Tuesday, January 31, 2017

1.31.17 Photos





1.31.17

Whats up everybody.

So im getting transferred but idk where to so not really sure what more to say than im really sad to leave the area, really sad, I love this ward, and we have some awesome investigators, but im ready for some change so itll be good.

This has been a packed week.
It started off with the world wide broadcast for all the missionaries. Our zone got together to watch it and it was good. This time was a little less teaching and more informing and going over last years broadcast. We learned about the new schedule that president griffin had told us about. I like getting out of the house earlier. They also changed what we report to salt lake. We now dont report on lessons, who they were with or even how many we have. The only things are people at sacrament, new investigators, people with a baptismal date, and people baptized. So thats been interesting, but I think it will be good, and help a lot of missionaries do more productive things.
Then we had some pretty awesome lessons. We had another spirit packed lesson with Brenda and Ernesto. Our ward mission leader came again, and he connects so well with them, its been the best match up of my mission haha. And they love everything. At the end they talked about how they love the feeling that we bring when we are in their home, and hate when we leave because so does that feeling. That has been one of the coolest parts of my mission is learning how great the gift of the spirit is, and how blessed I have been to have had that in my home my whole life. How incredible it is to really have it and the change and effect it has on people. I love this gospel and how it can really change peoples lives and make people happy.
I had a hard time saying goodbye to them. They are probably the most solid family I have met on my mission and im sad not to be able to see them continue to grow, but I know they will get baptized at some point.

Then we had an some really cool lessons with the Hernandez family. I dont know how much I have talked about them, because weve been teaching them on and off for three months. They are a huge family, and some of them are baptized and some are not. There are three families living together. Mariana who is a member, and some of her kids are, but they are inactive,her husband is not a member either. and then her brother Rafael has been who we were focused on, and he is really starting to catch on, and little by little is growing, and then his kids and wife who are not members either, and then their parents and a niece from a different sister, so ya lots of people, some listen some dont, but they are learning and progressing and I was pretty sad to leave them too.

Then this weekend and monday we did service all day. It was crazy. We havnt had service my whole time here, and then we got dumped on these last few days. On saturday, we woke up early and went to a food bank at 6;30 and helped sort and give people food. I love helping people like that, because you get to be there with the people and see the results and see them happy and idk its cool. Then we went over and helped clean up a baseball field and that was a lot of work haha. And then we went and helped move in a family, a really big family haha. It was a lot of work, but it was cool because we found a lot of opportunities to share the gospel. The family we moved agreed to listen to the missionaries, some people at the field asked about our church and what we believed. but the best one was the food bank. A camera crew from pbs came by and was doing a thing on the community giving back and we were there and they talked about the missionaries being there to help, and then I got to be interviewed for a little and that was kinda fun. So it was cool to just be out there showing people that we just want to help and that we arent as crazy as everyone thinks we are haha.
Then on monday we spent all day shoveling rocks and it was crazy. It was a non members back yard that was full of them and he wanted them taken out. He said there was over 300 tons of rock. It was super hard, but we had the zone there and it was fun.
I love seeing how happy people are when they see people helping them and see that people care for them. I know that that was a huge reason that christ served people, was to share and show his love for everyone, and I have loved being able to help people be happy ๐Ÿ˜

Well love you guys
hope you guys get out of the cold soon. Its 75 here today
Elder Miller

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

1.23.17

Hey everybody,

We had an awesome week this week! We finally found some investigators
that are open to listening.

So we started the week with exchanges with the APs and it was fun. I
stayed in the area with elder paddon. He's a cool guy. He's had an
interesting mission. He was called to the Ghana Africa mission and was
there for a full year when his visa ran out and he couldnt get it
renewed. Two days after it ran out they called him told him to pack up
and he got sent here. He's a hard worker and he really wants to help
the mission keep growing and doing good. It was a cool experience
because I havnt done a real exchange for over 6 months, and it was fun
to see how much Heavenly Father has helped me grow especially with my
Spanish. I felt fully confident doing everything, which I didnt the
last time I had one. We also ended up finding a family that wanted us
to come back and take them to church. Their names are carlos and
crystal and they seemed pretty excited to come to church, but sadly
didn't end up coming.

