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...

 

A Baptism -- So Proud He's Popping Buttons June 3, 2013

E's Baptism, June 2, 2013

 

Oii tudo mundo...

This week was awesome!!! One of the best I have had on the mission!

It started off with finding an elect named I. We were eating lunch with a family in the ward and one of the sons who’s getting ready to go on the mission had his girlfriend over. I have seen her lots of times at church and always thought she was a member... Elder Reeves, too. ha We were both shocked to find out she’s not a member!!! We started talking to her and asking her basically why she hadn’t been baptized yet and she explained how her mom wouldn’t let her get baptized till she turned 18... she had already been taught the first lesson and prayed about the Book of Mormon (and got an answer) all about a year ago... She then told us she turns 18 this Tuesday (tomorrow) :)))) and that she wanted to hear the lessons. So this week we have been going by a lot and helping her get ready for her baptism that will be this Sunday!

Then on Thursday... we baptized E.!! She is such an elect and her baptism went so well. We had a good turn out from the ward which is surprising for a Thursday. The Bishop gave a little message and welcomed her to the ward and the spirit was very strong when he was talking. Something funny though... my baptismal pants are a little tight ha I have to suck in to button them.... not because I’m getting fatter though, they were like that when I left. They're the ones you gave to me, Dad... which I don’t know how you fit into them either ha... Anyway, they have worked just fine up until now and I’ve never had a problem... but when I was baptizing E., as I bent down to pick her up out of the water the button popped off. haha... No one noticed but I quickly hurried out of the font because it was pretty obvious haha.

 [I think they might know now, Elder! You do remember all those times you hacked my Facebook...]

But on Sunday she received the Holy Ghost and later on in gospel principles [Sunday School class], the lesson was about baptism, and the brother teaching the lesson asked her lots of question about her baptism... he asked her how she felt during the baptism and she explained how when she was under water she felt like her sins were leaving her and that she was being cleaned in the very moment. It was so cool hearing her testimony. And she said she felt an incredible warmth when she received the Holy Ghost, too!

E. and G. are doing well too. Last week we re-invited them to read and pray about the Book of Mormon (They hadn’t prayed about it yet.) Then at the end of last week we did a family home evening with E., G. and A. and D. and all their kids. At the time we didn’t know it, but E. and G. had gone to the doctor the day before to see about E's leg (It’s got a bullet in it, that can’t be removed). The doctor explained that he wouldn’t ever be able to bend his leg at the knee again or to control that movement. Then after the family night was over, he was trying to explain to A. what the doctor said... and out of nowhere lifted his leg up (bending it at the knee). He was shocked and G. was too! G. cried a little, actually, because she was so happy. But when we went by this week we asked if they had read and prayed... and he explained how they had both read and prayed right before the family night, and that they were waiting for their answer... and they both felt that his leg miraculously being able to move was their answer! I hadn’t even thought of it like that! But it’s crazy to see the way God works! They are now getting their documents together so they can legally get married and then get baptized :)

Also, this week we have been building a house for a lady in the ward... she was living in a shack basically, made of rotten wood, and it didn’t have a bathroom (IDK what she was doing-- maybe using her sisters that lives down the street), but all the Priesthood brethren have gotten together and started building her house, and Elder Reeves and I helped quite a bit, too. It so awesome seeing how grateful she is, and being able to serve with such an awesome Priesthood body.

Also we have had a lot of success with our other investigators and found a few other new [investigators] that have lots of potential.

This weekend we are getting ready for a marriage and two more baptisms!!! D. and A. are going to get married this Friday!! And she will be getting baptized on Saturday!! The Ward wants to do a little reception for her and A. on Saturday after the baptism so we are super excited for that!

Dad, there is going to be a lot more of that in my life! [They are talking about Reece sitting on random bulls sitting along the road -- see earlier post!] I want to run with the bulls in Spain!! And actually ride one, too, like in a rodeo!

