Letters from siblings part 2 (Dec 2022- Oct 2023)

 

Emails with  Siblings December 2022- 

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12-1-2022

Dear Miles: I know you've been dying to hear from me, waiting all week for today haha. Seriously though, you're halfway through the week! So close to another p-day and I can't wait!

I love when mama sends all your pictures to the chat. Missions are SO hard but when i look back over all my mission pictures i am reminded of just how fun and wonderful it really was. I think you'll find that when you look back at all of these fun pictures with snakes and sushi, and especially the people there! Soak it all up as best you can! You're killing it! And keep taking pictures. 

This week has been pretty average for me. It has been hard readjusting to college life after a week at home; home is so much better but college is pretty great too. You have lots to look forward to! It is crazy there are only like 2 weeks left of the semester, I feel like it has gone so so fast! I've really enjoyed the academic part of it. It is really hard but it feels good to be learning again and to push myself. Finals are coming up and that will be intense. Trying to remember everything I've learned all semester in one giant test for five classes is going to make Christmas break such a reward. 

I went to the temple with Liv last night which was really cool. I love the Provo temple celestial room with that giant sphere chandelier. It has been fun to be able to go with her. Can you believe she takes off in a month?! wild. I think about you being a missionary in the Provo temple every time I go. I prefer the city center temple, but it is closed right now for cleaning, so it has been a sweet experience for me to go and picture you at your MTC temple.

2 MORE WEEKS TILL TRANSFERS! almost! Pumped for you. Keep giving it your all and trying to love. Missions aren't easy for anyone, that doesn't justify disobedience but everyone there is choosing to sacrifice 2 years of their life for the Savior. Keep loving your comp where he is at because that is exactly what Christ does for each of us. 

I honestly have no idea why, but I have a bee in my bonnet about buying (and learning) the violin. I've always thought it was a cool instrument and for some reason, it has made it to my bucket list. But I might have to wait until I have my own house to practice otherwise I would drive all my roommates insane. You inspired me by picking up a little bit of piano, I want to try something new. 

Sorry, nothing crazy to report. I'll try to do something wild to tell you about on p-day but it prob won't happen haha. On a spiritual note: 

I read the quote this week "you face the greatest opposition when you are on the brink of your greatest miracle" It reminded me of President Nelson when he said, " The Savior is never closer to you than when you are facing or climbing a mountain with faith" He continues to teach that in order to recognize and feel close to Christ we need to learn more about Him. 

I found on my mission, that if I focused my personal study on the Savior, I simultaneously learned more about the Atonement, the Creation, the New&Old Testament, the temple, the priesthood, women in the church... all of the things that I had questions or concerns about seemed less important when I related them back to christ because He truly is at the center of all of it. I think I got lost sometimes trying to convert people to the church. I would give powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon, I would incentivize people to come to church, I would tract, and facebook find so hard to get good numbers to report at the district council... But I was totally missing the mark.

You aren't serving a mission on Aruba to gain more church membership or bring people into the gospel. You are serving a mission to convert people to the Savior and as they understand more about who He is and what He offers them, it will naturally lead them to questions that are answered through His restored gospel. So that would be my challenge/invitation to you this week. Focus your personal study on the Savior and invite people to "come unto Christ", maybe not so much about inviting people to "come unto the church" or "come unto the missionaries" or "come unto the book of Mormon" ... all great things but they will follow if Christ is at the center of it.

I did the math, which may or may not be helpful to you, but as an elder, assuming you do personal study every day, your entire mission, that equals about 730 hours of personal study which computes to about 30.5 whole days (24 hrs) of personal study. WOAH! This special time to really learn about Jesus Christ i a deep and complete way. A mission is so crazy and cool because you don't have the normal distractions of life: money, a job, school, dating, family life... I miss that sacred time to just be devoted, stiving to give 100% of my time and focus to Him and his work. There truly is not greater (or harder) work. I love love love the saying, " a mission is the hardest thing I have ever loved to do" 

You are doing amazing things and blessing so many lives. I am so proud of you and the way you are tackling all of this. When I see your struggle I feel transported back to my mission. Every missionary understands you are not alone in the struggle. Jesus understands. Hanging up on p-day will always be tough, but it will get better. I remember it was like my fourth p-day in Hawaii, finally out of quarantine. I was sitting on a balcony in Kaneohe and could see the ocean, I remember talking to mom and saying, "I love it here, I really don't think I will be homesick, this doesn't seem like it will be this hard. I am just so happy to be here". I should have knocked on wood because it was only a couple of weeks later that homesickness hit, the work felt slow and unproductive and I realized this would be the hardest thing I had ever done. Just because it is hard doesn't mean you aren't doing it right. In fact, if it weren't hard, I think you might be doing something wrong. Keep it up. Know that you are so so loved and missed and prayed for. There isn't a time I go to the temple that I don't write your name on the roll. Angels will support you and miracles will happen. I love you more than you know. It is all so so worth it, believe me, I know. Can't wait to talk to you! 

Emma 

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12-8-22

Oh Miles! I am so sorry that you didn’t get my email! It was a good one too;) I wrote it and didn’t think to ask mama if it was in your inbox but when she told me that you didn’t get it I was so sad. Mostly because I thought about how you probably thought I hadn’t emailed you!

I’ll try to remember everything I wrote but I think the best part of my email that I was gonna send you are the pictures and I still have them!:)

So…here we go again haha

I have had a good couple of weeks! It was a little brutal to go back to school after Thanksgiving Break-mostly because Emma, Viry, Lainey, and I were all in the same room and I read until I passed out. So when school started back up I had a hard time falling asleep and of course waking up too. But it has been good and my grades are doing good. I am just counting down the days until Christmas break and trying to keep hallmark worthy grades. I’m taking this Health Professions class and it counts as an elective credit and a health credit but it’s a year long and I have a 90 in the class. Every time I tell mama that you can probably guess what she says, “That is a dangerous place to be” and the she tilts her head and gives me the look;) hahaha

Basketball is going really well. I just really enjoy it and I am really grateful for that. I remember dreading practicing last year bc half of the team didn’t like each other and we never really bonded but this year our team is all friends and I feel so confident. I think that’s mostly because I’m the only sophomore but it is fun to be a leader and have fun. We’re only one and four in the first game against Emmett didn’t even really count but every game is like really close and we haven’t been blown out so that’s good and fun but frustrating too bc we don’t really thrive under pressure.  For example, we played Kuna on Tuesday and I had three fouls but we were only down two and we didn’t want them to score and so I ended up fouling out bc I was always guarding the balI and I had to foul. Then with 45 seconds left, we had a chance to shoot a three to tie it for overtime but I was on the bench and I was really upset about that because the girls on the court didn’t feel confident enough to shoot a three and make it. Although I have been playing a ton and it’s fun to score too!

Speaking of basketball, there is a girl on my team named Brooke and she hosted one of our team breakfasts last week. She took us up to her room and on her nightstand she had a book of Mormon, but I knew she wasn’t LDS. So I asked her where she got it, and she said “one of my Mormon friends”. A couple days later I asked her if she had read anything in it and she said she had been kind of busy and hadn’t opened it yet. I told her that I could text her one of my favorite scriptures if she wanted any ideas of where to start. Long story short over the last couple weeks. I’ve been texting her little scriptures or chapters and she always text me back about what she liked and questions if she had any. It has been really cool to share something with someone who wants to learn more!

Anyways so the pictures I attached aren’t anything special but they reminded me of you in the moment and every time I see them!

I love you Miles and I’m so grateful for you in my life. Anytime anyone asks me ab my family I am so proud to say that my brother is serving a mission. You are helping me have missionary opportunities too bc of your mission and I’m really grateful for that! I hope to be even half as brave and amazing as you when I serve in a couple years! You’ll have to sit me down and give me a serious pep talk;)

Love Avery

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12-10-22

Thanks so much for your email Avery! It really does mean so much to me. It is the best when I come home at night and have an email to read while I eat tuna or something;). Dont feel bad about not sending one the other week, it is ok, and whenever you feel like it is great with me. I do love hearing from you though. It has been hard not being able to talk to you for long in the mornings, so i love reading your updates. I am so glad you are loving basketball! Your clips look so good avery! This year you seem so much more confident and aggressive attacking the whole. I like it, dont settle for the outside shot, especially when you play againsts girls you know you can get by. Just go up with it strong and youll get fouled. But then you gotta go make some free throws;) youve got this. I know you probally dont want to hear this, and dad probably mentions it already but one thing to protect the ball, get by faster and be under more control try to dribble the ball a little lower. In some clips it is kinda high and I think if you dribble lower youll be able to get by quicker. Like below your waiste. Okok thats it I am sorry, I just love watching your clips and think you are doing awesome. I love you white lightning! 

That was a pretty sweet parking job. Makes me remember all of our fun memories in the owyhee parking lot. That whole year really was so fun. I took it for granted dang it. The mission is great but I can never go back to.my highschool years, so live it up! And dont wish it away. 

It means a lot how well youve taken care of the truck avery. Im serious. You can tell how much it means to you to make it nice and it makes me happy. I hope driving has been fun. How is it with the snow? 

Oh man, i love you avery! Keep crushing it at school! Get out of the danger zone so yuu can watch unlimited hallmark during christmas break! Cant wait to talk to tou for a little today! Have a great week!

Love Elder Miller

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1-4-2023

Miles!

I can’t tell you how much I loved getting to talk to you that’s last couple weeks during my break! It made me realize how much I miss you but also how much I absolutely love hearing from you and not just about you and all the cool experiences you have from mama or your emails!

I’m back in school now and trying to push through some finals before the semester ends. I feel like even though a lot happened in 2022 it went by so fast! And now I’m halfway through my Sophomore year! Crazy!!

I love reading your emails every week and I also love the pictures you send out and mama shows us. You have definitely set the bar high with your impressive journal writing, consistent emailing, and photography skills😉

I made some goals for 2023 and so far I’m doing really well and I have been 100% able to tell the difference. I jst feel so much happier after a good day and a good scripture study. One of my spiritual goal is to get through the Book of Mormon this year and mark something specific throughout it-I haven’t decided what I’m going to do yet. Although what was cool was a couple nights ago I had and idea come to mind about doing this goal with Lainey. So I thought about it and last night I told her about it and she just lit up! It made me so happy! I know that she’s excited but I’m super happy that we get to study it together.  We got talking about how we were going to go about it and she pulled out a mini copy that she has of the Book of Mormon. She doesn’t have just a regular size one and I could tell she needed one and wanted a chance to mark up a fresh one. A couple weeks ago when I met with the bishop for a birthday interview I had asked him if I could have a new copy of the BoM for a friend. At the time I wanted to give it to my friend who was asking about the church but I knew that when the time was right I would know-I never felt impressed to give it to her so it’s been in my nightstand just sitting there for a couple months. It finally hit me last night that that copy was meant for Lainey.💕

It just made me feel so wonderful giving it to her. And she’s just my little sister! I can’t imagine what it must feel like to give it to others that you love and serve! What a wonderful thing you are doing Miles!!

