Michael didn't have enough time this week to write a blog post, he says, "Sorry!"
Thanks for reading!
-Micheal's loving brother.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
4-22-13
Hello everyone! :) I hope you are all doing well and don't feel too bogged down.
Things are going well over here. The plants are starting to throw out green leaves again, and weeds and flowers alike are popping up everywhere. The weather is a little cooler, staying about jacket weather for now, but keeps getting warmer.
The work is going well. We are finally getting appointments with a couple different less-active families who we have been wanting to work with, are seeing wonderful little changes in one of our investigators named Urgen where he wants to make changes and renovate his appartment and stop smoking, and also may have just found a cool new investigator. We'll see how that goes this evening if he's home.
Random German thing(s):
Trains. Trains everywhere. I guess that might be a little more common in some other states, but in Utah I saw hardly any. Every now and again we would see a cargo train go rumbling by, but tracks were few and far between, and the trains were rare. Here, trains is one of the main forms of travel. There is an intense train system run by a company called 'Deutsche Bahn' (German Train(s)). This system can get you to most of the cities in Germany. (The only villages it can't get you to are the little ones built off to the side, that they don't want to spend the money to connect with.) The system really is asounding though. Ridiculous to think of how much logistics must come into managing it. Along side these trains, there are many busses and trams/street cars run by larger cities. The bigger, busier cities even often have subways. (These are simply street cars on underground tracks, and some of these overlap, going below ground for the thick, busy part of the city, only to resurface a ways later when things thin out.) These trams also share the road with cars in some cities and areas, the tracks being flush with the road so that cars drive without being bothered at all.
There are also a lot of bikes used here, a lot of bike paths, traffic lights next to the pedestrian 'walk'/'don't walk' lights that tell bikes when to go, and when not to go. Lots of bike shops and repair shops. Etc.
Spiritual Thought:
I actually had a couple things to share today.
Maybe this is just me, but it seems like I often come to little things I can do that really help me. Little mental tricks or perspectives or helps or ideas that really help me to be closer to God in one way or another. It seems like I am always forgetting to continue applying these little tricks and ideas, and end up stumbling upon them later, and they begin to help me a lot again. Now, my advice to you on this subject, is to recognize these little things that build you up and take more note of them. Keep good hold on them. If you stumble across one that you seem to have forgotten, take special note of it. Satan loves to help you forget, and God loves to help us remember and grow. :)
--
Here is a little spiritual thought I shared with a member family just the other day:
First let's look at some words from Nephi, as he describes the journey they took through the wilderness:
1 Ne. 17:1-2:
1 And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness.
2 And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings.
'great were the blessings of the Lord', the children were taken care of, the raw meet was made sweet, they all became strong, sounds like a challenging, but good experience. Now let's look at the same journey, as described by Nephi's brothers later in the chapter.
verse 20
20 And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart; yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things, save it were death; and it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these afflictions.
Wow. One massive complaint.
They were talking about the same journey. They even touched on the same subject matter in the journey, and yet as Nephi described the blessings and good that came of it, all that Laman and Lemuel had to say about it was how horrible it was.
What made the difference?
Perspective.
They were talking about the same stuff, but because the one was in a good state of mind, trying to follow God, and looking for God's hand in his life, he was happy, and saw goodness and blessings coming, even in the middle of and -from- hard trials. The brothers on the other hand, poor blokes, were struggling and could only see the hard things. They were looking for faults and negativity. They were unhappy, unsatisfied, regretful, etc. This was not just a difference between people. This example does not mean that Laman and Lemuel are incapable of being happy/positive, or that Nephi was imune to discouragement/negativity. Quite the opposite. We all have the capacity to look at our surroundings and life in whatever light we choose. Do we notice the Hand and Blessings of God? He is there. 'His arms are stretched out still'. You can be happy. He wants you to be happy. Life itself is not, in and of itself, happy or sad. -We- are the ones that are either happy or sad. Which would you rather be? :)
I testify that God has love for us that runs deeper than the sea, and higher than the stars. I testify that He wants nothing less than for us to really be happy and grow and progress. He wants true joy for us. I testify that you can find joy in your life. This is not a case to case concept. This is truth. God is there. Happiness -can- be found. God can reach you no matter where you are. And I testify of these things in the name of the Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Have a great, and spiritual week. And maybe let yourself smile about something extra this week. :)
- Elder Michael Miles
Things are going well over here. The plants are starting to throw out green leaves again, and weeds and flowers alike are popping up everywhere. The weather is a little cooler, staying about jacket weather for now, but keeps getting warmer.
The work is going well. We are finally getting appointments with a couple different less-active families who we have been wanting to work with, are seeing wonderful little changes in one of our investigators named Urgen where he wants to make changes and renovate his appartment and stop smoking, and also may have just found a cool new investigator. We'll see how that goes this evening if he's home.
