Learning Patience

Well this week has been a rough one... hahah  In the beginning of last transfer I had asked to learn more patience and now with all the new trails that I am going through right now, I am learning patience. I am no where near perfection but I am glad that Christ has filled the gap that I can't manage to fill. 

I am doing ok there is nothing wrong, I feel really tired, in these last couple of weeks.  I have told my companion I want to go on strike... He thinks I am serious! Which makes things hard on me; I really want to work hard these last couple of month in the mission. I am trying to more enthusiastic about the work but it’s been pretty difficult with this blasted heat. I have never felt so hot in my life, if there is one thing I do not like in this world it would be high humidity. Humidity is like that friend that always exaggerates. Every time you look at the temperature you always saying 92 degrees? That’s it! This last week we reached 108 degrees.... it was killer. 

I lost control this week and I thought I was going to wallop my companion. I told him three times we had service last week at 8:30 and that we needed to catch the bus at 7:55. He then tried to worm his way out of going but then after that he made us miss the bus because he couldn’t manage to get out of bed and he still had to take a shower.... I thought I was going to loose it when we missed the bus but then, we manage to get to a place where we could climb these stairs and we would arrive about 15 late. Anyways, I kept my cool but I had lost all control inside of me. Long story short I need more patience.

Enough complaining, I hope that you guys had a splendid week. I hope gramps is OK, he sound like he is getting very depressed, and the doesn’t really have much to do.

Our church is shut down so that they can work on it and we can’t go in to do our lessons. My companion hates anything that has to do with running so I am like an overcharged battery that just wants to explode. A couple of investigators and members are getting really difficult. 

I don’t know it’s just been stressful week. I hope that everything is going well for you. I am going to take off I am sorry for the short letter. 

Love Anziano Miller 

Army of Helaman

Holy CRAP! It’s hot! 

I hate humidity, I know as a missionary I am suppose to learn to love things but humidity is something I will hate until I die. It’s only about 90 degrees here, but with humidity it’s been horrendous. 

I will tell you how my day is in the afternoon, I come home throw my bag on my chair then I sit in front of the air conditioner for at least 10 minutes, after those ten minutes I am still sweating from my back and I will not stop sweating until I take a shower before I go to bed. I can literally be sitting in front of a fan that is right next to my face inside with the air conditioner on, and I will still be sweating! It's pretty absurd

Other then that its been a great week I have had the opportunity to do a lot of service this last week, yesterday we moved a girl out of her old house into her new house. Today we helped paint someone’s home. Last week we also painted someone’s house... I feel really good when I do service, and it’s been a great opportunity to talk about the gospel. People are always so interested in the fact of why we are here. I have had the conversation so many times I can guess what people are going to ask me next.=) 

I really like telling people why I am here, they come to realize that I am not a monster that wants to tell them they are wrong or that they are a terrible person. They come to realize that I am here to help them, and to invite them to be a better person.

We celebrated the fourth of July, and I had a great time. We ate lasagna and hot dogs, we played ping pong and Foosball... you better tell Kurt Brey to get practicing because I have gotten pretty good at Foosball and I am going to see if I can beat him when I get back.

I am sorry you had such a terrible week. There is a reason why pride is expressed so much in the Book of Mormon. It’s the sin that make you transgress the sin that makes you think you don’t need God or anyone else. We all have pride but when you have an abundance of pride you can only be taught by falling. 

I teach at least once a week about the Old Testament and how we see a pattern with God and his children. When his children are humble he sends a prophet to help them and to care for them, also to guide them. His children begin to prosper then they become wealthy then they become prideful... thinking that they don’t need God, or someone to help them anymore.... so his children kill the prophet and they don’t repent... they fall so deep into apostasy that they are poor and needy again, after a while they become humble, they realize they need help so they turn back to God and God sees that they need help and sends another prophet to help them... The pride cycle is very interesting, it is in everyone’s life and it will always be like that until we die.

This week went really well, we didnt meet our goals but we felt really productive.I think its really strange, we have been speaking a lot about baptism in our lessons, we have been trying to help people realize that it is a step that will change their life and a covenant that is really important to make with our Father in Heaven. We have explained the restaration very clearly and we just cant manage to get a dates, but here I have seen that these people are truly investigating and they are truly searching for the truth. I find it strange but I feel like its how missionary work should be. But our work has started to slow down.... its not a thing that I am proud of but its kind of scary I don’t really like the fact that we have been loosing investigators left and right thanks to the summer.

