Typhoons and Testimonies

AHH!! Another week has come and gone!!
Hello friends! Get ready for a wild week!!

 This week was mission tour!! Elder Revillo came and gave us some awesome insights! Our first day of mission tour was in-person as half the mission met together in Tuguegarao. The next day was on zoom, but we stayed in Tuguegarao so we could be united for the zoom call.

Because of the mission tour, this week we only had two normal days of working! By Wednesday, the STL’s from far away areas came to our apartment because we live closer to where the mission tour was happening.

It was fun! It was like a giant sleepover! But we had to get up at 3:30 the next morning to get ready and travel! I was so tired all day, but the mission tour was completely worth it!! It was so wonderful to hear from the Revillo’s. They gave us some really good ideas to help us. It was a little hard because the pressure is on baptizing, but it was also motivating. They talked a lot about seeing people as God sees them and helping them come closer to Christ! It was amazing!!

It was also a cool experience to meet with other missionaries who have been in the field for a long time!! I asked almost everyone I met how they studied the language, and I am excited to use some of their ideas!

After the mission tour ended, we headed to our area and got to work—we had a baptism to prepare for!!

But…Satan had other plans: HURRICANE PT. 2!!

As the baptism neared, so did the storm! What started in the morning as a gentle sprinkling was an outright downpour in the afternoon!!

Our Baptism was scheduled for 4. We walked to the church in the pouring rain. When we got there, we learned that the Elder’s had scheduled their baptism for the exact same time! It was a little chaotic, but we were able to combine the baptisms and make them both happen! 

With the storm brewing outside, we were safe inside the church, feeling the spirit. It was a beautiful service. The bishop of the other ward talked about the next steps after baptism and how Brother Jerome would be able to bless his family with the priesthood and eventually get sealed in the temple. The spirit was strong. It was a wonderful reminder of why I am here and the love that I have for these people and for the Lord. 

On Sunday, we woke up with news that we could attend sacrament meeting, but to come home after to stay safe from the storm! 

We had a lot riding on our Sunday plans, and the storm was adding a little bit of a wrench in our plans. We were a little worried that Brother Jerome might not make it to church to be confirmed because of the storm. We were also a little worried about Aaron. Aaron was supposed to have his baptismal interview. 

However, we prayed for them and contacted them and both of them came!! Jerome was confirmed and it was beautiful and perfect! Aaron had his baptismal interview after church! I am so excited for him for next week!! The Lord truly is in the little details of our lives.

For my Spiritual thought this week, I want to share part of the story about the Brother of Jared. The Brother of Jared and his people were asked by God to cross a great ocean, to reach the promised land. In Ether 6:5-7 it says: “And it came to pass that the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land; and thus they were tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind. And it came to pass that they were many times buried in the depths of the sea, because of the mountain waves which broke upon them, and also the great and terrible tempests which were caused by the fierceness of the wind…therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.

I love this. The Lord was pushing them towards the promised land with this storm, but it was not easy. They were buried in the waves over and over again. They were tossed upon the sea, but they were being pushed towards the promised land.

Sometimes it feels like we are like these people. We are being tossed upon the waves of the sea, but when we are buried in the waves, we can cry unto the Lord and He will deliver us and bring us out of the waves for relief. And even when we feel like we are drowning in our trials, we can remember that they are bringing us closer to the Savior. We are being pushed, but we are growing. 

Last week was a challenging week for me, but this week, I really focused on looking for the good in every situation. I called upon the Lord for His help, and I truly saw His hand in my life. I know that as we rely on God and look for Him, we will be blessed. He will help us see the good in the storm and help us to see how we are growing. 

Well, it has been a wild week! Thank you all for your emails and love! We are making it! Life is as good as you choose it to be! I am so grateful for the storms in my life that bring me closer to my Savior. I can’t wait for another great week! Send prayers for Aaron as he is going to be baptized next week! Also send prayers for the Filipino people that are being hit by the storm hard!

I love you all so much!
The Church is true, God loves you!
Be happy, Be brave, Be smart

Love,
Sister Miller