Thursday, January 30, 2014 - photos

 My companion and I proselyting!

 Me and Hermana Mendoza! She's my favourite!!

  My district!!!!  Seriously we're like bffs here!  I love them!

 Elder's Gamero and Crandall

 The Hermanas when we were out proselyting!  That's what best friends look like!!

 There are Alfajores, my absolute most favorite thing in the entire world hahahaha, they're so delicious!!

Awkward missionary pic with the Elder's.  That's Elder Crandall and our district leader, Elder Gamero. He's from Washington and speaks both English and Spanish.  Cool guy.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Hey hey hey hey!!!!!!!

 

What is up!!!!!?????

 

Can you guys believe that I've been out here for a month in like 2 days. I can't. It blows my mind. Makes me kinda happy though haha I hope the next 17 months go that fast. jk jk. I say that now but I'm sure I won't when it comes time to leave Argentina and head home. But ya it has gone by so fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

So today we get like 51 new missionaries! It has just been 21 of us for the past 2 days and it's so boss. I'm bffs with everyone here. Now we'll have some new North Americans, more competition. Haha jk but not really. There is another Hermana Miller, so that's weird. 

 

So proselyting on Saturday was so bombb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let me tell you about it! I got a contact!!! Yep that's right. haha So that day all the sisters met up and we ate lunch together in this ghetto park and stuff, but it was so fun. I seriously love the sisters here and I'm gonna miss them more than life! We walked around and got some ice cream. The ice cream here is so delicious. Then as we were walking we passed an auto place and the workers started asking us questions and I was so frustrated that I couldn't understand, so I was just laughing it off. But then my companion took control and was showing them pamphlets and asking them questions.  So I stopped laughing and was trying to communicate as well. We ended up giving them some pamphlets and stuff, but when we left I was so mad at myself because I felt like an awful missionary. I was totally beating myself up because I should have taken it more seriously. So I said a prayer and asked to be able to have a missionary experience. I was so set on getting a contact. So were walking around and there was 6 of us sisters together and 3 of them stopped and started talking to a guy which made me more mad cause I'm like freak if they can do it so can I. So the other 3 of us turn the corner and there was a man sitting on the ground smoking.  I'm saying to myself, he's the one. So we walk up to him and say Hola cómo estás (Hello, how are you). I got too scared and kept walking, but then I turned around went up to him and said somos misioneras (We're missionaries). He jumped off the ground and said "Mormons"?  Si! Si! I was so stoked that he knew our religion. He was so happy, like kissing our cheeks and stuff. Which I'm sure isn't allowed in the missionary handbook, but he was so happy. I introduced the BOM and asked him if he was willing to read it. He said he was and so I gave him the book.  He was so shocked. It was cool. Just the feeling of actually doing missionary work brought so much happiness to me. I seriously was on cloud 9. So happy. Then I asked if he wanted to meet with the missionaries, and he said yes. So we got his name and his address. I was so happy that Heavenly Father allowed me the opportunity to do missionary work. I was so happy. I actually felt like a missionary. That night one of the sister missionaries who was with me said I spoke like perfect spanish. I didn't even notice. But I actually spoke to him in spanish and understood what he was saying. It was seriously amazing. I can't even explain how happy I was.

 

Also our ips this week were so awesome! We've been teaching 2 investigators. We've had so much trouble reaching out to them and having them feel the Spirit. We've asked them both if they want to be baptized, but they don't feel ready. So Hermana Cowley and I really needed to find a way to get them to feel the spirit. Through much prayer and scripture study we were able to reach out to them both. We had a testimony meeting with one of the investigators and taught her what a testimony is and if she would be willing to bear hers after we did. (ips are all in Spanish so super challenging). So I bore my testimony about everything we've taught her and talked about my appreciation for her and told her how much I loved her. So did Hermana Cowley and when she bore her testimony, there was seriously tears in my eyes. To see someone you've been teaching so diligently actually start to believe the things you teach are true. Wow, it was amazing. The Spirit was so strong. Then we asked her if she would be baptized and she said yes. You can't imagine how happy we were! With the other investigator he questioned why God has so many churches. If God was real, he should only have one. So we kinda summed up the restoration lesson and compared his question to Joseph Smith's question. It was amazing. I have memorized the first vision in Spanish so I quoted that in the lesson and you just saw his face change. He went from like yawning and not being to interested to like full on concern. I knew he felt the Spirit, his eyes focused in on the pictures we were showing him and I just knew that we reached him! It is amazing. He also committed to baptism.  I love missionary work. I can't wait to teach real investigators and have them feel the Spirit and have a desire to want this Gospel. It's awesome to have answers to your prayers and know that Heavenly Father does hear and answer you!!!