I love you so much and I hope you know that you are constantly on my mind!! Love you more than you could ever know thunder m😘💕

Avery⚡️

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1-9-22

Hey Miles!

It was good to hear from you this morning and even though we didn't get to talk to you much, I was glad to hear that it was a good week. Whenever you have called, I've been off doing my own thing and I guess I wanted to just reach out because I haven't been the best at that. Sadie gives me updates and shows me some of your pictures that you've taken which have all been really cool and I look forward to them every week. 

School just started up again as you know which is a bummer because Christmas break was so nice. We went to both my parents for a couple days and then spent some time with the kids skiing at Tamarack which was a blast but it would've been more fun if you had been there. They are all great skiers and snowboarders haha. While I was at my dad's, we got a little carried away in a project in the kitchen and ended up ripping us some of the hardwood so we could replace it. It was fun to do that. My job has been going really well and I've gotten on several more projects with more responsibilities which has been fulfilling in many ways. I'll send you some pictures of the houses we've been on. 

Sadie has been awesome as well. We went on some thrift shop runs this week and did some small projects around our apartment to have it better decorated. Sadie found a super cool latern style light fixture that we put over our front door and she's been painting some vases with acrylic and baking soda which gives it a pottery feel and look. 

Anyway, I know a lot of those things were pretty random but I just wanted to shoot you an email about them. I love hearing about all your adventures and the miracles you experience (Sadie just told me about the fireworks haha). I hope you have an amazing week with even more miracles.

Love you Miles,

Seth

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1-13-23

HEy Miles
I get to talk to you on Monday!! Yay!
I finished up 1st semester with all A’s  let’s goooo!! Now we have Monday and Tuesday off so that’s super nice.

I haven’t done much this week except finals. I’ve been sick and that stinks but hopefully I get over it this weekend.

We play Nampa tomorrow because they just moved up to 5A so we better beat them. Our season is almost over which is insane because I feel like we had tryouts yesterday! It was a good season though- I wouldn’t have changed anything or any team:)

As far as my scripture study- I’m in 1 Nephi 3 and I am going to go through the whole BoM and I’m going to mark all the Christlike Attributes and work with that section in Preach My Gospel. That has been fun really studying and looking for those things in a chapter that I’ve probably read so many times before.

I hope everything is going well with your companion and Benjamin and all the other people who are lucky to have you teaching them!:) I love you so much Miles and I can’t wait to talk to you on Monday!

         Avery

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1-13-23

Miles! 

Oh how i've missed you this week. I went to Walmart with Sadie this morning and on our way we passed a giant group from the MTC headed to the Provo temple for their p-day :( I wished you were there. 

Also, aside from missing you in general, in every single classroom at BYU there is like an internet router thing attached to the ceiling and it says aruba on it (I think that must be the brand) so I see aruba several times a day and everytime I think about you. Honestly even when you switch islands, I will prob still associate you with aruba. 

This week has been absolutely crazy for me. So many firsts with the beginning of a new semester. I had serious butterflies but made it through so the hardest is behind me. This semester I am taking Anatomy (by far my hardest and most time-consuming class but super interesting and i think i will really love it) Nutrition, Book of Mormon, Public Speaking (ahhhhh), and Preview to dentistry (it is only an hour once a week but I think it will be really interesting, just a bunch of different types of dentists coming in to present. Maybe I could sign you up for it the semester you come back when I look into your registration. I am PUMPED that you will be at BYU!) There are a couple cute boys in some of my classes but it is so awkward and hard to meet people without going completely out of your way and I'm just here for the ride. 

I do have a little bit of boy drama for you. I don't know if you have heard about blake. I first saw him at Olivia's mission call opening, he was with some of her friends that he invited. He is super cute, tall and darker features which is my type i think. Anyway, I saw him ALL of the time last semester but never said anything to him because i was intimidated and liv might have liked him.. anyway all last semseter I didnt say anything but I saw him at institute on tuesday and decided it was then or never. I was tired of the awkward eye contact and feeling like I knew him without ever introducing myself. So I walked up to him and introduced myself like a normal person haha. very unemma like I know. I'll save you all the details but basically we had a conversation, then I got home from instute and he friend requested me on instagram so I messaged and said "Hey it was good to meet you tonight" to which he said, "It was nice, I hope I get to know you a little better in the future" Cute huh? I'm totally game just to make another friend and to expand the circle but he is pretty cute and who knows? He hasn't said anything since tuesday and I don't see him doing anything really. Im sure I'll see him at institute next tuesday. I hate how thick and slow boys can be sometimes but I get that it is kinda scary. I'll keep you updated. 

I saw a cadaver for the first time on wednesday in my anatomy lab. They lifted up this giant metal lid and there was just this body wrapped in plastic wrap (hawaii 5-0 style) they peeled away the plastic and then I could smell it haha. GROSS. It was fascinating and kind of disgusting. The TA had to continually spray it down with some sort of chemical to keep it moist, she grabbed the top of the rib cage and pulled it down like a flap so we could see the intestine and heart and things. SO WILD! I'm excited for you to take all of these classes, they blow my mind!

How did your district counsel go? Did you figure out something for your listening training? I bet it was awesome, can't wait to hear more about it. I don't have school on monday so I'll be able to be onthe phone lots which I am SO EXCITED about! Hopefully you were able to meet with benjamin twice again this week. It is so cool that you are seeing legit progress with him. 

I've loved your happy posts on facebook, the pictures are always so fun. 

I went to dinner on wednesday with Presto, Oaks, and kenedee. YIKES. they are all way too UTAH for me if you know what I mean.they're using their weird lingo like W-rizz and things like that, I couldn't really understand them. Those boys are girl crazy but most girls aren't crazy about them haha. Kenedee continues to think the world revolves around her and that she is the hottest thing going which gets old really fast haha. They kinda started to bash on some cousings (maybe like it seemedl ike they did at the cousin retreat that you went to idk) so that wasn't cool but they talked a little about kooper and how he isn't being very obedient and just doesn't really care about the mission just coming home to play basketball. It is really sad and disappointing to me. Anyway, it just made me really grateful that you are so diligent and striving to be your best. It is such a special time to come closer to the Savior and to really give him your best. I know it can be so so hard and weeks can feel like months and there are times when it just feels kinda like pointless suffering. But man, miles, it is so worth it. I love the scipture that says save one soul and how great shall be your joy... ONE SOUL even if that is just YOU! But then God blesses His missionaries with miracles along the way like Benjamin <3. Just keep doing what you're doing. I am so proud of you. SO SO PROUD. 

I miss you so very much! Cannot wait to talk to you on monday. Hopefully this week has been eventful. You've got this. 2 more days until p-day baby! I love you. 

Emma 

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1/9/23

Hey Elder Miller, 

I hope this email finds you well. I know you had zone conference today, but I figure an email never hurts, even though it isn't spreading the fun. I hope zone conference was so fun! The pictures were really cute and that is always a good time even if it just mixes up the monotony of missionary life. 

I had my teachings and doctrines of the Book of Mormon class today and we were reading in alma 37. I have read the Book of Mormon a couple of times and even read it in Italian, but for some reason, these verses really hit me today and I wanted to share them with you. It is alma 37: 38-46. I think it is Alma talking to his son Helaman but he is reading to him from the scriptures and teaching him about Nephi and the Liahona. At the end of verse 38 he says. "the Lord prepared it" (the Liahona) verse 40 "and it did work according to their faith" I had heard and read those verses and that made sense to me but I never really caught when Alma starts teaching Helaman and applies the Liahona to their lives and to our lives. In verse 41, "those miracles were worked by small means (YOU MILES, that totally reminded me of you!! By small means God works great miracles)... but he keeps teaching and tells what happened to the people, "they forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased and THEY DID NOT PROGRESS" This part reminded me of my missionary service both in terms of me and in terms of the people that I was teaching. Sometimes I would get so down on myself or feel like I wasn't good enough and my lack of faith and lack of acknowledgment that God was in control of all of it, hindered my ability to be a successful missionary. I was also thinking about you and some of your investigators, or those people that love the missionaries for service (or painting and choppy hah) In verse 44 it says, "[faith to work the Liahoa] it is as easy for us to give heed to the word of Christ which will point you a straight course to eternal bliss as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass.. because of the easiness of the way; if they would look they might live, even so if we will look we may live" Idk, my thoughts are kind of scrambeled and I won't do these verses justice in this email, so if you find some time go read them. I just feel like sometimes with the gospel (either as a missionary or as a member/disciple) we forget the miracle of having the gospel in our lives and some of the things we've been asked to do, like morning prayers, or scriptures, or maybe commitments from an investigator's point of view are just too easy, or too simple that we just don't do them or aren't as consistent as we should be. But it is the exact same as the Liahona, God can only work miracles in our lives if we (1) give him the time and recognize him in our lives and (2) have the FATIH TO EXPECT MIRACLES like pres nelson teaches. So there is my kinda rant, but it just made me think of you and your strivings to be your best and put Him first and I know that there will be MAJOR blessings and even miracles because of it. 

A tiny boy update: Blake and I have been talking back and forth, initially through Instagram. Long story short, he came and found me at institute and walked me home, (we live at the same complex but he walked me to my door which was so cute) we ended up standing outside and talking for TWO hours which I know seems like forever but it felt like 10 minutes. I learned so much about him and it really felt like I was talking to my best friend. I don't know how to explain it. We talked about you and Aruba, he knows two english speaking missionaries serving in your mission was suprised me. He is probably 6'1 but i thnk you are taller. He is so cute miles, and he is super attentive and remembers the little things. He texted me before my speech class because he knew I was nervous to present. He is super solid ni the gospel which is impressive to me, and he loves to be outside and sports. He never got into basketball, but he loves volleyball and played in clubs and school so he is athletic. He has the cutest smile, and likes to dress nice which is important to me. He got my number the other night and we've been low key talking but he hasn't made a move and i'm getting tired of the back and forth. Hopefully soon, he mans up and will ask because i really want to see him again and hopefully before tuesday. Sadie came by my apartment randomly and we happened to be standing there so she met him which was kinda funny. I thought it would be awkward but he is really social and was totally normal whcich was impressive to me. He gave me a hug when he went to leave and just said some cute things throughout our conversation. I could see us talking and maybe going on a couple dates, or I could see us just being really good friends- I'm not really exactly sure where he stands but mom said a boy wouldn't stand outside in the cold for two hours and continue to make aneffort if he wasn't interested so i'm trying not to get into my head. I just don't want to mess it up or for whatever this is to end because it was so good.  SOOOO there is that. Way more than you probably wanted but I just want you to know the details.

