Hello Family and Friends,
Carlos and Sheron were married and baptized this week!!!
Wednesday they were registered as a married couple, Friday were baptized,
Saturday was the bishop's blessing in the chapel, and Sunday they were confirmed
members of the church. What a week it was because everyday was dedicated to
them getting married and baptized. All in all everything went smoothly with the
help of your prayers and the willing members of the ward. Carlos and Sheron are
super excited to be part of the church and for having found the truth. They
bore their testimonies this past Sunday sharing their individual convictions of
the truthfulness of the church.
While I was sitting in the sacrament room I felt overwhelmed
by the spirit. I remember looking around the congregation and seeing 3 young
men that we had baptized passing the sacrament with brand new suits on. Looking
to the other side I saw some other youth that we baptized or helped to remain
active. I was singing hymns with our recent convert Maria, and then Carlos and
Sheron were confirmed and bore their testimonies. It was very emotional to see
the fruits of our work and to be humbled knowing that we are just instruments
in the hands of our Lord, helping to bring his children back to him. I bore my
last testimony in sacrament meeting to the congregation and I mentioned how I
saw people's lives molded, and while molding the lives of others my own life
was molded significantly. Jesus Christ is our master and he can mold us we let
him. This I came to understand while on my mission. I gave thanks to the
members for all that they had done for me and my companions.
Friday I had my last interview with President Castro. It was
one of the more spiritual experiences of the mission. He asked a lot of divine
questions that caused me to reflect on my life and what I need to do when I
arrive home. He gave me a picture of myself that he uses while doing the
transfers and behind this picture has all my areas and companions. He told me
to look at that picture of myself, which was taken while I was in the MTC, and
then tell him how that missionary in the photo changed until this point in
time. I won't say that I am 100% different than I was before but there was an
incredible change in my heart while serving the Lord these 2 years. I am more
confident, I have more faith, I am extremely grateful, and I see myself as an
agent now instead of an object which only receives the action from others. More
than anything I am now committed to this gospel and I never will deviate from
this path, it doesn't matter the obstacle I will continue forward. I learned to
love others and to love God and Jesus Christ and to show this love for them.
I can't believe that my mission
is coming to an end it just hasn't phased me yet. One thing is certain is that
even though the badge will be taken off my chest I will never stop being a
missionary. There is a lot of work to be done at home and so many people that I
neglected to show the gospel. Yes, it will be sad to leave the people that I
learned to love here in Rio Grande do Sul but I have the hope that this love
will only expand to the people that await me wherever it is that I go in life.
I will do my best to keep in contact will everyone that I met here, the
friendships are eternal and are part of me now. I am excited to see my family
once again. I can't even describe the feeling for them that I have kept locked
away in my heart these past two years. I know that when I see their faces that
lock is going burst open and it is going to be a mushy mess in the airport, but
I don't care love is love and I can't contain it anymore. I hope I will be able
to write one more email next week but if not know that these were in fact the
best two years of my life, however it is only the beginning.
I love you all,
Thanks for all the support,
I will see you soon,
Elder Miller
No comments:
Post a Comment