Emails from dad Aug- Dec 2022 Part 1
I hope this finds you well and in good spirits. We are all doing well, and missing you, but are so grateful to have a missionary. You are always the topic of conversation, and it usually ends with someone in the family saying “he is going to be such a great missionary!”
Today was our Stake Conference and it was great. While standing to sing Hope of Israel, I became overwhelmed with emotion as I thought of you and what you are doing. You literally are the “Hope of Israel”, called and set apart as an authorized servant of Jesus Christ himself. Wow! The hymn goes on, saying, rise in might! That was the overwhelming impression I felt today. I am so proud of you! You are taking the peace and hope of the gospel to branches of the tribe of Israel. Rise up with might Elder Miller, rise up to the challenge, the opportunity, and the call. Give Him your very best effort everyday. If you are honest with yourself and your Heavenly Father each night as you kneel in prayer, asking for help to do and be better tomorrow (daily repentance), He will bless you with his enabling power to become what He needs you to become. I love you so much! I miss you so much! But all of that missing is overshadowed by how proud I am of you that you have answered the call to go and help someone in need. To go and share the message that Jesus Christ lives, and that He brings everlasting peach and joy to all that will follow Him. I wish I could come and be your companion, I am so excited for you. I can’t wait he hear about all your experiences this week when we talk on Wednesday. Keep your head up high, do your very best and I promise you He will make you able to do all that He needs you to do.
Love, Dad
On Wed, Sep 14, 2022, 11:56 AMHey Bud, sorry I couldn’t talk earlier at work. I don’t have a private place to really talk here.I sent you an article that I think can help you but here are my thoughts.You hold the Priesthood of God, given to you to bless the lives of His children. You must strive to always live worthy of that Priesthood so that you are in tune with the Holy Ghost and a worthy vessel to carry out that responsibilities that come with it.Going into a blessing, it should never be pre scripted. It’s not what we want but what Heavenly Father wants. As you rely completely on the Spirit, thoughts will ALWAYS fill your mind. Never be afraid to bless someone with the words from those impressions. You will fight to know if they are your thoughts or from Heavenly Father but the thoughts and impressions that fill a worthy Priesthoods mind in a blessing should be expressed with confidence. This is how he communicates, by influencing our minds with the Holy Ghost.I love this quote from President Oakes:“This principle is taught in the revelation directing that the elders of the Church shall lay their hands upon the sick. The Lord’s promise is that ‘he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed’ (D&C 42:48; emphasis added).”The Faith of the person being blessed is where the power lies, you are a conduit for that power to be implemented. Because of agency, a person seeks out a blessing. Heavenly Father responds to that agency with His blessings for us. That is why prayer and blessings are so important. Agency is center to His plan, and us seeking in prayer or asking for a Priesthood blessing goes along with this principle of agency. He wants to bless us, but He needs us to act by seeking or asking for that blessing. This is why it is best not to go around offering blessings. The faith and agency part are in the asking. Therefore, never judge if someone deserves a blessing from your hand. Unless you 100% know someone is mocking God by making light of this power, it is your Priesthood responsibility to offer that blessing. It is THEIR faith that will bring about the blessing. There is no worthiness or proof of some requirement to ask for a blessing, only that a person seeks God’s help in their lives.As for being worried about what others bless someone with. All you can do is take opportunities where appropriate to teach correct principles. And President Oakes laid that our clearly. As for your companion, it is obvious that he cares very much what others think about him. If we worry about what others think we run the risk of blocking the impressions from the Spirit and then we speak the words we want to hear, or think others want to hear. Like all principles of the Gospel, we learn line by line, hear a little and there a little. Being an instrument in His hands is no different. You the holder of the Priesthood don’t need to do things perfectly or say things perfectly, you only have to be worthy. The Lord will take care of the rest through the faith of the one seeking help. My counsel or experience when giving a blessing is that the Spirit will whisper things that are needed or that are pertinent to the circumstances or need of those who seek the blessing. And unless you feel very very strongly that you should speak something outside that parameter, you keep it focused on the what is needed or sought for wether that be comfort, peace, healing, etc.I hope this helps a little. I sure do love you and am so proud of all you are doing and becoming. Your light is shining so brightly and it makes my heart so so happy. I love you son.Dad
On Sep 14, 2022, at 3:28 PM, Miles Miller <miles.miller@missionary.org> wrote:Thanks so much dad for the email and for helping me understand blessings more. That talk was so good and I think it makes more sense now. I won't shy away from it and try to counsel with my companion. I definitely think I need more confidence it's just hard cause I think my companion is over confident but none the less if he feels it's from the spirit then it's up to him. Thank you for all the great insights, I love you and look forward to everytime I can talk to you. Before I did anything else I just wanted to make sure my dad was OK with it. Love you dad, talk to you next week!Elder Miller
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9-25-2022
| We just listened to your missionary pump song! Let”s go!!! I want to be a better missionary. I love you son. You bring so much happiness to me and our family. Happy Birthday! You are an amazing son and missionary! |
A couple of unsolicited words of advice :)
1) No matter how it is going with a companion, (you will be tempted in the future when talking to other missionaries to go off) always speak about their strengths and never their weaknesses or shortcomings. Find what is positive and build off of it. We can always learn from others.
