Bom Dia October 28, 2013

Bom Dia,

So this week we did not baptize . . . but Saturday we will be baptizing a lady from Haiti. Her name is N. She speaks Spanish, so we were able to communicate with her pretty well. She’s awesome! All the people from Haiti are awesome!!! They are so open and friendly. We are going to try and baptize two more people this Sunday, too... my b-day!! It will be a good present for sure.

The work is going well here. It’s a lot harder than Tamandaré. We have knocked a lot of doors and had hard time finding new [people to teach]. It’s been over 2 months that there hasn’t been a baptism here, but we're working hard to change that.

Fun Facts:

·         Everyone here in the ward calls me Elder DiCaprio... apparently I look like Leonardo DiCaprio haha.

·         I have learned a few words in French, but I don’t have a lot of interest in learning it.

·         This week Elder J. Santos has sung "Johnny Be Good" and "Don't You Want Me Baby" in the shower more than once. haha

          ·       The second package I sent to you came back :(((((( I give up and sending packages
            to you guys. I think I’m just going to brink [bring He really is losing his English!]
            a suitcase full of stuff home for you.

 

Mom!!!! I got my packages!!! I’m trying to wait to open them, but it’s very tempting!! And yes Mom I got the package from the distribution center. THANK YOU. The pants fit way better. And I think I’m fine on the water filters now... you def don’t need to send any more, I’m still using the first one haha.

I think the race track is actually in Pinhais... It’s another city [separate from Curitiba]... It’s hard to tell where Pinhais starts and Curitiba stops, but technically my area is in another city. 

Dad!!! I want pics of the pumpkin. To make the pumpkin eating a pumpkin eating a pumpkin the last one has to be like one of the little tiny ones that cost like 50 cents. Maybe it’s possible? ha And were you using the router to make the saw table or what? I want pics of that too. And the Halloween party sounds fun... a couple more years and you and mom won’t even need to paint your hair to be "old people" :)

Ryan!! I still didn’t get your package, but I’m sure it’s on its way. I’m jealous man, I want to see Deep Love [Halloween rock opera in Rexburg.] again... but you need to be the sax guy—that was half the fun! It looks like you are going on lots of dates and I hope it stays that way. I want to be an uncle. ha The Lehi's Vision pumpkin is sweet! Oh... Tamandaré wasn’t my first area ha, but it was hard to leave. 7 and a half months almost!!

Remi!!! Keep getting up for seminary bud! It’s good for you! It’ll put hair on your chest. ha What do you want for your b-day, bud?? 

Requests for Christmas . . . good rechargeable batteries. The _____ for Elder Santos, and money to buy present for you guys haha. I know it takes the significance out of the present... but I’m poor here.

I would send pics, but the batteries in my camera are dead so I need to get new ones again! That's why rechargables would be great :)

Well I love you all!!! I miss you all a ton today!!

Elder Miller

Oi Autodromo October 22, 2013

So it’s really weird not writing this email from Almirante Tamandaré. I’m here in Autódromo (it means race track) (there is a race track in our area). My companion is Elder J. Santos. He’s big, he loves to cook, and he sings 80-90s music super loud in the shower. (This morning he was singing "girls just wanna have fun.") It’s hilarious because he doesn’t speak English so he doesn’t really know the words haha (I'll send pics next week) and he's super funny. We have been having a good time this week.... but the works been a little rough. It was a white wash. Elder Farr, my comp from the CTM, was here training a new missionary, but they both got transferred and they sent us in here ha. I’m still district leader. I take care of two other areas here (Pinhais and Pinhais Centro).

Really not much has happened yet. We have been knocking a lot of doors, trying to find new investigators. We found a few people this week, but most of them didn’t go to church. There are however a ton of Haitians that have been going to church that aren’t members (There are tons of Haitians here... but they don’t speak Portuguese very well, just French and Creole). We found a Haitian member in the ward that is going to help us and be our translator so we can teach them.

A few fun facts. I left three people in Tamandaré with baptismal dates for this Sunday and they were all baptized. I’m bummed. haha I wanted to be there to baptize them. I’m still counting them as mine though. haha It’s annoying to do all the work and then have to leave, but it’s part of the mission.

