Hey this week was pretty all right. So today is the first day of the change and I guess I will be staying here with Elder Cisnado another change. This week was pretty good. We have 6 people with baptismal dates which is pretty cool and we are teaching more than 30 families right now. We have the best numbers in the zone. So ya we are working really hard. It was kind of rough Sunday because it had rained the night before so not very many people went to church. Zero of our people with dates did not show and that is super bad because if they miss one more day of church, we have to reschedule the baptismal dates. This change has been kind of crazy. ....... Have you guys gotten my letters yet?  Next week I will be one fourth done with my mission which is pretty crazy. I found allot of cool scriptures this week in the New Testament. Jesus gives us so many parables but we only know 1/8 of them because the others are short or confusing but I find them very interesting. And I have been with elder Cisnado for 1 change and now this change. I have a couple cool pictures that we took this week.   Love you all, thanks for everything.

Elder Vince Miller

October 8, 2013

10-8-13

Hey thanks for your letters! I’m not going to lie, I have the biggest head ache right now and it hurts me to look at the screen, but conference was awesome! I learned so much! I was honestly the first conference that I felt sad after it ended.  The Saturday sessions were better but I liked them all. Mom, in the stake center they had a room for all the gringos to watch conference in English live.  We could of watched it in Spanish but it just isn’t as powerful because you can’t hear the exact words of the prophet. We have a couple baptisms coming up! That should be awesome. the reason I havn’t sent any pictures the last couple weeks is because I ran out of batteries and they are super expensive here,  so I am waiting for more money to come in and sacrifice some food for them.  My comp and I get along fine ....... I have been a little sick this week and I don’t know why. I have a really bad head ache right now. ...... Thanks for everything! you guys are the Best! 

Love,

Elder Vince Miller

9-18-13 Hurricane Ingrid

Things are pretty crazy right now! Our city is lucky that it (hurricane Ingrid) didn’t hit us directly.  It barely missed us. But we have been getting rain like no other! Yesterday all the streets had at least 3 feet of water I am not kidding! It was so full that in all the lagoons in the area started to over flow and right now they are still finding crocs that decided to take a swim in the streets of Madero and Tampico. If we would of known of all the crocs in the streets, I am sure we would of been more careful treading through all the streets ha. This week was fine. I am getting a new companion today........ This week a raccoon tried to eat me, that was weird. The hurricane destroyed our week for lessons and killed almost 30 people in Veracruz and Victoria. All of the houses here are extremely flooded! Kids are swimming in the streets and cars are floating in the streets. Good luck for Parker.  Kayd is there and is killin it........ Pray for the people of Veracruz and Tamulipus because of all the destruction that happened. Sorry for my grammar and spelling but using a Spanish computer it doesn’t have English spell check and I am just writing as fast as I can. Here are some photos.

9-10-13

Hey guys! 

I had a pretty good week! This is the last week of the change, so that will be good, we had a meeting with all the missionaries in my generation on Friday. That was way good to see all those guys. Oh before I forget,  I got your package on Wednesday! Thanks so much!........So this week it rained a ton! All the streets were rivers. I went on splits with Elder Girot into his area across the river into the state of Veracruz that was cool. It’s like the hick part of our district, tons of mud and weird things over there. The ward there is the smallest one I’ve ever seen. Only 20 people. I got to help with the sacrament that was cool. ......... We have had other elders staying with us for a couple days this week. Elder Barbosa from Peru, and Elder Ovarsio from Pueblo Mexico that was fun because Elder Ovarsio is new like me so we talked a bunch and Elder Barbosa has lots of time here, in fact he leaves Monday. So he and my comp are good friends. We went over some wrestling and jijutsu moves(: hah they just think it’s the coolest thing because the sport doesn’t exist down here. Today we went to the temple for my first time. It was cool, kind of a little different hearing it in Spanish. The only bad thing is they don’t have food in this one. After we walked across the street and ate at an Italian restaurant. Well Ian, you asked for a story so here is a story for you. About two weeks ago we were running to a house and one of the members called us to come over to Hermana Jauchita’s house. She is an 80 year old widow with no family or money. Every time we are in her shack I feel really sad. So she couldn’t walk or anything before because her leg was super jacked up. So the ward members give her food and company every day. But anyway about her leg, she couldn’t walk at all because in her right calve her tendons were separating and there was a huge gash about a half inch wide and about 10 inches running up and down her leg. It was really gross. Just a gash of flesh and the doctors didn’t know what to do because of her condition. So we ran to her house and my comp said I was giving the blessing and so I gave it and right when I finished giving her the blessing here skin was sealed back up and now there is only a scare and the next day the doctors told her that all her tendons have been put back in place. She can walk now. She still has a harder time because she is like 80 and in Mexico that is like really really old. But I am so glad I was able to be an instrument the hands of the Lord to perform this amazing healing. So there’s a story for you. Dad that is crazy about Mr. Greenwood I hope he is doing ok. I will for sure pray for him........ But thanks again all of you guys for your letters they really do help me a ton! Um don’t know what more to say. If you have any more questions you know what to do. Feel free to share my letters I just didn’t feel like sending it out to everyone today. Give everyone my love.

Elder Vince Miller

Zone Meeting

9-2-13

Oh hey everyone!

