Week 11 - First Christmas and Balling in the Streets.

Hey Everyone! 

Merry Christmas! Hope everyone had a good one. This week was great. I had a great Christmas Eve and Christmas day. We taught a lot of lessons, had some great food with members, and played some basketball.

Christmas Eve was amazing...my life dream and mission dream was fulfilled. We were going to an appointment with an Interested person that we are teaching and they didn't answer the door. But there were like 4 young kids playing basketball in the street and Elder Rich saw that I was dying to go play with them so he said go head and play. It was a lot of fun and they were so good. But they didn't know white kids in shirt and ties could play a little street ball themselves. We were getting ready to share a message with them, but then we heard some gun shots and police sirens in the street next to us so we had to go but luckily we got their names and hopefully will get to meet with them again.

Christmas day was good we had a lot of meals with members which was really nice. We had mashed potatoes and Turkey and it reminded me of home. We also played some basketball which is always nice and brings some happiness always. I also got to talk with my family which was hard because I miss them a ton but it was good to see them.

We were tracting this week and just a side note (I don't get to use my cantonese like ever, let alone see any asian people) But this lady answered the door and turned out to be from China and she spoke english and mandarin. I knew a couple of words in mandarin so that was fun to use. But she was interested in "Mormon Jesus" and we set up an appointment to meet with her. It was great to finally find an Asian person to teach! 

That same night we also found a lady tracting who answered the door from the upstairs window. Hahah she yelled "what do you want?" And we told her we were missionaries and we set up another appointment with her.

On a more spiritual note, Missionary work is hard and it has it's difficulties. I miss my family and my buddies a lot. But I learned this week more then I have in my life the importance on relying on the Savior. I am so thankful for this time of year to remember his birth and life and example. As we rely on Him, we really are healed and there is so much peace in turning to him. I was able to finish the Book of Mormon for the first time on the mission. I know this book to be true, and there is great power in reading it. 

I hope everyone has a good week, and Happy New year!

Elder Miller

Christmas Day with our Penguin Ties 

Street Ball on Christmas Eve

My Christmas Eve gift from Emilee, Chantz and Puppy.