Hermana Miller

Dear Family,

This week was really great! We are getting to know the ward and the members in this area, and they love us! Like I said last week, they haven't had missionaries proselyting in their ward for at least 7 months and people who have been baptized in the past 5 years say they have never met sister missionaries, so we are a pretty novel feature in this area. A lot of people we met on Sunday or during the week told us that they have some people they want us to visit, which is the best! Referrals are the best way to do missionary work, so we are really excited to work with the people here. We had two member-present lessons this week, which is more than I have experienced in several months, and that is before we even attended church (we were here last Sunday for church, but it was Stake Conference, so we didn't know a lot of ward members this week)! We are really excited to work in this area with these people.

The family we've been working with was a referral from a member in Ponce. The Elders who were covering this ward before us weren't really working here, but they would go and teach any referral they received for this area. They had taught them once before we arrived, and then when we got here they introduced us to the family and then just let us take over. We talked to the member from Ponce yesterday and the story of how they were referred was really cool. The husband of the family has been out of work for a long time and really working hard on finding work for a long time. I guess he wrote an editorial in one of the papers here about the lack of jobs, or something like that, and the member down in Ponce read it. She felt like she needed to contact him and tell him about the church employment services, so she got a hold of his number and called him, and then she invited him to listen to the missionaries too. He agreed, and so she turned in his name as a reference. It was a cool story! Then, we went and visited them yesterday with a couple from the ward and the husband of the couple works in a bank, and says he thinks he knows of a job that is available that he could help him get. It was really exciting the way the Lord works little miracles like that. The really horrible thing about his lack of employment is that it is not because he's not looking, nor that he has no marketable skills, it is just because there aren't a lot of jobs down here. They are reading The Book of Mormon though, and we are already seeing a change in the family. Last Sunday, the mom barely said anything and barely acknowledged us, but last time we went she was smiling and had read the pamphlet and was showing us her favorite parts of it and was answering questions. It just feels so good coming out of there. We set a baptismal date yesterday for 14 August. We're really excited for them.

We were visiting a member this week and she told us her neighbors were members too who attended church every week, so we went over to visit them after we visited her. We were walking down the street and the husband yells to his wife, "Hey honey! It's the muchachas!" (That is what they call us here). And so they let us right in, and they didn't even wait for us to introduce ourselves, she just started telling her story right away and just went on and on. It was so cute they were so excited. We thought the husband was a member (he was excited to see us, and he goes to church every week), but it turns out he's not. We're not really sure why not, but we suspect he doesn't want to make a commitment when he knows humans are fallable (I didn't realize how common that problem would be), or that he just doesn't want the responsibility that comes with being a member of the church. We talked about the importance of baptism and how it is necessary and how it is something that God has asked us to do and He feels happy when we do do it. We're going to work with him and help him. His name is Pedro.

We were just walking around a neighborhood one day this week talking to people outside and this guy drove by once and then came back around. That was normal, but then he came by a third time, and that was weird. But then he stopped and talked to us, and it turned out he thought we were testigos (we still wonder if he just drives around neighborhoods looking for them...) and needed information on their church. He has a bachelors in theology and now is working on a paper with a friend (just for fun?) about various religions, and the only one he lacked information on was the Jehovah's Witnesses. He said he already had information on us, but we left him a Book of Mormon and a copy of the first pamphlet that talks about the restoration (he didn't have either), and are excited that he is going to read them. This has happened before, where people are doing projects and need information from us, and I always get a little excited...because they're really going to read. The problem is that they don't always pray. But. I can't help but get excited about the possibilities.

So our ward meets at the same time as the English Speaking ward, so it was weird seeing Americans in church on Sunday. Other than that, church was really cool. There are some really strong members, and we are going to help strengthen it a lot. They have given us some of the names of people to go and look for and they are really great people who, when they come back to church, will be a really great strength to the ward.

I'm finishing up the Book of Mormon and still love it. I am reading in Ether again and love the Brother of Jared. He is so cool! I love the example of persistence he gives us in chapter 1. He asks the Lord to protect his family and his friends from the curse of the confounding of languages, and the Lord says "...I will do [this for] thee because this long time ye have cried unto me." He wasn't trying to change the Lord's mind on what He had already said, he was just persistent and patient while waiting for an answer. If only we were patient and persistent every time we prayed about something, I think our prayers would be a lot more powerful. I also love chapter 3, where the Brother of Jared has to act and think for himself and solve his problem (there is no light in the barges) and then take his solution to the Lord for approval and the power to carry it out. It is a great chapter.