2) Don’t be ashamed of how you’re feeling, it is NORMAL, I promise! It is so hard to see past these first weeks when you are feeling like this but it will get so so much better!
3) Try your best to lose yourself. It is always easy to read President Hinckley’s father’s advice to him, and much harder to implement. But the more you can lose yourself in His work, the less the heart aches for home. You have always been so good about loving others by showing kindness, just keep after it!
4) I remember there were so many slow days, where we taught very little and tried to fill the hours with meaningful things. As a new missionary you probably won’t feel like you get a huge say in planning your day, but always speak what you feel inspired to say to your companions. And remember this, even if you find and teach only ONE, it is all worth it! Just be obedient and do your best and literally leave the rest to Him. It will feel at times as though you are not busy enough, teaching enough, doing enough, but your obedience and effort tell Him the whole story. He asks for your whole heart, and to align your will to His, and that is EVERYTHING He is asking for, there is nothing else you can give Him. Remember, this is His work, He will guide you do exactly what He needs you to do.
I love you so much son! I am so proud of you! Nothing makes me happier knowing that my loving Heavenly Father is molding my son into the Priesthood Man He needs him to be. And the pain you are feeling is exactly that, Him molding you. And remember, He only makes masterpieces! Turn to Him for strength, I promise you will receive all the strength you need to overcome. Learn more everyday about Jesus Christ and His attributes. As you strive to become like Him, you will take on those same attributes. These will allow you to rise above all your struggles on your mission and for the rest of your life!
Keep your head up high. Love the people! Love (serve) your companion. I look forward to hearing all about it. Talk to you soon. Love,
Dad
My dear brothers and sisters, I am grateful to greet you on this glorious Sabbath morning. You are constantly on my mind. I marvel at the way you spring into action whenever you see others in need. I couldn't help but think of you riding your bike down the road and calling your companion back to help that older gentleman "chop" weeds in his yard. You saw a need and responded to a prompting. I stand amazed at the faith and testimony you demonstrate again and again. I weep over your heartaches, disappointments, and worries. I love you. I assure you that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, love you. They are intimately aware of your circumstances, your goodness, your needs, and your prayers for help. Again and again, I pray for you to feel Their love for you.
- A good leader always finds opportunities to give praise, and to show encouragement. It gives people hope, and a desire to listen and learn more.
- Express Love to others
- Learn to feel and experience the Love of the Savior and Heavenly Father
Experiencing Their love is vital, as it seems that we are accosted daily by an onslaught of sobering news. You may have had days when you wished you could don your pajamas, curl up in a ball, and ask someone to awaken you when the turmoil is over. There are plenty of these days in the mission field.
- When I hear "manifestations of the Savior's power and great glory"- I can't help but think of how the Gospel message has to spread at an increasing rate before His coming. If His work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, then to obtain this glory the Gospel must spread. Miles, make this you main focus during your mission service. He is going to succeed in spreading His Gospel. Dive in and help Him. You represent His power! You hold His Priesthood Power to bless the lives of everyone you meet by testifying of Jesus Christ. You represent Jesus Christ. Go spread the good news to everyone that will listen! This has to be one of the privileges, blessings and miracles the prophet is referring to, His missionary force!
Nonetheless, we are presently living in what surely is a most complicated time in the history of the world. The complexities and challenges leave many people feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. However, consider a recent experience that might shed light on how you and I can find rest.
During the recent open house of the Washington D.C. Temple, a member of the open house committee witnessed an insightful interchange as he escorted several prominent journalists through the temple. Somehow a young family became attached to this media tour. One reporter kept asking about the “journey” of a temple patron as he or she moves through the temple. He wanted to know if the temple journey is symbolic of the challenges in a person’s journey through life.
A young boy in the family picked up on the conversation. When the tour group entered an endowment room, the boy pointed to the altar, where people kneel to make covenants with God, and said, “Oh, that’s nice. Here is a place for people to rest on their temple journey.”
I doubt that the boy knew just how profound his observation was. He likely had no idea about the direct connection between making a covenant with God in the temple and the Savior’s stunning promise:
- Think of the promises given to us by Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father that are tied to our covenants with them. Make a list
- What does rest look like for you on a mission? Write it out in your journal. Then pray for it and do the work needed to obtain it
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; … and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”2
Dear brothers and sisters, I grieve for those who leave the Church because they feel membership requires too much of them. They have not yet discovered that making and keeping covenants actually makes life easier! Each person who makes covenants in baptismal fonts and in temples—and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ. Please ponder that stunning truth! Remembering your covenants makes a mission easier and more enjoyable also
The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power—power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. This power eases our way. Those who live the higher laws of Jesus Christ have access to His higher power. Thus, covenant keepers are entitled to a special kind of rest that comes to them through their covenantal relationship with God.
Before the Savior submitted Himself to the agony of Gethsemane and Calvary, He declared to His Apostles, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”3 Subsequently, Jesus entreated each of us to do the same when He said, “I will that ye should overcome the world.”4
Dear brothers and sisters, my message to you today is that because Jesus Christ overcame this fallen world, and because He atoned for each of us, you too can overcome this sin-saturated, self-centered, and often exhausting world. This is why President Hinckley's father told him to forget himself, and go to work. Self-centeredness, worried about those you left at home, worried about the time left on your mission, or the time left with this comp or that, all of this is exhausting. It's focusing on the world around YOU, hence self-centered. So his father was saying, forget yourself, and go to work.