Everything else is going well and I am fantastic, I am having a good time and I am continuing to try my best.

I like what TJ said, "It's not to make life about yourself, but to make life about others". But it’s hard for anyone to do what he said even if we know its what we should do. I will do my best to follow his advice. Numbers where not to fantastic we had three investigators drop us.=(

Dallan is so right that’s why he is such a stud=) Dallan's story * This week was a good one. We could have been busier, but I suppose everyone has the option to choose. People accept us, and people reject us. Saturday was an interesting day. The majority of the people we contact, either in the streets or knocking their doors, are just regular old people who were raised Catholic and never really did anything with that, but use that as their excuse to tell us to move on. "Oh, sorry, we´re Catholics. We´re happy." And that´s about as deep as our conversation gets, even when we are persistent and use all our resources to provide a short, powerful testimony that touches deep enough to inspire them to listen to us. But on Saturday, we encountered three (that´s a lot for one day) deeply-rooted, highly intelligent, ready with argument people. A Catholic and an Apostolic Christian in the street, and a Christian in his home later in the day. They ran loops around us with their knowledge of the bible. The second, the Christian, was the first person to ever openly insult me in a contact, to my face.

   So after the day, we came home pretty tired from the week and pretty quiet. As I thought back on the day, I remembered all the times that I did not know how to respond. I thought of the simple, powerful invitations that we gave to each person, and what that would mean for them after this life. Even though I was feeling a strong lack of sufficient knowledge, I felt reassured that I was in the right. We are members of the Kingdom of God on earth. Neither sword nor death nor word nor any clever usage of bible passages will EVER apart us from our royalty and our inheritance. We can trust that we will have a VERY rich recompense waiting for us. Isn´t that a relief? Like it says in Galatians 5:22-23, there is no law against such things. When we receive a confirmation from the Spirit (love, joy, peace, faith...), nobody can take that away. We as missionaries don´t ask that our investigators believe us, or the Bible, or the Book of Mormon. We ask them to ask God. Because once HE says how things are, there´s no questions to ask. There´s just following to be done. Applying the answer we received. And once we´re sure we´re in the right, nothing has power over it. Elder Carter

I thought about it the other day and its going to be ridiculously hard to choose my best man.

Mom is wondering if he would at least tell us who the Bride is first=)”

Anziano Miller said that the Best man is a very important.... the bride can be anyone but the best man is THE BEST MAN, it’s like the most important thing to every wedding=) jk 

I will talk to you next week love you so much

muah 

Love your favorite son Anziano Miller

Happy Independence Day!!!

Today, I woke up and the first thing Anziano Larsen and I did was sing "The Star Spangled Banner" ! =) It was really great, Anziano McMullen filmed it. 

 

This week has been soooooo hot, I am always damp, I am always thirsty, and I am always sweating. Today, we did all our work in the morning and now I have the rest of the time to do what ever I want. So we will go with a couple of our investigators and a couple of our members to go play laser tag=). My companion really hates anything that has to do with archeology and so I don’t think I will see anything that has to do with archeology for a while, maybe for the rest of my mission. He really likes to relax, he does not like to do much, unless, we are going to go out and do something fun. So, Instead of doing nothing, I would prefer to go have fun with our investigators. 

This week the European cup was pretty legit. Sunday night there was absolutely NO ONE on the street. Everyone was inside preparing for the big game. So I am glad it’s over with. Mainly because I can’t watch it, and if I can’t watch it, which means everyone can’t watch it. 

What I am trying to say is, if no one is on the street I am bored. It also means that we have nothing to do. So I am glad it’s all over. 

This last week we had some of the highest numbers I have ever had in my mission, I like to look at numbers because I know that with each number there at least one child of God that is listening to us or coming to church....etc.

It will be really difficult to this week to top what we did last week, But we are going to try... my companion is really tired because I have been running around a lot. He likes to have lunch breaks; I don’t really care for them... I am actually really skinny but I am eating like an idiot... I should start my four month till sexy diet. 

I hope I can say this without hurting anyone’s feelings but... I HATE EMAIL.

Not because I don’t like to hear from you guys, but because it takes so long and most of the time I am just thinking of things that I have done in the last week.

