Chuckles!

What it do, my dearest family?! I'm on early as you can see. Don't worry, I'm not breaking any rules! We are having a whole mission activity on Monday so we won't have time to email then. Why, you may ask, are we having such an activity? Well, since you asked, WE GOT OVER 200 BAPTISMS THIS MONTH, which I'm pretty sure is the most any mission in the world got.....Boo yahh! 

Anyways, this week has been a good one, again! I've been struggling lately about keeping a journal so I've been jotting little notes in my planner of funny things that I need to remember to write about. I glanced back at them to think of something to write to you all about and thought I would share...

-Black Jesus

-Falling through the bamboo (x2)

-Fight "We're going down!"

-Jehovah Witness at Recent Convert

-Old Mulan lady

-Larry... headlamp

So, as you can tell, it's been quite an eventful week! I guess we'll just work our way down the list. First "Black Jesus". So we were at an investigator's house and I saw this statue of Jesus. I mean, no big deal, it's a Catholic country, everyone has one in their house. But this one was a little different from the rest. I had to do a double take but it was as I saw the first time. Jesus was black. I was a little shocked/ taken back but then I just started chuckling to myself. Then we taught the investigator about the nature of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ which is part of the first lesson. :)

"Falling through the bamboo (x2)" We have this area with many progressing investigators. This particular area is special. There just so happens to be no real streets. The whole somewhat neighborhood is built on sticks of bamboo over the ocean. And when I say built that's being generous! It's more like bamboo held together with twine and bubblegum! (I may be being a little dramatic!) So this particular day, it was really sunny so I couldn't really see where I was walking because of the glare. I was trying to be careful but my companion was booking it! The first time, only my ankle fell through. The second time, I wasn't so lucky. I was just walking along, minding my own business when some kid yells out, 'AMERICANA!!!' Of course I turned around to tell him that I was clearly Filipina when I lost my step. Next thing I hear is a huge crack and then I hear myself go "WHOOOOOP". I was still pretty lucky that my big bum saved me from falling all the way down into the not so clean water. I promptly got myself up and turned around to see all the kids cracking up! I couldn't help but laugh too. I still told them I was Filipina and walked away smiling! 

 "Fight 'We're going down!'" So we are in the bamboo-hood on a separate occasion. We are at the house of an investigator which is almost the last house out (closest to the ocean). It was a rather windy day and we had a hard time getting all the way out there because we had to take a walkway that is only two bamboo trunks and is really wobbly. So this particular day is the first day of summer vacation and the day of high school graduation. We passed some, lets call them hooligans, on our way to the house who just may have been inebriated. So we get to the lesson and start teaching when the hooligans start to fight. And I mean fight! They were on the other side of the thin house wall.  The whole house was shaking and people started running to dry land. I grabbed my bag and very calmly said, 'WE'RE GOING DOWNNNNNNN!!!!" I mean in my mind we were seriously about to pull a Titanic and dive straight into the ocean! Eventually the fight ended, and although my heart was pounding, the house was still standing on it's thin bamboo stilts! The investigator was cracking up at how afraid we got and we all laughed about it for a good 5 minutes. 

"Jehovah Witness at Recent Convert" At the beginning of our day, we headed to a recent convert's house to pick her up because she was going to work with us. Well, we got to the house and were waiting on the porch when two Jehovah's Witness missionaries walked up. Of course, we were friendly and said hello and started talking to them.  When our recent convert came out, the other missionaries started talking to her and telling her that she needed to decide there and then what she wanted her religion to be and where she would be be baptized. The missionary was a little disappointed when our RC told her that she was already baptized in the LDS church. But being the great missionary that I am, I saw the opportunity, seized the moment, and just started chatting with the lady. We've got an appointment to go and teach her next week! :)

"Old Mulan Lady" We are teaching a Nanay who is the spitting image of the grandma in Mulan... nuff said!

"Larry... headlamp" We were teaching an old man in the middle of the daytime. (That's relevant I promise) Anyways, we asked him to read a verse, and after struggling for a second, he told us to wait and he went into another room. He came out and I kid you not, he had a huge headlamp on!! Like one of those you strap on and look like a minion wearing! It took every fiber of my being not to crack up at that very moment! When he was finished reading, he didn't take off the headlamp and was just wearing it the whole lesson, shining it in our faces many a time!! I walked out of that lesson with a huge smile on my face!

