Elder Braden Miles, Washington DC South Mission: April 28, 2014

The spring has been awesome and I'm loving the weather, but my allergies are killing me! The pollen has been really bad this week and my eyes have been itching like crazy. To make it even better I have a runny nose too! In spite of all that it has been a good week.

Elders Miles & Smith at the top of the Masonic Temple

We visited a Masonic Temple last Monday in Alexandria with some other missionaries. George Washington was a Mason and there was a huge memorial for him. We were all wondering where the Joseph Smith Memorial was since he was a Mason... It was interesting to see the similarities between that and our temples. We took the tour, but they only let us see floor 1, 2, 3, 7, & 8. When I asked what is on floors 4-6, they wouldn't say. At the top we had a great view of Alexandria and we could see DC in the distance.

At dinner last Sunday, Brother Peterson told us some information about George

Elder Miles at the George Washington Memorial

Washington. He talked about how our church building is built on what used to be George Washington’s property and a picture on the wall in the church of George Washington was specially painted for our building. George Washington designated that spot of ground as a choice piece of land.

I might be getting transferred on Thursday, but I won’t find out until Tuesday night. I will send an email on Friday letting you know where I am, so don't send all the wonderful stuff you are planning on sending me until then! I have a feeling I might stay... but you never know! If I stay I will almost hit my year mark in only my 2nd area! I am excited that Mothers day is coming up because we get to Skype home! It’s hard to believe Christmas was that long ago.

Here is how our investigators are doing. Zohra is still awesome as ever. She is working at Walmart, getting ready to start teaching primary, and going to institute. She didn't teach primary yet - she just sat in and watched how to do it this week. She will have a partner to teach with and she is excited about it. She taught school in Afghanistan a little bit. She is going to make us dinner on Tuesday because I might be leaving. If I do leave, I will be most disappointed about not getting to teach her anymore. It has been an amazing experience. I will definitely be coming back for her baptism whenever it may be!

Ian would be ready to get baptized but he is having trouble with smoking still. He will take some time but he has made so many improvements since I've been here. I will really miss Ian as well.

President Riggs sent out an email to the whole mission. Here is a piece of what it said: "From 2:00 - 4:00 pm on May 17, we will have the opportunity to have a 3-mission conference where we will be taught by Elder M. Russell Ballard (Quorum of Twelve Apostles), Elder Whitney Clayton (Presidency of the Seventy), and Elder Wong (recently called to the First Quorum of the Seventy). The meeting will be held at the stake center next to the temple." I am really looking forward to this! I am surprised it is only two hours long. Have a great week everyone!

Love, Elder Miles