 

Mom, I wasn't robbed! [His bank balance suddenly disappeared, so of course I worried.] It costs 5 dollars every time I take money out or even look at my balance, so I just do everything at once. Don't worry!

Ryan!!! HAPPY BDAY!!! Para bens pra voçe!! 24 years young!! I’m so stoked for you Ryan. I’m glad sales are going well! I knew you’d get the hang of it! Your B-day sounded fun and I almost wish I could have been there ha... I’ll just miss one more though... and the 26th we will party together!! I have a few things I’ve already bought for you and for everyone in the fam, but it’s expensive to send them... so you will have to wait another year and 3 months to get your presents... sorry bro ha. But I love you and I am so grateful to have you as a big brother. Thank you for your example bro. um abraço!!

Remington, I love you too buddy. I hope you’re doing great. Only 3 more days of school!!! You lucky bum! What are your plans this summer???

 

Love,

Elder Miller

 

 

 

Further Adventures of Elder Reece and Elder Reeves May 27, 2013

Oiii familia!

So this week was a good one. We had interviews with President Cordon (the last before he heads home) and it was really good.

R. and F. weren’t baptized. Friday night we brought them cookies that we made, to celebrate R's breaking her record (11 days without smoking) and we marked to go by on Saturday for her baptismal interview... but when we went by no one was home.... and they didn’t go to church on Sunday... so Sunday evening we went by to see what happened, and they had just decided to go to R’s mom’s house, I guess. And then we found out R. smoked :((((((((((((((((((( It’s SOOO annoying ha... We have spent so much time with her and F. and gone by literally every day for the past 12 days... and now it seems like they aren’t progressing anymore...  

But there is good news.... E. is doing super well! Last night we were at her house with her whole family and talked about keeping the Sabbath holy and it went really well. She already knew about the Sabbath day, because she’s heard about it in church, and she had already got her work to give her Sundays off (she almost quit because they weren’t going too)... And then at the end of the lesson we started talking about her baptism and how it will be, and Elder Reeves asked if there was someone she would like to baptize her… and before he finished asking, she blurted out, “Elder Miller!” ha I’m so happy for her and so excited to baptize her!!! She is so elect!

We also had 5 other investigators at church that are all really progressing... One of them (P.) was brought by a member and afterwards we asked her if she liked church and she said she loved it and wants to have us over :))

We have found so many new investigators this week its crazy!! Elder Reeves and I are super busy!! We also started teaching our neighbors that live on the left side of our house... they are soo cool. Two families live there (It’s a total of 7 people)… So hopefully we can help them all get baptized!!!

Oh, something funny... Friday night Elder Reeves and I were walking in front of the church and saw there was an activity going on and stopped in to use the bathroom. We were both doing our business and we heard the alarm get turned on (there’s as motion sensitive alarm in the church that makes a loud chirping noise when you turn it on)... We peeked out the bathroom door and all the lights were off and every one had left. I guess what had happened was that we walked in when the last people were leaving and no one had seen us go in. ha And about 2 minutes after they turned on the alarm and left. We were locked in the bathroom for about 15 minutes, because we couldn’t leave or the alarm would go off ha. I tried yelling out the bathroom window to get people’s attention but they didn’t hear me ha. Finally we called one of Bishop’s counselors and he drove down and let us out. I’ll send a pic thought ha.

It sounds like the trip to see Grandma was productive… I’m happy you went to see her and that she’s going to have some help now... She my last grandparent and I want her to live A LOT longer!

Mom & Dad... I love you and miss you. I think I got 11 right on the test about Revelations... (3 of those were lucky guesses haha), but I passed :)

Ryan...I knew you would get better with the sales... You’re a boss. Work hard, play hard. and take that singer on a date!! ha Anddddddddddd HAPPY BDAY! I  just realize when I email next week it will be a day late, so I thought I’d say it now.  I’ll write a good long email for you next p-day though. But I love you bro and I hope it’s an awesome b-day full of sales and dates with attractive daughters of God :) HAPPY 24th you old fart!!!

