Elder Michael Milius: 19 July 2016

Friends and Family,

This week has been pretty much the same old busy week that a mission has to offer. Again, I probably won’t be able to share all of it but I hope what I do share can help you all feel the Spirit and feel Heavenly Father’s love for you.

Me and my companion Elder Hanratty taught two TRCs (which are basically actors who play “investigators”) this past week and committed both of them to baptism! The lessons kept getting better and better and we have discovered that the Spirit is the true teacher in all cases. We received a new shipment of 680 Elders and Sisters this past week and I don’t feel new anymore. I’ve got this place down, and I’m ready to leave.

An experience I had this past week was the opportunity to give one of the Sisters in my District a blessing for the healing of the sick. I had never been the voice of a blessing so I was kind of nervous, but the faith she had and the faith I knew Heavenly Father had in me made it pretty easy. I honestly cannot remember a single thing I blessed her with but that is because I was just the mouthpiece for God to bless her. The spirit was so cool, literally flowing through me upon Sister Montgomery.

I also had a long discussion with some Elders in my zone just about things we were feeling as far as making some companionship switches. Even though we stayed up until 12:00 and broke curfew, it was a neat discussion and we all felt and noticed the spirit that we had in effect of the mantle we’ve been set apart with as missionaries.

Sunday was the highlight of the week for sure. First of all we as a zone held a fast for one of the missionaries in our zone who was struggling. That just brought us all closer and I think because of that fast he is now doing so much better. I don’t believe that God works with coincidences. Secondly, I taught Priesthood with my companion and the topic was on Faith. I love faith because it is literally the foundation of everything else we do as Latter-Day Saints. Third and finally, for the Sunday night Devotional the MTC President decided that we were going to watch the “Character of Christ” talk by David A. Bednar. Even though I had seen it before it was awesome a second time, but I’d be lying if I said my eyes weren’t shut at times. Then at the end the lights came on and everyone stood up. No one really knew what was going on until President came to the pulpit and introduced ELDER BEDNAR! Apparently, knowing that “Character of Christ” is shown weekly at the MTC once or twice a year Elder Bednar likes to surprise the missionaries and show up allowing them to ask questions on the talk. I was sitting about 20 feet from an Apostle of God and my eyes weren’t tired anymore. He is so inspired and I also found that we as missionaries are also so inspired. Almost every single question that was asked focused on “our investigators” on others. I love the church. And even though I didn’t have a question in mind, my question was answered.

All of the lessons in Preach My Gospel are centered around Jesus Christ. Everything we do focuses on Jesus Christ. And we as missionaries of Jesus Christ are endowed with His power, authority, and trust. I love my Savior. I love His gospel. If there is one reason why I am out preparing to serve for the next two years of my life it is because of Jesus Christ. I invite you all to specifically pray to Him, to know Him, and to continually try to BECOME like Him; and as you do you will be able to feel His Spirit working within you. I say these things in the name of Him, our Eternal Savior Jesus Christ, amen.

“The Atonement would not be possible if it weren’t for the Character of Christ.”

Godspeed,

Elder Milius