Miracles in Dana Point! 12/28 - 1/10/16

This past week has been amazing! So many miracles and blessing have come our way. 

To start with, our investigator Willy who I talked about awhile back. Willy we first met with a month ago, but has been gone because of work and the holidays so it had been hard to meet with him a second time, until last night that is! We met with him and were able to bring our Ward Mission Leader, Brother Hansen. As we recapped and checked for understanding of what we first taught him about, he was able to recall everything and he kept commenting about how he wanted help from God in knowing how to help his family. We then brought up the Gift of the Holy Ghost! As Brother Hansen talked about the help he has received in his family from having that gift, Willy became very excited and said "Now you have my attention!" He asked how he could receive this gift, which of course then led us into extending a baptism date. He excepted!! He explained he was nervous, but knew that the step of baptism will help him become clean and help change his life. At the end we set the date for February 13th, and he then said, "Well, we have a lot of work to do! Lets get started!" It is amazing to see someone recognize the Light of Christ in their life, and then understand that the Gift of the Holy Ghost can be their constant companion at all times! Willy does not live with his family right now, he is working through some things in order for to go back, but he says that just as Christ is an example for all, he wants to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be that same example for his family!

The New Year was fun here in Dana Point! All of us missionaries in the mission had to be in early New Years Eve. All 33 missionaries in the zone met at the stake center and the Zone Leaders showed up with a nerf gun for everyone! So its safe to say that we had a pretty crazy new years eve!

Things are still going really great here! Along with Willy, we now have a good number of people in our teaching pool and are continually finding others to teach the restored gospel of Jesus Christ!

I am grateful to be out here serving a mission! It is so important for us all to be that example of Jesus Christ to others in our lives! One way to learn even more about Christ and how to be that example to others is through the Book of Mormon and the Bible.

I love Pauls words in Thes 5:21:

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."

That is my simple invite to all who have never read the Book of Mormon! In the Book of Mormon we learn:

"Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God.. and that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God." Moroni 7:12-13

I love you all!

Till next time,

Elder Mills

Tis the Season 12/8 - 12/28/15

Yokwe and Alooooha! I can't believe its already been 2 months to this day since I entered the MTC. Times flying by! The Christmas season here in Dana Point has been a blast. It finally got cold, but not cold enough seeing as how I still contact and tract in short sleeves. But its southern Orange County so I have nothing to complain about!

A quick update: This is now my second transfer, and Elder Everett and I are still here in Dana Point!

We've started this transfer off really strong. We had an awesome miracle happen on Christmas Eve! a few days before the 24th, we were contacting on the main street when we met a young husband and wife with their 4 kids coming out of a gas station. We began talking to them, they were in a rush but said they lived up the road on top of the hill. They were such nice people and very open to what we teach and said they would always give us water if we came by but that they had to rush off at that moment. Unfortunately I forgot to grab there information and give them ours....rookie mistake I know I know. A few days later as we were planning the next day out that family came to my mind and I said to my companion that we had to find them! We had only the general area of where they were, an area FULL of apartment complexes, houses, condos, and so on. The next day, Christmas eve, we went on our contacting and tracting spree. We knocked so many doors in that area but got nothing. At the end of our 3 hour block we decided we had to get back to our next appointment. As we were walking back we passed a home and my companion said to me "This house needs a Christmas card!!" So we turned back, walked up the stairs, knocked the door, and sure enough the man and his family open the door! They and us were very surprised, he gave us water just as he promised and asked us to come back and share our message when they had more time! So great!

Being out on a mission is really so great. There is always so much to learn and it is such a blessing to focus on others and to forget yourself! If I can at least get every person I talk to to smile, whether or not they except this message, I feel at least I am doing something right. We get so much rejection on missions, but not just missions, in life as well. At times it seems hard, it seems as if nothing you are doing is working. During those days and times, I remember the savior and a scripture that has been on my mind a lot:

Matthew 26:39 "And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, Oh my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."

Christ has felt all that we feel! He is with us every step of the way. Be strong, remember him! When times seem hard, go "a little further", pray, listen, and "Be still and know that [He] is God."

Ofa Atu!

Elder Mills"