Happy Thanksgiving Week from Florida! Nov. 24, 2008

Hola mi Familia!

I did some contacting in Spanish this week, thus the greeting. : ) So how is everyone? Holding up ok? Staying Strong? (as our Ward mission leader says.) I certainly hope all is going well.

Reece I will definitely miss snowboarding with you, too! And I will be sending some pictures of the apartment soon, so you can be expecting it! Florida is amazing!!! To answer your questions it is amazing because the weather is in the 70's and there is a nice cool breeze blowing. Just the right amount of humidity and the weather has been perfect!! It will stay that way for a while (thats why so many people vaccation in florida)

And as far as investigators go we have had some new investigators this week: Don and Trisha P. who have invited us for an after Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday. They are a nice couple, recently married. Nikki dropped of the face of the earth and I personally haven't heard from her for weeks. I guess she just decided against it. I am definitely not discouraged, though. We have some other great investigators and they are progressing well. I will tell you about them in my next e-mail . . . So I'll sign off and get back on. Talk to you in a sec . . .

I'm actually going to send you all a nice package full of mementos for scrapbooking or saving and and a picture CD starting where the last one left off and going till now. (In other words lots of pictures on it!!) I'm making it today at the store and I am so excited to send it to you!

So yes . . . our investigators . . . We just finished teaching Kayla the final lesson before baptism. Now we are just waiting on her mom's approval for the baptism. Hopefully she will be baptized this Saturday or next week at the latest! I'm definitely excited for her! Kathy S. -- we just taught her on Saturday and she said that everything about the plan of salvation made sense to her and that she believed it. We will invite her to be baptized this weekend. The Mc. family is doing great, just busy as usual. We stop by their restaraunt regularly and yesterday three of the kids all got a ride to church with Brother L. from our ward. They stayed for all three hours and really had fun in their classes! Sister Mc., Brother Mc. and Adolf all had to stay and run the resteraunt so they didn't come. We set up an appointment last night to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ and then commit them all to baptism, but when we got there with our ward mission leader only the three kids who came to church were there. So we have to reschedule, probably for Thanksgiving. So that's the investigators.

Let me tell you about my new companion. His name is Elder Jordan Kline Bradford; he is fresh out of the MTC, 6' 4 1/2'', plays football, and is excited for missionary work. We get along great and no, Reece, he is not like the guy in "The Best Two Years," haha. Right when I got back from picking him up I took him out tracting and we talked to a lot of people. Training him has been a really good experience for me, and a learning experience at that. I have learned in life that many times I learn the best when I teach and that has really been true here. I felt humbled as I was given this call to serve and I know that the only way I have been able to handle this new responsibility is through fervent prayer and divine guidance and help from my Heavenly Father.

Dad, I had my first egg nog and pumpkin pie of the season and it really brings back some memories. I miss drinking that first glass of the season with you and Mom, Reece and Remi. But I'm glad that I have good memories to think of as we start this holiday season. I'll be at the S's this Thanksgiving and they are planning to make many of the dishes that we traditionally have together as a family, so that I can feel closer to home. They said they need to get the recipe from you for the pistacio pudding, : ) Sister D. from our ward made some homemade pumpkin pie and it was delicious. She is also making me some homemade egg nog!! Yea! But nothing will be able to compare to my memories of Moms cooking on Thanksgiving [Awe, isn't he a diplomat!] and spending time with my family whom I love so much!

I recovered from my illness just so you know, the doctor never told me the result of my test but the antibiotics worked so I must be fine. : )

This week I had some real neat spiritual experiences: We were tracting with an exchange in some apartments and I felt the spirit tell me to pray for guidance. So I stopped everyone and told them we needed to say a prayer and we said one right on the steps of the apartment building . I prayed for guidance and for Heavenly Father to lead us to someone who was ready to be taught. As soon as I said "amen" a large man downstairs (must have been a manager) said "Hey, you guys can't be knocking doors here, you need to leave." Although it was not the answer I expected it was still an immediate answer to my prayer and so we left and went to a appointment. I know that God answers our prayers even if it isn't always what we expect, He still hears and answers our prayers.

Mom, I hope all is well and your job is going good for you!

Remi, I love you and I'm glad you have the Priesthood, now!

I love you guys and look forward to my phone call. Have a happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful week!

Elder Miller

Hellooo Family!! 17 November, 2008

Hellooo Family!!

Well, this morning we sent Elder Holland off to Disney World with the D. family. It was sad to see him go!

