Quase caiu! (Almost Crashed!)

This Jesus is in our house.
One of the elders drew it a long time back.

 So first off, it is freakin awesome to hear that there will be 7 new missions. We had a conference call with the whole mission talking about the changes and everything. It was really awesome to hear. Our new mission president is my companions uncle. Crazy... haha. But he said that he only met him once in his life. But with the new changes with the Curitiba South mission and the Piracicaba mission will take parts of our mission. So maybe I will get switched to another mission! We will see where I end up about that time. We don't know what will happen as of now. The changes are crazy but awesome to hear that we will be going to get a new mission pres. I was a little bummed he wasn't American... haha. Americans are more laid back with the rules... But with the rules strict, I seem to learn more and to be more self dependent. haha.

Anyways, first off, I go quite a long way to do interviews. I had one this week and did it for Elder Delgadillo who really wants to write you here soon. (my trainer). He is awesome. He just thinks you are super awesome too mom. But the truth is, I really do have the best mom in the world. And yeah, you can put that on mission moms :) haha. But yeah, we have to travel quite a bit. In our area they don't have places to eat, or ATM's, so it's really annoying. But yeah, we end up traveling a lot.

Batismo!

This week was CRAZY! We had a baptism, met an awesome family that will be baptized here soon and went through every little difficulty all the way up til the font wouldn't fill up with any more water... Well first, this happened. We turned it on, and the water got shut off to the baptismal font. We started to fill it by hand, carrying buckets and filling it little by little. You can imagine how long this took. We decided to wait it out till the next day. The following day we went to go get the young boy for the baptism, he didn't want to be baptized he said. His older brother was talking about the church saying it was the church of the devil and that he would be upset with him if he was baptized in the church. That scared him. After an hour talking with him he finally decided to get baptized. Yeah, his older brother is getting baptized next... he doesn't know it yet but he will! haha.

The family we found is awesome and has been having lots of difficulties. It's a mother that lives on her own with 3 kids that are just really intelligent. They went to church this week and loved it. It was really funny when we showed them the church building the night before, they thought that the baptismal font was a pool, and said they would bring their swim suits to go swimming the next day. It was really funny. I told them they could when they get baptized. haha. But the mom is just trying to receive an answer. But there is one thing I have learned on the mission... When a person has the desire to know (like her) they receive an answer. So I know she will receive an answer here soon!

Stories...
1. We have a dog now... Not really but we do. A puppy followed us everywhere, to our lessons, to our house (waited for us) and even to the church building. We got there and gave the name Elder to the dog. Later we found out that the dog is a she... so it moved to Sister. haha. We had lots of people at the church and all the kids just played and played with the dog. But 9 o clock came around, then we had to head home. We hoped someone would take it home. We came to find out the next day, the bishops son cried for an hour in the parking lot until the mom let him take it home. So now, the bishop has a new dog. haha. That dog loves  us and I have no idea why.  Can't help but love the missionaries right? haha. We visit every so often now.

2. Another cockroach story... I wish I would have gotten this one on video. 11:30, got up to use the bathroom. I saw a cockroach crawling on my comps toothbrush. I thought... carumba, this hour I have to kill one! I tried getting it with my flip flops that I was wearing but then it went under between the counter and the mirror, which doesn't leave room to get it with nothing we had... We had to think. My companion thought, lets burn it! He turned on the stove, lit a piece of cardboard on fire, and grabbed a can of Axe Spray. We torched that thing good! haha. It was the last thing I would have thought of to kill a cock roach with a flame thrower, but it worked, and was really funny!

So I can't help but realize that Feb. 22nd passed last week, and that means, I am already more than half way through the mission. The thought of it makes me sad, yet excited. I can't decide which I like better.... My family or the mission. haha. Jk. It makes me really sad though. Just means I gotta work harder though! I love you all! Write me lots of letters this week please! I am needing it!

Te-amo!
Até mais!

Elder Millett

It was really hot this day.... It got even hotter...

Cataratas! (Falls!)

My companion, Elder Finati!

So we just got the news that our zone in a few weeks gets to go to the waterfalls here. The 2nd biggest in the world. I think I already told you but I am SO excited to go. That was basically my highlight of last night, finding out we get to go to the falls! Maybe one day you guys will have to go too. It sounds pretty sweet. It's where Argentina, Paraguay and Brasil all meet. It's pretty sweet I hear. Anyways.... Questions...

We need pictures of your new place.
--I will take pictures soon here. We actually have to paint this week so we will be doing that this week and then I will take pictures.

Do you meet in a regular church building now?  Is it a ward?
-Our church building is HUGE! There are about 120 people at church every week.

You say transfers are only 5 weeks now.  Is that the way it is permanently or just for this transfer?
-Just this transfer is 5 weeks. All the transfers are the same in whichever part of the world to meet the timeline of the CTM. CJ and I have the same time with the same dates and all.

