"Sunshine in my soul!!!"
I have like 30 seconds today and so let me tell you the reason I have sunshine in my soul!! Ok, so today was tranfers...to my surprise I got transferred from the Bronx!! Once again, I did not write about the "transfers coming up" because I was sure I would stay there! Sister Luedtke and I were in denial!! We did not want to leave each other, I did not want to leave the people, and I was just shocked that that was the news I received Monday night!! Well today came around and I was so unsure what could be going on. I thought Heavenly Father wanted me in the Bronx the next couple on months!! Well here is what happened, I got to transfers and 2 Sister missionaries got training calls and so I knew I was not going to be with them and I thought maybe I was getting put into a Spanish area with a Spanish speaking sister or something because there was no place for me to go with the English sisters!!! So we get into the chapel and Elder Bishoff announces "Sister Miller and Sister Johanson will be training Sister Wynhoop!!!" AHH!! The assistants to the President saw the shock of joy on our faces and came up to me and apologized they did not call! (Which was totally understandable because of how busy they are!!) But let me tell you... I came out with Sister Johanson! We lived together in the MTC in Utah, lived together in the West Side oF Manhattan, and every single time we have seen each other throughout the year (when we did not live together) we have always told each other that we were still praying to be together as companions one day!! My prayer has been answered even though it was completely unexpected but oh how blessed I am!!! And guess where I got sent?!?! Back to the East Side of Manhattan in the singles ward where I was in April!!! I am just so grateful and so excited to be with Sister Wynhoop and Johanson and to teach every single person!!;) I miss Sister Luedtke but I know Heavenly Father has had this planned all along. Wow! Ok, I am going to run but I love you all and miss you so much!!! Will someone please call mom and tell her because I did not get to write her today!! She is going to be ecstatic to know where I am!! :)
Until next time...XOXO!
Love you always,
Sister Miller
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
September 23, 2009
"Sweet Is the Work!"
To My Lovely Family And Friends!
Today is our Conference cleaning and basically like the week before General Conference we clean our apartment until it looks brand new!! I am going to do this the rest of my life because it feels so good afterwards! I love it! So we just finished and came to e-mail and even though I feel disgusting I am just so excited to tell you about our amazing experiences! Right now we are teaching that guy we met on the street that showed up at church, Bobby! Each week we meet him at this Park on Saturday afternoons and this Saturday inparticular was so amazing and unique at the same time! Get this! During our lesson this big group of people from the Baptist church gathered very close to us and started singing, preaching, and praising The Lord!!! I felt like I was in a movie as as we were having this wonderful lesson! It was too funny yet amazing! Sweet is this work! We also just found 3 new people on Monday that have been taught in the past. My heart is full and I am so grateful for all that I have been given! My favorite hymn still remains...Because I have been given much I too must give!! Well, I am going to run but I love you bunches and miss you even more!! Always remember to choose the right and I will write you guys in another short 7 days!!! Until then....XOXO!
Love you always,
Sister Miller
To My Lovely Family And Friends!
Today is our Conference cleaning and basically like the week before General Conference we clean our apartment until it looks brand new!! I am going to do this the rest of my life because it feels so good afterwards! I love it! So we just finished and came to e-mail and even though I feel disgusting I am just so excited to tell you about our amazing experiences! Right now we are teaching that guy we met on the street that showed up at church, Bobby! Each week we meet him at this Park on Saturday afternoons and this Saturday inparticular was so amazing and unique at the same time! Get this! During our lesson this big group of people from the Baptist church gathered very close to us and started singing, preaching, and praising The Lord!!! I felt like I was in a movie as as we were having this wonderful lesson! It was too funny yet amazing! Sweet is this work! We also just found 3 new people on Monday that have been taught in the past. My heart is full and I am so grateful for all that I have been given! My favorite hymn still remains...Because I have been given much I too must give!! Well, I am going to run but I love you bunches and miss you even more!! Always remember to choose the right and I will write you guys in another short 7 days!!! Until then....XOXO!
Love you always,
Sister Miller
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
September 16, 2009
"When the Saints Come Marching In!"
To My Fabulous Family and Friends!
