February 1, 2010

Howdy Hey Hey,

Okay, so just to start this off, let's just say, what a crazy week. I can say it has been one of the weirdest weeks of the mission. Let's see what happened.

Well on top of the normal crazy like trio things, well first on a good note we got a super sweet new investigator this week, her name is Norma, she is a member ref and I would be willing to bet she is going to be baptized in the next few weeks. She is so amazing and so ready. We got things going better with Otto and Steffy's Mom, we are having the Sister missionaries helping with her. She seems to like them, we will see how it goes. So we had a pretty good week as far as missionary work goes.

Okay, first off, we moved. It took a long time, becaseu well we had to leave the old pad completely empty you know, so there wasn't much missionary work going on, we just moved.

Okay side note on the moving thing. Part of the moving we had to put some stuff into storage, and well, our storage is in Manhattan. So I got to go to Manhattan last week. It was pretty cool. The storage is i na church, and the church was really pretty. But yeah, so I drove over the Queens Boro Bridge, drove past the Metro Museum of Art, and stuff like that. Not too much though, because it was mostly go and come back. But it was fun.

Ok, our new pad, it is horrible. There is room for maybe 2 people to live in there, and, well, there are 5 of us. So it is very cramped. And this is what tops it off, we found out that we are moving again this week probably, that this is just putting us here temperarily, so on top of no room, we are leaving out of our suitcases, so that is fun. We also have what has become known as our "superbed" because there is not enough floor space for much, so all of our mattresses are like right next to each other, because we don't have out bedframes, because we aren't goign to move them in, just to move them out. So the whole moving thing is still in works, and it is not very fun.

Ok, so for the last of the crazy stories, on Sunday we were studying in our pad, and we don't have desks because of the moving situation, but Elder Call was sitting in a like computer chair with wheels, and he was leaning on it, and then he shifted his weight, and the wheels popped out from underneath him, and he fell backwards and hit his head on the corner of a wall. Well, long story short, he starts bleading everywhere, like a lot, and we clean in up, wrap his head, call the office elders, they come and get us, we go to the emergency room, and they do there stuff, and now Elder Call has 4 staples int he back of his head. And then on top of that, we went to church a couple hours later. Crazy, huh? He is goign to be fine, we just have to go back in like 10 days and have them taken out. Same situation as when I had mine. HIs cut was like really deep though. It was carzy, I didn't 'think it was too deap, but hten they cleaned it out before stapling it, and it surprised me.

Ok, so last thing. We have this excommunicated member that we have been asked to work with, and we have been for a long time, and I have grown really close to him, he is from Guatemala, anyways, he found out yesterday that he is all ready to go, get baptized whenever he watns. I am so excited. he is just going to find out when his wife can fly out and he will get batpized. I am stoked.

So that is my crazy life.

Well I think that is it, and I better get going. I love you all so much.

Later.

-Elder Miller

January 25, 2009

Hey Howdy,

So my week has finally gone by with my two companions. So far it is going pretty well.

The living arrrangements are pretty interesting, because there is a rule that you have to sleep in the same room as your companion, and as such, we have 3, so right now we have 3 of us in one room, and just a matress on the floor, that has to be picked up during the day to get out of hte way, because, well, it takes the whole floor room. Also, we are planning on moving pads, because the lease is up on this one, and they are having hard times with the landlord, she is getting old, and demanding crazy things. So we should be moving this week. It has been interesting with 2 new people in the pad, knowing they would only be there for about 10 days, so they have been out of there bags since they have been in, so that has been weird.

The insulin worked out fine, so that is good. I got 2 vials. I don't know when I am supposed to pick up the other ones or anything, just let me know. I used my debit card, it worked well. So yeah, that is how it is going as far as insulin is going.

I am glad that you enjoyed the picture. They both got confirmed yesterday. It was super cool. Matilde is going to be an awesome member. She is really excited about it. It is also very exciting to see how excited she is.

We got invited to the funeral because she was really into missionary work and such. I think I was the only one who hadn't met her also.

The weather has actually been alright. It is raining like crazy today, which is not fun, but it is what it is.

That is sad to hear about Ralph. I hope all works out well. He is a great guy.

