Monday, June 8, 2015

Hey family, 

Wow my last letter. That just blows my mind. I can't believe it. I wish it wasn't real. 

To be honest, I'm going to be super duper sad to leave, not only Argentina, but the mission. I've enjoyed every single second here (even the hard ones). I've seen many people change their lives and accept the gospel. I've seen people choose to follow Christ and be baptized, I've seen inactive members who thought there wasn't another chance for them become active, accept a calling, prepare for the temple, and have their children baptized. I love relating my mission to the mission of the Sons of Mosiah found in Alma 26, where they are teaching the Lamanites. I'm sure my mission isn't near as hard as theirs, but this chapter has always helped me when I felt like I couldn't do it anymore. I've thought if the best missionaries in the BOM had troubles, were rejected and wanted to turn back then I can do it. (Alma 26:27). 

I know I'm not a perfect missionary but I've done all I can in being the best. With the Lord and his never ending atonement, I was able to perfect myself in him. I found a quote once, I don't remember, but it was something like we can never fail if we are on the Lords side and it's so true. (Alma 26:12)   12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

I remember before my mission I didn't even know what the gospel was. I remember trying to explain it to someone and was so dorky ummm we believe in God, and Jesus, and the Holy Ghost, but they're all different beings. Just nada que ver. Haha I was super nervous and didn't even know about the whole restoration. I knew about Joseph Smith and that he saw God and Jesus, but I would never have been able to explain it back in that moment. I never was one to be super strong in the gospel, and read my scriptures everyday, study, pray, fast. It rarely crossed my mind, but being out here in the mission I have learned soo much of who I am and who I want to be. I've learnt the doctrine and the importance of this gospel that I didn't even know or understand before. I love this gospel, I love how this gospel has changed me, and changed the lives of the people here in Argentina. 

Thanks to everyone who has supported me and helped me keep on going. I'm so grateful for my mission here in the patagonia and more than nothing I'm so grateful for this gospel. Like I say the mission never changed me, but the gospel has. I love it. 

Anyway, sieguen en el evangelio porque es el único camino para llegar a la vida eterna. Les quiero mucho. Se que dios vive y que es nuestro padre celestial. Se que Jesucristo es nuestra salvador que expió por nosotros. Amo el evangelio, amo mi salvador. Amo mi misión y lo que aprendí acá.  

I love ya, 

Hermana Miller

Hermana Miller didn't send any pictures this week so I got these from the blog that her mission presidents wife does.  These are from her last leadership council.

Monday, June 1, 2015

Hey fam jam!

Well let me tell you this week was the best week ever! Seriously I'm LOVING Neuquén! I love my area, my companion, my district, and my zone. I've never had such an amazing uplifting experience. Maybe it's because I'm leaving soon, but I don't think so. I'm honestly just loving the mission more than I ever have before. Which maybe isn't to good because it'll make it harder to leave. =(  But what do you do. 

I had fun today buying some little gifts! Neuquén has way more shops to buy stuff at. So it's way fun! Maybe bad at the same time because I just want to buy everything!!! Haha but it's way fun! My poor companion though, she's like man it sucks having 2 companions in a row go home because it makes me super trunky and I just want to buy everything too. She goes home in December. Poor girl. But she's a trooper and a good sport. I'm just trying not to be tooooo trunky for her. ;)

This week we did 2 intercambios! It was way fun, it's kinda a little stressful because I feel like I don't know what I'm doing sometimes. But basically you just have to be this huge example "as a leader". It's fun though, I get to know way more people and missionaries! 

Ok so super awesome milagro. This week we found this family de diez. They're so great! I love them! We found them and they promised to come to church (even though they didn't) but they were all for the gospel! It was the first lesson with them but they were way excited for us to keep working with them!!! =) It's going to be great! Isabel and Hugo and they have 8 kids, but only 3 of them live with them. 18, 20, and another son who's like adopted into the family, he's 20 too. But they're so great! So I'll let you know how things go with this family next Monday. Hopefully they come to church.

We have stake conference this Sunday so that'll be good. The missionaries are doing this sweet musical number. The director gave me the piano music to play and it was just way to hard, and I couldn't do it. She wanted me to play for the conference, but I was like man idk because I'm not going to have time to practice. So I'm singing instead. Haha but I don't have to play the piano in sacrament meetings here FOR THE FIRST TIME, because they have  youth that play! Super awesome!!! It's weird sitting in the congregation. I like it.

