Toe Socks in Almirante Tamandare August 26, 2013

Oii tudo mundo,
I’ll start off with the good news . . . we baptized T. and C.! Six baptisms so far this transfer (we will have at least one more). It was awesome! We had 9 investigators at church. R., J., and D. received the Aaronic Priesthood and everyone felt the Spirit in the baptism! It was a great Sunday!!!!

Next Sunday in stake conference, A. [baptized several weeks ago] will receive the Melchizedek Priesthood--I’m stoked!! Unfortunately, I doubt I will be here to work with him. I’ve been here for almost 6 months now (I’ve been out 11 months already!) so I think it’s time to go. If I stay one more [transfer] I’d be fine with it. ha But I doubt I will. I’m a little nervous to leave the area.

Also . . . I got the package!!! Thanks Mom and Dad! And Remi, thank you for the letter buddy! I already ate a ton of candy (and shared with our recent converts). It’s been awesome. And I think today I'm going to make some pancakes now that I have syrup :)))

Remi, I’m sorry you were sick buddy!! I’m glad you’re feeling better though! Do you miss Dad in seminary?

Ryan, the Dallas game looks awesome.. You been working out? Looking buff, Bro. I’m glad that the sales are over now. ha You planning on doing summer sales again or are you done for good?

Mom, you’re a nerd with all A´s ha! Way to go. Thanks for the package! As far as the next one goes . . . you could throw more Riesens in and Sour Patch Kids . . . and other than that whatever you want ha . . . maybe more Axe 'messy hair paste'.

Dad, go to the doctor. It’s been like 3 weeks now and still you’re not seeing right. The garage is going to be awesome . I hope you get it all done before I get home. IDK [I don't know] how it’s going to work out with school and all . . .  But I think I’ll be able to help make those book shelves!

 

Love,

Elder Miller

 

 Elder Miller admired C's toe socks, so she gave him a pair!

 Elders Cruz and Miller at T and C's baptism.

With family.

Oi August 19, 2013

Helllloooo,

This week was pretty good. We didn’t baptize :( But A. was confirmed and we marked two dates with C. and T. for this Sunday!!! (T. is E. and Gr.’s son) E. and Gr. marked their marriage this week... but I don’t think I will be here to see it :( But I’m super happy/excited for them!

We got an awesome reference this week . . . his name’s C., and he has been to church multiple times already . . . he’s been dating a member for a while (but was never interested in talking to the missionaries), but this Sunday he came up to us, and asked us if we could pass by!!! Batismo! [Baptism!]

We’ve been focusing a lot on finding new investigators this week (Pres. Monteiro wants the mission to teach 80 percent news [new investigators] every week) and it’s been challenging. We knock a lot of doors, teach a lot of firsts and cut a lot of investigators, but hopefully it pays off.

Dad I’m glad you’re NOT blind! That was scary. And from the way you described it, I don’t think I ever want paint thinner in my eye . . . ha The new work bench looks sweet! I’m excited for you to build it!

Mom, congrats on the A, you nerd. I hope I do as well as you’re doing when I get back. I’m worried I’ve forgotten a lot. ha You’re going to have to help me with my English I think . . . ha

[I already am, son—believe me!]

I haven’t gotten the package. I’m sure it there in the office but the zone leaders don’t go every week . . . but they should go this Tuesday to pick up the letters and packages, so I bet I get it this week.  

Ryan, to answer your questions . . . our house is a cribs-worthy mansion! It’s huge and has a swimming pool . . . Not really . . . It’s super old and tiny, and moldy and dusty. We clean a ton, but it gets dirty super fast, because it’s so dusty here (there are no asphalt streets). We have a washer, but no dryer. I’ll take some pics and send them next week. ha And yes. we do have a cell phone . . . an old Nokia. ha I’m excited for a modern cell after the mish.

Remington, bud! You’re a sophomore!! Crazy! I’m glad you’re liking the classes so far.  Send me a pic of your new Nikes!!! Tal bom?? [Good?]

Amo vocês [I miss you guys.]
Im abraço [Hugs,]
Elder Miller

[Reece didn't send pictures. And he only hinted at being transferred. I guess we'll have to wait until next week to see . . .]

Icing on the Cake August 12, 2013

Bom dia todo mundo!

This week was great and Sunday was the icing on the cake! I got to do two baptismal interviews... they both passed & were baptized... my talk in church went really well (we received 5 references afterwards of people to visit)... we had 10 investigators at church...and we baptized A.!! (I attached a pic)

It’s been a little crazy this week as the district leader. I had to do divisions with the other missionaries and baptismal interviews... and it was a little weird being out of my own area so much... but it all worked out well...

I went on a division with Elder P. ... a greenie from Chile... he's an awesome elder... He can be hard to understand. I understood about 80 percent of what he said (I think because my trainer was a Chileno), but the people we were teaching didn’t ... so I translated from Spanish to Portuguese and it worked out all right ha!

Dad! I’m sorry about your eye! There’s no risk of any serious problems anymore right (like going blind)? It sounds like your already recuperating well... but I’m still a little nervous for you!

Mom, I’m so excited to get my package! Faz tempo [It's been a while.*]!! Can’t wait to eat American candy.

Ryan... I can’t believe you’re going to graduate this semester already! That made me sad when I read that. You're an old fart... but BYU won’t be the same without you :(

Remington!!! Thanks for the email bud. I’m excited for the new dog!!! Are you?? I can’t believe you’re in tenth grade already! Stop growing up you punk! And take good care of Dad ok! Try and remind him as much as you can about finishing the garage workbench to help him recover as fast as possible. I’m sure that will help.