But wow this week was interesting... We had a lot of awesome experiences too. First off, we got an extra hour to sleep in the other day, because the time moved here in Brasil. It was really nice because I have been really tired. It's also been really hot recently. It hit 108 at 10:30 this morning only! It's supposed to get up to 120 by 2 o clock.... Eesh. Eu vou morrer... (I'm going to die!)

So a story... or 2...

1. So this drunk guy.... whenever it starts like this it's always a good story... was walking on the side of the street and looked like he was falling and almost fell and got ran over by a car passing by. It made me heart drop almost seeing that. Don't want to see more then 2 dead people on the mission... haha. But he continued walking and started yelling across the street just yelling random things at us... We were right next to the church so I just started saying things in English to him like.... ´´you need baptism in your life!´´ and ´´Stop drinking, it's really bad for you!´´ It was really funny because he just started yelling all of the swear words in the book in Portuguese. It was funny. People are just hilarious when they are drunk!

2. Met a group of 3 Americans the other day at the terminal for busses. He saw me and asked, which bus takes us to the falls? I asked my comp and he told me then I told him. He nodded his head then just walked off with his buddies and didn't say thank you or anything... am I forgetting or are all Americans tools like that guy?

We found some great investigators this week. We had 6 at church which was awesome and looks like we should have 2 baptisms and a 3rd the following with a reactivation! Those are always the best feelings. We went out looking for people to go to church all the way up til 11 when we had to go take the sacrament. It was HOT OUT! That is probably the thing I hate! Being out in the morning early trying to wake people up to go to church. They go the whole entire week saying they will go then they just don't go for some reason that day. Satan does have a lot of power over the simple things... I want to sleep more.... I don't have clothes to wear... I need to go to the store to buy food for lunch... All these excuses... I have heard them all! Its kinda annoying.

This week I had my first chance to interview a person for baptism. Being a district leader I have to interview all of the peoples baptisms in my district, and sometimes zone. But it was a really cool experience and you can tell that the holy ghost is there super strong, and to see all these people changing their lives. It was an awesome experience. I am loving this new calling but throws a lot of responsibility on my shoulders...

We are heading off to the ´´point´´ today which is the border of Paraguay and Brasil to go buy stuff really cheap. I am really excited. Is there anything that anyone wants?

I love you all! Hope this next week is even better then the last!
Até Mais!

Elder Millett

Ele gosta de ranch!  (He likes ranch!)

Foz do iguaçu!

It's pretty darn awesome here actually. I got here after a long time sitting on that bus... 15 hours to be exact... It was TERRIBLE! But first, my area. Really small but a really strong area that has a lot of potential! This area is really touristy because of the waterfalls here. It's really cool, and I have already gotten to talk to people in English from Japan, Germany, England and tons of other parts. I am yet to meet an American here though... But all in all, this area is really cool. But pretty dangerous it sounds like. So you saw already, my area is the LAST area on the boarder of Paraguay, brazil and Argentina. It's pretty cool. But because of this, they have a lot of gun and drug trafficking in our area, but as you know, I will be safe no matter what!

Anyways, my companion. He is Elder Finati, 19 years old. He comes from a family being born in the church but his mom and dad divorced, and lives on his own with his sister. He is a professional fighter in jujitsu (fighting style) and has won 3 titles in São Paulo and one in Brasil. That's a pretty cool fact if you ask me. He has come from a pretty rough life in São Paulo but is still a super happy guy always. He speaks some English because he studied with his dad, who is a teacher. His mom is a paramedic. Is that detailed enough?

Anyways, I had some pretty fun experiences including funny contacts, bible bash and just random experiences here already.

1. We were on the city bus here riding when my companion did a contact. The guy was really tall and my comp spoke to him saying Tudo Bem? He then said no hablo Portuguese. My comp asked what other languages he spoke too. This guy was clearly trying to avoid my companion. The guy said English also and my comp goes... well perfect, this guy right here speaks English. The guy was shocked and thought, oh crap.... haha. But I did a contact in English which is so tough to do. No joke. Try it someday.... after doing it for a year in Portuguese! haha.

2. My comp is so funny. He did a contact walking up (and still continues to do this) saying, hey we are the missionaries but this guy right here, he is famous in Foz do Iguaçu. They always ask why, looking at me like REALLY?! But then he has me say why I am famous. I am famous because I have the authority to baptize people in the name of Christ. haha. It makes me laugh and breaks the ice with a lot of people surprisingly. He is really good at talking with lots of people. I will be talking to everyone in no time.