Because the Savior, through His infinite Atonement, redeemed each of us from weakness, mistakes, and sin, and because He experienced every pain, worry, and burden you have ever had,5 then as you truly repent and seek His help, you can rise above this present precarious world. I think this can help you have daily focus. Each day getting on your knees and repenting for anything in your day where Satan is creeping in trying to make you feel worry, sorrow, or anything else pulling you away from giving all your heart, might, mind, or strength.
You can overcome the spiritually and emotionally exhausting plagues of the world, including arrogance, pride, anger, immorality, hatred, greed, jealousy, and fear. Despite the distractions and distortions that swirl around us, you can find true rest—meaning relief and peace—even amid your most vexing problems.
This important truth prompts three fundamental questions:
First, what does it mean to overcome the world?
Second, how do we do it?
And third, how does overcoming the world bless our lives?
- Studying the Doctrine of Christ (this reminded me of your MTC scripture study with Elder Gong in 2 Nephi 31)
Now, overcoming the world certainly does not mean becoming perfect in this life, nor does it mean that your problems will magically evaporate—because they won’t. And it does not mean that you won’t still make mistakes. But overcoming the world does mean that your resistance to sin will increase. Your heart will soften as your faith in Jesus Christ increases.8Overcoming the world means growing to love God and His Beloved Son more than you love anyone or anything else. Resistance toward going backwards and focusing on all the negative in your situation. Rather blessed with an increased capacity to let the Spirit guide you toward all that is good.
How, then, do we overcome the world? King Benjamin taught us how. He said that “the natural man is an enemy to God” and remains so forever “unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord.”9 Each time you seek for and follow the promptings of the Spirit, each time you do anything good—things that “the natural man” would not do—you are overcoming the world. Let's go! The prophet quoting my favorite scripture :) Think about that last sentence, anything GOOD! Fill your day with good. The Spirit with help you prioritize if you are out of order, or doing too much of this or that. Focus on doing good.
- How do keeping Covenants endow us with power? Consider how we keep them: we sacrifice (Law of Sacrifice) by supporting the Lord's work and repenting daily. We sacrifice our pride and selfish desires and replace those with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Law of the Gospel - we are exactly obedient the best we can. Living the doctrine of Christ. Go read and re read 2Nephi31. The Law of Consecration - where we promise to use every blessing and gift, our time, talents and everything the Lord blesses us with, to the building up of the Kingdom of God on the earth and for the establishment of Zion. And then the we promise to keep ourselves morally clean. Ponder that son - and then consider the meaning of endowed with His power. We become a pure vessel to house the Holy Ghost that will guide us in all things, and lead us along the path of Jesus Christ, doing good where ever we go and to whom ever we meet. Isn't the Gospel amazing!
As we strive to live the higher laws of Jesus Christ, our hearts and our very natures begin to change. The Savior lifts us above the pull of this fallen world by blessing us with greater charity, humility, generosity, kindness, self-discipline, peace, and rest.
Now, you may be thinking this sounds more like hard spiritual work than rest. But here is the grand truth: while the world insists that power, possessions, popularity, and pleasures of the flesh bring happiness, they do not! They cannot! What they do produce is nothing but a hollow substitute for “the blessed and happy state of those [who] keep the commandments of God."
The truth is that it is much more exhausting to seek happiness where you can never find it! How true is that? Don't give place for wishing or seeking for happiness or relief from a different situation, focus on where you are right now. He is the only way to Happiness. Following His path for you is the only road. So stop mentally fighting it and embrace it. However, when you yoke yourself to Jesus Christ and do the spiritual work required to overcome the world, He, and He alone, does have the power to lift you above the pull of this world.
Now, how does overcoming the world bless our lives? The answer is clear: entering into a covenant relationship with God binds us to Him in a way that makes everything about life easier. Please do not misunderstand me: I did not say that making covenants makes life easy. In fact, expect opposition, because the adversary does not want you to discover the power of Jesus Christ. But yoking yourself with the Savior means you have access to His strength and redeeming power.
These incomparable privileges follow those who seek the support of heaven to help them overcome this world. To this end, I extend to members of the entire Church the same charge I gave to our young adults last May. I urged them then—and I plead with you now—to take charge of your own testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Work for it. Nurture it so that it will grow. Feed it truth. Don’t pollute it with false philosophies of unbelieving men and women. As you make the continual strengthening of your testimony of Jesus Christ your highest priority, watch for miracles to happen in your life.13
My plea to you this morning is to find rest from the intensity, uncertainty, and anguish of this world by overcoming the world through your covenants with God. Let Him know through your prayers and your actions that you are serious about overcoming the world. Ask Him to enlighten your mind and send the help you need. Each day, record the thoughts that come to you as you pray; then follow through diligently. Spend more time in the temple, and seek to understand how the temple teaches you to rise above this fallen world.14
I call upon you, my dear brothers and sisters, to become this righteous people. Cherish and honor your covenants above all other commitments. As you let God prevail in your life, I promise you greater peace, confidence, joy, and yes, rest.
