Week 9

HOLA! 
Well...I'm getting transferred! I'm heading back to Montana! Great Falls Montana! My new companion is Sister Decker! I don't know anything about her yet but I'm sure she's great! I'm sad I will be leaving the people here and Wyoming. There's this thing with Wyoming missionaries that they are bound to come back sometime again in their mission, so I'm sure I'll be back! I leave tomorrow night and it's about a seven hour drive but we usually will stop and spend the night somewhere then finish the rest of the drive the next morning. Anyways...

Last week...it was a crazy week! 

So Tuesday we went out to see this lady who we have been visiting for a couple of weeks and she's an investigator...well used to be...We have never talked doctrine with her until this last visit and let me tell you...it was traumatizing almost. When we had brought up the Book of Mormon she had immediately went off saying Joseph Smith was a murderer and the Book of Mormon is from the devil and it was just awful! As we stood there taken back we stood our ground and defended what we knew to be true. It made me so sad for her. After that experience Sister Robertson and I had sat in the car for about 30 minutes silent. It was a slow day and we were definitely down I will not lie. My testimony grew in that moment though. I have never in my life felt so passionate about my beliefs and I was not going to back down. On to more happy thoughts...we visited Carla Saturday and she's 93 years old and just has the sweetest spirit. We shared with her the general conference talk from 1985 tilted "The purifying power of Gethsemane". Everyone needs to watch that! We shared with her the story of a man who had been standing in a long line and couldn't see what was going on far ahead of him. He had seen all these people entering into a door past a man but that's as much as he knew. When he got closer in line he had heard the man ask to each person "Who is Jesus Christ?" Everyone answered by saying "He's the Savior and a man who died for the world's sins" and so on. By the time this man had approached this other man he asked to him "Who is Jesus Christ?" The man then began to weep and fell to the man's feet and said "Lord, it is thee." After sharing that story I thought to myself do I really know who Jesus Christ is? Will I be able to stand before him and deny not that he is the Savior and the Redeemer of the world? That is a question for all of us to ponder about. The other night we went to go drop off popcorn to the Gormley family and I got attacked by their cat! I looked down and saw this cat eyeballing me and I said "That cat is going to jump on me". Brother Gormley was like no way! Well...it did and pounced on my face! So that's how life is going right now haha. Saturday we decided to go out biking and let me tell ya it was a bad idea. Our tailbones are so bruised. We biked about six miles on a dirt path and it was so hard! We were sweating bullets by the time we showed up to every one's houses. Let's just say I am not a huge fan of biking. I named my bike Andy and we've already been through a lot. Saturday as well we went over to the Cards house to watch them open their third mission call as as couple! Crazy! There are headed to Canada in May! We had dinner with the Wardells a couple nights ago and Sister Wardell said she was surprised when I started to sing high notes because I have such a deep talking voice haha. It's so true I sound like a boy. District meeting was Wednesday and the Elders just love to pick on me! We had gotten food and it was like sloppy Joe's and I was like no way I'm eating this in front of the Elders. Well they made fun of me and gave me a hard time and said "You're giving California a bad reputation eat like a big girl!" They love to pick on me, they are like brothers to me. We had a lesson with Kelvin again and he's just my favorite  (not only because he's from peru). He just has such a sweet heart and I loved being able to share the same interests as someone! It makes for a fun conversation! Every home we go into for a lesson they always have deers and moose hanging on the wall and it's distracting because I'm trying to teach a lesson and this deer is just staring at me haha. So we saw Kathy last night and she said she doesn't like to come to church because she can smell every one's breath haha. We were just dying she is such and stubborn little lady but she is softening up. It's great! My companion is so funny. We were driving past like thousands of sheep and she just looks at them and says "you're all going to be food one day". We are terrible people haha. So there's this thing with a gag reflex and basically you hold your left thumb whenever you are eating something terrible and don't want to throw up. Yeah...my companion and I were doing that under the table as we were eating at this members home haha. It was an interesting dinner. There are my funny and weird stories of the week!

Yesterday after I had bore my testimony I had just teared up and had felt such a warm feeling. This is a gospel that I live for but if it came down to it I would die for it. This has been the hardest two months and there have been so many times where my companion and I have sat down together and she has just let me cry for hours. Learning to rely on the Lord in times of need when feeling lonely is so important. No doubt I miss being normal but I can't imagine leaving this all behind. Reading conference talks everyday has strengthened my testimony and I encourage you to do that as well. I would like you all to watch the talks: "The purifying power of Gethsemane", " The first great commandment",and for all you mothers out there please watch "Behold thy mother." And lastly "O how great the plan of our God". These talks have changed my life! Continue to read your scriptures and to pray because that is the best way for us to come to know who Jesus Christ is. Your faith will increase as you do so. Never give up hope and endure to the end. You are promised great blessings if you endure to the end and keep the commandments always. My challenge of the week for you is to make repentance a daily thing for you. Learn how to use the  Atonement in your lives. The Savior after being beaten had to carry the cross that He would soon be crucified on. If you ever feel alone, think of the Savior. After the whole world had rejected Him and spit upon Him, He still made the greatest sacrifice for us. That is the Atonement. The Savior was alone. But because of Him and everything He has done for us, we never have to go about this life alone. I have a testimony of my Savior that he truly has healed me in times when I thought all was lost. He has saved my soul. Turn to Him. Always remember Him and always be worthy to have the holy ghost as a constant companion to you. I love you all and I miss you so much. I have seen great change in you all and I can see that everyday you are striving to be better. That is awesome! Don't give up on church! The church is true. Jesus Christ did die for you and for me that we may be clean again. I hope you all have a great week and watch those talks as as family! Have scripture study as a family as well as family prayer! Each week I want you all to email me and send me a miracle or how you have seen the Lords hand in your week. Keep the faith. 

Love,

Sister Austin Miles