Just walking down the street...

Elder Page loves the California Sunsets
He still can't believe he is serving where Elder Dallin Page served
And he bought this "sweet" Tie at a thrift store for a dollar!!!

Hey there everybody!!!

Things are going good here in sunny (high of 85) California. Yep, it has in fact been that hot for the past week, its a little cooler today, but I still can't believe its almost November. Time is Flying by I'll tell y'all what. Time on the mission is unlike anything else, its weird.



But things are going Great! Me and Elder Thorup have been doing a lot of good work here over the past week, we have been able to teach almost every night and the members really are great about helping us with the work, 'Im loving the members of this ward already! They had the ward trunk or treat the other night and we were able to go. It was pretty fun, and it brought back some good memories from University City Trunk or Treat. The members made sure to give us some candy, which was nice, they're lookin after us!



Me and Elder Thorup are getting along so well, we are definitely growing in unity, and brotherhood, we can feel it everyday, its pretty cool. As long as I've been out, I have definitely realized that those companionship's who put all personal preferences aside and just learn to love one another always are happier and work better, and are given more opportunities to serve. Me and Elder Thorup are doing well, and are seeing little blessings left and right.



Last Monday night, we were out going by some people and nobody was home and time was going by pretty slow. It seemed like we werent getting much done, so we started walking, not really with a plan, and so I said a quick little prayer to myself, asking Heavenly Father to help me and Elder Thorup find someone that night that we could talk to on the street and that would be at least somewhat interested in the message that we have to share. So we kept walking and not even a minute later I looked across the street and saw a woman walking her dog. I had a pretty strong impression to go and talk to her, but I have to say, I didn't immediately talk to her simply because I said she was across the street, so we kept walking. We got to the intersection, and while we were waiting on the crosswalk the Same lady who just a minute earlier been walking the other way walked up by us and we both didnt even hesitate to stop her and talk to her. She turned out to be a really nice lady named Crystal, who had good feelings about the church, and who's son had actually been recently asking questions about god and just life in general. She also had some questions, so we ended up giving her a pamphlet and told her to go home and read it with her son, and we would come by another time and talk with her about what they read. The craziest thing about the whole thing is that in the process of kinda saying goodbye, she said, "well it was really nice to meet you two, this was nice, I actually don't know why I'm walking this way, I was on my way home."



Walking home ourselves after this just opened my eyes and strengthened my testimony of the Lord and his knowing of all this and all people, including me and Elder Thorup, our prayers, and the needs of those who dont have the gospel in their lives. I felt really blessed to have a prayer like that answered so quickly and in the process we were able to help someone else.



I Love this work which I have the chance to do everyday. Its such an amazing work, and although at times it may seem like our efforts are minimal, or that we aren't really making a difference, if we serve other and the lord with all our hearts and do the very best we can, we will be blessed and we will be instruments in his hands daily. Well, thats my story for the week. I hope it all made sense, I dont have the time to proof read it. But Im doing well y'all, I hope each of you is doing good and that y'all are happy in all that you do. I'm praying for you guys and think of yall everyday. Thank you for the love, letters, packadges, and prayers. Everything! Thank You so much!!



I'll email next week, and hopefully have something good to share, I love you All! Keep living the gospel and happiness will find you.

Until next time,

Godspeed!




Love,

Elder Page

Rubba dub dub...

I feel like my email this week is just going to be a collection of random pensamientos cause I don´t have any news to share, de verdad.
-This week I met a missionary from the Galápagos islands. She is the first missionary to leave from there and she´s really cool. Before her mission she worked with endangered turtles and sharks.
-Everyone here thinks that just cause your a gringo missionary you have cualquier idea for games of family home evening...and let me tell ya..that is false doctrine if I´ve ever heard it. Sometimes, when the whole ward knows all your games, you´ve gotta get despirate in inventing stuff off the top of your head. If anything, the mission is preparing me to have great FHE in the future!

-Chilenos are addicted to brownies. This is a typical "get to know you" conversion (even in the street) here: "Hola, whats your name?" "Hermana Page" "Y de donde es?" "Los Estados Unidos" "Ahhh...gringa.....Do you know how to make brownies?" (its a good thing she makes THE BEST BROWNIES!)

-Every chileno has a fanny pack and wears it with pride. I don´t know why, but I think of Dad everytime I see one haha.

