Week 42 April 12, 2016

Whats good friends and fam!

Sorry I'm on a day late!

Well transfer calls came and.......... Looks like I'll be spending a

3rd out here in Bremerhaven! Rogers is staying as well and it will be

a 7 week transfer. That's a long time but I'm excited. Our entire

district stayed the same except of course Elder Peterson and it was

way way hard to see him go. But all is well because I will be seeing

him in just a short year:) My boy Gallacher is gone too. So dang sad,

it's honestly unreal. I'm officially one of the older ones on the

mish... And in a couple more transfers I will be the oldest. Crazy

stuff. THE NEW AP SHOUTOUT TO MY MTC COMP AND MY BOY ELDER DAY! I

CALLED IT FROM THE BEGINNING! I know he is gonna hook me up with all

the good benefits:)))

Anyways, not much this last week. Met with a few people and played some

soccer in Oldenburg again. The transfer calls were changed to Sunday

night instead of the usual Saturday night/ Monday morning which I have

no clue why and I can't think about it too much because I get mad. We

can't say goodbye to our ward because we don't know who or if we are

going... And it makes it hard to plan things because if someone goes

that changes your entire schedule. But what can you dooooo?? ANYWAYS...

Today was kinda crazy because of multiple things that I don't have the

the energy to write but we got to play laser tag which was way fun.

Killed it the first round and then the second round this 14 year old

kid with a pierced ear walks in and talks about how he's the best

laser tag player in Germany... Supposedly he was in the Guiness Book

of world records. He was good but he wasn't that good. Your boi stuck

close. Jokes on him actually because he brought HIS OWN laser tag vest

and gun. I didn't even know you could do that.. Who does that?

Honestly, who is that serious about laser tag? He brought his own vest

and gun....that is just unreal...

Auf jeden fall we have lots of good goals this next transfer and were

planning on seeing some big miracles out here. I love you guys and

pray for you everyday!

Have a good week!

Elder Miller

Week 41 April 4th, 2016

Hey everyone!

Well this week was... Interesting... But conference was great as always. Loved it all!!

Well let's get to it!

Monday started off with a BANG. Elder Peterson and Matis spent the night because we were gonna do an exchange the next morning. Now, here is where things get crazy. I normally let Elder Rogers cut my hair, and he does a good job, but Peterson has been bragging ALL WEEK about how many good hair cuts he has given. So I said what the heck why not.. So I am sitting patiently throughout the haircut and we are near the end. The next thing I know is: "Oh my gosh!!!" I thought it was a big joke at first, however after seeing the facial expressions of Elder Rogers and Elder Matis, I knew it was far from a joke. I hopped off my stool and sprinted as fast as I could to the closest mirror and I saw it.... ONE. HUGE. SHAVED. LINE. RIGHT DOWN THE SIDE OF MY HEAD. I was honestly speechless... If it weren't for Elder Petersons hysterical laugh, I would be outraged. But when you hear it, it just makes your day 100x better gosh dangit. And it's too short to cut all the way around still. So I have been wearing a hat all week and taking lots of fish oil pills. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise because I heard those pills are mega healthy.

ANYWAYS! Tuesday we went up to Oldenburg and played indoor soccer. I miss soccer so much. And being in shape because I was absolutely dying. 

Wednesday we had our last district meeting of the transfer because next week we have zone training meeting. Crazy how fast these last 6 weeks have gone by! Hopefully our district won't change too much..

The rest of the week we tried to get the work rolling but its tough. Not a lot happening right now so we really need to figure something out. I am grateful for conference this week, I really needed it. I felt like so many of the talks were directed for me specifically and how I myself can be better for now and for the future, as well as helping these members and people of Germany as best I can. I feel like sometimes these people just simply aren't doing the simple things that can make big differences in their lives. Huge example, coming to church. COME. TO. CHURCH. This is where Elder Miller is learning patience. Regardless, I love these stingy, cranky people, and just like Elder Mervyn B. Arnold said, I will never give up on any of them, no matter what:)

LG,

Elder Miller

Week 7377!!,!

