Lost in Translation 28 April 2014

So this week was good.

We didn’t baptize the three boys, because they moved to another area, :( but it’s for the better. They will be living with their aunt who is a member of the church and shortly they will be baptized.

On Monday we found a young man... F. who is 20 years old, while we were knocking doors. He is super elect and we took him to church this Sunday and he loved it. When we were teaching him, he told us after the first vision that "all his doubts were cleared up." We are for sure going to baptize him this Sunday :) and we had a few other investigators too!! I think May will be a good month!

On Saturday we went to the temple because our mission reached the baptismal goal! We had to wake up at 5 so I was a little grump at first ha... but when we got there I ran into A.!! He was there taking out endowments for members in his family... (Since he took his endowment out he has woken up every Saturday at 4 in the morning and done three sessions) it was so good to see him there. He gave me a name of a member of his family and we sat together and ate lunch together afterwards, too :)

Last night we went to Pinhais to do a baptismal interview and a young girl I interviewed last week asked me to baptize her and her brother did too... so I got to baptize... BUT the girl is scared of water... so it was complicated. I baptized the boy first and then the girl... but it took about 30 minutes of gentle coaxing (is that a word? I think it is ha) one of the sisters put on baptismal clothes and got in the font too. haha It was awesome. We said a prayer with her and then started talking with her. It reminded me of teaching Remi how to swim. The water was FREEZING and I had to kneel down with her. But finally she was baptized and it all worked out.

Mom, sorry I didn’t understand your essay idea ha... I thought you wanted it to be like a funny quote thing…you are a great mom! [I did want funny, but he called me an “old, knitting cat lady!” Humph! I crochet!] You can pull something mushy out of my letter though. [I got a great letter this week for my birthday--all is forgiven!] I’m excited for art classes... they should be fun! And yep it’s Elder Moody’s last email! ha He’s a little trunky! And yeah, he is a way nice guy.

                   

And that sounds like you and Remi are having fun on your adventures. That gator was BIG. Minha nossa. How do you plan on tackling the 50 miler? Good luck! ha

Dad, I didn’t get the pics of your weight set? Have you started using it yet? It sounds like you made good progress on the garage. I’m excited to see how it turns out. 

Ryan, way to go on the sales bro!! You are going to be rich at this rate!!! If you want to buy me a welcome-home Lamborghini, feel free to do so. Are there any cute girls in your ward?? And I was happy to hear Belmont has a good amount haha. We can do lots of contacts and get referrals and what not to expand our teaching groups. ha

Remi you are a trooper! Way to ride 12 miles (12 right?) [No, 25!] you’re almost done!!! If you finish before I get home I will give you a sweet present!!! From Brazil!!!

Love you all,

Elder Miller

ha No, I don’t have any pics. Next week I will, though. Actually, I have one but it’s a little inappropriate. ha It this popular construction company here... but nobody knows what it means in English ha. Elder Eddington, that went home a few months ago, sent it to me. ha

Dia de Tiradentes P-day on Tuesday April 22, 2014

Well, this week is going well. We found some really good investigators! And we are working with three brothers that hopefully will be getting baptized this week!

Yesterday A. and D. and R. and R. came to see me and brought me chocolate for Easter! I love that family!! Since A. endowment he has done 8 more sessions!!! And participated in 100 sealings!! He’s on fire!! And D. and C. will be taking out their endowments shortly :)

We had a conference this morning and it was good to see all my companions. I feel like I have really made a difference here in the mission and I am so happy I chose to serve.

The secretaries called me this week to ask which airport is closest to our house. ha Trunky. I’ll be getting home on the 25th of August,... actually the 26th I think... but I’ll be leaving here on the 25th.

Mom, I still didn’t get the package. I looked today and it hasn’t arrived yet but that’s alright... I have lots of chocolate here that we can live off of until the package gets here. I want corn on the cob. haha That pic just made me hungry, Mom!!! I’ll send the email right now to the art department… hopefully I can remember how to spell. lol

Dad... 163 grams of protein sounds like a lot! But that’s cool... I’m excited to bulk up when I get back. I got a pull-up bar from another Elder this last week and I have been going to town on pull-ups and curl ups... trying to get buff ha. [When asked how many, Elder Miller said, "17 real pull ups (going all the way down and up) and probably a little bit more with curl ups. I do weighted pushups with a box of 50 books of Mormons hahah!!! Who knew the Book of Mormon could help you get spiritually AND physically strong."] You’re looking way skinny in the pics Mom sent.. and those steaks looks good!!!!!

Ryan.. It sounds like you are happy and positive and selling well!! I liked that instagram pic of the temple, too... What temple is it? Pianist??? You must be playing well... I’ve learned two songs in the mish.. "Abide with Me ‘tis Eventide" and "Ye Elders of Israel." What songs do you play??? Good luck on the networking this week... Try and expand your teaching group quickly ;) haha

Remi.. I love hearing that you took a shower, brushed your teeth used mouth wash and changed your socks... that information is vital. haha. I love you, bud. How’s the Scout stuff???? I loved the pic of you and the park ranger bud... way to go!