-This week we found 2 huge poisonous/deadly spiders in our house this week. Se llaman "aranas de ricón" and they are one of the most deadly spiders in Chile. And lucky their natural climate/habitat just so happens to be the limits of our mission...oh happy day! But don´t worry, we bought Raid and Hermana Hansen practically sleeps with it next to her bed now haha.

-In the mornings for exercises, I am teaching Hermana Hansen a little bit of ballet (cause she´s always wanted to learn). It feels so werid to dance again...but I secretly love it. It makes me really happy inside!

-The ward that I´m in now is like a stateside ward.. with "cuicos" (mid-class/rich people). And I am not gonna lie, it´s been a weird adjustment. For over a year, I´ve been in wards that are "poorer" or country areas....like real "chilean wards" with "chilean people". And now, I´m all of a sudden thrown into area with really different people. And yesterday, I was talking to Hermana Hansen about it and I realized that I really missed the other types of area/barrio and that adjusting myself to the people and their way of living has been kinda hard in these past weeks. Than I realized that maybe the Lord sent me here so that I could adjust myself poco por poco to "normal" people, so that when I go home I didn´t completely break down.... Puede ser. I don´t know...just a thought that I had.


Hope my random thought process email wasn´t a complete waste of time to read haha. We will try to be more adventurous this week so I have something to share!


Love you all bunches. Portanse bien!


Love always and always,

Hermana Abigail Page

We survived the weather...

Holy moly,
Let me just say, NEVER and I mean never ask "where's the rain?" in England because I can swear to you that it will come, and it will soak you through! Tuesday was the craziest weather ever and it didn't really feel like we were missionaries because we kind of just hopped from one members home to the next because it was just bad out! So it was strange, but it's okay.
And this week we also met this really nice nun, Sister Margaret! We went back to her home on Monday night and we were just going to teach her about what the Book of Mormon is, but the spirit totally just led that lesson! She some how brought up that she's used family search (the family history website) and she absolutely loved it! We then got talking to her about how we can actually help her do her family history and we'll be doing that this week. There is not much better than helping people connect with their families.
I did a lot of my family history work this week as well, and we have these little booklets called My Family Books and what you do is you tape pictures of your family and write about them, and they're like a convenient way to do family history. Well I finally did mine, and it was just the best! It is so fun and easy to just talk to people about my family, and it just makes missionary work that much more personal. I just have loved this past week, and I have learned a lot. I'm really learning each and every day to trust FULLY in the Lord, and I am so grateful for that. This week we're going on exchanges and I'm in south port again without sister hunter...so I'm glad the Lord was preparing me all last week for this one! Also we had stake conference (where a bunch of congregations within an area come together for one big meeting every 6 months) and I just love members! They really just love spending time with the missionaries and it makes me so happy! Also, the family that we went with on Sunday had 3 young children, and I was next to the youngest (probably 1-2) and he looked like he was being all sweet and then tried to bite my arm!!! Haha and me and sister hunter could not stop laughing (which is even worse that is was a very reverent meeting) because it's like a normal this he does, he's a very affectionate child and that's how he shows his love..hahaha English children.
I am so greatful to be here in England, even if it means fending off biting children! :)
Love
Sister Miller

I'm in Anaheim??? I'm in Anaheim!!!...

So this past week (first week of the new transfer) has been quite the week. A great week, but a busy week as well. So to start off; it turns out that the area I'm in right now (Cypress 4th) covers three different cities, the areas only about 6 blocks, but it covers Cypress (including Cypress College & YSA), Buena Park, and Anaheim!!! Its crazy, but I'm in the heart of Orange county, basically the same exact place Dallin served almost 7 years ago! I Love it here though. It's way different geographically and people wise, than Northern Long Beach. It's super up scale/high class. It's pretty much gated community left and right, which makes the work kinda hard, but we're making due with what we have to work with! We have been doing A lot of less active work here over the past week. The ward and the members here are Awesome! the Ward is pretty good size and they love helping us out. We go out on splits 3 nights out of the week, which is great. A big difference from my last area, we're gonna need all the help we can get though. There is So much Diversity here though, there are a lot of Vietnamese, Japanese, African, European, Hispanic, this place has got everything! The other elders in the ward (we split the ward) are starting to teach a really nice woman from Cameroon! Overall, I am really excited to work with the people of this area.
My new companions name is Elder Thorup, he is one of the most christ like people Ive ever met. He is a bit quiet, but we're perfect for each other. When he does say something its usually either really profound, or just flat out hilarious. I Love him! He is big into music (classical) mainly. He was drum Major for his high school in Colorado and he is very talented. He really Likes drum core, especially Carolina Crown! (Shout out to Caleb). He can also sing. He sang all by himself in sacrament meeting on Sunday, he's got the voice of an angel! We are working really well together, when we walk on the street at night, we sing hymns, it's so great! I have just felt really happy, and hopeful since I've been here. I have a good feeling about the good that will come over the next few months.
Well, that's pretty much the rundown of the last 6 days. I am doing really good, and I know that the work is the same no matter where I go, and I'm ready and excited to keep it going while I'm here. I feel really blessed.
Well I Love you all!!! I miss you guys so much, and I cant wait to talk and see yall on Christmas! Its coming up! But keep doing good, know that Im praying day and night for each of you, thank you for all you guys do for me, it means more than I can say. I Love yall and will have more next week! Until then. Godspeed!

