The Miller's Indonesian Mission

Tags are gone....Batik still on!

This photo is in Logan, Utah last week before church….! No tag but still wearing batik!! For 18 months for every 6 week zone conference the young missionaries selected a batik fabric and the Sisters all had dresses made out of the fabric (styles of our own choice) and the Elders all had a tie made. I just haven’t been able to not wear my batik since our arrival home.

It was difficult to say goodbye. After ministering for 18 months in the wonderful Muslim country of Indonesia and developing so many wonderful friendships our lives are forever magnified with great love and service from others that helped allow us the priviledge to serve in central Java as Senior Missionaries. Our purpose was to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.

At the mission home they "cut me loose" from Missionary Service!! I tried to resist!! IT WAS So
Sad!!

Shoes off at the door of the Mission home

.....Elder Miller's tie was cut off, ..suitcases packed....

President Budi, Sister Isti and Alodia came to help load our luggage.

Darium, Sumitra, Catur and Defender such great times teaching and learning together.

We packed our bags and shed tears of joy with so many who came to put their arms around us and speak together about the wonderful experiences that happen from loving each other.

Devi.......Bono and Dia's daughter
Our faithful and safe driver Brother Bono we shared almost every day with. He was punctual and kept us always in the safe areas avoiding the “Red Zones”. He honestly had a built in human GPS system in his head. He could find any address and he would remember how to return us their again and home safely. He was amazing! Thank you to Br Bono and his wife Dia and daughter Devi.

Sister NDari the Stake Relief Society President were always helpful and supportive to us with our many ideas and experiences we shared in the Surakarta Stake. We loved the Janda (widows) and supported the Relief Society endeavors, we shared single adult activities, and youth conference games and activities. We experienced two Christmas’s in Indonesia and a love of the culture and music. We taught piano lessons and English lessons. We had so many spiritual experiences with friends and other missionaries teaching about the Restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We attended Ward activities, picnics, cooking contests, talent shows, and shared time as students went in and out of Seminary and Insititute classes. We pulled nails from the trees on Selamat Ryadi for World Service Day. We shared all these experiences with the young missionaries. We cleaned streets and sewer ditches. We taught and sat together on the floors of so many wonderful people with the young missionaries. We prepared lessons, ministered, listened, and traveled to the Manila temple twice and shared experiences of members organizing their families for eternity. We were taught by so many others about the culture of the people and participated in activities and watched the youth in their dance and love of Batik fabric, Wayang puppets, Gamelang music and the many kingdoms of influence in the family history of our friends. We were fed by every kind person whose home we entered. We were always graciously provided with water and drinks and a place to sit and feel the kind spirits and the love of being friends, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in many homes and love and common interests from the Muslim family members. We got to know strangers and became friends.

LeBaron at Rennys home in the Village

Riesa

Our police friend Reisa Hariyadi Bayu Utama from the Polresta and his associates with whom we shared many fun English lessons and conversation in Solo. We came to know about their service as United Nations Peace Keepers (Hannif and Reisa).

Annisa our sweet friend and her father Budi.

A talented artist J. Christanto who we purchased some fabulous paintings from his collection and those now hang in our home in Utah. This art adds such a remarkable fond remembrance of the culture of Java. Two young men in Solo are preparing to soon serve missions Franz and Audi who were taught and baptized in 2018 and will soon be teaching others. Renny who is an angel who ministers to everyone she meets. We experienced 2018 Ramadan and ending Labaron celebration with her beautiful Muslim family in a small pictuesque village. We left during Ramadan in 2019. Br Peri we had many experiences with spiritual conversations, learning and answering his many questions. So many assisted us as we helped him receive a new prosthetic leg. He is now reunited with his family in Batam. And so many other names to remember!

We traveled by air, train, bus and boat. We experienced earthquakes, volcano eruptions, tsunami’s, political demonstrations, the Lion Air plane crash, tension from the differences in the way people view life. We attended many funerals and to Imams and the Arabic ceremonies and many weddings.

Weddings included couples like Agus and Dion marriage at the church, then to the govenment offices, the the traditional Javanese celebrations like Sister Irma ready below for Moniques Javanese celebration and temple marriages that followed in the Manila temple

Monique and Conrad

We served 3 months with President and Sister Rowley, 4 months with President and Sister Subandrio, and 11 months with President and Sister Mackay. We served with many young missionaries, to name a few…., Elder Smith, Elder Nordwald, Elder White, Elder Schofield, Elder Amadeus, Elder Zebua and Elder Dory Zebua, Elder AlRudan, Elder Rapp, Elder Budiani, Elder Brown and Elder Fradella, Elder Doud, Elder Nelson, Elder Shin, Elder Smart, Elder Brotherson, Elder Derforest, Elder Schofield, Elder Ariono, Elder Montoya and Elder Perez, Elder Raharja , Elder Van Duran etc

and Sisters,…

Elder Miller hanging curtains for the Sisters
so many here are a few names....Sister Coyle, Sister Wu, Sister Brush, Sister Fabrizio, Sister Roundtree, Sister Wasitosari, Sister Tuckfield, Sister Cardon, Sister Smith, Sister Oldroyd, SIster Daklan, Sister Inoke, Sister Folgesong, Sister Riskiana, Sister Mokodompis Sister Sumanjuntek Sister Roundtree, Sister Daklan, Sister Fabrizio, etc
Senior Couples Elder and Sister Jensen from Idaho Falls, Elder and Sister Grant Heber CIty Utah, Elder and SIster Porter from Florida, Elder and Sister Tripani from Utah, Elder and Sister Thayne who were assigned to Surakarta after we left, Elder and Sister Schmid from Arizona, Elder and SIster Steele from Utah. I could go on and on with names I have forgotten to list and experiences in our memories. What a priviledge to Serve as a Senior Couple. It was marvelous!

Feet are made for walking!

Elder and Sister Miller

Sampai Jumpa Lagi!!

Misi Jakarta Indonesia song by Randy Morris

Truth for Evermore
The darkness has been lifted never to return, Truth for Evermore...Truth for Evermore Truth for evermore

Through the whispering's of the Holy Spirit..They to know the truth our message holds...That Christ has planted on this Earth His kingdom...through the prophet strong, humble and bold

chorus....Indonesia Isles of the Sea...Blessings are in store, The darkness has been lifted never to return, Truth for Evermore...Truth for Evermore.....Truth for evermore"

Sampai Jumpa Lagi! Carry on!!!!

President and Sister Mackay serving at the time we left to go home. We spoke at Surakarta Stake Conference and did a pretty good job in bahasa Indonesia. We do speak like a toddler but we gave learning the language great effort. We were supported by the young missionaries who were so wonderful to interpret for us. AND GOOGLE TRANSLATE!

Only two stakes in the entire country of Indonesia as of 2019. 85 approximate missionaries. These are half the missionaries gathered together at the Surakarta Stake Conference.

William, Yvonne, Elder and Sister Miller Sister Irma, Uskup Catur and Eden where is EO? ha ha What a wonderful family. We spent many wonderful evenings and activities with this great Bishop and his family. Monique is married and EO must be off playing somewhere.

Wonderful families, dancers and beauties! Leah Sister Wati

Annisa riding her motorcycle to visit us.

Jessica and Makayla

Franz and J Christanto

Sister Rini and Br, Katmin

Jenny

So many friends

Br Didit family
Sister Sutadi, Jonathan and Joseph

Dear, baby boy VJ and Latif such wonderful friends. Dear and Latif are both drummers. Latif's group is called "Down to Life". We spent wonderful hours answering his questions about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.