Jonathan is Engaged!!!!

Sunday night Jonathan called to say that it is official. He is engaged to Janilee Pratt. We are really excited for him and know that he has waited a long time for the right person to marry. I will be flying to Utah soon to see them and they will be coming here at the end of April.

I have prayed for this moment and would tell Jonathan that I was praying. He would just say, "Keep on praying." Sometimes prayers are answered in ways that you never thought they would be. Jonathan is so happy and so is Janilee. So the oldest child is marrying the middle child. I love the idea. The middle child is always so much fun and the oldest child is the organizer. That seems to fit Jonathan. I love it. They will be married on August 8th in the Salt Lake Temple. There will be a reception in Murray following the marriage. I hope everyone can attend this big event.

Jenessa's at the Half Way Mark!!!

Hellooooo!
Guess what? Saturday was half way day! That means i'm HALF DONE with the MTC! Oh you
don't know how happy that makes me!! Time has been flying by so fast. I wish I could
tell you everything that has happened, but I guess i'll just get to the good stuff.
First of all, congratulations to Jonathan and Janalee! Oh I am so excited that you're
engaged! You are both such a blessing to my life. I can't wait to come back from my
mission and get to know Janalee better. I loved her the first time I met her...I know
she is going to be a wonderful addition to our family and a blessing.
This week my companions and I came up with a day called "sorpresa giorno"
(surprise day) and it has been AMAZING! Our district has been really struggling, and
another elder almost went home this week, so we decided we needed to do something to lift
everyone's spirits, and this has been a godsend. I had my sorpresa giorno and I was
given gifts of candies and a children's book of mormon in italian. I LOVE my companions!
They are helping me to grow so much, and they are such a strength in my life.
So, last week you might remember we were all putting our faith together to bring
President Thomas S. Monson to the MTC for devotional. We found out later that he
actually doesn't come for devotional, but our faith WAS rewarded! Elder L. Tom Perry
came and spoke to us! He is so adorable. He gave a wonderful talk about loving your
companion and being one with them.
Last Tuesday I was also very blessed with positivity. My companion found out on Tuesday
that her Grandpa died, and I prayed to be able to help her out somehow. That day, I
think I was more positive and happy than I have ever been in my entire life. She told me
right before she went to bed that she was so grateful for it, because it helped her
through that day. Heavenly father blesses us in even the little things! I was reading
in 1 Nephi 19:7 this week for personal study, and this scripture just really struck me.
I've begun to understand the love our Heavenly Father has for us, and how much he wants
us to be happy, because he was our father that raised us each individually in heaven
before we came to earth. And this scripture says that when he don't listen to him, we're
essentially trampling over him with our feet. Can you imagine? It just breaks me heart
and almost makes me want to cry to think that any time I don't follow God's commandments
so I can come back to him, i'm walking all over him, and pretty much slapping him in the
face....the same heavenly father that gave me this life, and this ability to make
decisions.
I also had the spirit speak to me strongly on Sunday, during the Draper, Utah temple
dedication. They broadcasted it from the gym, and all of the missionaries were able to
attend. One of the speakers said something that really struck me...that we go to the
temple to do work for others that they aren't able to do for themselves, just as Christ
did for us an amazing thing that we never could do for ourselves. It just makes me
realize the importance of temple work and helping out others who can't help themselves.
That is also essentially what missionary work is to me...giving back to Christ the little
that I can give. We can all give back through consecrating our time to temple work.
Isn't that a wonderful thought? I have the opportunity to go to the temple this
afternoon. I'm so excited!
The other thing that really struck me was when Elder Nelson was talking, he referred to
the scripture in D&C 2:3, that says something along the lines of the world being utterly
wasted. I've heard that scripture many times before, but I didn't realize the incredible
relation it has to temple work! Without the temple, there would be no point to our
existence on this planet. If we weren't able to be sealed together, and baptize the dead
to fulfill the plan to go back and be with our God in the celestial kingdom, then the
entire earth would have been a "waste" of time. It's so true. I have such a
strong testimony of temple work! I know that with it, we will be able to understand God
better, who we are, and only through it will we be able to inherit the celestial kingdom.
I just feel like I need to say, if any of you are struggling with finding happiness in
this life, then just ask God. He will give you any answer that you would ever want! He
is wonderful and I love him. I feel like he knows me better than anyone in this entire
world. That's why we're here. To be with him again. Imagine going up to heaven, seeing
your father in heaven face-to-face, feeling that incredible joy and love that he has for
you, and then being ripped away again because you weren't willing to do what he asked.
It just breaks my heart in every single way to even imagine that. I know it's not easy
to have that eternal perspective when we're bombarded with the world around us and what
is happening, but I know it's possible.
I love you all. Your heavenly father loves you. Christ loves you. Why else would he
have done what he did? I hope you know I think about you often. Your letters bring so
much joy into my life.
Il vangelo di Gesu Cristo e vero. Io so che Joseph Smith era un profeta, and il profeta
per questo dispensazione. Dio chi ama. Io sono grata per l'opportunita servire un
missione. Io sono grata per tutti voi.
With all the love I have in my heart,
Sorella Jenessa Miles