Love, Elder Page

P.S. We can see lights from Disneyland at night! :)

Two peas in a pod...

Two cosas:
Uno: I love my companion. This week with Hermana Hansen has been great. Hard work, but great company. And yes, I note that we are still in the "honeymoon phase" of cambios, so it´s not all gonna be sunshine and daisies forever, but I am really excited to work and grow together! We are pretty similar...sometimes it freaky similar the things we have in common, but I already love her lots and I´m ready to see the miracles come :)

Dos: I love that the Lord loves us enough to correct us and give us trials. Ahh, seriously, I can´t describe how much I have learned to love the Lord and the way He works. I have had trails. Lots of trials in the mission (like everyone else)...with companions, with wards, with areas, with sicknesses, with walking all day without one person giving us even a half second or interest...weeks like that...months without people really progressing.

I have cried... okay okay, well a handful of times, I´ve cried, I´ve prayed, I´ve...I don´t even now how to describe it.....I´ve just been completely tired and worn out at times.

But honestly, the hand of the Lord has been so present every single step of the way, that honestly, I have just learned to enjoy the journey. I am so BEYOND grateful for the companions that have loved me enough to correct me, make me more obedient, love me with my weaknesses and all, help me develop more fe and attributos de Cristo. I now look forward to the moments when I am corrected and when Cristo sends me a trial cause I know that it´s for the better! It´s always for the better!

Now to be straight out, that by no way means that I´m not gonna get disanimated or discouraged and all that in the process. Sure I will! I ain´t perfect para nada. But I can say that, I have been eternally changed by my mission. In so many ways that I can´t count. I love it here. And almost crying while writing this, I know it´s true. I seriously, con todo mi alma, 100%, si o si, love the mision. I know I say it lots, but it´s the best.

Take a year and a half out of my plans so that the Lord can change me for eternity? Welp, I don´t think that it gets much better than that now does it?

Love always and always,

Hermana Abigail Page

Another 6 weeks in South Port...

HELLLLOO!!
This week has just flown by, I just cannot believe it! I start to worry because I'm like 'oh my goodness, no, it's not Sunday?' and I just feel like this time is just going before my eyes...scary. We also got transfer calls (so like the call that lets us know if we're leaving or staying in our area) and we both get to stay! So that's great because we're really just in love with this ward. This week we travelled like nobody's business, and oh my word we were pooped. So we had district meeting (a group of missionaries meeting together from the similar area) in Liverpool on Tuesday, which was soooo good! I just love traveling to Liverpool, I'm really used to it now. But also this week we travelled to Manchester because there was a meeting for new missionaries. It took foreverrrr, and I could've literally travelled to Pensacola by the time we got to Manchester with public transportation. It was so good though, and by the time we got back to our flat on Friday, we were able to just plan for tomorrow and go right to bed. But in the meeting President Ulrich really just got to know us, and he is just the best. I just know he is called of God, and he just genuinely loves and cares for us. I just also loved going to the meeting with Sister Hunter. I just love her as my trainer, because we are SO open with eachother, and I really do feel like we are a companionship, not just her training me. We really work together to teach and do the Lords work. It is so great y'all. Also we were able to teach this young mom, who's actually met with missionaries before! She was so stinkin' sweet and just wanted to learn more! But before the lesson we were SUPER nervous, because it's not often that we're able to meet in peoples homes, so we just really wanted to be focused and want to teach her for the right reasons. I am so grateful the Lord gave us His trust to teach her, because it went SO well. We're seeing her tomorrow and I just can't wait to help her come unto Christ. One more great thing happening in South Port is that this Thursday we're teaching English! Haha I don't know how effective I'll be at it, but the one of the gifts of the spirit is the gift of tongues...right? Haha lastly, this weather...haha oh goodness it's supposed to be hurricane-like this week! Especially tomorrow! I think it'll be so fun, but I've heard the wind and rain can get super intense.... so we'll see how it goes! We're safe and warm though, so don't worry! South Port really is the best, and there's nothing like loving your area so so much. I am just so grateful for this past week the Lord has given me and I am excited to see what this next week will bring.

