Heyyyyy

So first off, Deanna is getting spoiled with a Nexus 7?! I can honestly say... I am jealous. haha. I am glad to hear that Christmas went all as planned. I had loved talking with you guys the other day and I had a pretty good Christmas week myself. Lots of great things happened and fun surprises. 

First your questions. I tried making the MT dew mix and it was really good. The elders here, especially Americans, loved it. haha. It had been forever since we have drank it. But it isn't the SAME as Mt dew, but really close I would say. I really enjoyed it and I would really enjoy some real Mt dew when I get home :) haha. 

I am super jealous of your guy´s Christmas. I miss the whole family aspect of Christmas and can't wait to have it again. I did have a really great surprise this week though as the best present I could have asked for. We worked the entire week. Every day we worked and it was frustrating that no one wanted to really answer the door or anything but at our Christmas party with Neia (boys mom we had baptized) we met a family of 4. It was her sister and we got talking to her about the gospel and taught her. We had no one even in mind to baptize this whole week and one that seemed like just the worst let down when that happens. But as the week went on, we got teaching this family and helping when they just yesterday, asked to be baptized with her 3 kids. I was super excited to be a part of that. Also on Saturday the lady that went to church hadn't drank coffee either, which we thought would be impossible for her, and she got baptized. What better present for Christmas then 5 baptisms. I was very happy last night going to bed thinking about the week that had just passed by. 

After I had talked to you guys and made fun of my mom a little bit for looking at me like I was a zoo animal (haha)  I went on a division with the elders in Centro. (the ones that you talked with in the office). A really cool experience happened there this week that I would like to share with you guys. We were walking on the roads, the day after Christmas looking for someone to teach. There was literally no one on the streets there. We were pretty frustrated too cuz it was pouring down rain and we just decided to keep on looking. We continued walking and as we were passing in front of a hair place a guy, about 22 yrs old, walked out and we began to talk to him as he was walking toward his house. We walked with him and he wanted us to stop by his house. We taught him and after when he said the prayer he said something that normally I don't realize or at least recognize often. He said the following... Thank you for sending Jesus Christ to my home today in this moment when I was most needed it. Right as he said that, me and the other elder were shocked. This guy had fully realized that we were representatives of Jesus Christ and saw us to be the literal Jesus Christ. Sometimes I even forget who I am a representative of. It was an honor to have someone recognize me as that and I need to remember all the time who I am representing here. Jesus Christ is still spreading his gospel to all those who need it.

Have a happy new year and make lots of goals to do better than the last year. I will be making my goals this week for how I want to change and what I would like to do ahead in my life. I love you guys!

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Elder Millett!

Feliz Natal para todos! (Merry Christmas to all!)

This week was a pretty great one. Another week passed by and as always, the difficulties came. haha. They always come... But anyways, I really enjoyed my week. First, this week we had an awesome conference here for Christmas. We got all the missionaries in Paraná just to have a little get together. Sister Genaro threw a huge party for us and even bought presents for us. I was so happy to see everyone one more time before heading out too. That will be the last time. It was really fun though.

So this week I had a few crazy and awesome things happen. Those 2 young boys that we baptized a few weeks back, they received the Aaronic priesthood and passed the sacrament. I have never seen a kid beaming as much as I saw those two, walking around giving the sacrament to everyone. They felt so important and are so excited to go to church now just so they can be a part of it. Even their mom (who goes every week still) was a little emotional seeing that.

I got to see two literally miracles this week. One saving my day and the other one probably saving my life. These experiences are really eye opening to me. Well the other day we had been asked to go to the bus station to receive the new missionaries. We visited a few people in our area and then went to our house to eat really quick. I haven't been feeling well recently which did not help at all. Never does... haha. We needed to be at the bus station at 2 and it takes at least an hour to get there most of the time. We left at 1 to grab a bus that was supposed to pass at 1:10 (that was on the city list). We got there and the bus flew right passed us right before we got to the stop. The next bus would have passed by at about 140 which wouldn't have given much time. But even waving at the guy, he didn't stop. There was one more stop and then there was one after 2 blocks below. We RAN after that bus. But it wasn't until I got on the bus that I realized why the guy didn't stop. I saw the purpose of why this guy didn't stop. The bus passed the stop that we were almost at, then at the next stop, a guy pulled out a gun and held up the guy in the front to give all the money the bus had. He then got off, and ran with the money and THEN the bus picked us up at the next stop. What would have happened with us if we were getting on in that very moment, paying. I can only imagine. We would have been the only people in the front part of the bus. All I know is that there was a purpose that the bus driver didn't even look at us waving him down.

