Hello everyone!! I hope you are all doing just SPLENDID!

This week has been a VERY busy but VERY successful week which is GREAT! So thank you for your prayers and support that you give me-- I know that without you it would definitely be a lot harder. I feel so blessed to have such a fabulous family and friends. I think about you often.. and don't think that its a distraction because actually I think about you and how you're doing spiritually. Haha so a way that I've never really thought about you in, I know it sounds weird, but it's the truth! So when I say I hope you are doing well... I mean physically, emotionally, mentally, and SPIRITUALLY.

So this week we've been working a lot with our new investigator, Brooke, she is amazing! She met one of the guys in our ward and has been coming to church ever since then.. whether he's there or not. She's made great friends in the ward and has really started to experience the blessings of the gospel. We had a great lesson with her Saturday night and felt like it was right to commit her to following Christ's example by being baptized, AND SHE SAID YES!! So we have another baptism set for May 8 :D  She has such a bright light about her, and a joy to learn more. We've been so blessed to have met her already so prepared :)

We've also been working with Norman (the other baptism that is set for May 8). He's so excited and wanting to "be Mormon" . He's doing great though and he is also experiencing a lot of blessings from our merciful Heavenly Father. He  loves to pray and he has a lot of faith in receiving that divine help.. so he's doing good :)

In the Avocado Ward we are working hard in "completing families". There are a lot of part-member families and of course we desire to get their entire families into the convenient so they can be sealed together eternally and receive those blessings that our loving Heavenly Father is just wanting and waiting to give us.

So the Gladys Knight "choir side" is coming up this weekend! We are so excited! Apparently she puts on an AMAZING show with singing songs and bearing testimony :) I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.

Ps. Preparation days have officially changed to Tuesdays. Apparently they did a survey that shows 80% of people are home on Mondays, 60% on Tuesdays, 40-50% on Wednesday and Thursday, and only 20% on Saturdays. I think that's what it was.. I didn't write it down when President told us, but it was somewhere around those percentages. So we are changing it to Tuesdays to see how it goes :) So next Monday, don't be worried when you don't get an email from me..it will come on Tuesday! But if you still had it sent by Monday that would be great! Because like I told Jana last week- we're actually allowed to check email throughout the week, but we can only WRITE on pdays. So if you write early (on Mondays or whenever) I'd be able to read them then and have all the computer time on Tuesdays to write.

So our first "sick detachment" is heading home. We decided that every transfer where we have sisters or senior couples leaving the battalion at the end of their mission that we'll refer to them as "sick detachment", clever right? I know. So we had a senior couple head out earlier this morning, the Nixon's. They are from St. George and are so so SWEET! I'll definitely miss them. They were in a way, my adopted mission grandparents, they always were so loving to me and interested in how I'm doing. I'll miss them, it was great to share such a short time with them, I learned so much! This is his 7th mission and their 6th mission together--- talk about a great example of love and devotion to our Lord. They are still in love more than ever and although they are in their 80's they keep looking for opportunities to serve.

Here's a quote from General Conference that I really loved! It's from the talk "Continue in Patience" by Uchtdorf.

"Patience—the ability to put our desires on hold for a time—is a precious and rare virtue. We want what we want, and we want it now. Therefore, the very idea of patience may seem unpleasant and, at times, bitter.

Nevertheless, without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfect. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace.

To paraphrase the Psalmist of old, if we wait patiently for the Lord, He will incline unto us. He will hear our cries. He will bring us out of a horrible pit and set our feet upon a solid rock. He will put a new song in our mouths, and we will praise our God. Many around us will see it, and they will trust in the Lord.^"

I love you all and I hope you have a great day! Serving a mission is the best thing EVER and I love the joy that I feel knowing I couldn't be doing anything better with my time that is so sacred in the eyes of our Lord. I hope you all have a great week :)

Love,

Sister Kimaree Miller

Hello everyone!

