October 3, 2016 - Cafe Rio!

Mission office staff: Sister and Elder Call, Me, Elder
and Sister Thompson.  They're honestly so great!
Had to make sure to get a pic with them before the
end of the year when they finish their missions. 

Well, I got to Wenatchee this week and there's a Cafe Rio here! And yup we've already been to it. We went in-between Saturday's sessions, and it was soooo good. I got a classic pulled pork salad, cause I needed to have that ranch. That was definitely a huge highlight for the week, of course other than General Conference. 

The Garcia and Verduzco families!
Coolest families in the branch! 
Sister Garcia,Diana, Jessica, Sister Verduzco,
 Elizabeth, Laura,and Erika. 

General Conference was so cool though! I honestly love being a missionary and watching conference. I'm not sure that conference will ever be the same. You get so hyped to watch conference that every talk just blows your mind. I loved conference and I would have to say that my favorite talk was President Uchtdorf's Saturday morning session talk. He said "We tread a path covered with diamonds, but we can scarcely distinguish them from ordinary pebbles." When I heard this it kinda hit me about how often we don't look hard enough at what we have. We often look beyond the mark and we become too focused on the little things, but we don't recognize the beauty of the things around us.

The kids that came to church with us that last 
Sunday - Manny, Me, Jr, Chewy, and Anthony
Their sister didn't want to be in the pic

So, a little about my area now. My new companion is Elder Ruben Geata and he's way awesome! He's is a convert of about two or so years and has given up a professional BMX biking career to be out here on a mission. He's won several world championships and was like the leading edge for bikers before he came on his mission. He's a super awesome Elder and is about 21. He came out on his mission a transfer after I did. I'm still District Leader here and I have another set of Elders and the Sister Training Leaders in my district. I'm super stoked to be here. It's a super pretty area and I can't wait to get going. This week was a little different because of conference so we didn't get a whole lot of teaching done, but it looks good. The area I cover is a little richer so finding the Hispanics will be a little harder, but I'm excited. We also cover three little towns outside of Wenatchee, they're called Orondo, Waterville, and Entiat. 

​This is the Dominguez family. David, me, Uriel, 
Arnulfa, Uziel, and Gael. He's the new Elders Quorum 
President and is killing it! His family has only 
been in the church for a few short years, and 
now they're getting sealed in October! 

Its weird being here, and I miss Yakima, but I'm way excited to start new here and get things moving.

Love you all!

-- 

Elder Miles

Washington Yakima Mission

Daniel Santos. Elder Harman and I were working with him for 3 months until our area got split, and he is now being taught by the other elders. While we were saying goodbye he taught us the Restoration and killed it. His testimony is super solid!

Reyna. She works at Salvation Army and got baptized after she met the missionaries that were doing service. She's so awesome!

The Contreras family! Aurora, Crystal, Me, Oscar -
their son didn't want to be in the pic

September 26, 2016 - El Traslado

That apple is actually that big. It's at
least 2/3rds of my face

Well Saturday we got our transfer calls and sadly I'm going to be transferred up to Wenatchee serving in the Rocky Reach area. I get to serve in one of the two Spanish wards in our mission so that should be pretty exciting. President told me when he called us that he felt like I was needed in Wenatchee for some reason, so I'm interested to see what that will be. It's gonna be pretty tough to leave, but I'm excited. The Terrace Heights Branch has come to feel like home and I'm really going to miss it. Yesterday after church we had a branch potluck and I just stepped back and looked at everyone. It was honestly super hard, not gonna lie. I was amazed to see all the

​This is the branch president's family. Brother Wilson (married to Alina Juarez), Me, President Roberto Juarez, grandson Aiden Wilson, Alina Juarez Wilson, Hna Macaria Juarez, and Ariana Juarez

lives I had the chance to touch, and the lives that touched me. I am so glad to have been able to serve here! 