Love you all!!!!

Elder Miller

Jardim Botânico de Curitiba 14 April 2014

Elders Miller and Moody-Courtesy of Elder Moody's Mom!

This week was good... we worked hard and found a few new investigators. We confirmed J. and he's doing really well. We’ve also been working with a few recent converts and me and Elder Moody are getting a long well and working hard!

The zone is having lots of success and I went on a division with one of the other district leaders this week to help him out. It was fun and at night we bought pizza! ha

What is that brand of soda?

Also, this morning we went to the Botanical Gardins and took a bunch of pics! I’ll send lots this time!

 Elder Miller "kissing the baby" like the statue behind him.

Elder Moody just got his itinerary and flight plans. haha He's trunky now.

Mom! I think an art class would be cool! I know genealogy is important, but I think I’ll take it later on (like second or third semester). What other religion classes are there? And I’m stoked for my package!!

                                                                                             

Dad!  Well I still have a ton of Sisters in my zone... It’s the same zone... It’s the biggest in the mission and half the missionaries are Sisters... also our district is all Sisters I’m still a district leader, too. ha

I love that you’re getting super into weightlifting! You’re gunna get buff!!! How much protein do you consume daily? I miss the gym so much! I couldn’t see the pics that you sent in the email... I think you have to attach them...

Ryan! Way to sell like a boss on your first day. I’m excited to be up at Provo with you. We are gunna have fun for sure!! That’s sweet you’re going to invest in real estate...

Remi! Way to get stuff done for your Eagle Scout!! You’re a champ for tackling that 15-mile bike ride. Keep up the good work!!!

Love,

Elder Miller

Beautiful Brazil!

Where in Brazil is Elder Miller? 7 April 2014

This must be a picture from Autodromo. 

Elder Miller didn't tell us who the beautiful family is!

Oiiii,

I’m in my new area... Capão Da Imbuia with my new companion Elder Moody from Orem Utah... He’s in his last transfer and I’m training him as Zone Leader. We are working really well together!

So this week we baptized... a man named J. He is extremely poor, but he wanted to be baptized and he has a strong desire to choose the right! He had already been to church before I got here, but this week we taught him the commandments... He used to drink a lot, but a year ago he stopped drinking. When we taught him the word of wisdom the only problem he had was coffee and when we invited him to live the word of wisdom.. He said "you mean stop drinking coffee? Ok." ha He is way funny.

Before his baptism he had a huge beard and messy hair... So I offered to give him a makeover ha. I asked if I could cut his hair and while I was cutting it I asked if I could shave off his beard too and he said "sure" ha. He looks way younger and is a lot happier.... 

Elders Miller and Moody with J.

His baptism was way funny too, because he’s got bad legs and he wasn’t wanting to lean back because he thought he would slip, so it was like a wrestling match to get him under the water. ha But it all worked out and he watched all four session of conference with us. He’s a great guy. ha

Conference was good... I didn’t watch the Priesthood session, but my favorite talk was the one by Elder Zwick of the Quorum of the Seventy about his wife that jumped from the truck. haha

I heard Justin Bieber got punched in the face by a basketball player... can someone tell me more about that... that sounds hilarious! [Scott looked it up and told Elder Miller it was just a rumor.]

Mom,

I don’t know still what day I’m getting home... I know it will be around the 20th of August but I’m still waiting to find out. I’m stoked to be there for Remi's court of honor... Has he already done his project, though? So you’re going to tackle bike rides with Remi? ha Good luck! And the cooking merit badge is probably a good idea... I don’t know whether or not the Seventy was Brasilian because I watched in Portuguese... so I didn’t hear their accents... only the translator’s voice ha.

Please, ask about my major... exercise science sounds like a PE teacher degree... ha So if it’s not dental school material please change it to health sciences. I’d like the Portuguese and art minor thing if you could help me with that... and biology sounds like a good choice for my first semester...

Dad,

What did you eat this time at Seasons 52? What was your fav talk from conference... We didn’t watch the Priesthood session and we got to the Saturday morning session late... which was a huge bummer because Jeffrey R. Holland is my fav speaker hands down! I only heard the end of his talk :(

Ryan, you’re selling again?! Awesome... I hope it goes well! I like your idea of real estate investing!  Was Brother B. sad you left? Andy had a kid already? That’s crazy! haha I’m still not 100 percent sure what day I’ll be getting home... I think the 20th of August, but I won’t find out for another week or two.

Remi, work hard and get your Eagle, boy!!! We need to be a family of Eagles!! I liked Thomas S. Monson's talk, too! Work hard to finish those bike rides and try not to leave Mom in the dust! I’m super excited to be there for your court of honor!

My time’s up! I love you all! Until next week!!!!!

