June 23, 2014-Doral South

Man oh man oh man!:) So to start off! WE GOT TO GO TO THE TEMPLE!!! yay!!!! This was the first time that all of us in the mission were able to go through a session in the temple since it has been dedicated and it was so amazing!! We felt the spirit so strong there and the spirit has stayed with us throughout this whole week as a companionship so it has been awesome!:) the temple was so beautiful!!! while we were inside there was a lightning storm happening outside and we kept on hearing really big thunder (thats florida for you)  but it was so peaceful the whole time!:) I loved it! So We are getting a new mission president this week!!! Which is really crazy! We are super nervous and excited to see what is going to happen with this new presdient and to see the changes he will be making:) Change is Exciting! So recently a less active family has been coming back to church and they have a 10 year old daughter that wants to get baptized so we get to teach her!:) She is awesome!! she is so ready to learn and just soaks everything up!:) We gave her her very own book of mormon and she got so excited and was like, "Its for me?? all mine??" and we were like, "Yeah!!:) you can even mark your favorite scriptures inside and everything!" She came up to us later in the week after sacrament and started showing us how much she has already read! she is just so excited to get baptized!:) Also we went to go see how the family that we have been teaching recently has been doing and wanted to go share a scripture with them and during the lesson we wanted to bring the spirit really strong into the lesson so we started testifying of Gods love for his children and I started sharing my experience and how when i was younger i was really sick and I had an experience where i felt gods love and then they asked me well what happened to you? and I said I had had cancer (sidenote: so I hadnt exactly told my companion that i had had cancer because its not really something that comes up in conversation *Hey Sister would you pass me the cereal? oh and im a cancer survivor:) thanks for the milk:)* so yeah now back to the story) My companion turns super quick to me eyes wide and in disbelief, hahaha I think for a couple of seconds she didnt believe me haha:) anyways afterward i was like, "so oops sorry i didnt tell you haha..."  and she says, "yeah i thought you were just going to say you had chickenpocks or something!" hahaha but anyways things are going good! the world cup is going on so its fun to be able to connect with people through that!:) The world cup is HUGE here!!!! I am super happy that Mexico has been winning lately, or so i heard.... But anyways:) GUYS GUESS WHAT!! Elder Holland went to cuba to set up another branch IN CUBA!!! That is a huge thing here!!!! everyone is super excited about it we dont know what is going to happen:) you can read about it here :https://www.lds.org/church/news/elder-holland-creates-second-branch-in-cuba?lang=eng

Love Hermana Miles:)

p.s. so yesterday we were accounting (where we talk about what happened in the week, our strengths and weaknesses and how we can improve) with our district leader and suddenly i hear this noise and i look over to my wall right next to my head and there is this HUGE Cockaroach!!!!! ahhhh!!! I screamed sooo loud!!! right in the middle of the call and ran out of there as fast as I could! I think our district leader thought we were getting robbed or something! and then when me and my companion went back into the room we couldnt find it D: so i moved my bed away from all the walls and sprayed like a lake of insecticied around my bed! I couldt sleep at all! I was scared it was going to eat me!

June 16, 2014-Doral South

Guys! you would not believe what me and my companion did last night....We SNEAKED INTO A GATED COMMUNITY!! Okay okay okay let me start from the beginning....

So, we had just come home from church and we were feeling kind of lazy but then we decided, "Hey we are going to ride our bikes to put forth that effort to God," so we did. We got our bikes on our car rode out to our area and started riding our bikes. We had decided that we would try to just ride our bikes into the gated community but theses things were top notch. there were like cameras securtiy guards, the works! So we were like what are we going to do!?? So many people to get baptized in this community! So we were riding our bikes and we saw it! There were some boards nailed together to make a fence type thingy and we realized that one board had a bigger gap than the other boards and I was like, "no, no way my body is going to fit through that board," but we went for it and we got through!!!!! and then I was like come on sister lightheart squeeze through! Of course we had to do it with the right timing in between the cars coming in and the security guards passing by, and then we get through and then we are so scared to death that someone is going to find us. I comforted my companion by telling her that if we get sent to jail im pretty sure our mission president will bail us out eventually. (I know, best companion ever right? I have such comforting words for her) hahha anyways we finally get over our fear and we decide to knock some doors. Man! I dont think I have been that afraid to knock a door since the first day. I was so scared they were going to be like how did you guys get in here. and we would be like, "oh you know, somehow....over there...ish" but everyone was really nice!! and then we decided to go OYM this lady and her daughter! She was so nice to us!!! She told us that she knows we were sent from God because she was having really bad headache so she takes us to her parents house and we say a prayer with them and they LOVE IT!!:D She even said that she already was feeling better from her headache and the daughter said she wanted to be like us missionaries when she grows up and we got a return appointment!! Which means we dont have to sneak in again (even though it was kind of thrilling!) then later we were knocking doors and this Girl comes out and says yes to the prayer and says that she really needed help because she was writing a paper for her finals and then she loved the prayer!! Afterwards she asked us so do you guys live in the commmunity? and we were like..."We live like that way *motion my hand in some random direction* a bit...ish...i dont really know I just moved here (which is true i just got here three weeks ago)" ahha anyways!! IT was awesome!! We are so excited to see how this mother and her daughter progress:) Love you guys!!!