Love Sister Miller.

Growiing Pains...

Sister Miller with her companion at a Zone Activity

Hellllllooo!!!
Remember when I said that I wanted rain so I could wear my rain boots? Uh I am so nieve...haha it is just raining and nippy as all get out! It's so fun though because I feel like I am really on the Lords errand when things are difficult...haha maybe I'm just odd.
But this week was SO GOOD! Let me just start off by saying last Monday was very hard, but I'm grateful for the Lord and that he is so aware of me and the things I am going through. And plus he has a very bad sense of humor. Haha so after a hard Monday it was time to go out and do some work at 6, and turns out I forgot the keys...which we didn't realize until we were returning at around 8 to bundle up some more. Heavenly Father definitely let me forget the keys so that I could just forget everything else, and just laugh at the situation. It ended up the we forgot to lock a window (yes, I know that's so bad) and I was able to climb in! Yay for keys! Turns out we left them in there AGAIN later on in the week, so lets just say we've learned our lesson.
But we had exchanges this week....I was So nervous! But just the week before Tory had ran his area and talked a lot about how he got through it, so I did the same. And you know what? It went a-okay! We didn't get lost, we met really great people, and we just worked :)
Then we were able to have an appointment with this man who is very knowledgeable, and we had a member go with us. At first it was okay, but then this man literally was like "well what about this" and "well this means this, so it can't mean that", "and basically this man knew the bible in and out. He was like testing us! It was so horrible. We kept trying and trying to just take it back to the simple things, but he just wanted to talk about deep doctrine. By the end of the hour I had checked out, I was gone. I was fighting back tears because he made me question the things I know. And I was so frustrated afterwards! The things I do know may be small, but I KNOW them, and he made me question them! I felt so insufficient to be teaching the Lords children because I was of no help to that man. And even worse, I was mad at him. Which is just terrible! So after that we went home and we kind of talked about it, and then we just went to bed. The next day during study it was all we talked about and it really helped. I just really looked at the things that I do know, and stopped worrying about the things that I don't. I know enough, and no one can shake it (any more). Also we're purifying ourselves!!! I am so stinking excited for this! We both fasted to have things come to our mind that hinder having the spirit with us, and now, for a whole transfer we're going to focus on getting rid of those things so that we can become more pure. I just love how the Lord gives us opportunities to grow, all we have to do is be willing.
The rest of the week went smooth and we're starting up an English class for foreigners! Haha I am so excited to help people learn english, and hopefully it's a success. This coming week is going to be crazy busy because we're travelling to and from Liverpool on Tuesday, and then to Manchester for a specialised training for new missionaries. So we're going to be just busy bees! It's also so great because we are just so excited to have full planners :)
We've got the mail fixed and so we're hoping that now if all mail goes to the office, we will definitely get it, so we'll see how that goes! :)
Thank you so much for all the support and love, I feel it every day. I really am just so grateful for so much support from back home! I hope you all have a safe and good week! Don't forget to pray.
-Sister Miller

On the Road Again...

Hermana Page with her "Momma" and her new Companion Hermana Hansen



Welp ladies and gents, after almost 8 months en La Serena, I was sent south for the summer! Now I am in an area named Placilla, en the zona of Valparaíso! I´ve never had a big city in my zone, so that´s different, but I do like it! The ward here is SO focused in on missionary work! But seriously!! Every thing that they do has that focus, and it is so cool! There´s just a new life and light in the ward! I love it! My companion´s name is Hermana Hansen, from Washington state. She´s just the bee´s knees and very sweet, and I can feel that we are gonna have a great time together! And after zone conference and general conference and consejo con Presidente, I am ready to get rockin and rollin!
The bus trip from the north to the south of the mission, has some of the prettiest views ever! Seriously! If you ever have free time, we should drive the Chilean highway! Country, and farms, and cliffs and ocean and lighthouses and sunsets over the pacific and mountains and valleys...oh my! :)

Also, I am glad for a new adventure. Yes, it was sad to leave La Serena and my familias there, but I felt that I wasn´t going to progress more there. I had reached a point where I needed a change (the same thing that happened in Limache). So I am grateful that the Lord knows my heart and sent me to where I am now :) Besides, He sent Hermana Barros in my place up there to La Serena con Hermana Cook, so I know that everything will be okay in my momma´s hands, right?