Guess what? When transfer calls happened Saturday morning the AP [Assistant to the President] told me that President wanted to talk to me. I thought (What does that mean? or better yet: What did I do? haha), but he asked me if I would train a new Elder and I said absolutely. I hope I can be there for him like Elder Holland was there for me.

WoW! I definitely wasn't expecting that of all things. But I'm really excited for it. I do not know who my new greenie is yet and neither does President. He has to interview them before he can decide which of the new Elders coming in is my companion. And right now President is hospitalized with a fever and some sort of virus. Please keep him in your prayers. I'm sure he will be out soon.

So I was looking for some addresses to write people with and I don't have President Smith's [home Stake President] address. Will you please send it to me? Thanks. And thank you for all the pictures. Reece you did an amazing job on the pumpkin! And dad great job on the cake! [see photos] It was great to see all the pictures! And mom, no I haven't gotten the silly FHE [Family Home Evening -- with the Peterson family] pics, but I will look for them in the mail.

Well, I'm going to sign off and sign back on talk to you again in a bit...

Reece you're a very talented artist and when you get famous someday I hope you'll use your art skills to the max. : ) I appreciate you writing me and I look forward to getting your letter! Go El D!!! Battle for the Saddle... I miss it, but I love being a missionary! So have you seen High School Musical 3, yet? Was Stan in it at the end or something? I have other friends in it too.

Whats up with me? mmm... Well, this week has been a big week! Like I said, on Saturday I was told by President Darrington that I will be training. So tomorrow at 9:45 I will pick my greenie up from the mission office and get to work. : ) I hope I can be a good example for him. I have a lot of new responsibility on my shoulders now and will appreciate your prayers on my behalf.

Adam L. is still hospitalized. He hasn't made a whole lot of progress but you can see how he is doing on his website. Ask the S. family for it and they will send it to you. So remember how I was sick. Well I guess I had some sort of stomach infection in the intestines, but I'm definitely feeling better now. So yes, I'm doing well, but I had an interesting week though from being sick. I lost the 10 pounds I had gained here . . . but I feel healthy. On Friday I was at the doctors all day. I had to have blood drawn and do tests. So the doctor gave me these nasty pills that I have to take and they have been doing the job, they just taste horrible!

So guess what?? Today is the first day of my 3rd transfer! And this transfer I get to call you guys!!! (Christmas Day) For Thanksgiving I will be going to the S. family's, of course. And by the way we helped them with a really cool benefit dinner for the fireman on Saturday night. We served drinks and talked to the couple hundred people there. It was a great dinner and it raised some money for the cook book to be published to support the fireman. Bro. S. is a great man! I will be sending you a picture CD soon chalk full of pictures!

Well that was my week. Pretty eventful, huh?? I did receive the package and your letter mom, thanks. : ) and I will be writing soon. : ) I love you all and look forward to this week and meeting my new companion!

Love,

Elder Miller

Greetings from a sick Elder 11-10-08

Hi Family,

Man, right after the S.'s house on Saturday and after we finished washing their cars (service is a great missionary opportunity!) I got really ill. I caught some sort of 24 hour flu and am still recovering from it. It was really bad Saturday night and into Sunday morning, but I'm doing a little better now, thank goodness. Now I just have to recover so I can give my 100% to the work.

Brother S. is such a character. He has been saying he was going to call you guys for a long time but he kept on loosing your number. So Saturday he told me to just give him your number and that he would call you right there and then. And he really did, ha ha. I was outside washing the car but he told me to wave at the phone so I did. It is really weird to think that in a little over a month I get to make my first mission phone call home. Wow, that's not that far away is it?

Well, happy birthday, Remi! I know I told you in my letter with the present, but I'm so excited for you for receiving the priesthood. And I'm glad you and Reece had fun birthdays. How was the Spongebob cake? What did you do for your b-day? I'm glad you like the hat! So will you pass the Sacrament this coming Sunday then? That's really exciting, Remi; I'm really proud of you. : ) Keep up the good work!

Well, I'm going to go ahead and send this and then sign back on for the rest of my time. I will email again in a bit...

Hello again!
Well, I'm back on.

Reece, I'm glad you liked the shirt! It sounds like you had a good time with your friends. So how does it feel to be 17? I can't believe that when I get home you will be 18 going on 19 getting ready for your mission! I have almost been out for 4 months now. things seem to get faster the longer you have been out. I look forward to talking to you at Christmastime! So any snowboarding plans yet? Let me know how everything is going. : )

Dad, I know your birthday is coming up soon! (this Sunday) I hope you enjoyed the present I sent you. I thought about getting you gator stuff too but I thought you might enjoy this a bit more. : ) So are you turning xx or xx? I think it's xx [parental censorship!], but I know you'd rather me think of you turning 35, so I will just think of it that way. : ) I'm glad you enjoyed the S.'s phone call, they are a great family!