Remington, I love you and miss you buddy. Quit growing so fast… You can’t be taller than  me when I get home or I’ll beat you up.

Well, that’s all for now.

Love you all so much :) 

Elder Miller

 

It was Memorial Day and we were home and able to catch Elder Miller online. Here are snippets of the conversation... When we asked what his plans were for his Pday he said:

Work out and take a nap!! ha Super exciting!

We are all here now. Dad says to keep loving R.!

Remington says you have it easier than him -- he has to mow two yards once they get the lawnmower fixed!

 

We will, Dad. And Remington you goober.. you love mowing the lawns, don’t act like it’s hard! Ha

Scott asked how they get so many investigators to church on Sundays and we told him to do his “business” at home so he won’t get locked in the church!

ha IDK, we just confirm on Saturday night and the ward  helps a lot!

But yeah, I’ll just try and "go" in our house bathroom from now on!

I sent the pics. Mom and Dad, thanks for the money!!!! I love you guys. I’m out of time though.

Love, Elder Miller

Tchau!!!

 

 

Pictures:

 

 

We got locked in the bathroom (they turned the motion sensitive-alarm on because they didn’t know we were still in the church).

 

The telephone booths here are just the right size for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You'll Be Quizzed at the End! May 20, 2013

Oi tudo mundo,

This week was awesome! We marked 5 baptism dates!! And we had 8 investigators at church!

Last week we ate lunch on Mother’s Day with a family that’s been members for about two years. After we left a spiritual message, we started talking with the daughter who is 22 and not a member... after talking for a minute she basically told us she wanted to be baptized... Elder Reeves and I were shocked, ha but we marked a date for the 30th of this month! We’ve gone by a few times and taught her and she is seriously SO ready to baptized!

R's gone 5 days without smoking so were excited for her... were really hoping she stops for good this time.

We did a huge family home evening with A. and D. and G. and E. and all of their kids on Saturday night! It went really well, and on Sunday they all went to church... which I was really impressed with... E. walked 3 miles with a bullet in his hip (he got shot three months ago) and I know it hurts to walk for him... he refused a ride though ha.

We also went and taught L. the friend of one of the families in the ward and she has already read a ton of the book of Mormon! She is progressing really well and already been to church twice. We’re going to mark a date her baptism this week!

Mom and Dad, the Sock Hop looks sweet, I’m excited for you two to take lessons ha!

Remington it sounds like you’re having a blast!

To answer questions... No, Mom, I did not eat the caterpillar. [See picture in previous post -- The most asked question about Elder Miller's blog!] Haha

No, I didn’t get the pants fixed... it’s not on the seam so I don’t think the can be, but I have a pair that almost matches the jacket... and on a mission you can get away with it ha.

Ryan how are the sales coming???

Dad I did the quiz* and I think I did well... but there aren’t any answers so it’s hard to tell... can you send me the answers? Actually I guessed on a lot but there were a few gimmies. I just know it was ______ that wrote it (It’s proof that Saint Clement (the Pope) didn’t have authority ha). I think Revelation means ________ ... in Portuguese it’s called apocalipse so it almost the same ha.

But I love you all. I miss you all and I’m glad you’re doing well.

Love,

Elder Miller

 

 

 

 

*Here's the quiz Elder Miller's Dad, Scott, made for his seminary class and shared with Reece:

 

 

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE BOOK OF REVELATION?

