October 28 - Sweetwater, FL

So guys it's that time of the week again!

 

Once again not much this week sorry:( So I went on transfers this week and I went up to Pembroke Pines! It was fun! I was also able to see the temple. It is GORGEOUS you guys!! You wouldn't believe! So do you guys remember that part in Dirty Dancing (the movie) where the sister is singing that song for the talent show and she is singing about a pretty baby?? Well if you haven't go watch the movie. We have that song sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on a cd since obviously its like the best song ever! Me and my companion have been listening to it on replay this WHOLE WEEK! I may or may not be getting a little tired of it, But it is pretty awesome that I can now sing the whole song by memory even with the little music solo in the middle. Okay enough of that haha sorry. So this week we had district training and my District Leader talked about the Book of Mormon. GUYS read 2 Nephi chapter 33! It changed my whole perspective on the Book of Mormon. It talks about how if you believe in Christ believe in these words. I can see Nephi right now in  my mind saying these words and it is just amazing to me. Anways...we had a Ward talent show for the Spanish ward and we were invited and it was like the funnest thing ever! Who knew you could have this much fun at ward activities. It was so awesome to see the talent that these people had and it just makes you love them even more for them willing to not be afraid and show others their talents. Also another really cool experience that I had was with opening my mouth and asking people if we could say a prayer with them. There was this couple across the street and I like ran across the street dodging cars, and practically yelled " Hello! I am Sister Miles!!!" So that they wouldn't run away from my companion and me! Haha it was the best. But even better after the prayer the guy said, "I asked for you guys" It was so special that our loving Heavenly Father is allowing me to be guided to help his children that he loves so much! Anyways, I love you guys! whoever is out there reading this! I will try to take lots of pictures and send them your way next week:) 

P.S. TODAY IS MY MOMS BIRTHDAY!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! I LOVE YOU

P.S. LAST WEEK WAS MY BROTHERS BIRTHDAY!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JORDAN!!:) YOUR THE BEST!

October 21 - Sweetwater, FL

Hey guys!!:) 

This week wasn't that excited. I got to go to Chile's! An investigator took me and my companion. OH! and there was a wedding and a baptism of a couple called Rena and JT! They were the cutest! I loved it so much! I had never been to like an actual wedding so it was really cool to see! It was like just in the movies!! WHO KNEW!! Anyways their baptism was really special. They are awesome. So my companion and I go play basketball every morning for exercise and I am getting pretty good guys! Watch out WNBA! WOOH! Just kidding you guys should already know that I am like the absolute worst but it's okay it's really fun to do instead of just running. And plus we have become like best friends with the guy that opens the gates in the morning so we don't have to jump the fence anymore...not like we did in the beginning...Haha:) Anyways. This week has been awesome! We had a mission conference with Dallin H.Oaks! It was so awesome. It was like a celebrity was here. It was so cool I got to shake his hand! I GOT TO SHAKE THE HAND OF AN APOSTLE OF GOD! It was crazy! anyways...There was an investigator that started coming to church because she watches the SHAYTARDS on youtube! It was really cool! Someone should go email them and tell them good job on the missionarywork:) Well that's pretty much it guys. This week wasn't that exciting. Maybe next week will be more exciting. So SHOUT OUT TIME!! WOOT WOOT!! AMY (not my own cousin  but the other amy) WROTE ME!! Maybe I shouldn't shout out everyone who writes me, maybe that will encourage them not to write me, hm... haha oh well. Love you guys!! WRITE ME!

Love Hermana Miles, Doing the Lords work one knock on the door at a time.

p.s. Dogs are evil.

October 14 - Sweetwater, FL

MAN OH MAN OH MAN!

 Ladies and Gentleman this week has been insane craziness! Its crazy what has happened! Okay here goes. So first off I have officially been chased by an angry ( really angry) Dog! It was so scary! So we were in the trailer park and there is always this stray dog there and it was night and we where walking from an investigators house to our car and this dog started barking and running towards us. Of course me being me and I run for the car leaving my companion to fend for herself ( hey survival of the fittest right?) and then I like take my bag off my shoulder while I am running, put it behind me so that the dog would bite my bag instead of my ankles. My companion jumped on top of someone's car and screams. It was so scary! Finally this guy took pity on us and started yelling at the dog to stop but I thought I was going to DIE!! So anyways...next we had this golden investigator that seemed really cool and we were so excited. Turns out the next lesson we had with him he had researched all this stuff online and got anti-mormon stuff and was telling us all this stuff about how we should research our own religion and about polygamy and we need to search these things on our own and all this crazy stuff, it was so sad!:( It really broke my heart but just talking with my companion really helped me through it and helped me to see that we just have to testify of the spirit and of the truthfulness of the gospel that we believe ourselves and that is all that we can do for these people. Next, we where harvesting again (we have to harvest for an hour every day) and we where praying with this kid that seemed like 15 and he seemed like he was really liking the prayer and accepted it and everything and then like in the middle of the prayer this lady shows up yanks the door our of this kids hand says no! and then slams the door in our face while my companion was in the middle of the prayer. It was intense! It was really disheartening and I almost cried a little bit I will admit but it all turned out okay because listen to this guys! I GOT MY FIRST BAPTISM! IN TWO WEEKS!! I was James! the kid I told you about last week! It was so amazing he is like such a little kid its so cute! I will send pictures. They had to dunk him twice because his knee came up the first time. He kept on saying he was scared that the missionary that baptized him was going to drop him. I was so happy for him and how much his life has changed. He said he felt stronger after the baptism and felt like an NFL player. How cute!! anyways. I love you guys. Shout out to Colton for saying "sup" no one else is emailing me -_- I see you guys, reading my blog and not writing...it cool...no worries. Haha Just kidding :) Love you, Hermana Miles.