I love hearing your updates and feel sad that this week we had early p-day. I hope all is going well and that you're safe and happy.

Love,
Hermana Miller

Wow! I loved your e-mail this week! I am really excited about all the wonderful things that are happening with the family. Congratulations to Alyse! That is great news that she got home safely! You all look so happy in the pictures! :) Also, congratulations to Craig and Amanda! I loved those pictures too. So cute!

This week has also been an exciting one for me. I got a new companion on Wednesday! Her name is Hermana Thomas (see photo). She is from California. She is the youngest of 8 children, and her parents are serving a mission right now in Texas. She is almost done with her mission; she is going home in September. She is really cool and I can tell we're going to do some great things in Utuado together. She kind of reminds me of my roommate Lauren from the Elms.... Many years ago.

We've already found some new investigators together. One of them is Shirley. We (Hermana REyes and I) had actually already met Shirley because we used to teach her father, Noel, and she popped in and out once. But, we knocked her door this week and she said, "Well, I'm cooking right now, but tell me about your message." !! It was cool, because she seemed to understand the message of the restoration and then when we left her a Book of Mormon, she asked us when we were going to come back to answer the questions she would have after reading it. Oh, I love it when people say that, because it tells us they actually plan on reading it, and it also tells us they want us to come and continue sharing the message with them. She is a young 20-something, which is also fun, because she's our age. I like teaching young people, because you know that when they decide to accept the gospel that they'll be able to affect a lot of other people for good (such as their children). That was a great first lesson we had this week.

We also had a first lesson with Shaira. She lives in the Boo-nies, but she let us in right away and wanted to hear more about our message. We shared it with her, and after we taught a principle, she would say something like, "So, you're saying...." and then would summarize what we just taught. She understood the lesson and committed to read in the Book of Mormon too. She said that she felt "curiosity" towards our message. I didn't used to like it when people said that, but now I realize that that is the spirit helping people receive the message that we are bringing them. It was a good lesson and we look forward to coming back to share more with her.

Those are our two exciting first lessons this week. We also continue volunteering at the summer camp. Evelyn, the lady who gave us her contact info. from the summer camp let us set a cita with her...but not until July 10. Which is a little ridiculous, but still a cita. And she gave her info to us without us asking, so we're still excited for her. And (in other exciting news from the summer camp), one of the parents came to church yesterday! The lady in charge of the summer camp is the wife of the Branch President and she invited him to church. He said he would come, but then she remembered that we had District Conference in Arecibo (like stake conference). They went to the church building on Sunday morning and he was there waiting to go in, and he came all the way to Arecibo to attend church there. It was really cool! I was really surprised when we saw him there, because they told us someone new was coming to church, but we didn't think he would come all the way up to Arecibo. But, he also gave us his contact information yesterday. It is exciting to see the work moving forward a bit, after weeks of hard work and obedience.

Funny story of the week? We were going to visit a member on Saturday and she lives at the top of a mountain and you literally have to hike to her house (I'll include a photo...I'm not joking here). On the way up, we ran into the son and nephew of a less-active member and we chatted for a bit. I asked the nephew if he liked his new house (because they had just moved). He looked at me and said, "I don't speak English." I kind of laughed a little bit and then asked him again, and he got this frustrated look and said, "It's just that I don't understand English! Speak to me in Spanish!" Haha. It cracked us up. He finally understood what I was saying and replied that he did in fact, like his new house.

I am still reading the Book of Mormon. I like the really powerful phrases that stick out when you're reading it fast. Some of the phrases I loved that I read this morning were "...wisdom of the Nephites in preparing their places of security."; "...been a weak place, had now by the means of Moroni, become strong..."; "...they went out of the world rejoicing..."; and "...true believers in Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ." I am reading the war chapters and really love them (this morning I read Alma 46-49). It's not that I love death and bloodshed, I just feel like they are so applicable to us in our times. It is so apparent who is good and who is bad and it is easy to apply tactics of the good people to our lives, in order to combat the bad forces in our lives. I really love the Book of Mormon. I just love it.

