Friends and Family,
Happy Monday!! Hello again from Weeetumpka (I learned to emphasize the “wee” part of the city in order to say it correctly). This week has been a blast and so much better than the last one! We have been able to meet so many more people, we now actually have a teaching pool, and we taught 27 lessons total this week! Let’s go!! Elder Harris and I decided on our motto: “Cleaning up Wetumpka!”
Our wonderful week started off with tender mercies, at least for me. We had Zone Training which is always good and we got to spend some time with the missionaries from our Zone. After that, we went to visit TJ. TJ had been taught in the past and Elder Harris found him the day before I got into the area. So, we were going back for a follow up visit and we taught him the REstoration and left him with a chapter in the Book of Mormon to read. He asked us to come back the next day and so we were able to read with him out of Chapter 31 of 2 Nephi-The Doctrine of Christ. We paused after it discusses baptism and asked him how he felt about it and focused on the importance of getting baptized by the proper authority. He thought about it and then we asked if he would offer a closing prayer and after the prayer pause and be silent for a couple minutes to feel the Spirit. I know that after his prayer the Spirit was there and I hope and pray that he will receive revelation for himself of the truthfulness of the things we were teaching.
Wednesday night continued to be good as we tracted around later at night (later than I ever have before) but we met a guy named Josh. Josh wasn’t super interested in our religion per say but he was curious to know what caused us as 18-year-old guys to go out and to proselyte and teach and talk about Christ. I shared with him the story of when I first came to know the Book of Mormon to be true and we sat on his doorstep and had an amazing conversation of the Spirit and feelings and assurances, etc. To me, those conversations are what drive me as a missionary. When I meet people who will talk to me and bounce things off and actually try to learn and grow spiritually-whether it be by our faith or another-then I feel like I’ve both learned as well as contributed to them coming closer to the Savior. I love those experiences and after a tough first few days the Lord blessed me with those experiences. He knows each of us individually and He knew what I needed to have in order for me to keep my head up and know that what I was doing was good and right.
Thursday lifted my Spirits even higher when we tracted into Carol. She again wasn’t too interested in the church but appreciated what we as missionaries do. She told us about a miracle she had witnessed the day before. Someone who was close to her was diagnosed with a disease (I don’t remember if it was cancer or something else) that was not good for her future. Through much prayer and blessing her friend was completely healed. We told Carol of the miracles that we are able to witness as missionaries each and every day and to which she responded, “Go find your miracle today.” That conversation helped me to reflect on the miracles that we truly do get to see daily. And motivated me to each day look for the ONE. Find the ONE miracle that I was sent out today to find. The ONE lost sheep whom I was called to bring back to the Shepherd.
We didn’t find that miracle Thursday, but to me Carol was the miracle. Friday though was amazing!! All of our appointments happened, everything that we had planned to do that day worked out how we had imagined it! We taught a ton of people and met a ton more! And I read a wonderful article on which I will comment on later! But Friday was a blessing, it was a different day and it was the day that everything turned around! Saturday was one in the same, we weren’t given very much time because of plans and the storm in the morning (we were under Tornado Warning, hence the bike helmets and mattress) but we were able to see those who we needed to. In a matter of two hours we gave out 4 copies of the Book of Mormon and found a few people we were not intending to find. Once again, the Lord is in charge and He puts people in the path of His servants, we just have to follow the Spirit and get out and work!
Sunday was a great day at church and then another wave of storms came in that afternoon so we only got out for a little bit in the evening for 3 or 4 hours to go visit some Perspective Elders; but, regardless of the storms and the low week we had last week, this week we were on fire spiritually and physically. In counting our numbers for the week we overachieved our goals in Lessons and in New Investigators. How? I don’t know, neither me nor Elder Harris could determine how that happened but it did. I love my work; I love His work.
So, the talk that basically picked me up and will have an amazing affect on me for the rest of my mission and the rest of my life was the article in this month’s Ensign about Gordon B. Hinckley. I love President Hinckley, and the article was all about how he was always doing something, always helping someone, always remaining optimistic. He used to always say “Things will work out” and I think for me, this week was the greatest example of that! I will attach the link to the talk and I would hope all of y’all would take the time to read through it. Like I said it changed my life and I know it will change yours! The Lord’s work is a good thing, it’s cheerful! We are bringing GLAD tidings of great JOY! Act like it :)
“I’m from Arizona where we bake and don’t boil.” -Sister Hatch
A dog rammed into the glass next to a door after we knocked on it. I’m surprised it wasn’t hurt.
We taught a guy who all he said to us after everything was “Hummmhuhmmumm.” That doesn’t give the experience justice but you get it…
We were woken up by our Weather Radio 4 times Friday night.
Elder Harris and I sat in the bathroom for two straight hours doing nothing.
Our Ward Mission Leader told us we have to carefully “bake ‘em” talking about our Investigators.
There are big, old...old houses in Alabama.
I love y’all, as always if you need anything from me let me know! Take care!
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2017/01/gordon-b-hinckley-a-prophet-of-optimism-and-vision?lang=eng
Much Love,
Elder Milius
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Godspeed,
ELDER MICHAEL S. MILIUS
ALABAMA BIRMINGHAM MISSION
"Behold I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of Him to declare His word among His people, that they might have everlasting life." ~3 Nephi 5:13
Elder Milius and Elder Harris prepped for Tornados
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