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Hello!!!!! 

so just the update, these last 2 weeks were the most unexpected and crazy times in my whole life with things that happened to the people we were teaching that helped me to remember what it means to mourn with those that mourn (the pogio familys house burned down and left them with nothing but through the help of the branch and many miracles and ministering they had joy and were still sooo at peace and they smiled as they told us they trusted in God and their foundation was built on the rock of their salvation, their savior) and THEN (even though I think it is already on the news and many people know) we were told on some short notice and through some INCREDIBLE miracles (seriously, we wouldn't be here otherwise) we were sent back to our home countries which meant leaving the people I love soooo much in the Philippines and AH so many thoughts and feelings but I just want to share my testimony!

A scripture I have loved sooo much in the past couple of days (go come follow me!!!) is in Words of Mormon 1:7 

"7 And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will."

I feel so incredibly blessed to have been a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To get to stand in the place of our Savior Jesus Christ and to strive to act as HE would act and serve as HE would serve, never have I felt such a HUGE responsibility but never have I felt so much TRUE JOY. I don't know all of God's plans but I do know that He loves us so much. We are His children and HE is aware of us and the Corona virus and the people that we were teaching and so suddenly had to leave, and my family, and your family, and all of us HE KNOWS US AND LOVES US and it's so clear that it's true because HE sent His beloved and begotten Son to make it possible to overcome the things that may seem unfair or scary or hard or trying or testing or unknown. I love my Savior and this is the restored gospel!!!  

We have a living prophet and God is speaking to us today through him! I love what he just said recently: "The choice to come unto Christ is not a matter of physical location; it is a matter of individual commitment. All members of the Church have access to the doctrine, ordinances, priesthood keys, and blessings of the gospel, regardless of their location...Spiritual security will always depend upon HOW one lives, not WHERE one lives. I promise that if we will do our best to exercise faith in Jesus Christ and access the power of His Atonement through repentance, we will have the knowledge and power of God to help us take the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people and to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord."

OH HOW I LOVED THE PHILIPPINES WORDS DO NO JUSTICE IN ENGLISH OR BISAYA OR TAGALOG but I feel sooooooo incredibly grateful to have been surrounded by such kind people with Christ-centered lives!!!! It was the best ever!!!!! and now there are still many missions to come! I know that no matter where we are we can continue to come closer to Christ and get to know Him and trust in Him. I know as to my strength I am weak and I wasn't able to do anything by myself in my mission, but because of a loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ I was able to witness and be a part of conversion and miracles and all the glory really does go to them

Thank you for alllll of your support and kind word and encouragement and pictures and updates this has been the most spiritually strengthening and eye-opening and joyful and best experience of my life. I know this Church of Jesus Christ really is His Church and that His Atonement is real and helps us to change and feel at peace. I have seen it work first hand in my own life and in the lives of others and it has true strengthening power. Keep trusting and learning of Him, and if you want to hear more from God for us today come listen to general conference in 7 days !!! 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/general-conference/?lang=eng

Nasayud ko nga tinuod and Basahon ni Mormon. Nangita ko tinuod nga kalipay samtang nagbasa ko ug nakakita ko ang mga saad gikan sa Dios kabahin unsa ka dako ang gugma Niya. Dili gud Siya mousab ug mga anak kita Niya. Bisan kinsa kita, naa pa tay paglaum kay dili sobra ang mga kahuyang nato kon kauban kita ni Jesukristo. 

<3 <3 <3

i got a new companion on sunday and then we got home the next sunday and I am convinced Heavenly Father knew I needed to have Sister Nielsen even if just for one week 

the miller clan!!!! I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!!!!

Update March 17th

Update from Kayla's mission president:

"The Church has decided that all non-local missionaries serving in the 23 missions in the Philippines will be returned to their home country. As you might imagine, we are working against a closing window of time to move a great number of missionaries.  It is possible that some will not be able to secure flights within the window of opportunity.  If your missionary is not able to fly home, they will be returned to the mission field.  In that case, be please assured that your missionary will be safe, but may be limited to the apartment for some time, where there will be adequate food and water."

As a family, we are looking to the scriptures to help us better understand God's work in this time of turmoil and unrest. What a wonderful week to be studying Jacob 5 in the Book of Mormon, that teaches us about God's work and glory.  We recognize His love and concern for ALL of his children individually as we learn, grow, and progress through this mortal life.  Sometimes that learning and growth is painful and we can not understand it, but we know that God is the Master Gardner and He will always do what is best for His children. We also take comfort in our Trek scripture from several years ago.