QUINDI; MI STUFFO 

Anywho, you guys should have gone boating without Wally... that’s lame that you didn’t go. I am sure you would have had a fantastic time.=) I bet I won’t even be able to slalom ski when I get back. I have lost every muscle I once had. 

That reminds me... Dad, what are some good ways I can get some protein without eating meat... because I have need of protein. 

This week we also have our fix-it guy in the mission, his name is Fratello Pastano, he is just the coolest guy ever so we have a blast in the house. He has come to fix our horrendous apartment. He is like having your favorite Uncle come and stay with you for the weekend.=) 

Well, I just have about had it with some missionaries, sometimes, I think, man!!! It’s going to suck going home.... then other times I think... Man!!! I can not wait to be away from these people! 

I will think about the sunscreen thing, I don’t know if I really need it, that and I don’t have any sunscreen. 

PS – email me, Kaitlyn’s shoe size. I might get her some really cool shoes from Italy. =) They are more like sandals but still, everyone is wearing them here and I really like them.

I am really scared to come home. I bought some jeans and they might be a little too tight for American style. But I really like them; it might be because I have grown into the European style... I am going to still wear them when I come home... prepare yourselves for the future Tanner Guzy =). 

This week we came one short of our goal…we had twenty lesson this last week and we are really struggling with all our investigators this week we will probably not be able to see them all twice this week.

Anyhow, I am going to get off the computer my eyes hurt 

Ciao!!!!!

Anziano Miller 

Lots of missionary work!

Well... this week nothing much has changed, I have been doing lots of missionary work.

Lots and lots of missionary work! My companion and I are teaching 16 lessons a week, which is pretty dang good. This week we should have 21. I would be ecstatic; we have been trying to reach that goal for a while. We have a ton of work, not only that but some of the best investigators I have ever had in my whole entire mission. I would say right now we have been working really hard and trying our best. Along with good work comes, fatigue, and tiredness. BUT! It is better to be tired and have work then, having no work and being tired.

I am improving a lot with Italian, I really like the fact that we speak only in Italian and Anziano Marengo has no desire at all to learn English. So, its pretty fun and I really like learning.I also have learned how to make a few of Anziano Marengo's favorite Peruvian dishes=) hahah

Today we played basket ball with some church members, and we had a lot of fun. We obviously were better then every single one of them and they were taller then us=) I am kind of prideful about that. After we played basket ball, we came back ate lunch and decided to come and do internet=) so now I am here doing internet. 

I am learning to appreciate my time more and more, I can imagine what I will do when I get home. I will have so much time to do what ever I want; I won’t even know what to do with myself. But, that’s not for another 5 months, so I am not too worried about that. 

I really wish I knew what I need to write you guys but I have to be honest the longer my mission goes on the more I realize that I am doing a lot of the same things everyday. I really like doing these things but I am sure it would be ridiculously boring reading about a lesson I had or how this less active can’t manage to get his butt back into church. 

I will try to think of things to write to you all, for the next week.... maybe I will write things down every night so that I can remember what I need to email you all... 

It makes me sad because you have so much to tell me but I have so little to tell you. =) 

I can tell you that I am happy and that I love missionary work! I can tell you that Italy is fantastic and that all this food is making my legs fat and muscular. I can tell you that we will have to come back here one day together and I will have to show you around.

You can tell Anger that I will kick his butt, if you can beat him once I can beat him twice.=)

Oh, I encourage you, to go see Anziano Weeks!=) He is fantastic and I cant wait to kick it with him when I get home=)

Love Anziano Miller

Day in cefalu

Today was a great day we went and saw cefalù which is a place that has a really nice beach and has some really cool hikes where you can go see some old castle and some other ancient artifacts. To tell you the truth it was not amazing as some of the other places but it was fun just to get out and do something.

As for McMullen, he is doing great, he is keeping me in line and doing a great work here in Palermo!!! We have been in the same house for a really long time. I consider him the older brother I have never had, he is putting some serious thought in the American military. He really would like to join and serve for the American country. I am not sure why but  he is thinking a lot about it in the last couple of weeks. 

I have actually been thinking about the air force..... I don’t know how much you would like me to do that, actually I know you wouldn’t like me to do that but in reality but I have always have wanted to do it. You and dad have not commented on what I have been thinking to do for my future, PILOTING.... I would really like to hear your thoughts. 

