Sorry for the wait!

Haha, so we got here to the lan house yesterday and the whole entire city was without internet... SORRY! But all in all, I am on now and it is really weird not being on the computer on P-day but rather on another day, Anyways, semana muito legal.[Very nice week] We did nothing... We worked Tuesday and then went off to Londrina. It was a good experience though. We had a meeting with president and he interviewed all of us. We worked out all the problems that there were in the zone and its all great now. I am happy that it's all better. Wednesday stayed in Londrina and did a few things like went to get Elder Finati's eyes checked (which was probably the most hilarious thing). He didn't find it too funny... haha. But anyways, I went and did my renewing of my visa early morning on Thursday and left by 12 from Londrina. We didn't get home til 11 that night... wow it was terrible. It was also really funny because we told my companion and Elder Finati's companion that ´´president was bringing us home´´ as a joke and when we arrived in the house.... that house was PERFECT! They cleaned everything. When we got home they were like.... WHAT?! President didn't bring you?!" I told them president was bringing us which he did, from the bus terminal to our house that night. haha. It was a good joke. Then we just worked the rest of the week, and I have been sooooo tired! That trip there really wore me out....

So this week, some great news.... You ready for this?....

You sure?

It's pretty big news!

haha...

I swallowed my first pill and I don't even know how! haha. It was a great accomplishment for the week. I thought I would give it a try and it all worked out. haha. Wow.... took long enough!

This week when we went to Londrina we talked about a few things that I know that I really need to work on, as do lots of people in the church. It's Pride. I really enjoyed the training we had on it because it gave a new look on pride. So normally I used to think that pride was just people thinking that they are better than others. But really it's not just that. Pride is one of the biggest problems in life. Pride is also things like talking behind others backs, lying, jealousy and lots of other things like that. It's really sad as a missionary we still have that being representatives of Jesus Christ. I got thinking about it and want to work on it of course. How many people do you know that talk behind others backs? Its super sad. Almost everyone. This is my new goal for the year. To not talk bad about others and to work more to bring others up.

We have been working lots with Ronaldo and yesterday he went the whole day without coffee, cig, and drinking! I was so happy and you could tell the difference that he had on his face and just with his attitude change and everything. He was just happier! I know he can quit! We have his baptism scheduled for Thursday and he is really looking forward to it. Keep him in your prayers still!

2 more weeks and we get to talk! I am so excited! Then after that I only got Christmas to talk then we will be talking in person! It's crazy how fast time flies!

I love you all! 

Até mais!
Elder Millett

Mais uma semana...(Another week...)

So this week we got word that we will be probably staying in our areas for 6-8 months every missionary. It was something that the prophet had asked all mission presidents to do. That is such a long time in each area! haha. But I am really liking this area and the members are helping us out a lot so I am fine with staying here. Anywho... I received the package and was so excited to get the package. I really needed it. This week was another tough week that we worked a lot and nothing seemed to come from it. I bet you guys can see that in a different way like starting on a project and working on it the entire week but nothing seems to come from it. It's really a depressing feeling though. I will keep trying and keep going of course.

Anyways, I did have some cool experiences this week. First, we found a family who one kid in particular is really interested in the church. He is 15 years old and has a problem with Drinking and smoking already. It's really sad... But he is an awesome kid and wants to change his life around. We have been working with him and a few awesome things happened this week.  We have been working with him to help him recognize an answer to know the church is true. He is trying and trying, stays up super late to read then prays and says he isn't getting anything. We are trying more and more to help him every day. But one thing the other night. He saw Elder Gutemberg and my companion (division) the other night and ran two blocks just to catch up with them. He literally came up and said the following... I have already heard the testimony of Elder Millett and Elder Anderson, now I want to hear yours because I feel something every time I hear your guys testimonies.  Elder Gutemberg bore his testimony and then they went on his way. It is cool to hear that people recognize our testimonies and the importance of them. I also had another experience with testimonies this week.

We went to this house that we had received a reference to and went there like we normally would do, to teach. So we got there and these people seemed wonderful. They were asking questions, really wanted to go to church and all this other stuff. Until this other lady arrived and started talking crap about us and telling us about how God doesn't have just one church and all this other stuff. I just went straight into the first lesson and started asking questions that this lady was trying her best to answer. She just tried to shoot down everything that I said and more. I kept talking about it then the part of the first vision came up. When I started, my companion told me after what had happened in that moment. He said it was as if the volume on every other sound but the sound that was coming out of my mouth was put on mute. It was dead silent and the spirit was definitely there in that exact moment. I then began to bare my personal testimony and literally, that crazy lady still wanted to fight with us. While I was baring my testimony, her mouth was opening trying to speak but nothing was coming out. The spirit was there very strong in that moment.

A testimony is something that no one can deny. The people you bare it to can't deny nor should you ever think to deny your personal testimony that you have. I learned that I need to share it more often because I have a huge testimony compared to what I had the moment I got on the plane coming here to brazil. Share your testimony always! It's something we have that will keep us firm in the faith, and also bring others unto Christ. Not just sharing it in word, but in action. There is always something I learn, every week. Time is just passing by so quick though.