   So ALOT has happened this week. So I mentioned last week that I'm back with Sister Ploeger... and boy has it been interesting, a good interesting though! I love her! It's been fun so far, and really, it's already half way through the transfer (I know this is all probably confusing... we got tranferred right in the middle of the normal transfer time- it was an emergency transfer. So what that means, when the normal transfer time comes around... we could be getting transferred again! lol funny. Probably not going to happen, but it's funny to think about it like that.) So although I have a "new" companion and a new area, I'm still in the Mormon Battalion half days. We spend 6 hours there and 6 hours proselyting. My new area is good! We are over two wards- a family ward (Avocado Ward) and a singles ward (Helix Ward). So that's fun and makes planning and scheduling even more important.. especially with only having 6 hours!

   In the Avocado ward we committed a former investigator to get baptized on May 8. He agreed :D yayy! BUT there are alot of things that we need to go over and commit him to before he can get baptized... but we have a goal to work towards.

   We are also working with a few other people... with no baptismal dates YET, but they will soon enough- first I have to meet them! Hahaha. There's SOOO many people to meet in the ward. Yesterday I had a ton of people introduce themselves to me and me introducing myself to otheres, so many names to remember. We had a total of 5 hours at church :O Yeah. I know. Long time. The wards overlap a little so that's why it's an odd number. But I thought church was long enough for 3 hours... psyche! Try doing 5. adfhjadaf it's FOREVER. BUT it's good! Just means I have more time being spiritually fed :) Haha it's great really.. i'm just teasing. I love being there for so long. The wards are FABULOUS and there is such great potential here. Sister Ploeger and I have a pretty great vision of the area... so big things are going to start happening. It's truly amazing to be doing such a wonderful work, the Lords hand is truly in this. There's miracles happening all around us (and you too if you look for them!) It's so neat :) God is great.

   The other day we were on temple grounds and this nonmember dutch lady was talking to us. She was intrigued by our names and started going off on what our names mean in german! Apparently Miller means "to mill" and Ploeger means "to plow", so there you go! We both work in the fields..and HEY what do ya' know... that's exactly what we're doing! The field is white and ready to harvest :) I thought it was funny. Just a little fun fact for ya!
   Oh my goodness yesterday at the Mormon Battalion I got two self referrals! It was GREAT! At the beginning of the tour I was focusing on making this a more personalized tour.. not just a "rote presentation". So I was thinking about the people in the tour and what they might need. There were a couple of nonmembers but that's about all I knew. I was praying about what specifially I should really key in on. Looking back, I have no idea where that came from... well I do, I know it was NOT from me but from our loving Heavenly Father who truly loves them too! So the tour went on and it really touched the young mans heart (one of the nonmembers). At the end you could tell he was getting a little emotional. So I gave everyone a referral card and I went a little more in depth than I usually do. Telling everyone what exactly is on it and what we offer. Then when everyone was exiting the room I glanced back in and there were two people still in there... filling out their cards! As I was waiting I was praying and pleeding it was a referral and not just comments (although comments are GREAT too!) Whgen they were finished, I talked to them for a little while and they were both pretty interested in missionaries coming over. How exciting! It just goes to show if we truly want the Lords help in sharing the gospel... he'll help! It's just a matter of asking him to. It's times like this that make the hard times... not so hard.

   Oh and guess what! There's a pretty big event coming up. I don't know if I've told you yet. Gladis Knight is coming to San Diego with her little singing group. It's called the Saints United Voices. So she's doing a little "choirside". They'll sing and then she'll tell her conversion story! For those of you who don't know her. She's a grammy award winner and she joined the church about 5 years ago! Cool huh? So in order to get tickets to this concert you have to have either nonmembers or less-actives. They've estimated that we'll get either 900-1,000 referrals!! Apparently she has a VERY powerful story, and I'm sooo excited to hear it! We have quite a few nonmembers and less actives going!! The event is April 30 at 5:30 and again at 8:30 and then May 1 at 4:30 and 7:30. So anyways, I'm going!! Jealous? You should be ;)