So life on a mission is full of funny times. Something happens everyday that makes me smile! I love being a missionary and even when the people are goofy, I love teaching them about this gospel. I love you all and hope you got a chuckle or two out of this letter!

Love,

Sister Miller

Twilight Zone

Helllllllloooo Kansas Cityyyyy!! And wherever all you other people are from :)

My week has been fabulous as usual! We had mission president interviews and a cooking demo, too! We made a dish called Bicol Express. I took one bite and my whole mouth was on fire. It was spicy to say the LEAST!! I got to kick it all day with most of the missionaries form my MTC batch which I loved!! 

I also had exchanges with Sister Snow who is from Utah. Lots of people were amazed to see two putis (white people) walking around together. We had lots of people shout, "FOREIGNERS!!" It was quite entertaining! Then the craziest thing happened... we saw another puti (white person). We were both amazed! Then she started talking to us... in ENGLISH!! We didn't know how to respond! We would just respond in Tagalog! It was like we were in the Twilight Zone!! We walked away speechless which didn't last long because we started cracking up about how stupid we probably looked and sounded! 

This week I've realized just how important time is...here on the mission as well as at home. I only have a short time left on my mission and we all only have a short time here on Earth. It's up to us to decide how to spend it and what we will accomplish in the little time Heavenly Father has given us! I want to give my all to the Lord, every second of every day, until the end comes and I can truly say that I did my best and have no regrets! 

I love you all!

Sister Miller

This little cutie LOVES to wear our name tags and says she is a future missionary :-)

Proud to be an American!

Magandang araw!!

Today has been one CRAZY day!! We woke up early and went to a Philippine national monument with a senior couple. It is called Mount Samat. It is a memorial for all of the Filipino and American soldiers who lost their lives in WWII. It's a HUGE cross on the top of a mountain that you can take an elevator up and walk around. The view from the top was incredible! It was a little overcast so my pictures didn't come out as cool as it actually looked but they're still pretty awesome. It was really cool to be at a memorial and museum about American troops but not in America. It was like seeing it through the eyes of a different people, if that makes sense. It made me feel a little home sick since we would always go to museums and stuff as a family! I definitely felt the spirit of America there and it made me glad to be blessed to have been born in the land of the free and home of the brave. 'MERICA!! 

I also had another baptism this week. It was for the San Jose family and brother John Cris. The father of the San Jose family had been less-active for many years but the missionaries started visiting him and he has since returned. This particular night he baptized his wife and son. It was so sweet to see them all together and to see them in an eternal perspective as a forever family. Brother John Cris is awesome! He had struggled with a Word of Wisdom problem but worked hard and has been clean of all cigarettes and alcohol for over a month! It was amazing to see how proud of himself he is and how happy he was to be worthy of baptism. Even though I've only been here for a few weeks, I already love these people so much! I am so grateful to be a part of their stories!

I went into Sister Ete'aki's area this week for exchanges. She was my companion in the MTC and it was so fun to be able to get together and see how much both of us have grown since the days we struggled to spit out a complete sentence in Tagalog. Her area is awesome, too. We walked through a bunch of rice fields and visited her goals for baptism. I love to talk to different people and hear about the different journeys that are taking them all to the same place--baptism and eventually returning to live with their Heavenly Father. 

I love it here and, although I face challenges everyday, it is all worth it when I look back at the end of the week and see how I have helped people feel the Savior's love for them and grow closer to Him. I hope when my journey is over and I look back over my entire mission, I will be able to do so with no regrets. 

I love you all! Thank you so much for your support!!

Love,

Sister Miller

This is a bridge we walk on every once in a while. It's literally just a few bamboo sticks right over the ocean!! 

There's a whole neighborhood built out over the ocean!! It's crazy and wobbly and scary and super fun :)

Jig Time!!!

Hello my Peeps!

Let me share a little jig I wrote up for you guys!