Mom, I'm glad you enjoyed the phone call from the S.'s. They said they enjoyed talking to you and that they would love to stay in touch with you guys. I hope you enjoyed the pictures that I sent and the little mementos that I sent too. It will be fun to look back on all the memories after my mission. So have you heard about Andy or Josh or Justin lately? I need to write Andy and Josh. hopefully I will get it done today. And Justin I wrote about 3 weeks ago so hopefully he writes back soon. : )

Well, my week was another week of missionary work. It went well overall just towards the tail end of it I got sick. But I am feeling better and will hopefully continue to recover! Right now our progressing investigators remain the McI. family (who came to church on Sunday, but I wasn't there cause I was sick. But Elder Holland was there) and Kayla M. who now has a baptismal date set for the 23rd. She is really excited for her baptism and hopefully we will get a date set with the McI. family as well. : )

Sometime in the next couple of weeks I will be sending another picture CD. Oh and on Monday I will get my new companion. I don't know who yet, but I look forward to meeting him. I will miss Elder Holland, but he has served for over two years now and needs to get a start on his Air Force career. He will do well I'm sure.

Well, I love you all and look forward to telling you the new news next week. I love you hearing from you and hope your week goes well. I love you guys. keep the faith!

Love,

Elder Miller

The Nicest Phone Call and E-mail Ever! 11-08-08

This morning Elder Miller's happy parents received a sweet phone call from Florida. Brother and Sister S. (the famous DAVID's parents) from the Minneola Ward called to tell us that Elder Miller is doing a great job and that they love him and are taking care of him. And that he will be at their house for Thanksgiving. Lucky Ryan -- Brother S. is a chef!

The call was followed by an e-mail of photos including the two above, which I believe were taken this morning when Elder Holland and Elder Miller were at their house helping wash their car.

What a fun surprise and what a blessing. God Bless you David's family!

Elder Miller and his Trusty Trek 820

More Pics from P-day! 11-3-08

Going to the top of the Citrus Tower on P-day!

TOP: Elder Miller in front of the elevator.

2ND PIC: Elders Miller and Carlisle, and Elders Holland and Sprague at the top of the tower looking East towards Orlando.

3RD PIC: Elder Miller and Elder Holland

4TH PIC: "I'm going to Disney World!" Elder Miller pointing South towards it, at least!

Newest Photos! Bowling on P-day

P-Day Bowling at Clermont Lanes: Elders Miller, Holland, Sprague and Carlisle.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY REECE 11-3-08

Dear Family,

I wanted to write something along with this package, because I take every chance I get!

Well, happy birthday, Reece! 17 years old!? I can't believe how old you're getting. It seems like just yesterday we were making cookies for the firemen, watching you walk around in envelope slippers and playing tickle monster with Dad. Well, time flies and now you're 17! So what are you doing for your b-day?

And a happy early birthday to Remington and Dad!

Remi, I can't believe you're about to turn 12 and receive the Priesthood! Dad I can't believe you're about to turn 35! : ) J/K.

So I'm sending all your gifts at the same time because that's all I can afford. I hope you enjoy them! And Mom, I'm sending scrapbook items and pictures for you, so you can have something, too!

Reece, I got you the Florida Gators shirt, because I thought you would enjoy a college shirt. The Florida Gators are the biggest college team down here and everyone likes them.

Remi, I'm sending you the Florida Gators hat, because I know how much you love hats and I like the Gator emblem on the front.

Dad, I'm sending you this framed picture of the Orlando Temple. I'm going there on Saturday (11-8-08) for an investigator temple tour where we walk around the temple and explain all we are allowed to about the temple and its special purpose. Nikki is coming and she is really looking forward to it! The picture was taken by Brother E. of the Clermont Ward and I just got a simple frame from the store. Please feel free to put it in a nicer frame, so you can hang it up in the house somewhere. I hope you all enjoy the gifts and pictures!

Well, I'm doing great out here and I love you all. I will tell you all about my week in my e-mail, plus I'll be sending some more pics your way. I love you all! Keep the faith!

Love,

Elder Miller (Ryan)

Hello From Florida #1 & #2

Hello Family!

It was great to hear from you and hear about your week. It's amazing to think that I have already been out 1/8 of my mission. (13 weeks approximately).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY REECE!!!!!!!!

I can't believe you're already 17!! I hope you have an awesome birthday. I sent your present out earlier this morning along with Remi's and Dad's presents and it will get there on Wednesday of Thursday. Sorry it's a little late but I did send it out on your birthday so that counts right?? : ) Along with the presents there are pictures and mementos and a brief letter explaining everything. Hope you enjoy!!