3. Cockroaches still exist here unfortunately.... haha.

4.One of the members has a daughter 7 years old, and the other 4. We said a prayer to start eating and at the beginning of the prayer I saw the 7 year old put her hands on her sister's head. I was thinking what the heck is going on. haha. I had to open my eyes during the prayer to see her, like she was giving her a blessing and it was the funniest thing I have ever seen. I died laughing. She said she saw her dad doing it and wanted to try it.

It is really cool around here for real. Really hot and humid though. The other day it hit 48 Celsius and its supposed to be 0 degrees during the winter. I can't wait!!! I am so excited for that time. From the looks of it I will still be in foz. Oh we also have air conditioning in our room that we sleep! It is WONDERFUL!!!! The members here are awesome with over 100 people every week. They even bought us a pizza the other night.

But that's a really cool story to hear about dad. I have seen some stuff just knowing I am being watched over. I know that my family is being watched over also. I have 0 doubts about that. Just like yesterday, we were walking through a favela (slum)  when a guy just randomly started screaming at us getting in our face sounding like he wanted to kill us. He just randomly stopped and looked like he got really dizzy and wasn't dizzy before. The lord does a lot for us, even if they seem like little miracles, they really are miracles that we need to thank Him for.

I love you! Hope all is going well in the states. It makes me think a lot about home here in Foz. Maybe because all the tourists.... haha. But I have made a goal here, I will learn Spanish within the next 2 transfers here. I want to be tri lingual!

Até Mais!
Com amor,
Elder Millett

Transfers!

Yep... I can't stay in an area for more than 2 transfers apparently... I am just extremely sad right now because of how much I just love the people here in the city. I will be going to the opposite side of the mission here, right next to Paraguay. I am pretty excited though because maybe that will give me the chance to visit the falls, that are bigger than Niagara falls! But anyways, I am still excited to get transferred to my next area here. I am, but then I am not at the same time.

First your questions... Actually I am not sure what my mission president did for a living before the mission but they have 2 kids, one being on a mission right now. They had a 3rd kid but he passed away right after the birth, really sad. They are from Curitiba. Basically the thing you need to know, is he is AWESOME. haha. That's basically it.

This week was really great yet very heartbreaking too. It was really upsetting to see some of our investigators do some of the things they did. Well first.... This one lady,... We started teaching her this last week and she seemed GREAT! I was so excited because we came back after our first visit and she said she had received an answer to knowing if Joseph Smith was a prophet of god. She said she had a dream where she saw a man in white and he said that the church of Jesus Christ is the only true church on the earth, and that she needed to be baptized in it. We were SUPER excited. We kept teaching and invited her to baptism then found out that she didn't want to leave her church. We tried in EVERY WAY POSSIBLE to help that lady, bearing testimony and EVERYTHING. I couldn't believe that it was happening like this... I was really getting frustrated that a person could receive such an answer like that and still deny it! I couldn't believe it... It was ironic too because just that morning I was studying about Our search for happiness where M Russell Ballard was meeting with 45 leaders of other churches to answer questions and sure enough, one of the men asked, why don't you just show us the plates of gold and we will all believe. Ballard responded by saying even with that, they still couldn't believe because they wouldn't have a divine testimony knowing the church was true, through the burning testimony we can have asking our father in heaven. It didn't make sense at the time until I saw what happened with that lady. She saw, and still doesn't believe. Really heartbreaking...

So stories...

We were on the bus and we were so tired that we were sleeping. These ladies walking by were talking and saw the two of us; one asked to the other, who are they? The other one said, I don't know, but they look like angels. I was awake enough to hear that and it made me smile thinking, hey, we are making a good impression apparently! haha.

I was looking through my bags yesterday to find a shirt, when I saw something moving in my bag. I was like, oh freak no! There was a giant cockroach in it and I jumped.  I was freaked out then grabbed that sucker and stomped it. haha. But that's when I thought it was the worst... Come to find out the next morning we had a dead roach in our FRIDGE! Holy FREAK! Looks like we will be cleaning that up here today.. I wanted to take a picture of it but I just wanted to get rid of it so grabbed it and got rid of it quick.

New news.... I just got a call and I will be a District Leader! Gosh that makes me nervous... But I am very excited also! I am super excited for the new calling but at the same time, soooooo nervous. Being a leader has never been my thing and this means I will have to do interviews with the investigators of my district, give trainings to missionaries... and so much more. Eesh.

I forgot to mention last week something pretty cool also. I finished Jesus the Christ! That book is SOOO big. I loved it though and I learned so much stuff. I say you need to all read it ASAP! It is wonderful. It strengthened my testimony of Christ so much. I want you all to read it! It's so great. I also got thinking, I want to have a race who can finish the Book of Mormon first in our family.... Anyone up to the challenge?

Well anyways, got some packing to do it looks like! I gotta get going. I love you all and thank you for all you do!

Até Mais!
Elder Millett

ps.... sucks the 49rs didn't win... I am super upset about that!