P.S. My sister got married on SATURDAY GUYS!! Isn't it exciting!! 

October 7 - Sweetwater, FL

Okay guys I am so excited about this week!! 

So this week we went on exchanges with the Sister training leaders and it was such a cool experiance! I loved it. I left my area and went to pember pines( i think thats how you spell it) for the day with sister bean! she was so nice and she was so outgoing and cool I loved her!!:) Her area is full of like really really wealthy peopel so we went harvesting in her area and people where a little mean haha but its okay it just made me really gratefull for my area. Also we kept on having really bad luck knocking on doors everyone kept of saying no and closing there door but sister bean was like "we prayed about this area and we are here for somebody" so we kept on going and then we found this one guy, Carlos Lopez. It was crazy he was an inactive member because his second wife had asked him to leave the church so he did but he still read his scriptures and everything and he still had the book of mormon so he really still seemed to believe in it. the crazy thing was though that he didnt even live in that house. he was just doing some construction work there. Its crazy how our heavenly Father works. Also later that day we had dinner in a members home. the food was so good!!!! The father of the family isnt a member and he used to not talk to the missioanries at all he like hated him but the sister missionaries in that area have been working really hard and he now loves them  and has them over all the time. he was so funny and he was such a cool guy and i know that he would make a such great member of the church so i am excited to see what happens with that. So I went back to my area that next day and it was just like miracle day. there is this thing where we try to talk to as many people as possible and its called open your mouth (OYM) and we set goals of how many we are going to try to get that day. It so crazy we met this guy this one day from the OYM and his name is Israel he is so cool!! He is on probation and he went to jail for 3 months but he had such a great attitude about it. He was saying that being sent to jail was good for him and changed his life. He just wants to get closer to christ now. He had such a laid back personality and we was so sincere about it! He also has the most beautiful eyes ever!!!!! Everyone here has gorgeous eyes! its crazy they are like blue, green, grey they are all so pretty! anyways we also met this other guy from OYM's named james. He is a18 years old and had been smoking and for the past  couple years and he seemed like he really wanted some help. We were able to help him stop smoking cold turkey ( i think thats how you say it) and he came to general conferance and i think he really like it. Also we have this guys named Elio, he seems to be really interested and really wants to get baptized. I am so excited for all these people and how much there lives are going to change! Well thats all i have for you guys. 

But seriously if you are reading this PLEASE EMAIL ME!!! (darla.miles@myldsmail.net) don't leave me hanging!!

Love you guys:) 

BYE

P.S. I think me and my companion seriously heard gunshots outside our window last night. No big deal right? haha GOD LOVES US! AND EVERYONE ELSE!:)

P.P.S. My companion got bit by a dog!!!! It was crazy we were praying for  a lady and then her dog was trying to get out and my companion was trying to keep it in and she got bit on her finger! It was crazy she was bleeding a lot but thankfully it wasnt like so horrible that she is going to lose a finger. but yeah I was like in shock like did that seriously just happen! It was crazy. missionary life right here.

Pictures from the MTC.  Sorry they're late!

September 30 Sweetwater, FL

Hey guys so I dont have that much time so this will be short. So in my mission we are harvesting which is kind of like proselyting and its is something else. One lady just opened her door and said "no." and closed the door. I just stood there in shock. Also we ask people to be baptized the first time we meet them even when we are just knocking doors and it surprises me so much that they say yes! It's crazy I just keep in thinking I would not say yes if I were them I would be like who are these two crazy girls. Anyways. This sunday was really nice. the chapel has a problem with the AC so its like FREEZING! I was so cold during relief society that I was shivering. NO JOKE! Also I am in a place called sweetwater Florida. I think that its like just right outside of Miami. It is defintaly interesting. Everyone here speaks spanish and they are also Cuban. Cubans are so pretty! they are blond and have colored eyes! Their eyes are so gorgeous! I got placed in a really small ward so me and my companion are really trying to get new members. I feel like I am turning into a whole new person. I don't think that without the help of our Heavenly Father that I would be able to go up to people houses and say "Follow the example of Christ and BE BAPTIZED" its crazy how I am doing this but I am so excited for the experiences that I am going to get from being here. The members are so nice and they have been feeding us so we had two dinners in a row and I was so full I felt sick but I didnt want to refuse the food because that would be rude so I just stuffed it all in. I was thinking, I am going to die and then they are going to do an autopsy and then all this food is going to come out and then I will finally have relief. Hahha Too gross?? Sorry:) Anyways whoever is actually reading this you should email me or send me letters!! My address is 

