So the question that EVERYBODY has been asking for the last 6 months has been, "Has Johnathan been baptized yet?" And I can finally give the answer that EVERYBODY want's to hear. YES! He got baptized this last Saturday. It was a darn good meeting and very spiritual. The most recent convert in our ward, Jane who was baptized a month ago by the sisters, spoke on baptism and her conversion and did an excellent job. Elder Nokes spoke on the Holy Ghost. Johnathan's parents were there also. It was a great night.
I will be getting transferred tomorrow to Murrieta Springs YSA ward and the Alta Murrieta ward. Yes two wards, a ysa and family ward. Should be fun. My new companion will be Elder Wilson. He has been in some of my pictures, so when you see him you will recognize him. He is a good guy. I think he is from Oregon. But we are pretty similar. He has been out a transfer longer than me. It will be good, and I am excited!
Other than that not a lot happened.
This week we were driving around a lot doing administrative stuff for other missionaries. We had to drive to Vista to get the mail this week. It usually gets dropped off at one of the church buildings in the stake though. So that was fun.
I am just ready to learn a new area and meet new people. Today is packed just trying to get ready to leave. And we have what's called "journal signing" where you have people sign and you can sign other peoples journals at the end of every transfer. So those are my plans. And thats about it!
Love you guys!
Elder Ethan Miles
January 28, 2017 Johnathan's Baptism... BIG SMILES ALL AROUND!!
Elder Miles has been in Palomar YSA for the last 6 months & has been teaching his amazing friend Johnathan with 2 different but great companions, Elder Nokes & Elder Phillips. Elder Miles is now headed to Murrieta Springs YSA ward and the Alta Murrieta ward & new companion will be Elder Wilson. What a terrific send off it was for him to witness
Johnathan's baptism last Saturday!💓
SUNNY🌞 CALIFORNIA.... can still get a little rainy & wet!😄😂
Sisters Timmons & Gallacher *Elders Wilson & Higginson *along with our Elder Miles & companion Elder Phillips😃
Jan. 17, 2017 Guess what?!
Dangggg I can't believe it has been 18 months. I've said this before and I will continue to say it forever, I feel like the time has gone by way fast, but then I look back at all of the experiences and the things I've learned have been uncountable. I was able to talk to Elders Raddon and Higginson this week and they said the same thing. It was just yesterday that we walked into the MTC together, and now we are "seasoned veterans." But I still have no idea what I'm doing. We are instruments in the lords hands, but He does all the work. We are just sorta here. But he's the one that moves and blows and we just make the sound.
Well the miracle for this week is that we were FINALLY able to meet with Johnathan's parents. And they signed the papers! We just need to go over some things really quickly with him and he will be ready. He will be baptized January 28th.
This week was pretty good actually. We were able to be 10 ft from the ocean, see Dr. Suess fish and seals then touch snow in the same day! I will put some pics in. While we were on the mountain we were above the clouds. It was beautiful! Elder Phillips asked me to take a picture of him throwing a snowball. The first time I wasn't ready so I didn't get the picture. Then the second time I got the picture with the snowball in mid-air, and it hit me right in the face! Haha!! And of course I had to get some payback. So I grabbed some snow and shoved it in his face. That was fun.
We were also able to go to Edson Range on Sunday. It was good to be back. They are teaching a lot of people so they asked us to come up and help out. They need us the next few weeks as well. But we are going to push to be able to stay up there every week haha. It takes us out of reality. Just a bunch of humble, elect guys ready to hear the gospel. One of the guys I taught is getting baptized this upcoming Sunday.
Well that's about it for this week!
Love you all!
Elder Ethan Miles
18 month mark....eeekkk!!!😄
W H A T??!!!😮 Where did that time go??... not that we're counting or anything...😆😍😂
Jan. 9, 2017 "...take time to hear what I actually represent..."
Helloooo
Updates on Johnathan. So he was able to set up an appointment for us to meet with his parents this last week. And we even confirmed it the day of. And just a few hours before, his mom canceled. Because she did want to talk to us. Probably because she was on drugs. So yesterday we gave Johnathan the Baptismal Form and he is going to have her sign it himself. Because what we are doing now isn't working. It's pretty frustrating.
I am ready to get transferred out of this area. We just can't seem to get anything going. Everybody here is so liberal and fine with where they are at they just don't want to talk to us. So many return missionaries come home and just brag about the people in their mission and the culture. And how much they miss them and want to be like them. I think I have learned what I don't want to be like and the culture I don't want to live in. I seriously can't wait to be able to walk in a store and not have people curse and glare at me just because of what I wear when they take no time to hear for themselves what I actually represent.
That's about it for this week. Hope everybody has a good one.
Elder Ethan Miles
Jan. 3, 2017 Crazy to think Elder Miles is coming home THIS YEAR!!