1) “Revelation” comes from a Greek word “apokalyptein” meaning:

          a)   Destroy

          b)  Uncover

          c)   Hide

          d) Wake up

2) Who wrote Revelation?

          a)   Paul

          b)  Joseph Smith

          c)   Peter

          d) John

3) The main theme of Revelation is:

          a)   Good will triumph over evil

          b)  Repent

          c)   Lift up your head and stay awake in Seminary

          d) The restoration of the gospel was prophesied in the scriptures

4) What is the basic structure of it?

          a)   A review of several scriptural events throughout Jewish history

          b)  A story within a story

          c)   An overview of this world’s history from before the Fall to after it becomes a celestial kingdom

          d) A and B

5) To whom was Revelation written?

          a)   Eight kings of nations near the Mediterranean Sea

          b)  Seven churches in Asia Minor

          c)   Six of the early apostles

          d) Five golden rings

6) The audience of Revelation was:

          a)   Trying to restore the temple of Solomon amidst opposition by the Samaritans

          b)  Experiencing persecution from the Roman government

          c)   Yearning for more sleep in the morning

          d) On the verge of being translated under Enoch’s leadership

7) Why was Revelation’s author writing from the Isle of Patmos?

          a)   He was visiting a branch of the church there

          b)  He had moved there to escape persecution

          c)   He had been banished there by the Roman government

         d) Because the Isle of Gilligan was too cold that time of year

8) A tool used extensively in Revelation is:

          a)   Symbolism

          b)  Nepotism

          c)   Somnambulism

9) An example of the above tool is:

          a)   Angels, stars and spirits are used to refer to the bishops of the churches

          b)  Hiring only your relatives

          c)   Answering questions in Seminary even though you’re actually asleep

10) How many seals are opened?

          a)   5

          b)  8

          c)   7

          d) 6

11) What approximate time period is covered by each seal?

          a)   100 years

          b)  10,000 years

          c)   1000 years

          d) 10 years

12) When is the period covered by the first seal?

          a)   10,000 BC – 0 AD

          b)  4000 BC – 3000 BC

          c)   0 – 100 AD

          d) 2000 AD – 2010 AD

13) About which seal does the author write by far the most verses?

          a)   The sixth (our day)

          b)  The fifth (Christ’s day)

          c)   The seventh (the Second Coming/Millenium)

          d) The first (the era of the Patriarchs)

14) The four horses of the apocalypse are white, red, black and pale. Which of these is NOT a meaning of one of them?

          a)   Famine in the days of Joseph

          b)  War and wickedness of Noah’s day

          c)   The victory of Enoch

          d) Taxes today

15) In Judaism, the number 7 represented:

          a)   Satan

          b)  Completeness

          c)   The hour at which Seminary should start

          d) Light

Answers (I think!):

1. B

2. D

3. A

4. C

5. B

6. B

7. C

8. A

9. A

10. C

11. C

12. B

13. C

14. D

15. B

 

 

Where's Mom When I Need Her? May 13, 2013

Mom, I realized after the Skype I completely forgot to wish you a happy Mother's Day! [His mom was so thrilled with seeing him and the great conversation with all my boys that I didn’t even notice!] So I wanted to take a minute and do it now . . . Happy Mother's Day!

 

It was so good to see you all yesterday. I was really tired and not very entertaining . . . but it was still so nice to talk to you all.

Anyway . . . back to Mother's Day. When I first got here to Almirante Tamandaré, we cleaned the house (it had been very neglected). It took a couple hours, but it looks a lot better now ha. But there used to a be an old bookshelf full of moldy books at the back of the house (super moldy), so we took most of the books out and burned them and threw the book shelf away . . . but I kept one of the books that we found called "Where’s Mom, Now that I Need Her?" (I attached a pic)

 

 

It’s more or less a cooking/house remedies and cleaning tricks-book that’s actually been helpful. ha It’s been sitting on my desk for the past two months and every time I see it, I think of you : ) I  am so happy I never had to ask that question, "Where’s Mom now that I need her?" You always have been there for me, Mom. From the arduous task of back to school shopping and the AYSO soccer games, to over-the-phone advice at BYUI. And even now, when I am 7000 miles away (IDK how many miles actually!) [About 4,300 miles.] you send me peanut butter, letters and whatever else I might be needing. Thank you, Mom. I am so grateful that I have the wonderful mom that I do, and that I have not even once had to ask that question "Where’s Mom, now that I need her?" because you really have always been there for me.

[Good job, Reece – you made Mom cry.]