What's good everyone!

Sorry, I seriously have not a lot of time today but I hope you all had

a fantaaasstic Easter!

Work was a little slow this week but we're staying on the grind! I'm

on exchange with Elder Matis right now. He's 4 weeks fresh and a stud!

He's kinda struggling like everyone does with new adjustments in the

beginning but I swear this kid is future AP.

On saturday we had a ward Family History activity and it was way good! My

old pal Sister Seare from Spandau got to come up and be in charge of

it cause she's the geneology sister. Our whole district came and afterwards

we took some pday time out to go visit the Clima House. It's a big

bean shaped building with a ton of different rooms modeled after

different countries and their climates. Way sick. For example, they

have an Antarctica room and it's -10 in that place!

Anyways, conference this weekend! So pumped! I love it. I love you all.

I really do!

Keep on keepin on:)

Elder Miller

Week 39 March 21, 2016

Family!!!

Sorry I am on way early this morning. Some missionaries came to Bremerhaven for the baptism and so they are spending the next couple nights with us and we are gonna go out and have some fun:) Including Elder Bodtcher! Ahh man I have missed that kid! Anyways, as you can probably guess this week was the best! Yep, for one reason: Frau Taunts was DUNKED:)

She was crying from beginning to end. Oh man everybody was so happy. We were both so nervous. She was mainly scared because of her ears. She's like 90% deaf so she was scared about going under the water. I was scared I was gonna mess up the words, drop her, etc. But it all went smoothly because we practiced about 34 times before :)

All of the missionaries that came have been people that she has been with ever since she's been found. And nobody told her, so one by one they came as surprises, and she was so ecstatic about it all. It was her birthday too and Elder Bodtcher made this way cool picture collage of all of us and put it in a frame and gave it to her. At the end of the baptism Alex went up and gave her a huge hug. Regardless of all the drama, all the arguments and all the frustration in that relationship, it was way cool to see it all pushed aside for this special day. None of it mattered, it was all irrelevant. Nothing but love and happiness and so much peace because of a special decision that was made to follow the example of Jesus Christ.

I've been thinking a ton about my mission the last few weeks. The hard times, the good times, the relationships I have made, all that I have learned. I am almost to my half way mark and I finally have come up with what I believe to be true. The whole "Your mission will be the best two years of your life" thing is 100% false. For me at least. ...If these 2 years will prove to be the best of my life, I am not a happy guy.

I am 5,000 miles away from my family, I have been spit at, cussed at, countless doors have been slammed in my face and I have seen rejection after rejection after rejection. There have been nights where I have cried myself to sleep. There have been nights where I have come up with the conclusion that I am coming home tomorrow. But a month goes by and somehow, I still find myself here. It's the culture of a mission.. Especially for me in Germany. My testimony has been tried and shaken. It's not easy. It has gotten easier over time, but the mission is still far, far from comfortable. 

However, then you catch someone like Frau Tants. German as it gets. Brutally honest, and one who simply would not believe or do something she wouldn't think is right. To have the opportunity to baptize her, and hear her testimony just one time, is worth 1000 rejections. #testimonybuilderfordayz #TheTants

All that being a said I, without a doubt,  know with my whole heart, this has the been the best year FOR my life. And I know the next year will be too. Missions create men and when my mission is said and done I'm going to come out a freaking warrior. If it was easy what would I learn? I'm mega grateful for Frau Tants and the example she is for me. People like her make it all worth it. 

I love you all and I hope you have the best week!

I don't know what week...

What's good fam!

Sorry, I had absolutely negative time to write yesterday! Some stuff came up with a member and we kinda had to watch over him the whole day but things are good now! 

Elder Rogers and I really took a lot of time to set up appointments this week with everyone. Members, less actives and investigators. We are going to have a mega busy week so we are excited about that!

I am racking my brain right now... I know a lot happened but I am completely drawing a blank. 

I am so excited for Frau Tants' baptism. That's really what my mind has been on this whole week. I am so exhausted and I do not feel like writing this email at all to be honest....I promise I will make up for it next week! Ill attach some pix n flix tho.