Sister Miles

Flagler West

710 SW 114 Ave C-3 

Sweetwater, FL 33174

Send me a letteer!!! DO IT!!!

p.s. I hope this doesnt come back to bite me but my Zone Leader is such a Cutie! I think I'm in love. Just kidding guys my heart is locked for a 18 Months;)

Love you,

Darla

September 23, 2013 Provo, Utah, MTC

Hey guys!!! I am having a blast here in the MTC I just sit and eat and then sit again and then eat and then sit some more! yay!! but no, really it is pretty great here. The food is really good! I like love it. Yup that would be me, concentrating on the food haha but anyways. So we heard a talk given by Elder Holland  yesterday on Sunday and it was great!! I loved it. He had his whole family with him because the talk was given on Thankgiving Day. He was talking about how lucky we are to be living in this dispensation. Also he was just so cute with his wife! It was so adorable. So much LOVE! ahh!! anyways...I have been seeing all these senior couples walking around holding hands so excited to go on missions it is the cutest things. This has now offically been added to my bucket list, walk around with my Husband holding hands when I am old around the MTC. ;) I leave tomorrow at 2 in the morning and I am so nervous! I can feel myself tense up every once in a while. I got to meet some people yesterday though that are going to be traveling with me! I was so excited since I haven't met anyone that is going to Fort Lauderdale Florida so I was super excited to meet my travel buddies! They are going to be speaking French Creole (sp?) I am the only person going that is going to be speaking Spanish so thats exciting. Also Grandma Miles sent me a box full of Snickdoodles and Chocolate covered cinnamon bears. They were so great!! I wondering how she knew that snickerdoodles are like my most favorite thing in the WORLD!! I shared them with my whole district and they now will love me for all eternity so THANK YOU GRANDMA!! so much!! Your package was the first one while I am on my mission. I will always remember that!:) Anyways I have taken a couple pictures but the computers at the MTC don't let you put pictures its like such a hassle so I will post some when I get to the field (campo missional, I am learning so much spanish!) anyways I love you guys and p.s. AMY LAGARDA IF YOU ARE READING THIS YOU NEVER SENT ME THE CUPCAKES! YOU WILL BE DOOMED FOR ALL ETERNITY! anyways love you.

So one of my teachers had to leave early so we got a sub and her name was Sister Keller and she served in FORT LAUDERDALE FLORIDA!! WHOOO!! I was so excited I was seriously feeling so alone. haha We were actually in a meeting and they were calling all the missions out by state and country and you would have to stand up and there were like a 100 missionarys there and they called Florida and I stood up all alone like a loner and the mission president was like "Okay, one sister going to Florida" and there were like to elders that stood up a second later but I felt so alone!! but it was cool I feel kind of speacial that I was the only one in that meeting. Anyways back to the teacher that served where I served I was so excited she said that It is the best mission and that it was so cool to meet all these different cultures it was like a big melting pot and she showed me pictures of her investigators that got baptized and they looked so awesome! and also she spoke great Spanish! so there is hope for me!! yay!! she said everyone speaks spanish so I will have no trouble learning.

Love, Darla

September 17 from Provo, Utah, MTC

Hey everyone!! Everything is going great here in the MTC. I have had so many different experiences! I have been here only for a week now but I feel like I have been here for a month! I don't even remember that there is a real world out there. My district is great! I love them so much!!! I have grown to love these people so much in the last week more than I thought I would ever be able to love someone in such a short amount of time. My companion is Hermana Garcia! she is great!:) I love her so much. We complement each other really well like a ying and yang relationship. She is more outgoing and I am more quiet but it works really well when we are teaching or roleplaying with investigators. Learning the Gospel in Spanish has been so hard but I am learning so many word and I have memorized the first vision in Spanish! yay!!!:) Yesterday we had to go to the TRC as a district and it was really difficult because we were going as a district with all 12 of us trying to teach him and he was being a difficult investigator himself, but in this lesson even though he was arguing with us and I knew that he was acting I felt such love for him and I was able to feel a little bit of the love that our Heavenly Father as for him and the love that Jesus Christ has for him. I am finally understanding a little bit more each day was Jesus Christ really did for us and how much he must have loved each every one of us to be willing to do the Atonment for us. I am feeling more and more grateful for his love everyday and am just excited to go out into the field and help others understand that JESUS LOVES YOU!!! not in a creepy way of course and hopefully I dont yell it at them but I just really want to get out there. We heard on Sunday a talk given by David Bednar titled the Character of Christ is was so good it really changed my view of my whole entire life and it helped me to be at peace with my calling and going to Florida and now I am just so excited. I would recommend it to you guys! or not its cool haha:) anways my teachers are cool one is native and went to salt lake on his mission and the other is not native and went to Spain so he talks with a weird lisp its kind of weird anyways! I love you guys! whoever reads this!:) I have run out of time ( I finally understand what this means) BYE!! 

Love,

your Darling Darla

yeah!