Miracle Family

Hello everyone!

This past week was great! Tomorrow is transfer day. I have survived and am remaining in Las Flores at least another 6 weeks. I am super stoked about it. I will be getting a new companion tomorrow, his name is Elder Keith. He has been out a transfer longer than me and is a fantastic missionary! I am positive we will see great things being together!

Miracle of the week: This past sunday as we left our ward council meeting, a family came walking down the street to the church building! They walked up to the church and our Ward Mission Leader was the first to find them. The father of the family expressed that they wanted to come to church and that they lived just the street. Ben invited them back to our service which started at 1 and sure enough they came! The two children that came go to Tesoro High School in our area and as they sat down at the pews, many of the youth who are good friends with them came rushing up to greet them. As sacrament finished the youth then came and swept them off to sunday school with them! The father was so happy and very grateful for every ones kindness. He came to the Gospel principles class where Ben then taught the Restoration to the class. The father loved it and was beaming as the class ended! As we got to our Priesthood meeting, Ben stood up to introduce Tom, the father, and as Ben stood Tom stood up with him. Tom then began talking to everyone saying that he loved the church and said that he was "Seeking Mormon truth!" He then thanked everyone and sat down with a huge grin on his face. We will be teaching the family this week! I know Heavenly Father is working in the hearts of everyone and is preparing all of his children even when we cannot see it.

Something our Mission has been stressing the last transfer has been living together the "Cultural Beliefs" of our mission, which are:

Express Gratitude
Please Them
Obey Cheerfully
Love Unconditionally
Submit Everything
Invite Everyone

One of these which I have studied a lot since these have been given to us is "Obey Cheerfully." This cultural belief has been one that I have studied a lot since the last Zone Conference, and I have seen so many blessings come from it. I have come to love rules and commandments because of it. I love it because they are very tangible things for us to do with very real results. And even when we cannot see the results we can feel joy because we can simply know that we are pleasing them, our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ!

I hope you all have a great week! Also if you haven't already, check out the church's new easter video! Its awesome! https://www.mormon.org/easter/hallelujah



Elder Mills

Aloooooha!

Malo e lelei! Hello everyone! I hope all is going well with everyone!

I am currently serving in the Las Flores Ward of the Mission Viejo Stake. Things this past week have been going really well! We have some great people we are working with and are seeing some amazing miracles lately.

We had a stellar time this week finding people to teach! We set a window this past week on a certain street, and then fasted and prayed that we might find someone to teach. As we tracted door to door we first ran into "T" and her family! They are from India and are Hindu but are not currently practicing. We started asking them what there belief was of who Jesus Christ was and they stated that all they knew was that they thought he was a prophet. Its so interesting meeting people who know close to nothing about who Christ is or what he did and still does for us. As we talked about who Jesus Christ is she became really interested in who he is and specifically about the atonement. She thought it was the greatest thing in the world that someone has felt everything she feels on a day to day basis and there for knows best how to help her and her family. We read in Alma 7, and she specifically loved verses 11 & 12:


11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.



She explained she wants to know more of this Jesus Christ and has invited us to continue to come to her home and teach her!

Shortly after T, we knocked into another door where a guy named Shawn came to the door. We talked with him for a bit, learned a little about him, nothing we said really struck him until we mentioned that we believe in a modern day prophet. When we said this his eyes grew wide and asked what his name was. We replied telling him Thomas S monsoon, and he said very excitedly after that, "I want to learn more about THAT!" He welcomed us into his home and we began to teach him. As we got to the restoration of the gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith he really listened closely. We explained that since Joseph Smith we have had an unbroken line of authority all the way to Thomas S. Monson. As we bore our testimony of this he began to smile and explained that it sounded and felt very right. We invited him to be baptized and he said if he came to know all these things were true he would! I love sharing the message of the Restoration to all, but what makes it most meaningful is finding someone who will listen and apply the message of Paul, to "prove all things and hold fast to that which is good"!


A quote that has been on my mind a lot is something I get to read often in the Adjusting to Missionary Life booklet by President Gordon B Hinckley:

“I have often said one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is

work! If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit,

he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch

the hearts of the people and he will be happy. There will be no homesickness,

no worrying about families, for all time and talents and interests

are centered on the work of the ministry. Work, work, work—there

is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work.”



I think this would provide true in any situation in life. I love turning out and serving others. As I do that I see my own cares and worries vanish. Maybe that's one way Christ was able to bear everything he went through, because he constantly thought of all of us!



Thanks for all the thoughts and emails!

Have a stellar week!