Happy New Year!
So we have a lot of greenies in our zone, and because I go home in July they all have been teasing me about how I go home this year. Then I tease them how they don't go home until the end of 2018. But it is weird to think about. Exciting. Especially how some of the goals that I've set not only are for my mission, but are for the last half of the year when I get home. Time to finish strong and start strong!
Johnathan still hasn't been able to set up a dinner for us. But his mom told him that he should be able to this week. He still wants it. So we are praying and fasting for him this week. Our fingers are crossed!
We are still trying to find more people to teach. We still have 3 or 4 more weeks until transfers, so I gotta help Elder Phillips find some people so I don't leave him in the desert haha. That's what I call it when we don't have anybody. We are going to work super hard.
Sorry I didn't have a whole lot of time, but I need to get running now. I hope you all have a good week! Love you!
Elder Ethan Miles
Happy New Year!! Jan 1, 2017
Brother Brandon Hernandez sent these pics. He is Palomar YSA Elders Quorum President where Elder Miles & Elder Phillips are serving right now😊
Elder Miles & Brandon Hernandez
Elder Miles & Elder Phillips
"Class time":)
Family Home Evening in YSA
Painting was the activity for the young single adult branch😃Thank you to Jeana Skinner for the photo!!❤
Dec. 25, 2016 Christmas call with Elder Miles...
Elder Miles' thoughts & testimony about studying the parable of the sower…
“It’s been eye opening to me. As a missionary you live a higher life, you live a higher standard, but there are still things…Satan still puts things in your path & distractions that you need to keep out of your life. So I think where I’m at right now as a missionary (and even when I go home)…what distractions do I need to get rid of…what thorns or temptations do I have … am I putting myself in situations where I’m not able to grow roots…am I growing at all…am I in soil, at all.
I’ve definitely gained a testimony of likening the scriptures unto myself. In every verse, ever story that is taught can relate to us. We’ll always have trials in our lives & in one way or another they can help us through those trials. That’s also helped me to receive a testimony of Heavenly Father & how he loves us. He’s given us all these things…he’s given us our family, the gospel, commandments…because they’re not there to restrict us, but help us maintain freedom from trials & torment & guilt throughout our lives. So I’m grateful for that.
I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to be raised in the gospel & in a righteous family like my patriarchal blessing says…I’m grateful for the blessings I’ve received from that. As I’ve realized seeing different situations with Johnathan, you know…he lives in a really sucky situation & he’s going to learn a lot of lessons from that as he continues to progress in the gospel. By seeing the things that he learns & be able to apply them in my life, I’ve been able to see the things I’ve learned and to learn from him. I’m very grateful for that.
I’m grateful to have a Heavenly Father that loves me & has given me these things & given me the opportunity to repent & become better. Repentance is a process. I know that Heavenly Father really does want us to come back to him because he gives us a lot of chances…a lot of chances. On my mission I’ve realized I haven’t taken a lot of those chances & now is the time that I need to.
I’m grateful for all of those things & I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
(we recorded him but it wouldn't download to the blog. It's been so amazing listening to him say it & typing it down...to reread over & over again....love this boy)
“It’s been eye opening to me. As a missionary you live a higher life, you live a higher standard, but there are still things…Satan still puts things in your path & distractions that you need to keep out of your life. So I think where I’m at right now as a missionary (and even when I go home)…what distractions do I need to get rid of…what thorns or temptations do I have … am I putting myself in situations where I’m not able to grow roots…am I growing at all…am I in soil, at all.
I’ve definitely gained a testimony of likening the scriptures unto myself. In every verse, ever story that is taught can relate to us. We’ll always have trials in our lives & in one way or another they can help us through those trials. That’s also helped me to receive a testimony of Heavenly Father & how he loves us. He’s given us all these things…he’s given us our family, the gospel, commandments…because they’re not there to restrict us, but help us maintain freedom from trials & torment & guilt throughout our lives. So I’m grateful for that.I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to be raised in the gospel & in a righteous family like my patriarchal blessing says…I’m grateful for the blessings I’ve received from that. As I’ve realized seeing different situations with Johnathan, you know…he lives in a really sucky situation & he’s going to learn a lot of lessons from that as he continues to progress in the gospel. By seeing the things that he learns & be able to apply them in my life, I’ve been able to see the things I’ve learned and to learn from him. I’m very grateful for that.
I’m grateful to have a Heavenly Father that loves me & has given me these things & given me the opportunity to repent & become better. Repentance is a process. I know that Heavenly Father really does want us to come back to him because he gives us a lot of chances…a lot of chances. On my mission I’ve realized I haven’t taken a lot of those chances & now is the time that I need to.
I’m grateful for all of those things & I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
(we recorded him but it wouldn't download to the blog. It's been so amazing listening to him say it & typing it down...to reread over & over again....love this boy)
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