   So I bet you've all been pretty busy with work, school, etc. I've been pretty busy too! But this morning I was reading in Heleman 12 (I think??) And it's talking about how God truly has power over EVERYTHING and even the dirt and the rocks obey him, and how we are less than the dust of the earth because they obey him instantly when they are commanded to do something. And it even mentions the rotation of the world obeying him. It says something to the effect that if he tells the world to stop rotating, it will and the day will be lenghtened out. How cool!! That's how we know that if we do the important things FIRST (reading scriptures, praying, etc.) then we really will have time to do the others things. He will bless us by slowing time down (literally). And I've definitely seen that in my life sine I've been on a mission. There's so many things to do in such short time. But if we set our priorities right, we'll have enough time.

    Alright I love you ALL and I truly fruly hope you're all doing well. I hope so!! You're in my prayers... and I know I say that almost everyone week... BUT IT'S TRUE! I'm just trying to get it in your head and believe it! Have a great day.. you're all so great. Remember the Lord in all you do.. he WANTS to help us... remember he is willing and just waiting for you to ask :D

I love you!

Love,

Sister Kimaree Miller

Hello Everyone!

   So I was transfered this morning! I'm now companions again with Sister Ploeger... it was a shock to me too! So I'm going to a completely new area in El Cajon and Helix... I spent the first 6 months of my mission in ONE area, isn't that awesome? It was the BEST. But now I get to move, which is good too, it will be great!

   Some funny things happened this last week, Sister Otero and I had just gotten done at district meeting at Mt. Abernathy building. As we were getting into the car she stepped in gum...so all of the sudden she starts doing this little jig, dancing in the parking lot, rubbing/dragging her foot on the pavement to get it off. It looked hilarious. A short Sister Missionary doing what appears to be the moonwalk in the church parking lot.

   Our car has been in the shop all week long, so we've been having to bum rides from some other sisters. Our car was finally done and we were heading to pick it up (30 min away) so Sister Sherman and Sister Story drove us there to drop us off. But when we got there, we had a rude awakening that Dugans (the car place) was closed!! So here we were 30 mins away in these sisters area where they planned on staying for the remainder of the night until 9 (it was 4 at this time). We quickly came up with a solution though.. we were going to drop off the sisters the the stake building where they were having a baptism and they would stay there for weekly planning and then ward coordination meeting (so all of these things would cause them to be there the entire time until 8). So we dropped them off and had their car for the day. So we head out of El Cajon and are on our way to our area. When it came time to go pick them up though we quickly noticed we hadn't paid attention to where the stake building had been and how to get back to it. AND the sisters had left their phone.. so we had NO way of contacting them. So we arrive back in El Cajon at 8:09... not too bad! We really weren't THAT late. So drove around on what we thought were "familiar streets". We keep driving around, only to decide we need to "turn around and go the other way".. again and again and again. Its noe 8:30 and we are STILL looking for the chapel.. so much for not being too late. We keep driving and next thing we know, we see a Welcome to Santee sign... uhhh looks like we'll be turning around AGAIN. Finally we found it... at 8:45. Poor sisters!

   Alright well this week was an interesting one! Successful! We contacted referrals and found new/potential investigators... isn't that fabulous!? Too bad I'm leaving the area.. it's ok, the new sister taking my spot will be FABULOUS!

   Ok I know this is a short one, but we have lots to do... packing, moving, grocery shopping, etc. I hope you all have a wonderful day, I love you all! 

   The church is true :)

Love,

Sister Miller

  Hello EVERYONE! I got this great letter last week... I'm going to say it to you because I believe it applies to everyone. This is what it said: "Hello! How are you? I hope you're doing well.. and if you're not.. then keep moving forward. The Lord knows you and is aware of your every struggle and trial. Know that He is on His knees praying for you..."

