The Great Piano Disaster

 Hello Friends! 

 

These last couple of weeks have been wild, and this week was no exception! Between taking care of two areas, working in Cauayan, a mission tour, and a surprise addition to Solano, it has been a busy week! So, let's jump right in! 

 

Sister Gonzales and I have been busy jumping around areas trying to meet with her interested friends and my interested friends. It has been challenging at times to feel like we have enough time for everything, but it has been really fun too. I have loved learning how to teach more effectively and grow as a missionary. I love teaching with her, and I love the people in her area! It is completely a win being her companion. 

 

However, our time was very limited this week! On Tuesday, we knew that we were going to travel to at least Cauayan for a mission tour, but we weren't sure if I would stop there, or go all the way to Tuguegarao. Our mission tour had two parts, one in Tuguegarao, and one in Cauayan. Because Sister Gonzales is an STL, she had to go to both parts, but I am not an STL, so we weren't exactly sure what I would do because I do not have a companion! 

 

Finally, we got news that I would travel to Cauayan and switch places with another Sister who was being called as an STL. It ended up being so fun! I got to work in Cauayan for a day and a half with Sister Saligan. It was a great experience to work in a new area and meet new people. We got to find a lot of people too, which is always a blessing! The other missionaries in Cauayan were awesome and it felt like a sleepover party! I had a complete blast. I am glad that I ended up staying in Cauayan instead of going to Tuguegarao. 

 

Of course, the mission tour was great. We got to learn from Elder Choi. I learned a lot about the importance of being a dedicated and focused missionary. Of giving my all to God for the time that I am here. He also talked about how as we love God, it becomes easier to love others. I loved that the more that I love God, the more that I can help others come unto Christ. The focus should be on loving God with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. It was a good experience. Elder Choi is amazing, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from him. 

 

I loved the mission tour, but I was excited to get back to Solano. I love it here and I missed it while I was in Cauayan! 

 

But…we got the BEST surprise after the mission tour!! 

 

We worked all day Friday, then as we were traveling back from our full day, Sister Gonzales got a text from a sister saying that they would be companions and she would be traveling to Solano the next day. The text was from the one and only… SISTER HAMMARI!!! 

 

Sister Hammari was my MTC companion, and I absolutely love her! She is my new STL and my Kabahay. It is an absolute win! 

 

Ok, now I know you are all wondering about the title of my email: 

 

Sunday rolls around and we are sitting in our first sacrament meeting (we are covering two branches right now) and we notice there is no pianist. My companion told me to go play the piano, but I said I was sure there was someone who would be playing. But nope, we sang the first song acapella. So, for the next song, I built up my courage and went and played the piano, but I had not practiced in 8 months, so I was a bit rusty! I stumbled through the sacrament hymn and closing hymn. It was definitely not perfect, but it was better than singing acapella… Iol, I think. I was definitely happy to be done and thought that I was in the clear!

 

BUT THEN, the exact same scenario replayed in the next branch! It was a very stressful Sunday, but we made it through. I have a new goal to practice the piano so I will be more prepared next time! 

 

This week was so busy and challenging at times, but I felt God's love every day and I saw so many miracles. I know that God is so aware of me. Even in the small details, God is working wonders. 

 

Because of this, I want to share one of my favorite verses with you in Mormon 9:19:

 

“And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.”

 

I love this verse because it testifies with faith and conviction “God is a God of miracles”

 

I think sometimes we think that miracles are the big things in life: getting healed from a disease, getting a high score on a test, or making a sports team. While all of those are miracles, there are millions of small miracles that happen every day. 

 

I got to see lots of little miracles happen this week. One time, I was teaching and something I had studied came into my mind that perfectly fit what we were teaching. That was a miracle to me. 

 

Another miracle happened as I went to Cauayan. I have to be honest; I was a bit disappointed that I would not be going to Tuguegarao with Sister Gonzales, but while I was in Cauayan, I met an amazing missionary and I got to talk with her. The conversation that we had was something I think God helped put in place. It helped me see that God was aware of both of us. That was a miracle. 

 

There are miracles all around us, we just have to choose to see them. 

 

I know this church is true and I know that God is so aware of us all. No matter where we are or what we are struggling with, God knows, and God is here to help us. God is a God of miracles. 

 

I hope you all had a great week! Thank you to all who emailed me this week, I am so so so sorry I cannot respond still, but I really appreciate that you took the time to write me an email. It made my week! 

 

Love you all! 

The Church is true, God loves you, 

Be happy, Be brave, Be smart, 

Love, 

Sister Miller