D&C 6:36 'Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not'

We are praying not so much that Kayla makes a flight home, but that she will be filled with God's love wherever she is and that we will accept the Lord's will, whatever that may be. Leaving the Philippines, leaving the people she loves so dearly and the work she is so passionate about, especially on such short notice, will be the hardest thing Kayla has ever had to do.  Thank you for your prayers on behalf of ALL missionaries and their families.

Lots of love,

The Miller Crew

Beach and Balut

My thoughts are scattered.  Sorry.But it has still been such a good week.  I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY and testify that Christ loves us. Even after His disciples failed to keep a commitment and He found them fishing again after showing Himself 3 times, He wasn't angry, didn't argue or find fault with "that disciple whom Jesus loved".  Instead He so patiently asked for them to think of their personal commitment and love for Him. He loves us all individually as His disciples!!! He knows our weaknesses and faults and trials and shortcomings! The question "lovest thou me more than these?" is something so powerful to keep in our minds at all times, not only with helping others keep commitments but with our own commitment and promises with God. definitely something I have been trying to learn and keep in mind this week

They read an announcement about being careful about going to church with a cough or runny nose in hopes of protecting against any viruses or getting others sick. Everyone looked at me in concern as I am always coughing so much.  Ah good news is I think this cough and cold has been around for a couple of months and with all the antibiotics I have taken, I don't think its contagious

Sunday!!!! we were sitting next to the Salvador family who was 15 kids and some of them were recently sealed in the temple and I was sitting next to May. As we shared a basahon ni mormon and read in sunday school only to find out later that she hasn't yet been baptized as well as her husband and 2 kids because they are not yet married. They live in Cebu City but are planning on moving here for the summer so we visited them after church. Sister Salvador is BOLD and just testified of how important marriage is and having a family central ni Jesukristo and they committed to come back from cebu the next Sunday so they could go to church and we could talk again. After, they fed us bread and blasted the primary song soundtrack on their big speakers,  Ah I love this place! 

We were trying to start our fast on saturday but didn't have time to go home so we ate by the beach and then prayed in a little quiet seaside place and I just feel so grateful for God's goodness and all His creations and that through our fast we were able to feel SOOO much peace!!!   We also taught a tatay named Hilarion that was baptized in balamban a couple of weeks ago and was determined to fast more than 24 hours because he wants to give his everything to God, he is committed and converted and loves the gospel 

 Another tatay, tatay dela cruz just had a birthday on friday and turned 76 and got up to bear his testimony on sunday and was just crying because he was so grateful to be alive so he could keep learning and living the gospel, and also shared that he got a new beach cruiser bike that he rides to church and just reminds me that this life is meant to be enjoyed, not just endured!!!

Sister Cherrington hit one year in the mission and wanted to eat balut!!! I used to always eat it with Sister Zoleta but she hasn't had it since the mtc; incredible to see all the ways she's changed and grown and learned, and all she teaches me 24/7 and especially that she wasn't afraid anymore and loved the balut this time!!!     

Have a great week!!

Rescuers

nindot ang semana! 

my family is the best ever i love them I just am so grateful for their examples and love and support and the way they are disciples of Christ no matter how busy, they are just so service minded and I get to call them my family and share a last name AHHH love them, here's just a small shout out but anyway

at our zone conference this week we talked about a ship that sunk in Korea and how so many of the passengers were told to stay where they were, life jackets on and everything and that so many children and passengers passed away and weren't rescued in time. They said the ones that jumped into the ocean were the lucky ones. It was very intense and heart wrenching and then they related it to our work as missionaries, that there are people that don't know what the next step is, they are searching for answers and guidance and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is what will help to save them.

 How much more important is the work that we are doing as missionaries everyday because those in need far out number the rescuers, but we felt inspired to be more urgent in the work and to do it following the Spirit and in the Lord's way. THEN we got on the bus to ride back to Toledo, feeling slightly overwhelmed with the great task ahead of us and with people beat box performing and selling eggs and peanuts all on the tiny bus, we couldn't help but laugh when we fit 3 people on the tiny 2 person bench.  The brother that squeezed in next to us, his name is Rey just happened to be holding a LIFE JACKET!!! What? He had been working on building a big bridge in Cebu but as we got to know him we learned he has so many questions about life and the purpose of it and why we have trials, and ALL of these questions of course can be answered through the Book of Mormon!!! We gave him a copy and were able to read with him and feel so much peace despite our yelling over the wind and (actually really talented) beat boxers and just like how  it takes courage to jump into the ocean, not knowing what will happen next. It takes faith to learn about and then commit 110% to living the gospel but it is SOO worth it! 

