First day away from his car on splits on a bike!

Pictures in Phoenix

9.21.15 -- 2nd week in Phoenix!

Dear Friends & Family!

Made it to week 2! And am glad I did. It's been a pretty good week. 

Let me start off a little more about my area. So I am just outside Phoenix to the west. We have a pretty big area, and thus we have a car. The people we teach, for the most part are from Mexico. A large portion of them seem to be from chihuahua and Guadalajara. In the ward their are a couple families from Columbia, 1 from Argentina, and 1 from Peru. Those are at least the ones I know of hat aren't from Mexico. Last week they had me say the closing prayer for sacrament. They said it was good and were surprised at my accent, but now they think I speak better than I do haha. But I was pretty nervous being up there. It's not a huge ward, but big enough to be a ward. Elder Wells( my companion) said we have anywhere from 100-200 depending on the week. They're all super nice. We have been invited to eat a few times, but they want to try out their American cooking they say haha. It's been pretty interesting. We did have some tostadas that were pretty good. It was chicken refried beans, sour cream lettuce and salsa, on tostadas. ( sorta like our tinga but a different sauce).

We had an exchange with the district leaders this week. I went over to the English area and my companion stayed in ours. I was with Elder Nicholson from South Carolina. But lived in heriman for his senior yr. he is a really cool guy. It was fun, especially speaking English haha but hard because we rode bikes. My rear still hurts haha. Definitely gained some respect for biking missionaries. And it was so hot I was sweating baaad haha. At one point in the day we stopped at a house that we just felt like we should knock on and this lady opened the door. She looked really confused, and you could tell she was a drug user. But we kinda did our intro and she said that she wasn't really interested, but before we left we asked if we could do anything for her, and she kind of started crying and told us a bunch of really sad hard things had happened to her this last few months, and she just got kicked out of her house and she was moving out by herself and had to be out by that night. So we spent a good hr or so moving stuff out and helped her finish up. She said she had been praying for help and kept telling us over and over how great full she was that we came by. It was really cool that we had the feeling to go over there, and that we could help. As we left, she was a lot more open to the church, and said she wanted to get in touch with the missionaries wherever she ended up going. 

A little later after burning in the heat getting a lot of doors closed in our face and teaching a few lessons, we had a little fun haha. I'll try sending the videos, but we went off some jumps that were bigger than they look on the videos, but we both fell off, his worse than mine hahah. It was fun. That's one thing people don't really tell u ( except micah😜) before you go out on a mission, is that you can still have fun out here.

It's been two weeks and we get a baptism on Saturday! I'm way excited. His name is Jesús and he is awesome. He really wants to better his life and took all the lesson perfectly. His wife is a member and just has been inactive for a long time. They are both super excited to be back with the church and have seen the blessings it brings already. They've been through some hard things, but it's awesome to see how much it's already helped them in such a short time. 

This week we also had what they call Mission tour where an member of the 70 come and talk to different parts of the mission with our president. At first I didn't really want to go because it was from 8:30 to 2:30. 5 hrs of sitting and listening did not sound fun. But when we got there it was really good. I learned a ton, I think especially because I'm new, but also because the spirit was super strong. By the time we ended, I was surprised how fast it went. But at the end we sang the song 'a child's prayer'. And I remember singing it when I was younger and it was just a song, but didn't mean a whole lot. But as we sang the first line, it said " Heavenly Father are you really there? And do you really answer every child's prayer?" And right then I felt the spirit so strong, and I felt like someone was hugging me. I felt His love for me so strong, and knew that He is there and answers us and wants to help us with all our needs. I know He loves us and I know that when we are down that we can pray for some help, or just some love and that He will let you know He is there for you too, and that He loves you.

I know that when we do the things the Lord asks us everyday, that He will help us and will bless us, because he loves us so much. He has helped me so much out here, and I am really excited to grow with His help, and to bring this incredible Joy and Happiness to others and their family. 

Love u guys!

Hope everyone's doing good.

Elder Miller

9.14.15

What's up everyone!😄

This week has been crazy and awesome and just packed with stuff. Where do I start? Well I made it to Phoenix haha. I am in the Phoenix north area in the Monte Vista ward, the only Spanish ward in our area. So I woke up at 3 am to get on a bus that drove 10 min to the front runner that took almost 2hrs to get to salt lake, then we got off and waited for the tracks right by the salt lake temple. It was soo cold haha and all I could think was well take it in cuz this may be the last time you're cold for a while, and boy was I right. Got to the airport at 7 almost 3 hrs after leaving the Mtc! But we flew in and stayed at the mission home that was really nice. It sorta helped calm the nerves and everything. President Griffen is really cool, and Sister Griffen is so nice. We went by the temple, it was beautiful. I found out that we can go one every 3 months, which I'm super excited about😁  but ya speaking all English and not have things to worry about was really fun being there just sort of relaxing. We got our iPads and learned about some of our mission rules. So I can read letters any day I just can only answer on Mondays anytime until 6. 