 

I'm doing really good out here. I think I'm gaining weight though. So that's fun! Haha, not. I hate it. Hermana Seemann and I, she's from Polson, MT we're like bffffs. I love her! We attempted to work out. Doing push ups and sit ups and stuff. But I've now come to just accept it. Haha jk, it's not as bad as I make it sound, but you do eat tons and then just sit in a desk for 8 hours. hahaha

 

The Spanish is coming along now. I actually feel like I'm getting somewhere. Oh, we taught another investigator last night, and Hermana Cowley asked me to be the senior companion for this one. Which really made me nervous, because in a lot of the lessons she does most of the talking. But for this lesson I took control and I was so proud of myself. Seriously, I did it ALL in Spanish. Well maybe not all but more than I've ever done! It was amazing! I'm so thankful for the spiritual experiences I was blessed with this week!!!! =))))

 

I love this Gospel and I know it is true more than anything. I love it. I love going to the temple here. I did in Spanish this time and was shocked at how much I was able to pick up on. The temple. Wow. Like wow. I love it. I love so many things right now but you guys should go to the temple as much as you can! Do it once a month like you did a couple years ago. Or twice a month, or even once a week hahaha I love it! Go for me because I only have one more time to go =(

 

I miss you guys back home! I hope everything is going well back in maggytown! Sending my love and kissing you all! xoxoxoxoxo

Love KENZ!!!!!!!!!!!

I miss being called Kenz btw.

 

xoxoxoxoxXOXOXOXXXXX

Thursday, January 23, 2014

HOLA FAMIILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Man I can't believe it's been a week already! Seriously feels like I just e-mailed you guys! This week was good! Started off really rough though. Pday has its ups and downs because you're so stoked for like the one hour you get to e-mail. Then the rest of the day is like poopy cause you get so sad, but I do love pdays. Going to the temple is like the highlight of my week and I did it in english today which was amazing. I was going mental when we had to listen to it in spanish, because they put us in rooms where it didn't have the English translation, but today we did! It was so good, I was like oh ya that's what that is. Haha I actually understood and the workers there are amazing. A couple there is from Mesa, Arizona and she's Cheryl Harker's aunt! So that was cool! She's a sweetheart! And the cute old ladies that speak no English, one got so happy when she saw me walk in! Gave me the biggest wave it was so cute! And all the other sisters are like amazing. You greet them by hugging and kissing on the cheek. It's so fun! lol

Call me crazy but I miss the snow! Like a lot! I was outside during my physical activity yesterday and seriously my whole shirt was wet from sweat. K, not really but like so sweaty. Anyway, it's really hot. The computer lab doesn't have air conditioning and I'm dying just typing this e-mail.

I got grandma and grandpas letter on the 18th! So it was 10 days after they had sent it! I was so shocked at how quickly it got to me! I love getting letters!! Seriously makes my life! I've gotten 3! Tyler sent me one! It was the best! It was 3 pages and I was like you're my favourite! It's cool how much we have in common being in the same city. It blows my mind!!!! Karl also sent me one in December. I got it my first week I was here! Definitely helped a ton! So feel free to send me letters everyday of your life! Haha but actually!

