Greetings from Daytona Beach September 7, 2009

My Family,

Thank you for your encouraging email and your weekly update on your life in Lakeland. I always look forward to hearing from you each week. Mom and Remi, I apologize for not replying yet to the letters you sent me a couple weeks ago. I will definitely reply to the letters you send me, sometimes it just takes a little longer than I would like due to a busy week, but I will do my best to write you letters soon. I also want to send you some picture CD’s that I plan on making today so hopefully I can get those sent to you this week.

Dad, you always know how to give the best advice. You are very spiritually in tune and have that extra fatherly sense. I appreciate your comments, because I do feel myself sometimes slipping into that cruise mode and I do my very best not to because I want to continually improve at being a missionary. The only way to do that is to move forward, because if I am not moving forward I am moving backward. I am excited for the new transfer that starts today because I will be receiving a new companion and a new calling (senior Zone Leader). This will help me to not slide into a rut but to press forward with steadfast faith in Christ. My new companion’s name is Elder Hansen. That’s about all I know about him for now but he will arrive in the area tomorrow morning. Elder Palmer is going to Goldenrod (in Orlando area) to serve as a district leader in what will probably be his last area (he has 4 ½ months left). Elder Maughan is leaving to Hunter’s creek zone (where I came from to Daytona) and Elder Bernhisel is getting a Trainee. There are many exciting changes taking place in the mission! Because our mission is still growing and there is a lot of missionary work to be done in this part of the Lord’s vineyard, our mission is growing with 24 extra, missionaries in the next couple of transfers (19 missionaries came in today from the MTC to replace our 10 that were leaving, and a similar pattern will follow for the upcoming transfers.) Our mission is growing and there is work to be done!

Reece, it’s good to hear about all the progress our family is making on the house! I would love to have you join me at college for a semester before your mission! We would have a lot of fun together, I’m sure. :) I’m sorry your school feels like a prison, but that is good that you will be able to focus on your academics. Did you say that you were doing the duel enrollment this semester? It sounds like a great program to finish off high school with because when you do the program for a year you are well on your way to earning your Associate’s Degree. By the way what was the name of your school again? Was it Lakeland High? And what is your mascot? To answer your question we do have some new investigators and one of them went tracting with us this week (his name is Nick). Ironically he was smoking while we were out tracting, but we did speak to him about our program to help him quit. I am really enjoying the work here and I hope to be sending you the picture CD’s this week.

Remi, I am still working out every day but we haven’t pushed the car lately. I did get a little behind a week ago due to a cold, but I am steadily catching up again. What was the name of your school again? I hope everything is going well for you in school and that you are learning a lot. My companion is doing well but like I mentioned to Dad he will be leaving tonight for his new area. We actually don’t e-mail from the Library because the Library doesn’t allow us to (something about being out of state residents) and even though I can prove that I am from Florida, my companion can’t so we email at Grandpa A’s business office at his home.

Eddie and Kathy’s marriage is on the 19th and their baptism is on the 26th! They are so excited and we helped them make some wedding plans on Sunday with Kathy and Sister B. from our ward. The ward is very willing to help out with everything which makes it a lot better for Eddie and Kathy. This way they will have fellowship even after the missionaries who worked with them are long gone.

Mom, your favorite Elder is doing great, thank you! Thank you for sending my stuff, it will really help me out. It was funny to hear about Reece playing in the rain and bothering the cows. I can’t say I’ve bothered Florida livestock yet, but we “play” in the rain all the time when we’re tracting and a storm comes. :) The L’s are doing great and are still preparing towards marriage, baptism and confirmation. I can’t wait till they make that step in their lives! :) Overall I had a great week, but I look forward to the changes being made and the new transfer in which will come much more success. As a mission we baptized 75 people in the month of August and we plan on staying consistent with bringing God’s children back into his fold. I hope the house continues coming along and I wish you the best in your writing and freelance work.

I love you all and wish and great September and an awesome week! Please tell Grandma and Grandpa that I said hi!! Stay strong and keep the faith.

Love,

Elder Miller