Random German thing(s):
Trains. Trains everywhere. I guess that might be a little more common in some other states, but in Utah I saw hardly any. Every now and again we would see a cargo train go rumbling by, but tracks were few and far between, and the trains were rare. Here, trains is one of the main forms of travel. There is an intense train system run by a company called 'Deutsche Bahn' (German Train(s)). This system can get you to most of the cities in Germany. (The only villages it can't get you to are the little ones built off to the side, that they don't want to spend the money to connect with.) The system really is asounding though. Ridiculous to think of how much logistics must come into managing it. Along side these trains, there are many busses and trams/street cars run by larger cities. The bigger, busier cities even often have subways. (These are simply street cars on underground tracks, and some of these overlap, going below ground for the thick, busy part of the city, only to resurface a ways later when things thin out.) These trams also share the road with cars in some cities and areas, the tracks being flush with the road so that cars drive without being bothered at all.
There are also a lot of bikes used here, a lot of bike paths, traffic lights next to the pedestrian 'walk'/'don't walk' lights that tell bikes when to go, and when not to go. Lots of bike shops and repair shops. Etc.
Spiritual Thought:
I actually had a couple things to share today.
Maybe this is just me, but it seems like I often come to little things I can do that really help me. Little mental tricks or perspectives or helps or ideas that really help me to be closer to God in one way or another. It seems like I am always forgetting to continue applying these little tricks and ideas, and end up stumbling upon them later, and they begin to help me a lot again. Now, my advice to you on this subject, is to recognize these little things that build you up and take more note of them. Keep good hold on them. If you stumble across one that you seem to have forgotten, take special note of it. Satan loves to help you forget, and God loves to help us remember and grow. :)
--
Here is a little spiritual thought I shared with a member family just the other day:
First let's look at some words from Nephi, as he describes the journey they took through the wilderness:
1 Ne. 17:1-2:
1 And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness.
2 And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings.
'great were the blessings of the Lord', the children were taken care of, the raw meet was made sweet, they all became strong, sounds like a challenging, but good experience. Now let's look at the same journey, as described by Nephi's brothers later in the chapter.
verse 20
20 And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart; yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things, save it were death; and it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these afflictions.
Wow. One massive complaint.
They were talking about the same journey. They even touched on the same subject matter in the journey, and yet as Nephi described the blessings and good that came of it, all that Laman and Lemuel had to say about it was how horrible it was.
What made the difference?
Perspective.
They were talking about the same stuff, but because the one was in a good state of mind, trying to follow God, and looking for God's hand in his life, he was happy, and saw goodness and blessings coming, even in the middle of and -from- hard trials. The brothers on the other hand, poor blokes, were struggling and could only see the hard things. They were looking for faults and negativity. They were unhappy, unsatisfied, regretful, etc. This was not just a difference between people. This example does not mean that Laman and Lemuel are incapable of being happy/positive, or that Nephi was imune to discouragement/negativity. Quite the opposite. We all have the capacity to look at our surroundings and life in whatever light we choose. Do we notice the Hand and Blessings of God? He is there. 'His arms are stretched out still'. You can be happy. He wants you to be happy. Life itself is not, in and of itself, happy or sad. -We- are the ones that are either happy or sad. Which would you rather be? :)
I testify that God has love for us that runs deeper than the sea, and higher than the stars. I testify that He wants nothing less than for us to really be happy and grow and progress. He wants true joy for us. I testify that you can find joy in your life. This is not a case to case concept. This is truth. God is there. Happiness -can- be found. God can reach you no matter where you are. And I testify of these things in the name of the Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Have a great, and spiritual week. And maybe let yourself smile about something extra this week. :)
- Elder Michael Miles
4-15-13
Hello Blog-readers near and far!
Hope you are all doing well. :) Things are going pretty well here. Found a cool guy that is possibly from Africa, and are getting some good work set up with some less-active families. Also! The weather finally warmed up! We are enjoying warm weather finally! Yesterday we walked to an appointment with just our suit jackets on and were sweating a bit, and today we are walking around in t-shirts. Wonderous.
Random German thing!
They have lots of McDonalds and Burger Kings here, as well as a Pizza Hut here and there (none of them truly taste like the ones back home, but it is similar). They do not, however have Wal-Mart, and the similar stores are not nearly so well set up, and usually have a much smaller selection than you would find at someplace like Wal-Mart. Apparently the government tends to favor (taxes-wise) the smaller companies that focus on one genre of products. Then the bigger companies have to pay heavier taxes. Interesting system. Makes it a bit harder to do one-trip grocery shopping, but it works out.
