Elder Michael Milius: 8 August 2016

Friends and Family,

This week has been better than the first. I could say that I’m adjusting but I think that I will always be adjusting or the next two years. One thing is for sure, I’ll always be learning whether it be from my companion or my own experiences or the Spirit (which in my opinion is the most important). Like last week a lot has been going on so I’m going to try to hit some of the major cool experiences and hopefully help y’all feel a little bit of the spirit I feel everyday.

I am running out of time to write in my journal so thank goodness for emails. We are busy running around and seeing people basically everyday which I guess is good, right? The work is most definitely moving forward and it’s going fast. Even after two weeks though I’ve seen how fast time actually goes especially once the ball starts to roll a couple transfers in.

Back to the spirit thing, there are a couple of events that occurred that testifies to me the power of the spirit in all things, and the knowledge that we as missionaries are just instruments. Brother Motes, a member of the Florence ward asked Elder Wheatley and I to give his father a blessing. His father had recently been admitted to the hospital a few days prior and was in critical care, not getting much better. When we got there and saw his father I knew what was going to be said in the blessing and so I volunteered to anoint. Elder Wheatley said exactly what needed to be said and I know that the blessing wasn’t from either of us, it was from our Father in Heaven. Brother Motes’ father is not a member, but in the blessing he received Heavenly Father told him: (1) that He loved and cared for him, (2) that his son-Brother Motes-cared about him, (3) and not to give up, but to fight. In the blessing it was also mentioned that he didn’t have much more time here on the earth but to make the most of the time he has left. I don’t know exactly if he is getting better or worse, but I do know that the blessing we gave was from God. I didn’t want to give the blessing because I knew what was going to be said. No matter what though, I know that God knows each of His children individually and has a plan for all of us.

Along these same lines, this morning the ABM (Alabama Birmingham Mission) was notified that an Elder who went home the transfer I got here had passed away in a car accident. Him, his father, and his sister all didn’t make it; and his mother and brother in-law are in critical condition. Elder Wheatley knew him personally and it’s been a somber morning to say the least. Although I never knew the Elder, because of the strength of the “ABM Family” I am struggling from the loss. We always talk about the Plan of Salvation and how God has a plan personal to each of us; but, when things like this happen it’s hard to completely understand. In Ether 12:6 we learn that a witness, or a testimony, comes after a trial of faith. These events are the trail. And I can honestly say that I KNOW this Elder is where he needs to be. God called him home, and that was his plan. I know that there is a plan and I know that because I know the most important, eternal principle: God loves His children (1 Nephi 11:17)

We also had a cool experience with Lindsey the recent convert last night in a kind of emergency. She was going through some tough things and we got to teach her how to recognize and understand the spirit, and that she had the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Sometimes I think we take for granted the gifts that our Father allows us to have and don’t necessarily use them to their full potential. But, helping her realize the power of the gift that she had help me understand more how God works. His hand is always outstretched, the Spirit is always there around us; it is up to us to grab His hand, to tune-in to the Spirit.

I hope you are all doing great wherever y’all are! If you have any personal questions feel free to email me! I’m thankful again for all of the support and for my Savior! Keep learning and keep growing closer to Christ! And I leave my testimony with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Godspeed,

Elder Milius