1-28-09

Hey everyone how’s it going?Thanks to Mom, Dad, Grandma and Abbie for the emails this week. I was super sad to hear about Shandy, but I know she was way old. It will be weird to not have her around when I get home. I remember when she cuddled up to me in bed every night when we first got her, and I thought I was going to roll over on her. I will miss her.
About Dora and Quirico... Dora had to urgently fly home to the Dominican Republic to take care of financial problems, and Quirico is fighting a lot with his wife and has some doubts, so both are off track to baptism right now. Dora will get baptized when she gets back, and she will receive the lessons there.
Transfers happened and all of Barrio One changed, including bringing 4 amazing missionaries into that district, one of which is Elder Haynie, my last companion. He is companions with Elder Fairbanks. I was so happy to see him. He said Tak has finished the Book of Mormon now as well as Rei. As far as our district, it stayed the same and Castilla stayed the same except Salamanca turned into its own district. Elder Sewell was made the new District Leader and 2 other missionaries were sent up there, Elder Sansing and Elder Zamora from Chile. He is Elder Sewell’s new companion. The zone is stacked now with amazing missionaries.
Evan needs to say “Hi” to Brother Seastrand for me. He is so awesome and he served in Spain on his mission too. I visited him when I got my call. He was my seminary teacher when I was a senior. Well thanks for all the news. Its crazy how many things happen, and don’t really affect us at all in our missionary bubble here in Spain.
We had some great dinner appointments this week with Andres. We had lentil soup with shrimp and green olives, which by the way I buy from time to time to snack on, because I love them so much. I love when members have them for us to eat. I guess it get that from Grandpa. We also ate spinach soup at Andres´ last week, which was good, and tortilla de patata with pisto which is like a mild mild salsa that is really chunky, way good stuff. At a Filipino member’s last night, we had Canton pasta which had chicken in it. We also had rice. It was good. They are way super nice, and we took over our Ward Mission Leader Kenny Quintana, and his fiancé from Colorado. They came here to study for the last 2 years. There was the Filipino member family, and then 2 menos activo Filipinos. It was an awesome Spanish/English lesson on the Restoration. After, we asked for referrals like it says in Preach My Gospel. We got 6, and it was awesome. The sad part for us is they are all for other areas and the Hermanas. But that’s ok, it is normal in our area to send our people all over the mission.
Manuel Robledo came to church last week, and is doing great with everything as far as his vices. He has dropped them all but smoking, lots of energy drinks and sleeping pills. He had about every vice in the book, and so he has made a world of progress. He also has cut down from 2 packs to 1 in smoking.
Emilio the Spaniard, who had a baptismal date, doesn’t have it anymore. His family doesn’t want him to continue with us, even though he would love to be baptized, and came to a baptism on Saturday. Alcides, one of the investigators, left for Paraguay to pick up his wife who is waiting to get baptized until they are together. Their son was recently baptized in Paraguay. So that should be great when they get back in the end of February. On Friday we had 2 baptismal interviews for Barrio 1. Elder McBride interviewed an Ecuadorian named Wilson who is 21, and then I interviewed in English, a Nigerian named Christu (20). They were both awesome and ready for baptism, and then we took Emilio to their baptism on Saturday.
It is a great experience to do a baptismal interview and receive the spiritual confirmation of that person’s readiness to make the baptismal covenant with our Heavenly Father. What a privilege. I also got to do a baptismal interview in Mostoles for Alejandra from Fuenlabrada, and on in Ciudad Real for Ana from Alcazar. All 3 have been great experiences.
We had a crazy experience on Saturday when Elder Cutler from Holladay, Utah, called us from Barrio 4 to tell us a member’s friend from Essex, England was stranded here in Sol. We didn’t know what to do, but Elder Cutler told us he had given him our number and the English guy named Nick (29) would be calling us. A couple minutes later, he calls and we still don’t know what to do because no one can come into our apartments or pisos, except missionaries and the owners, no members or investigators, and especially not random lost people from England. So he rings the timbre down below, which is the calling board where you get in touch with all the people in the building. We let him up and he can’t come in our piso, so we decide that we will take him to the Joseph Smith movie and then hope he can find somewhere cheap to stay around the temple. So while we are making the plan, it is lunch time, during medio dia, or middle day. We have him outside the piso on a chair so he can rest his legs. He came to see a friend and she left, and so he was stuck without much money. Anyway, we took him to the Joseph Smith movie which is at the temple every other Saturday night in the CCM. Then we took him to a baptism in the Stake Center. We were able to hook Nick up with a Venezuelan member to stay the night with. It was pretty awesome, and then the member took Nick to church the next day. They hung out all Sunday and Monday. So crazy experience for Nick and for us, but he had some awesome experiences where he felt the spirit. I hope he acts on what he experienced.
So it’s been a good week, with lots of interesting things.
I love you all very much.
Love, Elder Miller

