Dear Mom, Dad, Remi, and Reece,
I am so glad to hear that you are all safe and well. Reece, you gave me a little scare with your story but I am so glad that you and everyone else is safe and that there was no serious damage. [Reece (and Remi) hydroplaned while trying to avoid someone who turned suddenly with no signal and ran across a ditch.]
These thunderstorms can be pretty intense! The Lord has blessed me lately to be out of the rain and lightning when we are out on our bikes. He is definitely watching over us! Sometimes during a storm it seems that He clears a path for us in the sky directly above our heads so that we can tract the area we are in. Just one of His many miracles that I witness on a daily basis.
Remi, I will definitely write you back, bud. I'm sorry I haven't written more. Sometimes with our busy schedules (even on P-day) it's hard to make the time to write letters. But today I am sick with a cold so I will have some more time to write letters. I will just have to sterilize the letter and envelope to keep from sending germs your way! I will tell Elder E. that you said "hi!"
Dad, I am really happy that you enjoyed my Father's Day card for you and I appreciate your compliment on my expression of feelings to people. That really means a lot because that is something very important to me, so thank you! I do look forward to talking with you and hearing the things you will share with me as my father about my next steps in life. Mom, it was really nice to hear about Grandpa! I had written a note in my planner to ask you how he was doing so I was very happy to hear the good news. :) How are our other extended family members doing? Thank you for the school info. I talked with President Darrington and he gave me permission to go on BYU-I's website to get class sign up info today. I will also get permission to call a counselor there and ask advice on classes to take, etc. Thank you for your help! I love you all!
This week I had to say goodbye to President and Sister Darrington. That was really hard because they have been so kind and have taught me so much. I told them that I hoped to get together with them the next time they come to Idaho Falls (30minutes from Rexburg) when they go there to visit family. There are a lot of missionaries from this mission going there so that will probably turn into a mission reunion! Here is President Darrington's last email "charge" and my reply to his president's letter to me this week, my last :(
CHARGE
[This is an entry from my personal journal dated February 25, 2007.]
“Yesterday, shortly after noon, our assignment letter arrived FEDEX. [Sister Darrington was in Utah assisting our daughter with a medical situation.] I put a notice on the family website that the assignment letter had arrived, so everyone is quite eager with anticipation.
“Last evening, I went to the temple. It was nice to reflect on matters of eternal significance and to anticipate where we may be assigned. In the Celestial Room, I said a prayer that I would be acceptable wherever we may be assigned. It seems at times like this Satan conjures up feelings of unworthiness and being inadequate that if dwelt upon could circumscribe our effectiveness to perform the work.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity I had at the age of nineteen to serve a mission to the North Central States. It was a high watermark in my life and has been since. I had two mission presidents who were influential in shaping and molding my character and capabilities to do missionary work and to be a productive member of society. I was raised by extremely humble and faithful parents. They guided me and taught me truth. Susan continues to be my mainstay and a tremendous influence in my life. I love her and I’m looking forward to serving the next three years with her.
“When we opened the assignment letter last Sunday evening, Susan could hardly read the first line before she started to cry. Later, when she gained her composure she felt like she had won the Church mission sweepstakes! We are excited about the opportunity which is ahead of us.”
With Great Love, President Darrington
“One Lord, One Faith, 100 Baptisms!”
Dear President Darrington:
I greatly appreciate the service that you and Sister Darrington have rendered to the Florida Orlando mission. I will always consider both of you a part of my family. You have been like a father to me during these past two years of my life and I have learned so much from you on leadership responsibility, serving others, and what it means to have Christlike love. Thank you for the enthusiasm and zeal you have for the work. I will continue to, "Fight the Adversary!" [arm thrust and all] as a full time missionary until my mission is through. After which I will apply the important advice you have shared with the mission contained in your document, "Legacy." You and Sister Darrington have fought the good fight and I know the Lord will be able to say of your service here, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant(s)." May God bless you in your next journey of life.
Love,
Elder Miller
At our last president's interviews this week Elder Bennett and I presented a cake that we had baked for President and Sister Darrington that we called "President's surprise cake. We lit 36 candles on the cake in the shape of the number 100 to represent their 36 months of service and also our mission striving to reach the goal of 100 baptisms. Not only was that a surprise but we had put our own surprise into it of candy bars crunched up in the mix. I will greatly miss them but I know they have served well and that President and Sister Hall will do a great job in this mission as well.
[Elder Miller's family was very blessed to be able to meet President and Sister Darrington before they were released. Wonderful, wonderful people. We feel so blessed to have had them be Ryan's mission "parents" for most of his mission!]
Our friend Con (Anthony) came to church yesterday. He said that he really enjoyed it. He also said that the arrangement I sang with the choir of a special Father's Day song was very beautiful. We will be meeting with him to teach him more of the lessons on Tuesday. Ryan [investigator] still hasn't made it to church yet because of his work but he and Con both came to the baptism of Alex D. by Elder Stolle and Elder Bennett on Saturday. We were there with them and it was a really great experience for all who attended. Alex is 16 and he was recently diagnosed with Leukemia. It is in recession now and I know that it has a lot to do with the prayers and blessings that have been done in his behalf.
I went on a Spanish exchange with one of our zone leaders- Elder Merrill. We had good experiences and talked to a lot of really nice Spanish people. We also drove to Okeechobee through a lightning storm to do a baptismal interview for two sisters who were baptized this weekend as well. Our zone is being blessed with a lot of success and we have been reaching double digits in baptisms for the past couple of months!
Karolyn said that you had contacted her, that's awesome! Thanks for doing that! Jonathan received the Priesthood on Sunday and it was a really special experience for him and his mom.
Well I will write some letters today for you all. I will keep them short and sweet so I can write one to each of you. Most of my experiences and info. is included in my email so I will just write you each a personal note.
I love each of you very much and I hope to hear great things next week as well. Thank you for being the best family ever!
Love,
Elder Miller
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