The weekend is coming up and that is a blessing because I'm already falling behind with anatomy homeowkr. But I aced my first bone quiz and was pumped about that. We start working with the "wet specimen" meaning cadavers next week and I don't know how to feel about that. 

I hope you met with Benjamin as much as you were wanting to this week adn that his date is still solid. I'm so excited for you. Can't wait to hear all about your week on monday. I love you so much and am so proud of you. You've got this elder! Aruba is so so blessed. 

Emma 

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1-23-23

Thanks Emma for your sweet email this week! It meant a ton to me, and its always the best when I see it in my inbox. Thanks fo sharing with me what you've been studying, I loved reading about it. Also thanks for the update on your life. I know the family teases you about it, but I seriously love the updates and details. Sounds like you've found a stud and I am so happy for you. Thats got to make the whole college experience more fun. Just take it slow please.. hahah just kidding thats super fun. I love getting to talk to you mondays! I hope everything is going good. Please know I am thinking about you, and praying for you! Love you like crazy!

Love Elder Miller

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1-27-23

Heyy Elder!
I hope you are feeling better-colds are the worst!
I’m sorry I didn’t email last week- we had three games and won 1 of them-oof!
Although our record is 7 and 4 which isn’t horrible and hopefully we will be ranked fourth or fifth (only 8 teams go to districts on Saturday). So we’ll see how we do?!
I’ve loved it and I know next year won’t be as fun probably but I’m ready for it to be over-of course it will be bittersweet but it’s has taken up a lot of time and I’m ready to have it nice and chill again.

School has been good-I think I like my second semester classes a lot better than last semester. It’s nice to start new with grades too.

My seminary class is so good too! I wish we could have had Brother Trautman (my teacher now) last year instead of Brother Wood-Yikes (that class was WEEDS!)

I have been reading the Book of Mormon every night and so far I have been marking Christlike attributes and it has been really good. In seminary this week too my teacher quoted one of President Nelson’s talks- “We Can Do Better and Be Better“
It’s sooo good! You should read it!!

Anyways, I love you Miles and know that I’m praying for you. I hope you can get over this cold soon! And I can’t wait to hear your transfer news! Love you!!

                     ️Avery

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2/7/23

Hi Miles, I really miss you. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to get on the phone with you yesterday. I was in class in the morning and had a busy day at work in the afternoon. I hope you know I'm thinking about you the whole time when that green "join" button is on! I love your emails and pictures, and the stuff I get from mom, that helps me feel like I still know what's going on. I've told you before when I've emailed you that you don't have to respond, I just like talking to you:)  

I'm trying to think about what things to tell you... it seems like over here it's always the same old, just at a faster pace week by week. The last month has been hard for me in many ways, and I've really had to buckle down and cling to some things I know, instead of things I don't know. I've also had to be patient with myself, and that's not something I'm very good at, as you well know. 

Seth and I have both received new callings and been released from the nursery, and that's really hard for me. I love those kids like they're my own, and it's hard to let go. For many of them, I'm the only person they'll come to besides their moms, and that makes me feel needed. But I know someone else will love on them, and that the Lord has other things for me to do, even if I don't understand them right now. Seth was called as the second counsellor in the Elders Quorum, and I was called as the second counselor in the stake Primary presidency. I feel a little overwhelmed, because I'm the only one without kids, and the youngest, and I don't know anything about primary. So there's a lot of trust in the Lord's "mysterious" ways right now:). 

School has been a continual struggle for me. I like my plant classes, but not enough to go get an irrigation internship over the next two summers. I just feel stuck and really struggle feeling like college is important when I spend so much time and money on it, give up the chance to make more money right now, and never want a job anyways haha. I just get so frustrated. So my next big idea is to finally go apply for interior design school, although it's in Salt Lake. I really want to contribute to Seth's business, and I love that stuff, so I think it will be a good fit. I have to apply to Ensign College, and then apply again into the program, so it's a little rigorous (and risky) but I'm excited. I should be able to graduate at the same time I would have here at BYU, and I won't have to take classes this spring either, so it would be nice. To make all that work, Seth and I need another car, so that's a little stressful right now too. I'm still at the pizza place too (for almost a year!) so a car would help me mix that up too. 

My landlord said I could give my bathroom a makeover! That was exciting, but I haven't had time (or Seth) to tackle it in weeks, so all the boards are laying out all over my house and driving me crazy. Hopefully we can finish it this weekend and then I can send you some before and after pictures. I can show you some of what I have right now. 

I'm getting my hair done on Saturday! I know you don't care, haha, but I'm excited. :) 

Seth's doing well, he juggles so much with school and work, and does it so well and never complains. I, on the other hand, sometimes feel like an emotional roller coaster, but he's extremely patient with me. I'm excited for you two to become better friends when you come to BYU, he's wonderful and he loves you. He asks me about you all the time. It'll be so fun to have you over like we get to have Em over randomly. 

I love your pictures, you look so handsome! I also love to see the Caribbean, it's so beautiful, and I miss the sun. I hate Utah, by the way haha, it'll be interesting to see what you think of it. Is it hard not to get to swim somewhere like that? 

Well, I have to sign off and head to my soil science class (boorrrinnngg;) but I just wanted to say hi. I love you Miles. I'm so grateful for all you do. Thank you for the scriptures you share in your emails, they strengthen me and often pick me up on hard days. Hope your new companion is cool, or else you can threaten him for me. I love you, hope I can catch you next week, 

Love, Sadie 

♥♥♥♥♥♥

2/9/23

ELDER MILLER!! 

 

How are you? I hope the answer to that is so so good. I've been thinking so much about you this week, with your new companion and trying to fill the time with productive fun things. 

 

I was approached by an Elder on BYU campus today. The provo missionaries are there a lot trying to get referrals from us. I felt really bad because I honestly don't know anyone here that isn't a member, but it was fun to talk to him. He had been out for 18 months and it made me kinda sad because I wish you had six months left hah. Not really, I wouldn't wish away that whole year of your mission, there are so many miracles and experiences that you'll look back on and will be so so grateful for, but dang it I miss you and am counting down the days until we are at school together! It will be so HYPE! I literally cannot wait. 

 

I don't have anything crazy to tell you. I went home over the weekend and it was so needed. I've been going through it down here with the dating scene and it was a blessing to have a break from all of it. I don't know what the deal is, last semester it wasn't this bad but now everyone who I don't want to ask is being bold and it is driving me up a wall. Blake is still ghosting me which SUCKS! I went on a date last week with a kid in my ward that teaches French at the MTC. I forget if I've told you this- he was AWESOME! Super kind, solid, got my door, funny... literally such an awesome kid but there wasn't any chemistry or anything. Like a really really good friend but not attractive to me and no sparks so that is kinda lame. Some girl is going to be so lucky though, he is the best. I've been dodging other people, I'm feeling maxed out and need to take a boy break. 

 

School is keeping me so busy! I got a C on my anatomy quiz because I procrastinated studying and then it never happened when I went home for the weekend. Mom wasn't happy with me ahah but I'm working really hard to ace this one. This week we are learning about the brain- they keep real human brains in Tupperware i the cabinet- it is the weirdest thing to pull out a brain from a box but SO COOL! If you're up for the challenge, i would recommend anatomy 10/10! By far my favorite class I've taken so far (which I know isn't very many) but I absolutely love it and the cadaver lab is so fascinating! I think you would like it too! 

 

I went to the BYU Devotional this week with my roomate and I'm so glad I did. Elder Bragg (member of the 70) spoke on leadership. It seemed kind of like a random topic but I learned so much and thought a lot about you and your leadership/stewardship as a missionary. You were specifically called to the Trinidad Port of Spain Mission for those people, and in this season, specifically to the people in Nord: Benjamin, Jason, Rubanita (however you spell that haha). Success isn't measured in numbers- I know sometimes it might feel like it when all of your goals are numeric and you're constantly reporting numbers but I promise it has nothing to do with it. Looking back over my mission, most of the experiences and people that impacted me the most and that I felt like I was sent specifically to, never got baptized. The baptisms are definitely special, and I have no doubt you'll experience that in the next 18 months, but relationships and opportunities to feel the Spirit with people and to see them the way that Heavenly Father sees them is life-changing and it is enough! YOU ARE A SUCCESSFUL MISSIONARY! say that out loud for me ;) I am so very proud of you. 

 

Anyway, that was a rant and NOT what I learned in the devotional haha. I loved a quote by elder Bragg, "Leadership isn't about taking charge, but taking care of those in your charge" I thought that was so profound. We looked at some scriptures in 3rd Nephi when Christ appears to the Nephites and his leadership. Every calling (missionary included) is an opportunity to learn how to love more like Christ loved, lift more like He lifts, and to lead more like He leads. If we can lean to see individuals, to love and minister one by one, and to lead through example over words, we will be one step closer to the Savior. I thought that was a neat perspective and made me want to better about the way I treat others and "lead" in my every day. 

 

I'm going to lunch with Melody tomorrow, she is coming to Provo for a funeral. I'm excited to see her. I'm also going to the temple with some mission companions tomorrow! I don't know if you've heard but apparently they have made a lot of changes in the temple wording and things. From the baptistry to the endowment, there is a lot of procedure change so I'm excited to go and see what it is like now. Obviousy the Principles and covenants are all the same but there are some differences. Interesting! 

 

Hopefully this isn't distracting to you and you might already know all of this but I asked some guys in my ward for the trade states and the NBA stuff and this is what i found out haha. 

Lebron hit some kind of PR in a game the other night. It was like 36 points by the start of the third or something crazy so social media is blowing up with King Lebron stuff haha. 

Kevin Durrant got traded to the Suns and apparently they are supposed to be in the playoffs next year. The new "dream team" with Devin Booker, Andre, Durrant, Christ Paul.. 

Kyrie Irving got traded to the Mavericks?? That is kinda intersting. 

Everyone around here only cares about the Jazz which I think is dumb but they passed up a first round pick and got someone but I can't remember who. 

ANYWAY, I don't really know that much about trading or the NBA (obviously) but there is that for you haha. 

