Monday, September 13th, 2010 Letter

Dear Family and Friends,


So the rain here was crazy on Tuesday. It just poured all day. Wednesday was pretty wet as well but not like Tuesday. Then it decided to turn back to hot. That is right it is still hot here. They don't have a fall/autumn here. It is just from one extreme to the next. Even with all the rain the temperature only got down to like 79 degrees according to the car reading. We have had some 100 degrees again. But honestly that is how it always is. You get use to it after awhile. You don't notice the weather, because it is always the same, HOT!! They tell me it goes from one extreme to the other. It will be hot here they say until December. Then it will be bone cold until March. March warms back up and we get Hot again. I like the weather much better in Utah. Also, Utah drivers are much better drivers than here in Texas. I hope I don't pick up any bad habits here in Texas. Like not signalling or going 10 over all the time. That is the speed of traffic here.

So the miracle of the week happened while we were tracting. I felt like we needed to knock this certain street. So we got out and started knocking. We were not having any luck. We would hardly get to say anything at the doors because people would just cut us off as we were saying Hello and tell us no, but we pressed forward. On the second to last house on the street, after having knocked about 20 doors, we came across a woman doing yard work outside. We said hello and talked to her for a bit. She invited us to come inside. We ended up teaching her the first lesson which is the Restoration with the story of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. She grew up baptist, but had been investigating a lot of different churches. She studied with Lutheran, Catholics, Jehovah Witnesses, etc. But everytime she would find something they did that was contrary to what it teaches in the Bible. She would ask the preacher about her concern and he would just make up an excuse for why they didn't do that or say he didn't know what that was. So she would stop going. She had her husband would read the Bible and study every night. They came to the conclusion that they needed to ask God and he would tell them. And he told them to stop attending where they were going. She even said she knows we were led to her door for a reason. We gave her a Book of Mormon and passed her onto the English Elders. We heard she even went to church on Sunday with them. She told her mom about Joseph Smith. Her Mom is very Baptist, and even her Mom was interested. It was awesome.

It is so true that God is preparing people to hear our message. Not everyone is ready. So we have to sift through quite a lot of people to find those who are. But we keep doing it. As it says in Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 "I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." I really have seen and felt his influence here on the mission. I am ever grateful for his support and love. He is the real missionary I am just the instrument.

As for our investigators, the investigator who had the broken pipe at his house decided to take his old job back. So he is on the road a lot. But he calls us all the time. He still wants to be baptized. His parents are both in the states now. So all they and we are waiting for is when he can get time off work to come back here and get baptized. He is still praying and reading his scriptures and trying to go to church where ever he is for his job. The other investigator who is struggling finacially didn't come to church on Sunday. We think it was because the person who she wants to give her a ride to church wasn't there this week. She was insistant that she had worked out her ride. Her lesson was full of distractions. But we keep pressing forward with her. She is so close to being ready. We keep praying for her. We keep working hard to help others come unto Christ. The mission is hard, but it is a great opportunity to work so closely with the Lord.

I love you all and pray for you!!! Keep being amazing!! Keep going to church, fulfilling your callings, praying, and reading your scriptures. Satan is working hard against us so we need to continually be protecting ourselves from him. Everyone be safe.

Love, Hermana Alaina Mills

Oh also my old MTC companions didn't get transferred. Their trainers got transfered. They are still in the same areas. But Hermana Stevenson's trainer is training another brand-new sister this transfer. So Hermana Stevenson has a new companion. Hermana Donkin's trainer "died" which means she went home. So she is also in the same area just with a new companion. I get along well with my companion. So she is staying with me again, Hermana Stephens, for one more transfer. But I think they will be transferring her after this transfer. We don't know I just like to guess. She has been in this area for 7 transfers now. That is a long time. President is trying to leave people in the same area for a longer time. So I think I will be staying here in this area for awhile. I am guessing I will be here for 6-7 transfers as well. When you hit your 8th transfer you have been out on a mission for a year. I don't think Hermana Stephens will be here with me her 8th transfer in the field. But you never know.

Love you!!!