It was a GREAT week...

One of the best weeks on the mission and that's a positive. Well, we still had some downs as always, but we had a lot more ups then anything this week. I was super glad. This week went really slow for us unfortunately.... We had the whole week to stress about if our investigators were drinking coffee or not... the worst part of the mission! haa. But anyways, during the week we invited one of our investigators to watch a baptism on Saturday to just watch. She, in the end, bore her testimony that she already had and asked us if she could be baptized this Sunday! Yep, it was awesome. Other elders taught her in Curitiba and she went to church tons of times, but in the end didn't ever want to be baptized. She made the decision this week and was baptized! It was such a great feeling.

This Saturday went WONDERFULLY WONDERFUL! First, we woke up super excited and went straight to the center of the city to go watch the wedding! It was a simple wedding in the place owned by the government and they just looked so happy though. They then insisted that we would go to a churrasco with them, and I didn't have a single problem with that at ALL! haha. We went and celebrated and it was just a ton of fun. Saturday we had only 2 hours to work. When we got home, we had to go back to the center and fill up the baptismal font, because our church building (or house) doesn't have a font. We were traveling all day. It was all good though. Everyone showed up and we had the baptism which was great. Lots of people were there and very excited and jealous that ´´our missionaries aren't baptizing families! Can we trade missionaries?´´ haha. It was funny. But everyone was just really excited. Especially Silvana (wife) who cried watching her husband get baptized and the first thing she said after was, ´´just one more year to wait now...´´ Why is that??? ´´We will be sealed in the temple in exactly one year from today´´. Wow... My mouth just dropped and I was SO happy that day. There is no better joy to a missionary then Baptisms.

The next day was the same thing pretty much. Went to church, had a great meeting and then we went to fill up the font again for Janaina because my companion was the last person to baptize and pulled the plug... haha. its all good though. We went there and I had some time to practice my piano so maybe I can play here for the ward one day. We had the baptism and everything went as planned. Janaina even brought her friends to the baptism. It was a very great experience to be a part of everything that happened this weekend.

This week, unfortunately, our president cut a lot of expenses... Yeah, we are broke now. We have no food at home basically and no money to ride the bus to the places we need to go. haha. It's been a tough week with that. But the members have been helping us out to keep full. Very grateful to have members that help so much.

I am just in a really good mood right now. The only thing is about baptisms, when you get done baptizing someone, you just think.... ´´now who's next?´´ haha. We got a lot of finding to do this week!

I love you all!
Ate Mais!
Elder Millett

Heyyyy!

Getting some reading done... in the woods. 

I was super happy to fly this kite... cant ya tell? 

Found a swing in our area 

Looks like I will be staying here in Cascavel! I am very happy with the news... Especially after last night. I was super nervous to get on the computer and to be transferred. Last night, we marked this Saturday to baptize a wonderful family! Its Uderlei, Silvana and Leticia! We have been teaching them this whole entire transfer and they will be getting married this week! On Saturday then baptized during the afternoon! I am really excited to be able to see the baptism and to be able to baptize also :) It is a wonderful family and they will make a wonderful addition to the ward here and be great leaders. Maybe him even a bishop one day... I could see it! haha. But the Lord has been giving me lots of trials recently. The last transfer was really tough for me seeing so many great possibilities and to not see any of those people get baptized. This week for instance... We had 2 people ready to be baptized, a girl 14 years old who loves the church, and another who we have been teaching for a while. We marked interviews with these two and Saturday morning we got the news that no longer either of them would be baptized. One the step dad came out and started to argue with us saying that we were not called of God and that our church is false. He got really offended that we say we are the only true church and he walked in and slammed the door after swearing at us... Yeah... It's a great feeling. That day was rough in all honesty, but Sunday got a lot better. I am really happy still!

We had other great things that happened. Melissa and her husband Juvenal (don't remember if I already told you about them) but we have been working with them recently. They both received answers and Melissa knows that the church will help them become closer and have a happier life. I am so glad that she realizes that. But we invited them to be baptized this week and he was for sure touched by the spirit in knowing that he needs to be, it was obvious. He had said yes, I will be baptized BUT I would like to repent of all my sins before I am baptized. He had before cheated on his wife, been kind of a drunk and did terrible things. But it is great to know that it is a genuine process he wants to take before the baptism. I am very excited for them and their family. Keep them in your prayers also please!

Speaking of that, this month is when Edinea will be going to the temple. It makes me super happy to know that. She told me the last time I saw her that she was so excited to go to the temple. She was just dying to go. Only a few more months and I will be able to hear from her. Only until after the mish. It's just great to see lots of these people change their lives.

I am very excited for this next week and to keep on working! I love this area and would like to finish my mission here. I really want to!

I love you so very much family! Take care and don't forget about me! haha.
Ate mais! Eu te amo tambem mãe!
Elder Millett!

One more week! Again! Já foi!

So it's been another week. Super happy one considering I got another 9 letters in the mail this week when the zone leaders went to Londrina. I was super happy about that! Thanks everyone! Letters are like fuel to make it through the week. haha. But this week was pretty good though. We found new people, as always, and have been working with the old investigators also that we are trying to help stop with their addictions. It's been really difficult with Ivette because she fell again and started smoking again. Its super sad to see people trading their salvation for a few cigarettes. Super depressing... But we are still working with them!  It will all work out in the end.