A Letter from Jenessa

Caro Famiglia,

Haha my subject made me giggle! Happy Saint Patricks day! I'm wearing green today in
honor of it all!! And happy birthday to Dad and Jonathan! And happy one month
anniversary to me! I'm almost halfway through the MTC, and it's hard to see the light at
either end of the tunnel...we joke that we were born and raised in the MTC because it's
already hard to remember what life was like before it, and we can't yet see the light at
the end of the tunnel, with a beautiful Roman sunset at the end of it! It's coming
though...time here goes at an odd pace. The days last forever, but the weeks fly by!
We're making it fun though, and I love it here. We were discussing in class how we'll
never have a time like this in our lives again, where all we can do is sit and study the
gospel without any distractions. I don't have anything to really worry about, so it's
easy to focus!

The language is coming along. It changes daily. I do really well on the days where we
are speaking in Italian all day, but on the days we don't it takes a lot of brainpower to
understand what my teachers are saying. Today I realized that I have to teach the first
discussion in Italian next monday at the TRC (Teaching Resource Center - where volunteers
come and pretend to be investigators, and we teach talk to them for 15 minutes in
Italian, and then teach them for about 35 minutes). The TRC is such a great experience,
I always feel the spirit. Yesterday we had to teach the Word of Wisdom to someone who
didn't believe they could do it, and all these words just came out of my mouth, and they
definitely weren't from me! I've realized after studying the Holy Ghost a lot, that I'm
prompted by it constantly. It's a beautiful gift to have, to be blessed to have a member
of the Godhead with you always. Isn't that beautiful?

I have to say that Sundays are my absolute favorite day here. And Relief Society is
AMAZING. This last week we had the 1st counselor of the Primary General Presidency come
and speak to us, and the week before was the Young Women's general president. The talks
were so wonderful and definitely life changing! I realized that Sunday is my motivation
day. It's so refreshing, and I also don't have class. :) I like the classes, but
sometimes, you just need a brain break!

This week we're CONVINCED that President Monson is going to come and speak to us for
Devotional. We decided that if we have enough faith, and start a rumor that he's coming,
that he will. I think the faith of 3 Italian sister missionaries is enough to bring the
prophet. I'll let you know how it goes.

This week I realized that I'm so glad I came on a mission, because I'm learning that some
of the things I always assumed my entire life about the gospel were completely wrong.
I've also come to realize that I really don't have all the answers, only God does.
Another thing I've gained a testimony of is that God can make anything possible. I was
having a few hard days because I wasn't sleeping too well, and I just prayed and the next
day I was on FIRE. I knew that Heavenly Father was just waiting for me to ask to bless
me. You'd think that coming on a mission would be all about giving back to God, but you
really just take and take with all of the knowledge and blessings he gives.
I also just wanted to say thank you so much to all of you, my dearest family. Your
letters have really brightened up my week! Cherie sent me Lily's first picture that she
colored, along with the cookie crumbs stuck to it. It made me SO ridiculously happy. I
showed it to my entire district, and they all thought it was so adorable! And then I
showed them a picture of Lily, and they all agree she is such a beautiful baby. Mi piace
la mia nipote!