It was incredibly hard to say good bye to everyone. I cried ha. We had like a family home evening with 8 of the people I baptized there (R., A., D., C., G., E., T., C., and T.) and at the end I left a little spiritual message, and in the message I told them I was leaving. They thought I was joking but when they realized I was serious they started crying and then I did too and I couldn’t finish my message ha. It was rough. ha

On Tuesday before I left we went by R's house so I could say bye to her too, and I was a little nervous. I made her a promise that after her baptism she wouldn’t have a desire to smoke or drink coffee... and I was a little worried to see how she was. When we got to her house she was outside washing clothes and when we called her she turned around smiling super big. I asked her how she was feeling and she explained how much better she felt. She said that after her baptism she had not felt the desire to smoke or drink, and that the smell of cigarettes now makes her sick. I almost cried. ha It was incredible. THIS CHURCH IS TRUE.

I almost got bit by a dog this week. Saturday night, we were cutting through an empty lot that has an old house that’s falling apart, and as I was turning the corner to go behind the house, a dog jumped out (a big one, like a lab mix) and it was mad. It came flying at me trying to kill me ha (fortunately Elder Santos was about 50 feet behind me... he walks really slow ha) so I started backing up and it kept coming… It almost got me, but I jumped back and it bit like right where my thigh was (I heard his mouth smack shut), then I tried to kick it in the face and it jumped back and I missed, but it scared it enough so it backed off. It was intense ha. I hate dogs here in Brasil.

Our neighbor has a chinchilla (IDK how to spell it) it looks like a rat/bunny/pig/squirrel. ha I’ll send picks next week too.

I’m sick. I have a sinus infection I think. I’m going to go get medicine today!

There is a member here that has a hot dog stand, and once a week he lets us eat there for free at night. woo!!! It’s super good!

Remington, I’m sorry you’re sick bud. I hope you didn’t miss cooking day. Have you still not carved the pumpkin? Are you going to seminary?

Ryan, the dates sound fun. Please record the show, bro!! I want to see it!! More importantly I want to hear it, so don’t give a girl the camera. Last time the ladies screamed so loud I couldn’t hear your solo.

Mom, I’m sorry you got sick, too. I still haven’t received my packages but I bet I will this week. I have Christmas request actually. My comp loves . . . [Santa had to sensor this out.] . . . send it in the package? ha

Dad, the trip to Rhode Island should be fun. I’d be interested to read that report too if you could send it to me.

Love,
Elder Miller

Adeus Almirante Tamandare' October 14, 2013

We baptized R.!! Wow, it’s been a battle to get her baptized. ha It’s crazy how the Lord works... and Satan as well. She was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday... We did all we could to help her, and to encourage her to be baptized and it all worked out. R. told me when she left the water she felt so much better and lighter, in spite of all that has been happening in her life... and she said she felt the same thing again when she was confirmed on Sunday.

R’s baptism

 

G. was confirmed as well. A. was going to confirm her but he got nervous and I ended up doing it ha... He’s going to give  a talk this Sunday though!! Unfortunately, I won’t be here to see it... I was transferred! I leave tomorrow afternoon. It’s going to be sad. We went to R. and A's houses last night so I could say good-bye and we all cried. ha I’m really going to leave my heart here. I have helped baptize a lot of people here and it’s so sad to leave them, but I know I am needed elsewhere now. I feel like I stayed this last transfer to get R., G., and A. baptized. I really feel like I have done all that I need to here and I am excited to see where I go. It’s going to be so hard to say goodbye tonight. We’re going to have a big family night at A. and D’s with E., G., C., Th., T. and R.. (they don’t know yet and I’m not excited to tell them).

Dad. Wow, your work bench sounds awesome. I want to see some pics when it starts taking shape!

Mom. You’re getting trunky. [I was encouraging him to work hard, because he doesn't have much time left!] Ha I’m super excited to get my package! I’ll probably get it tomorrow and I will try to wait to open my presents :) we will see.

Ryan. Mom talked with A.? I baptized two here. They are both boys and both like 19 years old ha. Do you know which one it was? The first I baptized has plans to go on a mish. He was sad yesterday when I told him I’m getting transferred. He’s an awesome guy! All my friends are on missions, so I don’t know of anyone in Rexburg that you could leave my board with. Let’s run a marathon together when I get back. It’s on my bucket list too! 

Remington. Get your lazy bum out of bed and go to seminary or I will beat you up. And good work with the Eagle scout stuff. I’m so excited for you with that. Take some pics of the Halloween decorations and pumpkins and send them to me!

Love you all!!

Elder Miller

Hump Day cake I forgot to send a pic of. Elder Bedford made it for me.