Well let me tell you about my week . . . Adam L., an eight year old boy in Minneola Ward awoke with a painful headache a few weeks ago and they since have found that he had a large malignant brain tumor in the center of his head. It was right next to the optical nerve which made operation difficult but they operated on half of it and removed it. Right now he is in critical condition in the hospital and they are debating what to do with the other part of the tumor. The whole L. family has been with him at the hospital for the past few weeks and definitely are there to comfort him. Please keep this boy and his family in your prayers. He is currently in an induced coma but his brain is still responsive so they are slowly bringing him out of it. I fasted for him this week and I know that everyone's prayers and fasting will help.

On a lighter side of things we have had very cold weather lately, but it feels great to me! But the past two days it went back up into the 70's and it feels even better! Halloween was a lot of fun! We helped pass out candy in front of the D. home with both D. families, the C.'s, the C.'s and some others from our ward. We got a lot of goodies as well. Of course I dressed up like a missionary for Halloween. : ) But when it got cold I dressed up like Brother D. (I borrowed his sweater.) On Monday ( a week ago ) we carved some really cool pumpkins so I'll send you pictures in the mail today. I want to see your Halloween pics too, especially Reece's pumpkin (the miner).

On Monday we also went to Citrus Tower and went to the top of it! It was a lot of fun and I sent pictures in the package that I sent to you. Enjoy!

Our investigators are all doing well. We had 7 investigators at church on Sunday!! Our investigators are: Kalya (15, a friend of Katelyn B. in our ward), Nikki (23), Kathy T. (Bro. S's sister), and the McI. Family (8 of them total, but only 6 of them are investigators). The work is going great and I love the people here! I never thought I would be able to love another ward as much as I love 6th ward but I really love it here!

Lately I've been trying to brush up on my high school Spanish with members and investigators. I'm learning a little each day.

I'm going to get off the computer and then sign back on so I can finish the rest of this letter. Talk to you in a bit . . .

Hello again!

So on Saturday we had an amazing exchange with the K. brothers (David, 19, and John, 16) are from a Tongan family in our ward and they are really great kids!) I took John with me and we did some amazing missionary work. We started off with them bringing dinner to our apartment. Then we went to some apartments where we had tried coming in contact with Diamond and Hector from E. R. high school for about a month after our first lesson. The spirit told me to try yet again even though I had tried many times before, so John and I knocked on her door and sure enough she was there as with her mother! We set a return appointment for yesterday. And we taught her and Hector another lesson yesterday during another exchange!

Then john and I had time for a few minutes of tracting before the next appointment and the very first door that we knocked on was opened and it was Carlos (16 and at E. R. high) who is the same age as John and goes to the same school. We taught him the message of the restoration and went to our next appointment. What a miracle! Then we visited with Pablo (16) who was baptized when he met the missionaries many years ago, but his parents got divorced and he fell away from the church. but now he wants to turn his life around and come back to church and he are helping him along the way. Then we "commitment-yarned" the entire smith family of 7 to have someone in their home for FHE. After that I introduced John to the McI. family and he got a long great with Ramone who is also 16. What an amazing night of missionary work!!

Reece, you should go on some exchanges with the Elders. It is such a great experience to have and you get to witness many miracles that take place in missionary work. Will you commit to going on an exchange? ; )

I taught gospel principles class on Sunday and 5 members of the McI. family were there!! It was a lesson on chpt. 27 of the manual (work and personal responsibility) which applied directly to the McI. family's business and their hard work. It went really well! Last night was Weston W's baptism (the family is in our ward and he just turned eight). I led the music and Elder Holland played piano. The service was really special and I felt the spirit strongly. All throughout the Baptism and sacrament meeting earlier that day I kept on thinking about my future family. I thought about meeting my wife and being married in God's Temple. I thought about having children and then being able to baptize them when they reached the age of accountability. I had some very powerful witnesses of the spirit yesterday as I was fasting and praying and looking forward to these things in my future. I love the Gospel!

I will be singing in church on Sunday or the next Sunday a duet with Elder Holland (because he is leaving) so I am looking forward to that.

Oh, and tell Megan I said CONGRATULATIONS!

Well, that was my week and it was another amazing week of missionary service. I pray for each of you every day and am so glad I am a part of our family and that we can be together forever. I love you all and wish you a month of Happy Birthdays! : )

Hope to hear from you soon. Keep the faith! Stay strong!

Love,

Your son and brother,

Elder Miller