Hi there! I'm in the Peenes

It was sunny outside for a minute, now it rains!

Yeah that's right I'm on a mission

My life has just been blissin'

Left all the boys wishin'

My lips they could be kissin'

Hold on, don't get me wrong!

I'm focused on my purpose and I'm really going strong

I love to be out teachin'

The Gospel I'm a preachin'

My goals I will be reachin'

or my tears just might be leakin'

Yes Ma'am, He's got a plan

Cause we are all family so I'm teaching all I can

It's really just a pleasure 

To teach we'll be together 

For more than just forever 

Everything else is just whatever!!

Yeah... uh... I'm done!

So it's a work in progress but I think its safe to call me "Lil M&M!"   :)

This week has been awesome!! I was able to go on exchanges earlier this week with one of my besties from the MTC, Sister Garrett, and then we had a baptism on Saturday night! 

So first for exchanges! I went into the Pilar area for the day! It was a good change of scenery. I took my first bucket shower. (I have definitely been blessed to have a real shower my whole mission!!) I really loved meeting new investigators and helping them, even if for only a day! Pilar is a huge area so we were walking a lot! We even had to walk across a river!! I was not prepared and was wearing my Toms-like shoes (canvas) instead of rubber ones, but I just took those shoes right off and started walking! I love being STL because I get to have exchanges with all the sisters in the zone and see how their areas are progressing!

The water was moving pretty fast so I was just really focusing on not falling over.
Anything for Sister Garrett's investigator!   :)

Saturday I had my first baptism in this area! I loved it! Her name is Sister Jona and her sister is an active member of the church but none of the other family members are. She has such a sweet testimony and I loved being able to witness her feel the change after her baptism! 

| love being a missionary and experiencing, as well as sharing, the joy that comes from knowing and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that this is the true church here on Earth and am so grateful to be a part of it!

I love you all so much!!

Stay Gold.

Sister Miller

Step by Step, Day by Day

Hello, my beautiful people!! 

It's a new day, in a new place, with some new people!!

This week we had transfers, and after being in Santa Rita for 6 months, I finally got transferred to a new area!! My new area is Orion and my new companion is Sister Gonzales. She is Filipina and almost done with her mission. This is her final six weeks in the mission field! 

My new companion, Sister Gonzales, and housemates, Sister Pati-on and Sister Snow

My new area is awesome too! We are right on the coast of Manila Bay. The area is HUGE so we've got it all...the beach, the jungle, the rice fields, and a little bit of the city!

Following Sister Gonzales along a path.

Green, green rice fields!

I haven't actually been in my area much this week.  I arrived late in the evening on Wednesday and I had to unpack and get organized.  On Thursday, we had Zone meeting and then a planning session so we didn't go out until 5-ish. On Friday, I had Mission Leadership Training at the mission home and didn't get back until late that night either. Saturday was my first real, full day in the area and since then we've been working really hard!!

We had so much luggage we had to hire a jeepney to take us to the bus station!

It was really hard leaving my first area! I feel like the people there are my family! I miss them a lot! Let's just say there were many leaking eyes as I left for the last time! We tried to visit all of my converts the day before I knew I would be transferred! I told them all I'd be back in less than a year to visit them! 

I love these kids....

...and these kids...

...and especially this kid!  She was my first baptism!!!

It was especially hard to leave all the kids! I can feel the Spirit so strongly when we teach them. They are so cute and innocent! I really just want to adopt them all and take them home with me! But I don't know if I could find a man that would be down with marrying a 22-year-old with 9 kids! I guess we'll just be pen-pals for the rest of our lives. It's weird how I only knew the people in Santa Rita for 6 months but they are such a huge part of my life now. I feel like I knew them in the pre-existence and we planned the day when we would meet here on earth. I am so happy for the knowledge that we can see each other again after this life. It's going to be like a huge party where everyone we have ever loved is invited! And there will definitely be Krispy Kreme and Taco Bell there, too :)

I love it here, as always, and I love all of you! I finally got my Valentine's box and LOVED the heart attack! Thank you so much to everyone who sent me a message. I loved reading them all! You guys are the best!

I love you all!

Sister Miller