Anyway, I thought I would share this with you, so at the right time you would be able to share it with those you are serving. Have an awesome day! Love you Elder Miller!
Dad
The promise of personal revelation through the Holy Ghost is awe-inspiring, much like an airplane in flight. And like airplane pilots, we need to understand the framework within which the Holy Ghost functions to provide personal revelation. When we operate within the framework, the Holy Ghost can unleash astonishing insight, direction, and comfort. Outside of that framework, no matter our brilliance or talent, we can be deceived and crash and burn.
The scriptures form the first element of this framework for personal revelation. Feasting on the words of Christ, as found in the scriptures, stimulates personal revelation. Elder Robert D. Hales said: “When we want to speak to God, we pray. And when we want Him to speak to us, we search the scriptures.”
The scriptures also teach us how to receive personal revelation.10 And we ask for what is right and good11 and not for what is contrary to God’s will.12 We do not “ask amiss,” with improper motives to promote our own agenda or to fulfill our own pleasure.13 Above all, we are to ask Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ,14 believing that we will receive.15
A second element of the framework is that we receive personal revelation only within our purview and not within the prerogative of others. In other words, we take off and land in our appointed runway. The importance of well-defined runways was learned early in the history of the Restoration. Hiram Page, one of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, claimed to be receiving revelations for the entire Church. Several members were deceived and wrongly influenced.
In response, the Lord revealed that “no one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith … until I shall appoint … another in his stead.”16 Doctrine, commandments, and revelations for the Church are the prerogative of the living prophet, who receives them from the Lord Jesus Christ.17 That is the prophet’s runway.
Years ago, I received a phone call from an individual who had been arrested for trespassing. He told me it had been revealed to him that additional scripture was buried under the ground floor of a building he tried to enter. He claimed that once he obtained the additional scripture, he knew he would receive the gift of translation, bring forth new scripture, and shape the doctrine and direction of the Church. I told him that he was mistaken, and he implored me to pray about it. I told him I would not. He became verbally abusive and ended the phone call.18
I did not need to pray about this request for one simple but profound reason: only the prophet receives revelation for the Church. It would be “contrary to the economy of God”19 for others to receive such revelation, which belongs on the prophet’s runway.
Personal revelation rightly belongs to individuals. You can receive revelation, for example, about where to live, what career path to follow, or whom to marry.20 Church leaders may teach doctrine and share inspired counsel, but the responsibility for these decisions rests with you. That is your revelation to receive; that is your runway.
A third element of the framework is that personal revelation will be in harmony with the commandments of God and the covenants we have made with Him. Consider a prayer that goes something like this: “Heavenly Father, Church services are boring. May I worship Thee on the Sabbath in the mountains or on the beach? May I be excused from going to church and partaking of the sacrament but still have the promised blessings of keeping the Sabbath day holy?”21 In response to such a prayer, we can anticipate God’s response: “My child, I have already revealed my will regarding the Sabbath day.”
When we ask for revelation about something for which God has already given clear direction, we open ourselves up to misinterpreting our feelings and hearing what we want to hear. A man once told me about his struggles to stabilize his family’s financial situation. He had the idea to embezzle funds as a solution, prayed about it, and felt he had received affirmative revelation to do so. I knew he had been deceived because he sought revelation contrary to a commandment of God. The Prophet Joseph Smith warned, “Nothing is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit, when they think they have the Spirit of God.”22
Some might point out that Nephi violated a commandment when he slew Laban. However, this exception does not negate the rule—the rule that personal revelation will be in harmony with God’s commandments. No simple explanation of this episode is completely satisfactory, but let me highlight some aspects. The episode did not begin with Nephi asking if he could slay Laban. It was not something he wanted to do. Killing Laban was not for Nephi’s personal benefit but to provide scriptures to a future nation and a covenant people. And Nephi was sure that it was revelation—in fact, in this case, it was a commandment from God.23
The fourth element of the framework is to recognize what God has already revealed to you personally, while being open to further revelation from Him. If God has answered a question and the circumstances have not changed, why would we expect the answer to be different? Joseph Smith stumbled into this problematic scenario in 1828. The first portion of the Book of Mormon had been translated, when Martin Harris, a benefactor and early scribe, asked Joseph for permission to take the translated pages and show them to his wife. Unsure of what to do, Joseph prayed for guidance. The Lord told him not to let Martin take the pages.
Martin requested that Joseph ask God again. Joseph did so, and the answer was, not surprisingly, the same. But Martin begged Joseph to ask a third time, and Joseph did so. This time God did not say no. Instead, it was as though God said, “Joseph, you know how I feel about this, but you have your agency to choose.” Feeling himself relieved of the constraint, Joseph decided to allow Martin to take 116 manuscript pages and show them to a few family members. The translated pages were lost and never recovered. The Lord severely rebuked Joseph.24
Joseph learned, as the Book of Mormon prophet Jacob taught: “Seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For … he counseleth in wisdom.”25 Jacob cautioned that unfortunate things happen when we ask for things we should not. He foretold that the people in Jerusalem would seek “for things that they could not understand,” look “beyond the mark,” and completely overlook the Savior of the world.26 They stumbled because they asked for things they would not and could not understand.