Okay, so as far as the companions are going, I am liking them both pretty well. Elder Oaks is from Arizona and is pretty different from me, but a really nice guy who is willing to work. He is funny. Elder Call is from Kaysville, so basically our neighbor, he is really goofy, and like a said, the best piano player I have ever met. So it is going really well. I think they are both liking it a lot too. It is still weird that them added togetehr haven't been out as long as me. It makes me feel old in the mission. But everything is going well.

The work is going well. It is weird getting used to walking around and going to appointments with 3, but we are doing well, and the investigators are doing well.

So something kind of fun we havce been doing lately, our shower doesn't work, so for a while we have been showering with a cup. It is kind of interesting and I haven't felt very clean for a realyl long time. When we move though, it will be nice to get a good shower again, hopefully.

Well, it seems like I better get going soon. I love you very much, and I will talk to you next week.

-Elder Miller

January 18, 2009

Hey Mom,

So here is the deal, I already found out about what is happening for transfers. So here it is without delay. Elder Oliva is leaving. He is going to East New York, the most ghetto area in the mission. As for me I will be here in Rego Park for at least 6 more weeks. As far as my companion, well, that is the thing, let's say companions. Yep. I am going to be in a trio. My companions will be Elder Call and Elder Oaks. I have never met Elder Oaks, Elder Call is alright, and is the most amazing piano player I have ever met. But yeah, it should be interesting. I am really nervous, because, well I have never done a trio before, nor did I ever think I would. So I am not really sure how it is going to go, but I hope it goes well. I am just nervous like there will always be one of us left out. But hopefully not. I will let you know how it goes. Another stange thing is it is goign to be my 12th transfer, and I am pretty sure that both of them will be going into there 5th. So if you add both of them together it still won't be as much as mine. Strange, no?

Let's see, to answer your question, and I agree it is weird to talk about comign home, for the record it still feels like it is never coming for me, but I am not sure when I will be coming home. My "official" release date is August 18th I believe, but I don't think that that will be when it realyl happens. But nothing is positive yet. As far as my first feelings, I think I will be coming home a few weeks before that, and that you guys won't pick me up, I will just come up, and then like a month later or so we will go to visit. Those were just my first feelings though. I still have some prayers to do about it, and a final decision will be decided later on.

Well I have no idea where you originally sent the prescription for the insulin, so that could be a problem. Please let me know asap. If worse comes to worse please call the mission office. But please get stuff worked out asap, and let me know, because I won't make it very much longer, mabye a few days. I was planning on having it all good for today and getting some.

That baptism went well. It ended up being 2 people. Only one that counts as far as numbers go, but numbers don't matter to me, but anyones, the other one is a 8 1/2 year old of a part member family, that we have been workign with. So yeah, that was cool. But all went well, and the baptism went smoothly.

Something kind of interesting that I had to do this week, we went to a funeral for a lady in the ward. I had never met her. She was apparently a great person though. The missinoaries put on a littl emusical numebr. It went well.

Well it sounds liek everyone is doing well. That is always nice to hear. I have to get running, kind of short on time today, my companion has to pack. I love you all, and I will talk to you next week. Happy Birthday to you mom, while I remember, because I always forget those things, so better to do it now while i remember.

I'll try to include some picture.

I love you,

Elder Miller

January 11, 2010

Hey,

So that is really weird that people are talking about me coming home. I am pretty sure that it still feels like I have forever. So people thinking about me coming home makes me feel kind of weird, because it still feels like I am never coming home. But oh well. I'm sure it will be soon enough. But we will wait and see.

Alverson hasn't said anything.

Okay, so I got the package of the pods. But I haven't got the other one with the strips. I will probably go look today, at the office, and see if they have shown up. I'm sure they'll be in soon. I should be good on insulin for a little bit, if a big emergency happens, I will work it out. There isn't a train that goes to Lynbrook, trains don't go out in the island. But I am sure that whatever needs to happen could happen. Worst comes to worse I could even have the mission office call you. Anyways, just let me know what is up and it will all be good. I should be good on insulin though.

The cold is doing alright. I am ready for it to be done, but what can you do right? I am about ready for the cold to be over, but it won't be for a long time. So oh well.

