Wednesday, December 21, 2016

December 12, 2016

Well we have had a great week. Every day I am so amazed at how much God loves me. Each week God continues blessing us with so many miracles. I don't think I deserve all that he gives me, but I am sure that he loves me and the people that need me. 


Each week we knock a lot of doors and honestly it isn't usually very successful but we continue doing it just trying to show God that we are doing our best. Usually we don't find a lot of success knocking doors, but for some reason this week was way good. We met a lot of really sweet people that have a lot of potential to progress. 

Last P day we went to the chapel with a group of young men and we played a lot of ping pong and soccer. It was way fun and we got a new investigator which makes it even better. His name is Andrey, he is a friend of a member. We taught him this week and he is excited to be baptized. Also this week we had a great miracle; some lady came to us in the street and said that she had been praying for two weeks to find us and that she is a member, but she is inactive. She is wanting to come back to church, and her husband never was baptized because he wasn't able to stop smoking but now he quite and wants to  be baptized. They also have a cousin that wants to come to church. So yesterday we taught them and it went really great. They are looking at a baptismal date for the second week of January. So as of right now we have about 6 baptisms set for January. 

Transfers are on the 27th of this month, if I get transferred I will be pretty upset. Everything is going well and I am doing great. It is a good time of year because everyone is thinking about Jesus, but nobody wants to let us in because everyone is going on vacation, or has a bunch of people over.... No need to worry mom, its all good. 


Elder Millard

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

December 5, 2016



Hey All!

So we had a pretty good week. We had meetings Tuesday and Wednesday then of Thursday we had splits. So basically our whole week we have running around the zone trying to take care of everyone's problems. We have two companionships that are about ready to kill one another in our zone hahaha so we have been trying to help them, also I had to do a few baptismal interviews in another area so this week was litterally just running all over the zone trying to help everyone and take care of problems and get people excited to work.  Then on Friday we had to go to the mission office to a leadership meeting. That is always way sweet! I got to see all the old mission buddies and President gave a real smack down training on everyone. Pres is the freakin man, he doesnt talk very much, but when he does it is pretty crazy!  

I told you about Guilherme right?  Well sadly his baptism isnt going to happen until January. His dad not only authorized it, but got really excited about it so he decided to invite everyone and the dog, so he decided that he wants to wait for after the holidays for everyone to be there. 
The work is coming along good. A young man in our ward has been working with us everyday and we taught a few of his friends that are looking good for baptism here in a few weeks, so I am excited about that. I will keep you informed on the progress in the coming weeks. 

I dont have words to describe how my mission has made me feel closer to the Savior.  I have felt the love of God so many times in my mission. I can say without a doubt in my mind that I am a representative of Jesus Christ. I had a great experience this week when we were have a family night with a family that I really like. After I gave the message the mom of the family started talking and just fell apart. She started crying saying how ever since I started visiting their family and sharing spiritual messages with them, her life has been changing. Everything that I have taught her she has been trying to practice and it has changed her life. So as I was telling her that I really am weak and I am not even close to perfect, however the man that I represent is perfect and the message that I am ordained to teach is perfect.  I really feel the savior helping me in this work. I know that I am unworthy to be a representative of Christ but I know that he helps me in my weaknesses. Even more as a leader now. I have the responsability to help not only investagators but also other missionaries. As of now I can look back on my mission and honestly say that I have done a lot. I have gained a testimony that nobody can take away from me, I have helped in the salvation of many others, and I have felt the hand of the Lord molding me into the man that God wants of me. 
There really is no way to desribe how strongly I feel. I'll just say that I know what I know and noboy can change that.

Have a great week! 

Elder Millard


November 28, 2016

Hey Family!


So we had a good week. Life is really busy and I feel like I am always with a million things in my head, but it is going good. The zone is doing good and I love being able to help them. 
We have been teaching a young man named Guilherme he is doing really well and wants to be baptized, but his dad is trying to hold him back. We had a really great experience this week with him. He is living with a family of members right now and his dad goes and visits him sometimes. So on thursday as we were knocking doors and we both just felt like we should go and visit them eventhough we had already marked an appointment with them later that night. Anyways we decided to go over there early so when we got there we talked for a while and shared a good message with them and almost at the end as we were trying to talk with Guilherme about a baptismal date and how to convince his dad, his dad got there right on time. So we started talking with him and with a lot of help from the spirit I was able to say the right things to not only convince him, but get him really excited about Guilherme´s baptism. So the date is sure for the 11th he will be baptized. It really was a good experience that I was needing, because I really felt the spirit and I know that the Lord helped us out on that one. 