Love Hermana Miles

P.S. #Ifeltlikeaspy

P.S.S. Miles. Sister Miles.

P.S.S.S. like james bond. Get it? ? ?

June 9, 2014- Doral South

So second week in Doral!! Crazy! So we had a huge miracle this week!!! We have been working with a family who is really involved with their own church but they have recently been interested in learning more about our church. An elder saw the dad in the library one day and had the prompting to go and talk to him and he said yes to a return appointment so we came over later in the week and taught his family. So we have been teaching them recently and they are sooo nice! they gather the whole family (they have three kids two boys one girl) and they all listen to our message. One lesson we had two youth from our ward come for the lesson and we were going to teach them about church and explain to them what it would be like and both me and my companion had the prompting that we needed to teach restauration and about Joseph Smith but I was like, "No we already have the Sabbath Day lesson planned with the youth." So we continue with the lesson and wouldn't you know, the Dad asks the perfect question to go into teaching about Joseph Smith! It was like a huge hint from Heavenly Father telling me, "come on sister Miles" so I was like okay! so we turn to the youth and ask her, "do you want to start explaining about Joseph smith?" and she did such an awesome job!!! and then my companion said the first vision and we all felt the spirit so strong! I feel like it really touched their hearts and then after we invited them to church and they were like, "we will come if you guys come to ours" and we were like Sure!!! ( We were kind of hoping they would love church so much they wouldn't go back to their church and would forget about our agreement, ahaha) So sunday comes along and 5 min. before, they aren't there. I am so nervous because I really want them to come. The service starts and still they aren't there. Finally during the sacrament song the sisters from the other ward that starts earilier than our ward come running in telling us that our family came!! I think I literally ran out of that building not even watching to see if my companion was behind me our not haha. Turns out the other ward had thought they were the other sisters investigator and had sent them to the wrong room! But we quickly got it figured out and got them situated in our ward and it was awesome! I prayed so much and even fasted not on a fast sunday ( which for those who know me know that's a big deal! we even had cookies offered to us and I took them but kept them in my purse to eat them later hahaa) so that God would help this family come to church. After sacrament they kind of ran out really fast so we couldn't talk to them much but we asked them, "so can we see you sometime this week?" and they were like, "Of course we thought you were already coming Wednesday." *Mind Highfive to my companion*  We can see how much the gospel would be able to help this family. We are so excited to see how they progress. but anyways...no worries I got to eat the cookies later, nothing was lost.

Love Sister Miles

P.S I ran into some Mexicans last night and they were definitely not as excited as I was to see them #awkward

P.S.S. the mission is super into hashtags now so every text has a hashtag

#missionarywork #godlovesmebecausehegavemecookies #neverhaverunfasterinmylife

#Missionsarehardworkbuttotallyworthit #ifsomeonehadtoldmeitwasthishardiwouldnthavecome #justkiddingstillworthit #familygettingbaptized #eternalfamilies #seeingtheminthecelestialkingdom

