Alright, hey, so it´s been a while since i´ve written, but I´m in Almería, Spain!
It is absolutely wonderful here, i am convinced we have the best ward in Spain. For reals, i absolutely love everyone!
My companion is Hermana Crockett, she is from Arizona! She´s super nice and patient, she´s been out for seven months so she knows the language quite well..which is good because I still don´t know it at all! I have been having a blast here teaching! We walk a lot, which is nice because in the MTC i complained about never getting fresh air, so i´m appreciating it here!
Leaving the CCM was so hard, i met the most incredible people there! I know part of the reason why i got my call to be in the CCM at that specific time was so i could meet some of the people i did, they impacted me so much! It was super hard to leave Hermana Bennett...we cried a lot- but I´m glad because she´s one of my best friends, so I know we´ll keep in touch! But yeah, the first few days after leaving Madrid were a little hard because i missed her tons!
So anyway, we left the MTC at 5 45, and took a 3ish hour long bullet train to Málaga!!!! Ah, Right as we were coming into it i could feel something stir inside me, this place feels so much like home! I know without a doubt this is where i´m meant to be! So we got to Málaga and missionaries from the office, and the Deere´s were there to greet us! They are absolutely incredible, I feel so close to them already and seriously...they are amazing. I´m so blessed. So we got to have an orientation at the mission home (there were 8 of us from the CCM), then later that night we met our companions! It was super cool also, because i got to see Elder Farrell, who I´ve known since elementary! He´s training one of my best friends from the CCM, Elder Nyland- talk about a power companionship! We also spent that night at the mission home.
The next day Hermana Crockett and I got on a bus and headed for Almería! Ah...i had a lot of mixed emotions, but i was pumped! On the way to Almería, as we were talking on the bus i got super car sick, and there was a point where i was thinking, ´´yep, i´m going throw up. where´s the best place..´´ So i turned to her and was like,´´i´m so sorry, i´m not a dramatic person i swear but i am so sick.¨ And we went silent, and i said a little prayer, and suddenly my stomach was calmed, i turned to her and she had said a prayer for me too. Ah, i mention that because I just want to tell everyone how involved the Lord is in our lives! Like really, i see His hand out here every single day, several times a day. I wish i had recognized it more when i was home, because really every single one of us could, we just have to look a little.
Ah, i have had so many incredible experiences! My first friday we had a zone meeting in Granada, all in Spanish. Ha. What a joke. I just tried to listen and pick up what they were saying generally...but ha i miss the majority, oh well, esta bien. That night we were teaching some friends of our ward mission leader (who is the most incredible person in the world by the way, he lives his calling and is constantly referring us to his friends and he and his wife come with us and seriously, we´re so lucky to have him!) their names are Monica and Sebastian, and had the opportunity to recite the first vision! The spirit was so strong, ah, it was absolutely incredible! There is power in the words of Joseph Smith. Then i got to invite them to baptism, ah!!! I was nervous, but the spirit was so strong, and they said yes!!! But then they told us they still had some questions...but still, progress!
Also, last Thursday we met a man named Jose Manuel, and ah, we feel so strongly he has been prepared for this gospel. Emilio, an amazing convert in our ward who is literally the perfect example of a member missionary, took us to Jose´s piso, and we also got to meet Jose´s roommate, Paco. So Paco already said he had a Book of Mormon, and said he found it on the street! And the missionaries had given Jose a Book of Mormon a few months ago, but at that time nothing came of it because he said he didnt have time. So now, his friend Emilio asks if he can bring missionaries by and ah...it´s a lot cooler in real life than it is trying to explain...but anyway, at that first visit they just said they thought it was too many coincidences that just lined up perfectly and they seem so interested! The next night, last Friday, our ward had a Noche de Hogar (family home evening) and we forgot to invite Jose, so Hna Crockett called him an hour before and he came all the way out to the church to learn about family history! He even picked up Emilio and some of our other investigators and brought them with him! Ah...so many amazing things happen out here, and i havent even mentioned hardly any but yeah, i just love it out here! I feel the Spirit so stong all the time. I sometimes miss home and family and friends and things, but i realized something a few days ago...
I am not here in the mission because most of my senior class is out in the mission field. I´m not here because the age to serve was lowered. I´m here because i know with every fiber of my being that Jesus is the Christ, and that this gospel, His gospel, is true. I know, without a doubt, that it is true. And because i have this knowledge i have the responsibility to share it.
Jesus Christ has, in a very personal way, manifested Himself to me, by the power of the Holy Ghost (2 Nephi 26:13).
I´m an imperfect vessel. I make mistakes and don´t always live according to the knowledge i have, but i´m working on it and in the mean time, on my quest for purity, i have a desire, a burning desire to serve God. Because the thought of going through this life without a knowledge of the true nature of Him literally, physically hurts my heart. The idea that there are people in this world without a knowledge of the hope, forgiveness, love and eternal significance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ makes me want to cry. But instead I´m just going out in the city of Almería everyday, and honestly trying, amidst my imperfection, to share Heavenly Father´s message with His children. The ordinances of this church allow families to be together forever, and eternal life with our Heavenly Father after death. I´m not trying to be cheesy, but seriously, let that sink in. What does that mean to you? It means everything to me. Don´t ever doubt Heavenly Father´s love for you (2 Nephi 26: 23-25). He is more involved in every single one of our lives than we can even comprehend. He suffered to ¨show forth an example ¨ to us, so maybe on our journey to exaltation there´ll be some hard times. Well Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know that- that´s why they were willing to follow through with the Atonement, so they could have mercy on us when we made mistakes and they could relate to us when we struggle.
An important lesson I learned in the CCM was this: i was studying more about the Atonement, and i realized that when Jesus Christ was in the Garden, He asked Heavenly Father to remove this cup from Him. I´ve always known that, but it hit me in a different way this time. I have done that many times in my life, asked Heavenly Father to heal one of my family members or friends of an ailment or something of that sort. And when it didnt happen, honestly i kind of wondered what I did wrong. Was my fast not sincere enough? Was my faith not strong enough to make them whole? But I realized that God is all knowing. He can see the beginning to the end. He wants us to be happy, and become like Him. And maybe, with His perspective, He can see that we need to go through some things, maybe not be immediately healed physically. But i know that when we turn to Him during those times of trial and change, we can be healed spiritually. And really, in the end, that´s what matters.
I am having such a great time, but it hasnt been without its struggles- I dont have enough time to go into detail, but I´ll just say that Heavenly Father is always there for us. And He knows we´re imperfect, and even though i dont even always try my best, he´s still there to encourage me, and push me along. I couldn´t do this without Him, and it´s making me realize that I don´t ever want to do anything without Him. What a blessing that we have a free, direct line to Him always- you realize the importance of prayer when you literally have no where else to turn.
I am so grateful to be out here, in Almería, teaching these amazing people this true gospel!
Love, Hermana Miller
Oh! This is my new address:
Hermana Whitney Miller
Avenida de Blas Infante
N·2, 3·C
04006, Almería
España
Thank you all for all your support! And sorry i´m terrible at writing, but Happy Birthday Tay, and Ky, Rachel M and Sidney and Max, and my momma! I love you all so much and thought about you on your big day!
