Double Post! April 15 & 22, 2013

 

Eating a caterpillar...

Also, we had to help catch a chicken that got into a members yard… I got him! ha They are fast though!

April 15, 2013

Wowww,

Italy looks awesome! I’m so jealous. I will def be going there one day! Thanks for taking the time to write! I didn’t think you guys would. I can’t wait to hear all about your trip there and what it was like.

Ryan, I’m excited to get the letter! You sent it with the people that are coming here from the ward? I’m excited! I want that video now dangit! Oh and to answer your Q, we're still not allowed to use Facebook, but they did double our time to email so that’s good.  

But... this week was a good one! We are still helping A. and D. They came to church again yesterday and the kids were blessed in sacrament meeting. And A's mom came and her granddaughter (A’s niece) came for the third Sunday in a row. At night we went over to their house and they were all there. We watched “The Mountain of the Lord” and they all loved it and afterwards... the niece, T., who’s 11, asked what she needs to do to be baptized!!! We were shocked ha, and super happy. The whole family is transforming! D. and A. should mark their marriage this week... but it’s probably gunna be a month before her baptisms... I think it’s going to be awesome though. We are hoping A. can baptize her!

Also, R. and F. have completely stopped smoking and drinking coffee... and we are going over there tonight to watch the restoration movie with the whole family. We taught the kids the Ten  Commandments this week and they all loved it (I learned the little hand tricks so we teach it using that)... but I sat in one of the kids pee during the lesson... so afterwards I had to go home and switch my pants ha.

J. is also progressing really well.... he wasn’t able to make it to church this Sunday but he says he will be going for sure this next. We’ve developed a really good friendship with him and I’m excited to keep helping him progress.

Other than that I don’t have much. I forgot to take notes this week when funny/crazy things happened... actually I lied...

We went by a less active member's house and her grown son who was plastered (drunk), tried to fight me. He got in my face yelling (his breath smelled terrible) and when I gave him a little push so that he would leave my personal space he started falling and grabbed my tie to hold him up... Which made me mad... so I picked him up...slung him over my shoulder and took him inside (He was fighting me, but he was so wasted it wasn’t hard. ha) and I threw him on the couch....tucked him in with a blanket and held him down... He yelled a little more but after like 5 minutes he passed out ha. The member was super embarrassed and apologetic, but it wasn’t that big a deal. We both feel really bad for her and were going by this week to see what we can do to help. 

But I think that sums up my week. I miss you all and love you more. Remi... the paintball sounded fun. Way to not get shot in the head ha! I hope you and Ryan have lots of fun bro.

Love you all

Elder Miller

 

 

 

One's of T's baptism. Thats A., E. (his mom) and T.

Then there’s one of my butt… I sat in a little kids pee when we were teaching. ha
The other ones me laughing about it.

NOTE about past posts from Elder Miller:

Mom, “safado” means jerk ha not ´´devious.´´
And “que benção” means what a blessing.. not ´´that blessing.´´ haha
I looked at my blog and saw some of the translations.

 

April 22, 2013

Oii tudo mundo!

We had a baptism! Her names T.! She’s A’s niece and she’s 11-years-old. We’ve been working with A. and D. for a while now, and she has been over there a few times when we taught. The first time we met her, we taught her a first lesson really quick and gave her a book of Mormon and then she started going to church with A... and we also got her grandma (A’s mom) who’s a less active member to start going again too! Last Monday we had a family home evening with A., D., T. and A’s mom and all the little kids... and toward the end of it, T. asked us ´´what rules do I have to keep after I get baptized?" Elder Reeves and I were caught off guard!! We taught her again about the Book of Mormon and invited her to read and pray... which she did, and two days later told us about her answer and how warm she felt inside. Then, when we were teaching her about the Word of Wisdom, we found out she had already stopped drinking coffee when she heard in church that she shouldn´t. She was extremely ready to be baptized and I know that God put her in our path...

There was a wonderful spirit at her baptism, and afterword, her grandma (A’s mom) talked to the bishop about getting her records moved to the ward and about what she needs to do to start taking the Sacrament. Elder Reeves and I, and the Lord, have successfully helped two super inactive members come back to church now. It had been about eight years I think since they had stopped going and it’s so cool to see them now, faithfully walking to church every Sunday and participating in the classes.

Last p-day I drew a Chevy Opala for A., because it’s his favorite car. And he loved it... he framed it and put it on the wall, next to the temple picture we gave him and D. D. has stopped smoking for good and is working on a few other things, but should be baptized within the next transfer.

R. and F. are doing well. R. had a really stressful week and smoked a cigarette, but she got right back on the horse and is still trying her hardest to quit. She went by herself to church this week... walking with three babies and three other young kids. We walked with her... and the whole time I was thinking about what a good example she is. She is really trying to do what’s right and to be a good example for her six kids.

We taught J. last night and talked about the Word of Wisdom... He doesn’t have a problem with anything and said living it won’t be a problem! We asked him if he had read, and he said only a little... and we asked him what he learned. He explained... in detail about the testimony of Joseph Smith and when the angel Moroni visited him, about the testimonies of the other witnesses and then said he read up until where Nephi is building the boat! That’s on page 41 ha. He read a ton! Elder Reeves and I are super excited. He is incredibly smart but super humble at the same time.

We also discussed polygamy with him. Someone had told him something about it, so he had a few questions, but we explained it and he said it makes sense... and accepted it just fine ha. He really is so ready to be baptized! He’s going to come with us to Stake Conference this weekend and we´re really excited for that.

I also had a cool experience I forgot to tell you about last week. Elder Reeves and I were pretty strapped for cash, and it was the day before we would get the mission funds in our accounts again. We had to take the bus a LOT that week and it drained our money fast ha. But we gathered up all our money and change and put it together. We needed R5.70 to get to our lunch appointment in Itaperuçu, with a recent convert about 45 minutes away (by bus). We knew if we could get there we could get a ride back, but when we totaled it up we only had R5.50. We thought about it and figured they might let us into the terminal just 20 centavos short... and we didn’t have much time to think about it. The bus only leaves every two hours, so we left in a hurry, hoping they would let us in. On the way I said a little prayer in my head that everything would work out... and AS SOON as I finished, I looked down, and saw a 25 centavo on the ground right in front of me. I know it was an answer to my prayer. I picked it up, we were able to grab the bus on time and everything worked out fine. I know heavenly father hears and answers our prayers... as I have seen yet again here in the mission ha.

But that’s all for now,

I love you all and miss you.

Elder Miller