June 2, 2014-Doral South

Hey guys!!! I have been transfered to Doral South!!!! So I am living in the same house that I lived in when I was in Hialeah but I am now in a different area. Its really weird because my companion Sister Lightheart was actually someone I lived with! So at first it was really weird to be back in my old house without my old companion and living in a different room! I think i have accidently gone into the other sisters room now thinking it was my old  room like at least fifty times. I keep on going in and being like, "Where is all my stuff!!??" and then remembering oops...-_- and going back to my new room ahaha:) But yeah. It was especially weird to go to my same chapel and see all of the members from my old ward! But it was really cool because I got to see Liduvina!!!!!(My recent convert!) She is doing so awesome!!!!:DD She even has a group of friends now that even helped her get a job and she sits and talks with them! Its the cutest thing ever! and she looks so happy at church!!! Also my new companion Sister Lightheart is awesome! She is from Springfield Oregon and she dresses sooo cute!! She has the cutest style! and also she is awesome as a missionary!!:)) We have been working pretty hard the last couple days in our area harvesting our hearts out! The people in my area are all pretty much cuban or velanzulan so its really fun to be speaking spanish again! Oh I forgot to tell you guys! I am in a Spanish ward again!! So I am going to be able to practive my spanish!!!! They had be introduce myself in sacrament meeting in front of everyone in Spanish and it was really nerve racking but it turned out okay:) So now that I am in a Spanish area again we get a bunch more food now!!! and it is so delicious! So we went to a member on friday and she served us Balliadas (I dont know if i spelled that right but its a honduran dish you should look it up) and it was sooo delicious, just a little calorie loaded. I was watching her prepare my dish and she literally got a huge spoonful of butter and just plopped it right in the middle of the tortilla. I was a little sickening but it was so delicious. Oh man! Maybe God will bless me to not gain weight if I work super hard? hahaha anyways, talk you guys later!!! Love you!!!!!! Have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Miles

May 27, 2014-Miami Shores North

Okay guys guess what???

I am transferring!!!!!!!

I am going to miss my companion sister Hansen so much!!! Me and her got a long really well and I love her to death!! Even though she has given me a heart attack multiple times by scaring me at night!!!

I cant believe it!! this is really unusual!!! I have only been here for six week and I am moving again!! But the up side to this is that I have officially become a packing master!

I will let you know where I will be going next week!

So this week was fun!!!!

So we went to out to eat with a member because it was her birthday and what a better way to spend your birthday than feeding the missionaries! right??!! ahah:) so she is from Haiti and she speaks mostly creole so the Elders (the boy missionaries) that speak creole came with us too. So we end up going to this Hiatian restaurant that is all you can eat buffet!! It looked kind of sketch but hey that's where the best food comes from right??? So me and my companion walk in and everyone turns quiet and stares at us. I am pretty sure we were the only white people in that whole restaurant and plus everyone what only speaking creole so we didn't really understand what was happening and just had to rely on the elders that they would help us out and wouldn't sell us off to someone! haha So me and my companion just casually go sit down and I was thinking in my head, "Don't mind us its just a half Mexican (that doesn't look Mexican) white girl and her companion sitting here waiting for our Haitian all you can eat buffet..." haha:) It was a blast! The whole time the elders where speaking creole to our member and me and my companion don't understand a thing so I just stuffed my face with food so that it wouldn't seem like I had time to talk but I might have just looked like I had been starving for days. I have definitely learned how to eat my whole meal in like five mintues!! That's what a mission teaches you!! haha. So they had these delicious meat thingies and I just kept on eathing them and eating them and my companion just looked at them weird and I was like, "whats wrong? they are super good you should eat some" and then she was like, "no its okay..." so I was like, "okay that's fine more for me" (I just realized I sound like I eat like 600 pounds of food everyday but its not like that I was just super hungry at the time! ahah) so we go on with the dinner and even the elders aren't eating them and I'm like, that's weird (shrug) oh well. So later  in the day were just walking knocking doors and my companion turns to me and tells me, "man I don't know how you ate all that ox tail!"

I was like ,"what ox tail? I didn't eat any ox tail" and she was like, "that was what you kept on eating and no one else was eating!" You should have seen my face! I about freaked out! haahha

I don't even really know what ox tail is! haha:) but it was good so if you ever get the chance to eat ox tail go for it!!! Also we had this crazy experience with a lady named Judy. So Judy is interesting. She might or might not think that the government is after her because she has seen to many things and she lives in her car but she is a super nice lady! and plus we are all children of god!! But anywyas Judy came to church and loved it!! She stayed for relief society even and me and my companion where a little hesitant every time she said a comment hoping she wouldn't say anything about how the government has tortured her but she said some pretty good comments so maybe the spirit was working through her::) haha oh man! I am going to miss Miami and all of these exciting things!! I have no idea where I am going but I know Heavenly Father is sending me to a place that I need to be at right now:) Love you guys! and may you always trust in Heavenly Father and that he knows whats best for you and is always by your side!:)

Love

Hermana Miles

P.S. Bye Miami!!!!!!!

P.S.S.  New area here I come!