This week we had a capilla abierta. It was not even close to as cool as it was in Roca. Basically no one came, so that sucked. Haha but what do you do. I think all the investigadores were people that the Elders found on the street and invited them in. So we had some non members for the menos. 

A few days ago we had to clean the church and the baptism font was full of water and we had to clean it. It was so rank. I went in there (once all the water drained) just cleaning it with like disinfectant. It was so gross. There were spiders everywhere and webs and it was so sick. I'm just standing in this smelly, muddy, spider infested water in my bare foot. But hey we got it clean. Haha, we had to mop up some of the water with towels and ring them into a bucket because the last little bit would not drain. Only in Argentina...

On Wednesday we have consejo, so all the leaders will come to Neuquén and I totally get to see Hermana Christensen. So I'm stoked! =)

Sorry I wrote so much and I want to write so much more, but I got to go!!! Love you guys so much! See ya in like 2 weeks. whaaaaaaaat?!?!

Les amo!

xoxoxo

Hermana Miller

Monday, May 25, 2015

HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

What is up!!! Today is a holiday for soup! So all the cybers are closed so we came here to the office to write. Seriously everything is closed because it's el dia de locro. Anyway we had this activity in the church and we went and ate locro and sang the national song. Locro is like beans and corn, with meat, and mondongo (COW STOMACH) ya I ate that....again. In all it actually wasn't too bad!!!

So this week was super great and passed by super duper fast!!!!! I just can't believe it! I feel like it just flew by and it makes me super nervous that next Monday I will be another week gone. I only have 3 more weeks! Ughhhhhh I hate it. I'm actually getting super nervous about the whole going home thing but what do you do. Also it doesn't help that here in Neuquén you see AIRPLANES!!! and it makes me even more trunky.

I got to see Hermana Bailey on Thursday because she's training! She's so great! I just hugged her and she starts crying....classic!!! Haha that girl! I'm going to miss her so much, but I was super happy I got to see her before I left!!! =) 

Thins here in Neuquén are soooo great! I love it! Honestly it is so great! The work is great and I love it! We had an investigador come to church this Sunday. M'len, she's 17 and 7 months pregnant and her boyfriend is an inactive member but totally came with M'len! It was great! She has a lot of questions and things she doesn't understand but she's super smart and really progressing! We're excited for her and for Thomas that they can progress together! She also has a baptism date for the 27th of June! So we'll be working with them a lot!

Hermana Terry is sooo great! I love being with her! She's a great example and I've learned a lot from her! It's just great to have a companion who wants to work and work and I'm so happy that she's my companion so I can finish the mission strong!!! I love it! We get along so great, just like all my other gringa companions!!! We just laugh and laugh. You know when I really laugh, I cry! Ya, I don't think I've had makeup on all week because I've laugh/cried it all off!!! Haha seriously she's sooooooooo GREAT!!

Seriously this week was amazing, I can't even tell you guys all that happened. We found an inactive family through an old investigadores registro. We had a family home evening with 2 investigadores. We found a new investigador, and so much more things! I just love this work so much and I'm really realizing how blessed I am to have given 1.5 years to the Lord to serve his children in the PATAGONIA!!!!! SO GREATTT!!!!

Love you guys! =) 

Hope you have a super duper great week!

xoxoxoxo

Love Hermana Miller

PS. Have you guys looked into doing Caroline's temple work? Can we do that??

Tuesday, May 19, 2015 - Neuquén

Hey family!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =)))))   6 years old!! You're so big!!!! I hope you have a super good birthday!!!! Love you so much! See you soon!!!

Wow I'm so happy to be in Neuquén! Seriously you have no idea!! Well maybe you do but I'm so stoked that I'll be finishing my mission here! Hermana Terry is great! She was companion to Hermana Christensen in the MTC! I'm also hermana lider! So that's exciting! I get to work with all the hermanas here in the Neuquén zone! There is like 5 companionships, so I'm way excited! =)

This week was good in Cultral Có! The show de talentos was wayyyy successful! =) We had so many members there and it was just a way good time!!! We laughed pretty hard. The missionaries did this skit of a missionary who went home and his girlfriend was waiting for him, but he was just the weirdest RM and would left their dates early to get home on time and wanted to share scriptures with his girlfriend. Then the girlfriend gets mad and is all like we're done this is finished. Then the RM asks "Well can we finish with a prayer?" It was funny, everyone laughed. Just my luck, I was the crazy girlfriend. Hahahaha

The dedication of the temple was one of a kind experience. Seriously it was so amazing. =) I loved it! The Spirit was so strong. Also Saturday was an evento cultral and the kids in Cordoba did all the dances from Argentina, it was way cool! An Elder (Elder Salgado) who's from Cordoba got to see his brother dance in the event. He's like that's my brother! That's my brother! It was cute. He got emotional.