Trotzdem, Ich habe euch lieb!

love you guys!!

Elder Miller

              "What you can do when stuck at a bus stop and 20min until the next bus comes!"

WEEK 37 MARCH 7TH, 2016

What's guuucciiiii family!

It was a bit of a hectic week with transfers and all and showing my new comp Elder Rogers around the city! But we got everything planned out nice and are ready to get soakin wet out here in the west this transfer.

We had our first district meeting this week. It used to be only us and the Bremen Sisters with a senior couple as well, but the senior couple Tschüßed us and we picked up the Oldenburg Elders which is MEGA RAD. Elder Peterson is in Oldenburg and I freaking love that guy. We are like the same person. We have THREE brand new greenies in our district, 2 sisters and an Elder. I love new guys - makes me feel good and old ;) Plus it's a chance for me to see how far I have actually come since being exactly where they were at one point, not being able to recite D&C 4 in german ;) hehe no worries, they will get it in no time.

We are continuing to work with Frau Tants and got her program all sqaured away on Sunday! Which songs, speakers, etc. IM SO EXCITED. I wish you all could know her. She's the most animated, funny old lady I have ever met. 

This week wasn't bad but it actually felt like an eternity.. I finally got my new glasses so hopefully they start kickin in quick. Chaboi is gettin real tired of migraines. 

Sorry I haven't emailed back a lot! The last 2 weeks have been crazy but I promise next week I'll be sending out some replys:)

I love you all and hope you have the best week!

Elder Miller

Week 36 February 29th, 2016

Well another transfer has come passed! And just like that, Elder Bodtcher is gone:(

After 8 and a half months in Bremerhaven his time here is up. I am so dang sad and a little shocked. I have big, big shoes to fill because the people here loved him. I love that kid and will miss him so much. My new comp is Elder Rogers. I don't know a whole lot about him, but I heard I'm just gonna have to "break him in". He's been out about a year and that's all I know. 

Anyway, onto the dang crazy week. On Monday Elder Bodtcher and I bowled. I was a little rusty the first round and lost, but won the next four ;) I BOWLED A TURKEY. I have pics to prove it to those that doubt me (Nick). 

Okay maybe the end of the week was crazy because Tuesday and Wednesday was full of finding...

Thursday we made an appointment with a member's cousin, who is not a member. They live way far out in a dorf. And when you make an appointment with someone who lives in a dorf that's pretty much the day because busses only come through like every 6 hours... So we made it almost all the way there but we got off to transfer to another bus that we needed in another dorf, only to find the bus was not going to come. We were ticked. So in the mean time we saw some horses in the distance and while waiting for the bus to take us back to Bremerhaven, Elder Bodtcher says " Elder Miller feed the horses!" Of course I'm like, yeah okay sick, so I grab some grass but apparently the fence that I tried to stick my hand through was electric and the freakin thing shocked me outta my shoes!! Elder Bodtcher got a kick out of that one. 

Friday we had our last district meeting. Way sad. After we all went to a place called Pannokoekship to celebrate. It's basically a pirate ship restaurant with way good over priced crepes. Nothing much later that day. We went by to visit a less active named Daniel. Hasn't been to church in a super long time and we got him to come on Sunday - way sick!

Saturday. The dreaded call. After that call we just felt sick to our stomaches... We were in Bremen for a street display and honestly I was just too dang sad to even talk to anyone. But of course we did and then headed to the Daniels after to drive 2 hours to Osnabrück for a cool musical which of course took away some of the sadness. They took us to Pizza Hut for dinner after :) 

Sunday of course goodbyes... But we had the coolest experience. WE GOT A BAPTISMAL DATE SET FOR OMA. Well it's actually been set for a while now but I was a little skeptical about it going through that's why I haven't said anything. On Sunday she was going to get up and speak in front of everyone inviting them to the baptism but she got scared and wrote something down on a piece of paper and gave it to the bishop to read out loud for her. She said " I'd like to invite you all to my baptism on the 20th of March. I'm being baptized because I know the Book of Mormon is true." Elder Bodtcher and I just looked at each other and all we could do was smile. She's SO STRONG AND SHES GETTIN DUNKED!! Freakin love Oma Taunts. She's so German and so funny and so awesome. 