After general conference, all the elders were sayin "ohh, 6 meses...we´re gonna be at conference again before we know it!" And then, suddenly, I realized that I don´t have more conferences in the mission. And for the first time in my whole mission I realized how much time I have. And also how much time I have left...and it´s not too much.. :( Also from the pulpit in the cambios meeting, President called me a "veteran" in the mission....ahhhhhh nooooo! No no, I´m still a youngin! A baby practically! But anyways, enough with my denial. Now there´s no time to waste, and I am ready to sprint....my (exactly) 4 month sprint from today until I´m huggin Daddy in the Charlotte Douglas airport. One companion told me that if you get to the end of the race and you´re not dead, you could have run faster. So here I am now...get mark, get set, GO!

Love you all so much! Have a fantastic week, and enjoy a good ´ole North Carolina fall day for me, porfis!

Love always and always,

Hermana Abigail Page

D&C 1:38

Zone Meeting


Hey Everybody!!!
So a lot has happened over the past week. I guess I should just cut right to the juicy news. I'm being transferred to Cypress! My trainer is staying in Long Beach, and I'm peacing out. We were so shocked. We figured, if we both didn't stay, that Elder Blasko would leave (since he's been here for 6 months already) and I would have to take over the area. But plot twist, I am going to be heading to Cypress on Tuesday morning and my new Companion's name is Elder Thorup. I have heard only great things about him so I'm excited!!!! He has been out a little less than a year I think, but I'm really excited to learn from him and work with him. At first I was kinda bumbed, and actually really nervous, because I knew that it would be a big change, and I felt like me and Elder Blasko were just getting things going here in our area. But it was yesterday I was reading and D&C 1:38 came up and this scripture put everything into perspective for me. I realized that even though I have come to love Elder Blasko and love working with him, even though I have come to know the area and love the ward, it is time for me to leave, and it is how everything is suppose to happen. This Really is the Lords work, it is all in his timing and his plans. He knows us (the missionaries) and He knows the rest of his children (those that we are finding and teaching), and whatever he asks me to do, and wherever he calls me to serve, I should be willing and ready to go.
The message we share, the gospel is the same, throughout the world, in every mission, out of every missionaries mouth, the word is the same, and if He needs me in Cypress at this time in my mission, then I need to be there. I am really learning, and still learning, to truly trust in the Lord and his timing in all things. But I am finding a lot of peace, comfort and strength in my weaknesses, trials, and afflictions. Without these things we would never grow, we would never progress, but because as a missionary and servant of the Lord I get to experience these things, I KNOW that He is helping me become the kind of person I want to be and He wants and needs me to be.
I have Loved serving in Long Beach the past 3 months, and I am Super Excited to keep on serving in Cypress. An investigator of me and Elder Blasko's (Renee) is most likely getting baptized this next transfer, so if that happens I will get to go back to Long Beach and see her get baptized. She has an 8 year old son, and a 17 year old daughter who are probably going to be baptized too so It is going to be Awesome!!! I cant wait! All I can say is that the gospel changes Lives, it Really Really does. I can''t even describe it. Most of the time its a very gradual change, but in the end, changes are seen in people, and they are always happier with the gospel than without it. I feel so blessed to be apart of a change like this in someones life, and I am looking forward to contiuing to do this throughout my mission.
I can't wait to send pictures of the new area and my new companion. Keep praying for me, keep sending pictures, and keep doing what y'all are doing, because I know its good :) I Love You Guys, all of you! I'll write next week, with more pictures! But until then. Pray as often as your knees permit, Love Everyone All the time, and laugh a lot. Laughter is everything I'll tell ya!
Godspeed!!!

- Elder Page

John 5:8

Hey Everyone!!!