This week was a pretty awesome week! We met these five kids that are all super awesome and they have been interested in coming to church and learning more, and so yesterday all five of them came to church! It was crazy! Yesterday at church there were 8 visitors, our 5 kids and 3 others that members invited! It was super cool! That's been my favorite thing that I have seen since I've been here. The desire to do missionary work in the branch has grown so much! The change has been so awesome!

The Torrez family - Little Mateo, Rafeal, Me, Ayde, Andrea, and little baby Diego
When Elder Harman and I were companions we worked with them for our
two transfers and helped them return to activity.

The family that came is the Castillo family. The oldest is a girl named Selene(18), then Manny(14), Chewy(13), Jr.(10), and then their cousin Anthony(10). We've taught them a couple times this week and it's been awesome! As soon as we start talking about the Gospel they go instantly quiet and focus really well. It's been super awesome to teach them this week, but it's kinda hard to leave. Outside of them we found several more people who look like they could progress really well. It's tough to leave the area at this point but I feel good that I have helped it grow into something more than it was when I got here.

Last P-Day: Zone Party

There has been a lot of progress here, and even though I didn't see a whole ton of personal success (such as baptisms), the branch did, and I feel good knowing I was able to help them get there. 

The church is true!

Love you all!

-- 

Elder Miles

Washington Yakima Mission

Mount Adams from the view outside our church building

September 19, 2016 – Ya me llene

This week was a pretty good week. We've been fed so much this week that I feel like I've gained some serious weight. Every day we've been fed so much for dinner that most mornings I didn't even want to eat breakfast, but then Elder Anderson and I would make pancakes and get stuffed in the morning. So the food has been great recently. I honestly love Mexican food so much. 

This week we had Zone Conference on Thursday and it went

"Sick old Camaro we found last P-Day"

super well. The whole focus was the idea of making sure that the people we teach become converted to the Gospel. It was centered around a missionary broadcast that was done back in January while I was in the MTC. The title of that broadcast is "Teach Repentance, and Baptize Converts." So in order to baptize people who are truly converted we have to make sure that they are making changes in their lives. The way we are able to see this is if our investigators keep commitments because they want to, not because they feel obligated or the missionaries are cool. During Zone Conference we also talked about maintaining a positive attitude and how to find better. It was a super good conference as it always is with President Lewis. Oh while I was there I picked up a super comfy robe. I'll make sure to get a pic in it for next week. 

We did service at a senior center and this lady told me a pretty funny joke that I thought you'd all enjoy. She said, "Do you know why seagulls fly over the sea?" "Because if they flew over the bay they'd be called bagels." Kinda goofy but I figured you would enjoy the goofy humor

So this week we've been teaching this girl named Gabby. She's a senior in high school and recently had her brother pass away, so we've talked with her about the plan of salvation and she really seems to be enjoying it. She was born catholic but doesn't know a whole lot about the Gospel. So, when we taught her about how we can all be resurrected and live with our families again, she really liked that. Our plans for this week are to get her whole family involved, so hopefully that goes well.

Elder Anderson and Elder Miles

On Wednesday this week we went and mowed a member’s lawn who overworks himself too much. His health is good, but the doctor doesn't want him doing too much and he already works like 12-14 hour days. So we went over to help out and of course we got a little carried away with the pictures, but hey it's not too often we get to wear jeans, so we had to take advantage of it. 

Oh random experience - we were walking down the road one day and we found this 20 sided die (as in dice) and Elder Anderson goes if this lands on an 8 we're talking to the guy in that truck up there. The truck was off our path a little and we were already pushing being late, but I was like sure why not. And well it landed on 8! So we went and talked to him and it was this Mexican guy who recently moved to Yakima because his kids are here with his ex-wife, and he wanted to be closer to them. So we talked for a little and he said that we were welcome to come by his house. So we'll see what happens. 

