The Final Countdown

Dear My Wonderful Family and Friends,

 

This week I just have to start off my telling everyone thank you. Thank you for all of the love and support that I have felt from each and everyone of you for the last 18.5 months. I can't believe what has happened over these past months. I have had so many life changing experiences that have helped me to become a better person and example to others.

 

As I went through this last week of missionary work, I have been able to reflect on my Savior, and think about how he went about teaching people constantly and helping them learn how to gain eternal life. He was rejected, shut down and ignored constantly. Lately, on campus that is what Sister Larsen and I have experienced. I have never been shinned (stood up for an appointment), hung up on, and ignored as many times as we have had than in these past two weeks. It was getting frustrating because we knew we had to leave the area much better than when we found it. We prayed and prayed, found so diligently but to no avail, things just weren't happening the way we thought they should be. We were working our absolute hardest. I imagine at times that is how the Savior felt after much disappointment talking to people, teaching and testifying and yet, not many people listened.

 

Yesterday we had 5 appointments scheduled. We texted all of them on Thursday night hoping that they would confirm the appointment. As the night went on we heard back from 3 of them confirming their appointments. Friday morning we got two more confirmations. Miracles. All of them confirmed their appointments.

 

We go into Hectors lesson. Enrique a member of our branch joined us and we had a wonderful lesson about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and why Jesus Christ is important. Enrique connected on a level that we would have never been able to connect on.

 

At the end of our lesson we look over and there is Andrew. Being surrounded by members of the branch and the Elders. All talking to him. It was such a wonderful tender mercy. We sat down and had a wonderful lesson with Michael and Keana there too. We put him on baptismal date for May 12th and he is coming to church tomorrow. I know that he will be baptized, as he has come so far. It has been absolutely amazing to be a part of his journey. He has come to know Jesus Christ as his Savior and has felt the knowledge change his life.

 

We quickly ran to our next lesson after that. We met with Zach. He was a miracle find from a few weeks ago. He has never been raised religious but has the desire to know God better. He believes and is willing to do anything to get there. As we were concluding this lesson I felt a strong urge to invite him to be baptized. We extended the invitation and he accepted. He is planning on being baptized March 31st.

 

Then we had a lesson with Kasey. She is a cute girl that we stopped last Friday night. She was on her way home. She was raised religious but then her family moved and they never got in to church again. She was so open to learning and had so many wonderful questions. Again, we felt that prompting. We put her on baptismal date of April 7th.

 

Lastly we had a lesson with Caleb. Caleb was found after a VERY rainy day. When I say rainy I mean rainy. In fact most of Michigan is flooded right now because of how much rain. Like 48 hours of straight rain. Anyway, Caleb is a little cowboy. He is very genuine and wants to hear us out. We had a great lesson with him. He thinks very logically and has a great religious background. About at the conclusion of our lesson, we gave him a heads up that we were going to be leaving and pure panic crossed his face. We weren't sure why he wasn't letting us leave the appointment. Then he very awkwardly asked, if we practice polygamy. haha we were dying. The poor kid was terrified that we were going home to all these Sister wives. We cleared that up very quickly.

 

Miracles do happen. After all of our hard work and diligence we were able to so far pick up 3 new investigators and put 3 of our investigators on date for baptism. God is soo good to us.

 

I just want to leave each of you with my simple testimony.

 

I know with out a doubt in my heart that God lives and Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Everlasting God. Christ did come to this earth and atone for each and everyone of us and because of His atonement I am able to be made clean, to never be alone and to have someone who feels everything that I feel and experience. He made it possible for me to return to live with my loving Heavenly Father and that is a gift that I will be forever grateful for.

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Christ's restored church in these latter days. That it was restored to the earth through the priesthood authority that Christ gave to  Peter, James and John who then gave it  to the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. That he did in reality see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know this because I know with out a doubt in my heart that the Book of Mormon is true. That it testifies of Jesus Christ and if we read, ponder and pray that we will get nearer to God, I have felt it, I have experienced it and I know it to be true.