If we have received personal revelation for our situation and the circumstances have not changed, God has already answered our question.27 For example, we sometimes ask repeatedly for reassurance that we have been forgiven. If we have repented, been filled with joy and peace of conscience, and received a remission of our sins, we do not need to ask again but can trust the answer God has already given.28
Even as we trust God’s prior answers, we need to be open to further personal revelation. After all, few of life’s destinations are reached via a nonstop flight. We should recognize that personal revelation may be received “line upon line” and “precept upon precept,”29 that revealed direction can be and frequently is incremental.30
The elements of the framework for personal revelation are overlapping and mutually reinforcing. But within that framework, the Holy Ghost can and will reveal everything we need to soar onto and maintain momentum on the covenant path. Thus we can be blessed by the power of Jesus Christ to become what Heavenly Father wants us to be. I invite you to have the confidence to claim personal revelation for yourself, understanding what God has revealed, consistent with the scriptures and the commandments He has given through His appointed prophets and within your own purview and agency. I know that the Holy Ghost can and will show you all things that you should do.31 In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.Dad
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Our Heavenly Father is indeed a God of Miracles - He blesses us miracles for the sole purpose of strengthening our faith in Him, and in our Savior Jesus Christ
One of these Miracles that has strengthened my faith in Him is the Miracle of Repentance.
It’s mind boggling for me to think about the amount of love, mercy, and power that Jesus Christ offers us to allow this miraculous healing and redeeming process to be possible. It’s even more astonishing to have personally experienced and felt this healing power take effect in my own life, or the lives of those I love.
One of these experiences happened several years ago when my oldest son came to me to talk. It was one of those special opportunities as a parent we get to counsel with our children. Like all of us at times, the pull of the world was weighing heavy on his heart and mind.
Wanting some quiet time alone, we both hopped into the car and headed for the local Dairy Queen drive-thru. We picked up our favorite blizzards and talked as we started our drive back towards home. Wanting more time, we pulled into a nearby school parking lot. There in that dimly lit lot:
We talked about the love and mercy of Jesus Christ and of the Plan of Redemption
We talked about the miracle of repentance and the necessary steps that lead toward healing
We talked about the atonement of Jesus Christ and His suffering and sacrifice for each of us
As his father, I shared with him my love and encouragement, and my personal witness that I had felt the cleansing power of the atonement many times throughout my life
I don’t know what Nephi’s equivalent to Dairy Queen would have been, but he must have had a similar experience with one of his children that caused him to write, “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, … that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”
What a joy that was, that night years ago, where my son felt and learned, in a very deep and meaningful way, the feelings of hope and forgiveness available through the cleansing power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. As this feeling of overwhelming love filled his heart he asked if he could give me a hug. Watching my teenage son walk around the front of the car, and as we embraced, I remember the deep sense of gratitude and love we were both feeling for our Savior.
Repentance is a Miracle! An opportunity given to us by a loving Father in Heaven who wants nothing more than for His children to come home. I am so grateful for it.
Being a member of the Spurwing Ward, If I were to ask you to guess what I do for work you are going to answer in one of two ways. 1) you will say “I’m not sure, I’m new in the Ward”, or 2) you’re going to guess that I’m a dentist.
That’s a safe guess. I am.
With that being said, I am going to share a work related comparison this morning at the risk of boring half of you, and eliciting a sense of phobia or anxiety in the other half.
A lot of the work I do now involves helping people who haven’t been to the dentist in years, sometimes decades. They often come with a mouth full of problems, and they are at a point where they know they need to do something about it.
After visiting with them about what has led to their current condition, and after completing a comprehensive exam, I will ask them something like, What’s your goal?”, “What do you hope to be able to accomplish by coming in today?” Or, “In ten years, what does your mouth look like?” Most times they won’t know how to answer, because they don’t know what options are available to them.
After laying out what I see their options to be, I will always say this same thing:
“There are two principles that hold true every time in dentistry no matter what option that you choose going forward. The only way any of these options will work, or last for any length of time, is to build a strong foundation in these two areas. One, you have to healthy gum tissue, and two, we have to have healthy and stable bone.
“If we can work to establish these two things, we can then with confidence, move forward toward your goal.”
In as kind of a way as I can, I will explain to them that things absolutely must change in the amount of time and effort they are currently putting into their personal oral care.
I will emphasize to them that we will see NO change without consistent effort at home. They confirm to me that they understand, and commit to making the needed improvements.
Now I want you to listen to some of their thoughts and reasons they give for their current condition, as I switch gears to talk about the Miracle of Repentance.
I just get too lazy, I know what I need to do I just don’t do it
I’m too tired at the end of the day to deal with it
And then there are these responses that leave you scratching your head:
I am too busy and I don’t have the time. I literally don’t have the 5 minutes in a day that you're asking for
This is my dad’s side of the family’s fault, they all have terrible teeth. I brush like 5 or 6 times a day and I still have all of these issues
And then there are these responses that break your heart
I just gave up trying, because I thought my current condition was just too far gone
I’ve been away so long, and I was embarrassed to come back
I have so many problems, I just didn’t know where to start, so I didn’t
I’ve given up hope, and I just don’t care any more
But the beautiful thing is that these people do care, even if it’s just a little bit, because they are “here” now, SEEKING help. It’s so rewarding to be able to encourage them, present a plan that’s attainable for them, and then to see the Hope that returns to their countenances, as they commit to make needed changes.