Yesterday I was thinking a lot about the branch and the

Local apples

progress it has made since I've been here. The branch hasn't seen any baptisms in a while, but since I got to the branch there have been like 2 less active families that have been strengthened a ton, and an inactive family that has come back to church. Plus Daniel and Lucia have been super solid, and the Contreras family has stayed super faithful (they were baptized a month before I got here). I was thinking about this and the spirit struck me pretty hard, and I felt this huge reconfirming feeling of the truthfulness of our message. 

-- 

Elder Miles

Washington Yakima Mission

September 12, 2016 – Abeja

Well this week was pretty cool. To start off I got stung by a bee for the first time in my life and I definitely don't recommend it to anyone else! That thing felt like getting a pin shoved into the back of my neck. We were waiting at a Taco Bell for a member to come pick us up for dinner, and I was just standing minding my own business, when I felt a nasty prick on the back of my neck. I grabbed back there and pulled out a pretty nasty looking stinger. Not the best experience in the world.

This week we had a zone training meeting and I also had a district council to run. In the district council we talked about how we can get investigators to church. That being the hardest thing for them to do and in zone training meeting we talked about how we need to focus on the needs of our investigators.

We taught a lady named Leonarda this week. She seems pretty awesome. We were walking on the street one night and this little dog started trying to bite us. Well her son ran over and grabbed the dog and we started talking with him. He told us that they had gone to church a few times about a year ago but then moved and stopped going. He said he wanted to start coming again. We had a lesson with them and she told us that she really liked the change she saw in her family and kids as they listened to the missionaries and went to church and that she wants that strength back in their life. They seem pretty awesome. 

We've had a few odd and funny experiences this week. We met 2 drunk dudes while helping them move some things and we got talking with them for a little bit. They were super nice guys, but the conversation was all over the place. They were super interested in what we were doing and what some of our beliefs were, but they could not focus very well. One guy, called Cents, we happened to be walking by his house the next day and he treated us like we were his homies. It was pretty funny. 

I think that was it for the week. Love you all and I'll talk to you next week!

-- 

Elder Miles

Washington Yakima Mission

September 5, 2016 - Una semana normal

To be honest I'm not really sure what to write about this week. This past week was a pretty

On the way to do our shopping

basic week. Nothing really too crazy happened. We just did missionary work. We did a lot of finding, taught some lessons, and then did some more finding.

There really isn't much to say about this week. I love this area and the members of the branch. The members are honestly all so amazing. Something I always thought was a little odd while growing up was that all returned missionaries said the favorite part of their mission was the people, and I am starting to understand why. The people here are truly amazing. 

​The tent city in downtown Yakima

Sadly we haven't had a chance to work with Roxanna. Her husband is being lame. He says he doesn't want her talking to strangers. 

I love training and being a District Leader! It's pretty fun and there isn't a whole lot extra that you have to do. You just kinda make sure things run smoothly and follow up with the other companionships in you district. Which does take some time, so my nights are usually a little shorter. The training is going super well. Elder Anderson is awesome! The bikes are good but I've already had two flats. Which is kinda lame but thankfully the member that donated the bikes knows how to fix them up. 

I also love Elder Anderson! I'm so grateful to be his

Elder Miles and Elder Anderson

companion. I have always heard that often the trainer learns more than the trainee, and I am definitely learning a ton! 

I love the mission and I definitely wouldn't trade it for anything! 

-- 

Elder Miles

Washington Yakima Mission

Pics of the new apartment -

August 29, 2106 – Bicicletas

This week was a pretty awesome week. On Tuesday we had

​Elder Anderson and I meeting at the transfer site

our New & Not-So-New Missionary Training. It used to be called Trainer/Trainee but President Lewis decided to change the name on us. That meeting was super awesome. We went to the mission home and spent some time talking about what we can do to learn together, then with about an hour or so left President Lewis pulled all of the trainers upstairs to talk for a little. During this, President talked to us about the most important qualities a trainer needs to have. He said that in his mission president handbook the qualities listed are: Obedience, Diligence, Experienced Teachers, and Preach My Gospel Knowledgeable. Hearing that I felt pretty humbled. I mean I've only been out a short time and being called to train someone is a huge responsibility. I feel like I know some, but I don't feel prepared enough to teach someone else. Anyway, that was an awesome meeting. It's nice to get to spend some time with President and Sister Lewis. They're both so awesome!