Well, as far as things that are going around here. Transfers are coming up, so I will probably only have 1 more week with Elder Oliva, unless something crazy happens. It is just his time to leave. But you never know, right? Crazier things have happened. But I will find out this week, so my next email I will let you know.

Work is going well. We shoud be having at least one baptism this sunday, maybe more. And a couple more coming up in the next couple weeks. We have some good people right now. One is this lady named Matilde, she is so awesome. So she came to church last week, and afterward in our next appointment we met with her and she told us how much she enjoyed it, and she said Relief Society is what really put it over the top. That was so awesome, especially because I have had people say that they didn't like RS, due to drama. haha. But that is awesome. Then our next appintment she broke down and told us how excited she was and ready to change her life and get baptized. So that should be sick. She will be baptized on Sunday.

Everybody else is doing really good. We are still having struggles with Oto and Steffi's mom, so we could use some prayers for her.

So we had one super funny thing happened I thought I would let you know. I don't 'know if I told you this, I told Dad, but we have this member that has this taco stand that is like kind of in a bar, but kind of not, hard to explain, but anyways, if the bar isn't open and we are there, we go in the bar to eat, anyways, we were there teaching a lesson to this guy name Javier, and it went well, and he left, then we were just eating same gorditas, and then these other people came in, anways, they like asked us if they could use the bathroom and stuff, because they thought we were the owners of the bar. It was pretty funny. I guess that's what we get for wearing ties while in a bar.

Oh yeah, so Karen sent me this quilt that you guys apparently had started making while on the family reunion. It was super cool. like one of the best presents ever.

Well, I better get going. I love you all so much. Talk to you next week.

-Elder Miller

January 4, 2010

Hey,

Yep, officially 2010. Pretty crazy. The last of the 3 different years I will have been gone.

Our New Years Eve was pretty uneventful. We didn't end up getting anything to play, just kind of chilled, did some reading and stuff. Nothing crazy or fun. Just another day. It is kind of how they all are as a missionary I guess. But it was good. It is still crazy to think that it is 2010. But that is how it goes I guess.

As far as January being good for missionary work, despite new years resolutions and such, I think it is not very good for work. It is just too cold here and everyone just doesn't want to talk and such and just wants to be by themselves. But it is all good I guess.

That is cool that you got a letter from Elder Alverson. He is a really good guy. I am glad that he liked it.

Here is the info of what I think is the closest Rite Aid to me.

57-16 99th Street
Flushing, NY 11368
(718) 592-0738

It's really not in what is considered is Flushing, if you were wondering. Haha. It is just how addresses work out. It is really in Corona. But yeah, let me know. If you get anything done and I just need to pick things up, you can call the mission office and have them call me.

I think I have like 40 strips left, or less. So if I need some I will just go get some. But I will wait and see when I get the ones you are sending. As far as requests on treats for the package, I know this will sound weird, but maybe some more healthier stuff. I am just having about enough with eating junk food you know. I actually had my second throw up experience on the mission last night. Haha. I think it was just a combination of lots of really bad food. It was weird, I was sleepign, and I woke up at like 1, got up, went to the bathroom, threw up, and went right back to bed and was just fine. It was just like my body was like, um, I can't digest this, you have to get rid of it, sorry. Haha. But it was strange. I have been totally fine since then.

So as far as me, everything here is going pretty well. It has been freezing lately. And I mean freezing, like to the point that I thought I was just going to stop moving because I was going to turn into and icecycle. It was weird, the other day we were doing what is called a Street Sweep, where a bunch of misisonaries get togetehr and talk to as many people as possible on the street. Anyways, it was to the point that like my knees and elbows wouldn't bend anymore it was so cold. But other than the cold I think things are going really well. Last week we committed 4 people to be baptized int he next couple week. So that should be good. We also have a lot of other people that are really close. I hope things keep going well.


Well, I better get going. I love you all so much.

-Elder Miller

December 28, 2009

Hey Mom,

It was great to talk to all of you too. It really made my day. Christmas was pretty good. We ended up just eating with the family that we were at there house doing the calls. We just had some sandwiches and some hot chocolate. In the spanish culture, the 25th isn't a very big day. Everything is done on the 24th, so every was already done.