I love my roommates they're sweethearts! One is actually from Neuquén and she asked me to mail a letter to her family and another is from Peru. We try to communicate and I try to have the patience to learn and she teaches me when I pronounce things wrong! It's good! So the past few days have been some of the best few days, just because I decided I needed to change my attitude. I seriously have felt the blessings from making the change!

Yesterday was awesome! Our new mission president got here!!! I love them! They're like so nice! Total sweethearts! They had to have an emergency landing in Uruguay because there was this crazy storm yesterday. Man when it rains here it rains, like tons! But the storm ripped off the front of one wing and blew it into the engine! Like bad right. So they had an emergency landing and got here yesterday morning. They were meant to get here! The blessing that they received to be safe. Like wow. I love them!!  There will be 14 new North Americans coming in next Thursday! Man are they in for a treat! Haha I'm excited to meet them. But I remember my first day being here. Travelling by myself and a group of like 16 had all come together and I legit was terrified. I wanted to go home so bad within like the first 2 hours of just being here.

I love it here though. Sometimes. Haha.  Laundry mom isn't that bad. You wash your whites then you wash your darks. 2 loads. And you wash it with your companion and you get your whites mixed up because you wear the same size and the same kind haha but were figuring it out. Also you have to wash the whites in mesh bags or else the washer will tear them up. It's crazy and no you don't have to buy the soap. They just have it on the wall. Idk how to explain it maybe I'll send you a pic or something. Its' super simple. haha idk if I've ever had so many clean clothes at once ;) jk jk jk I love you. But I do miss the smell of my laundry a lot! Like a lot!

I miss you all! I really am learning. It's hard but I'm grateful for it and the experience. Language sucks. I feel like I'm not learning anything, but it'll take time. I love you all so much and miss the crap out of you!

love love love!!!!!!

love hermana miller!

p.s. Can you mail me some more pictures!  Love you guys to the moon and back! Thanks for your e-mails! I print them off and read them all the time! Even if I don't reply to most of the e-mails, like from others, I do read them and I love them! Thank you everyone! te amo!!!

Thursday, January 16, 2014 - photos

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Hey family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Man has this week ever been better!!!! I seriously have had the best 4 days here. The CCM is nuts! I feel like I'm at an EFY on steroids, except you can't have a ''cow'' and you can't chew gum. The no gum kills me but it's offensive to the people here in Argentina, so you can't chew it and I LOVE GUM! 

 

So I will start with the food because it's actually so delicious here and I'm gonna get fat.  We had tacos one night and it was delicious. They serve the biggest helpings here and not only did I eat mine but two other girls rice and another half a taco. I was feeling like Christmas dinner fat. It was such a burden but I wasn't upset about it. Lol ohhhh man though like my body is definitely struggling with eating 2 big meals of meat a day. I've been trying to adjust my diet and exercise more, because I have to go to the bathroom all the time.  I'm better now but it was bad. I feel like Matt Alston on holidays. Also for breakfast they have the chocolate ball cereal the boys always eat and I think of the boys EVERY morning.  Also juice is a staple here. You have it for like every meal.

 

The language is a struggle. A big one. I feel like a retard in my class. Haha but I have been studying myself and really putting in the effort to learn it and I can see the progress I've been having.

 

We went out proselyting yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! holy freaking crap. That was an adventure. They take all the Americans and seriously drop you off in the middle of nowhere and let you at it.  It was so crazy.  I loved it though.  Everyone was freaking out. Like, oh my gosh I'm gonna get robbed, and this is so scary, and so poor. What if a dog attacks me and ew it's so dirty, look at the garbage.  I'm like oh my gosh, shut up.  It was beautiful and the people are SOOO nice here. We had a great time proselyting. We actually ended up getting 2 contacts! So the missionaries in that area are going to go back to see them. Also we got so many double glances and kisses blown and they whistle the weird way like you said dad. They like whistle to get your attention and say something I didn't understand. We just didn't look when they would whistle. Oh and people would greet us, Hola greenga. I'm like waaaaa that's rude. Also when you greet people here you kiss cheeks. Ya that happened. I was like so confused at first. Haha hopefully Hermanas can do that... haha!

