Hey everyone!

Washington is still amazing! We have a member in our ward that is somewhere in his old years and just loves to help us out. He comes to lessons with us, and even lets us use his washer and dryer. He cooked us Breakfast this morning, even though it was super greasy it was still pretty good. He's really nice and my companion and I are convinced he knows EVERYONE in Washington. He does everything he can to help us out. He does a lot of talks to high schools and even offers for many people with troubled lives to come live on his estate to de-toxicate themselves from alchohol or other substances. Really nice and inspiring guy.

For interesting mission experiences I watched for the first time this week someone roll a nicotine stick right in front of us and start smoking it. So that was a great experience. I've met lots of strong members as well and the testimonies from even our investigators is a moving experience.

This morning I was listening to a Court Argument between 4 Religious Leaders or Pastors from 4 different Churches (Catholic, Prodestant I think... and..... something else) and Two Missionaries. My Companion had it on his USB drive, I don't know where he got it. It was distributed by the church and the 4 leaders just ask a ton of questions and try and prove the missionaries that the Mormon Church is wrong in any way they can. These 4 leaders must have gone through multiple years of seminary, years of training to be the ministers that they were, and they knew the bible pretty well. But the missionaries had something that the others didn't quite have, the Spirit guiding their every word. For every question, every bout that the ministers shot at them, the Missionaries, without pause, were able to prove every question they had wrong. They proved many many truths through the Bible, and the Book of Mormon. It was a powerful experience to remember just how powerful the Lord is in helping his missionaries. Even though the mission force is a bunch of young men trusted with an entire apartment and supplies and given money for a month, these men, sometimes fresh out of high school, are able to feel and use the spirit so strongly, they could do very very powerful things, much like these elders did in this recording. I have a true testimony that if I DO open my mouth, as much as I can, to everyone in my reach, the Lord will fill it with doctrine enough to bring the spirit to people's homes.

Another thing I listened to from my companion's USB was an hour long testimony story of a Catholic boy that had gone to 3 years of Catholic Seminary, and then was converted by a roommate at BYU Idaho while getting some classes out of the way. He felt the spirit and followed it. He had a powerful testimony, and he stated something that really touched me and made me think. He stated that every missionary NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE is called to a place for a REASON. That missionary, was called and led by God to a community that was specially prepared for that missionary. Because of that missionaries talents and skills, he will be able to touch people that the Lord prepared for him for years. Even as a normal member, RM or not, we are ALL prepared some way or another to touch the lives of others. The only thing stopping you or I from completing that preparation is praying for the guidance to do so. I know that I was called to Washington to teach people that have been prepared for me and my skills.

   Another positive lesson from a talk I read, from the "Ricardi Letter" as many missionaries know it as, is a story about a missionary in an area with absolutely no baptisms for 6 months. No one was interested, and no one listened to their message. This missionary prayed for MANY hours in a mold filled upper floor in their appartment. He questioned the Lord in this guidance to people who wanted nothing to do with the church. He had followed promptings, prayed, and followed everything he could to be a good missionary, and still felt like he was not productive. The answer he received was not only his solution, but the sole reason we are on this earth today. The Lord stated to him that he knew he was sending this missionary to places that were hard. He did it on purpose to test the obedience of this missionary to follow the promptings of the Lord always in all ways. No matter where he was being sent. The Lord KNEW those who were prepared for his message, he knew the very address of these people waiting, but he wanted to test this missionaries will to follow the Lord. This is very much, I feel, like the lives of everyone. We are given trial upon trial, and some even pray often for spiritual guidance that they feel is bringing them no fruit in obedience. However the Lord is not interested in how many baptisms we have, or the amount of money we make or the success of our actions, he is solely interested in the test that we will follow his will. He wants to be sure that we as members will follow his will no matter what. A very good example of this is the Pioneers as they followed the prophet from city to city to place as they were driven out, killed, and prosecuted. The Lord knew where he could put the pioneers where they would not be harmed, but he sent them to place after place anyways. Why? Obedience. Another example of trial is the story of the currant bush which I wont give here but I extend an invitation to all those who are interested in the story to go and listen to it.

Well now that I've shared 3 spiritual messages, I'll end by saying I have a testimony of this church and I know it is True!

-Elder Miles