No cats were harmed in the making of this blog.

From the back-and-forth:

Ryan: hahaha Where did you find that cat? I'm guessing it's a stray that wandered in your apartment to be tortured. haha We had a stray cat at our apartment complex in Daytona Beach. Luke Palmer named it Meowth (after the pokemon) and one of the Elders we lived with would always torture the poor cat.

Elder Miller: ha We didn’t torture the cat… I just was petting it and I pulled its face back and took a pic. ha

Mom: So you have a co-zone leader? Cool. Are you still a district leader? And it's a different zone, right?

It’s the same zone. I just moved to another area (It’s really close to my last one.) And, yes, I’m still district leader, too. ha

Pode crer! March 31, 2014

Oii todo mundo!!!

Well, I’m going to brief today... here in a couple of hours I’m getting transferred... and my comp is too... and we still have to clean the house and say bye to a few recent converts.

We baptized this week!! We have been working with a family of four. A. is a returned missionary that fell away from the church after the mish and Al. is his soon to be wife. Her two daughters from her previous married, Ali. and N., who are twins... were baptized this week!! And Al. will be baptized in April when they get married. It was sad to say goodbye yesterday, but they want us both to come back to see her baptism!

The zone had a great week and I feel like the transfer ended really well. I’m excited to see where I go now!

It looks like you had a great week with Lana and Bob... It looks like he got burned! ha I bet mom turned on her Southern accent this week... Am I right, Dad??

Mom, I don’t think I have any bio credit... I didn’t do AP in high school and at Rexburg I never took bio... just science foundations. I think I prefer whichever is easier to start off... maybe Bio? IDK but it shows that I have some bio credit too? I’m confused. Ha

I see a Portuguese reading and comprehension 202 class that says is not for returned missionarios... but its marked as planned... actually there are a few Portuguese classes... I only want to take one? ha

Thanks for keeping the classes after 10. ha That’s perfect. I want to get a longboard so I can make it to class quickly. ha

And you keep saying exercise sciences... I want health sciences... is it the same thing?? [No, they are not the same thing, but Elder Miller was the one who put that major on his application!]

Dad, I want an Orange Julius so bad... when I get back... I’d love to have Poppa John’s pizza the first night... in the morning French toast with one of your Orange Julius’ and then for lunch… Your BBQ burgers!! With milkshakes!!! And at night Mom's tilapia and asparagus... I miss American food. haha

Maybe you could also check out "cross fit" training videos... they focus on form and teach how to weightlift properly! I always watched them before the mish.

Ryan!! I think you could use 1 Kings 19:11-12 to help your converts... I’ve never read it in English, but in Portuguese it’s good to help people recognize the answers they have already been given. Or ask him how he feels when he reads the Book of Mormon... usually people say calm or peaceful... and then you can use Galatians 5:22 to explain that such feeling come from the Spirit. IDK... Hope that helps

Remington... you are huge bud. In the pics you look like a man... and I think you’ve got some gnarly peach fuzz going on. That’s awesome you’re changing the lawn mower blade by yourself. I miss Legos, Bud... make a Lego temple and send me a pic! Ok?!

Love you all!

Until next week,

Elder Miller

The back-and-forth between Elder Miller and his Dad:

Scott: What a great week. I’m so happy for that RM. And I’m glad you are there so you could be a conduit for the Spirit in his life. 

So, it’s weird they’re transferring both of you. They always leave one behind to train the new guy on the area. Any idea why?

Elder Reece: It might be a "pink wash"... two sisters. There are a ton of sisters arriving and they probably want to give the smaller areas to them.

Also, President is changing the “one zone leader" thing and going back to having two... so I might be going to another area in the zone with an Elder who has more time on the mission who will be a zone leader with me… IDK.

Scott: Cool. Pink wash. Ha. You have a short time left. Burn it up! 

Elder Reece: I think I’m headed to my last area today... weird.

Scott: That is really weird. It will come to an end. And then you’ll get all the American food and vacation fun and college life and future planning you can handle. So, knowing this, give your full self to what you’re doing. More people need you there. And you won’t be back—not as an energetic young man with a call to preach.

Elder Reece: yeah... I’m actually a little sad right now... I’m going to work hard and finish strong... Pode crer!

Scott: Pode crer—you better believe it? You can believe it?

 I remember that feeling. I didn’t want to be a missionary forever (I wanted to marry your mom and have you), but I loved it. Even if you try to be a nice guy and care about others, you just never get that luxury of losing yourself in His service so completely. Life kind of gets in the way a bit. But that’s how life is, and you’ll have ways to serve Him.

Elder Reece:

Yep, basically. [On the, “pode crer.”]

And yeah I feel like I’m starting to understand all the weird feelings of the mission ha. It’s an emotional roller coaster. But my time is up, Dad... I’m [going to] go clean our house and say bye to a couple families. I love you, Pops!!! You’re the best dad ever! Have a great week!