Then we had a day where we had a huge service project where we helped
a ton of homeless people come and get some help to hopefully help them
start to get back on their feet. We were there from 7 am to 3 and
there was 5 zones there, so over 50 missionaries. It was really fun.
That same night we had our second lesson with Brenda and Ernesto, and
we brought our ward mission leader hermano Vargas. He was perfect for
them. He is a convert as of 3 years and had so many of the same issues
and problems and doubt that they had. he has a child that also has
autism and speech problems, he also went through a lot of pain
wondering why his son had to go through it, and also wondered if God
still was there. It was and incredible lesson. We read through the
introduction of the Book of Mormon and the first chapter. To make it
all the better, they came to church this Sunday and seemed to really
enjoy it. We didnt really get a chance to ask them about it, but at
least their kids loved primary haha.

We also had a great lesson with Roberto. We talked about the laws of
tithing and fasting and it was probably the easiest accepted lesson
ive ever taught. He asked a few questions to clear some things and
then once he understood, we asked him if he would follow it. His
response was so cool, and he began talking about how, Why wouldn't he?
If it a commandment from god, and its really going to help others then
of course. The spirit was really strong and its been cool to see him
progress. It has been a week now since he has smoked or drank coffee
and you can just see the difference in him. He is happy and just looks
super good. The only sad part was he told us he would come to church,
he said he bought a white shirt, I had a couple ties for him, and then
he didnt come :/

Sunday was the best day tho, because even tho crystal and carlo, nor
Roberto came, there were 7 other investigators that came. A few we
hadn't seen a a while and then Brenda Ernesto and their 3 kids. The
ward did an awesome job helping them all feel good and feel like they
were part of the family.

So this Wednesday we have the big broadcast and im super excited. I
really enjoyed the last one and have studied, and learned a lot. Its
going to be fun.

This next week is transfers and we've been told a lot of changes are
going to happen. for sure one of us are leaving but not sure which. Id
be pretty sad to leave, especially after this week of finding a lot
and this ward is really fun.

We'll see how it all goes.

Love you guys,

Elder Miller

Monday, January 16, 2017

1.16.17

What's up guys!

I told you guys, we just needed to wit a few weeks and then wed have
an awesome one.
It started off with interviews with the mission president. We had a
really good one, and really long one actually. We talked about all
kinds of things,  and how I can really grow these last 8 months. He
talked about some things I want to work on until next transfer when we
talk again. He also told me about how we are going to have another
worldwide missionary broadcasts next week. There are som changes and
one is that we will have interviews every transfer now so thats pretty
cool. Another big one is the fact that our schedule is changing. My
whole time on the mission. We would start studies at 8, have a doctrinal study, a personal study, a companionship study, lunch, and Spanish study leave the apartment at 1.And we would plan our day out at night after we came home. Now we plan for the day at 8:30, personal study at 9, out of the house at 10. then a half hour lunch whenever we have open. So its pretty different. We are going to find out more next week but so far its been really different. especially after doing it for almost a year and a half now.

We finally got back in contact with a investigator named Roberto. He says he wants to learn more about the church and invited us over this week. Talked and about and read from the book of Mormon, and had a really cool lesson. He talked about how he knew it was true, and that he really wanted to change. He told us some of the things he is going to have to over come but he said it will be worth is. He also said something clicked for him and obedient and how when we are obedient to Gods commandments that he really blesses us and watches over us, and he really wants that. He sadly didnt come to church this week, but we are going to see him tomorrow.

We finally found some people yesterday and it was sweet! so lst night we wernt really having much luck. One person we were looking for turned out that she was a lady that died a few months ago, so we wouldn't be finding her anytime soon. and then the next person we were looking for too us forever to find in a trailer park, and right where her house was supposed to be was a big pile of dirt. So not a huge ton of success. But then the next person we had down to go look for was a couple we contacted a few weeks ago, but hadnt been around. They live in a apartment complex and fall the gates were closed so we weren't sure what to do. we waited for a little bit but then we started to walk away. As we were leaving a car came through. the problem was that by the time the car had come, we were a good distance from the gate. we started sprinting to it. We were about a basketball court length away as it started to close. we barely slipped through and was a second or two from getting squished haha. We knocked on the door and they were super happy and let us in. We started talking and found out they Brenda and Ernesto. They are both ex cops from Mexicali. They have had a lot of hardships, from trying to get out of a bad situation in mexico, to then getting their papers, but then not being able to find work, to their kids being born with a lot of problems, and yet they are still so happy. They told us how it has been really hard, but they feel stronger and in such a better condition then in mexico. We then taught the Restoration and they seemed to really be interested. They said they have been around a lot of different churches, but none of them felt like a family, none of them felt right. The hope is they come this next sunday, and are able to feel the spirit there, and feel that it really is right. It was probably the strongest ive felt the spirit in the lesson since ive been back. Especially when I got to tell the first vision. One promise that ive really seen come to pass on my mission has been the power of testifying. Not necessarily for others, even though I know it helps, but for yourself. The prophets say that your testimony grows each time you share it with others. Every time I share the story of Josephs smiths vision, ive been able to receive a confirmation from the spirit, that Joseph smith really did see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It has been something really special for me, and a blessing that im so glad to have received.That is a cool part about the restoration, is that if you know 1 of the things is true you can know all of it is. So if you have a testimony of the book of mormon you can know joseph was a prophet and that this is the true, and same for each. Im so grateful that I was able to be born into this church and received so many blessings.