 

I know that because God is the same Yesterday, today and FOREVER, he has called a prophet to the earth again today his name President Russell M. Nelson. I've met him, I have seen how loving, inspired and kind he truly is. I know that he hold all the keys to God's Kingdom and as we heed his counsel we will never be led astray.

 

I know that God has a plan for each one of us. That if we seek him out he will guide and direct us in everything. It is hard, coming on a mission wasn't easy but I know that it is what I needed to do. I know that I was supposed to come to Michigan to teach and testify to so many people about the Restored Gospel. I have seen lives change for the better, including mine. Miracles do happen, I see them and experience them each and everyday. I can promise you all in the Name of our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ that as you place Him and our Father in Heaven at the top of all of your priorities that the windows of Heaven will open up and blessing will be poured out upon you in abundance.

 

I love you all. May the Lord bless you in your righteous endeavors.

Love Always and Forever,

Sister Milar

 

 

Happy Valentines Day!

Hello one and all!

This week has been pretty great! I hope that you all had a wonderful Valentines day and that you did something fun :) Or just ate some yummy candies!

We had a great couple of lessons with Andrew. He is still chugging along. He is still pondering about baptism. We have had some wonderful experiences with him. My testimony has grown so much as I have watched him develop a testimony of our Savior. He said the funniest thing this week. The plan was for him to invite his girlfriend to a meeting so that she could meet us and ask us any questions and to see if we could help her in anyway. Well we showed up to the lesson and she wasn't there. We asked him what she said when he asked and he told us that he didn't ask because she was mad at him. He said, "She was either mad because I was coming to meet with you or National Guard, either way she wasn't in a good mood, so i decided it would be better not to ask." Apparently she doesn't want him to do anything dangerous so he can't do National Guard or anything but work behind a desk. hah

This week I have been known as Mama Milar.

This is kind of something that has been happening my whole life. I don't really understand why, but it has. Many of elders call me mama Milar when they need something or I don't even know what.

This week I was Mama Milar about 5 times.
 

It started off with Zone Conference. This conference they wanted Sister Larsen and I to sit up front as we were training two different times as well as giving departing testimonies. The training's went pretty well. We were able to get all done and accomplished. Well it came to a point where it was time for a little candy. So I opened my pocket and we passed candies down the isle. Sister Brennan just chuckled and The AP's said, don't you know Sister Brennan it is Mama Milar she always has everything! They were so pleased to tell her this I was so embarrassed. SO I had to explain that habits die hard, I love candy and well I have a brother that has taught me well :)

 

Number 2: The next instance is the next day, I get a phone call from Elder Johnson. He is freaking out on the phone and he said, I need to talk to Sister Milar. I think I need my tonsils removed. So I stopped him and said what is going on. Well apparently they were all swollen. He had said he had been sick. I said well do you have white stuff on them and he said well I don't think so. I said I think you probably have strep. You ought to call Sister Brennan and go to the doctor. Well he didn't like that answer so he said I will wait and see. The next day he calls and says there is white stuff on them, what do I do! I told him he needs an antibiotic so he has to go to the doctor. Well he had strep.

 

Number 3: Then on Friday night I get a phone call. It is Elder Pfau, Sister Milar, I chopped my nail off on accident, is it going to grow back!? I was like what in the world happened. Well apparently he was chopping vegetables and the knife slipped and he cut his finger and his nail came off with it. Well I had to assess the situation because all he was worried about was his nail. I asked if he needed stitches and he said no... I don't think so.  Anyway I had to tell him to clean it out and everything, it just made me chuckle.

 

Number 4: We were supposed to be involved in our branch activity, It was a murder mystery dinner. We all got assigned parts. My part was the homemaker.

 

Number 5: We went to the murder mystery dinner for a brief minute. Sister Volz ( Branch Presidents wife) came around and was asking who was who. She saw mine and said oh how perfect. It is so fitting for you! Oh I was so embarrassed hah I don't know why but it was so funny.