Your packages also bring light to my life! EVERYONE (all the sisters in my zone and my
entire district) are obsessed with my grandpa packages. The sisters in my zone are still
talking about my "grandpa bars" that I got last week, because they loved how
healthy they were! And all the elders in my district can't wait until I get rolls
because I always share some with them (...and then I eat the rest. :))
I miss you! Keep writing. You are wonderful. Jesus loves you.
PS - read Zechariah 5:1 ..."behold! A flying roll!" (we read that, and then
started pretending like my grandpa rolls were flying...it was really silly!)

Love,

Sorella Jenessa Miles

Come Va? from Jenessa

Jenessa 's recent letter is at the 3 week mark. Here she is standing with Braden Olsen, her cousin, in front of the Missionary Training Center sign. Jenessa is quite a ham and it looks like she is connecting with her cousins. Hopefully we will get a picture of her and Scott soon. The first picture is of Jenessa with her companions Sister Dalia and Sister Stevens in front of the temple.

Here is Jenessa's newest letter.

Caro Mamma e Pappa,

Come va? Io sono molto bene!! I miss you both so much! Can you believe it's been 3 weeks? I can't! Time here is so crazy. The days never seem to end, and yet they absolutely FLY by!

I hope everything goes well with your neighbors attending church! I was so excited that I had to tell everyone around me. "My parents are missionaries tooo?" Doesn't sharing the gospel bring so much joy? The're changing around the review in the MTC on how we teach. They're having us focus on the investigator and what they felt, and whether or not they had their needs fulfilled. It used to just be that the teacher would say. "You did a great job! Good scriptures and flow, etc. And we would then proceed to pat ourselves on the back because we were so great. NOW we have to ask about them. I like that so much more, because I've realized that when I am thinking about myself, those are the only times I really get down! Focusing on the Lord, his work, my companions, and everone that blesses my life is what brings me joy!

By the way, thank you so much for the package Mom! I felt so loved when I received it! You are so cute and thoughtful to think of me! My entire district started drooling when they saw my cookies so I shared. Sharing is a blessing (I secretly wanted to eat them all myself tho!)

I am so grateful to be able to serve a mission. Thank you for everything you do/ have done. You are such amazing and wonderful parents!!

Loves, Sorella Jenessa Miles

Busy Day

Today was the busiest day. I get up early, have some breakfast and I'm off...well I actually fell asleep again because I got up too early. Talk about off. Yep. That is how my day started off then after Kerry got home from his meetings at 9:30 AM he woke me up and I was really off and running trying to get ready for church. It was throw some clothes on, make sure that I had shoes and socks on, my bag packed and my mascara not all over my face. I had to run to the car (it was already running with Kerry somewhat trying to be patient in it). I made it to church with 20 minutes to spare and then waited patiently for the neighbors who didn't come because they had the flu. Kerry gave a wonderful talk and then ran home quickly to talk to the realtor who was giving an Open House today. We had a whooping 9 people come through our home. That was pretty good. Some said they were interested I am happy to say.

After church because we couldn't go home we went over to the Bates for lunch. Katie made us corn on the cob, chicken, rolls, and ice cream for dessert. We went Visiting Teaching after that and I did a run on (Whoops) about my wonderful friend Christine and what a wonderful person she is and about how much she helped me. Then I had to relate it to the lesson about defending the family. Well it turned into a very very long speech. I felt I had to let other people talk even though I spoke more about my brother Alan and how wonderful he is and how he is working to defend the family. (You know he has those wonderful family commercials to show how wonderful a family can be and supportive). No. That wasn't what I talked about. I spoke of his experience with the international family conference and his experience with the legislation in California. He is a good example. After we spoke for about an hour we had to leave and go to our next appointment where we again spoke about the family but this time we related it to sewing. At the next VT appointment we met the missionaries who were sitting eating ice cream and then we chatted a little bit because Katie had to leave and do all the paper work that teachers get to do like report card comments, 6 page papers to their principals, and finally prepare for class the next day. Whew. I got home and Kerry had dinner on the table. What a busy day!