The Miracle of Repentance, allows US to make needed changes. It allows us to follow a better path than our own, with a much grander plan than our own.
The very best part of this plan to me is that forgiveness through Repentance is infinitely available to all who SEEK it. No matter our current condition, or any excuse we can give, not even the choices from our past that have led us to where we are right now, can prevent us from receiving EVERY blessing offered by God in His Great Plan of Happiness, if we will choose to repent.
President Nelson reassured us of this truth “
If you feel you have strayed off the covenant path too far or too long and have no way to return, that simply is not true.”
The adversary will try to convince us to stay away from accessing the power of Repentance. He will bring thoughts to our minds, ideas of justification and rationalization for our current condition. Ideas like:
I know what I need to do, I just haven’t gotten around to doing it
I am too busy and I don’t have the time. I literally don’t have the time you're asking for
My problems are the result of someone else’s mistakes
I just gave up trying, because I thought my current condition was just too far gone
I’ve been away too long, and I am embarrassed to come back
I have so many issues, I just didn’t know where to start, so I don’t
I’ve given up hope, and I just don’t care any more
Again from our prophet “that simply is not true.”
Even if all we can do where we currently stand is have nothing more thaan desire to change, that is enough to start this miraculous healing process in our lives. President Nelson goes on; “Prayerfully ask God to help you exercise that kind of faith. I promise that you can experience for yourself that Jesus Christ “giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.”
When I had little children at home, we would sometimes play “Hide & Seek”. I remember a time where I’d change the rules on my kids without telling them. WIth the rule change, the game would more appropriately be called “Hide”.This game is similar to another one of my favorites called “The Quiet Game”.
On a serious note, if we are sincere in our desire to change, we must get off the couch and do the “SEEKING” part that’s required.
President Nelson has told us, “we must be willing to do the spiritual work necessary to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly” in our lives.
If we ever find ourselves unsure of where to start. Let us start by hearing and heeding the words of our prophet. I testify that He is God’s mouthpiece. He is speaking these essential and eternal truths. He is pleading with us saying:
Let us give God a fair share of our time.
Let us increase our capacity to hear and listen to that “still small voice”
Let us learn to repent daily, that our countenances may reflect the Hope that is within us
I testify that Jesus Christ is the only source to finding this Hope. He is the only way to obtain true healing! Not the - brush it under the rug and hope it stays there or hope no one sees it - kind of healing, but true and lasting healing, the kind where God says to us, “I remember it no more” healing. Healing that brings peace to our hearts and to our minds and to our souls.
I testify that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer and I love Him so very much for it!
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen
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It was so great to talk to you this morning. It is so fun for me to see the progress that is happening, not only within side of you, but in the area you are serving. Sometimes it is hard to see the progress that is being made from day to day or week to week. Elder Holland was in Europe this week. Listen to his insight and reflection on our service.
Speaking about his time serving in Europe : His trip was in many ways “a walk down memory lane.” The Hollands lived in Solihull, England, from 1990 to 1993, while Elder Holland, then of the Seventy, served as president of the Church’s Europe North Area. The visit marked a return to places they served before, “all of which we visited time and time again when we were here,” and an opportunity to reconnect with “many of the people we knew then.”
Reflecting on his service, Elder Holland recalled being so close to the work that he wondered if they were “making any headway, making any progress.”
But visiting Finland “with a little distance” has given Elder Holland new perspective. “To come now, with a few years having passed, and to look at the size of these congregations, to see more stakes created than we had then, more missionary work, more missionary activity, more missions — it’s been very rewarding. So we need to be patient with ourselves, patient with the work.”
I thought I would send you some thoughts I had as you were mentioned you were feeling stressed about preparing for your training on Thursday. You have already had some good ideas, and the Spirit will direct you on what to do. I always find it helpful when training others to find something in the Book of Mormon that relates to what you are training about. It helps other learn to apply scriptures to their everyday lives, which is their purpose. Your mission president just did that with all of you missionaries this week in his training on the Brother of Jared in the book of Ether.
I’ve attached Alma 49 below with some ideas to get you thinking along the line of safeguards you that use as missionaries to PREPARE AND PROTECT yourselves. These are just idea you can use or not, but they might stir your thinking in termed of how to implement some questions you want to ask your zone.
1 And now it came to pass in the eleventh month of the nineteenth year, on the tenth day of the month, the armies of the Lamanites were seen approaching towards the land of aAmmonihah.
2 And behold, the city had been rebuilt, and Moroni had stationed an army by the borders of the city, and they had acast up dirt round about to shield them from the arrows and the bstones of the Lamanites; for behold, they fought with stones and with arrows.
- Rebuilt implies that it was already built once. We may have already created some protection, but the Spirit may direct us to “rebuild” new or different safeguards. What are some of the arrows and stones we see in our mission in terms of technology?
3 Behold, I said that the city of aAmmonihah had been rebuilt. I say unto you, yea, that it was in part rebuilt; and because the Lamanites had destroyed it once because of the iniquity of the people, they supposed that it would again become an easy prey for them.