There is also lots of candy from the States here. And most of it tastes rather the same. Snickers, Skittles (they look like the red-bag kind, but have different flavors), gum, M&Ms, etc. Funny thing though, the Milky Way bar here is like the 3 Musketeers that we have back in the States, and the Mars Bars are like our Milky Ways.
Along these same lines of Americanizing, there are -lots- of American influences over here in general. Very good examples are found in the German language. They simply adopt a lot of Enlish words: 'Remake', 'Management', 'cool', etc. (Though they all struggle a LOT with the 'th' sound, and our 'r' sound.) They also wear t-shirts from colleges in the States (and often have no idea what they mean) listen to more American music than German (probably not understanding half of it) and all are required to take English as a foreign language starting at something like 5th grade.
Spiritual Thought!
I have been thinking a lot about the idea of 'standing where your feet are'. Working where you are and not concerning yourself too much with hypothetical situations or with comparing yourself to others. Starting where you are. Not stressing over how little or how much progress you have made.
Elder Holland said something very good in this last General Conference:
"I would say to all who wish for more faith, remember this man! In moments of fear or doubt or troubling times, hold the ground you have already won, even if that ground is limited. In the growth we all have to experience in mortality, the spiritual equivalent of this boy’s affliction or this parent’s desperation is going to come to all of us. When those moments come and issues surface, the resolution of which is not immediately forthcoming, hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes. It was of this very incident, this specific miracle, that Jesus said, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” The size of your faith or the degree of your knowledge is not the issue—it is the integrity you demonstrate toward the faith you do have and the truth you already know."
I loved this idea. This concept of recognizing and appreciating what we have, and holding fast to it. We can only work where we are. We can only make progress up the hill from where we stand. Don't stress it too much. I testify that God does not expect us to suddenly be perfect, or even to attain perfection in this life. It is a direction. The only true direction. But life is a journey, not a destination. Focus on what is before you. Keep taking steps forward. You got this. :) God loves you and will help you progress as far as you let Him. And I close these remarks in the name of our Great Healer and Shepherd, Jesus Christ, amen.
- Elder Michael Miles
Hope you are all doing well. :) Things are going pretty well here. Found a cool guy that is possibly from Africa, and are getting some good work set up with some less-active families. Also! The weather finally warmed up! We are enjoying warm weather finally! Yesterday we walked to an appointment with just our suit jackets on and were sweating a bit, and today we are walking around in t-shirts. Wonderous.
Random German thing!
They have lots of McDonalds and Burger Kings here, as well as a Pizza Hut here and there (none of them truly taste like the ones back home, but it is similar). They do not, however have Wal-Mart, and the similar stores are not nearly so well set up, and usually have a much smaller selection than you would find at someplace like Wal-Mart. Apparently the government tends to favor (taxes-wise) the smaller companies that focus on one genre of products. Then the bigger companies have to pay heavier taxes. Interesting system. Makes it a bit harder to do one-trip grocery shopping, but it works out.
There is also lots of candy from the States here. And most of it tastes rather the same. Snickers, Skittles (they look like the red-bag kind, but have different flavors), gum, M&Ms, etc. Funny thing though, the Milky Way bar here is like the 3 Musketeers that we have back in the States, and the Mars Bars are like our Milky Ways.
Along these same lines of Americanizing, there are -lots- of American influences over here in general. Very good examples are found in the German language. They simply adopt a lot of Enlish words: 'Remake', 'Management', 'cool', etc. (Though they all struggle a LOT with the 'th' sound, and our 'r' sound.) They also wear t-shirts from colleges in the States (and often have no idea what they mean) listen to more American music than German (probably not understanding half of it) and all are required to take English as a foreign language starting at something like 5th grade.
Spiritual Thought!
I have been thinking a lot about the idea of 'standing where your feet are'. Working where you are and not concerning yourself too much with hypothetical situations or with comparing yourself to others. Starting where you are. Not stressing over how little or how much progress you have made.
Elder Holland said something very good in this last General Conference:
"I would say to all who wish for more faith, remember this man! In moments of fear or doubt or troubling times, hold the ground you have already won, even if that ground is limited. In the growth we all have to experience in mortality, the spiritual equivalent of this boy’s affliction or this parent’s desperation is going to come to all of us. When those moments come and issues surface, the resolution of which is not immediately forthcoming, hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes. It was of this very incident, this specific miracle, that Jesus said, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” The size of your faith or the degree of your knowledge is not the issue—it is the integrity you demonstrate toward the faith you do have and the truth you already know."
I loved this idea. This concept of recognizing and appreciating what we have, and holding fast to it. We can only work where we are. We can only make progress up the hill from where we stand. Don't stress it too much. I testify that God does not expect us to suddenly be perfect, or even to attain perfection in this life. It is a direction. The only true direction. But life is a journey, not a destination. Focus on what is before you. Keep taking steps forward. You got this. :) God loves you and will help you progress as far as you let Him. And I close these remarks in the name of our Great Healer and Shepherd, Jesus Christ, amen.