So at transfers I got to see like everyone! Hermana Villalobos, Elder Mark, Aleman, McCutchean, all my friends! It was way fun! I laughed so hard, just talking about all the good times we had!

When I left Cultral Có, Natalia made me this cake and we ate and partied and talked about all the good times. Then she surprised me at the terminal at like 5 in the morning when I left and gave me a little gift! It was so cute! =) I love her so much! She's so great! I knew I had to be in Cultral Có to find that family! Seriously, I saw the biggest change in anyone in my whole entire mission than I did in that family!!!! 180 degree change! For the better. Wow the Lords work is AMAZING!

I love it!

Love you guys! Have a good week!

Un beso grande por todos

xoxoxo

Hermana Miller

Monday, May 11, 2015

It was the best to talk to you guys yesterday, seriously! fue lo mejor! I just miss you guys so much! I'm so excited to see you all and give you the biggest hugs ever!!! =) Super crazy that time is ticking by….

The work here in Cultral Co is soooo great! But it's a super hard area. So Julie came to church yesterday so that means she has her 3 asistencias! and can get baptized! She just doesn't have a fecha yet, it's hard to invite her to be baptized when her mom isn't really all into it, but I know she's going to get baptized si o si! Probably the 30th because this Saturday makes things complicated because she can't get confirmed on Sunday because it's the temple dedication! So we're going to work with her a ton this week! 

I'm super exited to see the Cordoba, Argentina temple dedication! It's going to be so great! and even better that our recent converts are going to go too! =) I love!

Oscar Villar came to church yesterday! 3 times that he's been to church! A ton of progress for him!!!! =) A member told us that he hasn't been to church for like 5 years!!!! So it's great to see him progressing! I'm so excited for him.

The highlight of my week though was that the family Alveal came and saw me yesterday!!!  They're from Plotter. Seriously! It was the best! When I saw Hermana Edith in RS, my face just dropped, it was so awesome!!! I love that family so much!

But hey I don't really know what else to say other than I love you guys so much and I'm so grateful for everything you do for me! I'm getting excited to see you guys! But it's going to be so hard to leave! But it's life.

Love you guys SOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH! 

Have the best week and I'll be talking to you again in a week!!

xoxoxo

Love Hermana Miller

Monday, May 4, 2015

Hey family! 

So this week was really good! We had so many menos activos in church yesterday! A whole 9 people! Seriously it was cool to see so many menos activos in the church! Some were members who hadn't been in like 5 years or more. We also brought Juli to church yesterday! She loved it! We took her to mutual on Saturday and she made flowers with all the young women for a birthday party, and then she loved the young womens class! The youth in this ward are so great! They're so nice and loving and so great with Juli! So that's awesome! Hopefully Juli can get baptized on the 16th of this month. My companion doesn't want her to get baptized...she thinks it would be better if her family gets baptized together, but I disagree, if she's prepared why wait? We fight about it sometimes. Super frustrating but we'll see what happens! We just will continue to work with her, and help her gain a testimony. =)

So Soledad was another one of the menos activos that came to church yesterday and it was so awesome! She's 14 and hasn't been to church for like 4 years! She lives in Filli Dei and Charlie (who died) is her uncle. Since then we've gotten quite close with her. She's really quiet and timid, but when we went to her house we taught them about el dia de reposa. (I forget what it is in English) anyway about like having to go to church and take the sacrament to renover your baptism conveniots. (I suck at talking) anyway we got her to read the sacrament prayer and she started to cry. We're like what's up and she said that Charlie had given her her scriptures and he told her to read them, and she hasn't read them since he's given them to her. The Spirit was actually really strong! We invited her to come to church. AND SHE CAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so great. Seriously. I've said this a million times, but to see someone who you're working with in church - it's the best feeling ever. It's like you're the happiest you are ever in your life. Hahaha I don't know how to explain it but it's like that. 

Another menos activo was Oscar Villar. He's great. He's really progressing, he's been to church twice now and he's started reading the BOM from the beginning. He's great! So we're excited for the progress that he'll continue to make. 