This Wednesday we had a transfer meeting, and it was an interesting day because it was the last meeting the Martineau's had with the entire mission. I think they are leaving Puerto Rico today or tomorrow. It is really weird to think of being a missionary without them, but we're also really excited for the new mission president and his family. The Martineau's had some really nice talks and they taught us a lot of last-minute things. Hermana Martineau gave us "motherly advice" that I really liked. I'll just summarize here. Remember that... (she started with each one):

1. There are two kinds of pain; the pain of discipline and the pain of regret.
2. There are lots of distractions in life, and a distraction doesn't need to be evil to be effective.
3. "Not shrinking is more important than survival." Neal A. Maxwell.
4. With God we can do anything. He will magnify our righteous actions and provide us with endless energy (Hermana Martineau is full of energy).
5. The Lord makes us promises and then fulfills them through the people around us.

Oh. I loved it. I learned so much from her advice and what she had to say about each one. President Martineau also shared with us advice he gives to every returning missionary. On how to keep the spirit in our lives daily, with the goal of receiving revelation daily. That is something he has really been focusing on lately (the purpose of life is receiving personal revelation that changes you), and he said that the most important lesson he learned while serving here (and also the most important thing we can learn in this life) is to follow the promptings of the spirit.

1. Pray daily. And always be praying for others, because that means you are still a missionary; still helping others find the path to our Heavenly Father.
2. Study the scriptures for one hour daily.
3. Write in your journal daily. That one surprised me to be number 3, but it is because it is like your own personal scripture, because you are recording spiritual experiences that will help strengthen you and others in the future. He talked about Nephi and how he kept his journal and you can see the strength he gained from that in 2 Nephi 4. It was cool.
4. Understand and apply the doctrine of the sacrament. Also cool...something we've been talking about a lot lately.
5. Go to the temple as often as possible, because we learn about God's plan for His children there, and we can learn about His personal plan for us.

Wow! I just love them. I can't even explain all the things I learned from them on Wednesday nor in the months that I've been here with them. They are just spiritual giants and wonderful examples for all of us. I'm sorry I didn't really expound on any of the points very much, but we're short on time. I'm just so happy I had the chance to meet them and learn from their example and from their words.

Also, my trainer, Hermana Lopez went home. Which is really weird as well! I remember that we just celebrated her one year birthday in the mission, and she is already at home with her family now. Things are changing! It is something you just have to learn to deal with in the mission, because just when you feel like you're happy and content with where you are and how things run and how you feel, they change it on you. And not necessarily on purpose...it just happens. People grow old (in the mission) and die (from their missions :) ), and you just have to learn to deal with it. The mission is kind of cool because it is like a microcosm of life. People are born; people grow old, mature and learn and grow; people work hard and "have kids" of their own (train other missionaries), and help them learn and grow; and people die. It is kind of cool, but sad for all of us, at the same time, because we have to stay here after they've left us. Just like in life, some people leave before the rest of their family, and the rest of the family has to stay on earth and keep working. But is it bad to stay and work? No! Is it bad to leave and go home? No! We are just progressing through life, like normal humans, be it through the mission or through "real life." I really like to think of it like that. So, it is sad to see parents die (both trainers (your mission "mom"), mission presidents (your mission parents), and real-life parents), but they are all on to bigger and better things! They've completed their duties here on earth or in the mission and are moving on to continue progressing in this grand plan that Heavenly Father has for all of us.

I love you!
j

Dear Family,

Love and kisses to all. I love you so much and loved hearing from you this week. It sounds like you're all having buckets of fun, what with babies, cousin visits, housing changes (and renovations), and trips to see the "very touristy Primary children's". I really do love hearing about all your goings-on and look forward to hearing about "your trip across the world" too.