Hi! I feel so blessed to have been here over 9/11 and this year we did not meet anyone personally effected but it is apparent that hearts are softened on that day in particular. Last year in Manhattan President Obama was at Columbia University and we contacted near campus and we saw lots of fire trucks driving around with slideshows on them in memory towards those who lost their lives or were effected and in the Bronx this year it was a rainy dreary day so we did not see or experience the same things as last year! Either way it is a blessing to be a missionary in New York during this time and even though we did not meet anyone ourselves …perhaps other missionaries did:) All continues to go wonderful in the Bronx and I just love the people here! I have a picture I am mailing home that will share with you what it is like being here! Every letter I get from mom, she shares her natural concern for my safety but I have never felt safer in my life than on my mission! The Lord surely protects us in all things as missionaries!:) It drives me crazy she asks all of the time and if anyone has taught me I am safe in life in general it is mom because I have the precious gift of the Holy Ghost! I just have to remind her!:) So last Wednesday I had a little bug of the flu but not really, I just felt yucky and thankfully it went away before we had to go out for the night! On the other hand, all of the Sisters I live with were incredibly sick and we spent a total of 2 more days total in the apartment. Sickness took over the Lord’s servants this week and it sure was no fun for my Sisters! The other companionship we live with are Spanish speaking sisters and it is so fun for all of us to be together! It just so happened and worked out that we were able to cover all appointments in both areas by going on splits with the Hermanas and the other 2 who were more ill at the time stayed home! I loved being able to be with those Hermanas at their appointments and having the spirit witness to me the gospel is for all of Heavenly Fathers children! I just love it! And guess what I got to do yesterday??!? I went on a split back to my first area in Manhattan and just felt sooo ecstatic to be there with my old companion Sister Wadsworth! She and I were only together that short 6 weeks on the East Side of Manhattan and now she is where I was! We were able to have many great appointments with the success they are having in that area and I also got to see Maritza, Guillaume, Charolette, and Michael!! It was just amazing to say the least!! Maritza has been doing ok but she still has a strong testimony of the gospel. She attends church like 2 times a month and is working on being at church weekly. Here smiling face just brightened my life! When Sister Wadsworth and I sang with Guillaume “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” it brought back memories of teaching Guillaume with Sister Dantes and I just loved being able to see the glow on his face because of the gospel. I have never cried more tears of joy in my life than on my mission. Guillaume told me in his thick cute Hatian accent that he passes the sacrament weekly andI wish I could have recorded it! He is preparing to receive his endowment hopefully by December and that would be really special to be able to witness that. Oh how I love this work! Charloette and Michael are just the cutest kids ever and although there mother Claudia does not go to church weekly the kids get a ride or travel on the subway with other families so they can be there! Although they may be young they are such examples to me and will be forever as they stay on this path!! So to top off the week, when we were coming back to the Bronx last night we saw the drummer in the subway that we see often and he recognizes “the sisters”! We always smile and wave and he pointed to us and said in his microphone “ it is the sisters from the Latter Day Saints” and started singing “Of when the saints come marching in…!” Each day we are trying to “march” into peoples apartments and the success will only increase! I look forward to the miracles in store this next week!! Well I love you so much, it is time to go to the Bronx Zoo with the Sisters and Elders! Until next time….XOXO!
Love you always,
Sister Miller
To My Fabulous Family and Friends!
Hi! I feel so blessed to have been here over 9/11 and this year we did not meet anyone personally effected but it is apparent that hearts are softened on that day in particular. Last year in Manhattan President Obama was at Columbia University and we contacted near campus and we saw lots of fire trucks driving around with slideshows on them in memory towards those who lost their lives or were effected and in the Bronx this year it was a rainy dreary day so we did not see or experience the same things as last year! Either way it is a blessing to be a missionary in New York during this time and even though we did not meet anyone ourselves …perhaps other missionaries did:) All continues to go wonderful in the Bronx and I just love the people here! I have a picture I am mailing home that will share with you what it is like being here! Every letter I get from mom, she shares her natural concern for my safety but I have never felt safer in my life than on my mission! The Lord surely protects us in all things as missionaries!:) It drives me crazy she asks all of the time and if anyone has taught me I am safe in life in general it is mom because I have the precious gift of the Holy Ghost! I just have to remind her!:) So last Wednesday I had a little bug of the flu but not really, I just felt yucky and thankfully it went away before we had to go out for the night! On the other hand, all of the Sisters I live with were incredibly sick and we