September 10

From: Elder Morgan Miller (elder.miller@myldsmail.net)

I forgot to mention that I was sick last week. That was my first real sick time, and I was disappointed because I had to stay in for the first time. It was so boring and crappy, but I got better, and Elder Ott gave me an awesome blessing. It was a pretty brutal Friday night though.
We are teaching Dora tonight, and it should go well. We are teaching her a review of the restoration, and it should go pretty well with Hermano Luis Gallego helping out. He is our Branch Mission Leader. He just is a work horse and really helps us out. He kind of looks like a turtle though.
José Luis has been a weird situation. We can’t get a hold of him through the phone because his wife and mom don’t want him to listen to us, and they are always answering the phone. They just answer "hola, que tal", and then when we respond, they just sit there in silence as we try to ask for José Luis and to talk to him. So they are keeping the truth away from him, and hopefully we can teach him. Other than, that Ana Maria and Sergio have both kind of stalled out and aren’t progressing or keeping appointments.
Elder Ott and I are in Barrio 5 in Madrid by the way. We are emailing and then going to eat some donor kebab. We are with the Puerto llano elders and then the Barrio 5 elders as well. It is right next to the train station Atocha and so it is really convenient to leave your bags there. Elder Brand is Elder Ott’s favorite missionary and he is in Barrio 5.
Brandon Brown wrote me a letter and I am way grateful. I am going to write him back, so it should come in a month or so, the response that is. The trip to Madrid was interesting on Monday. We had studies and then correlation with Luis Gallego, and then we had District Meeting. We cooked a meal at the piso with the other Ciudad Real elders and the Puerto llano elders, our district. Then we caught the Avant train up to Madrid, and then the Renfe local Madrid train to Chamartin, and then the metro one stop to Plaza de Castilla, and then a bus to the mission home just above San Sebastian. It was about 3 and a half hours total, I would guess. But, we got there and started up interviews.
The assistants talked about our stewardships and bettering the member work and the progress records that we give to the Bishop or Branch President and the Ward or Branch Mission Leader. Then Elder Ott and I taught about receiving referrals from members, and demonstrated with a practica. Then we had interviews with President Farnsworth. During the interviews, there were apple slices and crackers and cheese, and then afterwards we had chicken enchiladas that were delicious. Hermana Farnsworth came through again. Then we slept in the garage of the mission home which is a bunk house with a bunch of bunk beds along the walls. The next morning we had Zone Conference which went well, and we traveled there in the mission vans.
So, a little background on Zone Conference- I got a call on Friday, I believe, to direct Zone Conference. It was a little bit nerve racking to think about. I picked the hymns, the piano player- Elder Ott, the music director- Elder Brown, the translators- Elder Hinton and Hermana Layton, the prayers -Elder Giler and Hermana Lester. It went really well for the most part. The two hook ups were when I said resucitar instead of rescitar the missionary purpose. I caught myself after I said it and changed what I said, but still to resurrect the purpose is a little different than to recite it. Oops. Then on the 3 minute talks, President picks missionaries to do them during the conference, and I said Elder Bringham instead of Elder Pringle. The President corrected me and said,” At least Elder Bringham is awake now.” So all went well, and then we still had our 5 minute presentations and the Zone Meeting of about an hour. It went really well and we learned a lot about planning something. President taught us last November, so it was a review and a reminder and a great help. I am really excited to get back to work tonight. Zone Conference just really energizes you.
So all is well and I am having a great time here. Thanks for all of the updates you give me. Well, that was the week, and we are looking for some new investigators this week, and I will tell you how it goes. Love you a ton.
Well, just a little quote for a spiritual thought. It is a thought from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (talk given October 1996 General Conference.) He said: "Jesus Christ brings a troubled world and the troubled people who live in it, solutions to personal struggles and human sinfulness, a source of strength for days of weariness and hours of genuine despair. In that spirit we declare to all the world that for real and abiding peace to come, we must strive to be more like that exemplary Son of God."
Well the church is true and God loves you. Keep on keeping on, and much love from Madrid.

Love, Elder Miller