 

Our roomies are gone. It was sooooooo sad! I cried a little. We really became like best friends and I love them to death. Hermana Neves was one of my favorites and she's going to Neuquén so we hope we will be companions. She's like I'll wait for you. I love her.  Hermana Ledesma is awesome. I'm hoping to attach some pictures for you guys. But we were seriously so tight. The last night they were here Ledesma had a shower at like 11:30 and the power went out. We were supposed to be in bed like an hour ago but they never follow that rule. So I had to go in the bathroom and hold the flashlight for her until she finished. hahahahahaha 

 

We got one new roommate last night, she's also from Lima, Peru. Man it was so sweet talking to her last night. Or trying to talk to her with the little spanish I know. But she'd say something that I'd like catch onto and I was stoked.  The new Latinos just got here today. Not all of them, but a lot speak English as well which is like totally awesome. Like so awesome. Hopefully they're chill because I seriously loved the group before. Like 3 latino groups will come in and leave before we're even out of here.

 

The beds here are single bunk beds which I don't like, I just miss my queen bed. Also our air conditioning broke so it's like the worst thing ever. Our closet is like a little locker with 3 drawers and like 5 hangers that we live out of. It's a struggle, but mom you'd be so proud of me. I keep it so clean and organized.

 

We get a new mission president on Tuesday! The Openshaw's are done. They're sweethearts. President Openshaw is the most brilliant person I know. Ask him a question and he knows straight up the scripture for it. It's amazing. They really are amazing people and I love them.

 

Well ya that's my life. It's crazy here. Super hot! Like so hot. But so nice because I love the heat. I've been checking the weather in Maggytown on the computer here. It looks like it's been nice, but then you all say there was a snowstorm. Haha that's so crazy! I miss Maggytown and everyone in it.

 

Oh get this. I read 1st Nephi in 2 days. I really wanna finish the BOM before I leave the CCM. We'll see if it happens. So I have to read like 18 pages a day. Past 2 days = success. Wish me luck. It's amazing reading the BOM. To think Joseph Smith translated it from the golden plates is NUTS! The BOM is amazing! I challenge you all to apply it to your lives and study it daily. Weird missionary coming out in me, lol. But seriously you guys! Pray as a family every night, and read the scriptures! Try it just for one week, and let me know if you have seen a change in your lives because you really will. The church is true. I love it. I'm so grateful to have this opportunity to serve.

 

love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xoxoxoxo

Love Hermana Miller

 

p.s.  I'm totally forgetting a whole bunch of stuff I wanted to write, but I'll remember next week. The weeks go by pretty fast, but the days feel so long. It's true, so weird. Hopefully I can send some pics! Love you! Miss you guys to the moon and back! xoxoxo

Thursday, January 9, 2014

hey everyone!!!!

 

This is crazy. I cannot believe I've been out here for a week already. Also excuse my terrible spelling. I can't find the capitalizing button or the apostrophe haha so bear with me. I told my mom to edit this before posting.

 

The CCM (MTC) is awesome. The food is so delicious. A lot of the Hermanas complain about it because it's SOOO much meat. But I eat like all the food. Like all of it and its a lot lot lot of food!!!! Like a lot. One day we got 2 pieces of pork the size of our palms and then they asked if we wanted a sausage too. That's our food, a plate of meat. But then there is a salad bar, but I don't like it a whole lot cause the salad dressing is really gross. All the vegetables are cold and there's no butter. The Latinos here put lemon juice and oil on everything. There's containers of that on every table. Haven't tried it yet. It's weird.