Wednesday came along and we drove over to the church, where I got my trainer 😃 his name is Elder Wells. He is a tall skinny kid from Illinois. He's pretty cool. I'm really glad I got him because I am with him a minimum of 12 weeks. So we went to the apartment and I unpacked and met our roommates. They are two English missionaries with bikes. Oh ya we have a car and it's actually really nice. Especially when it's 107*, but everyone says it feels good because it's been 115-120 for the last little while. But it's supposed to go to double digits this week so that's good. 

We went shopping and I had no idea what to buy hahah. I realized am nothing without mom haha. This week I have gained so much respect, gratitude and love for her. Like I had shopped and cooked and stuff but she had told me what to buy and what to cook and how to do it, and cleaned, and did dishes and she always helped me with stuff I needed and had answers to everything haha and ya. Love you Mom❤️ so ya not gonna lie, it's been a little rough trying to figure out how to live by myself. 

So later that night we went to to my first lesson. This was his 3rd lesson and we were going to teach about how the restoration of the church. I was freaking out haha😖 and then as we are getting out of the car elder wells turns to me and tells me that I am going to talk about Joseph and recite the first vision. I about died😳😲 he wanted me to do what?! This was my first lesson and I was not prepared to go talk to a real investigator. So we went in and the guy asked me to pray! So I did it wasn't too bad haha and we started the lesson. The next thing I knew elder wells turned to me and And just waited. I realized it was my turn and I went blank😶 I couldn't remember anything! It was really scary haha, but I said like a 2 second prayer and just said please help me know what to say. And all the sudden I said the whole thing and bore my testimony. It was awesome! I know the spirit came in and helped me know what to say. At the end the investigator said that he felt something really good, and said he would pray about what we had talked about. It was sweet. When we walked out my companion said he was really happy and had not expected me to be able to do that and thought he was going to have to help. I was really excited after that😋  We've done a lot more lessons and almost every time I have had thought and been helped of what to say. I know that without the spirit I could not do this. The spirit is incredible, and the real teacher. I really don't do anything, because every time the investigator has agreed to our commitments or wanted us back, was because the spirit had been there doing the real testifying and teaching. I also know that I wouldn't be out here without it. This week has been long, but it really is the Holy Comforter. It has helped me so much already and helped me feel Heavenly Fathers love and that I really am out here doing what he wants me to be doing.

I am so grateful for the Gospel in my life and the incredible blessings it brings. I'm also so grateful for my parents, family, and friends. Being out here has shown me how amazing you all really are.

Love you guys

Hope you all have a awesome week 

Elder Miller

9.11.15

What's up everyone! :)
This week has been crazy and awesome and just packed with stuff. Wheredo I start? Well I made it to Phoenix haha

9.4.15

So I am out of here on Tuesday morning. I have never had quite such mixed emotions, because I really am excited to leave the Mtc, but then I have made some pretty good friends, since i've been with them 24/7 for the past 6 weeks, and now I have to leave them too. So ive now lost even more friends on top of old ones and family. But now im getting pretty nervous to go out into the field with real people and have to have them understand my Spanish :P idk I just need to have faith that the Lord will help me. 

Not much has happened this week. We had our last few classes of Spanish on Monday and tuesday. so not much fun there haha. Wed was actually kind of cool. My district did hosting for new missionaries. So we would stand on the curb and help all the new missionaries get out and get them their stuff, take them too their room, and then to their companion and classroom. It was interesting seeing some of the different people. I hosted 5 missionaries and they were all so different. One was walking away without giving his family hugs, another wouldn't get out but once he did it was ok, there was one who didnt stop crying for 10 min :( i felt really bad. But ya it was fun being the first person they meet and trying to make it a good experience and trying to make them feel okay.

Thursday was In-field orientation and it was sooo long, but i learned a lot about making sure I have a good relation ship with the members to get referrals, so that was good.

Sunday was probably the best day tho. It was pretty average until the nightly devotional. As we sat there waiting for the speaker Elder Oaks walked in :) He talked about having the spirit with you at all times, and how to teach with it. It was incredible. As I sat there, so many thoughts came to mind of things I can do to bring it or how to teach with it. But especially at that time, I received a ton of revelation, of stuff I needed to do or say to people that I know, but also that I dont know. It was kind of weird, but I had feelings of things to say to names of people that I know no one named that. So im really excited to try to go find those people and I already know what they need. The spirit is so amazing. If I have learned 1 thing here these 6 weeks, it has been, the spirit is incredible, and we always need to listen to it every time. Im so excited to be able to go out and be able to give this amazing gift to people that have never felt it.

So next time I get to get on I will be in Phoenix :)\

Wish me luck

Miss all you guys 

Elder Miller