Its been a long week, but definitely a Spiritually packed week, and a week of growth. So Starting wednesday, we had Zone Conference which was three zones including the one Im in and two others. We got to be enriched by some of the mission leaders, like Aps, Zone leaders, and district leaders, and of course president Tew. So I just want you all to know, President Tew is one of the kindest, funniest, most spiritual guys I have ever met, he is definitely called of the lord. I feel the spirit everytime Im around him, and the best part is that he's so personable and relatable, I never feel, nurvous or intimidated by him, which is good! Haha. Anyways, so Zone conference was Sooo Good! The trainings we had were so powerful and the spirit was definitely there. Its crazy how meetings like that can just unite a group of people who may not even know each other, the lord has a way of bringing those he has called together. The next day after that, we had Zone Meeting. That's where we meet just as a zone and have missionaries give training, and typically ideas and ways we can strengthen the zone and see more success. Those are always great! But this one has been the best by far, our zone is so great, everyone are hard workers and want to do our best. We all get along so well. Its really something to get together with 18, 19 20 year olds just like you with the same goals but also similar struggles as you and just to be able to help one another by bearing testimony, reading scriptures, praying, and just talking with one another. The lord knows us personally and puts people in our paths to help us and strengthen us, I have come to realize that more and more as a missionary, and I Love It!

So this past weekend was obviously General Conference, which was So Good! The leaders of the church never let us down. I Got so much out of this conference, but I would have to say my two favorite talks were Pres monson, sunday morning, holland, saturday afternoon, and bednar, sunday afternoon. Its a cool thing to go around all day everyday telling people that we have a prophet today and that we can know that he is the prophet by listening to him and reading his words. And then to actually attend conference with these people, some who have never even heard of the word prophet, and then watch them change right before my eyes because of the spirit that they feel when the prophet and his apostles speak. Thats a modern day miracle right there. My testimony of President Thomas S Monson has grown tremendously over the past weekend. There is Not a doubt in my mind that he is a prophet that has been called by god, and that he is inspired, receiving revelation for all of us, helping us, guiding us, and ultimately setting an example for us. What a guy President Monson is! All in all, conference was SwwweeeeT! I Loved it. It was a new experience watching it as a missionary, but the spirit was there, in a way, I haven't felt during conference before. Great weekend!


I know this is getting pretty long, but the last thing I'll talk about is the temple. This morning, we woke up at 3am to drive to LA and go to the temple. I'll just say this, it was worth the loss of sleep. LA, is so amazing. The temple is huge, and its beautiful! It was an amazing experience. Im so lucky to be able to go to the temple as a missionary. I Love the temple so much. The peace we can feel within the walls of the temple is unreal. Its not like any other peace we can have in this world. And the lord has given them to us to enjoy and to feel his love and his spirit. I guess I'll just end on this. The temple is So special, so I would encourage all of ya to go sometime before next month, it may seem inconvenient, I can promise you that if you want to go, the lord will allow a way for it to happen. The church is true. I Know that the book of mormon is true, I Love that Book. The lord knows exactly how to change us in order to reach our full potential and help be as happy as we possibly can be. It wont always be easy, in fact it will probably be hard most of the time, but I have realized that its in those moment we undergo the most change, and a lasting change of heart and of nature.

Well, I Love you All!! And I miss you guys. Thank you for everything you do for me, even if its a prayer once a day, thank you. Im praying for each of you everyday! I hope things are going good, tell paw paw jack I said hi, give smores and daisy pats oj the head for me and tell scarlett I love her and cant wait to see her! I cant wait to email next week and tell yall whats going on, but until then, Godspeed!

Love, Elder Page

Me encanta vel al templo.....

Conference was awesome!
Just as always. I love watching conference as a missionary... it´s just wonderful. And I feel like that ever since
I´ve been on the mission, I have really focused in on conference, and that it has come to be my favorite semi-annual time of the year!! I really loved Elder Lynn G. Robbins talk and the talk by Elder Jorg Keblingat. I liked that they were very straight forward and clear, but powerful and spiritual at the same time. I noticed that a lot this conference that everyone was very direct and bold and how they preached, but at the same time, they were so full of love. Goodness, I love conference :)