 

I love you so much Miles! I miss you so much. It kills me that you're so far away, I think back to the teen beach room days and high school and all of it so often. The best times and so many more to come! I"M SO PUMPED! But until then, keep putting your shoulder to the wheel. I know the weeks can feel long, esp when there is nothing going on. God will work miracles if you're willing. Be creative, find the fun, and just know we couldn't be more grateful for your service and your example. Each day you're becoming more of what heaven needs and it is amazing to witness from a continent away haha. I LOVE YOU!

 

All my thoughts and prayers, 

cannot wait for monday! ` Emma

♥♥♥♥♥♥

2-9-23

Hey Miles!!!
Sorry it’s been awhile since I last emailed.
Not much has happened since bball ended and I’m kinda just hanging out for now.

Although I did submit a job application for online shopper for Fremeyer so we’ll see what comes of that. I think it would be pretty easy and maybe fun. I didn’t really want to work with any food but I checked into Sodalisious and I don’t think they are hiring. There are a couple new places coming in over by the Wendy’s across from FredMeyer but so far I have only applied for FredMeyer.

Dad and I went to the Rocky V Boise for the District Championship last night and we lost by two! It was sad but I think they take the top 3 from 5A to state so our varsity is still going.

Other than that I have been doing good but I’m hoping that I have a couple weeks off before I hear back from FredMeyer.

I hope you are doing good Miles. I literally think of you everyday. So many things remind me of you and it makes me so happy and so sad too. I love you so much and I hope you know that I’m praying for you and your companion. 

Love, Avery

♥♥♥♥♥

2/13/23

Hey BrotherThanks so much for your letter to me today. I love you so much. It means so much to me that you would take the time to write to me. I miss all the fun sports things we did together. This last week I thought a lot about all the times we would have brother time and go golfing. So many fun memories doing it in McCall with jack kellog and so many other times in meridian. I cant wait to play with you again when I get home.

How is school going for you? I hope it isnt too hard and that you are getting excited for schook ball. That makes school so much more fun when you have games in the week to look forward to. 

Where are you at in the Book of Mormon? I am in Alma 38 and I have been reading a lot lately about faith and repentance. Two very important things.

What have you been up to after school? Too cold for the trampoline? Do you give the dogs lots of loves for me? 

I hope youve been having fun with legos! What is the lego table looking like lately?

Thanks for all the updates on the Lakers brother! Keep rooting for them and watchin with dad! I cant wait to do that with you when I get home.

Tell cache hi for me at bball. And tell him upu guys should just pick and roll and youll dominate! I am glad you are having fun brother.

Another thing I was thinking about this last week when I got up one morning I sat up in my bunk bed and I remembered all the fun times we had with max the bus driver. That was so fun.

I love you brother! Being a missionary out here has made me realize how special pir family is, so would you give them all hugs for me tonight? I am serious. Another thing I have seen out here is that you Graham are going to be one stellar missionary. You are so kind and look to be nice to others. That will be a big help on your mission. I love you brother! Have a great week, Ill be thinking about you all week!

Love Elder Miller

♥♥♥♥♥♥

2/14/23 from Miles to Emma

Man Emma! I can't tell you how much your emails mean to me. They always come in perfect timing and no joke is the best part of my day. I love all the details and all the updates, That was so sweet of you to include the Bball update. There is actually some wild stuff going on in sports right now so thanks for keeping me up to date. Better not tell Kennede you are thinking about a sports analyst gig. ;). What you said about being a successful missionary meant a lot to me emma. It is in my head that I haven't been apart of a baptism yet, but the numbers don't count and I hope I have changed some lives here in Noord. I love that Leadership quote. So important and I could always do a better job at leading out! I miss you like crazy too, and it kills me to think about our times in Meridian. The teen beach room, work, moving. It was all so fun and those memories are for life. I love you emma. Just know if you don't get a box of chocolates tomorrow it's not cause nobody was thinking about you. I just don't have that kinda MSF for shipping;). I love you emma! Have a great week!

-Elder Miller

♥♥♥♥♥

2-24-2023

Miles!!

I miss you every single week, but this one I missed you extra. Nothing really happened but I just wished you were here with me at BYU. I think about the next couple years so much and it makes me so excited but then sad because I have to be patient 

I could sure use your help in the boy department- specifically the blake department. Ugh miles i'm so confused. He texted me when I got back from Idaho asking if I was going to be at 

to institute after a whole month of nothing. Then at institute he walked over and we talked for a second before I went to leave with my roomates. Long story shorter, he stopped me and asked if I wanted to go on a date with him on saturday. What is wrong with this kid? but of course I said yes because I'm dumb and not sure where I'm at either.. you're not missing out on the social scene miles, i promise you that. It should be really fun, it is a group date with his roomate doing some sort of chopped thing?? I don't really know but i'll let you know. 

I'm getting better at the dating game. It is less awkward for sure and I don't dread it as much but pity dates kill, unless I want to go with them, dating is hard. Other than that, school is good! I am in the thick of it, definitely the hardest part of the semester but all As so far. I love anatomy and  hope you get to take it at some point here at BYU. Nutrition is prob my hardest grade to keep up beacuse I don't spend the time on it that I need to. It is super boring and hard so thats a grind. 

I see Sadie and Seth pretty often and thats been a bloessing. I am missing Idaho already but I went 2x already in feb and it is a short month so I think I need to scale back. Seperation anxiety or something haha. They sure miss you there. You are basically in every single conversation. 

Your whiteboard looks awesome! I didn't realize you are quite the artist! I love all of your goals. Just think miles, you very likely could have 2.5 more weeks in that area with those people that you've grown to love so much! Make it count just like you've been doing. And if he needs you there another transfer then I really believe there is a reason. You're changing lives! 

I had to write a paper on the Abrahamic Covenant and my mission; It was a really neat opportunity to look through mission pictures, and think about all the different expereinces that I had. I remember some phases of the mission that felt so ridiculously hard, and I haven't forgotten that feeling, but i look back over my mission as a whole and it was amazing. I think that was a tender mercy from Heavenly Father to just let me look back and love it because there was a ton of hard laced in there. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. I hit one year since coming hom eon March 5th and I really can't believe it. Where did the year go? I don't really know what i've accomplished and sometimes it feels like backwards progress.. Don't wish the months away!  I know it can be hard and long and slow, but oh my gosh it is the single greatest thing I have ever done and God is working on you miles! 

But back to my essay, my teacher shared something that I thought was super profound. He asked why out of all the people in that time, did God choose to make a covenant with Abraham. Well, God chose Abraham, because Abraham chose God. In that time, they were super wicked with idols and all the other stuff but Abraham put his trust in God and was blessed becasue of it. It reminded me of that scripture that says, "if ye have a desire, ye are called to the work" THATS YOU MILES! You chose God so God chose YOU! That means that you have his help to work miracles. there is nothing too big for him, no investigator too far gone, no ask too insignificant. I just hope you know that miles, He is so proud of you and is consecrating your efforts. You're a dynamic missionary and I am so grateful for your example 

Dad is gone in AZ for his golfing trip, I know that prob makes you jealous haha, the warm weather makes me jealous. The snow here is absolutely ridiculous. 

Well, I don't have much else to tell you but I wanted you to nkow I'm always thinking and praying about you and the people in Noord. They don't know how lucky they are to have you there. I hope things with your comp have been a little more comfotable and normal, but if not, at least its bearable. Not everyone will be your bestie but I think you will definitely have one or two that you love and are tight with post mission. 

Love you so much! Please let me know what I can pray for specifically! 

Emma 

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

2/28

ey Miles! 

It was so fun to talk to you yesterday! It is seriously the highlight of the week, it makes you feel a little bit closer. 

I hope your district meeting went well! I already know you killed it, I'm sorry I didn't get any thoughts to you beforehand, I meant to, but I think your district needed to hear exactly what you prepared. The spirit is cool like that. I want to hear about it next week, perfection pending, is a topic that I'm constantly trying to figure out and work on. It is hard to feel like we will ever measure up or be enough, so don't forget your training, I NEED IT hah. 

I had a couple of thoughts this week in the sacrament meeting (unrelated to perfection) that I wanted to share with you. The first is a story that someone shared in their talk 

 (1) There was a man who had been taught by the missionaries for several years and was on the fence about being baptized. Sometimes he was committed only to follow with swings of doubts and uncertainty. One night the man had a dream. In this dream, he was sitting on a fence that divided two completely separate landscapes. On the right, there was this lush field with flowers and sunshine... He saw the Savior standing in the distance beckoning him, motioning him to come closer. The man looked to his left to see a completely different scape; it was a desolate desert, with overcast weather and he saw the devil out in the distance. Unlike Christ, however, the devil wasn't motioning the man to come towards him, he was just standing there with a smug look. The man, confused, called out to the devil and asked, "Why aren't you beckoning me to come to you?" The devil looked back at the man, gave a chuckle, and said, "I own the fence". Needless to say, the man decided he needed to be baptized. End of story. I thought so much about that after he shared that story. It reminded me of the quote, "Not choosing is a choice". I think it applies perfectly to missionary work with the people you're teaching but I also think it applies to each of us. I can think of a handful of things that I am fence-sitting about. Ways that I'm dragging my feet and not being all the way in. 

(2) While I was sitting in sacrament pondering my week I was thinking back on my mission. I had the opportunity to go to a couple of catholic masses and they were really powerful spiritual experiences. I don't know if you;ve experienced that in the Spanish community/culture but one difference between their Sunday service and ours is the way we take the sacrament. In the Catholic church, the people that have been baptized and accepted christ will come to the front in a line where the priest will feed them the sacrament as they approach him. In contrast, when we partake of the sacrament, the priesthood administers it to us where we are. I think that is beautifully symbolic of the Savior. He meets us where we are at and offers us every blessing of His atonement. 

(3) I loved this mission motto: Faith in Jesus Christ is the power; obedience is the price; and charity is the motive. THAT"S TOTALLY YOU! I've seen you push through the struggle with pure and complete trust/faith in the Savior. I know it hasn't been easy Miles, I know it! And I wish it didn't have to be but that is the refining! That is where you will see your growth! God cares more about our progress than our comfort, even when that is hard to understand. I've seen you completely love and serve the people in Noord even when it meant random service projects (like painting someone's dirt floor haha), playing dominos with one of the members, all of the ways that you love the people like Christ would. You are doing His work for Him and how amazing is that! Keep being obedient, so many things in the mission are outside of your control. You can't force baptisms, or control numbers, you can't pick your companion or your area... there are so many things. But one thing that is in your control is your obedience and that is a sign and message to God that you are ready to receive the miracles He is waiting to pour out. SO SO SO PROUD OF YOU! 