 

Overall, It was a great week. I love being able to serve the Lord in all that I do.

Today I was reading in Ether Chapter 12. It talks about how we can have faith and how faith leads us to action. It gives so many wonderful examples of people who acted in faith. Faith Allows us to work as hard as we can to learn about and become like our Savior. Alma was swallowed up in the Joy of Christ because of his faith. True faith and joy will bring us closer to Our Savior and our Father in heaven. Joy and faith work hand in hand. I am so grateful for the faith that I have and the joy it brings into my life. Some scriptures to go along with this are Alma 31:31,38 and 2 Nephi 25: 23-26.

 

I love you all so much. I hope you have a wonderful week! Enjoy the snow! I will enjoy the rain :)

Love Always,

Sister Milar

 

 

SNOWY!

Honestly, I don't know why all the snow is coming here to Michigan and not to Utah. It is ridiculous. We got another 5 inches in the last couple of days and to think last week a couple of the days were high 40's. God has a funny sense of humor.

 

This week we had so many lesson but so many of them cancelled on us. It was kind of sad, but it all worked out as we had tons of things to do and we wanted to find more people to teach!

 

We had a great couple of lessons with Andrew. He is just amazing. He is starting to build his own testimony of Jesus Christ and the restored gospel. This week we talked a lot about the Earth life and why it is important and what the point of us being here is. He was able to make connections and it helped him realize more of God's plan for him. We also talked to him more about baptism. Right now he is praying on a day to get baptized. His girlfriend still isn't really on board with the whole him meeting with missionaries thing, but it is really good because he tells her that he needs to find out for himself. 

 

We also had interviews this week. Let me just say President Brennan thinks he is so funny all the time. He took me back for my interview and just starts making comments left and right about me going home. We would start talking about something and then he would make a snide comment like, "Did you know that you have exactly 4 weeks today till you go home?" I would just look at him and be like are you serious and then he would say, "Sorry I will stop giving you crap in 4 weeks because you won't be here anymore."  But don't worry, he told me that he would greatly appreciate if I extended for another 6 months, and I said I would gladly. After I fly home say hi to everyone and then come back. He has been stressing a little bit lately because he is loosing 23 missionaries this transfer and more than half of them are in leadership. haha he set himself up for this one especially after keeping Sister Larsen and I together.

We went on trade-offs with St. Joseph. I was with Sister Christensen. She is super cute. She is from a small town named Cove Utah and has been out for about 5 months. We were able to pick up a new investigator for them, their area has been struggling this last few months so that was really exciting that we were able to do that.

 

Church on Sunday was so great. The 1st and 2nd ward cancelled there church because of the snow. So we had some random people from their wards join us at the KUB. It made for a lively bunch of people.  Some amazing testimonies were given as well. 

 

I was reading a talk called Vast and Intimate: The Atonement in the Heavens and in the Heart it was a talk given at BYU and I loved it. I love hearing stories that are related to the gospel and he shares a lot of them. but he is talking about our Savior and his atonement and how God gives us challenges and He won't always prevent the pains and afflictions but he gives us these assurances. Mosiah 24:14, Alma 31:38 and Alma 36:3.

 

I love you all. I want you to know that I know that God Lives. That Jesus is the Christ and that his atonement is really. That we are all on a journey through life to prepare ourselves to meet our maker again. I know that we all make mistakes but because of the atonement we can become pure and clean again.

 

I hope you all have a splendid week. OH and one last side note. The time is soon coming.. My homecoming is March 11th at 1pm.

 

The address to the church is:

2556 West 9800 South

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah 84095.

 

I would love for all of you to be there!!  In case you didn't know I fly home on Feb. 28th.

I LOVE YOU!!

Love,
Sister Milar

 

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/l-robert-webb_vast-intimate-atonement-heavens-heart/