- Elder Michael Miles
Sunday, April 14, 2013
4-8-13
Hello blog readers! Hope you are all doing well, and that you got good things out of Conference. :)
We had a really good Conference. We got to watch the Saturday morning session live at 6-8(pm) and then on sunday we watched Priesthood session (11-1) Saturday afternoon (2-4) and Sunday morning (6-8). We still have not seen the Sunday afternoon. We plan to pull that off the church website and watch it at home at some point. :) (To watch the afternoon sessions live, it would have been 10-12 at night and Priesthood would have been 2-4 am. :P )
The ward was going to watch a lot of it together in the Church, but on Saturday when they went to watch the live session, they were having technical problems with it not coming in smooth and catching a lot, so they all went home. Elder Myrabo and I had already gotten ourselves set up in a sepparate room with a computer running it in English. (We probably could have understood pretty much all of it, but Conference was too important for us to risk not knowing the words the translator uses. And you can get more meaning out of it in your native language.) The members let us know that they were leaving, and we had the church to ourselves. On the following day, the ward decided not to even try anymore with watching it at the church and we were pretty much in the church all day by ourselves watching Conference. It was nice. We had desks to write on, and to strew our snacks across. :P
Random Germany Thing(s):
They have entire stores dedicated to meat. Little shops where you go in and pick out a meat, specify an amount (in grams), they weigh it out, and you buy it.
The cities here were originally designed long ago before the use of cars, and so most cities have a 'market place'. This space was probably orignially used as town square and an actual market place. Now-a-days these spaces have been converted into a wide road with no cars where one can walk along. The sides are lined with shops, and there are often little stands set up here and there, and street performers and such. There are sometimes even entire streets in the main part of the city that are used as areas like this. Paved with cobble-stone and not driven on by cars, but reserved for pedestrians.
Spiritual Things:
This week, I would like to encrouage you to do something. As I was sitting thinking last night, I realized that as much as I loved Conference, and had taken plentious notes, and recognized some themes that stuck out to me, I coudln't name many specific things I had learned. I then determined that later I am going to sit down, go over my notes, and possibly the talks again, and really define what I learned from it, how it touched me, what God was really saying directly to me in the Words. The preaching is all good and fine, but unless we pull out the meaning and apply it, what good does it do us in the long run? I encourage you all to pick up this wonderful resource we have and really search the good out of it. :)
I also bear testimony of our Church Leadership. I know that they are called of God and functioning in a God-given manner in a God-given Organization. I know that God choses His people carefully, and that we can trust them (anyone with stewardship over us) as long as they are living up to their covenants. I testify that Thomas S. Monson is God's Prophet on the earth today, and that when he speaks to us at General Conference, it is not simply his own ideas and observations, but inspired words through with God can truly speak to us. It is living scripture. And I testify of these things in the Sacred name of Jesus Christ amen. :)
Love you guys! Keep standing up for what you know is right! :) Have a wonderful week.
- Elder Michael Miles
Monday, April 8, 2013
4-2-13
Hello all! Not much time today.
Random German Thing!
The cops don't really pull people over. They are more dispatched to deal with problems that happen, or to pull people over that are causing serious problems. Speeders instead get caught in specific spots by little boxes on the side of the road that take your picture. You could go cruising past a cop at pretty darn high speeds, and as long as you aren't going maniac dangerous fast, they won't do anything. Most of these boxes are little permanent instalations, and the people in the area just learn where they are, or watch for the people in front of them slowing down. Though sometimes the cops will set up a portable one. Funny. In any case, the speed limit isn't enforced much at all. And the roads are tiny. All just based on the little cart trails and stuff I guess. I hear that many of the large roads they have now were really only made possible because the war destroyed everything, and they were able to build everything back up with the wider roads planned in.
Spiritual Thought!
We just had Easter Sunday, and I loved it. We heard much about the Atonement and the Resurection. It made for wonderful meetings.
I testify that Jesus is the Christ. The Savior. The Way. The Great Shepherd. The Living Water. I testify that He loves you and would have suffered all the same things and still done the Atonement, even if it was just going to be for you. Even if you were the only one that were going to be saved from it. I testify that His great Love is what truly motivated and enabled Him to 'overcome the world' for our sakes. I testify that He has prepared a way. I testify that He will always help you and be lovingly at your side as you work to make progress in life. He cares. He is there. He has not given up on you. He never will. You will see Him again, and He will be so happy to greet you and talk with you. Trust Him. Let Him in. I testify and promise these things as I have felt them from the Holy Spirit, and testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
I encourage you all to feel and give a little more love this week. :) God be with you.
- Elder Michael Bright Miles
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