14 January 2013 My Turn to Be Senior

Another rough and tough week for this guy. This makes it 20 weeks since I left for the mission, the time has gone by very quickly. This week I was the "Senior" missionary. It is all part of the 12 week training program they have for new missionaries entering the field. The program involves fulfilling requirements that any ordinary missionary would have to do, such as, teaching a certain topic, learning how to ask inspired questions, filling out records for our investigators, planning etc.. By week 12 you should know pretty much how to do everything out in the field. Week 11 the trainee leads in everything to get a taste of what it feels like to be the lead companion.

All in all my week was pretty good. We managed to improve our numbers from the previous weeks in all aspects. The secret was that I made sure that we had made back-up plans for when appointments fell through or if we found ourselves with nothing else to do. This helped us out a lot to always stay busy, and it helped open up windows of opportunity. We found 4 new investigators including a small/young family and few more potentials. Also, we taught more lessons than the previous 4 weeks, which isn't really saying much but it is an improvement. Part of the job of being a senior is making phone calls and calling all the shots. It was pretty easy but I can see why my companions are always so stressed out.

Even though this week was a big improvement for our companionship, our numbers are way down from when I was with Elder Quieroz. I think a big part is the time of the season. Everyone is either at the beach for the next month or working overtime to make some extra cash. We spend a lot of the day trying to find new investigators and that means walking/climbing hills and hitting doors all day, not my favorite way to work. Also, we are getting a ton of rejection, and people that make false promises. We should have had three separate families at church yesterday but no one showed up. That definitely hurt so we spent our whole Sunday just trying to find one "elect" individual, but had no luck.

Next week is a transfer week. I will find out early Monday morning if I stay in Gloria or get sent somewhere else. I'm hoping I get transferred. This transfer has been a big test of mental, and physical endurance, I'm not sure if another round here will do me any good. Elder Skouson's knees are already starting to cave, mine are doing well. But whatever happens it will be for the best, I just hope the Pres. has mercy on me and sends me somewhere that I will truly benefit. I would like to be sent to Pelotas, or out in the country close to Uruguay that would be cool. Pelotas is a city that tends to have the majority of baptisms here in our mission. Some rural type places would be, Bagé or Rio Grande. My fingers are crossed.

I enjoyed the packages I received this week. I got packages from the Lofstrands, Bluhms, and the ward. I send my love and appreciation to these people and will try and write some letters here soon. Mom, to answer you question yes we do get leaders from the church that come and talk to us. Usually they are Brazilians from the Seventy. If I stay here in Porto Alegre this next transfer I will able to see Elder Bednar who will be here in Porto Alegre the 26th this month. That will be sweet! Elder Holland came here back in April, too bad I wasn't here for that.

Anyways, I feeling really tired right now but trying to keep the fire kindled with the hope that we will somehow find that special investigator. I will do anything to find them whether it be climbing hills under the hot sun, knocking doors all day, visit with every member in the ward. I want success badly. I want to become the missionary the Lord needs me to be.

 Love,

Elder Miller