21 July 2014

Hello Family and Friends, 

The work is quickly progressing. We are focused and prepared to take on the obstacles of the coming weeks. Lucas, a young investigator is battling to be baptized this week. He has been coming to church for about 3 months now, seminary, activities, the whole bit, but his parents have not permitted him to be baptized. They have set some unattainable standards for him in order to be baptized, however this past week they verbally permitted him to be baptized which was a milestone. Now we have to get their signature this week. For sure this young man will bring his family to the church one day due to the faith and diligence that he holds.
 

Sharon and Carlos passed out their wedding invitations to all the ward members this past week so it is official. Over these past weeks they have come to recognize the necessity of baptism in their lives and are more and more anxious for this day which will be the 1st of August and marriage ceremony on the 2nd. They will be registered as a married couple the 29 of this month.

We had the blessing of one of the members of the ward bringing a friend to church who has been passing through a lot of trials after a cruel breakup. We met with her last night and it was a spiritual experience. We mentioned how Christ is the source for lasting peace in this rapidly changing world. She was able to recognize the need to be closer with Christ and committed to be baptized the 9th of August if she is prepared. Her name is Fátima and has been really afflicted by the injustices of the world. I am truly grateful that I am a member of the church and thus have been protected from these disappointments. My life has been a lot less painless because I was taught which decisions would bring lasting happiness and which would bring just a taste and then regret. What I have learned is that we have to experience a bit of pain in life, it is how we learn and there are some that only can learn by pain and discomfort, but I know that these difficulties will make them stronger and produce faith that will take them far in mortal life and then eternal life. Christ suffered more than anyone can imagine and the scriptures tell us that because of this he learned obedience. In the same way affliction can teach us to be obedient and thus we will be worthy of God's many blessings.

To finish my email I would like to tell just touch on our English lessons that we are offering to the public. Saturday, we taught how to pray in English and we had the blessing of watching young individuals praying in English after just one hour of practice. I was amazed because it took me weeks to pray in Portuguese. It brought much happiness satisfaction to me and I know that the spirit was present to help us learn.

Lots of Love

Elder Miller,

PS. Keep praying for our investigators, it is helping