One thing that I have been coming to realize lately is that at the end of missionary work, the goal is the temple. It isn´t that they come to church, or that they pass they´re interviews, or that they simply get baptized...the purpose of everything is that they are convirted and faithful so that they can make it into the house of the Lord sobre la tierra. I´ve really come to feel that lately in my personal missionary work, and I feel like it´s changed my perspective on how I go about the work. I love the temple. I really do. And the truth is that I have only be able to go to the temple a handful of times, and the majority of those times were in Spanish when I still couldn´t understand when people told me "hola". But I know that the work that happens within those walls are sacred and true. And I know that the temple is literally a beacon and lighthouse of hope and love and faith. And I have come to realize that WHATEVER sacrafice that it takes, we have to go to the temple. We have to make it to those doors. We have to enter in that holy house. I know that miracles happen there, and that every person who enters into this gospel needs to start their journey with their feet and eyes set in towards the temple. That needs to be their mirada desde el PRIMER momento. I love this time that I have to be able to help people get to the temple. What a holy calling. I feel so blessed to be able to invite the whole world to be worth to enter in there. And I can honestly say that God was touched my heart in such a way that I know now, more than any other time in my life, that my life´s mission is and will be to always get to the temple. Always get to the mountain of the Lord. To His holy home. And I will settle for no less...nuh huh, no way, no how, see ya!

Goodness gracious, the gospel is so awesome.

Love y´all more than anything else. Vamos al templo :)

Love always and always,
Hermana Abigail Page

Poland...

Helllo all!
This week was really great! I just love being here and knowing that I am really doing the Lords work.
So right when we got here we met this Polish women, and we had hoped that we would teach her, so we got a polish Book of Mormon, but we never taught her so that book was just chillen in out flat.

Fast forward to this past Thursday we were about to leave for an hour to go finding (find people who we will be able to teach) and while Sister Hunter was getting ready I just had this thought "maybe I should bring the polish BOM (book of Mormon). So I did, and didn't really think much of it. We said a prayer, and then went out to work! We ran into this lady at a bus stop, not interested. Met this couple sitting on a bench (we awkwardly approached), and lo and behold they were 'just leaving' to go to a Christian meeting. Kept on walking to try and say hello to a women walking her dog, and she didn't say two words to us. Then we decided to talk to this man on a bench thinking 'what's the harm?'. We started to talk to him and he seemed weirded out (can ya blame him?) and his voice didn't sound English. Sister Hunter asked where he was from...... POLAND!!!!! I about hopped out of my skirt I was so amazed! I immediately was like "oh you're from poland?!?!" and sister hunter thought I was strange for being so excited about that until I whipped the polish BOM outta my bag. We immediately were about to start teaching him about it (well sister hunter did a lot of the talking because I was still too amazed that I actually followed a prompting from the spirit, and had seen the result immediately) and he was just so great! He's lost his family to an accident, and he really found comfort in what we were saying. His English isn't the best, but we were still able to set up a time to meet with him the next day!

The next day came and he didn't come...which was dissapointing but we both felt like that wasn't the last time we would see him. Then we went and helped out some members and then were going to catch a bus home. Usually sister hunter and I sprint to catch a bus if it's a close call, but this afternoon, we didn't even budge. We both just kept our slow pace and let the bus go on without us. As we were waiting for the next one we were both like "what in the world? Why didn't we bother to catch that bus? I guess we're just tired". And then the next bus came and lo and behold, we see the polish man!!!! Right as we were getting on!!! We were able to set another time and we left him with the Plan of Salvation pamphelt (a pamplet that talks about who you are, why you're here, and where you're going) in polish of course! Then later on he didn't show up...again. But again, even though it's so discouraging, we know we will see him again, I just know the Lord won't let that man go without His guidence.

But as we were walking home from the kind of let down, South Port was shooting fireworks (I don't know why, the british like to celebrate) and this women who was watching them near her home stopped us and asked if we knew why they were shooting fireworks off. We got to talking to her and her accent didn't sound English. We asked where she was from and guess what... she's from POLAND! Haha I just cannot get over how great the polish people are. She was so great and she has been trying to connect with Christ and she's been looking for a way to do that, and then she met us! She recognized that it wasn't a coincidence! And we have a return appointment with her :)

The work here in South Port really is progressing, and we really are having to 100% rely on the Lord. It's the most I've ever done. I just looove it. Never forget that mighty prayer really does make a difference, I've seen it so much these past few weeks. I know that by praying, with sincerity and a real intent to act on the answer we get, the Lord will guide us and comfort us through all. I am jsut so greatful for the love I have for Him and this work.

Sister Miller