My Children

I have five wonderful children who have grown up and flown the nest. I remember still when they were all born and I cared for them 24/7. It took up all my time at first, diapering, bathing, playing, cuddling, and feeding them not to mention the wash, picking up the toys, and making sure they were safe from harm. Eventually they decided to become independent and wanted to do things for themselves like feeding, dressing, and taking care of their own personal needs. Sometimes it was really hard to watch when they were sick with fevers, colds, and the chicken pox. But we made the best of it and I would make a bubble bath to relieve their suffering or give them a pain reliever, take them to the doctor, and clean up the upchuck. Bandaging skinned knees was always a trial because seeing my children hurt would make me want to faint. I would teach them not to fight and stand them in the corner when they needed it. Going to church was a family affair and I would try to get everything together the night before but invariably we would lose someone's shoes and they would have to go to church in tennis shoes. Watching them grow was fun but there were moments when I would want to run away and I did (I would go to the show by myself or take a moment and lock myself in the bedroom). I worried that they would grow up to be responsible adults and tried to instill in them the desire to have goals and achieve them through the Young Women's program or Scouting. Sometimes it was hard to watch them make mistakes and have to correct them. There were times that I made the mistakes and I felt sorry for what I said or did. Now they are grown and gone. I hope they are happy adults and find joy and beauty in their lives. I hope they find success in their lives...

Grandparents are Important and Jenessa's Letter

This week my one and only granddaughter Lily turned 1. Even though my children never lived around their grandparents growing up they nevertheless consider them important in their lives. I suppose it is because we always tried to include them in our lives and showed our children how much we loved our parents. This is Jenessa's letter this week.

Dear Mom and Dad,

Oh my goodness there is NOT enough time to write to everyone here! This is crazy but awesome! I hope you got my e-mail today, please make sure to forward it on to the rest of the family and my friends!

Can I just tell you how grateful I am for your support? Without you both, I wouldn't be able to have this amazing chance of serving a mission. I'm loving every second of my learning process thus far. The Italian is coming pretty easy so far. I enjoy class and personal study so much. They are my favorite parts of the day.

My companions are just so amazing. We all have similar life experiences, and feeling about our missions. It's just another testimony that my Heavenly Father knows me and my needs so I can learn and grow on my mission and in the MTC.

I've learned so much in jsut the past week? I wish I could tell you everything, but there is just so much. I know how important the spirit is in teaching the lessons and conversion. Even the mock lessons we've given the Elders, and they've given us have made me feel the spirit so incredibly strong I can't contain it and I just start crying so hard.

I had an amazing experience at the temple today that I wanted to share with you. When I walked in, the second I walked in the doors I was overwhelmed with the memory of Grandma Miles, and after I got dressed I walked upstairs and saw Grandpa Miles. We hugged and said hi and he had to go. I went into the same session as him, and the entire time Grandma Miles was on my mind, and I was remembering how she used to hold my hands, and just how much she loved me. After the session as I sat in the Celestial room I prayed that she and Grandma Olsen would know how much I love them. Right them I was overcome with the feelings that they loved me and were so proud of my choice to serve a mission, and that they were doing the same thing on the other side. I am so grateful for my knowledge and testimony that as much as I wanted to hug them right then, that I would see them again and be able to hug them.

I loove you sooo much! Please write to me! I miss you so much.

Love,

Sorella Jenessa Miles
MTC Mailbox #162
ITA-ROM 0421
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, Utah 84604-1793