"Short Hills" -Email 12/2/2013

I've been moved to Short Hills, NJ! I took Hermana Jane's place (man, one day we will be companions...) and had Sister Solomon as a companion. Now my companion is Sister Smedley, but that's a different story full of inappropriate behavior on a recent convert's part and some really powerful answers to prayers. I'll tell that story later :)

Anyways, Short Hills has been amazing. By far the most Preach-My-Gospel run area I have been in yet (of the two I have covered... I know) with a branch mission leader who gets the job done when we ask him to coordinate with the branch leaders and very few, very solid members. We have about 20 members in our branch total, now 21. Olman was baptized yesterday, the first baptism this branch has seen since it was organized in May. I was honored to be part of the last week of teaching him and to be able to see him be baptized. He showed up to church in a brand new suit and looked so sharp. I told him he needed to take my Dad shopping and help him pick out some fashionable clothes :P Sorry Dad! You are actually dressing better these days, but I will never forget when you showed up at home with that hideous shirt that we made you return, and when you went to return it even the customer service lady thought it was too ugly for you to keep. :P It's a gift to be able to pick out the ugliest clothes in the store :P I am glad you seem to have lost that gift :)

Okay. Anyways, we were able to work all week towards that baptism, and it went smoothly. We also had an American Thanksgiving. Turns out Short Hills is a fairly Americanized-Hispanic area. I don't know what to do in dinner appointments anymore- my table manners seem to be a little rusty, and I feel so confused when they offer me more and aren't offended when I say, "No Thank you!"

We had a Turkey Bowl this week with all of the missionaries! To prepare, we had one of our investigators who says he has no feelings really about religion, how it doesn't interest him, but only gets excited about food and football, teach us some plays before we shared a message with him. He told us that night that he does feel peaceful when we come over and after he goes to church. He recognized the Spirit! At the Turkey Bowl, I scored a touchdown. Took a while to get the stinking elders to pass to me, though. That's alright; It was really fun to play and only one missionary got hurt! Also, I met the new Senior couple, the Maughans. It's cousin Bethany's husband's uncle! I recognized him because they look exactly the same to me. Sterling looks great in 40 years! :P

We also had Mission Leader Council this week. That was an amazing meeting! Our council was huge; we had 35 people there. The zone leaders, assistants, President and Sister Jeppson, and the Sister Training Leaders attend. We spoke about our baptismal goals and achievements, and the new monthly focus for this coming month. The theme is "Always Remember Him" and I am so excited to have a chance to really focus on Jesus Christ this month. We will be focusing on helping people receive revelation through prayer. I will be working on memorizing Isaiah 53 all month :)

I love my new apartment of Sisters. We are having a great time getting to know each other. There is me, Sister Smedley, Sister Bair, who is an english missionary about a transfer younger than I am, and Sister Merkley, who is an english missionary in her second transfer of training.

We are working with a young man from Guatemala who doesn't know how to read. He has been listening to the Book of Mormon on his smart phone though and after weeks of not understanding the very basics of the first lesson about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he recited the entire First Vision (the experience Joseph Smith had) to us. It's amazing that the Book of Mormon can help increase our understanding. I know that as I have read it in spanish, my spanish has improved incredibly. That book is the word of God; it only brings good.

I love you all! I love this gospel. The Church is true; Christ lives, and he guides us through a living prophet. How lucky are we :)

Love
Hermana Millward

Me with Elder & Sister Maughan -- all of us are Idahoans :0)

Sister SOlomon and I at Olman's baptism yesterday (Sunday). I already love this man so much! I think he and Dad would be good friends. He is from Costa Rica. That's his son with the dread locks- he is a former and we hope to pick him up again :) This was before the Emergency Transfer.