We met a sister named Erlinda who had a tiny baby, so of course we stopped to give a sticker and when we went back to teach her we asked what she wanted to learn from us as the missionaries. She asked how we get baptized and told us her husband had been baptized when he was young as a member of the church and she wants her whole family to be one and to be members. Such MIRACLES!

 

There is an implementation from the first presidency and quorum of  the 12 apostles here in the Philippines called Linking Arms, that really focuses on finding part member families and helping them become one and ministering to one another and we already are seeing His hand in helping us do that.

I got to see part of Balamban this week!!! I saw sister helen who we had met way back in March and now she is a baptized member with her family and she just shared a plate of bulad and rice with us and gave me leaves to help get rid of a cough. It was so incredible seeing that God has a perfect plan. 

We got to hold baby goats yesterday but they said its not allowed to take pictures with baby goats, so we respected that.

The Intes family.  I feel humbled to even be in their presence.  I think a whole email just about them every week would still do no justice but we were there on Wednesday and reviewing the priesthood and prophets and they started talking to each other about how it was like with Jacob and Sherem in the Book of Mormon and asking for a sign and the power of God.  On Sunday it was Charlie's birthday (never seen a child so excited to eat chocolate cake) and we just discussed priesthood and Brother Julan is so excited to be worthy to help bless his family.  LOVE THEM!!!

It's incredible that we don't need to worry about the little things.  We were running to church from trying to pick up people we were  teaching that live by the ocean and get there just in time but no one was with us and then they announce that we were the speakers and the Elder before me had just testified of everything i was thinking about and only left about 5 minutes.  That was just enough time to share about how we are called to serve or maybe God asks us to do things that we think we can not do, but of course by small and simple things are great things brought  to pass and Christ Himself called His apostles on the sea shore even though they had only been simple fishermen their whole life. He really does make us more and I love getting to serve and get to know and hopefully become more like Him. have a good week!!!! 

 

baby Jesse and Erlinda

Charlie's Birthday

Eating a real salad....it has been sooooo long

matching buns. I love sister Cherrington

Special Women in Toledo

Okay I think I could write a whole novel about the incredible people I have met in the Philippines but right now I just want to focus on the women in the church. My goodness here in Toledo Nanay Dali Purisima has been the relief society president for about 15 years and just gives everything. She prayed for inspiration on who needed this nutrition program and then walked down the street and saw kids and felt guided to them and invited them. 

THEN we have had the blessing this week of meeting so many people who got to attend and teaching them! just like sister marian yesterday she looked so tired and overrun (is that a word?) and her kids were crying and throwing vegetables around and we kept asking her questions but she struggled to answer or put into words and just told us she wanted to go to church. we asked her why she had a desire to go to church and she so simply told us aron gaan ang pagbati which means it made her feel light and like her problems went away. She has never been but she lives by this sweet nanay dali and has felt a spirit about her that is all peace and goodness which is the Holy Ghost, and all that come in contact with her have felt that too and have a desire to know where it's from! 

Also sister Jennebeth she didn't get to go to church on sunday but we taught her by the ocean yesterday and we gave her a book of mormon last week and she has read through alma 3. WOW she said she loved how it answers the questions of the soul and I feel that so much too!!! When I was reading in 3 Nephi this week i just felt so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the knowledge of Jesus Chrsit it gives. That story of President Nelson meeting with a tribal king in Africa who said rubies or diamonds wouldnt have even compared to the additional knowledge  he gained about Jesus Chrsit from the Book of Mormon. I know that He is the Prince of Peace, the Lord of Lords, the Good Shepherd, the Lamb of God, the first and the last, the Savior of the world, and I love Him!!! 

also some things:

As we were teaching Nanay terrisita a chicken walked through the middle of our lesson and i felt so grateful for the sweet peace and simplicity and how it is so normal at this point

also another animal, there was a kamodo dragon (I think thats what it's called?) that walked past the door of the house we were teaching they said he was hungry so we hope all the small kittens are okay 

The Senior Couple here in Toledo the Woolstons are sooo incredible and really help us to remember and focus on baptism being the start for true conversion and getting people to the temple!!! thats our goal for the intes family right now just to be able to do baptisms as they prepare for a sealing!!! also she made us heart shaped real brownies ahhh we are so blessed!!! 

also we met a Sister Tootsie who was taught piano by the missionaries before and just started speaking fluent english to us and even using british accents and gave us peanuts and told us that she would tour us in the philippines if we ever weren't doing our "mission thing" but we are actually disciples of Jesus Christ our whole lives no matter how many years pass and she still kept the offer haha 

