9 September 2013

Hello Family and Friends,

 

Let's just say that this past week was a major disappointment. First of all Adriana was not baptized. Last week, right after we had sent our e-mails to you all, we went directly to Adriana's house to prepare her for her baptismal interview the next day. We arrived and instantly we could feel that something was not right. She went on to tell us that she had earned a scholarship -she is studying to be a judge- to go study in Porto Alegre. The bad news was that she had to leave immediately. So she moved to Porto Alegre Thursday, 2 days before her baptism. So yeah the baptism fell through. The good thing is that she is still eager to be become a member of the church. We will send the closest missionaries to where she is living and all they will have to do is interview her and then baptize.

Both Elder Machado and I have been walking around with a knife in our hearts this past week. There is nothing more that I want than a baptism while Elder Machado and I are companions. We worked so much, its pains me to think that this transfer will end this coming Monday and we will not have baptized anyone! It is even worse when other missionaries are baptizing around you with much more ease.

Another thing which sucked this week was that one of our investigators died. Yep, we were teaching a couple, the sister and brother-in-law of our Ward mission leader. He had cancer, but he was slowly getting better. We saw his wife in the street the past Monday and she told us that he would leave the hospital soon, and Thursday morning he passed away. I gave him a blessing a month and half ago. I told him that he would have peace in his life even though he was sick. I think I can say that this past month he was a happier man. It was pretty hard to believe that he passed away when we heard the news. The last lesson we taught was the plan of salvation so at least he knew where he was going.

I have been looking for some peace myself after this past week, actually from these past two months. I have been thinking a lot about what I am doing wrong, and what I need to change. The only thing that keeps me from going crazy is the thought that everything that is done in the missionary work is done in accordance with the Lord's time. He has all the knowledge, he sees things that our mortal eyes cannot, his thoughts are not ours. I know that he has a plan for our area here in Dom Pedrito. Sometimes we become impatient and we want everything now, and thus we become ignorant to the fact that he controls everything and not us. This eternal truth gives me more peace out here in the mission field. In Philippians 4:7 it is said, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." I know that the baptisms will come, God knows my heart, he knows that I want this to happen. I know that as I strive to do my best he will bless me and others in his own time. This gives me comfort, this gives me peace. 

 Much Love,

Elder Miller

P.S. Happy Birthday Axel!