Just because we may have been vulnerable in the past, or even failed in the past at protecting ourselves, so the adversary thinks he’s got us and will attach the same way
4 But behold, how great was their disappointment; for behold, the Nephites had dug up a aridge of earth round about them, which was so high that the Lamanites could not cast their stones and their arrows at them that they might take effect, neither could they come upon them save it was by their place of bentrance.
-A missionaries place of entrance may be the in terms of technology may be using devices for the “purpose” that they are intended for” Any other use could be the “round about” part. These tall mounds of dirt could represent strong rules or guards put in place so that the adversary doesn’t even attempt to strike there because we have eliminated that from our use all together. We know he will try the front door entrance, but that is where a missionary is strongest because of the “Spirit” and “Purpose” of using that technology. Satan won’t succeed when he hits us while we are full sway in our purpose
5 Now at this time the chief acaptains of the Lamanites were astonished exceedingly, because of the wisdom of the Nephites in preparing their places of security.
6 Now the leaders of the Lamanites had supposed, because of the greatness of their numbers, yea, they supposed that they should be privileged to come upon them as they had hitherto done; yea, and they had also prepared themselves with shields, and with abreastplates; and they had also prepared themselves with garments of skins, yea, very thick garments to cover their nakedness.
Satan has in his arsenal a “great number” that he feels privileged to come at us.
7 And being thus prepared they supposed that they should easily overpower and asubject their brethren to the yoke of bondage, or slay and massacre them according to their pleasure.
He thinks that we are weak, and that he is stronger. WRONG. I love the temple teaching where the Lord teaches us that Satan has power to bruise our heal, but we have power to crush his head. We might fail to block his arrows at times, but we have the Savior’s power on our side. We can literally “crush” all of his attempts with Christ’s power in our lives if we always remember Him in our thoughts and actions.
8 But behold, to their uttermost astonishment, they were aprepared for them, in a manner which never had been known among the children of Lehi. Now they were prepared for the Lamanites, to battle after the manner of the instructions of Moroni.
“After the instructions of Moroni” is very significant. Our leaders are prophets. They have prayerfully and carefully prepared materials for missionaries to study and follow. We must go to “battle after the manner of the instructions of our prophets” as the Nephites followed Moroni. Question: What are the manner of instructions from our leaders that we should be following?
9 And it came to pass that the Lamanites, or the Amalickiahites, were exceedingly astonished at their manner of preparation for war.
10 Now, if king Amalickiah had come down out of the aland of Nephi, at the head of his army, perhaps he would have caused the Lamanites to have attacked the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah; for behold, he did care not for the blood of his people.
11 But behold, Amalickiah did not come down himself to battle. And behold, his chief captains durst not attack the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah, for Moroni had altered the management of affairs among the Nephites, insomuch that the Lamanites were disappointed in their places of retreat and they could not come upon them.
12 Therefore they retreated into the wilderness, and took their camp and marched towards the land of aNoah, supposing that to be the next best place for them to come against the Nephites.
As we fend off attacks, the opposition will get frustrated and will begin to retreat. Certain temptations will not be temptations as the Lord makes “weak things become strong” for us.
13 For they knew not that Moroni had fortified, or had built aforts of security, for every city in all the land round about; therefore, they marched forward to the land of Noah with a firm determination; yea, their chief captains came forward and took an boath that they would destroy the people of that city.
We can’t become lazy or lacksadalsicle in our approach or habits. Satan is circling the wagons and moving the troops to another location that he see as a possible vulnerable area to attack us.
14 But behold, to their astonishment, the city of Noah, which had hitherto been a weak place, had now, by the means of Moroni, become strong, yea, even to exceed the strength of the city Ammonihah.
15 And now, behold, this was wisdom in Moroni; for he had supposed that they would be frightened at the city Ammonihah; and as the city of Noah had hitherto been the weakest part of the land, therefore they would march thither to battle; and thus it was according to his desires.
16 And behold, Moroni had appointed Lehi to be chief captain over the men of that city; and it was that asame Lehi who fought with the Lamanites in the valley on the east of the river Sidon.
17 And now behold it came to pass, that when the Lamanites had found that Lehi commanded the city they were again disappointed, for they feared Lehi exceedingly; nevertheless their chief captains had asworn with an oath to attack the city; therefore, they brought up their armies.
Each missionary has been called and set apart to be a special representative of Jesus Christ. Satan isn’t coming after the weak, but those “appointed” like Lehi, and set apart with the Power of Jesus Christ to be His missionary.
18 Now behold, the Lamanites could not get into their forts of security by any other way save by the entrance, because of the highness of the bank which had been thrown up, and the depth of the ditch which had been dug round about, save it were by the entrance.
19 And thus were the Nephites prepared to destroy all such as should attempt to climb up to enter the fort by any other way, by casting over stones and arrows at them.
20 Thus they were prepared, yea, a body of their strongest men, with their swords and their slings, to smite down all who should attempt to come into their place of security by the place of aentrance; and thus were they prepared to defend themselves against the Lamanites.
21 And it came to pass that the captains of the Lamanites brought up their armies before the place of entrance, and began to contend with the Nephites, to get into their place of security; but behold, they were driven back from time to time, insomuch that they were slain with an immense slaughter.
