Dear family,
The exciting news this week is that we set a baptisimal date with Joshua, our investigator who came to church last week! He got an answer. He is really excited about what he is learning and when he came to church on Sunday (yay! He came again!) he even talked about his baptisimal date with us, which is good, because it means he remembers that he set it and that it is important. I'm so excited for him because his member friend and he have a really special relationship. He calls her abuela and it is really sweet. We were really excited he came on Sunday, because he told us this week that he might not be able to come because it was his anniversary with "the novia" (his girlfriend. haha. He is 14 years old. But, it was cute), so I guess he decided church was important enough to put off the celebrations for 3 hours. So, everything is going really great there and we're all really excited for him.
Other missionary news: it is transfers this week! I've already been in Puerto Rico for 12 weeks. Can you believe it? CRAZY! So, the news for transfers is that one of us is staying and one of us is going. I am staying in Bayamon and Hermana Lopez is going. We're not sure where yet, but we'll find out tonight or tomorrow. Tomorrow is the switch and I don't know who my new companion is going to be. I don't want her to go! We finally have this rhythym going where we just work well together. We have a routine and we have been having a lot of success these last couple weeks. But, I guess that is why it is time to switch things up. I don't think they want a routine or for any one to get complacent. I sure am going to miss her though. She is always happy! And she works really well with people. She can teach really well too, so it is going to be a difficult adjustment. But, my new companion is going to be great too.
We had some exciting experiences this week. We had an exchange last Monday, as I told you, and I went to Toa Baja. We had a few hours before the end of P-day, so we went to a beach in Dorado and it was b-e-a-utiful! I loved it. As soon as you got out of the car you could smell and taste salt and it was a little local beach; there weren't tourists there, it was all locals and just really sweet. I'll include a photo or two.
Also, before the exchange, we went to a member's home and ate coconut from a tree in her front yard. There are a lot of coconut trees here, and she picked some for us because Hermana Lopez told her she loved them. First after picking it, you cut a little hole in the top and drink the coco water with a straw. And then you take a machete and break it open and eat the meat with a spoon. I couldn't break mine open (it is really hard!), but Hermana Lopez and Hermana Leticia had my back and took care of it for me. It tastes a lot different than the dried, processed coco and is actually pretty tasty.
While we were knocking doors this week we picked some fruit called "Pluma Rojo." It looks like a pink pear and smells like flowers. When we brought them home to try them, we were disappointed to find that they weren't ripe, but they were still tasty.
One day we dressed in pink and went to toc doors near the Barbie house and snapped a few pictures too while we were near. They turned out pretty well, and it was fun.
You know that Pixar short where there is a guy playing chess against himself? It is pretty cute little film, right? Well, we met that guy this week. He lives here, in Bayamon Puerto Rico. Seriously. We met this old guy that looks exactly like the animated character in that short. It was pretty exciting.
We are finally having a little bit of success in our area. we have kind of had investigators who are mas o menos, you know...not that great. But we found a lot of good people this week. First of all, Joshua is awesome. Another contact, Maria lives in this barrio we recently discovered and she was really excited when she figured out that Santos de los Ultimos Dias are the same as Latter-day Saints. She was really excited to have us come and teach her about the church, because I guess she has a lot of friends in Florida that are members. We haven't taught her yet, but we're planning on stopping by later this week.
Also, we met a guy painting on the day we took pictures of the Barbie house. His name is Rudy and he seemed pretty interested, because he stopped painting and came down stairs to talk to us. Usually people are just like "I'm working. Come back another day.", but he came down to talk to us. We left an appointment and when we called him to remind him of the appointment, he said he wasn't going to be able to because he wasn't home, but we could come later that day. So, we stopped by later twice and he wasn't there, so we assumed he wasn't interested. Then he called us on SUnday and asked us why we hadn't come by. Contacts NEVER call us, so I was kind of excited when he called. We asked if we could come by now, and he said yes. So, we went and picked up a member and stopped by and taught him the Restoration. He seemed really interested and has already invited his neighbor and his sister to listen. His whole family (wife and 4 kids) still live in the DR, but he has lived her for 4 years and like I said, seems really interested. His roommate was there listening, and when we took out the Restoration pamphelt, he said "I have one of those!" and he went and got it. Later in the lesson when we were talking about the Book of Mormon, he finally made the connection that we are "mormons" and told us that his neighbor in the DR was a member. His neighbor in the DR is a member of our ward, and I guess he has attended church a couple times with him. It was just kind of random and exciting. They are now both new investigators, and we're excited to help them progress.
Lastly, Carolina. We met her a week or two ago and gave her a short lesson. We stopped by again this week really quick and set an appointment for yesterday. When we got to her house, she wasn't there, so we called her and she said she was at a friend's house. And then she gave us directions to the friend's house so that we could come over there and teach her. Which was a big surprise for us. Normally if people aren't home and we call them, they just say "come back another day. Whenever you're in the neighborhood; I'm always at home." and then we lose contact and never see them again, because they aren't ever home. But she says she has received an answer too, and we're excited for her. We still have to get her to church, which may be difficult because she doesn't have transport, but she says she has friends that might be able to help her. She is a single mom and studies, and her kid is really cute. I guess he has always wanted to go to church, and she really wants him to have church, but she just hasn't been able to find one that feels right. So we have to get her to church so she can see how great it is. We told her about primary and she is really excited for Christian (her son) to go and learn about God and Jesus.
These are just a few of the really great experiences we've had this week. It feels like finally after weeks of hard work, it is finally paying off and we are starting to see results.
Thanks so much for your love and support.
Love,
Hermana Miller
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