I'll probably shoot you a life update email later in the week ;) But I was just thinking about these things and wanted you to know that you are seriously in every thought of mine. You are so far and it kills me, but I wouldn't want you anywhere else and I know neither would you. I'm feeling emotional about all of this, especially this week. On Sunday it will be ONE WHOLE YEAR since I came home from Italy and it is killing me. My mission meant everything to me; it was SO SO SO HARD! I think I cried more than half the days I served and I wouldn't choose to do it again but I think of those people and those experiences, and my heart is so full. I learned so much and grew so much. Take advantage of it Miles! I know you are rolling your eyes, but sooner than you think, you'll be looking back at these 6 months in Aruba and two years on your mission. Keep making it count. 

Emma 

**********************

3-2-23

Miles!!
I am so glad that you have been able to talk until 3 so that I can talk to you for a little each week!! I hope you have been doing good. I really do think about you all the time. At least once a day I’ll see something that reminds me of you. Like on Friday last week I went to a play at Owyhee with Rylee Peterson and just driving that stretch that we did for so long got me thinking of so many fun memories. I even took a picture of our parking spot! Hahaha
I also see you in the talks I read and the example you are setting in so many scriptures!! You really are so amazing and what you are doing is awesome! I am having a hard time having a positive attitude about this retreat this weekend. And J really loved your email:) thanks for sending that. Little Lainey probably reads it every night. Anyway, I was talking to Dad about it after him and mama got after me for not having a good attitude. I was telling dad that I didn’t want to go and he asked me if you wanted to go on a mission for two years and leave everything behind knowing that is would be so hard. That hit me and I couldn’t really say anything after he said that. I know you chose to go but I knew you knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. I guess I’m telling you this so I can thank you for being such an amazing influence in my life. You are more to me than just my big brother. You are someone I look up to and trust! I just wanted to know that:)
I miss you Miles. I hear the things in your emails and I see the pictures and it makes me sad and so happy at the same time!!
I love you so much and I hope you don’t doubt it!!

                  Avery

*********

ELDER MILLER! 

Thanks so much for your email; i know time on p-day is money. 

The gift of tongues is so real, I can picture you being so powerful in both languages. It is literally insane to me that you are learning two new languages at the same time! Trilingual no doubt! It is so so crazy; I cannot imagine that. Feeling pretty comfortable at 6 months is a great start! By the time you come home, I'm sure you'll feel pretty dang confident! Keep up the grind. Language study varied in productivity depending on the day for sure, sometimes I was hyped about it and other days it felt like a drag because I was surrounded in Italian all day every day. Reading the Book of Mormon in Italian was huge for me. I was hesitant to do it at first because it is like old language and not super applicable, but there is a spirit that accompanies the study of it in your mission languages and I was able to recognize grammatical patterns and conjugations especially. I also would read conference talks in Italian, it was super great when we had planned lessons and I knew what we would be talking about. I could find talks that related to our lesson and then have sentences and new vocab that I could work into the lesson instead of going in with my limited testimony and vocab before I studied the talk. Do you ever study with your comp? I know it is a new companionship but maybe that would be helpful? or at least mix it up? 

It is so exciting to me that all of the cousins are starting to get their calls! Millers around the world literally. It is so powerful and I can't help but think of the example you are to all of them. I know they look up to you so much! It is so wild: Kaley, Cooper, Kobe Brock, Brogan, Trey, Miles... Am I missing anyone? and soon it will be cache, Kade... A total ripple effect! Crazy stuff!

I don't really have a ton to report. My car estimate came back and they said another 3 weeks waiting for parts so that is super frustrating. I'm just praying I can go home the weekend of April 8th. That is the next weekend that will work with everything going on. It has been a nightmare but I've been grateful for Sadie who has really helped me out and the shuttle to school and things. 

I haven't been going on any dates lately. Ethan (the dental kid) has become shy all of a sudden. He sent me an instagram friend request and it felt like I was starting all over again with the Blake situation. When you get home will you please be confident and normal?!! If you think a girl is cute or sharp, be confident enough to ask her on a real date and don't lead her on or make her guess where you're at or if you're interested. It literally drives me up a wall! I'm excietd for you to be here at BYU miles! College is going to get 10x better when you get home and I can't wait. 

School is going really well which is a blessing. Granted all I do is study, but I feel so blessed and helped in my efforts. I am LOVING anatomy still and hope that you have a chance to take it. Fascinating stuff

I was asked to speak in my YSA ward on Sunday about receiving personal revelation in preparation for conference. I wish I had asked you your thoughts sooner because I won't hear from you until after but I know you have so much experience with that! I'm super nervous- I used to speak all the time as a missionary but the further removed I get from the mission, the harder public speaking has become. I'm in a public speaking class right now but I don't feel like it is helping me at all haha. It is just intimidating in a YSA ward versus a family ward because they are all your peers and it feels like the singles ward movie haha. I'll get over it. Honestly it is the best week for me to speak becuase majority of the ward is gone this weekend. BYU doesn't have a sprink break but they give us a spring day (friday with no school) so everyone is taking off to St George for the weekend. If I have to speak, at least it is this weekend haha. 

 

HOW IS BONAIRE!? I know I'll hear all about it on Monday, and I can't wait. I've been looking up pictures and things and it looks really pretty; sounds like it will be a sweet cliff-diving spot post-mission! Find that flamingo statue on p-day sometime. I didn't realize until I read your group email that you are the only set of elders on the island. That will be quite the change for p-dyas and things. Hopefully your comp is a stud! I've loved seeing the pictures this week! Did you fly back to Aruba today for Zone conference of is that next week? I'm thinking all about you this week with so many new things. New comp ,new apartment (which sounds like a dump, grateful you're relocating soon!), new ward, new friends... New everyting! I bet there has been nerves and butterflies and some comfort in just being settled. Now it's time to get to work! You're going to kill it there! 

I love you Miles! It literally made my entire monday when you told me about daylight savings!!! I was bummed to only get 10 minutes but then you were on like 30 minutes past the hour until I connected the dots that we get an extra hour. LET"S GOOO! Christmas came early! Talking to you is my very favorite thing! I love you so much. You're in every prayer, I'm so proud of you! 

Love, Emma 

♥♥♥3

Date: Mon, Mar 6, 2023 at 1:28 PM
Subject: I love you Sadie
To: Sadie Jones <sadiejanejones10@gmail.com>

Hey just a quick email because I felt prompted to send you an email during the zone conference this last week.

I hope you and Seth are well! I heard you've heard nothing from ensign yet. lame. It is in my prayers.

During zone conference there was a training about changing our heart or softening them. There was a prompt about a time when you felt close to God or that he was changing you and I don't know why but I immediately thought of you.

I don't know if you remember but this night changed a lot for me. We had just moved to Meridian and I was getting excited about playing my senior year of bball. I thought new school, new me, I was so pumped to get to play all my old friends at skyview. We had just moved in time for me to go to a couple open gyms before tryouts and I remember walking in there feeling so pumped. One thing led to another and it just started shaking out not how I wanted to. The coach turned me down in my face, and I could see he had his guys. I remember after only getting to play a game with some freshman going to the bathroom and just crying my eyes out. I couldn't believe that was my chance. I went straight to the car, and didn't think about finishing the open gym. I didn't know what to do so I just hopped in the truck and started driving. I got to a red light and really felt like I should be at the temple. So I went, parked the truck and walked to the reflecting lake on the back side of the meridian temple. There was a little path that led to a bench that I sat down on. It was November and pretty cold outside but I remember sitting there, and crying there for a while. So many things were going through my head but what I remember so distinctly is the impression I had to call you. Not mom or dad, to call Sadie. So I did. You picked up and I don't remember our conversation exactly but I remember you put me at peace. Thank you for being a safe place for me sadie. One thing you did say though was that there are bigger things and better things than basketball. That stuck with me, after our call I remember sitting there a little longer and really realizing what I needed to prioritize. I was only a couple months away from submitting mission papers and I just wanted to be in a better place. I wanted to know the gospel better, I wanted a stronger testimony and I wasn't using the Atonement the way I wanted to. That night, with the help of my big sister, I found out what was most important to me, and I am so glad I did, because I don't even know if I'd be here now without it.

I love you sadie, always thinking about you. Have a great week and thanks for always being there for me.

-Love Elder Miller

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3-10-23

miles!

Thank you so much for your sweet email. I needed to hear it & it made my whole day that you would take time out of your p-day. 

I'm getting super super pumped for you with transfer new tomorrow but also kinda sad when i see all of your pictures with members- i know you're preparing for it but, man it is hard to leave the people you've grown to love there. Great job with the pics! You will look back and absolutely love them! I'm personally hoping for Bonaire, I want a pic of you in a swarm of flamingos (a flock? a herd? I'm not sure) 

Okay I looked it up: The collective noun to describe a gathering of flamingos is “flamboyance, Now you know :) pull that trivia on your comps 

I hope it has been a great week! I feel like the last week of transfers go pretty quickly because you have Saturday transfer news to look forward to. I'm so excited to hear! 

My week was horrible haha. It's okay though because it is over and I can just let it go and move on. I had two midterms this last weekend, luckily they went pretty well, but it was super stressful and made for a boring weekend of studying. On Tuesday I drove out to Orem to check out the dental hygiene building, on my way home I got in a car accident. It was a dual-fault deal so we were both in the wrong- luckily it was just a fender bender, it could have been a lot worse so for that I am grateful but it is a nightmare. Insurance calls and being without a car has been really hard.  Especially because I had plans to be home in Idaho this weekend and obviously had no way to go without my car. So now I won't be able to go home until mid April which feels like forever away. I'm pretty bummed out and frustrated with myself, but it happens, that's why it is called an accident. I'm so grateful mama and dad are so understanding. I was kinda a mess and they were so kind, I am an awful driver Miles. I am so frustrated with myself and it has been a rain cloud over the rest of my week. Hopefully when repairs are made and it is all good and done, I can put it behind me but that won't be for another 2-3 weeks so I'm still kicking myself about it. 

Other than that, school is going really well which is a blessing, boys are still stupid haha, but there is a cute kid in my dental class named Ethan that I'm getting to know better. I think we will probably go on a date in the next couple weeks so I'll keep you posted. He is 6'2 and blonde. I'll send you a picture because I know you're dying to see ;) hah. 

I read a quote this week that said, "the person who will one day perfect us [Christ], is not what we define as a perfectionist" I thought that was so powerful. He doesn't expect us to be perfect, that would defeat the purpose of mortality and the need for a Savior. A doctor doesn't come to heal the healthy kinda deal. All He asks is for our diligence, strivings, and loyalty in doing all that He asks. Our best is enough because Christ called us worthy. His grace is sufficient which is so powerful. So long story long, your best is enough and it is valued and needed and God loves you all the more for it! 