The second thing that happened was Sunday morning. As always, we go out really early to look for people who are going to church with us. We headed out 7:15 and got to our area at about 8. We got there, knocked on the first door of a family of 3... They didn't want to go anymore. Said they had other plans and couldn't make it this week. The next family, no one answered. We knocked and knocked and no one came. We even went to other houses trying to get someone to come to church with us. NO ONE WANTED TO. I was super upset. In that moment, I was just feeling let down because I had been asking and asking for someone, anyone to go to church with us. I said a quick prayer and out of nowhere, a lady showed up that said she absolutely would never go to church because she doesn't like leaving that house. We were about 6 roads away from where her house is. We asked her where she was off to. She said, ´´church!´´ Super excited. My comp then asked, ´´what church? ,and then said another churches name being a smart allic. She said, no the church of Jesus Christ I am going to right now. Then my comp again..... ´´You don't even know where it is.´´ Then she said something that I wasn't expecting... ´´I woke up at 6 in the morning, to be ready by 7 just so I could find where you guys were to show me where this church is. I am going!´´ I am super happy that prayers are truly answered. Maybe it wasn't the 10 people we had planned on coming, but this one lady made my day.

God does look over us, and knows our desires and needs. I felt like that was what I needed in that exact moment to stay happy and to keep my faith that I was trying SO HARD to show. I am very grateful for that moment, and for these wonderful experiences I am able to witness here. The church is true, and every day, I know it more and more.

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Elder Millett

One More Transfer..

We made terere this week with a bunch of our investigators. 

Already has passed one more transfer. This time flies by when it comes to transfers. Looks like I will be staying here in this area to finish the mission up. I am glad to stay to not have to pack up AGAIN. haha. The worst thing a missionary has to do is to pack up and move to a new house. haha. but anyways, I will be staying here in Ouro Branco.

This week was a pretty rough one.. It's pretty tough the last week of the transfer. Don't know what it is but everyone gets super down with the work the last week. We had a baptism for this week super awesome that we had planned since last Sunday. He was super excited to get baptized and so were his parents. He is 22 years old and wanted to change his life and stop doing the things he was doing. He stopped drinking coffee and other drinks and was ready to get baptized. When we went to go get him for the interview we got there with everyone super depressed in the house... He has a girlfriend in another city who cheated on him and he got up and moved that day, the day of his baptism. I got super upset... Not a single baptism is easy here to have. Satan works more and more when we work more and more. It's crazy how he works too. Always tries these people in various ways. I had to remember how people are tried. Satan works because he knows what they are trying to do is against what he wants.

With the baptism falling through we helped the other elders in our area who had a possibility to baptize and taught him. He just decided out of nowhere he wanted to get baptized and told us about the experience he had had that week and the answer he received. No one... NO ONE here on the mission that I have taught has received the answer the same way. It's the coolest thing. Everyone has a different way to receive their answer depending on what God has in store for them and how they recognize it is up to them. It's really cool though. We also had to go to another city yesterday in the middle of sacrament meeting... It was really frustrating. Imagine how I was after church HUNGRY and annoyed... Yeah it only gets worse when I am tired too. We didn't get to eat until 4 o clock that afternoon. I got really sick too. Yeah wasn't too pleasant. haha.

When we were there yesterday it was really funny. We were riding in a super old car in the back. Imagine 4 missionaries in a car with horrible suspension... They have bumps everywhere here in Brasil and this bump in particular was really tall. We went over and the car, being so low, stopped like a teeter totter (don't know how to spell that) on top of the bump. It was super funny actually. We had to jump to let the wheel grab the ground so we could move. It was super funny.

I am looking forward to talking with you guys. I am thinking it will be about 5 o clock here. So about 11 there. Would that be okay with you guys? We have some other stuff we will be doing during the day I think. A family also wants to go and be able to meet you guys. I will just have to translate for you guys. haha. It is a really awesome family though.

I love you guys. Take care please!
This week will be better!

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Elder Millett

Lots of running around!

Yep a lot of running around as always. It's the life of a missionary. haha. But I am happier than ever and the more time I am here, the happier I feel. This week was a pretty good one. We did a lot of divisions and moved around to other areas a lot which was crazy. But first I will answer your questions...

First I am really happy that Connor knows that I am the best and put my pic on the top of the tree ;) the others in the fam just don't understand... haha. But here in Brasil they have a lot of people that put up trees, hang lights and also have lots of traditions. Here the traditions are BBQ´s, pão de alho (like cheesy garlic bread), panatoni (which is like a cakeish thing with different flavors) and stuff like that with the regular foods they normally eat. its super good though and am looking forward to eating well on Christmas again :) haha. But not everyone buys lights and trees unfortunately... Its spendy here.

For my Happy birthday Elder Millett was missing 2 letters... haha. But I put it in my house after my bday. I have just been so busy haha. But I liked the creativity of the letters. I will take a pic this week though. It turned out really cool!

I am planning on buying before I come home a few foods you can try like Maracujá, different juice packets of fruits we dont have, tererê, and stuff that I cant buy in the states to take home. I should be fine with the money I have though. I have already bought stuff for almost everyone in the fam and even something for Dantzel that matt is just gonna love ;) hahahaha. I was thinking it would be fun to buy something for the twins too. Like Matching Brasil shirts for the World Cup :) haha.