We did meditation as a zone and it was POWERFUL at first people were confused but Sister Cherrington and I didn't even laugh the whole time leading it and it because such a powerful experience to remember that we are spiritual beings and have been with our spirits for a LOT longer than our bodies and we read excerpts from the "giving your spirit control over your body" talk by Elder Ballard it was so good! I invite all of us to slow down a bit and remember our purpose here on earth, when things are in the eternal perspective it really brings joy so sit and remember that you are God's child and know that we can find peace through Jesus Christ! I love being a missionary thank you for everything have a good week!!!  

Public Health with Sister BINGHAM

my goodness THIS WEEK this has been a wild ride ahh!!!! PUBLIC HEALTH

MALNUTRITION SCREENING IN TOLEDO AHHHH SISTER BINGHAM OKAY

Have I ever said that God really does know and love us so so so much?!!!? It's soo true! my goodness I have a new companion Sister Cherrington.  She's a champ and this is the first time she's been assigned to Cebu island yay! She got here Thursday night and Friday morning we went right to Cebu for a special zone conference with Sister Bingham, the general relief society president for the whole church and President Schmutz, the area president of the whole Philippines,   We learned soooo much we were INSPIRED ah there are things we should 'always do' and things we should 'never do' such as always being faithful and never being critical. They talked about that we won't, don't, and can't know everything but we never give up on people or on ourselves because God's plan is perfect!

THEN we came home to Toledo on Saturday to a malnutrition screening program run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Sister Bingham was there ministering one by one to the children and all those from Toledo who attended. We had only 1 month in advance to prepare as a district in Toledo and these members did INCREDIBLE THINGS they prepared shirts, banners, food pyramid pictures, everything!) and were so excited to be receiving this much needed help. so they found that toledo is one of the most malnurished places in the world for children ages 0-5 so we had people come get their weight and height taken to see what level they were on their nutrition. We got to go around the whole morning greeting kids (the cute Intes family was there) and meeting so many members and non members with little kids in hand running around and watching the church videos and handing out bubbles and toys. The members in charge would register the kids and help get their weight and height which would calculate their nutrition level based on World Health Organization standards (even to just hear about the WHO oh my goodness YES) and that afternoon we got together to look at the results. There is an incredible article about this whole event ! (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church/news/president-bingham-emphasizes-relief-societys-importance-in-philippines-area-fight-against-malnutrition?lang=eng

President Bingham Emphasizes Relief Society’s Importance in Philippines Area Fight against Malnutrition - Church News and Events Relief Society General President Jean B. Bingham greets some of the children in the Toledo Philippines District of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during a malnutrition screening hosted by the district on Saturday, February 8, 2020. www.churchofjesuschrist.org

The leaders and missionaries gathered with the LDS charities president and Sister Bingham and we were all shocked to hear the results. Tears were shed, but there was such a drive to start doing things to change this. I felt so inspired!!!! Ministering is so individual and one-on-one but there are so many inspired leaders that are doing so much to not only help spiritual things but SAVE LIVES and make sure temporal and spiritual needs are being met YAYAY

We just went right to work after that and INCREDIBLE we met jennebeth who's husband is a member from Balamban but hasn't been to church in a long time and we gave them a book of mormon the last time and they have read every single word on the first 5 pages like including the copyright and place it was printed and everything haha then we ended up waiting for a long time for him (brother jenard) and then hadn't planned a lesson but talked about nephi and keeping the commandments because God DOES provide a way and he promised so happily that he wont go fishing on Sunday so he can go to church with Sister Jennebeth and it was POWERFUL.

 

We went to Brother Alan and were so bold in teaching about repentance and how we NEED the sacrament and it was so good to see him in his white shirt with his brother who hasn't been at church in years to take the sacrament. REally helps us have a fresh new slate and be forgiven

the intes family is so in love with reading the book of mormon and so converted we went on sunday and there was a family ministering already to them and we all talked about the temple because both families are trying to prepare to go there POWER

she is incredible!!! 

our church building for the screening!

okay we also rode this horse thing right next to buses and jeepneys and cars hahah President Pajaro our mission president pulled over the van for us to ride this down the street

monkey at market

Nutrition Screening - Toledo, Philippines

People we met at the nutrition screening that we later visited at their house

Sister Bingham ministering one by one to the sweet pepole of Toledo.

I learmed so much by watching her and feeling of her deep love for the Lord and each and everyone of HIs children