Staying in Almirante Tamandare and the Curitiba Mission! June 10, 2013

Oii tudo mundo,

I don’t think I have ever had so much to write in one email!!! I don’t even know where to start!! I guess just by saying that this past week has been the best of my mission and one of the best of my life!!

A. and D. got married on Friday! It was a very simple, but none the less official!! I took lots of pics for them and after words Elder Reeves and I went and got them printed out and made a photo album (I’ll send a few) and took them the photo album and a copy of Jesus the Christ for A. (who is a member, Dad... he just hadn't come to church for about 10 years) that night when they had a few people over and bbq´d to celebrate.

Then on the day of D’s baptism tons of people from the ward went... and D’s mom, too! About 5 minutes before the baptism though... the power shut off. We all sat in the dark for a min... I started taking pics of everyone and blinding them with the flash ha (I’ll send some of those too) and then I started getting worried. I left the room and said a quick prayer (Elder Reeves did too) and then I grabbed some matches from the kitchen and lit them, to light up the room. haha After about 5 more minutes the power came back. We sang "Families Can Be Together Forever" and then A. gave the opening prayer. Afterwards I left a message [gave a talk], and got a little emotional in doing so. I talked about baptism and the significance of it (D. has come from a rough life) and I expressed how all of the guilt, sin and pain, from her past will stay in the water, and that she would leave completely clean (she started crying) and then I went on the explain the Holy Ghost, and I used the ironic example of how when the power went out we sat in darkness, and when I lit the match we were able to see... I compared the match to the Holy Ghost and how He "lights the way" in our life, so that we can navigate the darkness. Then I bore my testimony, and got pretty emotional. As I looked at that wonderful family and thought of them being sealed in the temple (which is a goal they have) I felt the spirit so strong.

Then after the baptism there was a special musical number. The sister really wanted to sing for D. Then our ward mission leader who was directing the meeting also decided to share a message. I just sat smiling and enjoying the sweet spirit that was present ha. Quite a few things went "wrong" but none of it mattered to Elder Reeves or me ha. We were on cloud 9!

Then yesterday was Ie’s baptism. She is such a sweet girl and it was awesome to see her boyfriend who wants to serve a mission baptize her. One of her friends in the water [?] left a message and got really emotional and they both cried together. It was once again a wonderful baptism!

We also marked two dates this week with some awesome investigators. And we had 9 investigators at church this week!!!!

BUT... the transfers. I’m staying!! [And that means Elder Miller will stay in the Curitiba Mission, when the mission is split July 1.]

 

And TRAINING!!! I’m pretty nervous. ha I leave today to the center of Curitiba for some training on how to train, and then I’ll get my greeny comp on Tuesday. IDK if he’s American or Brazilian but either way I’m STOKED!!

Dad I forgot to answer your q... on the house [they are building for a church member] I have been mixing and pouring a lot of cement and I helped lay some bricks, too!

Thanks for all the support... I have tons of pics to send so I'm going to send this email off now!!

Love you all,

Elder Miller

 

 Pics from the wedding

More pics from the wedding.

 

 

 D's Baptism

Also the Relief Society women pitched in and bought a wedding cake for A. and D.!

They have really been accepted well into the ward.

Also, here are those pics from the baptism... from when the lights went out. ha

 

I forgot to tell you... our iron is broken, so we have to heat it up on the stove to iron our clothes and it’s been working fine... but Elder Reeves was a little tired Friday morning and forgot he had left it on the stove...