February 10, 2016

 This week actually went by really fast. Our branch hasn't been able to help us find people so we have been contacting the richer neighborhoods over this last week. We have had quite a few funny rejections haha like people telling us they can't find the keys to unlock their gate or a few have pretended to get a phone call as soon as they see us. We have found a couple of people that we can teach, but we will see.  As for the couple we do have things are going pretty well. We have one lady named Angelica that will be getting baptized on the 20th of this month. We also have this guy named Gorge that is probably my favorite guy that I have met on the mish thus far.  I really think that he will end up getting baptized, but I don't know if it will be while I am here in this area.  We are teaching a few other people that are cool but for now aren't ready to move forward. I didn't take a single picture this week but next week I should have some. We are planning on doing another waterfall hike in Jarabacoa this next p day so it should be fun and I will be sure to get some pictures for you. This Friday will be the 6th month mark for me! I am going to have some sort of mini party for my comp and myself so I will be sure to get a picture of that too. I also have a talk in church this Sunday so that should be interesting. I can't remember if I told you the last time I talked in sacrament meeting but I have before and now my Spanish is better, so it should be fine. That is about all the news with me.  Life is still going by real fast and real slow at the same time but it's good. I am happy and healthy and working hard. I love you all lots. I miss you guys and as always hope that you all enjoy this next week!

Elder Mifflin

pictures

February 7.2016

 The week with the Latin comp has been interesting, I never speak English anymore haha.   We have 1 investigator that we are teaching that should be getting baptized on the 20th of Feb. Other than that, we really only have about 5 other investigators, so we have had to do a lot of contacting this week.  We tried contacting the rich area and actually got a few people to talk to us!  I rang a doorbell for the first time in my mission so that was cool!   We haven´t found anyone yet, but we are going to keep trying.   Life is treating my pretty well, I am just in the regular groove of missionary life!   All is well here for me! I hope you guys enjoy this upcoming week. I love you all!

Elder Mifflin

January 27, 2016

I am happy and healthy and everything is going well.  Elder Tucker left for part of Santiago this morning to be a Zone Leader. I am with a kid from Guatemala now named Elder Galvez.  It should help me improve my Spanish to have a Latin comp and my whole district is Latin too. He has about 18 months in the mission so he is the senior comp but I know the area so for now it is kinda backwards, but should be fine.  Well this last week was kinda weird since we basically knew Elder Tucker was leaving. We spent most of yesterday and Monday saying goodbye to people.  I have 18 months left today! I am starting a sister mission now haha.  As always I miss you all and hope that things continue going well for all of you!

Elder Mifflin

January 25, 2016

Elder Mifflin is still in La Vega zone, Conina area, with the same companion.  They had one baptism in December and the work is picking up. They now have 8 investigators with baptism dates.  Even so they still have some difficulty getting the people they teach to follow up with commitments and make it to church but they are pleased with the progress.  It has been really, really hot and Elder Mifflin misses winter.  He has stayed healthy and is eating lots of rice and beans.

As for most missionaries, service opportunities abound.  Elder Mifflin and a few of his buddies raised some money and rebuilt a needy member’s house at Christmastime, including new walls and a metal roof, all in a few days and it was a big surprise to the sister.  Skyping at Christmas was a special treat for our family. We can vouch for the fact that Elder Mifflin’s Spanish is getting pretty good.

Living in the tropics has its adventures.   Here is an excerpt from a recent email.  “At night before I went to bed I noticed that there was a huge spider chillin’ on the wall above my bed, waiting for me to go to sleep so that he could eat me.  It was a little bit bigger than the size of my palm and super fast.  We had a pretty intense battle, him and I, for about 10 minutes and then I was finally able to smash him with a door, on  top of our shelves.  Fortunately I was able to kill him and sleep in peace.”

Elder Mifflin wrote “the mission has been super frustrating but also super good…I have lots of blessings to count.” He also quoted Elder Jeffrey R. Holland “the mission is hard and sometimes painful, because if you want to be a representative of Christ you must feel and experience a tiny portion of what He felt and experienced.”

We are proud of our missionary.  His testimony and commitment are strong and he is happy with his decision to serve.  He also has a newfound appreciation of the many blessings of the good ol’ USAJ

December 15, 2015

 I will be able to Skype on Christmas Day and will probably have to use the computer at the church.  We still haven´t seen either of those investigators so they might just be gone forever, but we have about 3 references that we are going to receive this week and they are all families so that should be really good.  P day today was pretty sick!  We went to Jarabacoa up in the mountains a little bit and hiked to this sweet waterfall in the jungle. It reminded me a lot of Hawaii, except the water was kinda gross haha,  but was really fun and  was pretty cool.  If the water wasn´t gross it would have been more of a temptation to cliff jump in haha.  We have transfers on the 12 of December and most likely Elder Tucker is going to leave and I will stay here. It is a little bit intimidating to think that in 10 days I will be the comp who has to know the area and everything haha there is a slight chance that I will leave, but I doubt it.  Last night we had dinner at a members house and everyone wanted me to sing some Christmas songs in English.  While I was singing, I was reminded of Grandpa LaVell and all his awesome songs he is always singing.  I couldn't stop smiling and laughing, man that made me miss home and the family a lot for a minute there.  Tell all the family that I love them. I hope you guys enjoy the winter and enjoy this week!

Elder Mifflin