And it was massive! Seriously. We were walking around doing some contacting before a lunch appointment in our urbanization and all of a sudden we hear this metallic scrapping, and it is the iguana trying to jump a gate into someone's back yard. Eventually it gave up though and started running away. I couldn't get my camera out before it started running away, so I have a sweet picture of this iguana (1.5 feet) running off. It is pretty sweet. Hna. Lopez says that you see them all the time, especially in the campo, so I maybe I can get a better photo next week.
In other news, last week I finally succeeded in acquiring my Puerto Rico Driver's License! I guess this is quite an accomplishment, considering I only had to go to CESCO (PR version of the DMV) three times. *Sigh* I learned how to say nightmare in Spanish by working with CESCO (it is pesadilla, by-the-way). Anyway, after 3 visits and plenty of paperwork etc., I have my license! Woohoo! I will attach a picture to show my felicity and excitement.
As far as interesting/quick observations of mission life are concerned: Every morning a car alarm in our neighborhood goes off at 6am. I think one of our neighbors somehow uses it for his alarm clock. Call me crazy, but I'm just observing. Also, I feel like I'm preparing to go to the beach everyday because I wear sunscreen everyday. It is kind of fun, but also a little disappointing when I remember I don't get to go to the beach. haha. Toc-ing doors is better than the beach anyway! Seriously. I have some great stories this week (we always get great stories from toc-ing. Maybe that is why I love it so much).
We found this really cool neighborhood that is quite mysterious because it is not on the map and you have to go up this secret hill to get there and travel through woods to get there (really, it was very adventurous of us to even check out this mysterious street). Anyway, after the woods cleared, we found ourself in this quaint neighborhood with tons of colorful houses really close together. It is called a barrio, and basically, there is a main road (the road we were exploring), and then there are tons of little path-type things that lead off the main road to houses, like alley-ways. It is really cool because it is exotic and quaint and exciting. Something you wouldn't find in the US. I would love to take some pictures, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to. We'll see. Anyway, as we were getting out of the car and debating whether this was part of our area or not, a guy comes up to us and is all "Hello, hermanitas!" (if you add -ita to any word here it changes from a normal word to a word of endearment). I vaguely recognized the man who addressed us, but didn't know if I actually knew him or not. We chatted and he told us about where we were (what it was called...Juan Domingo) and showed us how we could exit. Come to find out, this is a man that we had contacted in Grande (a grocery store) with his friend on the day of 51 contacts, back a couple weeks. His friend lives just around the corner. They told us they lived in Guaynabo, which is the next town over, so we turned their names into the office because they weren't in our area. "Luckily" we "ran into" him and we now know that he is in our area, and also where he lives (because if we just had the address to go off of, we would never be able to find his house). We ahave a lot of interest in our message, both still have a lot of interest in our message, which is way exciting. And so, the spirit guides us again to find those people who are ready to learn about the gospel and change their lives.
Another story about Juan Domingo: We met an inactive in Juan Domingo. Her name is Grecia and she was baptized 14 years ago in the DR and she moved to PR 6 years ago and has been inactive ever since because church is too far away to get to. She was so excited when we gave her a Book of Mormon because she had to leave hers in the DR because she didn't have room to bring everything on her trip. She really seems sincerely interested in the gospel still, so we are working on getting her pong (this is the PR word for "lift," as far as I can tell, or a "ride") so she can come to church. She was so sweet and excited when she saw us. It is cool to be an instrument in the Lord's hands.
!! I can't believe I forgot to say this already, but I received some wonderful things in the mail this week! I received packages from the Miller family, a package from the Ballards of Florida, a package from Grandma of AZ, and this huge poster from the Glenmoor 8th ward! Woohoo! It was kind of like, the best day ever to get all of that. We opened up the packages and found the most beautiful tree inside and lots and lots of gifts. I am really touched that you would all think of me and actually send me something for Christmas. I like the 12 days of Christmas thing, and I'm excited to see what is in store for us tomorrow. (PS. I love the fudge!)
Although we have really great stories like the ones above in Juan Domingo (and others...we met 2 inactives the other day on the same street and in between their two house was a man who wanted us to return and share our message. That was pretty cool...kind of like the jack-pot), overall there are not a lot of people that want to hear our message. Every one is really, really, nice, but not really interested in changes beliefs or changing their lives. We do have a lot of respect here, but we also have a lot of rejection. One family let us in to sing a song a say a prayer for their sick father. I guess they have been in contact with missionaries for years and actually used to be active members of the church (without actually being baptized...it was interesting), but didn't feel like changes from be officially Catholics. How sad! They were a very sweet family though, and we're going to stop by again to say hello. This other lady was really excited to see us and went and got us juice boxes and apples before we left, but didn't want to hear our message; she is another lady who just has a lot of respect for us and loves the missionaries. I want to help people! But they just don't let us. It is nice to know there are good people in the world though; they are all over Puerto Rico!
One last story. Right after we sang and prayed with the family that used to be active non-members, we went to teach a lesson to one of their neighbors. We met this woman when we went to a teaching appointment that we were really excited about and the lady wasn't there. The neighbor was outside working with Christmas lights and we offered help and contacted her. She said that she was interested in hearing our message, so we came back a week later (this week) and shared it with her. It was a really great lesson and she was interested, and we could tell that she was sincerely interested because she was asking good questions and actually thought about our invitation before committing to anything. I am very excited about her, and it is just another way that we see the Lord works in mysterious ways. We thought we were going to this street to help one woman, and we end up being led to help another. Very cool. I love being a missionary!
