Elder Braden Miles, Washington DC South Mission: January 26, 2015

I am really not sure where the time goes every week. Each week feels like a couple of days. I feel as though I was just sitting at this computer writing home yesterday...

Not much happened with the investigators I told you about last week. Larry will be in China on vacation for another week. We found out that he lives in the other ward boundaries in Manassas, so when he gets back we will pass him off. Ana and her kids didn't come to church because the kids wanted to spend time with dad. We will be passing her off to the Spanish missionaries because we feel it would be the best for her to learn in Spanish. It is really hard to pass of investigators - especially when they are your best ones. Hopefully we will be blessed with other people to teach for doing the right thing.

If you remember I told you about a member of our ward that

Elder McInery and Elder Miles
with member in white shirt and tie

wears a spiked black leather jacket and a kilt to church. This week it was our goal to get him to wear a white shirt and a tie. He had a very rough life growing up. He was around gangs, drugs, and death for most of his life. He joined the church about 15 years ago, but went inactive shortly after that. He was not in a good place for many years until finally coming back to the church several years ago. He has made a lot of changes in his life and is doing very good right now. He has a goal to go to the temple and it is our goal to help get him there.

This week we challenged him to wear more appropriate clothes to church and he agreed to step out of his comfort zone. A member donated some money and we went shopping with him. We helped find him a white shirt, slacks, and a belt. Elder McInerny gave him a tie. He wore it to church and everyone was shocked with disbelief! We took a picture with him to show to other missionaries that have served in this ward. They will be very surprised as well. I'll send that picture home.

Dad wanted to know more about my companion so I will try to say some stuff that I haven't already told you. Elder McInerny played football in high school and did some motocross too. He was non-denominational Christian growing up, but never went to church or anything. He joined the church a couple weeks before he graduated and went on his mission right after he turned 19. We get along really well. I have been blessed with a lot of really good companions. We teach great together and both want to work really hard. We also laugh a lot and enjoy doing missionary work!

One of my highlights of the week has been my personal study time. My whole mission I have loved studying the gospel - especially from the scriptures. Being in the office was hard because I didn't get to study all the time and even when I did I was really tired so I didn't get much out of it. I am excited that I get to study everyday again and I am feeling back to normal on my sleep. The last several days my studies have been very enlightening and uplifting. It does not always have to do with what I am studying either. I just love the feeling of the spirit that I feel as I read the word of God!

The theme of our mission lately has been "Be All In". Which means to be fully committed to the work and giving all that we can. Each week at district meetings we get 30 minutes to have opening exercises, give announcements, and share some thoughts/training. I have made a couple of ipad backgrounds to give to the zone, so they can remember to be all in. If you ask me, I think they are pretty sweet. Last week we trained the zone about how to create miracles. Our zone is the Centreville Zone and it is the most rural one in the mission. We had Zone Conference this week and we trained the zone about how to invite. I love serving the Lord!