January 21

Hey everyone thanks for the emails this week! First off, Grandma Judy wanted to know what I wanted for Valentines Day, and all I can think of is the cherry cookies with the Hershey’s kisses on them. That’s all I can think of though. Also, I just wanted to tell Grandma Linda thanks for the awesome letters she has sent the last two weeks, as she says by "snail mail". Thanks Grandma Linda and Grandma Judy for staying in touch. Thanks for all you guys do for me.
Just to fill you in on some things, I bought a sweater for 15 euros and a brown suit for 80 euros since it is discount time, or in Spanish - rebajas. I just wanted to let you know on those things.
Zone Conference went well, and we taught about baptismal challenges and how we can better them by being more specific and cutting to the chase. We learned about spiritual gifts, having more faith, doing things now and not procrastinating, being bold and not overbearing, about prayers using Elder Bednar’s last talk, among other things. It was just great. Also, interviews went weird due to the snow they were cancelled, but the elders from Castilla were down here anyway, and so they received the training but weren’t interviewed until Wednesday and Thursday night. The rest of the zone received the training and interviews Friday morning. So it was split up into 4 days, which was kind of a hassle.
It was great to have the elders from Valladolid come on exchanges in our area, and then we went on exchanges here with the Salamanca elders (I went with both Elders Stearns from Oregon, and Elder Sewell, my old companion the next day. It was great to see him again and teach with him on Wednesday night and Thursday night. It was great to have basically 3 extra nights in our area. Due to that, and lots of things going right, and lessons not falling through, we had the best statistical week of my mission, with meeting all but one goal. We were able to teach a ton, and involve the members in 12 lessons with investigators.
The members are really stepping it up, and the Lord is providing people to teach. Dora and Quirico came to church, and are still on track for the 7th of February. They loved coming to church and they get along well with the members. We had a lesson where we took over recent converts, Daniel and Iris and there son and daughter, who Elder Ott actually started teaching, and they talk about him all the time. Then they were baptized after he left. It was a great lesson, and then we set to have the member family pick up Dora and Quirico, but the reverse happened. Dora and Quirico went to Daniel’s house and waited while they finished getting ready. So they are doing well. Also Elder Haynie’s Zone Leaders told me Monday, that Tak and Rei are just doing way good. They are just super ready, so I am excited for them, and the “Gospel Principles” books that you sent can be a sweet baptism gift for them.
Yesterday I went on exchange with Elder Goldhardt in the other Barrio 5 area, and it went great. We taught the Word of Wisdom to a way great couple, and the law of chastity to a way great family. Also, we were able to teach a man from Romania about the Restoration. This Gospel is amazing and the commandments are just so great. I love to teach them and really sound like a missionary robot right now talking about lessons and conferences and exchanges.
I got to see Presidente Jabonero from Mostoles. We used to eat at his house bi-weekly and on Sundays. He is a counselor in the Stake Presidency and came to help us reorganize a little bit here. They re-organized the Elders Quorum. They called a replacement executive secretary for the guy that moved to America to go to school, and finally organized the English Sunday School for the 10 or so Filipinos and the 8 or so Americans. They also organized a preparation class to become elders and receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. They also gave Andres the priesthood. So things are just going great here in Barrio 5. The work is just going great, and the ward is just really doing better. One thing that has just been way awesome is member referrals. We are teaching 6 member referrals right now from our Paraguayan recent converts. They have just caught fire and want to help us a ton.
My companion and I are eating well. We have made enchiladas, fajitas and meaty spaghetti sauce this last week. Also, the members have been feeding us as well. We ate at a big barbeque at the Paraguayan’s house. Their names are Bernardo and Lorenza Ortiz. They had all their family over for their anniversary, and we were able to teach a lesson to their family. We ate steak, bratwurst, sausages, potatoes, sweet potatoes, salad, Spanish bread, and then Paraguayan corn bread called sopa (we had it before I think I mentioned it, but instead of being like a dessert it is cheesy). We ate at another Paraguayan home and had what was like a chicken cordon bleu with beef instead of chicken and eggs inside as well, and then Spanish tortilla, which is like an omelet with potatoes.
I sure love you all. The spiritual thought for the week, which I am not very good at remembering to put in my emails, is from the last conference in October, Elder Bednar’s amazing talk on prayer. It was kind of a part 2 continuation to his Spring conference talk, but this one is just awesome. It is about praying always and just always praying (Alma 37:36-37). Well we are off to do some food shopping, and maybe get my companion some new running shoes. Thanks for all you do, and much love from España.
Love, Elder Miller

It snowed!