I feel like a lot more fun things happened this week that I am forgetting. It was a sad week, but a good one. Elder Bodtcher has been here in Bremerhaven for 9 months, so it's his time. He gets to go to the best city in our mission, Tiergarten. So I'm excited for him. Mega grateful for that kid. That's all I have for this week! Sorry if it was kinda long.

Love you guys! 

Elder Miller 

Week 35 February 22, 2016

Sooooo another week. Alrighty. Emailing is getting kinda hard hahaha.

It was a good week. Actually, it was an awesome week - the sun shined 2

days in a row!! It's so sad how white I am. Looking at the picture

book mom got me for my birthday is kind of depressing sometimes cause

I see how was tan and in shape I was... now I'm just a tubby ghost..

ew. And I went to the eye doctor and they said I need glasses...

Anywayyyyyssss highlights!

Monday was way good, I had an awesome birthday! First Elder Bodtcher

and I went shopping and he bought me a new shirt! What a guy! We ate

at Oma's for lunch afterwards and she made really really good

currywurst. For Family Home Evening we of course went to the Daniels

and had some classic abendbrot and before I knew it I was surrounded

by about 4 different cakes. A piece of every different kind was on my

plate before I could say Danke! Every time we drive somewhere with the

Daniels they have Jess Glynn playing in the car so I pretty much have

all the lyrics to all of her songs down. I guess they noticed that and

they bought me her album for my birthday! Hahaha I love them!

Wednesday good old district meeting! We had a late Valentine's Day

party afterwards and made cookies. When we got back to Bremerhaven we

were invited to one of our contact's who is a part of a religion called

Baha'i. She's way nice and she had like a seminar presentation at her

office for people to come and learn about what it's all about. She was

so grateful that we came even though we are here preaching about a

different religion. It was a cool experience!

Fast forward to Friday I was at the eye doctor for what seemed like

forever. Eye tests and what not. They said I need glasses and that it

could definitely be a reason for my headaches. So I'm hoping so! After

we went straight to some glasses shops and picked out the dopest pair

of Ray Bans I could find. They are brown on top with gold rims. Sexy.

You will see them in a couple weeks when they get here.

The past few weeks I feel like I've really come to recognize and be

grateful for the spirit. A couple weeks ago on pday elder Bodtcher and

I went into this beautiful great big Protestant church. It had

incredible craftsmenship with carvings and paintings in great detail.

Everything. It was really amazing and they are everywhere here in

Germany. But as I was walking around admiring, I noticed something.

There was no spirit. There was no warm feeling, no feeling of peace or

"feel right". It was definitely cool, but it just felt like a museum

more than a holy place. It did not come close to bringing the feeling

I had in the temple or even in our Sunday meeting houses. I'm grateful

for the spirit and the power it has to bring us knowledge. Although I

was in a different church that day, my testimony for this church grew

big time.

I love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Miller

Week 34 February 15, 2016

I used to wonder when missionaries came home, why they did so with a lot less hair than when they first went out. Now, it all makes sense...

Alrighty.... Monday night we started off with a good old sleepover with the ZL's at our place. I left the next morning with Elder Peterson to Oldenburg for exchange. It's crazy how similar our missions have been. He's had it pretty rough too so it was good to talk with him and relate. It takes while to get there so we didn't have much time but we went to a school and played indoor soccer with a bunch of pretty solid older guys. It was way fun but I am SO out of shape. I was suckin wind hard after the first 5 minute round. I'm still sore 5 days later...

Wednesday we had zone conference in Hannover. It was good but allll stress! I swear Präsident and Sister Fingerle made me take part in everything! I had to share my thoughts at the beginning about something, then I had to share my conversion story in the middle and at the end, they made me share my testimony! I get so nervous in front of people as it is, let alone having to speak to them in German! On the real - it's okay, I was happy to do it!