How is the spanish coming along? I loved your facebook post about conference- I'm guessing it was in Papimento? It is crazy to me that you are simultaneously learning two languages- NERD! haha. What did you think about Brock and Brogan's calls? Arkansas and Colorado! We were all kinda relieved that after Brogan opened his, Brock's was lowkey similar. They are perfect for them I think. Kinda sad they start like 1/2 a month apart but they will be super missionaries! You are such a good example to them and cash and trey and all of our cousins who will be future missionaries. It is no easy deal and you know that! 

I love you so much! I am so excited to hear your news. I hope you're doing well and healing up from your bike accident! I miss you more than you know. My roomate's brother is coming home from his mission in Boston this next month and I'm so jealous. It almost makes me angry because I have to wait to see you but there isn't anywhere else I want you to be, YOU are participating in the greatest work and it is powerful! 

Can't wait to see you Monday!

Emma 

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3-16-23

ELDER MILLER! 

Thanks so much for your email; i know time on p-day is money. 

The gift of tongues is so real, I can picture you being so powerful in both languages. It is literally insane to me that you are learning two new languages at the same time! Trilingual no doubt! It is so so crazy; I cannot imagine that. Feeling pretty comfortable at 6 months is a great start! By the time you come home, I'm sure you'll feel pretty dang confident! Keep up the grind. Language study varied in productivity depending on the day for sure, sometimes I was hyped about it and other days it felt like a drag because I was surrounded in Italian all day every day. Reading the Book of Mormon in Italian was huge for me. I was hesitant to do it at first because it is like old language and not super applicable, but there is a spirit that accompanies the study of it in your mission languages and I was able to recognize grammatical patterns and conjugations especially. I also would read conference talks in Italian, it was super great when we had planned lessons and I knew what we would be talking about. I could find talks that related to our lesson and then have sentences and new vocab that I could work into the lesson instead of going in with my limited testimony and vocab before I studied the talk. Do you ever study with your comp? I know it is a new companionship but maybe that would be helpful? or at least mix it up? 

It is so exciting to me that all of the cousins are starting to get their calls! Millers around the world literally. It is so powerful and I can't help but think of the example you are to all of them. I know they look up to you so much! It is so wild: Kaley, Cooper, Kobe Brock, Brogan, Trey, Miles... Am I missing anyone? and soon it will be cache, Kade... A total ripple effect! Crazy stuff!

I don't really have a ton to report. My car estimate came back and they said another 3 weeks waiting for parts so that is super frustrating. I'm just praying I can go home the weekend of April 8th. That is the next weekend that will work with everything going on. It has been a nightmare but I've been grateful for Sadie who has really helped me out and the shuttle to school and things. 

I haven't been going on any dates lately. Ethan (the dental kid) has become shy all of a sudden. He sent me an instagram friend request and it felt like I was starting all over again with the Blake situation. When you get home will you please be confident and normal?!! If you think a girl is cute or sharp, be confident enough to ask her on a real date and don't lead her on or make her guess where you're at or if you're interested. It literally drives me up a wall! I'm excietd for you to be here at BYU miles! College is going to get 10x better when you get home and I can't wait. 

School is going really well which is a blessing. Granted all I do is study, but I feel so blessed and helped in my efforts. I am LOVING anatomy still and hope that you have a chance to take it. Fascinating stuff

I was asked to speak in my YSA ward on Sunday about receiving personal revelation in preparation for conference. I wish I had asked you your thoughts sooner because I won't hear from you until after but I know you have so much experience with that! I'm super nervous- I used to speak all the time as a missionary but the further removed I get from the mission, the harder public speaking has become. I'm in a public speaking class right now but I don't feel like it is helping me at all haha. It is just intimidating in a YSA ward versus a family ward because they are all your peers and it feels like the singles ward movie haha. I'll get over it. Honestly it is the best week for me to speak becuase majority of the ward is gone this weekend. BYU doesn't have a sprink break but they give us a spring day (friday with no school) so everyone is taking off to St George for the weekend. If I have to speak, at least it is this weekend haha. 

 

HOW IS BONAIRE!? I know I'll hear all about it on Monday, and I can't wait. I've been looking up pictures and things and it looks really pretty; sounds like it will be a sweet cliff-diving spot post-mission! Find that flamingo statue on p-day sometime. I didn't realize until I read your group email that you are the only set of elders on the island. That will be quite the change for p-dyas and things. Hopefully your comp is a stud! I've loved seeing the pictures this week! Did you fly back to Aruba today for Zone conference of is that next week? I'm thinking all about you this week with so many new things. New comp ,new apartment (which sounds like a dump, grateful you're relocating soon!), new ward, new friends... New everyting! I bet there has been nerves and butterflies and some comfort in just being settled. Now it's time to get to work! You're going to kill it there! 

I love you Miles! It literally made my entire monday when you told me about daylight savings!!! I was bummed to only get 10 minutes but then you were on like 30 minutes past the hour until I connected the dots that we get an extra hour. LET"S GOOO! Christmas came early! Talking to you is my very favorite thing! I love you so much. You're in every prayer, I'm so proud of you! 

Love, Emma 

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From Graham 3-17-23

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3-20-23 Letter from Miles to Graham

Thanks so much for your email last week brother! It meant so much to me!

Brother the clips of your basketball games looked so good! Sounds like your team is destroying which is fun. I always thought it was fun to blow out teams but honestly if it were up to me I would rather be in a tight game at the end. I am sure you will get some of those. So fun to watch you brother. I am excited for you to get super good while I am gone so I can watch in-person your high school games. That'll be sweet.

Spring Break! That is super nice. I hope washington is super fun. That is so fun of mom and dad to take you three and do that. Have a blast and make some fun memories. Say hi to the pups for me. All the pictures I get of them are so cute. I bet it is nice for them to not have me bothering them so much.

I m doing good. New comp which is fun but always tricky because they each work and live so different so you have to adjust. I am having fun though. This island is pretty sweet. It is big for scuba diving. Sometime we will have to take a brothers trip and come here to dive that would be sweet and I could teach you some papiamento.

I love you brother! Thanks for the email! Made me so happy to read it. I'd love to know what part of the Book of Mormon you are in and what you are learning. Have a great week brother. Hope march madness is super fun. Keep rooting for the Lakers for me! Love you so much!

-Elder Miller

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4-3-23 Letter from Miles to Graham

Hey Brother! I was happy I got to talk to you this morning! I sure miss you brother. I am always excited to see your basketball clips. I am so excited to see your highschool games!

During general conference this last week I was thinking about you a lot during the two talks about patriarchal blessings. Have you ever thought about getting yours? There isn't ever a set time to get it. You should when you feel ready. "How do I know if I am ready?" Is probably something you are asking yourself. I would make a point to go to Heavenly father in prayer about it.

One verse of scripture I use with many of my friends out here on the mission talks about the spirit letting us know all things we should do. You probably know it...

Moroni 10

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ^aask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not ^btrue; and if ye shall ask with a ^csincere heart, with ^dreal intent, having ^efaith in Christ, he will ^fmanifest the ^gtruth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may ^aknow the ^btruth of all things.

Brother, I have a testimony of these things. I know that the Holy Ghost will put things into our hearts if we live worthy of its companionship. I know if we act on those feelings however small they feel, we will never look back and Heavenly Father will bless us as his instruments.

But if the answer is no for now, that is okay too. God helps us "line upon line" like it says in the scriptures and maybe this isn't your next step right now.

My patriarchal blessing is such a blessing to me. When I read and ponder it, I feel Heavenly Fathers love for me so much. Graham, He has so much instore for you! I know it!

I love you so much Brother! I am always thinking about you. You are growing up into a stud and I look so much forward to the memories we still have to make! You are in my prayers brother. Go kill it this week brother.

Love Elder Miller

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From Miles to Emma

Hey Emma! I am so excited to talk to you today! I am so pumped for you to be able to go home this coming weekend! Long time coming!

I just wanted to tell you that I thought a lot about you in a conference this last weekend! What was your favorite talk? I really loved Elder Bassetts and the Prophet's. President Nelson gives one talk for 6 months and he decided we needed to be counciled on being Peacemakers. And that was what made me thnk of you. You are a peacemaker and so I am striving to be like you! Thanks for your example Emma! Its making a difference!

Have a great week! Love you tons!

-Elder Miller

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4-9-2023

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4-13-23 Miles to Emma and Emma to MIles

Hey Emma! I am so excited to talk to you today! I am so pumped for you to be able to go home this coming weekend! Long time coming!

 

I just wanted to tell you that I thought a lot about you in a conference this last weekend! What was your favorite talk? I really loved Elder Bassetts and the Prophet's. President Nelson gives one talk for 6 months and he decided we needed to be counciled on being Peacemakers. And that was what made me thnk of you. You are a peacemaker and so I am striving to be like you! Thanks for your example Emma! Its making a difference!

 

Have a great week! Love you tons!

-Elder Miller 

Her response:

MILES!!! 

 

So sorry I've been slacking in the email department. I'm repenting and will be better. 

 

It really seems like you are loving Bonaire and that makes me so happy. The work seems to be rolling. I'm still waiting for you to have a super fun companion that you enjoy! I know you've had good ones (and bad ones) and granted every comp will be hard for one reason or another but I want you to find a roommate companion that you want to be tight with post-mission! I'll keep praying someone awesome gets called there!

 

I love love love seeing all of your pictures. Your mission is beautiful! I love that you're serving on an island, they really are the best and a flex when you tell people where you served haha. The clips of your radio station are also so fun to see you in action with the languages. I still cannot wrap my head around you learning two simultaneously, I could hardly get one down. You're amazing! Keep studying, they will both develop the way that the Lord needs them to and there is no standard of fluency you have to hit when you come home so don't let that stress you out too much. 

 

The conference was amazing. I am really excited to read back over some of them in the upcoming months. I reread one about patriarchal blessings and it really made me want to go back to mine and study it out. It is kind of amazing the promises that we have because of the gospel. Like patriarchal blessing promises, covenantal promises, and divine nature promises. We truly are so blessed. It makes me really sad to think about all of the people that don't have the hope that those promises provide, that a relationship with Jesus Christ provides. But then I get all hyped and pumped about missionary work and YOU out there, sacrificing everything, to give those people the opportunity to join God's team and to be all in with Him. How cool is that?! You are working miracles, elder miller! 

 

It was so sweet and too generous of you to say that the peacemaker talk reminded you of me. I had notes worth of pages when the prophet was talking about ways I can be better at that! He is so inspired in what He chooses to share, it really is what the world needs to hear right now. 