I love you guys and hope you guys are all doing great!

Elder Miller


Monday, January 9, 2017

1.9.17

Hey guys
So ya wasnt a whole bunch of teaching this week. We cant get in
contact with Ariana's grandma, so we havnt been able to set anything
up with her for a new baptismal date.
We havnt found anyone new either but there may be some possibilities
soon.  We havnt had much progress in this area, but we are really
trying to pick something up before feb 1, because of transfers, and
wanting to give anyone new, if there are changes, something to work
with.
It was a weird week full of a bunch of meetings, which actually were
pretty good. haha.
On Tuesday we had Mission leadership council, which is all the zone
leaders, sister training leaders, APs, and mission presidency but i go
because my companion doesn't have another zone leader. Some of it was
just on some training for newer elder, which 70% of the mission is 7
months or younger, but then we talked about how good the mission has
been doing. In 2016 we had almost 50 less missionaries on average than
the year before, but we had 553 baptisms which was 53 more than 2016.
We weren't trying to just talk about numbers and only worried about
numbers, but more of showing that we were doing good and worked hard,
and smarter than before, even with less missionaries. Than we had a
really cool discussion from president Griffin on fear and getting
through our fears. So we had that which went from 10 to 3 and then
takes an hr to get home and then we have dinner and have our lessons
all cancel for what ever reason or just don't want to answer their
door, and then we go try and find people the rest of the night haha.
Pretty fun ๐Ÿ˜‘ but its okay because that just means we are going to
have a bomb week sometime soon.
We had a meeting on Wednesday with the ward about the work and
preparing goals to bring to a bigger meeting on sunday.
Then we had a meeting with the relief society, which was super awesome
because they came to us and invited us over. We talked about people
they want to work with, and how they would come with us, and we set up
a bunch of lessons so its going to be sweet.
Then Friday we had zone meeting where we came back and taught the zone
what was taught at MLC.
And then sunday we had two meetings, one with the ward, where everyone
brought their goals for the new year, and it was really cool to hear,
because they all had a part to do with missionary work and helping us
so that was cool. And then we had a meeting with the stake president
and we talked about his vision for the stake and things we want to
start doing.

So a lot of good planning and learning this week, to hopefully take
off this next couple weeks.

Hope everyone's doing good.
Elder Miller


1.2.17

Hey guys!!

Happy new year, if you havnt already heard it enough๐Ÿ˜œ
This week was another interesting week with it being the days after
Christmas and then New Year's Eve and New Years. Not many people home
and if they were they were pretty drunk and or grumpy haha. But during
one off our many hours for looking for people, we found a woman named
Andria! She is a really cool woman who loves Christ and loves us
coming over. We havnt really been able to have a real lesson with her,
but she is really excited to learn more. we were pretty excited, so
well see how it goes.

We havnt been able to see Ariana (the 11 year old girl who loves the
Book of Mormon) for 2 weeks now. So sadly she cant get baptized next
Saturday as planned, she so ready too, but her grandma hasn't been
bringing her to church, and there are a few more things we need to
talk about.

Today i had a interesting experience at the barber shop. We tried out
a new place today and for the first time while getting a haircut, the
lady cutting my hair asked about our church and what we do as
missionaries. We talked for a while and turns out that she was jehovas
witness. It was the first time i have been able to just talk to one
and not it bein a bash or them trying to just yell at us. It was kinda
of nice. Not much more came out of it but was a good experience.

Well really other than that not a whole ton more happened. We sat at a
pep boys getting out truck fixed for 3 hours on Thursday. We ended up
just weekly planing, first time for everything i guess.

Hope you guys had a fun New Years and have some good goal, that will
last longer than a mont or two๐Ÿ˜‹

love you guys
Elder Miller