After Losing Both of His Parents, Service Missionary Blesses God’s Creations

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By Eastin Hartzell, Church News

Knowing it was a commandment, Elder Daniel Miller always felt that he should serve a mission. When the time to work on his papers came, he prayed to feel prepared to serve. 

He recognized that many people serve proselyting missions, but when he learned about service missions, that’s what felt right for him. 

Life Before the Mission 

In 2021, Elder Miller’s family moved to Huddersfield, England. Little did the Millers know, their life was about to change dramatically. 

A twin, and one of five boys, Elder Miller and his brothers were excited to move to a new place. 

But shortly after moving in September 2021, their dad experienced a fatal heart attack, leaving the family in shock and grief. 

Then, 18 months later, their mother was diagnosed with a severe form of cancer and passed away. 

Having lost both parents in such a short period of time, Elder Miller explains that in that time of his life, he was “drifting along, quite unhappy and in a very, very dark place.” He remembers feeling “stuck.” 

Elder Miller explains that his mission has brought light and movement back into his life. 

In an April 2022 general conference address, President Russell M. Nelson testified of the impact that missions could have: “Your decision to serve a mission, whether a proselyting or a service mission, will bless you and many others.” 

A Call to Serve 

In June 2024, Elder Miller remembers feeling lost for some time. Praying to know what to do, he felt a prompting pushing him to serve a service mission. 

His bishop, Bishop Jake Cook, explained that he had a similar prompting at the same time. 

When Elder Miller approached his bishop to discuss logistics, Bishop Cook was overjoyed. 

In October 2024, while preparing for a potential mission, he went to lunch with Elder Paul Burdon and Sister Carole Burdon. They currently serve as service missionary advisers and were mission leaders in the Adriatic South Mission from 2020 to 2023. Shortly after that lunch, he felt prepared to start his papers and begin his mission. 

In January 2025, he was officially set apart as a missionary and was given the missionary name tag that means so much to him. 

“Whenever I wear this, I just feel a bit lighter,” he said. 

Bishop Cook added, “He just wears his badge all the time, no matter what he’s doing, no matter where he is.” 

Sister Burdon said, “He loves to wear his name badge. Oh, he’s very proud of his badge.” 

But to Elder Miller, his badge isn’t just a name tag, it’s a representation of his purpose to serve like Jesus Christ. 

A service missionary’s purpose is to “help others come unto Christ by serving with loving kindness as the Savior would. Minister in His name to the one through the power of the Holy Ghost and live as an example of faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, covenant keeping with God and enduring to the end.” 

Mission Assignments 

Service missions are often custom-fit to the missionary and their needs. 

In 2018, Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said that service missionaries “bring great blessings to themselves, but more importantly, as they are doing this work, they’re blessing Heavenly Father’s children in unique ways.” 

Elder Miller spends his days working with and serving people on both sides of the veil, animals and even plants. 

His assignments have included taking pictures of headstones for BillionGraves; tending plants at Growing Works, a community gardening project that provides food for families in need; and taking care of animals at Huddersfield Horse & Donkey Rescue Sanctuary. 

Each week, he spends a day serving in the temple with other service missionaries. 

Sister Burdon said that Elder Miller feels close to his parents in the temple. “He felt that they were proud of him, that he was serving as a missionary and that he was there in the temple.” 

Elder Miller also often joins the teaching missionaries at lessons, helping to teach the gospel to friends of the Church. He and the other service missionaries attend a weekly district council. 

Now seven months into his mission, Elder Miller is grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord. 

“I feel like that impression over a year ago to talk to Bishop to go on a service mission, that’s really helped me,” he said. “I’ve met so many incredible people on my service mission. Not only from within my faith but from outside of my faith. I’ve met so many incredible people, and I feel like I would have never done all those incredible things if I didn’t get that impression.” 

Elder Miller recognizes the impact he’s having: “Even though to some people I’m only helping out small areas of where I am right now, I feel like small things matter the most.” 

Huddersfield England Stake President Sam Bridgstock said, “This faithful young man has a desire to serve God and has been called to be a representative of the Savior, Jesus Christ. We know his heavenly parents and earthly parents are so proud of his decision to be a missionary.” 

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