That's right folks. I have been bitten by fire ants! Or, as they call them here, hormigas de FUEGO! Haha. I like that name. And I'm allergic! It is making things very interesting. My left foot is swelling and red, but I am elevating it as often as I can and icing it and trying to be kind to it. I don't know if I'm allergic to it, or if it's just the fact that it was fire ants, but I remember when I got bit by them. We were outside this guy's house yelling in at him about our message (this is often the case; people don't always come out of the house or through the gate; they just yell out the window at you. Haha. It is really weird actually), but his yard had a lot of trees and wasn't really well taken care of, so it was kind of a wilderness-type setting. I felt ants on my foot and I looked down and there were some crawling into my shoes and I felt them there too, but it was a different feeling; it was more like a sharp fire that just kind of shot up half my foot. So, we're talking to this guy and I'm jumping around trying to get the ants out of my shoe, but trying to be discreet about it at the same time. It was probably really funny for him, come to think of it, but for me, I was just like "Why me? Why now?" Haha. The next day or so my companion saw them and she said I had been bitten by the ants, and my foot started to swell in church yesterday. It looks a lot like Dad's feet looked in 2001 around Christmas-time when every thing was...swollen? I didn't realize that he was probably in pain until now, because it really hurts a lot. Especially when I'm wearing shoes and toc-ing doors. Uncomfortable. But, Sister M., the President's wife says that it'll last probably a week and then be gone. We'll see.
Other then fire ants, the only exciting thing that happened this week was that I talked to you! It was so cool! Thanks for all being there and being willing to talk so long. I didn't realize how much time it was until I hung up (it went so fast!), but thanks for your time. It was good to hear what is going on with you, and also to talk about the mission and what is going on with me down here. I appreciate your advice and votes of confidence. I look forward to May 9 when I can talk to (almost) all of you again!
On Christmas, we toc-ed doors and ran into an older man and his daughter and they actually let us in and we taught a first lesson. It is always exciting when people let you into your house while you're toc-ing doors because you get so much rejection it is good to get a not just a reception once in a while, but an invitation to enter their home is even more exciting. Louisa and Adrian ( the people we taught) were really quite receptive and I'm excited to return this week with a member to see how their reading went and to teach them some more. They had a lot to say about the lesson and seemed interested in our message.
Also on Christmas, we had two other experiences that I thought were really interesting. Okay, actually two funny experiences while knocking. Like I've said before, every house has a dog (practically) and some go crazy when we come by and some just lay there and don't don anything when we come. So, we were in front of a house when the dog looked lazy and bored and like he wasn't going to do anything. He was laying really close to the gate, and looked at us and looked uninterested. So, I yelled just like normal; "¡Buenas Tardes!" All of the sudden he jumps to his feet and barks, and it scared me so bad I actually screamed out loud. Haha. It was really funny. The owner was probably laughing inside his house, but he wouldn't come to the door. It was really quite terrifying.
Two houses down, we met a man who was Chinese and who had lived in Puerto Rico for 15 years or something, but still could not speak Spanish. He couldn't speak English either. So, we spoke in very slow Spanish for him to understand. It was also an interesting experience, having a conversation in one language where only one participant is a native speaker.
I attended my first baptism on Saturday! It wasn't a baptism of someone we taught, but it was a baptism of the grandchildren of the Bishop of our ward. The Bishop's daughter is inactive, and her kids were taught by the Elders in our ward, and they were baptized on Saturday. It was really nice. Remember the girl who looks like Gabriella Montez in my ward? She sang with her family, and their entire family can sing really well. It was a beautiful song, and the service was really nice.
Lastly, (because I'm running out of time) we had a Mission Christmas Conference on Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) and we went to the Mission Office and every missionary on the Island came and we watched a Bell choir play Christmas carols. They were actually really good. The Bell Choir is sponsored by the stake I am in, and was made up of 9 - 17 year olds in the stake. It was cool. then we went to the President's house and ate ham and potatoes and vegetables. Really delicious lunch. And then we had a talent show, which was hilarious because most of the "talents" were by 19-21 year old boys. A great time was had by all and we laughed and enjoyed it. It was a really great way to spend Christmas.
Well, that is all I have to say because this computer is extremely slow. I had really great pictures to send, but seeing as this computer can't even handle the speed at which I type, I'm not even going to try the pictures on it.
I love you all. Thanks for the stories you send me about your member-missionary efforts; members are the best missionaries we have, so keep up the good work!
Love,
Hermana Miller
Other then fire ants, the only exciting thing that happened this week was that I talked to you! It was so cool! Thanks for all being there and being willing to talk so long. I didn't realize how much time it was until I hung up (it went so fast!), but thanks for your time. It was good to hear what is going on with you, and also to talk about the mission and what is going on with me down here. I appreciate your advice and votes of confidence. I look forward to May 9 when I can talk to (almost) all of you again!
On Christmas, we toc-ed doors and ran into an older man and his daughter and they actually let us in and we taught a first lesson. It is always exciting when people let you into your house while you're toc-ing doors because you get so much rejection it is good to get a not just a reception once in a while, but an invitation to enter their home is even more exciting. Louisa and Adrian ( the people we taught) were really quite receptive and I'm excited to return this week with a member to see how their reading went and to teach them some more. They had a lot to say about the lesson and seemed interested in our message.
Also on Christmas, we had two other experiences that I thought were really interesting. Okay, actually two funny experiences while knocking. Like I've said before, every house has a dog (practically) and some go crazy when we come by and some just lay there and don't don anything when we come. So, we were in front of a house when the dog looked lazy and bored and like he wasn't going to do anything. He was laying really close to the gate, and looked at us and looked uninterested. So, I yelled just like normal; "¡Buenas Tardes!" All of the sudden he jumps to his feet and barks, and it scared me so bad I actually screamed out loud. Haha. It was really funny. The owner was probably laughing inside his house, but he wouldn't come to the door. It was really quite terrifying.
Two houses down, we met a man who was Chinese and who had lived in Puerto Rico for 15 years or something, but still could not speak Spanish. He couldn't speak English either. So, we spoke in very slow Spanish for him to understand. It was also an interesting experience, having a conversation in one language where only one participant is a native speaker.
I attended my first baptism on Saturday! It wasn't a baptism of someone we taught, but it was a baptism of the grandchildren of the Bishop of our ward. The Bishop's daughter is inactive, and her kids were taught by the Elders in our ward, and they were baptized on Saturday. It was really nice. Remember the girl who looks like Gabriella Montez in my ward? She sang with her family, and their entire family can sing really well. It was a beautiful song, and the service was really nice.
Lastly, (because I'm running out of time) we had a Mission Christmas Conference on Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) and we went to the Mission Office and every missionary on the Island came and we watched a Bell choir play Christmas carols. They were actually really good. The Bell Choir is sponsored by the stake I am in, and was made up of 9 - 17 year olds in the stake. It was cool. then we went to the President's house and ate ham and potatoes and vegetables. Really delicious lunch. And then we had a talent show, which was hilarious because most of the "talents" were by 19-21 year old boys. A great time was had by all and we laughed and enjoyed it. It was a really great way to spend Christmas.
Well, that is all I have to say because this computer is extremely slow. I had really great pictures to send, but seeing as this computer can't even handle the speed at which I type, I'm not even going to try the pictures on it.
I love you all. Thanks for the stories you send me about your member-missionary efforts; members are the best missionaries we have, so keep up the good work!
Love,
Hermana Miller
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