Also, please stop with the hinting at the fact that you were not or are not a good mother . . . it talks about lying in 2 Nephi 9:34... and the consequences are very serious : ) ha

Well, there really isn’t much to tell, because I just talked to you all yesterday.

Anyway, I love you all. And I’ll talk to you next week. : )

Elder Miller

 

I’ll send some pics!

 

 

 

[Elder Miller said he cracked his companion up, when he told him, "I cut my finger this morning when I was washing the blender in the shower." The water to their sinks went out, so they had to do dishes in the shower for few days.]

 

[Only Reece would try to look tough while cuddling kittens (you know that's what he was doing.).]

 

 

Almirante Tamandaré

 

Sunset

 

Elder Reeves and Elder Miller

[This is the shot we are going to frame!]

A "Rough"/good week. May 6, 2013

 

Just a few pics real quick. The first one is of the area.

The second one... our neighbor who’s a member just got a little puppy, and every time we come home it runs up to us and runs in our house when we open the door. I wanted to take a pic with it to show you guys and it started licking my ear and the pic turned out cool ha!

 

The last one there was this weird drawing of like voodoo stuff, on the desk that I use in our house... so I scratched it off and drew/carved the First Vision instead. ha

 

 

So this week was little rough actually! I think it’s the first email that’s started like that ha! But we just had a few setbacks and difficulties with some of the people we are teaching. But... it’s nothing we can’t handle!
 

R. smoked again this week. :( BUT Elder Reeves and I fasted for them this weekend, that R. would be able to quit smoking... and we went by last night after we broke [our fast] and she said... she had tried to smoke actually... but when she lit the cigarette the smell made her feel sick so she threw it away. :) Fasting works ha! We’re not giving up on them!!!
 

A. and D. marked their marriage!! We don’t know for what day. A’s bday is the 16th and they were gunna try and bribe the place to get it done on the 16^th. So today we will find out if it worked!
 

Yesterday we walked way out in the jungle to teach a family of 5 and when we got there... there were 9 adults! And the kids too! We ended up teaching like a mini sermon. ha It went really well, and they all had awesome questions. We'll go back by this week to see how reading the Book of Mormon went!
 

I went on splits with the Elder my District Leader is training (because D.L. interviewed D.) and he doesn’t even have a week in the field. I helped him on his contacts and it was way fun actually! And for some reason during the day we had like 5 or 6 drunk people come up to us and start talking to us (way more than usual) but I think it startled him ha.
 

Other than that my week was pretty normal. I got a guitar... IDK [I don't know] if I mentioned that, another Elder that’s going home gave it to me. It’s actually pretty nice and I’ve already learned a few songs (“Nearer My God to Thee” and “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”), so I’m excited about that.
 

Mom I’m stoked for the peanut butter!! Haha I and Elder Reeves have been craving some!! Also Remi and Ryan I’m stoked for the letters!

OH!!! Skype this week!!!! I’m calling at like 3 here I think!!!! So be on and be ready!!!!! I’m so excited to see you all!

The suit will be fine I think. There is a seamstress in our ward...I actually made a sign for her, and she said she will stitch it up for free. It’s not on a seam, but it will get them to last!
 

Oh also, F. is really into am radios! I told him about how my Grandpa had a big tower and stuff and his eyes were huge. ha But he wanted to know if I had one of the cards with Grandpa’s number on it... he’s never actually seen one of the cards ha! He’s just heard people talking about them on the radio. So, if you could mom... in my room right above the door way I have one of Gpa's card framed. Could you send it to me? Also, IDK if you could do this Dad, but I was wondering if you could make some cards for him, if they are cheap? If not it’s no problem but I thought it be sweet to give him his own... he would probably cry!

But that’s all for now. I love you all and I am so excited to see you this Sunday!!!!

Love, Elder Miller
 

PS

Mom and Dad and Remi and Ryan!
I’ll be Skyping at like 1 o’clock your time or 2 o’clock my time!!!