December 21, 2015-Start of the 2nd Transfer!!

Hey All, 

All is well I am doing great and I love my calling here in Brazil! I have learned a lot this week. One thing I learned is that I think I am a lot better at Portuguese than I give myself credit for. I definitely make a lot of mistakes, but I have conversations with people everyday and that is quite a miracle in itself. I pray to God everyday and ask him to bless me with this language, to love and be loved by these people. I can confidently say that God has blessed me thus far, and I know he will continue to bless me. I do not feel stressed or worried about Portuguese because God has promised that he will bless me when I do my part. I know that as I am open to learning and I put forth my effort to practice he will bless me and I will develop the skills I need to be the best missionary that God would have me be. I really am doing great and all is well. Haha sometimes after I get done with a contact or teaching something I think to myself: "hah I wish my mom could have seen that she would have loved that.. she would have cried haha".

My new comp is good and I am excited for this transfer. He is 27 and was converted when he was 19. he is the only member in his family. I really respect him for his courage, and I think I can learn a lot from him. I realize now that not every missionary is all that great and not every companion is the exact companion I want, but everybody has something good so I just need to find the good in everybody.

Because the last transfer ended kind of dead we have to kind of start from level 0 so we have been doing a lot of contacting so hopefully next week we will start having some progressing investigators. Its kind of crazy the things you see out here that you wouldn't ever see in little Orderville. 

On our walk home from the church there is always a group of kids out in the street and every time I walk by they all swarm me and ask me how to say this or that in English, its funny. Everyday without a doubt.

All is well I love my calling and I am progressing everyday. I am loving the mission! 

Love, 

Elder Millard

December 14, 2015

Hey Family,

 

Another week in the field. All is well and I am progressing everyday. The language is coming little by little everyday. I love my calling here in Brazil so much and I know that it is a calling from God. 

That is so great that Katie and Hannah have decided to serve missions, they will receive so many blessings. Katie did great on her farewell talk I just got done listening to it and she did great. That testimony she has now will grow so much. 

I have been sicker than a dog for the last 3 days so I have been kind of miserable, but I am getting better. 

We had dinner at the Bishop's house a couple days ago and I was talking to them about my family and Brazil, the bishops wife asked what my moms name was and I told her Neeleman. She works for the temple and knows president Neeleman. She got a little teary and told me how amazing he is. She said that she promises that he has stood face to face with the savior, and how he just has so much love. She loved him so much as the President.

We have transfers in 2 days so I will let you know how that goes next week. My companion is leaving so I have had to kind of step up and start memorizing all the houses and getting references and addresses so it has been good and I hope and pray that my next companion will want to work. All is well and I love my calling. Thank you so much for your prayers I feel your love and I know I have a lot of support. I love you so much and I pray for you everyday. I truly am so blessed to come from the best family in the world. Love you mom! I read Elder Hollands talk about moms from the last conference, Eu chorei como a criança haha.

Love you,

Elder Millard

November 30, 2015

Well this week has been tough there is no doubt about it, but not the tough that I would like it to be. This is my companions last transfer so he is beyond trunky. He doesn't want to do much. But it's alright, he is helping with Portuguese and that's most important right now. I have a lot of personal study time so my testimony and knowledge strengthen everyday. I really just feel a burning in my heart when I study some things and I cannot even explain how much my testimony has strengthened in a way that it never would have if I didn't serve. I see the importance of my mission and I know that it has eternal significance. I know these two years will set the tone for the rest of my life, and help me to know what kind of husband and father I want to be. 

I just cannot put it in words, this Gospel is so much greater than we can comprehend. God is real, he loves us, he hears our prayers. Jesus Christ is our savior He has an infinite love for everybody that he did so much more than die for us. He took away our sins, he set the example for us. One day we will stand before him to be judged and I will personally thank him face to face, and all I want is for him to reply to me Well done my good and faithful servant and thank you for your service in helping souls find their salvation. I want to take my place with my wife in my hand and live in eternal Celestial Glory with my family.  The fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored and it is true. It is sweet and it is simple and I love it. 

Other things for this week: We were at a lady's house and we were talking about were I lived as I described it she said that she has always remembered a Elder from a place like that in southern Utah. He is form Kanab. Yeah I know Kanab that's right next to my tiny little Orderville!  I don't remember his name but Ill get it next time we visit her. She is great, she is 83 years old and makes some amazing food. 

I have for sure seen some of those rainstorms that Grandpa always talks about. One thing I would like for Christmas is a dry bag, just a small one for my scriptures because I would hate for them to get ruined. Me and my comp were just leaving the church a couple days ago when it started dumping rain "like it can only rain in Brazil" we started home and we were soaked to the bone in seconds. Most of the drainage here is plugged with trash, so I was running through this lake of water and I hit a low spot and almost fell over! So here I am in my slacks and silk tie wading through this lake that is up to my thigh!  Yeah it was bad, so anyways I would like a dry bag for Christmas. Tyler will know what I am talking about.

You asked about the bus ride, yes I rode the Ônibus with all my bags and yes it was the worst.  All is well!  I love Brazil.  When I was in the CTM I wasn't a hundred percent convinced that I was in Brazil, for all I knew I was just living in TheTruman Show. But now I know of a surety that I am in Brazil. haha It is different than the States for sure!

Other than that I don't have anything! I am doing great and I love you!

Love,

Elder Millard