Week 57 - Huaraz

One more week in the sierra here in Peru was pretty awesome. It has rained almost every day this past week, and when it rains it really pours. Its nice to have a little bit of a change in the weather that's for sure. Its also a huge blessing getting to see the mountains here every day.
The highlight of my week was probably getting to work with a less active member. We got to know him a little bit last Tuesday, and we got to visit him quite a bit this last week. He has been struggling a little bit with a few commandments. Seeing him humble himself was a very good experience. As we talked with him this past week and as we read The Book of Mormon with him this past week we have really been able to see the Spirit working in him. He was excited to go to church Sunday, and when he got there he told us that on the way to church he met someone for us to visit.(which as missionaries is awesome news) We had a great day at church with him and in the end he told us that he felt like new. That was definitely a huge miracle that we got to see this last week. I am very grateful that Heavenly Father has put me where I am and given me the chance to help this man and his family. More than anything I am grateful for the atonement and for the chance it gives us to change and become better.
This week the assistants and President Rios came to Huaraz to do a little conference with us. It was really awesome. President Rios really is very good at inspiring us and helping us become better. On Saturday after the conference the assistants went with my companion and I to proselyte with us. It was such a huge blessing to get to go teach a few families with my trainer Elder Sanchez again. I learned really how much you can learn from one little scripture. It was a great day.
We have been working with two sisters and helping them with their Books of Mormon a little bit these past two weeks as well. Their mom has been a less active member for quite a while, but has started to come back to church. We had a really good conversation with them yesterday. They told us how they never really imagined that they would be listening to the missionaries, and that they were shocked that their mom has been coming back to church. As we talked with them we really got to see their sincere desire to gain their own testimonies. It is amazing how the Lord prepares his children.
I know this is the work of The Lord and that He restored His gospel in these latter days. I am very grateful for the chance to be a missionary in this great work.

My trainer Elder Sanchez and My companion Elder Pacherres this week in Huaraz

Week 56 - Huaraz

My first week back in Huaraz was great! I got here early in the morning last Wednesday. This week my companion and I have been visiting quite a few of the members and we have gotten to visit a few investigators as well. The members here in Huaraz are awesome!
This week my companion, Elder Pacherres, and I had a family home evening with a Family of members. We invited another family of investigators to come with us and they came and had a great time. We talked about obedience and about Mosiah 2:41. I really love how simple the Gospel is. Keep the commandments and receive blessings.
Yesterday we got to visit the same family of investigators and we got to talk to them a little bit about The Book of Mormon. They had read a little bit in their Books and had a few questions when we got there. We talked for a little while with them, and helped them understand The Book of Mormon. It was really cool to see them light up as they understood the answers to their questions, and in the end of the lesson one of them said that it made so much sense. I am very grateful for people who have been prepared by the Lord to be humble and to listen to us. I am very grateful for The Book of Mormon and for the message that it contains of hope.
This week we visited another member family that I knew when I was in this Zone when I started my mission. It was so great to see them again. They have had a few trials lately, but they let us visit with them and we watched a Mormon message with them. In the end of the lesson they bore their testimonies and it was really cool to see the hope that they had because of their faith. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to get to help the great people here strengthen their faith.
Yesterday we had stake conference here in Huaraz, so I got to see a few of the members from Caraz, my first area. It was so great to see them and to talk to my first bishop here in the mission. One of the sisters, that was our pensionista there for a few weeks, brought me manjar(its a sweet spread that they put on cakes here or on bread) because she remembered that I loved it. The conference was great. I really liked the talk from our Stake President, President Zavaleta. He talked about how we need to strive to be perfect like our Savior was. He explained that, although we will never become perfect in this life, we need to strive to know the Lord and to follow in his footsteps.
This week my companion and I have really gotten to see how the Lord fulfills the promises that we leave with the people that we visit. I remember hearing earlier in my mission that we should be the most optimistic people. I am very grateful for the gospel, and for a Loving and patient Heavenly Father. I know the Book of Mormon is true and that The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored.