 

A little life update: 

I just got home from taking my anatomy Lab final (basically a bunch of pins in dead bodies and I have to know what structure it is??) So that was really interesting, I don't hear back for another week or so, it is making me really anxious but I gave it my best shot and feel good about the way I left it. Prayers that it is an A, Oh how I need it to be. I have absolutely loved that class but it is stressful to have to keep such high grades for this program. I'm really putting all of my eggs in this basket, if UVU doesn't work out I will be devastated! Working hard now will hopefully pay off. I just have two finals left in this semester which is crazy! I'm headed down to Arizona on May 3rd with my roommates for a wedding and then I'll be up in Idaho for the summer. I am PUMPED to get to go home but also preparing myself to be a little bored and lonely. The closer it gets the more I wish I was staying in Provo, all of my friends are down here, and with the warm weather just now showing up I feel a little like I'm missing the prime time to be in Utah. There is so much to do outside when the weather is nice. I just have to remind myself that it is only a couple of months and then I'll be back here wishing I was up in Idaho. I suffer from "the grass is always greener syndrome" haha. I've gone on a couple more dates with Ethan. We played PIG on Monday (I destroyed it haha. He won 1 of 4, I think he was actually trying but I think he also wanted me to win because of the stakes. He made them and I wasn't complaining. He said, "If I win, I get to be called the greatest basketball player you've ever met and you have to remind me of it, but if you win, I get to take you out to dinner wherever you want" He is pretty smooth and pretty cute.) So now, he has a BYU flag on his car haha and he took me out to Chick-fil-A after our Pig competition. We've played volleyball and he's been over to my apartment. We are really good friends and it has been way fun but with the summer a week away, I think it will stay just that. He is headed home to Missouri (so random I know) and I'll be up in Idaho. I'm not about the phone call a day thing. Mom said thank goodness you're not around if I did call every night otherwise you'd bust out the silent mode on the sound machine. Really I'm just doing it for you haha But in al seriousness, I'm a little bummed but I know the timing is the way that it should be and i'm grateful to not have to go faster than I'm ready for. I'll keep you posted but I don't think there will be much to tell .

 

I love you so much Miles. You are in every single one of my prayers, and no, I'm not just saying that. I am soo proud of you, Jesus is sooooo proud of you, and I really hope you are so proud of yourself. Think about all that you've accomplished so far! you are literally working miracles and blessing lives and i'm amazed at your willingness to sacrifice and be all in. Have the best week, I'm counting down the days until Monday! it is literally my favorite day of the week. 

 

Emma

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4-13  Avery email to Miles

 Miles!! I’m so sorry that I have been so bad about emailing. It’s lame of me and I’m sorry. I hope you know that, even if I do stink at emailing, I think about you all the time!!

In fact, just tonight I went upstairs to get something under the bathroom sink and I found a basket with all your bathroom stuff in it. I know it sounds weird but I smelled your Abercrombie & Fitch cologne and when I smelled it my eyes got watery. And I sat there and thought about all the times in the Kid Truck when we would have a few minutes before the bell rang to talk and study and listen to make up or brake up haha;). I wish I could go back! Now that I’m writing this all out is sounds weird than I thought but I just want you to know that I really love and miss you.

I absolutely love your weekly emails and the pictures and videos mama shows us! And  from now on I’m gonna get on a schedule so I don’t miss a week telling you how much I love and look up to you!!
Have the best week! Can’t wait to talk to you on p-day!!

Love
            ️Avery 

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4-17-23 Miles to Lainey

Thanks for talking to me this morning sister! You are getting so tall!

I have a few questions for you...

1 do you still like to go on the trampoline? Is it too cold, and do you still play games on it?

2 what books are you reading? Like one for school? Or are you into those hallmark books like Avery? What about the Book of Mormon? Where are you at?

3 I saw you watching some bball with the boys! Which team are you rooting for? Probably the warriors huh? One sec...uhhh🤢🤮

I love you Lainey! You make me so happy! I hope school is fun for you! Last little bit go strong! I miss you like crazy ND can't wait to have dunk contests on the big hoop when I'm home because you are so tall!

Give everyone hugs from me! Love you sister. Keep smiling cook buddy!

XxxXxOOoXX (lots of big ones;)

Love Elder Miller 

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  5-21-23 from avery:

Hey Miles!!
I hope you have a had a good week!
I have been working/babysitting a lot this week and it has been a blessing that I can work and make money while not having to actually work with anyone or have bad hours.

Other than babysitting there have been open gyms once a week. It’s kinda early and many of the high schoolers don’t actually come but I have been able to keep practicing which has been good.

Actually summer ball tryouts are on Monday. Yikes! I know I’ll be in JV so we will see what the other teams look like. It will be good but Im not too excited about it. I know I should be but I just struggle getting there because I don’t have anyone I really know or like besides my teammates from last year but they won’t be on the same team as me. I need to have a better attitude about it because I know it will be good for me and I need to be a good example to the kids. Let’s just say I’m working on being more positive. How do you do it on your mission when you have a slow week or rough area or comp?!

Anyway, I hope you have a great week and I hope you know that I’m praying for you, your comp, and your friends:) I love you so much

          Avery

Reply from Miles:

Thanks so much for your email this week Avery! It means so much to me! This is like your last full week of school right!!? That's crazy you're basically a junior now, wild! Thanks for the fun update! That is such a good gig with babysitting. Soak that up (not saying it is easy) but that is super nice when you can make money without clocking into a job everyday. Fun pictures, so nice of that old guy to do that for you. I miss little old people like that. There are old people here I guess but they all speak a different language and culture is just different.

Good question with the attitude in something your not totally sold in. To be honest I am still figuring that out when the transfer feels three months long or the comp gets on my nerves. But just looking beyond me and my wants and turning out with love is always the best way to go about it. Not the easiest for sure. But as far as basketball goes for you, I would just try to look at it for what it is. Basketball is basketball and its a sport all us kids love right, it might not be as fun without a really good buddy on the team like emma had liv, but for a lot of the teams I was on I never had a really good friend. I guess I just tried to be likeable by all of my teammates so they would trust me and we'd have good team chemistry. But I never clicked with anyone. I just tried to look at what it was. Me playing basketball with those precious four years I had. Such a small time frame and I still could of been better about soaking it all in because I didn't get all four years, which was so hard. So I guess what I am trying to say is right now when the other people side of it isn't that great, love the basketball side. Make it a competition against yourself and try to beat yourself every practice. This time will fly Avery! Just love playing basketball. I can't wait to hear about tryouts and see all the clips this summer!

One more thing... I remember emma and sadie emailing me on their missions (that sounds horrible now that I think about it, I should of been the one emailing them) but they would send me songs they liked on their missions. And you don't have to play them or like them because they all have to be within mission standards but I thought it was fun to listen to what they would listen to throughout the week, and who knows, maybe you'll like some of them:)

1. Don't think Jesus    By: Morgan Wallen

It is a country song and it is so good. Based on a true story if you listen to the lyrics. Pretty cool and I just really like the song.

2. Dios ta bon     By: I AM Brian D

This is a papiamento song which is fun and at the beginning it is just a bunch of guys arguing in papiamento and so you can see what it is like here. Catchy song but maybe you don't like it cause you can't understand it, idk

3.ABC    By: IR-sais FT rocco flava & D.A.N.D.O

If you look this one up on youtube it has a fun music video with all the islands. Kinda like the "islands song" In papiamento too, but pretty fun.

Ok I will leave you with 3 and let me know what you think. I love you Avery! I think about you all the time, especially when I am around the sister missionaries and I think about you on a mission! France isn't ready for white lightning! Have a great week Avery!

-Love Elder Miller

****

Hey Miles, 5-25-23

I’m so sorry to hear about your hand! That looks so painful- but at least you’ll have a sweet scare- “Chicks dig scares…” 
I hope it gets feeling better soon.

Okay so tryouts were on Monday and it went good! I played well and I actually had a lot of fun too. There was like only 30 of us so only a JV and varsity. I made JV and I’m really happy ab that because I will play a lot and it will be so fun. We practice all together which I really like to because the varsity is so fun and nice. Thanks for your advice about just going for the basketball. Throughout the whole tryout I just kept thinking ab what you said in your email. Thank you for taking the time to email me:)

This last couple of days of school is so stressful but I am pretty confident in my grades which is a huge blessing! I can’t believe I only have two years left. And surprisingly I don’t want to wish is completely away haha.

Miles!!! I loved the songs thank you so much for sending them!! I am so glad you did! Love you so much!! You’ll be in my prayers

               ️Avery

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5-29-23

from miles to avery

I am so happy that you got what you wanted in Basketball tryouts! That'll be so good for you! School is like over, huh?! That is the best feeling ever! Soak it up! Just think, next time you are getting out of school I am going to be like a month or two away from coming home! That's crazy, gonna be a party!

Yeah, that stitch was super painful but hey, it's over and it'll be a great story to tell from my mission!

I love you Avery! Thank you for your prayers. I literally feel them, and when I am tired, worn out, or just out of it, I remember you all are praying for me and it lifts me up every time! You are in mine too!

Have a great week! I'll be thinking about you!

Elder Miller (That's thunder baby)

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Miles to Graham 7/18/23

Hey Brother! Sorry it has taken me so long to respond to your letter! I loved it and it made my day so much better!

I am so excited for you to get your patriarchal blessing! I know Heavenly Father has big things instore for you! Keep getting ready for that! So exciting!

The cruise looked super fun! Someday we'll have to take a boys fishing trip out there again because it looks awesome!

What's been going on with you? No school for another month what do you want to do?

Hows the family?

How is the Book of Mormon for you right now? Where are you at? I am in the beginning of 2 Nephi trying to learn as much as I can from Isaiah. 

I miss you like crazy Graham! I mean it! So many things out here remind me of you. Let me know if you ever need anything or need to talk about anything! I'll respond as soon as I can. But you got a pretty sweet dad you can ask too. Keep up the good work! I see you enduring to the end too! Excited to talk to you soon!

Lots of love from Curaçao!

-Elder Miller 

P.s. How's the  (ego mower)

And the 

And the  coming?

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From Lainey: 

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From AQvery 7/19/23

I was talking to you about fsy today and I was wondering if you had got the email I sent on Saturday but mama said that you never got it and I looked in my sent folder and it never sent-I was so sad but I’ll send it again:)
Well I thought about you a lot this week while I I was at fsy. It really made me realize how good of a missionary you really are and it makes me want to be a missionary all the more! I wrote this journal entry ab fsy and I hope you like! I love you so much!! Have a great week and know that you’ll be in my prayers!