They don't comemorate Thanksgiving here so I was missing that pretty bad this week....
I kept thinking about all that great food, turkey tournament, football etc.at least this is the last one in the mission... 

Last P day after emails we went to eat lunch at a rodizio grill. It is an all you can eat meat rodizio, so we all left there compleatly full. Then the four of us went walking to the part downtown of the city but it was so hot that nobody was able to walk in the hot sun full of meat. So we stopped in the shade and I paid ice cream for us, it was a good day with the mission buddies. 

Today when we finish emails we are going to go play some soccer. It is always so nice to let my mind rest a little bit.  My comp is a brasilian he is from João Pessoa. I like him and we are working well together. 

Anyways all is well and I am doing great!


Elder Millard

Monday, November 14, 2016

November 14, 2016


Well, one more week has come and gone. I am now one year older and wiser too. It has been a great week. My comp was in the mission office for 4 days this week so I stayed with my old companion Elder Chalampuento! It was great to work with him again. I was back with my best friend again and it was just like old times! We met a few good families this week as we were knocking doors. I really hope and pray for them to progress. It was so great this whole week just talking about life and the mission with Chalampuento. 


Sadley Chrisner is not going to be able to be baptized for a while. It really breaks my heart to not be able to finish a baptism. As a missionary we have our personal problems, however the hardest part is dealing with the problems of others. I just want so badly to help people meet and stay strong in the church because I see how extremely important it is in this life and especially in the next. This week we were trying to help this family of members that are passing through some pretty hard times right now, and when we were there we met a young man who is a family friend and we taught him and he has accepted baptism. He really loved church as is excited to be baptized in a few weeks. His name is Guilherme. It is amazing how the Lord puts people in our path.

My birthday was great! We had stake activity with all the missionaries in the morning, then after lunch we had a zone conference where my companion and I gave a training. Then after that we had a little party for the end of the transfers because our zone was the zone that had the most baptisms this month. We bought a ton of pizza and the sister made a great cake! Anyways it was great, a lot better than last year when I was 3 days in the field just wanting to cry because I didn't speak or understand hahaha. 

My new companion is Elder J. Diniz, he was one of the district leaders in my zone this last transfer, so now I will have to help him be a zone leader but he is going home in January so I hope he still has a lot of energy!!

I'm doing great, thanks for everything. Love you!

Elder Millard





November 8, 2016


So this week was rough. We are in the last week of the transfer and my comp is finishing his mission, so let's just say that its a little rough going these days .... hahaha this week we were able to take all the young men and women and some recent converts to the temple. It was a great experience for everyone, there is nothing better than working in the temple.  We also had a leadership meeting with all the zone leaders this week, so that was good to seem some mission buddies and learn with President.  

Yesterday we had stake conference. The sister's in our zone had a baptism that I conducted and it was really good. It is great being a leader because you get to participate in the success of others and when my zone is having success then I am happy! I have learned a lot and it really is a great privilege to be able to help others. 

Our stake conference was great. The best speaker was President Silcox by far.  He is a great guy, he doesn't speak very much but what he says and the way he speaks just throws a spiritual bomb on the place. 


Sadly our baptism didn't happen yesterday, because of the conference it was just really busy and didn't go right, so we will have to try and get it done this week. Keep praying for us so we can get it done.

I know you hate this mom but I am short on time today. I have to go to a birthday party for another missionary in my zone. 

Just know that all is well I am happy and life is going good. The church is true and I won't ever be able to deny that. God loves us and even in our roughest moments he will lift us up higher than we imagine.  

Love you! 
Elder Millard 

Monday, October 31, 2016

October 31, 2016


Well we have had another good week. We had interviews with President this week and that is always a great experience. Pres is such a good dude, I really do love talking with him. 


This week we also had splits with the assistants. That was a great to have a good day of work with a comp who really likes to work, and be able to learn with others. 
Funny story, when we were teaching one family I asked them where they think I am from and everyone thought I was from the south, because I am white with blond hair. Then they thought I was from Rio de Janeiro because I have accent from Rio. hahaha Then I finally told them I am from the United States and they wouldn't believe me because I speak like them haha. 

Last Friday we went to eat lunch with a sister of the ward and when we got there she hadn't started yet. So I told her I was going to make the rice. I have learned here in the mission to make the best rice. She loved my rice so much she said I will have to teach her. 