spent a total of 2 more days total in the apartment. Sickness took over the Lord’s servants this week and it sure was no fun for my Sisters! The other companionship we live with are Spanish speaking sisters and it is so fun for all of us to be together! It just so happened and worked out that we were able to cover all appointments in both areas by going on splits with the Hermanas and the other 2 who were more ill at the time stayed home! I loved being able to be with those Hermanas at their appointments and having the spirit witness to me the gospel is for all of Heavenly Fathers children! I just love it! And guess what I got to do yesterday??!? I went on a split back to my first area in Manhattan and just felt sooo ecstatic to be there with my old companion Sister Wadsworth! She and I were only together that short 6 weeks on the East Side of Manhattan and now she is where I was! We were able to have many great appointments with the success they are having in that area and I also got to see Maritza, Guillaume, Charolette, and Michael!! It was just amazing to say the least!! Maritza has been doing ok but she still has a strong testimony of the gospel. She attends church like 2 times a month and is working on being at church weekly. Here smiling face just brightened my life! When Sister Wadsworth and I sang with Guillaume “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” it brought back memories of teaching Guillaume with Sister Dantes and I just loved being able to see the glow on his face because of the gospel. I have never cried more tears of joy in my life than on my mission. Guillaume told me in his thick cute Hatian accent that he passes the sacrament weekly andI wish I could have recorded it! He is preparing to receive his endowment hopefully by December and that would be really special to be able to witness that. Oh how I love this work! Charloette and Michael are just the cutest kids ever and although there mother Claudia does not go to church weekly the kids get a ride or travel on the subway with other families so they can be there! Although they may be young they are such examples to me and will be forever as they stay on this path!! So to top off the week, when we were coming back to the Bronx last night we saw the drummer in the subway that we see often and he recognizes “the sisters”! We always smile and wave and he pointed to us and said in his microphone “ it is the sisters from the Latter Day Saints” and started singing “Of when the saints come marching in…!” Each day we are trying to “march” into peoples apartments and the success will only increase! I look forward to the miracles in store this next week!! Well I love you so much, it is time to go to the Bronx Zoo with the Sisters and Elders! Until next time….XOXO!
Love you always,
Sister Miller
Saturday, September 12, 2009
September 9, 2009
"Having a little hope"
To My Dearest Family and Friends!
I feel a little sick today and so this will be short!! Sister Luedtke was sick 2 full days this week and we were cooped up in the apartment which seemed like prison!!!! I sat on the couch and read the Ensign to her, listened to talks, made some phone calls, wrote some recent converts, etc. and the agenda repeated itself quite a few times!! Thankfully, she is well now all due to the priesthood power!!:) So this last weekend was the 1 year mark of Lisa Beyl's baptism and confirmation and it brought back so many memories of when Sister Buhler and I met and taught her!! She has moved to Ecuador since then but I have found out she is engaged and was going through the temple at her one year mark! I was so excited! My heart is so happy and it makes me reflect upon the reasons I served a mission!!:) Everyone needs the blessings this gospel brings ...if we just do our part!!:) We had such a good week despite Sister Luedtke being sick and have worked as hard as possible to make up for those lost days! I just felt so bad for her! I am afraid I have the flu right now but at least it is a day I can try my best to relax and get rid of it:) Anyway, on Sunday Sister Luedtke taught me a big lesson and showed me that I just can't judge..here is the story. So Sister Luedtlke has been out about 9 weeks now on her mission. In this area it has been the most difficult on my mission for us to find people who porgress and actually come to church and we always try to change that around!! Although it is common for us to committ people on the street they typically don't come and I learned that quick when I first came on my mission! :) Well we still committ random people like crazy since they don't want to give their address or number and hope to see miracles. My first Sunday with Sister Luedtke she leaned over to me during sacrament meeting and goes " I really thought all of those people would come to church today maybe they are here and invisible!" (That is how optimistic she is!) Well Saturday we did another random committ to this guy named Bobby and I told Sister Luedtke ..."you really think HE is going to come? I will have to repent if he shows up!" Sure enough on Sunday Bobby walked in the doors and I smiled so big!! I felt ashamed for thinking for a split second he would not come and that is something I will never do again. Now I know I just need to have more hope like my companion!!! I am grateful for the things I learn from my companions and even though it was a humbling experience when I first came on my mission, I know I needed to learn important things that have changed my life! I hope you are all doing sooo good and having a blessed day. I miss you all and thank you for your letters, e-mails, and prayers. Your thoughtfulness means the world to me!!
Love you always,
Sister Miller
To My Dearest Family and Friends!