So, the same goes for you all. I hope you're doing well, and if you're not, then keep moving foward. I testify to you, that he truly does know you individually. He knows your questions and your desires. He knows your weaknesses and he wants to help you in every way that you will let him. Go to him in a kneeling prayer. He is right by his side with his loving arms around you. Don't be discouraged, but rather choose to be happy. Look at the beautiful things around you that He has given to you as a blessing.. he is aware of your trials and is there to help you through them. Remember to read your scriptures DAILY, pray DAILY, and he will be there to lift you up. I love the promise he gives to us in Isaiah 40 in the last verse... that he will mount us up with wings as eagles. Anyways, you're great! I love you!

   This week has been fabulous!

    Well, first off I have a new companion. Her name is Sister Otero, she grew up "here" but her family recently moved to Pleasent Grove, Utah about a year ago and that's where she filled out her mission papers. And what do ya' know.. she's been called back to her home town- well about 30 minutes north. She's a fun girl! She has been in the field for about a year but when home for about 6 months because she wasn't feeling well, and well now she's back! Before she left she was serving in the La Jolla Singles ward- for about 8 months, and she's been called back to the same area with me! Haha apparently there is just something about this area that she needs to do. She's a fabulous missionary with a bright spirit about her. I feel another great transfer is on the horizon :)

    We have also been working with a couple of other girls and they are just so nice too!! We've definitely been receiving a lot of blessings. Thanks to you guys for your many prayers :)

    So April is here, can you believe it? I didn't do anything for April fools... I wanted to, but I figured I probably shouldn't.

    This last Friday we had zone conference and Sister Donaldson shared a scripture with us, D&C 84:85.. it talks about treasuring up in your minds continually the words of Christ.. She then stopped to expand on the meaning of treasure and how we can do that. My comment was that if you truly treasure something, you're going to think about it again later in the day. You will ponder, and reflect and if you do that then it will be easier to remember later. Elder Turpin (an elder in my zone) said that when he thought of treasure, it made him think of a pirate and if he has treasure, he's going to make a map and keep that close to him so that he will be able to come back to it later and remember it. Which I thought was definitely true. If we treasure the words of Christ (the scriptures) we're going to mark our scriptures (like a map) so that we can come back to it later and continue to ponder it and so on.

   So conference was amazing! What a sweet blessing to be able to hear from our beloved prophet and apostles on the anniversary of our saviors resurrection! I thought there was a definite common theme in the talks-- advice to parents on recognizing signs in their children, and how there needs to be more teaching at home, and how we need to help others more. I am just SO excited for the conference Ensign to come out!

   So as you guys have probably all heard by now- there was an EARTHQUAKE here!! I heard it was a 7.2! Crazy! Sister Otero and I were parked in an apartment complex. S. Otero wasn't feeling very well so she was on the phone talking to Sister Donaldson. We were just sitting there, we were in a reserved parking spot because all the visitor parking was full (which is almost ALWAYS the case) we parked anyway and while we were parked we noticed the car shaking back and forth and up and down. I thought oh man, really? Something is jumping on our bumper to get us to move out of their spot? I turned around to look, but no one was there!! I looked at the car next to me and it was doing the same thing! Next thing I know people are flooding out of the complex... that's when I realize it's an earthquake!! Apparently there were 2 deaths and about 100 injured. but I'm completely safe and feeling fine :)

   We had a great Easter dinner, one of the senior couple missionaries made us an Easter plate full of goodies and we even had a great Easter dinner with a guy in our ward... he loves to cook and well we love to let him! It was all in all, a GREAT day! And really, a great week!!  Well I hope you all had a great week as well, I love you so much! Take care, thank you for all you do! You're all amazing! Have a phenomenal day :) and remember to looking for the Lords hand in your life, it's there :)

Love,

Sister Kimaree Miller