August 15,2016

Hey everyone! Time is just going by so fast out here in Ibiza, it
seems like I just got here last week and now we've gotten to the last
week of the transfer...but this week has been jam packed, we had about
3 days where we weren't able to work due to Conferences, Setting up
for the  baptism and having a companion exchange to do the baptismal
interview. It seems like we lose a day anytime we have to travel. But
it was worth it because FIORELLA WAS BAPTIZED WOOOHHOOOOOO!! Hahaha my
mission president and his wife, President and Sister Dayton came out
to Ibiza to see the baptism and visit the branch and the whole branch
was on their best behavior hahaha. It was funny, but the Daytons loved
it here!
So this is the smoothest I've had a baptism ever go. She came early,
the Daytons arrived and it was packed! To show you how significant it
was, normally we have 40 people in church on a good Sunday and 35
people came to the baptism! The chapel was FULL! Fiorella was sooooo
prepared, she had been receiving the lessons for about 2 years, and
the Elders stopped visiting her about 2-4 months ago because she
wasn't keeping her commitments and didn't really want anything, and
all of a sudden she came on her own and had a huge change of heart,
and within two weeks of that moment she was baptized! It was a
wonderful service and I think my favorite of my whole mission. Elder
Perri baptized her and I was able to do the confirmation, it was
really great. I could feel the spirit really strong during that
meeting and I was soooo excited for her!
We also had Specialized Training this week, which is a pretty much
like a Zone Conference except they don't feed us :( Hahah but it was
really good. We learned about being fearless missionaries, the
converting power of the Book of Mormon, fighting against
discouragement *my favorite lesson* and the Assistants to the
President taught us how to call people out on disobedience. The one
about discouragement really helped me, because I've been feeling a
little down and discouraged and it really helped me realize what
things I need to do to feel happy and how I can combat those feelings
of feeling down. Really at the end of the lesson I realized that, This
work isn't about me, it's about my Savior, Jesus Christ and preaching
his gospel to bless his children. I mean I had already known that but
it was a refreshing reminder of why I'm here on the mission!
President and Sister Dayton really seemed to love the branch! The
branch is on fire!! As a branch we had a goal for the year of 8
baptisms and this week we met the goal of 8 in August!! We are the
first branch in the islands to hit the goal and we can see that the
Lord is blessing us a lot out here. President Dayton also pulled me
aside and told me, "Elder, you ready to take over the island?" Haha I
told him I was and he said, "I know you are Elder!" And winked at me.
Also next transfer the mission has a group of 30+ new missionaries
coming in so it's very likely I could be called to train this next
transfer, so we'll see what happens next week!
But overall things are great out here! I love the branch, the people
are great and the weather is getting cooler, so I'm happy! It's warm
like 83-87° and 60% humidity so it's not too bad haha! Hopefully it'll
start cooling down some more :)
Well I just want to let you all know Heavenly Father loves you! His
love is unconditional and does everything he does because he loves us.
I've come to know on my mission that his love is truly unconditional,
but he also is anxious to bless his children and when we aren't
obedient we withhold from ourselves these blessings. I know that
obedience brings blessings and that God doesn't owe us anything, I
will always be in debt to him for sending his son to come to the world
and die for me, so that I can be clean of my sins and one day return
to his presence. I love you all so much, have a great week!
-Elder Miller