I feel a little sick today and so this will be short!! Sister Luedtke was sick 2 full days this week and we were cooped up in the apartment which seemed like prison!!!! I sat on the couch and read the Ensign to her, listened to talks, made some phone calls, wrote some recent converts, etc. and the agenda repeated itself quite a few times!! Thankfully, she is well now all due to the priesthood power!!:) So this last weekend was the 1 year mark of Lisa Beyl's baptism and confirmation and it brought back so many memories of when Sister Buhler and I met and taught her!! She has moved to Ecuador since then but I have found out she is engaged and was going through the temple at her one year mark! I was so excited! My heart is so happy and it makes me reflect upon the reasons I served a mission!!:) Everyone needs the blessings this gospel brings ...if we just do our part!!:) We had such a good week despite Sister Luedtke being sick and have worked as hard as possible to make up for those lost days! I just felt so bad for her! I am afraid I have the flu right now but at least it is a day I can try my best to relax and get rid of it:) Anyway, on Sunday Sister Luedtke taught me a big lesson and showed me that I just can't judge..here is the story. So Sister Luedtlke has been out about 9 weeks now on her mission. In this area it has been the most difficult on my mission for us to find people who porgress and actually come to church and we always try to change that around!! Although it is common for us to committ people on the street they typically don't come and I learned that quick when I first came on my mission! :) Well we still committ random people like crazy since they don't want to give their address or number and hope to see miracles. My first Sunday with Sister Luedtke she leaned over to me during sacrament meeting and goes " I really thought all of those people would come to church today maybe they are here and invisible!" (That is how optimistic she is!) Well Saturday we did another random committ to this guy named Bobby and I told Sister Luedtke ..."you really think HE is going to come? I will have to repent if he shows up!" Sure enough on Sunday Bobby walked in the doors and I smiled so big!! I felt ashamed for thinking for a split second he would not come and that is something I will never do again. Now I know I just need to have more hope like my companion!!! I am grateful for the things I learn from my companions and even though it was a humbling experience when I first came on my mission, I know I needed to learn important things that have changed my life! I hope you are all doing sooo good and having a blessed day. I miss you all and thank you for your letters, e-mails, and prayers. Your thoughtfulness means the world to me!!
Love you always,
Sister Miller
Friday, September 11, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
September 2, 2009
"This Beautiful World!"
Hola Mami Y Papi!
This morning we were doing our laundry at the laundry mat and to our surprise there were all of the little kids in their uniforms going to school!! It seems like yesterday when school was getting out! My oh my! So, nothing is really new this week but Sister Luedtke and I have felt so good about being together! She is always so happy and it makes mission life so much easier to have a companion like her! We live with 2 spanish speaking sisters and we love coming home to them and night too! When I was CT it was just my companion and I living together and that was relaxing but it is nice to be back with roommates!! So about the work, each day we are trying to build the Lord’s kingdom and have seen much of the fruits of our labors! We have had many successful appointments and not only with new people but with less actives that have not been to church in a long time. In our area we have a total of 6 active people going to church and so we are trying our best to increase that! Isn’t that shocking?! When President and Sister Smith first came into the mission and he was introducing themselves, one of the things he said is that he comes from a neighborhood where his ward consist of 2 blocks total and on those 2 blocks not one person is going less-active!! Our ward has a total of 8 of us missionaries and so the vicinity for our ward is huge but there are just so many people that aren’t going to church! We hope to change that! On Sunday I was able to speak in sacrament meeting with 3 of our Elders and we spoke about missionary work! I had the chance to talk about serving others through ways of sharing the gospel and it helped me to recognize what I personally can do better! Sister Luedtke and I have many opportunities to be of service to Heavenly Fathers children in the Bronx and we pray every single second that more will accept us! : ) One person we found is from Elders who taught her in the past and her name is Terese! One reason she did not get baptized was because her friend who lived in Brooklyn could not get baptized in this area and it was disturbing to her. She did not really get why but now she does Another factor in the picture is that she was trying to quit smoking. She told us other Sisters tried to see her in the past but they never showed up for appointments when she was expecting them. As we know, there is a reason behind everything and one reason I feel as though we met her now and are able to teach her is because she and Sister Luedtke can relate a lot! Therese is trying to quit smoking once again and Luedtke had to do the same thing when she was taking the lessons from the Elders! Luedtke shares a lot of things that helped her and Therese just appreciates it so much! It is really cute! There just might be a baptism around the corner for us!! We keep saying we know it is coming! And how could I forget? Guess what I got to do yesterday?! I went on a split back to CT with my former companion from the MTC and Manhattan…Sister Dantes! Not only did I get to see the pretty trees again but we were able to have an appointment with the family from Africa (Chantel and Cindy) and it just made me so happy! I never had the chance to say bye to them when I got transferred because they were out of town but Heavenly Father provided a way! He always does! Chantel and the kids are so humble and grateful for what we do. Little do they know how grateful I am for them. Chantel is one who just does not really have the complete desire to be baptized right now and although I wish she did I completely understand and we can’t force her. We have taught her multiple times that this church is the only one with the authority to baptize but she goes back to her Catholic roots and being baptized Catholic is good for now. Although there is not a baptism with proper authority in physical sight for her and Cindy I know there will be one day and I am grateful for the things we were able to teach her. Maybe we met them when we did and had the relationship we did for Thomas!! The man who changed my world!: ) Chantel told me yesterday Thomas is trying to get all of his friends in his city in Africa to meet with the missionaries and he goes on the church website to give their address so missionaries will show up. How touching it was to hear that. I also found out from Sister Roberts that Chris is getting baptized next month in Utah. Of course that was just as amazing! Ok time is up….but I love you bunches and hope you have a wonderful day and enjoying the fall weather! It is so nice here! Until next time, XOXO!