I love you all! Take care!

Ate mais!
Elder Millett

ps. hows the book of mormon giving coming along?

Wow...

The Brasil that everyone thinks of.... 

New house with nothing! haha. It's so hard to study in the mornings....

What a depressing week... haha.  Not really but kinda. Lots of stuff just didn't go our way this week. We had 4 possibilities to baptize this week and all of them had fallen through! I was super depressed... So depressed I went and bought a huge hamburger.. but it was sure yummy! haha. Anyways, as I said, lots didn't go our way. We had a sicky in the house for 4 days during the week but we had to split and all 2 of the times because having the same person in the house with him gets really tiring. I went out with either my companion or another elder, to keep working. It was pretty entertaining because Elder Gutemburg is really a funny guy.. you will see in the video I am sending right now. haha. But anyways, I learned a very important lesson this week. As missionaries we work with 2 very important things. We work with (1) the spirit. The spirit guides and directs us to the places we need to go and the things that we need to do. Always a constant companion. It's required to be a missionary. But the other important thing I need to remember sometimes is (2) Free agency. I forget sometimes the plan of God really does leave these people still with the gift of free agency. It's so hard to believe sometimes but I need to remember more that in reality they have this. They have such a great thing that we are there to present to them and then it always goes into their hands, and most the time, they reject it. It's something very important I learned this week. It's tough to see and sad to see, but maybe one day these people will come around.

This week had not much that happened in all honesty. We got caught in the pouring down rain 2 times this week. Which was wonderful. It's starting to get cold again! YAY! I am super excited and decided one of the first things I want to do at home is snowboard.... I just want to roll around in snow after 2 years of scorching heat! haha. I also decided I am going to buy a smaller backpack like a camelback to put scriptures in because its small and I can just put my coat over the back pack and it all works out. haha. I saw another missionary with it and thought it would be a great idea. haha. But anyways, we also ran around a lot waiting on our furniture that finally arrived then the next day waited and starved until 4:30 when we finally got to eat lunch. 2 fasts in one week! haha. But it was a really good meal of these things that reminded me of home, and the first house ever that had BBQ sauce... I WAS IN HEAVEN. haha. I miss stuff like that.

I am really happy and things are all well here. Not too much happened this week. It was a boring week with no fun stories to share. I realized that in just 4 more weeks we will be speaking again already! Can you believe it?!  Time just flies... It's a normal topic for the mission it's looking like... Because every day I remember just waking up, studying, then bed. I feel like there really is 0 time to preach the gospel. But with the time I have, I talk with as many people as I can, and I really enjoy it.

I love you all!

Ate Mais!
Elder Millett

Finally!

So this week, we finally made it to our house here! It's a pretty nice house with nothing in it. We won't get everything till this next week. Dresser, table to study, SINK! haha. We literally have nothing in the house. Its super ghetto but a lot of fun and a nice house. So I am here with my companion, Elder Finati and Elder Gutemberg here in the house. We walk at least an hour to get to lunch every day then cross the city one more time to get to our appointments (our area) haha. But it's so worth it. I love the members here and the people are excited to help us after 4 years without missionaries. This city is really well off. All of the houses are really well kept and there only exist 2 favelas (ghetto places) in this city. That is a record. haha. All the houses look brand new and really well kept which normally in Brasil doesn't happen. But more about it.... there isn't really much. haha

So general conference... Yeah didn't get to see almost anything. It was kinda frustrating. They had it in our church building here but it was streamed through the internet. You know how frustrating that can be. So we watched the first one in Portuguese (my comp was mad) and then the second on a small computer. We didn't get to watch either of the others. We had to choose lunch or conference. Yeah, your son chose conference! Of course... Nope it was food. They had a huge churrasco for us and it was super good. We ate a lot. But after that, we went to go get our investigators. We got 8 people to come to church after only teaching 2 days in our area. The Zone leaders here have been kinda getting on our case for our lack of numbers (even though we weren't in our area) so we showed them. haha. The next closest to our number was them with 3. I gotta work hard though to baptize all of them. I hope to get at least the 3 baptized this week because others have to get married, but already have a date. They were definitely prepared for us and I know that there are always people waiting for us.

But from conference what I heard, there was a part that I LOVED when he quoted something so simple. It's not good enough to just read the scriptures, but to study and to LIVE by the scriptures. I thought it was a great quote. It's one thing to read, and others to practice the things that are written.

Got a good story from the week...haha

So my companion... we were walking down the road when we realized we were lost. We pulled out the map to look what road we were on. My comp let me look for 30 seconds then didn't know where the road was so he took it. He looked for a moment and said this way! But then I realized, oh it's the opposite way (from my memory of things around. My comps really bad with directions....) But anyways. I ended up walking at least 5 feet in front of him and was getting ready to cross the road. (people were in front of us at this point so I wanted to be able to get around them). I didn't know what my companion was doing behind me but all of a sudden I heard a big BANG and crumple of the map. It was the funniest thing ever. He ran into the pole and crumpled the whole map up and everything. It was extremely funny. The very first thing he yells out was TUDO BEM TUDO BEM! [Okay. Okay] haha. My companion... reminds me of dad for some reason. He is a funny guy... haha.