22 Now when they found that they could not obtain power over the Nephites by the pass, they began to dig down their banks of earth that they might obtain a pass to their armies, that they might have an equal chance to fight; but behold, in these attempts they were swept off by the stones and arrows which were thrown at them; and instead of filling up their ditches by pulling down the banks of earth, they were filled up in a measure with their dead and wounded bodies.
We have those around us in our zone and districts who are here to help us fight off the attacks as we sit and counsel together. As the enemy digs at our walls, we help each other by shooting them down with unity and strength together. That is why safeguards are put in place as a companionship, we are not alone, nor should be try to fight alone.
23 Thus the Nephites had all power over their enemies; and thus the Lamanites did attempt to destroy the Nephites until their achief captains were all slain; yea, and more than a thousand of the Lamanites were slain; while, on the other hand, there was not a single soul of the Nephites which was slain.
24 There were about fifty who were wounded, who had been exposed to the arrows of the Lamanites through the pass, but they were shielded by their ashields, and their breastplates, and their head-plates, insomuch that their wounds were upon their legs, many of which were very severe.
If we are ever wounded, we can repent, and change our habits, and not suffer severe blows because of the use of our shields and breastplates and head plates. Questions: what do these protective items represent? D&C 27 15-18
Wherefore, alift up your hearts and brejoice, and cgird up your loins, and take upon you my whole darmor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to estand.
16 Stand, therefore, having your loins agirt about with btruth, having on the cbreastplate of drighteous
17 Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the afiery darts of the wicked;
18 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my aSpirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be bcaught up, that where I am ye shall be calso. Amen.
25 And it came to pass, that when the Lamanites saw that their chief captains were all slain they fled into the wilderness. And it came to pass that they returned to the land of Nephi, to inform their king, Amalickiah, who was a aNephite by birth, concerning their great bloss.
26 And it came to pass that he was exceedingly angry with his people, because he had not obtained his desire over the Nephites; he had not subjected them to the yoke of bondage.
27 Yea, he was exceedingly wroth, and he did acurse God, and also Moroni, swearing with an boath that he would drink his blood; and this because Moroni had kept the commandments of God in preparing for the safety of his people.
28 And it came to pass, that on the other hand, the people of Nephi did athank the Lord their God, because of his matchless power in delivering them from the hands of their enemies.
Show gratitude with thankful hearts as you are able to use the amazing technology to advance His work. At that He has blessed you with strength to withstand the evil traps along the way.
29 And thus ended the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
30 Yea, and there was continual peace among them, and exceedingly great prosperity in the church because of their heed and diligence which they gave unto the word of God, which was declared unto them by Helaman, and Shiblon, and Corianton, and Ammon and his brethren, yea, and by all those who had been ordained by the aholy order of God, being baptized unto repentance, and sent forth to preach among the people.
Good morning Dad! I hope you had a good week! Fun to see all the pictures of you with your siblings! Bet that was fun. This week I focused on President Nelsons next talk all about revelation! So good, really could spend another week on it. I am about to have a new companion tomorrow that I am so excited about. Just to start fresh and strong will be so nice. There is so much I want out of it, a d so many ways to make it a great companionship it ia kinda stressing me out. I just want it to be awesome.What a good talk! First talk to the church as awhole, and he wanted to really hit home how vital personal revelation is. Just a few things I really loved....Blessings or miracles for me on this mission will only come "as a result of seeking and heeding the promptings of the Holy Ghost". That is huge. I had to think about that, am I reminding myself of that enough?The good inspiration off of good information quote was in this talk. Just a reminder to be open with my mission president and to say things how they really are. (Like you said;)Im about to get a new companion here in a little bit that I am super excited about, to just start fresh, and the prophet gave me some great counsel in this part, "though we may differ in our initial perspectives, the love we feel for each other is constant. Our UNITY helps us to discern the Lord's will for His church". We are both about to come together from two different situations and have both spent time in this area at different times. I am so excited to work together through love and make the most out of this time.President Nelson asked this question that I loved, "how can we become the men and women-the Christlike servants-the Lord needs us to be?" How can I become the missionary the Lord wants me to become? I need to Humble myself before him, and literally pour out my concerns my worries my joys to Him. He later says, "i urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to recieve personal revelation". That hit me hard. For miles miller that is going through the motions. Which is easy to do, and will only make this time I have less enjoyable. I need to be diligent in seeking the Lords help and not just getting through a day on my own because it is the easy thing to do.Last thing, the big quote, "In coming days it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting and constant influence of the Holy Ghost". Those coming days are now for me. It is this mission. I could be so much better in seeking and using the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Literally ever action as a missionary should be led by it. Also made me realize that my prayers are not as meaningful as they should be. I pray a lot during the day. Before and after each study, going out the door, meals, when its hard, twice for lessons. I pray a lot, and I think that has led me to go through the motions with them a bit. I am going to work on making them more sincere.It will be a reread for sure. I got this read folder and I am putting all of his talks in it and I have a little journal for my thoughts. Even the way I mark them is all planned out. I sound like graham, but really does make me look forward to personal study and it always reminds me of you because you gave me this idea.I love you dad, and think of you often. Cant wait to talk to you today!Ps I ran into a guy who rents out a condo in my area for six months out of the year, and he is from Minneapolis. Really nice guy, and just makes me happy to think I have a little piece of your mission in mine! I love you.Elder Miller
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