There was a really funny thing that happened this week that I was dying laughing. So here in Brasil, you knock at the gate and come running all the dogs barking. This house in particular had 5 dogs that came running at us. Its super annoying to hear the barks all together too... haha. But anyways, here comes running a smaller dog barking and running at the same time. He got close to the gate and as he was barking he just randomly threw up. I was dying laughing! We put wording to the situation say, ´´ahhh man I shouldn't keep doing that. I am done here´´. It was super funny. It's just fun to make humor out of part of our work. If I didn't, I would probably go crazy. (more crazy then I already was)

We had a super cool experience this week too. This week we went super far (walking) to go teach a new investigator that a member gave to us. We were out there and had an appointment at 7:30 near our house (the other side of the area). It was 7 o clock, and in all the areas the bus passes every 15 minutes. Except this area was different and we didn't know. We had asked the girl we were teaching, when did the last bus leave, she said 6:55 so the next one would be 7:10. We finished teaching and then looked at our watches... I got freaked out because the next appointment was super important to be there and it was already 7:15... now what? I thought... I asked the girl to check the next time... and the next bus was 8 o clock in the area... what luck. The only thing we could do was get walking, and that is what we did. We started walking and it then turned 7:22, 12 minutes after the other bus already passed. Out of literally nowhere, a bus showed up and we were nowhere near a bus stop, when that bus stopped at our sides, opened the door and told us to hop on. I have no idea what happened but I was in shock. I got looking at how far away we were in the moment and it was about an hour walk home... Blessings come, even if I can't understand fully how it happened or what happened, I am super grateful for being blessed in that moment and arriving at 7:35 at our appointment. One more testimony builder of the truth of this work.

It was a great week all in all. I am alive, sick with a cold, but still really happy. Who ever thought someone could be out walking in Brasil at night, aching feet, so far from his family, being rejected so many times and still be happy? Yeah, I am definitely happier than ever here and am so grateful to be here.

I love you so much family! Take care!

Ate mais!

Elder Millett  

Helllooooo

SO another week has passed by! Like you said, it passes by really fast and it's hard to even remember parts of the week. Haha. But first off, I don't know who says that about the beef jerky, because there are so many missionaries that receive it here. Who knows... Maybe you could ask them. There is a member here DYING to eat some. He did a huge amazing churrasco for us the other day that was probably the best churrasco that I have eaten here on the mission as of now. Super good. But this week, was a lot better than the last few have been. We taught families, and more importantly, we found more new people to teach. It has been a huge struggle on the mission the last few weeks. But some really cool stuff happened this week. We have been teaching this lady who had her husband go inactive. He used to be a bishop of all things too... She told us the story he had and it was a really cool story.

Her husband one day went to a friend's house was there just joking around when there was someone that knew he was a member of the church for a long time. He had said, "I heard you guys give blessings, and I would like to have you give one to my daughter to please help her.´´  If you ask me, that is a huge showing of faith and that's for sure. The ex bishop looked at him, stood up, and just started to cry thinking about all the things he had done. He had been drinking, smoking again and not even going to church for some time. He told us about how terrible of a feeling it was to have someone ask him and him not be worthy enough to do God's work here on the earth. Got me thinking... How terrible I would feel if someone asked me to give a blessing and I was not worthy enough to give that blessing to someone in need. Just always remember that we are instruments in the lords hand ALWAYS. Not just when we want to, but 24/7 we are needing to be worthy to act for him. It was a very cool story. 

This week also happened some strange/funny stuff...

First, we have a new investigator. You know where she lives??? Bellevue WA. I about flipped out. haha. I thought it was super cool. She is visiting and went to church this week and we are going to stop by this week. Crazy how that conversation went though. I thought she was from another ´´Seattle´´ (as everyone in the area says they are from haha). 

Ivette, the wife of the ex bishop had another cool story that happened this week. We went to teach her Monday night of last week. She lives a good distance away so we don't always have time to visit with her lots. We were talking lots on the phone. Monday, we invited her to ask about the church to see if it was what she needed to do and to see if the Book Of Mormon is true. We called her the next day and she was in SHOCK. We asked why and she said she asked for an answer, and the first thing she did was open up to a random page and read, ´´and I Nephi, testify that these things are true´´.  Its super crazy how God gives answers and she was super excited that she received an answer so quick. We just need to help her stop smoking now, which she is very close, and she will be baptized soon after!

These people are always outside of their house in a big group every time that we walk to our area. People are always staring at us and its really annoying sometimes... So this time, everyone was staring at me and it was the funniest thing. I lifted up my hand to wave real nerdy to them and you could just tell, they felt super awkward. This one lady even looked like she wanted to dig a hole and bury herself. It was super funny. I just got a good kick out of it. Those people are never in front of the house anymore. haha

This week we got lots of work to do... as always! The work never ends! It really doesn't. Really frustrating sometimes, but the lessons I learn here always make it worth it. We did a fast to find new people, and sure enough, we went to go look for our investigators in the morning and no one wanted to go anymore. We got to the church and a bunch of members had brought their friends and family that were not members. It was really big proof that God does answer our prayers.

I love you all!

Ate mais!

Elder Millett 

Subway! I was so happy to see a subway here in the city!