 I asked Elder Miller for his schedule on a typical day. Here is his reply:

My typical day...

6:30 wake up and exercise

7:00 eat and shower

8:00 study (personal)

9:00 study (with comp)

10:00 language

11:00 work

12:00 lunch

1:00 work

9:30 get home and plan

10:30 sleep

At night I usually play guitar for half an hour before bed. ha It’s not very exciting.

 

 

Conference, Reunions and VISA Renewals October 7, 2013

At leadership meeting?

I noticed that Elder Miller had some artwork up on the board (of course).

 

 

Well, this week was pretty good. I really enjoyed conference. My favorite talk was Jeffrey R. Holland’s . . . he’s always my favorite. ha Just because of how he talks. But I loved all of them. I took notes in my journal and put stars next to the ones I wanted to study, but by the end of the conference all but two had stars! ha

I feel like not much happened this week in my areas, because I wasn’t in it much ha. I did a few baptismal interviews, and went on splits with the Elders in Cachoeira. Also, I had to go to the federal police station and renew my Visa, and then on Friday all the district and zone leaders had a leadership meeting with president and I had to go to the center for that and then Saturday and Sunday after lunch we went to the stake center to watch conference and spent all day there. But a few good things happened this week . . . we were walking in the center and I felt prompted to visit R., and ex-investigator that we haven’t visited for about 4 months. So we went and when we showed up R. was really excited to see us. We taught her a short lesson and asked how she was doing . . . and she explained that she’s been going through a lot of hard things with her family . . . and she explained how she had been crying on the phone with a friend from São Paulo... and her friend told her she needed to find a church, that church would help her, and R. agreed . . . and 10 minutes later we showed up. She’s going to be baptized this Saturday :)

We took a family of investigators with us to watch conference . . . actually they took us ha. We drove with them in their car (It’s far away.) and they all loved it!!

Remington . . . that pumpkin is huge!!!!!! I want to carve it, you lucky bum!!!

Keep working hard with the Scout stuff!!! You need to get your Eagle!!! 

Ryan . . . you went to conference??? What session and where did you sit . . . you need to explain why you went and stuff, ha I’m confused.

Mom, thank you for the money!! I was poor ha! I’m good now and I’m super excited for the packages!! Gidget looks way cute . . . I wish she would stay like that until I get home ha. I liked Elders Oaks and Nelson’s talks, too!! And I will be praying for you, for sure, Mom! I always do.

Dad, the pumpkin is awesome!! What are you gonna carve? How much was it? ha I’m sorry I didn’t message back and forth! I was busy translating the line of authority for A. I printed it out and took it to him and he loved it. He is so strong in the church. No, it’s crazy. He went to all 5 sessions of conference ha! Thank you for the line of authority ha. But I’ll message you today!!

I love you all. I’ll send some pics!

Elder Miller

 

This must be with the Elders in Cachoeira acting tough at the police station!

Batismos! September 30, 2013

 

We baptized Gr.!!!

E. and Gr. got married on Friday!!! It was awesome!! It’s been about 6 months that I have been working with her and her family and I am so happy to have been able to baptize her!! It was awesome!!! Super spiritual!!! When she walked down into the font she started crying and I almost did, too. I feel like I didn’t leave last transfer because I was supposed to stay to help Gr. get baptized!!! She’s had a hard life and it’s incredible to see the difference the gospel has made. Wow!

 

 

A. was baptized too!!! I remember the first time I talked to him he didn’t want to hear the lessons . . . but little by little I became friends with him and last week we went and taught him on Friday for the first time . . . and now he a member ha! And he's already got lots of friends in the ward!! The work is going so well here in Tamandaré.

Other news . . . I lost my son. :( Elder Eulogio was transferred. :( One of the assistants had to go home because of a hip problem and they pulled a missionary from the field to take his place, and then pulled Eulogio to take the other missionary's place. :( I was bummed, but it’s all good now.

DAD! I need my Line of Authority. I gave A. the Melchizedek Priesthood and I need to get his Line of Authority for him before I leave Tamandaré! Can you pass it to me as soon as possible por favor!

MOM! My back is fine now . . . I’ve just got a little cramp is all.  And the missionaries from the office told me my package got there. Thank you!!! I’m super excited for my b-day packages too!!

RYAN! Where is my email??

REMI!!! The puppy looks awesome bud! Take good care of her! How’s school and seminary? Are you waking up now??
 
I love you all,
Elder Miller