Hello everyone!  Today was a really great day, and it was a really great week too!  Today we met up with our zone in Rosario.  We played some sports and had a water balloon fight.  I felt like a little kid for a few hours... it´s nice to have something different in our schedule every once in a while to shake things up and recharge.

My poor Hermana Miranda has been fighting some major migranes lately, so we had to travel a bit, see some doctors, and rearrange our normal work so we could figure out how to help her feel better.  Amidst the hiccup in our schedule, we still saw lots of miracles happen!  The nurses that attended to her in Rosario were extremely curious about our nametags, and after a good twenty minutes of explaining The Church, we got their contact info and sent it to the mission office so the elders in their area can go teach them!  I love that the Lord helps us find people even during a doctor´s appointment!

We also found some people while contacting that sound sincerely interested in hearing our message, which is great because sometimes Argentines are too nice to say NO and will let us come by again, but will only want to chat about other things.

On Thursday we had a very inspiring Zone Conference where we heard from President and Hermana Giuliani along with the Assistants to the President.  They talked about the importance of seeking the Spirit in this work and recognizing answers to our prayers.  This is definitely something I have been working harder on, because without it missionaries cannot know exactly where the Lord wants them to go or what to say!  Read D&C 50, it has become our theme in this mission.. and I absolutely love it and am a witness of how vital our connection is with the Spirit.  Prayer is the way that we can form this connection, and this is not smoething exclusive to missionaries!  All of us, Heavenly Father´s children, have been given this hermosa opportunity to converse with Almighty God who is the Supreme Being of all things... which sounds a bit intimidating, no? But He loves us like a father, because He is our Father. We can speak to Him at any moment at any time, aloud or silently in our hearts.  The tricky part that we make harder on ourselves is when we miss His answers.  He  always answers our prayers.. it is our duty to be observant to what is around us, and sensitive to how we feel, because that is how we can recognize His answers and receive revelation.  It definitely takes practice, and it has slowly but surely become easier for me.  I love it!  I love being a missionary.  I love seeing right in front of my eyes when my companion and I are being used as instruments in the Lord´s hands.

I hope you are all well!  I am sorry I dont have many photos as of late.. the connection is a bit slow here.

Besos

Hermana Miller 

Hello!  Happy President´s Day!  I completely forgot that today is a holiday at home until my Dad wrote me about what ¨Washington´s Day¨ was like when he was a kid.  It is also a holiday here today and tomorrow, called ¨Carnival¨.  Nothing much seems different here except not a lot of things are open and there was a huge concert and bingo on Saturday with thousands of people= impossible for us to sleep! 

Yesterday I attended my first district conference (a district is to a stake as a branch is to a ward : ) )  and heard some amazing talks from the district presidency and our mission president and his wife.  I love President Giuliani´s enthusiasm! The first thing he said when he approached the stand was ¨It is so great to be here and to see your smiling faces! (pointed at his face and made a huge smile) Smile! It´s Sunday!¨ He loves goals, and encourages us missionaries to think of the specific steps necessary in order to reach those goals. Many times we (I know I have done this!) will make a beautiful goal, write it down, and forget about it.  President told us that our main goal here in Misión Argentina Rosario is to one day have a temple in Rosario.  He then told us what other big steps need to take place before this can be made a reality:   
1.  Encourage young men to prepare to serve a mission now, so there will be no doubt whether they are ready or not once they are of age.  (He also put in a nice plug about how even though it is not required for women to serve, they are more than encouraged to serve, and that they bring a certain spirit to the work that elders cannot.  He looked at my companion and I when he shared this, and I of course got tearyeyed.)

2.  Increase Church Attendance. Invite people to church! Help those who are struggling to stay active!

3.  Increase Tithing. Ah I love his explanation for this goal!  He said the Church needs dedicated tithing payers not because we need the money to build the temple, but because we need to show the Lord that we are willing to sacrifice temporal things in order to receive blessings from a higher, spiritual law.  We must follow the simpler commandments first in order to prepare ourselves to receive the blessings that come from higher, more sacred covenants. 

4.  Be worthy to enter the temple

We have some plans to help our branch remember these goals daily, and we are excited to press forward with these goals!  We know that a lot of time and work will have to take place before we can have a temple here, but I have faith that every little effort will help.  

This work is such a beautiful thing.  More and more each day I am reminded of the importance of inviting people to follow through with their committments to read, pray, and come to Church.  We are teaching them to recognize the blessings that come from being obedient, and step by step they are preparing themselves to make and keep sacred covenants! I have been blessed with the knowledge of beautiful and sacred things from going to the temple, and I want everyone I meet to have the same blessings too! 

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday. Love and miss you all! 

xoxo hermana miller 

Buen dia!  Como le va?  I hope everyone is doing well! 

Things are moving along quite nicely here in Cañada de Gomez.  We are receiving more participation from the branch members here, which makes us so happy!  There is something really special about having a member accompany missionaries to a lesson.  It excites the member, and it definitely excites us because the investigators have the chance to see what a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is really like... because well... we missionaries are not exactly your typical normal person.  Sometimes people get confused and think that if they were to join the Church they will have to be full time missionaries like us, wear skirts all the time, and not be able to watch TV or go out on the weekends!  More importantly- participation from members gives people a chance to hear another testimony of the truth of this gospel.  

On Saturday Hermana Miranda and I had to travel to Rosario, and had some time to eat lunch in Parque Independencia.  I love it!  The lake has little paddle boats you can rent (we watched longingly on the shore...)  and a beautiful bridge and free standing pillars!   

One thing that is really interesting about the gospel is when certain themes we think we understand and know (think of a repeated Sunday School lesson you think you{ve heard more than enough) must be taught once again to strengthen our testimonies.  I definitely had that experience yesterday concerning my purpose as a missionary.  I re read a talk by Elder Clayton from last general conference, titled The Time Shall Come.  

I know that I am here in Argentina particpating in a grand work, the gathering of Israel!  I know with all my heart that this work cannot be stopped, it is the work of the Lord and our efforts as missionaries slowly but surely will bring great fruits one day, even though we may not be able to see it right now.  I love being a missionary!!  I am learning to appreciate each day the best way that I can, not only to enjoy the awesome things that come from  being in a foreign country, but moreso the precious time I have been given to interact with so many different people.  This time is already flying by, and I have to use every moment the best way I can and tell all that I meet about this important message of the gospel!  

I love and miss you all! 

Chau,  Hermana Miller 

All Good In The Neighborhood

Hola friends y family!  

I am sorry, I don{t have a lot of time to write, but I am still here in Cañada de Gomez and I have a new companion, Hermana Miranda, from Cordaba Argentina!  Her castellano is beautiful, and I am already seeing changes in my own abilities to speak this beautiful language.  She is an awesome missionary and I am learning so much from her ability to connect with the people, and it{s not just because she{s Argentine.  We have a lot of goals to strengthen the less active families and find new people!! 

Hope you are all doing well. Sorry for such a short note!  

Con amor 

Hermana Miller 

*** Hillary's birthday is coming up on Feb 29!!  She will finally be turning 6!!!  She will actually be having a real birthday this year since it is Leap Year!!  Don't forget to send her a quick Happy Birthday note!!  Thanks :) Cara