May 19, 2014-Miami Shores North

This week we had HAITIAN FLAG DAY!!! Our ward had a party and it was the funnest thing ever! I think I actually forgot what it was like to go to a party! there was Haitian food there that I had never had so I got to try it for the first time! Man I was pileing on that food like there was no tomorrow! It was so delish! I would have looked like I was a starving missionary but thankfully everyone else was getting as much food as I was. Acutally the kid in front of me didnt think that one plate was enough so he got two plates and had them pile it on for him hahaha:) But when I sat down I ate that food so fast! I think being a missionary has definitely made me like the worlds fastest eater now. We have to eat as fast as we can and stuff as much food as we can so that we dont get full and cant eat the rest of the food:) ahaha:) but other than that. This week was super awesome!:))  I promise I will definitly have an awkward funny story for you next week. There are plenty to choose from haha:)

Love

Hermana Miles

 

 

p.s. I have learned that Haitians know how to dance! and how to throw a great party! 

May 12, 2014-Miami Shores North

Hey everyone!!!!! 

So yesterday was Mothers Day!!! and I got to talk to my parents on Skype!! (So I only get to Skype them on Christmas and Mothers day and for the rest of the year I only get to email them) So yesterday was pretty exciting! It felt like Christmas!!!! haha:) But this week was pretty awesome! This week we are still teaching Kelly and her family:) We love them so much! She says that she is recognizing a peace that has entered her home ever since we started coming over to teach her and she loves it! and her son even said that he recognizes how the prayer that we said is helping him!:) We are so excited for them that they are recognizing the spirit! They just seem so much happier now!! 

Since its mothers day our investigators went out of town or went to go visit there mothers so they didn't come to church yesterday so me and my companion where kind of bummed. As we walk into the chapel we see a less active that hadn't come in 15 years!!! and she had a 10 year old son who hadn't been baptized!!! MIracle!! I was all happy thanking Heavenly Father for letting them come! Then while sitting in Sacrament someone taps my shoulder and I turn around...and a member had brought her friend who wasn't a member!!!!! ahh!!!! I was like oh man Heavenly Father loves us so much! I couldn't believe it! I was so happy! My companion and I were all happy after sacrament when suddenly a member comes up to us and says, "This man just walked in on his own and he's not a member and says he interested in learning more, I would go over and talk to him." My companion and I were like What is happening??? Investigators are raining from the sky! Its a mothers day miracle!!! Then we go talk to him and he asks, "So where can we pay tithing?" and we thought he just wanted to see it and was curious so we showed him the little envelopes and he says, "okay Im ready to do that" grabs one and starts writing on it. You should have seen the look on my companions face and my face! haha:) He must of thought we were weird I am pretty sure my eyes where like wide open the whole time! haha Anyways that was the awesome miracle for this week!!:))

So my companion figured out that I am pretty jumpy and get scared at pretty much anything so she has been scaring me with little things here and there and I finally decided it was payback time. After I finished my nightly prayers I waiting until she finished her prayers (I was going to scare her during her prayers but I figured I didn't want to get struck by lightening for not being reverent hahaha)  and then she got in her bed and I crawled over the quietest I could, I was crawling  and like slithering on the floor (it took like five minutes to go five feet because I was trying not to make a sound) and then I stood up with a toy dinarsour in my hand  trying my hardest to hold in my laughter, and I attack her face with the toy dinarsour that we had! haha:) She got so scared!!!! I am pretty sure she has some revenge planned for me but I have something in mind to get her back for anything she has for me;)

Love you!

Hermana Miles

p.s. god loves you!

P.S.S.  you should watch this video!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ4TPn8hjxI

P.S.S.S. I forgot! Okay so this week we were in a not so good neighborhood and we were walking and this guy comes walking close to us and we are like, "Hey! how are you?? We are representatives of Jesus Christ. Can we say a prayer for you?" And he is all awkward and is like, "Nope, not right now" and I was about to start testifying and then I see in his hands like four movies (that aren't movies that you would feel the spirit of Heavenly Father with you if you watched them and they definitely are not allowed from the strength of Youth) and I was like oh man awkward... and then my Companion saw them but she didn't see what they were exactly and I was like trying to make eye contact with her saying like, "Don't mention the videos! don't mention the videos! (with my eyes of course not saying it out loud) but that didn't work so she was like "Hey are you going to go watc---(and this is when she realized what they were so she tried to change to subject) Go hang out with some friends?" hahahha I was laughing so much!!! She felt so awkward we just handed him a card and said Jesus loves you!:) anyways I love you guys:) and Jesus does too:)