I love you all so much,

Elder Miller

*Thanks to Mariliana for sharing her native Portuguese skills!

House Inspection August 5, 2013

Oii tudo mundo

This week was awesome! On Tuesday, Elder K Silva (one of the Elders in my district) called me and asked for my address.... I was confused and asked why and he wouldn’t tell me, and kept asking ha. I didn’t know my address though so I couldn’t give it to him... Then Sister Monteiro [Mission President’s wife.] grabbed the phone from Elder K Silva and said, "Hi, Elder, I just got done visiting the Elders here in Cachoeira and now I’d like to stop by and visit you and Elder Cruz." (House inspection!) ... I pooped my pants ha. I found the address for her, and tried to calmly hang up the phone... and the second I did, I yelled "Elder Cruz CLEAN!" haha We started running around like crazy cleaning the house and in about 15 minutes it was perfect...ish... But she still hadn’t got there... Then the assistants called and said she couldn’t find our address because Tamandaré is not actually part of Curitiba (it’s a separate city) so that she wouldn’t be able to pass by… But that she would pass by this week. So we went out and bought cleaning supplies and cleaned the house super well... Mom, you would be proud.

Wednesday we had a leadership meeting. Elder Cruz went and worked with the Elders in Cachoeira and I went with the zone leader and other district leaders to the conference. It was awesome! We ate in a nice restaurant with all the other DLs and ZL in the mission. Elder Farr was there—my comp from the CTM—he became a DL this transfer too! And afterwards we had a Q and A with President Monteiro and talked a lot about how we can improve the work her in Curitiba.

Then on Saturday night President and Sister Monteiro called to wish Elder Cruz happy birthday (It was his b-day. ha I gave him a tie and a Curitiba jersey that he wanted.) and afterward they wanted to talk to me to ask how he is doing and how the work is going in Tamandaré. I told them we were going to have three baptisms this Sunday, and Sister Monteiro said, “Well then... we are going to come watch!” So on Sunday Pres. and Sis. Monteiro and all their kids came and watched the baptisms. :) We baptized Jay* and Dee. Ce' wasn’t baptized (Her husband doesn’t like the church or us very much.. and he wanted to go visit his mom. We’re working on him slowly though. ha) Sooo Ce' will be baptized next Sunday with Al.

But Jay and Dee were baptized! Jay is Dee’s brother. We have been teaching them both for about a month now and they are awesome kids. Jay is 14 and Dee is 16. At first it was hard to teach them because the mom and grandma didn’t like us very much... but we killed them with kindness with service projects and cookies (I make cookies like a boss, by the way) ha... Jay and Dee are awesome and I know they will be good members of the church! I baptized Jay and Elder Cruz baptized Dee ... and it was so cool! All four of us in white! It was an awesome b-day present for Elder Cruz too.

I think I already told you but the 1st time we took Dee to church he walked in and saw his best friend Mo, and had no idea he was a member of the church. Mo helped a lot with Jay and Dee, and helped them feel welcome. He gave them both a tie and white shirt and the second Sunday they went, they already looked like members. ha Then yesterday they both showed up in suits... (Their grandma that doesn’t have a lot of money... but she bought them both suits for their baptism... she has changed so much since we started passing by and teaching them!!) I asked Mo to give the message at the baptism, and when he did everyone got emotional. ha He started by explaining how he had invited Dee to church several times, but Dee’s grandma hadn’t let him go (She was there, and laughed a lot when he said that). He had talked with Dee a lot about the church and really wanted to help his best friend become a member... but it wasn’t working. he said he prayed that Dee would be able to come to church.... The next Sunday he showed up to church with us....... we had just happened to meet Jay that week, at Gre's house (we are teaching Gre too and Jay and Dee are her nephews.) and asked if we could go by and teach them. When we did we met Dee (his brother) and the next Sunday they went to church... Dee had no idea that it was Mo's church...... I felt the Spirit a lot when he said that. I know that without a doubt, God sent us to their house.

President Monteiro pulled Gre and Cee (Gre’s daughter) aside and talked to them for about an hour during church, and now Cee. wants to be baptized (G already wanted to be). I wish I could hear what he said to them ha. He’s awesome. But this Sunday was incredible. We had 6 other investigators at church too :)

After church President and Sister Monteiro gave us a ride home, and when we pulled up to our house Sister Monteiro hopped out with us... ha I pooped my pants again ... but we were ready. Our house was clean and we both made our beds before we left. She congratulated us and said she would make cookies for us because it was so clean. Afterwards President Monteiro pulled me aside told me I’m doing a great job with Elder Cruz and with the work here in Tamandaré :)

It was a great week ha. But that’s about all I have for now. 

Dad, I know “The District” [TV show on KBYU-TV] very well. haha I think I’ve seen it 50 times between the CTM, my training and now training Elder Cruz. We have little DVD players in the apartments here and as part of the training we watch it regularly. I’ve already had several experiences like the missionaries that had to tell the Hispanic musician guy that his baptism wasn’t valid... It’s hard ha. But I have two scriptures I use that help a lot, and it usually work out better than it did for the missionaries in “The District.” ha

Mom, have you already looked around Tamandaré on Google earth? [Of course, I have!] It's way different from the states. haha.

Ryan, where is my email, punk!!

Remington. Back to school party? How cool! I bet that will be fun. When I get home were going swimming, ok, bud? And I’m happy you got to watch all the garbage trucks!!

I love you all... I’ll send pics.

Elder Miller

Jay and Dee's baptism on Sunday August 4, 2013

President Monteiro (?) Elder Cruz Jay and Dee and Elder Miller

 

*[Friends have told me that using just the initials for names is confusing, so this week I added a few random vowels to make up "names." I hope it helps.]