Transfers? July 28th 2014

Querida Familia y Amigos,

Didn't we just have transfers?! It doesn't feel like it's been 6 weeks yet! Time goes by so fast! We are now waiting for the call from the zone leaders to find out who stays and go goes. We are freaking out!

This week was Pioneer Day! We had to borrow a lighter from the neighbor upstairs to light the sparklers my mommy sent. (: We knocked on his door, and he was like, "Oh, man! I though because we lived in the same apartment, you couldn't try to teach me!" and we just laughed and said, "We would just like to borrow a lighter."

He looked so relieved, but then confused, "A lighter? Not eggs, or sugar?" Hahaha. (: So then we explained the super Mormon holiday to him. (: Yaay.

We had some super sketchy exchanges this week. The other hermanas in our district were like, "Yay, let's go on exchanges!" and we were like, "Umm, okay." and they planned it for Tuesday, which was the only day we could set up to do this service activity that we've been trying to do forever, so we were like, "No, can we do it another day?" and they refused to reschedule, and were like, "We'll come pick you up so that you can save miles. We are doing these exchanges!"

Super sketchy. Especially because one of these hermanas is the worst companion I've had so far, and she wanted to be with Hermana Maama. We felt like, because the way this hermana is, she wanted to be with Maama to 'comfort' her, make sure that she was 'okay,' being my companion. So then, after we were sketchily forced to do these exchanges, they whipped out exchange forms like they were STL's. (Exchange forms are used to evaluate the companionship and their compatibility.) Then later, we found out they were asked to do these exchange forms by a zone leader, and he'd asked them to check up on our ability to lead because he doesn't trust us.

Sketchy stuff. But!! The results are in, we're good! We're both staying in in Everett! Yaaaay!

And that is all I have for this week. Love you all!

Hermana Miller

Cuando Tu Quieras July 21,2014

Querido Familia y Amigos,

Guys, I'm super sorry that my emails are super lame compared to the beginning of my mission. I know that they're lame, but there's not a lot I can do about it. I try to be exciting every day, but it doesn't always happen.

What happened this week? ...

We had exchanges on Saturday. I stayed here with Sister Sinclair. That was an interesting day. I don't really like STL exchanges, because the STL's never know Spanish, so I end up doing all the work. It's not that I'm a bad teacher. I'm just not perfect. And there are two missionaries for a reason, not just one.

So we went and saw Carlos. We taught him the restoration. He's a great guy. He doesn't believe Catholicism anymore, and he's just looking for the truth. Which is the perfect place to be. He had a lot of really good questions, and at the end, he told us that he's not going to believe it just because we're friends, or just because I believe it. He said that he's going to take it to God and ask Him. That has never happened before. I love it! Usually, they just agree, like, "Oh, okay. I guess that's true." But the resolve on Carlos' face; he WANTS to know. I know that he's going to ask.

But our next lesson with him is tomorrow. ): We have exchanged again with the hermanas in our branch because they think Hermana Maama is having a hard time, because one of the hermanas was the companion I had that hated me. Yay.

Just to be clear, Hermana Maama and I are great. We're totally awesome, and we're hoping that we both stay here next transfer.

Another lesson we had on Saturday was supes weird. We went in, and he and his kids told us his esposa was taking a nap in the other room. She works a lot, so she needs sleep whenever she can get it. So we decided that because the door to the room was open, we'd just teach the esposo and his brother. But first, that had to bring something in the house. We offered to help, and he grabbed my hands and told me not to worry. I politely took my hands back and said we could come back later if it was a bad time. But it wasn't, so they quickly brought it in, and I taught them the Restoration. He kept interrupting and saying things like, "Are you single?" "Your Spanish is really good." "I like the way you teach." "Wow, your Spanish is so good." And Sister Sinclair was just playing with the kids because she had no idea what was going on with her only English language skills. So I would just continue teaching. I rushed through it, and before we left, he hugged us goodbye (we know we're not supposed to hug males, but it's their culture, and so if we offer a handshake and they hug us, we just awkwardly and quickly, so they don't get offended), and in that awkward hug, he kissed my neck.

Eewwww, no. Soy misionera. We left quickly, and I am so glad that return appointment is also for tomorrow, when I won't be here. Hermana Maama will be dropping him.

Pues, pienso que eso es todo.

Les amo!

Hermana Miller

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, for Tomorrow, We Diet!" "False and Vain and Foolish Doctrine!! July 14, 20104

Querido Familia y Amigos,

This transfer is going super fast! My mission is going super fast! I can't believe that I've been out 8 months already! What?!