Fast forward to Friday,  we had dinner at one of our investigators, Angela. She is the sweetest lady! Her whole family was there and her husband is nice. They are from Spain and made some wayyy good food. Their kids though, need to get their face out of the phone screen, meine gute!!!

Saturday we had Grunkohl essen with the ward!! If you don't know what it is, your just going to have to look it up because I have 0 idea on how to explain it.. That was stressful coordinating rides with times and places and people who could and couldn't and could later and getting them in contact with who and where and when... If you get what I'm saying here. Stress is what I'm hinting at. 

Later that night we had an appointment with Alex and his grandma. Alex is the one kind of going through a hard time right now. It was a really really intense couple hours with some more tears and loud noises. At one point Alex just wanted to leave and Elder Bodtcher and I said absolutely not. STRESSFUL. We made him go give his grandma a hug and tell her that he loved her. After that things got so much better. Alex likes to wear all black gothic stuff and I think that really is a reason he is in a dark place right now. Dark clothes, music, friends - everything. He calls me a "hipster" and he hates my style of clothes. But this week I begged him to just try, just for one week, to wear normal clothes and listen to normal uplifting music and to meet with us EVERYDAY and to study the scriptures, and just see how he feels. He agreed! We saw him today for my birthday and I could already see a HUGE difference not only in him but his grandma and everyone around him as well!

Quasch!! Wie kann mein zeit schon fertig!?! 

Thank you guys all so much for the birthday wishes! I didn't have time to respond to all of them but I promise I will write back next week! Bring on year 20!! 

PS Enjoy some high quality pics from Elder Bodtcher and I's Valentines Day photo shoot!

Elder Noah

Week "A Lot"

Hi franz,

It was a weird week this week. Went by so fast, but at the same time so

dang slow. I've been a little cranky because I can't remember the last

time I've seen sunlight. Dark and rainy my entire time here so far.

Elder Miller needs his vitamin D.

So Tuesday not much. We had an appointment with Alex and his grandma.

They called us and asked us if they could meet and things didn't sound

too good on the phone. We got there and it was pretty rough. Alex is

really struggling with some personal things right now and his grandma

is always worried about him. He doesn't have a phone so there is never

constant communication either, which makes things hard too. By the time

we left things were better. Alex has so much potential to do great

things and Elder Bodtcher and I are really trying to work hard with

him to make him realize that and to do some things to get him on the

right path.

Wednesday went on exchange with the Leer Elders. I was with Elder

Christoffersen, shy but nice kid. He's been out for about 2 months. It

was a bit of a stressful day because I haven't been in this area for

long and Elder Christoffersen can't speak German yet so I had to do

everything myself, which was fine, just exhausting because Elder

Bodtcher and I usually split 50/50. Did lots and lots of doors and

finding:)

We had our district meeting on Thursday in Bremen and that was good as

always. After, we had our weekly annual seminary class with the

Daniels. They always call on Elder Bodtcher and I to read some parts

out of the Old Testament. I can normally read well but when I have to

do it in front of people I get nervous and just end up reading at the

same pace as a 3rd grader. Plus, the Old Testament in German has

ridiculous hard words.

Friday I don't even know... Pretty sure all of our appointments fell

out except an elderly lady we visited who is in an assisted living home.

She didn't really have a choice to cancel us cause we didn't tell her

we were coming hahah.

Saturday we had some good less active appointments and an appointment

with a lady named Angela. She is way sick! She just got back from

vacation in Spain and got us this bread that tasted heavenly.

Sunday was weird. There was only like 20 people at church and 2 were

missionaries and 3 were investigators. So there was like 15. Our ward

had a temple drive to Holland to go to the temple there since both in

Germany are under construction right now so maybe that's why... Our

eating appointment was with The Lou family because it was the CHINESE

NEW YEAR!! The Lou's come straight outta China so all the food was

authentic and amazing. I think it was the first time I sat down to a

meal without freaking potatoes. Not that I don't like potatoes but

every meal...

Well your boys got 7 days left of his teenage years. That's kinda sad.

But it should be a fun week this week so I'm excited.

Love you all!

Tchüß,

Elder Miller