I really don’t like the situation with the home in Rock Springs. Have you been able to talk to anyone about it? I know that it might be difficult thing, but if things are not working out then it is time to change. I don’t really know how things are going so I guess I can’t say very much. 

As the zone leader stuff, I don’t really miss it much, it is hard taking care of all the problems there are in a zone. I like helping everyone, but I don’t like being the mom.  I think Larsen and McMullen will be great at it.

I am sorry I don’t have much time to write you this week but I have to go, I love you so, so very much and I hope everyone is happy.

Love you Anziano Miller 

 

PS: If I were you Kaitlyn I would have ran after that intruder that came into our house and made sure he never came back!

Enjoyed Zone Conference

Well its good to here from you this week, I have to be very honest... I have nothing to tell you. Anziano Merengo and I have been working like crazy, the last week we have not even had lunch at our own house for who knows how long.

This week has been great; we have been going to appointments non stop. We have many investigators that are making some incredible progress. I will send you the letter I sent to president to give you an idea of who our investigators are.....

Anna Maria and Daniele, they are part of a family. The Husband/Dad is gone I believe they got divorced. They were a referral from the Loc coco family ( the brother/dad die from being in a comma) these two people were very dear to Jonny ( the man who died) They are fantastic, they live in Monreal and they have progressed a lot. I have seen the progression from the beginning which is a marvelous thing to see. She has been touched by the spirit that we bring and is very open to the idea of being baptized.

Then we have Dario and Valentina, they are pretty new investigators that we recieved from the North’s, they have a mother that was in active for nineteen years, after the north’s had started to go see her she has been coming back to church. Latter we met Dario we started talking to his sister as well, she was interested in what her mother’s beliefs are. They are two exceptional investigators and I would be surprised if they were not to get baptized. 

Sandra and Luisa , they are two sister that came to an English course and wanted to know more about the gospel. We had started teaching them and they wanted to know why there was so much suffering and pain in the world today. 

A man from Romania, he has studied the bible most of his life and really like the fact the book of Mormon exist. 

Marco, he is another man who was found through English course, he is fantastic and loves science. We have been teaching him for not very long. He really likes the lessons he sees the simple truths and ties them into what he already knows.

Geatana, she is a referral from a less active who wants her whole family to know about the gospel. She has started to come back to church and she wanted to have her Nuora(geatana) have the chance to accept the gospel. Geatana really likes the lessons and continue to talk about baptism.

A women from Ghana, her whole family is a member of the church. She is accepting the gospel very well.

As for our new convert Antoine, he is doing great, he still has a bit of rough spots we need to smoothen out. Other then that he is fantastic, He loves the ganz and he is doing everything he can to be active in the church. He went to the ganz conference this last week.

We have a couple other inactive that we see every now and again but not very frequently. We can do better by having more lessons in the presence, it really hard just because we don’t have all the time we need to put ourselves in contact with our members. Part of the reason in because we don’t have time, another part is because we need to plan better, and it’s also because I still don’t know all the people in the ward.

Yesterday we went to zone conference and that was fun. I am starting to get too used to the routine of how things are done here in the mission. I have been getting better at my Italian, Anziano Marengo has been helping me a lot surprisingly enough we get along great.  I don’t think that I will be transferred.

At least when I last talked to president (which was yesterday) I told him that I really didn’t want to be transferred but he is convinced that I will go to one last city. But I really hope it is either my last transfer were I will go to Rome or Napoli. But however I would rather stay here.

There is a loud of work to do here and I do not really trust many other missionaries.

We do not go and see many pretty places like we used to because my companion HATES with a dear passion of his heart archeology sights.

Today we played laser tag with Dario and Ricky, they are members of our church.

We had a lot of fun, then went to Ricky’s house and made some sweet lunch and had a good chat with him and his mom. We played Scopa and Briscecola, it was a good day..

I will make sure to keep everyone and Hartman’s in my prayers! I hope that everyone is doing absolutely fantastic!

If you get the chance to tell the Suhr family Hi, please do it for me. I don’t know if that whole thing with sterling has been figured out... but I would sure like to know the outcome of it all!!!

Sorry for making everything so sort, love you all to peaces..

Anziano Miller

PS: later in this transfer I am going to learn some Spanish and then I am going to talk to my sister Kaitlyn so you guys can’t understand what we are saying!!!!!=) study up Kaitlyn

Bach.. Bach...? What do you think?