Not a lot happened this week. We had entrevistas con el Presidente in Snohomish, entonces, we have like NO miles left for the rest of the transfer. We have 20 miles a day, and church is 45 miles away. We go to the church three times a week, for church on Sundays, to teach an English class on Wednesdays to members and investigators, and on Fridays, there's the Juego de Noche; where we play soccer with members and investigators. There are four missionary companionships in our branch, so we're trying to figure out a way where we can alternate which missionaries teach Ingles, and we're trying to set it up so the missionaries don't have to go to the Juego de Noche, but if we drop out, it won't happen, and it's a really good way to create amistades with members and investigators. /: So, we'll see what happens. Ojala we'll have miles to last, or we'll be walking to church. I've been trying to get us bikes, but they keep telling me no. ):

We have some super awesome people we're teaching. They're all so different from one another, and they're all progressing. With some of them, it's really hard to teach with the folletos, so we're working of figuring out a way to teach them in the way we've been instructed, and still have them progress. We'll see.

We're going to play volleyball today!! I love volleyball! I've been getting better, too. I now can serve well on the first try and not need to apply Beehive or Princess rules. (: But the rest of the game? Yeah, I'm still bad, haha. But not only is this a district P-Day activity, but we've been inviting people like crazy, so we'll hopefully have a lot of potentials there. (:

Love you all!

Hasta luego!

Hermana Miller

​This is Zach. I drew him. I have no idea where this sudden skill came from, I have been unable to duplicate it.

This is the view we have from the stairwell at our apartment. Sometimes it's hilarious, sometimes it's sad because everyone just wants to be right with God, but they don't know that they don't have the authority to baptize. ): Hermana Maama and I want to go and give out folletos or pass along cards about the priesthood. 

I Ain't No White Girl July 7, 2014

Querida Familia y Amigos,

Not a lot happened this week. The 4th of July? It rained, haha. And we had to be in by 7 because the 4th is a drinking holiday.

Umm... So, as missionaries, we make this boxes out of cereal boxes, kay? They're not big, just big enough to carry a pass along Book of Mormon and some pamphlets. And we decorate them with pictures from the Ensign or Liahona. I had made one my first transfer and it was super cool. Well, we had a service activity, so we sneaky (and modestly) changed back into our proselyting clothes at/in the car. I put my box on top of the car so I wouldn't have to try to hold it while I was changing. Then we got in the car and left for our next appointment, por medio del freeway. So, that night, as we were going in, I was like, "Hey, have you seen my box?" My Libro de Mormon, folletos, stickers for the ninos, all gone. Luckily, I didn't keep all my stickers in the box, but hopefully someone who speaks Spanish who is in need of the Gospel will find it.

So I made another more awesome one. (: It's really cool.

Mmmmm... Last Monday, for P-Day, we went to Mulkiteo Beach (right by the ocean) and played beach volleyball with the district. It was super fun, but our feet got super burnt on bottom because the sand was so hot.

... I think that's it... I miss being on bike! ):

Les amo mucho!

Hermana Miller

Hey, You Guys Seen My Brass Knuckle? June 30,2014

Querido Familia y Amigos,

This week was fun. We mostly just did the same old same old. There's this awesome recent convert family that moved here from California. They are super fun. Claudia is from Mexico and speaks almost no English, and her husband, Jim, he's a total guerro that speak pretty much no Spanish. I don't know how it works, but they're super cute. Elizabeth, the oldest, 17, is really cool. She's been coming to lessons with us. George. Oh gosh, George. He's 11. He reminds me of Jessie, ojala, Jessie no haga las casa tan malo que George ha hecho ayer en la sacramental. Se me enoje muchisimo. And Laila, haha. She's 2. She screams a lot, but she's so funny. Yesterday, we found out why we shouldn't hold children as missionaries. (: Hermana Maama picked up Laila, put her on her lap, and Laila tiro un pedo. Everyone was laughing except Hermana Maama, claro. (:

That's about it, creo...

Haha, except that we totally had a dinner outside of our area. Hermana Ramiro gave us earrings and sunglasses, and we ate camarron. (: It was super good. We did explain to them about the rules and how we can only eat in our area, so that won't be happening again.

Oh! How could I have forgotten?! Juanpis was baptized on Thursday. (: His dad, a convert of a month or menos, baptized him. (: It was super cool.

Les quiero mucho!

Hermana Miller

My First Branch? June 23, 2014

So, because I don't have a library card here yet because I can't have one until I receive mail (hint hint), I only have 30 minutes of internet today, so this'll be brief.

I'm in Everett now! Everett is in the Chennault Beach Branch, which was where I was when I was in Lynnwood (my first area)! It's super cool to see all these members again! I love them so much!

I'm here with Hermana Maama. She's from Reno, Nevada, but her parents are straight from the Tongan Islands, so that's pretty legit. She's totally ghetto, which is a lot of fun.

We have this one really cool investigator. He's in a motorcycle gang, but he's been in so many accidents that he got special permission to manage the underground bar. Which is where we've been teaching him, because that's where he is all day. It's pretty cool. We generally have to leave before 5, though, because that's when the bikers come.

Ummm...  I think that's all for this week, with the limited time.

Love you all!

Hermana Miller