Lunch today (Elder Miller & his companion, Elder Pacherres

Week 55 - Viru (last day in Viru)

Elder Miller's Summary from today, September 12th, 2016

heres a pic of my second companion Elder rodriguez and I at the multizone conference we had

One more week here in Viru is in the books. It was a great week. Last Monday we had a really nice family home evening with our Pensionista, who is an investigator, and her sister, who is a member. We got to talk a lot about the Savior and we invited her to read the Book of Mormon. Then a little bit later we went and visited the councilor of our branch president and his family. We got to have a really good visit with them and we reminded him of our Branch Council meetings that we have. He was so humble and really listened to us and I really appreciated that. The people here in Viru are so great. They are very humble.
This week we also got to know a new family. It turned out that the mom had actually worked for the member who fed some of the first missionaries that came to Viru. She remembered that they were really good people and that they worked hard. It is interesting how something so little that happened so many years ago had an impact on this lady, and that it helped us to earn her confidence. It didn't take me long to realize that as a missionary baptisms don't really come easy. Helping families to progress doesn't really come easy either, but we are planting seeds that will help these families and the missionaries in the future.
The highlight of my week was probably seeing a less active family come to church yesterday. I have passed by this family and visited them during pretty much my whole time here. At times they haven't really wanted to listen, and at times we have been able to have really spiritual experiences with them. They finally came to church yesterday. I couldn't help but smile as I saw them enter into sacrament room all cleaned up in their Sunday bests.
Yesterday we also had changes. After seven months here in Viru I will be going to a new area to proselyte. I am going back to the mountains of Huaraz. I am sooooooo excited to go back to Huaraz. It is definitely tough to leave the people here and the great missionaries in this zone, but I am so excited for the new opportunity to serve in Huaraz with a super great missionary named Elder Pacheres. I will head to Trujillo tomorrow morning, then tomorrow night I will head to Huaraz and I will get there early Wednesday morning. This week is going to be quite the adventure.
I know that this is the work of the Lord. I Know that He knows us personally and that He is very patient and loving. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have been given to serve in this great work.

Week 54 - Viru

Summary from September 5th, 2016:

This was another great week in Viru full of ups and downs. Last Monday we had a really fun family home evening with a bunch of members. It was a really good time. We talked about doing missionary work, and when we finished we played hot potato. The members here are so awesome. They are so generous and willing to help us. 

This week the family that we have been working with a ton has had even more trials. One morning this week I called the dad, hermano Carlos, and he told me that he was going to work and that his wife had something to tell us. I was really worried after hearing that. It turned out that their son got sick again and when they were in the hospital they talked and made the decision that they want to get married, but that they don't want to get baptized yet. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. They did express to us their frustration in one visit that we had with them this week as well. They told us that they feel a little bit abandoned. We listened to them then decided to say a prayer in their house with them. As we prayed the thought came to my mind to watch a Mormon message that we have by Elder Holland that talks about a young couple that goes through a few trails with their car. We watched the video with them and the spirit really filled their home. I have really been thinking about them a lot lately and how I can help them to persevere. The thought came to my mind that they aren't alone. The Lord has placed us in their lives to help them and guide them at this time. I also read the talk from conference by Elder Uchtdorf called ¨He Will Place You On His Shoulders and Carry You Home¨ this life really is a test, but if we are willing to trust in Christ and follow him he will lead us to higher ground. 

It is tough to see the people go through trials, but I know that this gospel helps us to overcome our trials. I have realized that we really need to put all of our trust in the Lord and everything will be ok. 

This week we also got to teach a young investigator named Gustavo. He is twenty years old and his cousin just got back from her mission. We got to have a really good lesson with him and his dad about the restoration. They are really excited to keep learning.

Every week here in the mission is a little bit different that's for sure. I know this is the work of the Lord and that he guides us. I know that our Savior lives and loves us. 

some pday basketball today