This week in Utuado was a good one (what's new?...I'm a missionary. It is going to be good every week). The wonderful-ness started out on Monday after we did e-mail. We made our way over to the grocery store to go food shopping. You know how I told you it was a small town? Well, it was just more apparent than ever, because we kept running into people we knew in the grocery store. A guy that we had talked to while knocking doors, the lady that owns the restaurant, her husband, a less-active, a little girl at the summer camp we go to, her mom. There were just lots of people we knew, and it was rather exciting. Exciting thing? We invited the mom of the little girl to learn more about the gospel and she didn't seem that interested. However, on Wednesday, she came to get her kid while we were singing with the kids and slipped us her phone number. It was kind of cool. It is exciting to see that little things (singing primary songs with kids in a summer camp) can bring about big things. We still haven't called her, but we hope to stop by this week. Also, in other news from the summer camp, we were knocking doors one day and a lady came out and said that when we called her son was like, "Um. Mom? Our music teachers from Summer Camp are outside." Haha. It cracked me up. He is one of the only kids we know by name, because he isn't so well behaved. :) But, he was so shy with his mom there! It was funny for us, but probably really awkward for him. She wasn't interested either, but it is nice that people can see we help in the community, and a really good way for them to at least listen to see what our message is about. Maybe they had talked to missionaries before, but they never really listened to them. But, when they can see that we are there helping their children, maybe they are more ready to at least listen to what we have to say. I'm excited to call the mom of the little girl to talk to her.

The brother of a recent convert came to church this week, which is really cool. I think they have been inviting him for a while (the recent convert couple), so it is cool he finally came. I am excited to see what he thought. We talked to him during church, and he seemed to be happy, but I want to hear what he really had to say about the experience when we go and visit Jr. and Evelyn this week (the recent converts). He has a young son and a young daughter. He didn't come with the daughter, but his son and the son of another recent convert family really hit it off and were having lots of fun together. That is good...kids can be a great influence on their parents to get them to come to church. I like it when members do missionary work! It is the best way to invite people to come unto Christ and to help people accept the message of the restoration.

In district meeting on Tuesday we had a treasure hunt, where the clues were scriptures (District meeting was about searching the scriptures. So, we had to read a scripture and then guess where the next clue was hidden.). Guess who was awesome at it? Me! And you want to know why? All those years growing up of practicing treasure hunts every single birthday. So, it turns out some skills you never thought would be useful do come in handy. It was fun and actually a really good activity.

We taught Carlos this week the Word of Wisdom. He seemed to agree with everything as we were teaching it and seemed to really like the lesson. He was (as always) sharing scriptures from the Bible that he thought were applicable. Scriptures about obedience and blessings and bodies being temples. It was a good lesson. At the end when we committed him to live the Word of Wisdom, he said he's already been living it, "Ever since I found God." Meaning, ever since he changed from his "life on the street" as he puts it, to a life with God in it. It was a good lesson, and cool to see that he wasn't going to have a problem with the Word of Wisdom. We were a little worried about coffee, but he said he doesn't drink coffee. So he's good.

We had a cool contact this week. His name was Felipe. He had lived in New Jersey for a while and was really friendly. When we told him we were mormons, he said, "Oh. There are a lot of you in Lancaster, PA, right?" "Um....no." I reply, "I think you have us confused with the Amish." "Oh...You're right." Says he. Yeah. That was funny. And then I had to try to explain what the Amish are to my companion. Haha. Nuns one week and Amish the next. :)

We had a lesson with someone named Salvador (which is Savior in Spanish). He is really cool. We met him while walking around one day and he seemed interested and accepted an appointment. When we finally figured out where he lived, we shared the message of the restoration with him. He liked it. He read the pamphlet that we left him when we first met him on the street. "But only once," he told us. We were pretty excited he had read it. He knows the Bible well and was talking about a lot of prophets from the Bible, which always excites us. He knew what a prophet was (which is not as common as you'd think) and believed that God could call another prophet and reveal new scriptures. It was a great lesson. And then at the end, he offered us water, and came out with cake and ice cream! Yum! Basically, long story short, we are definitely going back. :) But not just for the cake and ice cream...it was a good lesson, because lots of times people have really weak answers to your questions, but you could tell that he was actually thinking about the questions and trying to understand the message. I'm excited for him. An interesting thing about him is that his wife died in a fairly tragic accident. He is an older man, and apparently his grandson has some mental problems and

Those are the exciting things going on this week. I know we don't have a lot of exciting missionary missionary stories, but we are still working hard (I promise!), this area is just a lot different than the other one I was in.

Love,
Hermana Miller