Mom - I was informed that your P-day is on Wednesday? What's up? Am I the last on your list to write today? By the way you never told me your address in Palermero. I just want to see where you live; it is fun to show the girls. Well I will wait to here from you soon.

Anziano Miller - well I am here right now, and I have just started emailing.

I do not know my address for Palermo... it is really close to the station... literally right where you see all the buses parked...

Mom - Oh ya, like I spend all day on the computer looking for some station in Palermo!  Going down every street just hoping to find a missionary! Buses, what buses? That there was brilliant information!

Anziano Miller - Alright.... first watch your mouth =) just kidding mom=)
It’s next to via Roma...... I am sure if you type in stazione centrale it will show you where it is.

Anziano Miller - how are you!!! Did dad get all your pictures in order or is he going to be dead by the time I get home?

Mom - You might as well plan on a funeral, what day would you like to come home? =)

Scarring the Birds!

Mom - What do you mean tired? You must need a vacation=) I know the feeling. Keep happy, enjoy the little things and you will feel better! I mean it. Sit down and really enjoy your food or your surrounding, you have a little of a high strung personality like someone I know. Take a deep breath, I will see Anziano Weeks on Sunday and I will tell you all about it, and put a bug in his ear to write. It summer and I am sure it is hot. Let me tell you that the heat without water is altogether exhausting! Drink lots of water!

Anzinao Miller- don’t worry I am drinking two liters of water a day

A vacation would be nice; I am still enjoying myself with everything that is going on. I do need to slow down and think about what is going on in my life. Enjoy my surroundings and everything....  Question... what does high strong mean exactly?

Mom- High Strung, smartie pants.

Anzinao Miller - what does high stung mean?

Mom - Are you being funny?

High Strung means - high energy, jumpy, uptight, edgy, tense - in or of a state of physical or nervous tension. Don't seem to relax much. Alsways feeling a need to do something. Sound familiar?

Anziano Miller .... Yep that’s me... but I don’t like to admit it!=)

As for this week I am really excited Bickmore is taking charge with this terrible teacher=) I hate the teachers in Albion it literally would have changed my schooling experience if I had gone some where else!

I am glad to here Jake is single again... I know he is going through a rough time now but I bet he will be fine in a couple weeks. He will figure out one day that girls ruin all the fun... they never manage to realize our simple needs, and they expect to much out of us=)

I am happy to hear that the Angers have a new baby, hahah I hope it is not as completely and totally afraid of me like Sadie was!!!

This week has been great I have my new companion... Anziano Marengo, hhahaha he is really funny, I am surprised how well we get along. We work really well together. He is a great companion and my Italian is getting better just from being with him for  this short period of time=)

Last week we had a baptism... it went great, His name is Antoine. He is fantastic; he is twenty years old and really likes being a member. I hope the branch can really help him out! I believe that he can be a great member and grow a lot in the gospel if they just do their part.

I have pictures but I will not have the chance to send them to you for a while... partly because I didn’t bring them.

I am really really getting sick of self righteous people... they can all go fly a kite...
other then self righteous people I am really happy, I have never been better. I am doing my best, and I am learning a lot still.... and I have been really obedient.  It might sound like my mission is a hard life sometimes it is and I am really tired.

I will give you an example of self righteousness... we played a video game with a member the other day but then later that day I gave an old lady a bach... a bach it is a greeting Italians have... when you put your cheek on their cheek...... this person was really mad, but its really ridiculous because no one really knows if its even against the rules to bach people. I don’t really want to mention any names because people do have their ups and downs.

We have a bunch of work going on here... it’s going really well, I am really enjoying the company of Anziano Marengo. He is an incredible teacher and I am learning a lot from him. I really like it here in Palermo; I love the people and this city! I love Anzizno Larsen. He is a great missionary... we will be great friends even after the mission.=)

Other then all this I'd just want to say that I really miss Anziano Weeks we did a lot of good things together, we were the A team of the mission=) I respect him a lot and I miss him to death... I was really upset when I didn’t get an email from him today... but that’s Ok I will get over it. I am sure he has a ton of catching up to do with a lot of friends and relatives.

Tell Carol that she can not use the scooter... there is six months left of my mission... and as us missionaries say... there is only six months till' sexy... so if the missionaries can do it... Carol can!!!!

Not much else happened, it was a really busy week but I just can’t remember everything that I did for some reason.

Have a great week everyone Anziano Miller

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