Elder Harman and I's last pic together as
companions. (We bought matching ties at
Burlington, don't worry they were cheap).

We also got a pretty sweet referral this week. So this lady named Roxanna had just moved into her house and found some kinda freaky stuff inside, so she was a little nervous and her mom told her to read the bible. So she downloaded it onto her phone. Well the church has free bible adds on a lot of apps, and when she saw that she figured why not try it out. She filled out all of the information and the referral got sent to the English missionaries in our area. They talked to her and she said she really wanted to learn more about God and start coming to church again. She wants her kids to get into it as well, but she said she learns and understands better in Spanish, so the sisters then re-referred her to us. She seems like she has a ton of potential, but we haven't taught her yet. Our first lesson will be on Tuesday with her. 

​Looking fly with our new bikes

One of the highlights of the week is that we got bikes!! A recent convert family (the Contreras) had some bikes that they haven't used in a long time, and when he heard we needed some he didn't even hesitate. We went over on Friday to have our Recent Convert lesson with them and as we were wrapping up he started to tease us about not having a car, and how we have to walk. Then like out of nowhere he was all we've got two bikes for you. We were pretty shocked. Honestly I wasn't ready for that. So we went out back and checked them out. They're kinda beat up but for the most part are still in good condition. Then we picked two huge bags of plums and they sent us home with them. Biking with those plums was pretty exhausting, but let me tell ya, my thighs are gonna be ripped after I'm done in this area. 

District pic from last transfer.
I'm wearing my new tie. 

I also gave my first district council this week. We met as a district and I had to run it and give a training. I felt pretty good about it, but hopefully the rest of the district thought it went well. I honestly love being a trainer, being a district leader is fun, but not quite what I expected. There is a lot of administrative, behind the scenes stuff, that isn't super fun, but someone's gotta do it.

We helped a member family this week create a family mission plan and it went super well. The family has already done some pretty awesome missionary work and we just wanted to help them kinda solidify what they're doing. 

-- 

Elder Miles

Washington Yakima Mission

August 22, 2016 - El Traslado

First off I want to let you all know that I forgot my camera. So I won't be able to send any photos of me and my first trainee. Things are going great though, here in Yakima South. I really enjoy this area and I really love the members of the Branch. 

This week as you know was transfers, so Monday and Tuesday Elder Harman said goodbye to some members. Then on Wednesday we had transfers. I finally got to meet my first son! (That's the mission term for your trainee's). His name is Elder Anderson and he's from Smithfield, Utah. He played soccer growing up and played for Skyview High School up in the Logan area. We connected instantly over that. He's super awesome and I'm super excited to be his companion for at least the next 5 weeks. 

Since it was transfer week we didn't get a whole lot of time to proselyte. We had to move apartments and help the new Elders figure out their area. Also, we no longer have a car. Technically we share a car with the other Elders, but since their area is a lot farther away they use it every day. As part of this we have been trying to look for bikes but haven’t been unable to find any yet, so we've been walking every day. It's been pretty tiring to be honest. I didn't think it would but the sun drains you. We've been really good about drinking water, but being out in the heat is definitely not very enjoyable, and it's been in the 90s all week. 

As part of the change of the areas, the new Elders took the part of our area in which we did most of our work, so we've been hitting the pavement hard this week. We've done a lot of walking, and a lot of knocking. We've met some pretty cool people that have some good potential. 

That's really been it for the week. Training is super fun, and I had my first District Leader meeting on Saturday. Basically they just ran over what the responsibilities are for a District Leader. I'm really excited for next week! I'll make sure to remember my camera next time! Love you all!

-- 

Elder Miles

Washington Yakima Mission