 

My companion is sweet! She's from Utah! Really, really nice! I have 5 roomates including my companion and the other 4 are Latinos. straight up! It's crazy. We could not communicate for like the first 2 days at all. You should have seen them trying to explain they were gonna set the alarm for 5:30. It was humiliating. They were like hitting their heads with their water bottles and like shaking the alarm and making a ring noise. hahhahahaha terrible. buttttt I love them to bits. We can communicate now and it's awesome.  I never thought I would care so much for people in the CCM. I love them. We're crazy. Even though we can't communicate a whole lot. We sure have a way of showing we love each other. 2 are from Lima, Peru and I told them mi padre served a mission in Lima, Peru. haha but the one knows english pretty good! So we can communicate well. The other 2 are from Brazil and they're adorable. We get along so well. Not kidding. I'll miss them. All the Latinos leave on Tuesday which will be sad. I love the Latinos. I'm really warming up to them. Every physical activity I'm out there playing futbol (soccer) or basketball. They're like so shocked that I play. It's fun.

 

What else. I traveled on the plane by myself which was kinda nice because I had 2 seats to myself. So I just sprawled out and legit slept from like 10 or 11 till 7. It was awesome. Like straight through breakfast. There was like 16 missionaries that all travelled together from Georgia or something. So I was the lone wolf. It was scary getting off the plane. The lady asked, how long is your vacation and I'm like a year and a half?? I didn't think she would let me in. It was terrifying.

 

It's sooooo hot here. We get to wear jeans today and it's so weird. I'm like what are these, lol. Skirts and dresses are so annoying after a while. And the classes holyyyyy, I want to die sometimes. hahahaha They're so long and so hard to follow because legit the teachers speak in spanish. I'm so immersed in spanish its actually crazy. I'm learning fast though! I mean I can have a conversation with a lot of Latinos now. I can bear my testimony in spanish kinda and pray in spanish. Like the basics you know. But teaching the lessons are so difficult hahahahahahaha it's nuts. They want it in spanish and I can barely do it in english. I'm like dying. lol It's terrible but my companion is really good at following up and attempting to do well!!!

 

I wanted to share an amazing experience quick. Like amazing. We went to the temple this morning at like 8 am. Crazy and not gonna lie I had trouble staying awake for the session. And it was in spanish which was also fustrating, but I've never had a more amazing experience than when I got into the celestial room. Most beautiful room I can ever imagine. As I sat in the room I felt Jordens presence so strong. I felt like she was standing right beside me. I just bawled in the room. I knew that she was there. And it was exactly what I needed today because I have been feeling so lonely and sad and to know that she was there for me was amazing. Like amazing. I can't even explain how amazing it was. I didn't see her or anything but I knew that she was there and I knew that she loved me and was there for me. The Lord definitely knew that was what I needed today. And I'm so grateful I got to experience that. I'm bawling at the computer as I type. But it was incredible. I truly love her and am so grateful she could show that love to me especially after such a tough week.

 

I love you all and pray for you! I hope everyone is doing good back home!!!!! SHOUT OUT TO JAYMI!!! HOPE YOU HAD AN AMAZING BIRTHDAY!!! AND I'M SO HAPPY YOU WENT TO YOUNG WOMENS CAMP!!! Shout OUT TO GMA MILLER BECAUSE MASTER KEY HAS BEEN MY BEST FRIEND. I probably have 60 bite marks on each of my arms. From like my shoulder to my finger tips and some on my face.  We thought they were mosquitos but the worker here said it was flees :/ (awkward face) . Also I jammed my finger playing ball so thanks again to master key. And my ears are like infected. So ya master key again. And now basically the bites are gone and my companions bites are massive and swollen. So it works, master key is my bff. Also Keat you'd be proud of how much ball I'm playing. I'll be a pro when I get home. I hope Dray is treating my room well. And I hope Quin and Bry are being good boys to mom. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!! TE AMO!!!

 

LOVE KENZIE (HERMANA MILLER) =)

Thursday, January 2, 2014

HEY FAMILIA!!!

 

I made it here safe and sound. My flight landed here at about noon. Im so excited to be here. its crazy. i miss you guys, but i know this is where im supposed to be. its cool to think tyler sat in the same rooms. and on the plane im like tyler is down there somewhere. the teachers are cool. and one is hot. lol but anyway im off. love you all. also dont sent packages to the ccm. i know you wont but were supposed to say that. alright love love. kiss hug. xoxo

 

Love Hermana Miller