But I also had some great experiences this week. I met some elect people that were just waiting for the gospel and knew it, others that really needed the help of the gospel that were looking for the house and we were guided there. Great experiences. But the experience that I would like to share with you helped me out a lot this week gain my testimony even more. While we were waiting for the conference to start we watched a few of the Mormon messages that they had. One was about the savior. I realized something as they showed the apostles and the prophet bearing living testimony of this wonderful man. Every time I heard the voice and words that they spoke, I get this feeling that really cannot be put in words. It's a testimony to me that these men are called of God, and here to help guide us. How lucky we are to have a living prophet and 12 apostles in our day to have the guidance we need in our life. I remember when Gordon B Hinckley spoke a long time back when I was young (and you probably didn't know I was even listening) we were at Aunt Melissa's house. I remember feeling that same feeling hearing his voice and at that time I didn't exactly know what it was. But I know now and it continues now, strengthening my testimony yet again, that this church is the true church on the earth today.

Te-amo muito!
I miss you all a lot!

Ate mais!
Elder Millett

Yea...

Still not in my area... but for SURE Wednesday vamos chegar (we get)! haha. I am so excited to get there already. Well to start, we moved houses on Tuesday and got our stuff and moved it yet again. I feel like a bum without a house, a missionary without an area and much more. haha. But it was fun, found a few people for the elders in this area to baptize this next week. But anyways, questions first...

I can't believe I am already starting to have memories from a year ago being in Brasil. I have been here for over a year and will be home before I know it. Time flies... Anyways, Easter was normal. We didn't do much. We got to go a house of a member (just me and my comp) and they fed us really well. We got to get to know the family really well, one from Argentina, (got to use my Spanish because he only speaks Spanish) lady from Brasil, and a German daughter that speaks English and Spanish. Weird huh... but the whole time there was really cool. Became really close really fast like I had known them for a long time and we just had a good time. The dad is going to buy a sweet Argentina outfit for me. I am stoked to look like a Mexi! haha. Those members wondered why president didn't put missionaries as cool as us in the branch. I thought it was funny. But anyways, I got an egg and it was really good! That is a huge tradition here to buy those and hide them for the kids. Can't believe it, next year Easter I will be home with you all! But yeah, everyone went to church and yelled and did weird things... I took a video. You will get a good laugh out of the music...

So music, I will want EFY 2013 when it comes out. I think that would be pretty sweet. I always like to listen to music and it's a lot of fun to download talks especially. I have some talks memorized already... like the one by Holland ´´do you love me´´ from the last conf. haha.

Pictures you can send whichever way. It would be fun to just send whatever pictures, even more of me before the mission if you want too. People ask that a lot and I don't have many of me, and more of my family also.

This week was pretty chill. We went to a new area like I said and we just did divisions pretty much the entire week; It was a really good week though. My companion is learning a lot but I am still sad we are not in our area. It's hard to stay motivated. But I managed to stay motivated so it's all good. I had a few funny things that happened this week though that you guys might get a kick out of...

So first off, I am living in the house here with 3 Americans, and 2 Brasilians, one from Recife, and the other from Rio de Janeiro. Rio the people are CRAZY and they just seem to have lots of energy... who knows. Anyways, we were walking down the street when we saw this.... THING in the road to say the least. It was a guy, who to say the least was trying to be a girl. He was all dressed up and long hair and all. Anyways, we got closer and closer and as we passed, my comp for the day (from Rio) put his hand up for a high five and yells, ´´tudo bem muleke!´´  Which is basically like saying whats up, and saying it to a Man. I laughed so hard because he was so into it and I just laughed nonstop. The guy said right after, ´´se liga!´´ which is like saying ´´wake up I am clearly a woman.[´´ Gosh it was hilarious... haha.

So another funny thing I saw yesterday that made me laugh. I already made reference how the moms here take new born babies on motorcycles to places. This is even better. I was walking by a bar in the area and as I was passing, I looked over because there were tons of people. They had literally over 50 people there outside the bar, everyone drinking (sadly). But that was not the crazy part. The crazy part was that EVERY WOMAN there had a baby in their lap, drinking, and some just left their kids in the cars, in the front seat. I couldn't believe my eyes!!! But yeah... it happens...

This week was very laid back though. I am sad I can't be in Wisconsin this week (the land of nothing but my sister) haha. It's awesome what you are all doing there. I hope you guys have a lot of fun. I got a BUSY week ahead of me and looks like we have to haul a bunch of washing machines and other stuff to our new house here soon. I am pretty excited because we will finally move in. We will only have mattresses, washing machine, and a fridge for the next 12ish days it sounds like. But I gotta get baptizing here! My comp is getting a little bit down with all the moving around. But we are getting there soon. I love you all! Have a great week and get to giving that Book of Mormon. I want to hear about the experience! And from anyone else who does it!

Até Mais!
Elder Millett