Follow the Star?

So this week I was thinking a lot about the three wise men, and their long journey to visit the Christ child. They being from the orient, had a very long journey ahead of them. I can´t imagine it being a particularly safe, comfortable or relaxing. More than likely it was filled with thieves, snakes, insects, sand storms, scorpions, all manner of scourge you can think of. But they pressed forward to have the opportunity to see Jesus´s face and to offer him their gifts. They had faith, and they followed the star which guided them safely to His presence.

Like them we are on a long journey filled with any number of trials, afflictions, and difficulties. Recently I received a letter from a good friend of mine. In the letter were some things that really made me think. Before this life we made the decision to follow Jesus Christ in the plan that our Father created. We agreed to come here, nurture our Faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Repent of our sins, be washed clean through Baptism, receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us, and Endure to the End so that we might see our Saviors face once more. So since we already made that choice, we need to remember it, and help others remember it. Those five steps make up the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the star we need to follow in order to make it home to our Savior. So I challenge you to do as the three kings did, and follow that Star.

I love you all, Merry after Christmas, and have a very happy new year (all year, not just Sunday:)

smile - Hna. Milmont

Christmas dinner with the Down Family. Talk about tender mercies!













Christmas Eve dinner with the Tello's













Carrari's saying goodbye to Hna. Gillum












Coming back from Ushuaia

Preparation Day in Ushuaia

Zone Conference December 2011!












Graffiti in Ushuaia















Hnas. Gutierrez, Gillum, y yo












Zone Futbol!

Room in the Inn

So this week I have been thinking a great deal about Luke 2 in the bible, and the story of our saviors birth. I was thinking about Joseph and how he was searching for a place for he and his young wife to stay. But each household said that there was no room for them. I think about how often we get caught up in the day to day hustle and bustle, and forget the reason for this time of year. And I have been asking myself, ¨Is there room for Christ in my inn?¨ have I made the effort to keep a space specifically for him in my heart? I challenge you to ponder this in your hearts and with your families. I promise that as you focus this time on our Savior and for what he chose to do for us before the world was. He came for you! I know this, and he will wipe all your tears away, all your fears, and restore your joy, if you let him, and make room for the Savior in Your Inn.

I love you all. Have a very merry Christmas

smile - Hna. Milmont

Look unto me in that thought

There are so many crazy circumstances that we find ourselves in. I have been trusted to teach a new missionary, what it means exactly to be a missionary. And it´s it tough, let me tell you. I have cried more in the past week than I have my entire mission. There are new responsibilities that I didn´t understand before. But I think the most difficult part, is seeing the incredible excitement and energy in this new sister, hna Gutierrez, that I once had. I was exactly like her, when I came out of the mtc. And I thought I had done a fairly good job at maintaining that fire... news flash... but I didn´t.

now I could have looked at this situation and gotten down on myself, and listened to the whisperings of Satan. He wants me to feel as though the missionary fire cannot be lit once the bucket of so called experience has been dumped on it. There is not an element of truth in that statement. So I chose to take that excitement that she has, and help it grow. I looked to my God and said, ¨you know Father, I don´t know that I can do this. You have given me a gift in this incredible new missionary. You are trusting me to help her unlock the power that is with in her, and frankly, me cuesta monton (I fall short). But I do know that if I rely on You, and look to You for guidance, we will be blessed.¨

So that is my challenge to you this week. When Satan is whispering negative thoughts to your heart, ask yourself ¨who wants me to feel that way, My Father, or my Enemy?¨ and give no place for the bad. Replace it with good, and look unto God, your Father, in every thought.

I love you all, have a marvelous week, and I´ll talk to you again next week... assuming I have time;)

sonreí - Hna. Milmont