On Sunday we had a great meeting. We taught our investigator Chirsner and he is doing good. If all goes well he should be baptized this next Sunday. He is a good dude and he has a lot of challenges in life, but is really trying to do what is right. We are still very busy all the time. We are working good, but I always want to do better and use the time of the Lord wisely. God Speed.

Love,

Elder Millard

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

October 24, 2016


Hey Fam! 
We had a great week, We are working hard, trying to get a teaching group organized. The work is coming along little by little. Our zone is doing pretty well and as of right now we are the most baptizing zone in the mission. This week we have had a few problems to take care of in another area so we had splits with the district leaders and we put in some good work in. We are teaching a lot of people for the first time this week so we will have to wait and see if some of them can progress. I have faith. Everything is going well and I am learning a lot and working hard.
To answer your questions. No my area isn't really like my last one. Where I am now is a little bit bigger city and we have to work different. The members are good and they certainly feed us enough. Our chapel is in the front of a big highway. So a lot of people pass in front. The other day we were in the front of the chapel and we decided to do some street contacts. We were there about 2 hours running around trying to talk to everyone. We got a few people interested, but there are a lot of people with some pretty rough feelings about the church. However I will give you a report next week if anyone progresses.
If you look on my mission map I am in São Miguel Paulista.
Everything is great and I am loving life.
Elder Millard.

October 18, 2016



 I don't have a lot to say, but I will write  a quick email.

We had a good week. As I always say, I wish it would have been better, but we do what we can. My new are is pretty good, the members are great. The work is pretty rough right now because they closed our chapel this week and we moved to another chapel that makes it pretty far for investigators to go to church. Also my comp has 2 months left in the mission so he is pretty tired and sometimes it is hard to get I'm excited to work, but its going alright. 

This week we had zone conference, so I had to give a training to the zone. I think it went pretty well but we have a lot of room for improvement. Everything is going well and I am learning a lot. I don't think I am the missionary that God wants me to be yet, but I think I am on the right path. 

This Sunday when we were in church a couple showed up at church. They are from France and are learning Portuguese so it will be interesting to teach them, but the spirit speaks louder than words. The church is true and I am loving the mission. As I work with these people everyday I understand how we are so extremely blessed. 
All is well and I am happy. I hope everything is going well at home. Love you.

Elder Millard

Thursday, October 13, 2016

October 13, 2016


Hey Family! It seems like a long time has passed since the last time I talked with you, I don't even know what to say.
Yes I have been transferred, now I am in Limoeiro. I am the zone leader of São Miguel. If you look on the mission map you can see that I didn't go very far and I am still here in the city. All is going good, I have been trying to meet the members and get to know my area a little bit. Now I also have a lot more responsibility so I have been running around going to meetings and counsels. Last Friday we had a leadership meeting at the mission office and my beloved comp Elder Chalampuento was there, it was good to see him.

So Flavio was baptized and confirmed and the pictures were sent to my facebook, so enter there and save them. I sure hope you have been saving all the pics I have sent you. Maybe just try to save them on a flash drive or something. Also the card that I sent with grams and gramps has a bunch of music on there. As I can't listen to this music I sent it home with them, but I want you to save it so I can have it after the mission. 

I don't have a lot to say about the missionary work yet as I haven't met anyone here in my new area yet. 
I feel very small before my calling, but I am excited to help this mission. I hope that I can do a good job. I know the Lord will help me if I am humble and obedient. 
I am doing great and I hope the family is doing okay. I love and pray for you all. 

Elder Millard 

Thursday, October 6, 2016

OCTOBER 3, 2016

hey mom I dont have time to talk much this week. I got a call from pres yesterday and he called me to be a zone leader. So I have a meetings all day today. I will be transferred to São Miguel. 





Monday, October 3, 2016

September 26, 2016


Hey Fam, 


I don't have a ton of time, but I just wanted to let you know that I had a good week and all is well.

We got Flavio baptized and it was really good. It was special because he is a good friend to all of the other young men and women I have been baptizing but it just took him a while to come around. 
He is a really good dude. I met him my first transfer here and have always played ball with him, but he just never showed a lot of interest. These last few weeks we have made a good friendship and really will be sad to leave all my friends here. I baptized him, but we don't have any photos, because like I said my camera broke. 

Other than that, I am really excited for this week. It should be good, I will see Grandma and Grandpa on Sunday and we have a family night marked everyday this week for me to say goodbye to everyone.

I am doing great and all is well thanks so much for everything!