This week we also had intercambios with the Hermana lideres. It was good, I was with Hermana Rodriguez again, thank goodness it was only 1 day and ended good, unlike the other intercambio where we were together for 4 days and ended with sending a missionary home. Ugh seriously that was hard for me. But this intercambio was super good! I loved it! We walked a ton, but it was good.

That was basically my week. The spiritual things. Haha so the non spiritual things, we killed a pig. well we watched someone kill a pig. He wanted me to stab it, but i just couldn't, it was so gross. Ughhhh haha but it was way fun being at the farm, I felt like I was in my place with all these animals, and the dirtiness haha. I was like man I wanna be on the farm right now with Shane and uncle Neil!!! 

We also went to Juli's house one day and her mom Maria made us empeñadas!!! They are so good! I love haha.

But hey love you guys!

It's so crazy how the time is just ticking down. It feels like the weeks go by faster now and it just scares the crap out of me. I'm really excited to see you all but terrified to leave Argentina. It's been my home for 1.5 years and I'm just not wiling to give it up yet. But it's part of life. Man love you guys so much! Talk to you on Sunday … haha.

Love, 

Hermana Miller

xoxoxox

besitos

Chancho

 Selfie with the dead pig

Rain in Filli Dei

My blanket - hahahaha - so creepy

My hair is such long, eh!?

Monday, April 27, 2015

Hey!

So this week was just so great! Sheyla and Facundo got baptized Saturday! It was so great! The baptism service was so spiritual! They got baptized and after they shared their testimonies and it was so spiritual! I just bawled the entire time. Facundo got up there and he just starts crying and just testifying and saying that he's never felt so good in his life and that all this is so true. NINE YEARS OLD. Seriously I've never heard a kid give such a spiritual heart felt testimony. Sheyla too, gave a really spiritual testimony! They were so prepared! They just have their testimonies and everything! It was such a good day!

After we went to their house and Natalia made a bunch of food, so we just passed the time together! I honestly love this family so much and I think I'm here in Cultral Co because the Lord knew that I needed to work with this family and help them. Let's be honest, I did not want to be here in Cultral Co and I know it's going to be so hard to leave here! 

The volcano eruption in Chile was pretty crazy, there was ash falling for 2 days! Covering everything! It was like a light snow fall and we couldn't leave our pension for an entire day. When we did leave the next day, we had to wear those ridiculous face masks, hahahaha, it was fun. Adventures! That would never happen back home. The volcano is about half hour from my companions home in Chile, so that is crazy too. But her family is safe. They said there is just way more ash there. 

Well I had my last zone conference Friday! =( I had to give my last testimony, it was so weird. I never thought that day would come! Seriously. I just always sat in the confernces and was like that day will never come for me and it came. But it was good. I feel like I gave a gooder. haha

After the conference we saw a car accident. We were walking to an appointment that we had and this chick came around the corner super fast. Her back tires lost track and she ran over the curb and slammed into this truck that was waiting at a red light. We were right next to this truck. She hit the truck so hard that the guy who was driving slammed his head through the passenger window. Put a hole right through the window and shattered it. It was crazy. She also hit so hard that the truck moved like a foot. I was freaking out, cause we were the only ones who saw the accident. I grab the phone and I'm running around asking everyone what the number for emergency is because it's not 911 here. I'm like que es el numero del ambulancia. Que es el numero... haha just crazy and no one knew. Then the police came and they had to take all our information because we saw the accident. But the 2 people involved in the accident were fine. The ambulance came and put a neck brace on the guy and took him in the ambulance. It was crazy. Seriously, after we were talking how protected we were because we easily could have been hit too. It was like something was protecting us. 

Also here it's pretty chilly now! Fall came and the climate seemed to have changed that day! It's so weird haha because back home the season change but not at all. Here it changes and it changes. It's not really that hot here and the mornings and nights are pretty cold. Cold enough you need to wear a coat. 

That was my week! Hope you're all good! Miss you guys! But not really. hahaha 

Have a good week!

See you in 5 months…..oops I mean weeks!

Love Hermana Miller

My Christmas lights Hermana Christensen sent.  hahaha

Laura and her family! We taught them for the first time this week.  Hermana Sanchez contacted them a year ago because she started her mission in this zone.  We were able to teach them about the gospel.  We really believe that her kids will progress so we're going to continue working with this family! =)

The ash falling!