February 4th I finally hit my one month mark. Took forever! Thank you for all of the birthday wishes! I wasn't able to light the candles because we aren't allowed to handle fire but I loved everything in the box! Thanks Matt and Michelle for the little bell for my bike. I was laughing so hard. I loved the "20 things we love about you". I was having a really rough day and that made everything better. It really didn't even feel like my birthday, I honestly forgot it was. My birthday was spent in the hospital with my companion. She has a few chronic diseases and wasn't doing so well so we had to drive about an hour to the nearest hospital. I received the birthday package the next day and wasn't expecting something so big! But I loved it, it definitely brought me to tears. Last week consisted of two trips to the hospital and being snowed in! Our car got stuck again and it took about an hour to get it out. Brother Parker (who we stay with) had to hook us up to his truck and pull us out. The snow drifts here go from 4 feet to 10 feet high honestly. We cant pull into our driveway anymore because it pretty much doesn't exist due to all the snow. There was pretty bad wind as well hitting us so hard it felt like shards of glass coming at us. Not fun haha! Pretty sure I almost got frostbite too my hands looked so bad after digging out the snow under the tires I was afraid to look at them. The past couple of days its been around the 30s and that's warm for us, so we're happy! This week we also lost our phone so we wont be getting a new one until Wednesday. Its probably buried in the snow somewhere. RIP. The snow here goes to my knees sometimes and I'm literally trekking in snow to get to peoples houses. Friday we went on exchanges and I went with Sister Jacoby and we spent about an hour hitting ice off of the bottom of our car because it was so bad the tires wouldn't turn. I was literally hammering at the car haha. Just to explain...exchanges are when you switch with another companionship and have a new companion for the day. It gives us a chance to get to know the other sisters and just to try something new. So I had packed clothes that had logos on them and that's actually a rule in this mission. You cant wear anything that has a logo on it that's bigger than your name tag. So guess what? Ive been wearing a lot of my clothes inside out haha. Oh well! Another rule is that we aren't allowed to use any slang. For example, we cant say "PDAY" we have to say "preparation day". Also no referring to the elders as dude or the sisters as well. Everyone here as big dogs and I get attacked everyday and my companion is so funny she was like "If that dog kills you, I'm going to take a picture with it." haha. I think Saturday was one of the better day I have had in the field so far. Sister Robertson and I spent most of the day laughing and things were looking up. We saw this horse scratching his butt on this pole and it was the funniest thing I have seen in forever. Made my day, but that's how I am the dumbest things make me laugh. Last week it was so cold early in the morning my hair froze. I was running late and didn't have time to dry my hair and right when I stepped outside my hair went stiff. Apparently your hair can break off if its that stiff so basically I almost lost some of my hair. So this week we have an appointment to milk cows and possibly feed baby caves! Since I never grew up on a farm everyone makes fun of me for being so fascinated by cows and horses all around me.My companion always says "whoa there California." haha. On Saturday we went and saw Carla Loveland and she is the cutest little lady. She asked us if we could sing to her so we sang a few hymns to her. The look on her face was so peaceful I just love her. We also saw Kathy and she cracks me up. In her prayer she said "thank you Heavenly Father for bringing me these ornery girls". Haha shes the best. Shes so stubborn. We have to go over to her house to read the Book of Mormon with her because she wont do it on her own. We also met with Hilda and her mom and Hilda asked if I could give the prayer in Spanish and I did! I'm picking up words here and there but I was so nervous. Yesterday I fasted until 5 and I was dying. I bore my testimony 3 times yesterday and took of the sacrament 4 times. Perks of being in charge of 4 wards! I obviously didn't bare my testimony in the Spanish ward because I'm not that confident yet! I was asked to sing in church so now I'm singing February 26th. I'm singing "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul." Thought I was keeping myself on the down low! This little boy Bennett Gormley came up to me yesterday in church and was like "HI MRS MILES". Hes seriously the cutest, I love that whole family. There's also this little girl names Sharon and we went to her house because her mom is a returning less active, so we have been teaching her mom. Anyways, with barely knowing me at all she gave me the sweetest look and the most sincere hug I have ever gotten. That reminded me when I got set apart..It was said "That the children will be attracted to me and I will attract the children." Its so weird..the kids here for some reason love me haha. The kids are what make me happiest and help me get through all the sadness. They are just so innocent and pure. Its sad that we aren't allowed to pick up kids because they are just so cute! I forgot! Also on Saturdaywe went by to see Brother Wright and his family. Brother Wright is seriously one of the funniest guys I have met. Hes about 50 but acts like hes 15 and just the things he says cracks me up. His son in law Ricardo was there and he was so anxious to hear of what we had to say. We sat down and barely taught him. The spirit taught him. With barely teaching any doctrine he says "I know this is true". We gave him a Book of Mormon and after we walked out Sister Roberston and I looked at each other and were like what just happened...It was awesome. Guess what dad? My companions sister served in the San Fernando mission and said "I know Sister Miles's family! Her dad is so funny! He took us missionaries out to Costco general conference week!" What a small world... So in other news of this week my companion has to be on antibiotics for three days before going outside. So for the next three days we cant go outside because her sickness is contagious at the moment. We have to deep clean our apartment because I'm in the zone of getting it as well. I have been good so far but hopefully I don't get it either. I have no idea what its called but basically we cant get to close to each other or share anything or go out. Yesterday was a really hard day for me. I cried the majority of the day. Everyone I meet asks me about my family and honestly I hate it. It hurts to talk about you guys because I cant get through one sentence without crying. In my testimony yesterday I shared your quote dad "I've never had a bad day in my life, just some are better than others." I got alot of compliments on that quote. I have to put on a fake smile the majority of the time and its hard. I have been sleep deprived since I got here. I'm mentally and emotionally exhausted. I have been having nightmares here and there. I have bruises on my knees from kneeling so much and praying for comfort/help. Every night I look up the stars and just cry. Its so beautiful. The stars here are so visible. It's one of my favorite things about Wyoming. Well that's pretty much this week. Its a rule that I'm not able to email back and forth (I had no idea) and I would like to be obedient. I can look at emails until 6 today so I'll still see them. If you want to stalk me on Facebook its Sister-Austin Miles. I just can't add you. Also I met a girl whose name is Austin! I've never met another girl named Austin, pretty cool. Hope you all have a good week. I think of you everyday and how lucky I am to have the family that I do. Love you all so much. I challenge you this week to read in the Book of Mormon. Its changed my life. It is the most true book ever. I'm not kidding. Read it, your life will never be the same.
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Love,
Sister Miles
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