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From Graham 7/23/23

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7/31/23

Miles Miller <miles.miller@missionary.org>	5:27 AM (11 hours ago)
to avery

Avery! Thanks so much for the email! I loved reading your journal entry! I am so glad you had a blast at FSY. You have a powerful testimony, and it makes me think of you as a great missionary! I love you Avery, Thanks for sharing that with me. Excited to talk to you today!

Love Elder Miller

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8-22-23

avery miller

to me

Miles!!

I was thinking about you a lot this week
With Cache’s farewell and with school starting too. I was reading my journal entry for last year first day of school and I didn’t have to read to remember when you came into my room that night before school and told me how proud you were of me and then you said a prayer w me. I don’t know if you remember that but it really made me feel so special and I hope you know how much it meant to me:)! And I hope you know how proud I am of you! Miles I miss you like crazy but I think it’s so cool that you are where you are! You are such a role model and I love you! I know I’m so bad at emailing and I’m so sorry- know that I think about you ALL the time!! Love you!

                                   ️Avery

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Letter from Miles to cousin Trey who  is still in training in his mission in Peru and having a hard time

Elder Miller! I read your weekly too late last week so I couldn't write this. Peru looks sweet! You are lucky you have some mountains, I miss them.

Is your comp native? Sounds like his Spanish is cracked which is so goated. My trainer was fluent and I wish I would have taken advantage of it. But I hope he is cool.

You are probably doing a lot better than I was at the beginning but I wanted to email you because the first bit can definitely be tough.

If I write this but you are absolutely chilling right now and loving it, than that is lit and you don't have to read this, but if it is kinda hard, than please know, you are normal. I went through it, sometimes still go through it, and I guarantee 90% of missionaries go through it. Missionary life is a crazy adjustment. An adjustment I am still trying to get use to. For real though that Adjusting to Missionary life booklet you got in the MTC (also online) is inspired. Your trainer should go through it with you but if not, read it! It actually is full of good ways to cope.

Another thing I did that helped me was treat my personal study special. It became one of my favorite parts of the day because I got excited about what I was studying and had it all nice and laid out. For me conference talks really speak to me, and so I would find gas ones from general authorities and really study them out and watch them. But you'll find what you learn the best from. 

Another thing, this actually makes a difference. The food. I don't know all what you can get down there to eat but make it yours. Make meals you enjoy and will get excited about. If the day is long, it's sweet to come home to something you wanna just chow on. Kinda funny but it actually helped me a ton. Don't just suffer on rice and chicken. Trust me it gets old.

With the language. Don't be too hard on yourself. If you are giving your best it is enough. God knows what you bring to the table and if he hasn't silenced you he wants you to share what you are able to share and keep growing. No doubt you'll get it. Keep grinding!

The days get easier when you are out of the apartment for sure. Like being out among the people helps everything else slip into the background. They become important to you and they fill your thoughts more and more as you help them progress.

Take all this or leave it, but just some things that helped me. You got this Trey, I'm in it with you, the mission is hard, but I have changed so much. Never getting these two years back. When it's slow, you have a tough comp or you miss home just remember the longer you are out, the easier it gets. The time is going to fly. Some points faster than others but for real when you get out of training it really does go.

There are lots of sweet talks and scriptures out there that can lift you up. Like in D&C when Joseph Smith is in Liberty jail, or when Gordon B Hinckleys dad tells him to forget himself and get lost in the work. But this scripture in the old testament is what helps me when it gets hard...

Psalms 231 

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I SHALL NOT WANT.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 

3 He restoreth my soul: HE LEADETH ME in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: FOR THOU ART WITH ME; THY ROD AND THY STAFF THEY COMFORT ME.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

He's got your back Elder Miller! We are his messengers and he is so aware of us. Through good and bad, he knows it. He is never going to give us something we can't handle with His help. Never. 

You look great. The day we are hanging out after this all telling all the stories of these two years is going to be a blast. 

Love you Trey, hope this helps. Let me know if there is ever anything I can help you with.

Elder Miller

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9/5/23

I know this is a little earlier than I usually send emails in the week but I really wanted to tell you something! On Monday you were talking to us and you shared the spiritual thought about reading the Book of Mormon everyday and how if we miss one day it can impact us a lot later. I just wanted you to know that last Sunday (fast Sunday) one of the things I had fasted for, was having a desire to read the book of Mormon more and finding purpose in reading and studying it. And that message that you shared really hit me. Then you started talking about your book of Mormon study journal and asked if I still had mine. And I went and got it and now it’s sitting on my desk and I’ve been able to use that to help me really study the scriptures these last couple of days and have a stronger desire for the rest of the week. I just want you to know that I’m so grateful for you and I’m so grateful for that little tender mercy that helped me realize how important the book of Mormon is in my every day life. I love you so much Miles and I’m so proud of you and how Christlike you have become!! I am so grateful for you and that you are in a place to be a instrument in the lord’s hands to help me and all the people you meet on your mission. I love you! Hope it’s a great week!!

          ️avery

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9/14/23

So I promised an email about open gym so I’ll give you a short summary. It’s only on Mondays and Tuesdays and that really nice. On Monday it was at a middle school from 7-8:30 and we did mostly shooting drills which are my favorite and my shot is getting a lot better and that’s fun. There was only 8 girls but most of them are super nice which is a blessing. On Tuesday I thought it was the same time so I showed up at 7 and a bunch of girls were scrimmaging and I checked the schedule and apparently on Tuesdays it is 6-7:30 so that was kinda awkward. Although the last half hour was in the weight room so it looked like I just showed up for the weights hahaha- which is true haha;) Anyways basketball was good and I’m glad the first week is over-thanks for the pep talk:)

Other than that I get the robot baby this weekend and I am so excited!! I know that people have said it is brutal but I am so hyped! I think it will be so fun so hopefully it is haha. I’ll have to let you know on Monday:)

I hope you have a great week! Miles I love you so much!!

♥♥♥♥

10/16/23

Hey miles.

I am so sorry that I haven't emailed more often. That is so lame of me and I want to be better about it. I'll try to keep this pretty brief bc I know you don't want all of the stupid details of my relationship haha. I feel like I have been a little hesitant to tell you much about Brayden and all of this because after Ethan and a few boys/dates in between I have just felt pretty discouraged w dating and didn't want to bother you with something that would last like a week.

I still don't know if this thing w Brayden will go anywhere. Honestly, it has been a little off and on recently, but I'll give you a little update.

His name is Brayden Hancock. He asked me out randomly via text before I knew who he was. He is in my ward, and at first I was not interested. I didn't know him, I was regrouping after RJ, and just tired of the whole dating scene. But our first date was so fun. It was a double w his roomate and we went and played disc golf and then got fast food. We just really hit it off and I had a great time.
The next day he texted and asked if I was busy- we went and played Pig, I won (obviously ;) and he had to wear a t-shirt that I made him that said he lost to a girl. I don't really know what happened from there, we ended up spending like every day together from hanging out to random dates. We did a double with my roomate and it was super fun, we went and did a scavenger hunt at walmart (i'll send you some pics but that is why we have random objects in our pics. After that date he took me on a walk and we had a conversation, I felt like it was super deep and kinda premature. Basically he asked how I felt about him and if I would date him... We talked a lot about the future and what it "could" look like but we didn't really talk about what it is so that is where it has been a little confusing lately

So last minute on Saturday he called and asked if I wanted to go to a concert w him. Last minute like i had 5 minutes to change and then we left but MILES IT WAS SO FUN. It was a zac brown band concert and he is really country boy so he had so much fun. I just loved being with him. He is so fun and confident and WILD but also super solid. We went to the temple for a session the other morning and it was impressive to me to see him in a spiritual setting.

Idk, there is a lot to love about him and obviously some things I haven't figured out yet. But we need to have a conversation about some things and I'm terrified to bring it up. He is really teaching me a lot about myself, one thing being htat I need to work on my communication. I'll keep you posted and send some pictures

He is 5'11 (kinda short I know), served his mission in London, Mandarin speaking, and wants to go into Finance. He is from Touson Arizona and did FSY this summer in Moscow, so Avery actually knows who he is and has met him haha kinda wild. ANYWAY, there is the scoop

I love you miles. I am sorry i can't talk longer on p-days but I love seeing you and am so grateful for you. I loved the pics mama just threw in the chat, you're so handsome! Keep up the great work. Hopefully the home depot referral works out and how excting about the family on date. Keeping the work in Aruba and YOU in my prayers. I love you

Emma

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10-16-23

Holy cow, Miles, I just love these pictures of you with that sweet little sister y las arepas, and my heart melted. Show that to your future wife and she will fall madly in love with you immediately haha, seriously that is heart-melting. I can tell you're doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing just by the smiles in those pictures. You are a blessing of joy and light to all those you meet, and I can't tell you how proud of you I am. I'm sorry I can't get on the phone for p-day more often these days, I wish I could. It was so great just to get to visit for a second this morning. I love you. Take care of yourself.  Love Sadie

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Miles Miller <miles.miller@missionary.org>	1:50 PM (3 minutes ago)
to Holly

For Lainey!

Hey sister, thanks so muchfor your letter to me this last week. I had a harder week and seeing your letter in my inbox made me feel a lot better.

Here are my answers to your questions...

1) my favorite sibling is.......each of you! Ahhh, one sec..*gagg* . Its true though, you are each like best friends to me!

2) Usually in whatever companionship I am in, I become the Cook. Most Elders don't eat very good so I try to make it nice. Plus mom is always giving me tasty recipes. Recently we have been eating with Members a lot which is fun. Last week I tried Guinea Pig!

3)whoops, I answer that one with Guinea Pig. It was pretty good. Just tasted like sausage. I also have tried some goat recently that was good.

4) You know what, almost every missionary I am with asks le that question and I have to tell them I can't answer. I have fallen in love with each of the people on all three islands and they are each so different. Here are a few things I like about each...

Aruba: I've heard has some of the prettiest beaches and some of the warmest open people in the islands.

Bonaire: Has some of the prettiest water and it is fun there because not to many people are there so not too crowded.

Curaçao: this Island is fun because it is the most lush and big of the three. So really green with stoplights! (The other two don't have any stoplights).

There is so much good about each of them, but your just going to have to come here with me one day and see for yourself.

I love you Lainey! I miss you and love talking to you on pdays!

Love Elder Miller

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To AVe

Thanks so much for your email this last week Avery! It was so fun to hear about how tryouts went! I am glad you are settling in! You got this avery! It's gonna be such aa good season. Can't wait to watch all the highlights!

Love you! Have a really good week!

Don't forget the rip!