This week was a good week. So the area that I am in now is a little harder to get lessons because all the people are at the refinery until way late but its okay! We are teaching about 10 different people right now about 5 investigators.  Yesterday I asked one to get baptized and she said she would so we will have another baptism in a couple weeks. This week was pretty cool for me because one of the less active sisters we teach has been fasting for stuff because she wants to go to the temple and during the lesson I was just talking and relating an experience and all of a sudden she threw her hands up into the sky and exclaimed that I had answered one of the things she had been fasting for. I still don’t even know what that might be but that was a testimony builder to me because God prepares his missionaries and people. I was just talking about something honestly nothing super spiritual and it answered a fast for a struggling mother of 6. I don’t think that JUST happened. So that was really cool. President Jordan is the bomb because we can now play soccer on P days WOOT! So today we played with our district and the assistants, I was soaked by the end but totally worth it. We played gringos VS Latinos and believe it or not we won!  Oh this week I ate a full Habanero chili! Not the smartest thing I’ve ever done in my life but for sure one of the most rewarding. So I’ve been in area Hildago only 3 weeks and President told me that my comp is leaving this change to be a zone leader in Victoria. Kind of nervous because the area is so big and he has done the majority of the teaching and everything so you guys should pray for me or something. I am super sad to hear that my MTC comp Tallen Tipton, for sure one of my best friends, is probably leaving because he has super bad feet, bunions  Shout out to Garrett Bayles because he and President Holland are friends now, and my cousin Rebekah for having her 2nd kid! Love all so much! Thanks so much for all your support! Feel free to write me whenever, and letters are pretty cool too(: Somedays are hard and it’s so hot! I never stop sweating but I am so glad to be here, there is no other place I would rather be. Keep driving on and I will too. 

Elder Vince Miller

1. This picture was taken 2 minutes after I was done spazing out from eating the Habanero.

8-19-13

Family and Friends,
Thanks for the letters, I always do appreciate them very much. This week was so so good. My new area is huge so we walk a ton and in the refinery there are always huge fires going up into the air, I think that's why it’s so hot here. We had a baptism last week, and we have another this week. We are currently teaching like 6 investigators at the moment so we have a goal of 5 baptisms this change, which would be awesome because the normal is only 1 or 2 a change. I am keeping myself in shape and being healthy. Every night I work out because of the lack of food and the amount of sweating I have lost a little weight and think I weigh probably around 155 right now. I eat only healthy stuff here when I can. I’ve stopped drinking the soda here because there is just so much here. Soda and beer are cheaper than water here ha. Um my Spanish is better but still needs a lot of practice, I can understand most things if they are speaking slow or if it is something I know a lot about. But there is still quite of few words I do not know. This week beats the record with gun shots heard this week was 7 each when we were walking home ha. This week was kind of cool because we got to go into another ward in our mission to do interviews because my comp in the DL(District Leader) so we crossed the big river in a ferry into Veracruz.  Veracruz is almost half of our mission. But anyways at first it was a little nervous getting into that little ferry because those rivers are infested with crocs and every year people die from big crocs knocking over little boats and what not haha, but don't worry I made it just fine. On the other side of the river is more of the country and jungle, kind of like my one half of my area next to the beach.  The area is really really poor and more of the country. Tons of Dogs! EVERYWHERE! On the way back we were waiting next to the dock and I saw a bunch of ropes hanging from this HUGE bridge, The bridge goes across the river to connect Tamulipas and Veracruz. It’s real big. So I asked my comp whats up with the ropes, and mom stop reading because you won’t like this, But I guess when a narco, or one of the cartels catches a soldier or another cartel, or anyone who messes with them, they.... ya hah I guess it’s a pretty regular thing. They do it to scare the people because in the morning everyone sees it on the news. Kinda crazy. Well I gotta go! Thanks for everything, Tell Anthony congrats from me on his graduation from BYU. I would write more but don't have much time. Thanks for everything. I will try to send some pictures.

Elder Vince Miller

8-5-13 Madero Mexico

Hey Mom,

How are you? Thanks for the letter as always. Today is the change, and today I got a new trainer and new area. It is weird because I am the only trainee to being moved after 1 change. I guess president decided that I needed a new trainer.  Elder Fig went to the city of Victoria.  I got moved into the area of Madero. It is basically Tampico.  It’s about 25 minutes from my last area but actually hotter because my area is the area closest to the beach. We live like 5 minutes from the beach. Ha so I might get to see the ocean finally.  It was sad to say bye to our area in Lomas. I was just starting to get to know the people. But I know it is for the better. My new comp is way cool. He is from Mexico City and is the district leader here and is really a good missionary, he is my new trainer.  It is cool because this Saturday the next and the next we have baptisms and the last 2 Saturdays the same.  So there is a lot of work here. It is sooooo hot here!!! When do you leave for Missouri? I have friends in Missiouri maybe you will see them(; ha I hope Ian is doing good. Get pictures and send them to me. Tell the Cousins to move to Utah! My Spanish is improving little by little. Some of the other missionaries today I saw at the bus station and at the mission home thought I have been here a lot longer than 6 weeks. I can understand most everything when I want to. Talking is still kind of hard. I’m glad everything is going good. When you send the package make sure you put pictures of Jesus and the Virgin Mary on it. It has a more likely chance of getting here safe.  Well I don’t have much time! I hope everything is good. Diga la familia y todas que les amo, buena suerta mama con todas sus obras. adios  translation,  Tell the family and everyone that I love them, Good luck mom with all of your works. 

Elder Vince Miller