Thanks so much for all your love and support! It is good to know there are people rootin' for me and the work in far away places!
Love,
Hermana Miller
In other news, last week I finally succeeded in acquiring my Puerto Rico Driver's License! I guess this is quite an accomplishment, considering I only had to go to CESCO (PR version of the DMV) three times. *Sigh* I learned how to say nightmare in Spanish by working with CESCO (it is pesadilla, by-the-way). Anyway, after 3 visits and plenty of paperwork etc., I have my license! Woohoo! I will attach a picture to show my felicity and excitement.
As far as interesting/quick observations of mission life are concerned: Every morning a car alarm in our neighborhood goes off at 6am. I think one of our neighbors somehow uses it for his alarm clock. Call me crazy, but I'm just observing. Also, I feel like I'm preparing to go to the beach everyday because I wear sunscreen everyday. It is kind of fun, but also a little disappointing when I remember I don't get to go to the beach. haha. Toc-ing doors is better than the beach anyway! Seriously. I have some great stories this week (we always get great stories from toc-ing. Maybe that is why I love it so much).
We found this really cool neighborhood that is quite mysterious because it is not on the map and you have to go up this secret hill to get there and travel through woods to get there (really, it was very adventurous of us to even check out this mysterious street). Anyway, after the woods cleared, we found ourself in this quaint neighborhood with tons of colorful houses really close together. It is called a barrio, and basically, there is a main road (the road we were exploring), and then there are tons of little path-type things that lead off the main road to houses, like alley-ways. It is really cool because it is exotic and quaint and exciting. Something you wouldn't find in the US. I would love to take some pictures, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to. We'll see. Anyway, as we were getting out of the car and debating whether this was part of our area or not, a guy comes up to us and is all "Hello, hermanitas!" (if you add -ita to any word here it changes from a normal word to a word of endearment). I vaguely recognized the man who addressed us, but didn't know if I actually knew him or not. We chatted and he told us about where we were (what it was called...Juan Domingo) and showed us how we could exit. Come to find out, this is a man that we had contacted in Grande (a grocery store) with his friend on the day of 51 contacts, back a couple weeks. His friend lives just around the corner. They told us they lived in Guaynabo, which is the next town over, so we turned their names into the office because they weren't in our area. "Luckily" we "ran into" him and we now know that he is in our area, and also where he lives (because if we just had the address to go off of, we would never be able to find his house). We ahave a lot of interest in our message, both still have a lot of interest in our message, which is way exciting. And so, the spirit guides us again to find those people who are ready to learn about the gospel and change their lives.
Another story about Juan Domingo: We met an inactive in Juan Domingo. Her name is Grecia and she was baptized 14 years ago in the DR and she moved to PR 6 years ago and has been inactive ever since because church is too far away to get to. She was so excited when we gave her a Book of Mormon because she had to leave hers in the DR because she didn't have room to bring everything on her trip. She really seems sincerely interested in the gospel still, so we are working on getting her pong (this is the PR word for "lift," as far as I can tell, or a "ride") so she can come to church. She was so sweet and excited when she saw us. It is cool to be an instrument in the Lord's hands.
!! I can't believe I forgot to say this already, but I received some wonderful things in the mail this week! I received packages from the Miller family, a package from the Ballards of Florida, a package from Grandma of AZ, and this huge poster from the Glenmoor 8th ward! Woohoo! It was kind of like, the best day ever to get all of that. We opened up the packages and found the most beautiful tree inside and lots and lots of gifts. I am really touched that you would all think of me and actually send me something for Christmas. I like the 12 days of Christmas thing, and I'm excited to see what is in store for us tomorrow. (PS. I love the fudge!)
Although we have really great stories like the ones above in Juan Domingo (and others...we met 2 inactives the other day on the same street and in between their two house was a man who wanted us to return and share our message. That was pretty cool...kind of like the jack-pot), overall there are not a lot of people that want to hear our message. Every one is really, really, nice, but not really interested in changes beliefs or changing their lives. We do have a lot of respect here, but we also have a lot of rejection. One family let us in to sing a song a say a prayer for their sick father. I guess they have been in contact with missionaries for years and actually used to be active members of the church (without actually being baptized...it was interesting), but didn't feel like changes from be officially Catholics. How sad! They were a very sweet family though, and we're going to stop by again to say hello. This other lady was really excited to see us and went and got us juice boxes and apples before we left, but didn't want to hear our message; she is another lady who just has a lot of respect for us and loves the missionaries. I want to help people! But they just don't let us. It is nice to know there are good people in the world though; they are all over Puerto Rico!
One last story. Right after we sang and prayed with the family that used to be active non-members, we went to teach a lesson to one of their neighbors. We met this woman when we went to a teaching appointment that we were really excited about and the lady wasn't there. The neighbor was outside working with Christmas lights and we offered help and contacted her. She said that she was interested in hearing our message, so we came back a week later (this week) and shared it with her. It was a really great lesson and she was interested, and we could tell that she was sincerely interested because she was asking good questions and actually thought about our invitation before committing to anything. I am very excited about her, and it is just another way that we see the Lord works in mysterious ways. We thought we were going to this street to help one woman, and we end up being led to help another. Very cool. I love being a missionary!
Thanks so much for all your love and support! It is good to know there are people rootin' for me and the work in far away places!
Love,
Hermana Miller
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