That is cool that Karl is already home, it is weird for everyone to be coming home.

It is nice to know that eveyone is doing well, and that everyone had a good Christmas. I'm sorry everyone was mad at you for hogging the phone. This may sound weird, but it is not that bad, because, well, I will be home pretty soon, so I can just talk to everyone. Haha. Maybe if it was like my first call, it might have been worse, but I only have 1 more now. Weird. Anyways.

Haha, no it was not offensive to be called an office elder. Some of them are pretty cool, the ones right now are alright. Office Elders have always been English, so that should never happen to me, the AP's have changes back and forth, I think they will be english for a while though.

The work is going alright. A lot of people are having a lot of struggles that we are workign through right not, but I hope they will all work out.

The coat for $30 was sweet. it was exactly what I wanted too. A pretty "cool" looking coat.

ON New Years eve we have a 6 at night curfew. We are trying to find a fun game or something that we can play that night. Staying in is always hard. I would rather be out working. BUt oh well, I don't want to get killed by a drunk driver either.


I Spaced off the Rite Aid things, sorry. I know I need strips pretty soon. I think i ahve like 70 left. But just give me one more week I guess. haha. Sorry again for spacing it.

Well, I will get going now. Sorry if the email is short or lame, but I jsut barely talked to all of you. Haha. I love you all so much. Until next week.

-Elder MIller

December 21, 2009

Hey,

Yep, Rego Park. I do absolutely no work out of the mission office. That is where I go to church on Sunday, but that is all I have to do with it. The only missionaries that do anything as far as "work" in the mission office are the Assistants to the President and 2 Elders that are fittingly called "Office Elders". And I am neither of those and so I don't do anything out of the mission office.

As far as packages go, so far I have recieved the 1 from Sandee, 1 from Kadee, and 1 from you that had a few things in it, including something from Heidee. So that is all I have recieved as of yet. So I guess I should be expecting 1 more. I haven't checked yet today, but I guess we will see. :)

Okay, as far as work goes, I guess I will just keep in brief. We are working really hard, and hopefully we see results from it. We should. You know how we have the time from 3-5 where we can go and get something to eat and take a little break, well, we haven't been taking that. We have been taking about 10 minutes to grab something to eat, and then going right back to work. It has been really good, and really really really tiring. It has been really hard. But really good at the same time. As far as the two Bolivian kids, they are doing really good. They want to get baptized, and are ready to. The older 19 year old one was interviewed last week, passed, and so can get baptized any time. But the mom now is very against it. I am not sure on all the details, but her mom, the grandma talked to her, and went on a "we are catholic" spill or something like that, and totally changed the mom's mind. So we are trying to deal with that right now. We can baptize the 19 year old, becuase past 18 you don't need anyone's permission, but under you need written permission from the parents. So we are going to wait on him and talk to the mom a lot, because we are worried if we go ahead and baptize the son while she is mad, then it will ruin all chanced for the younger sister until she is 18, which would be like 6 years. So it is a hard situation. But we are working on it.

We also have several other people we are workign with. Some really cool really good people. They all have their own personal obsticals that they are trying to get over. It is really hard when you start to try to tak on others problems and all. I love being a missionary, dont' get me wrong, but it will be nice when the day comes that I just have to worry about my own problems. A lot less stress on my back. :)

Okay, so total side note, but I went and got a new coat last monday, and I got a killer deal. I only ended up spending like $30 because it was on like triple clearance.

As far as the weather in NY, it is never clear. It is New York, haha. I like to call the sky in New York a New York Grey. It is pretty nasty most of the time. But you get used to it.

Okay, I haven't checked on the pharmacies yet, I will. I will try to get that done, and then I can just tell you on Christmas. I will also get counts on how much of everything I have, so I can tell you all of that on Christmas too.

We are not going to have a "party" but we are going to have a mission conference on the 24th, so that will be cool. Well maybe, sometime conferences are really boring, but we will see how it goes. I hope it is good.

Well, I probably have more to tell you, but I will just talk to you about it all in a couple days.

I love you.

-Elder Miller