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

Thanks for the emails this week! I got one from Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Bishop Olson and Dotty.
As far as the snow on Friday, it was crazy and it snowed about 4 times in the last week. It has been way cold, so anytime precipitation has come down, it has been in the form of snow or sleet. Tak and Rei have baptismal dates for February 7th or 14th, and have read the whole “True to the Faith” books that mom sent, and they are nearing the end of the Book of Mormon. I am happy that the “Gospel Principles” books arrived. They are going to be way happy to have new material to read when they come. Thanks Mom! They will probably be baptized by then, how awesome!
Well, thanks for the updates. I will give you some as well, since you didn’t get any last week, really. So far this transfer I have been on exchanges with Elder Sederberg from Orem who is one of the assistants to the president. I have been with him before while I was with Elder Ott, but I learned a ton. Also, I went with Elder Jarman my roommate from the Provo MTC. That was up in Valladolid, which was awesome to go back to. That’s where we had district meeting while I was in Segovia. Also, I have been on exchanges with Elder Weinert who was an assistant to the president, and he lives with us and is our District Leader. I learn so much from him daily, and it is great to have him around. I went with Elder Meline from Denmark in Barrio 1, which is the other ward that meets in our building. They start at 10 and we start at 12 until 3. So Sundays are a little long. I definitely prefer earlier meetings.
Our capilla is a basement floor building of a huge apartment building. It is on Calle Pablo Iglesias number 22, and right in front is a huge driving range, running track, futbol fields, and a golf chipping course. Our piso is pretty small, but Elder Weinert is in the process of searching for a new one. Each pair of companions has a study room, and then we all sleep in the same room with two bunk beds. Our clothes drying racks are in there as well. The kitchen is small, and the bathroom we all share has 2 sinks, luckily. Then we have a smallish common room.
Continuing with exchanges, I also went with Elder Hunt from Timpanogas High School and Elder Ford from Bountiful High School last night. Tonight, I am going with Elder Stearns, Elder Sewell’s companion. They are staying with us because there is Zone Conference tomorrow and it takes 3 hours by train from Salamanca where they serve. So we have been busy with exchanges, which are really important to help missionaries learn grow, set goals, make good habits, and improve as missionaries. Also, about the snow, it made it so President Farnsworth couldn’t leave the mission home because they closed the highway. So we had to cancel the interviews on Friday, but the Castilla district from the north still came, so we presented our presentation to them and the assistants as well. Zone Conference is tomorrow and then make up interviews are on Friday. We will be all done with the piso checks, exchanges, and conferences. Next week we can just work, work, work.
The work is going well, and there have been some good people the Lord has put in our path. We are teaching some people who are coming to church and progressing and some who aren’t. Dora and Quirico are in- laws. Quirico married Dora’s sister Karina, and the 3 of them all live together. Also in that household, we teach a man named Christian, but he just comes for lessons. They are all Dominicans. Dora and Quirico have baptismal dates for February, and they are reading the scriptures and praying. Dora received her answer. We are trying to help Quirico as well. Dora and Quirico came to the Joseph Smith movie and were both in tears when it was over. Also, that day was the snow day, and it was awesome to see the temple with snow.
We have 2 sweet Spaniard investigators right now, Juan Antonio and Emilio (a member of opus de, I think that’s how you spell it but it is the super Catholics basically). They are both doing well. Eva is an awesome investigator who came to church on Sunday, and lives with 2 recent converts, Bernardo and Lorenza. All 3 are from Paraguay. Eva loves learning about the gospel, and we hope her boyfriend will come around. Augustin is doing great. He has been to church 3 times now, to a fireside with his family 2 weeks ago, and to the Ward Christmas party. We have taught them a couple of times, but they are super busy during the week. He and his wife Gisela, and there son Augustin (7) loved church on Sunday. They came for the first time as a family. It was great. The Peruvian members just loved them, and there was some great fellowshipping. Another family is still coming along with the father not being a member. His name is Felipe. We are trying to help him to gain a testimony of this church that he already knows all about. Manuel Robledo and Ascensio have kind of put themselves on the back burners again. They are working more and not having as much time. Manuel went back up to smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day instead of the 1 he was smoking. Oliver, Aurelio and Justo are kind of holding off their own progression for different doctrinal reasons. We have our hands full, but I love to be busy, and so it’s great.
This last week, Andres, who we ate Christmas dinner with, fed us pig ear and pig tail and pig fat soup, yummy. The ear was way hard to get down with the hair and skin and cartilage. And the fat in the soup was just gross, with the skin on it still. The tail had bones all down the middle and had red meat. I saved 2 tail bones for a souvenir. If you want to try some delicious soup just add a pig ear or 2 and a tail or two.
Much love from Spain.
Love, Elder Miller

Snow in Madrid!

"Spain: Snow closes airport MADRID — An unusually heavy snowfall coated downtown Madrid in white on Friday, shutting down the city's airport but providing rare oppor­tunities for snowball fights while intrepid golfers drove their balls into the storm. Flights in and out of Barajas inter­national airport were stopped for nearly six hours during the daytime because of the snow, airport officials said. Spain's National Meteorological Agency. estimated the snowfall could reach 21⁄ 2 inches. Rivera said the last time central Madrid had a similar amount of snow was Feb. 23, 2001".

1-7-09

Hi everyone. Sorry! This is going to be a very short email. I typed a long one and it just got deleted. So I will try to fill you in next week. I had spent like 30 plus minutes solid typing.
I hate this program.
Thanks for the support and love. Firstly, I am so glad Jenn got a new job, and also Eliza sent me a nice email. Thanks Eliza! Thanks also to Grandma Judy for her email. I didn’t get the email from the Bishop, so I don’t know if he has the right email address. He could just send it to Mom and have her send it to me. Thanks for the emails and updates.
We just went to the temple, which was packed because it is closed for the next 2 preparation days, so lots of elders got their visit in for the transfer today.
Sorry again! I’ll write more next week.
Love, Elder Miller