Hola Familia y Amigos!

Hola Familia y Amigos! 

How is life what is new? 

Many things happening here in the California Fresno Mission and in Los Banos.

It has been VERY hot here I think Hundred-and-teens this week sometimes. On top of that I have been ill this past week. I could just feel the heat radiating off my body. I tried to fight it off and ignore it starting as early in the week as Tuesday but by Sunday afternoon after church I was just miserable and couldn't pretend anymore. I was beat and as my companions threatened to call the medical personnel in the mission, I reluctantly agreed to go home and rest. I passed out for three hours, and was so gone that I woke up to a drool covered pillow. Gross. But after that I managed to sleep off most of the fever and have been feeling much better. 

We had Zone Conference this week too. That was so wonderful. Three take aways:

 1. What does the Lord see in me [you] that I [you] don't see in myself [yourself]?

 2. I have NO problems, only IMPROVEMENT opportunities!

 3. I didn't come all this way to be an almost ___________. (for me this blank is missionary but for you it may be student, wife, son, friend etc.)

At Zone Conference we sang a fourth verse of “Because I Have Been Given Much”  that I really loved. The words are:

Because of thy life’s mission Lord, I too must serve
I’ll leave the comfort of my home to teach thy word
I’ll seek thy sheep, who’ve gone astray, and those who’ve never known the way.
I will make thy work my work, today.

We have been able to have FHE (family home evening) with the Lagunas family at the Betham's home the last two weeks and it is wonderful. The Spirit is so strong. Last week we watched "Finding Faith in Christ". If you haven't seen that you should. I never had seen it till last week but it is inspiring. It strengthened my faith. It just depicts some of Christ's miracles from his earthly ministry. Really it is fabulous. 

Since my new companions got here our teaching pool has changed drastically. We have been trying a lot of former investigators from our area book trying to clean up all the records; most to no avail. But one really cool experience was a wife (possibly ex-wife?) of a former this week (who from the records we have was NOT interested at all before), said that she was running out the door to pick up her son but that she WANTED to talk with us! So we have an appointment to meet with her today. 

Sister Vogel the member we live with is home for the week! (She is gone the other 5 weeks of the transfer visiting family in Oregon). She is so sweet and I am grateful for her and the time I get to know her better. I truly do love this area, not for the weather or any other reason than I LOVE the members here and I LOVE the people we serve. 

MIRACLE OF THE WEEK!!! I don't even know if I can do this story justice. Sunday at church was a special miracle for me. John the recent convert we helped prepare for Baptism in April passed the Sacrament for the 1st time! My vision blurred with tears of pure joy to see him use the priesthood to help pass the sacrament. I can't begin to describe how it felt for me to see him unsure and timid step forward and help bless others lives in that way. I KNOW that the gospel changes lives. It has changed John's life, it is changing my life. It was such a risk for quiet shy little John to pass the sacrament when he didn't know exactly what he was doing, but it was such a blessing for me. That one moment makes all of the heartache and pain worth it. There is nothing greater than the happiness that the Savior can bring into our lives. I am blessed indeed. 

Micah 7:8 "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me"

Love,

Hermana Miller