But anyways, some fun stories from the week...
1. Me and Elder Ricks here went to the store the other day while we were walking in the area because I had meat between my teeth that wouldn't come out. Super annoying! I went to go look for toothpicks to buy cuz they are super cheap. We looked, not kidding, in the entire store and we didn't find ANY!!! We looked everywhere that we thought it would be. Finally we just decided to ask. Yeah you guessed where it might be! The guy led us there and it was between the light bulbs and the shampoo.... We just died laughing! We looked literally everywhere! Where would you guys put them in a store?

2.We had dinner at a members house the other night and we sat down to eat. We ate and after, my comp put his elbows on the table relaxing. He just started doing a crazy dance cuz on his wrist had a huge cockroach! It was huge!!! Those things literally appear out of nowhere!

I had a lot of great experiences that I will remember forever. I went to go help some other elders that are having problem with baptizing here in the area and just went to do a division. We got there and they had like nothing planned. We got to a house and it was a less active that had just had her son pass away in an accident. It was crazy the story but it was a really cool story she had. We started teaching them and it's the craziest thing when you teach about the plan of salvation when someone has already passed on. You can literally feel their presence in the room, and sometimes even see. These are just experiences that don't have words to explain. But it strengthens my testimony every time. We also had the chance, and baptized, one of the daughters that lived there. It was a really great experience and I, as always, learned a ton and had my eyes opened, yet another time.

I am off though! Gonna go out to Centro with one of the members from Centro Civico (the one that the first time I talked with you guys was in his house Gustavo). I am super excited to see them.

But I love you all a ton and thank you so much for the support you guys give me! Take care!

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Elder Millett

This week...

Flew by! It was a great week though. I actually really enjoyed this week for a lot of reasons. We had success, lots of failure as normal. It's how every week goes. haha. But this week we had a special opportunity to hear from Presidente Claudinei Costa. He is an awesome guy. And when I say awesome, I mean AWESOME. He just has something about him that I just want. It's really awesome. He is the Brasil area president. So it was on Wednesday at night we had all the missionaries from every part of the mission come to Londrina and Apucarana to wait for the next day. You could imagine how crazy that probably was for us huh??? haha. We had 12 missionaries in our house, including Elder Gutemberg that says hello! He is going home in 2 weeks already! But anyways, we left at 5:30 in the morning to go downtown where the meeting was and waited for a good 2 hours. We had a meeting with all the leaders from Brasil then started the meeting with everyone. I learned a LOT of stuff that I wanted to share with you guys.

One of the topics of discussion was ´´what is the point of missionaries´´. I loved what he said. Normally the missionaries would say something like, to baptize them, or help them receive the gospel. He, on the other hand started telling and talking about how baptism wasn't the most important thing. But our purpose as missionaries is to help people ´´make covenants in the temple, which are the covenants most important that we can make.´´ The goal really is to help those people make it to the temple. Lots of people get baptized and never make it to the temple. That is the goal we have and have to imagine these people on how their life will be so much better and them so much happier with eternal marriage and a eternal family. It's the happiness we have and don't realize it sometimes. haha He also talked about our missions and talked about our mission as something we will use for the rest of our lives. On the mission we learn everything we need to make it through this life and do the things we need to do. He advised us to make goals and to make these goals become what we really are doing. I am now in the process of making lots of goals now. haha

Weird story... so the other night I just had a super weird night. Knowing that we sleep outside and all, I woke up a lot of times to motorcycles passing by (that are super loud) or just people yelling. It was just a horrible night of sleep. I woke up that morning dead tired, looked over to my right and there was a little snake all curled up. Scared the CRAP out of me! haha. But what I also saw was weird too... A cockroaches leg and also a Giant beetle, about the size of a computer mouse, attached to the bottom of my mattress. It was really weird... I just laugh (and Deanna will kill me...) because when I have these situations I think, what would Deanna have done??? hahahah.

My legs, unfortunately, are still hurting... But, I did have a really cool thing happen this week. It was a really cool thing that I got talking to one of the missionaries here in my house about. We walk and walk and walk... But I got thinking, there is almost no possible way that a normal person could walk as much as we do, and in this heat. It's the hardest thing I have ever done in my life everyday walking and walking even MORE. But walking the other day, I felt the desire to just stop and sit down for a bit, but we were late for an appointment. While I was walking, my body said to stop, but I just tried telling myself to continue forward. With a prayer to just give me the energy I needed, it was answered, really fast. I didn't feel more energy, I didn't have a boost of excitement, nothing like that. But I don't know if I can even put this in words correctly. I literally felt as if someone was pushing me along, helping me keep up the pace. I literally believe, that there are angels that push us along as missionaries, and also watching over us 24/7. It was the weirdest thing but I know He answers any need that we have, and mine for sure in that moment of need and weakness, mine was answered. I made it through that day, very tired and body just torn up, but still came home happy, and feeling accomplished. I am so very grateful I have this calling. I love this work, and know this is the true church. We learned this week from Pres Costa we can do anything with FAITH. We don't always look at faith as a big thing, but it can change everything.

I love you guys and hope all is well!
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Elder Millett