Love you Always,
Sister Miller
Hola Mami Y Papi!
This morning we were doing our laundry at the laundry mat and to our surprise there were all of the little kids in their uniforms going to school!! It seems like yesterday when school was getting out! My oh my! So, nothing is really new this week but Sister Luedtke and I have felt so good about being together! She is always so happy and it makes mission life so much easier to have a companion like her! We live with 2 spanish speaking sisters and we love coming home to them and night too! When I was CT it was just my companion and I living together and that was relaxing but it is nice to be back with roommates!! So about the work, each day we are trying to build the Lord’s kingdom and have seen much of the fruits of our labors! We have had many successful appointments and not only with new people but with less actives that have not been to church in a long time. In our area we have a total of 6 active people going to church and so we are trying our best to increase that! Isn’t that shocking?! When President and Sister Smith first came into the mission and he was introducing themselves, one of the things he said is that he comes from a neighborhood where his ward consist of 2 blocks total and on those 2 blocks not one person is going less-active!! Our ward has a total of 8 of us missionaries and so the vicinity for our ward is huge but there are just so many people that aren’t going to church! We hope to change that! On Sunday I was able to speak in sacrament meeting with 3 of our Elders and we spoke about missionary work! I had the chance to talk about serving others through ways of sharing the gospel and it helped me to recognize what I personally can do better! Sister Luedtke and I have many opportunities to be of service to Heavenly Fathers children in the Bronx and we pray every single second that more will accept us! : ) One person we found is from Elders who taught her in the past and her name is Terese! One reason she did not get baptized was because her friend who lived in Brooklyn could not get baptized in this area and it was disturbing to her. She did not really get why but now she does Another factor in the picture is that she was trying to quit smoking. She told us other Sisters tried to see her in the past but they never showed up for appointments when she was expecting them. As we know, there is a reason behind everything and one reason I feel as though we met her now and are able to teach her is because she and Sister Luedtke can relate a lot! Therese is trying to quit smoking once again and Luedtke had to do the same thing when she was taking the lessons from the Elders! Luedtke shares a lot of things that helped her and Therese just appreciates it so much! It is really cute! There just might be a baptism around the corner for us!! We keep saying we know it is coming! And how could I forget? Guess what I got to do yesterday?! I went on a split back to CT with my former companion from the MTC and Manhattan…Sister Dantes! Not only did I get to see the pretty trees again but we were able to have an appointment with the family from Africa (Chantel and Cindy) and it just made me so happy! I never had the chance to say bye to them when I got transferred because they were out of town but Heavenly Father provided a way! He always does! Chantel and the kids are so humble and grateful for what we do. Little do they know how grateful I am for them. Chantel is one who just does not really have the complete desire to be baptized right now and although I wish she did I completely understand and we can’t force her. We have taught her multiple times that this church is the only one with the authority to baptize but she goes back to her Catholic roots and being baptized Catholic is good for now. Although there is not a baptism with proper authority in physical sight for her and Cindy I know there will be one day and I am grateful for the things we were able to teach her. Maybe we met them when we did and had the relationship we did for Thomas!! The man who changed my world!: ) Chantel told me yesterday Thomas is trying to get all of his friends in his city in Africa to meet with the missionaries and he goes on the church website to give their address so missionaries will show up. How touching it was to hear that. I also found out from Sister Roberts that Chris is getting baptized next month in Utah. Of course that was just as amazing! Ok time is up….but I love you bunches and hope you have a wonderful day and enjoying the fall weather! It is so nice here! Until next time, XOXO!
Love you Always,
Sister Miller
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