Just take a lap!
What a week y'all, I mean wow. I didn't think spiritual nourishment could get better than General Conference but I was wrong. This week was amazing with all sorts of miracles in finding new people to teach with the company of Elder Klebingat of the Seventy visiting our mission and giving us a little motivational Zone Conference!
It all started in Monday though when we went tracting with President. In the technology training we had talked a lot about setting goals and making plans, even small ones. So on Monday night when we were tracting we had a goal to get into one home and teach a lesson. Just a few doors after vocalizing that goal a guy named Vipin let us in. He isn't super religious but he was interested in what we had to share. We taught the Restoration with President and committed him to baptism. After we were leaving and President said, "Well this is fun! We'll have to do it again sometime-I didn't even get to knock on a door!" So we will see when he comes out with us again but that was a small miracle.
Same week but different day we were following up with an investigator and he wasn't home. So we decided to tract and we set a similar goal if getting in to teach and setting a return appointment (basically to have a new investigator). The FIRST door we knocked Anthony opened up and let us in. The pizza guy was delivering pizza to his house so that might have helped a little bit but we still got let in, taught, and set another appointment. Miracles of setting goals and making plans!
I'll interject with an update on the boys and Theresa. They are doing great. At this point we are just waiting for Theresa to be able to get off work enough to come to church consistently but they will all be baptized probably next transfer. When we were on a call with Theresa this week though she told us that Jabori had told her he wanted to go on a mission and he was asking questions about how it all worked. What?! We answered some of her questions and that was a sweet experience to hear from them. They both came to church, unfortunately Mom had to work, and Javon bore his testimony of which I'll mention later in the email. Chad is doing well too. We taught him how to tie a tie this week and he's just getting prepared to visit with Bishop.
Now, the fire for the week-Elder Klebingat. I won't bore you with the details and notes that I took. He talked a lot about our divine role and premortal nature. He answered a lot of questions and knew the scriptures well. If anything, with the knowledge of who we were before this life I've been motivated to get out there and talk to everyone! He reference the Abrahamic Covenant and went deep into the promises we made before coming to the life. I don't know about everyone else but I'm trying to just give myself up and give myself to the Lord but that's a work in progress. Anyway, hope that all made sense! It was an amazing conference and if the rest of my mission goes like the past two days it'll be everything it's supposed to be.
Saturday was a day and a half. It started with a baptism that we attended for a girl named Kanuri and it was awesome. Unfortunately we didn't have anyone attend with us, but it was still good. Then, our day starts. Taking the advice of Elder Klebingat both Elder Canty and I just threw ourselves on the altar and decided that anyone we naturally saw we were going to talk to and talk to about the message of Salvation that we share. We went to follow-up with a guy named Brandon who wasn't home so we then "took a lap" (I put that in quotes because that's going to be the theme of our day). In walking around the complex we said simple prayers out loud along the lines of, "Ok Lord, we're here and we are going to talk to anyone we can see so... Bring it on!" Within the next 50 steps we met Fernan who walked out of his apartment when we were walking by so we stopped, turned around and talk to him once he came down. We got his information and are hopefully going back this coming week. Over the next hour, yes hour-and it wasn't a huge "lap" - we met Aaron, a nice lady who didn't want us to help bring in her groceries, Ashley, and met Patrick again. Throughout the course of the day we did the same thing: if we went to an area and things fell through, we "took a lap" and asked the Lord to put people there. Sometimes it took us stopping and redirecting where we were going to talk to someone but it worked, all day long. We met: Z, Cidney, Ameer, Renesha and Kylie, Claire, DJ, Jewel, Anthony, Judy, and Landon and Lydia. Some of those were follow ups but we still were just on top of things. Those last two people, Landon and Lydia, were a miracle. I met them on exchanges Wednesday and didn't think anything of it. When we went back on Saturday night they were the most prepared I've ever seen anyone to accept the gospel, especially Lydia. They wanted to read and pray and come to church and feel it in there heart that this was true. All of their questions came from their heart and it was amazing to witness how God prepares people. Oh and they also accepted a baptismal date for the 28th which honestly it could happen in a couple weeks and I wouldn't be surprised. Anyway, coolest day ever and I love the relationship I've gotten to develop with the Father. It's been a pleasure to serve alongside Christ in His work and to be a part of the marvelous wonders that happen.
To continue the story of Lydia and Landon on Sunday they walked into church and loved it. Both felt welcome and said that it was the first place in a long time that they felt comfortable. Even though third hour was all about the changes announced during General Conference they look forward to coming again. Landon is asking his boss for Sundays off so that he can keep coming consistently. Lydia asked us Sunday night for advice in dealing with family adversity. She asked, "So what would you say to someone who is thinking about converting but has family that is causing struggles?" I couldn't feel less adequate to teach people as prepared as they are to receive the gospel. It's crazy how many times I've walked past their door in that complex and it's unbelievable how the Lord puts individuals like them in front of 18, 19, 20, 21 year old boys and girls. I testify that it wouldn't work without Him. Grateful to be a part about it and I hope I'll be able to see them enter the waters of baptism soon.
- We went store contacting and I show a magic trick to a three year old.
- We met a guy that was adamant that if "You go to my church I'll go to yours..." He was not interested.
- We met an older lady named Susie who, in the middle of our conversation, asked for our hands and prayed for us. I swear she was about to through down in tongues.
- Another lady talked to us this week and told us she was a Prophet and that the Lord wanted us to know that we need to search for Him again outside of the Mormons...
- The Starkville Elders show us this picture last week about some people who were kinda like "The end is near" folks. I'll attach it at the bottom.
- Elder Canty hit me with the car when I was backing him up...hard. It's a good thing we were taking the car in to get repaired from damage that was done earlier thus transfer because the dent in the back was not small. Shout-out to my awesome comp! :)
This week was great, can't complain. I look forward to seeing how the work moved forward even more than it has already. As we've gotten technology I've seen how the work will move forward from the missionaries perspective. As announcements have been made to change the way we as member minister to one another I've seen how the work will move forward from the members perspective. It's all coming together to gather Israel and to prepare the way for the Second Coming of Christ.
I love y'all, and hope you have a blessed week!
Much Love,
Elder Milius
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
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