow is my last zone conference!? When did that happen? I will be giving my departing testimony tomorrow then. I feel that life is about to happen for me very fast over the next many months. Rather than trying to put on the brakes I will just move forward in faith!
I love you all and I am sure that the success we are experiencing right now has a lot to do with your faith and prayers on our behalf. Thank you for always supporting me. You're the best family an Elder could ever have!
Love,
Elder Miller
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