Elder Millard

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

September 19, 2016


 We had a good week. The work is coming along little by little. We are teaching everyday, but we just dont have a ton of people and that rush to spread the gospel like I would like to have. Flavio is doing good and is super excited to be baptized this week! We dont have anyone else progressing very well so I think he is going to be my last baptism here in Cohab Juscelino. There is a young man in our branch that is really sweet. He has become one of my best friends and he is the only member in his family. We went to his house about everyday this week, and little by little we are starting to work with his mom. The other Elders had already taught her a little, but they scared her off with baptism. So a little bit at a time we are talking with her about the church.
We had a great stake conference yesterday, that is now my second here in the ward.  Bishop has unofficially given me a calling as the first counselor in the young mens haha. The stake conference was good, President and Sister Silcox spoke, they are so freaking great. I love them. Pres Silcox is just such a wise guy. He is the type of guy that when you are talking with him you leave the conversation felling smarter.

Yes we have transfers on the 4th and I am sure that I will be transferred, but we wont know for sure until the Sunday night of conference.
I would be so dang happy if I see grams and gramps. Last time I didn't even get to talk with them because I was so busy taking care of everyone.

Everything is going good. Life is great and I am loving it here in Brazil. The mission is great but only the tough and pure of heart will survive.
I hope everything is going okay at home. I cant believe that all my friends are all over the hump and I am yet hit the marker!!

Here in 1 year from now you will be coming to Brasil I will show what its like to be in the battle field of the Lord.
That's all for now well see next week folks!


 com muito amor,
 Elder Millard

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Sept 12, 2016



Well I'll be honest the work is going pretty slow right now. We have one guy that is progressing pretty well. I have actually known him for several months, but he just never seemed interested. He is the friend of some members so he has already met us, but this is the first week that he is really showing interest. He has been to church the last two weeks and his baptismal goal is for the 24th. Everything is going good for now, this week we are going to teach all the commandments so I hope we can get it all ready in time. His name is Flavio.

Our area is doing good. I sure have been here for a long time, I feel at home here. The members all love me here hahaha😜.  Everyone says they are going to be so sad when I leave!

Can you believe how fast time is passing! I will hit my year mark it two weeks! Time is just passing way to fast!
The mission is not easy but its worth it.  God may not take away our difficulties, but he will always give us strength to endure. 
I know this church is true and I thank God everyday for being a part of such a great family! We really are so blessed! 

Sorry but I am a little short on time, but I will write better next week. 
Love,


Elder Millard




Monday, August 29, 2016

August 29, 2016


Sorry I was in such a bad mood last week, I was just upset about being sick and losing all my pics. Well this week was pretty slow we had to go to the mission office a few times and do some interviews and stuff so we didn't get to work a whole lot, but this last Sunday we had a few people show um in the church and some of them seem pretty interested, so I hope we will have some good work to do this week. 

I was not upset that I didn't get transferred I was just upset about other things. I was very shocked that I stayed because about 2 weeks before President told me that I was going to be transferred, so I had already started packing my bags, but I guess he changed his mind. I now have 7 months here in Cohab Juscelino and at the end of the transfer I will have 8 so I will have spent a large part of my mission here! It is a great area and I love it, but it is just pretty tiring. 

Yes I did here a lot about the Olympics. Everybody was watching it, so I did see a little bit but not to much. About everyone I see has told me about that crazy swimmer who just made a mess here in Brazil. Everyone jokes with my about it because they think Americans are all the same. Everyone just thinks he is a total idiot! 
The Brazilian Gold medal in soccer against Germany was very emotional. That was a little bit of redemption because of the humiliating loss in the world cup. Everyone was going crazy when we won! 

Well I don't have a lot to say this week, but I think that this next week we will have some new investigators to talk about. 


Love You,


Elder Millard  




Monday, August 22, 2016

August 8, 2016


We had a good week. We have been working a lot with this young woman, she is the sister of another recent convert. She loves the Book of Mormon and is really excited about the church. Her name is Rosangela and she is 15 years old. She is super excited and loved her baptism yesterday!!!!  I felt the spirit so strong when I was teaching her and I really am so proud to have witnessed this miracle!

She lives about two hours away from where we live and in this last week of preparation for her baptism we went there everyday and she lives at the top of this giant mountain so I definitely got some good hiking miles in this week. Its all good, I needed it! 

During this last two weeks of the transfer we are just really trying to find some new investigators. Everyone in our branch is saying that I am going to be transferred and my comp will stay. However there is this guy that is kind of famous in the mission for being able to guess what will happen with transfers and he says that I will stay one more hahaha. Things are going good with my greenie and he is different than I am but we are doing alright. 

The mission is going great and I don't ever want to forget all the amazing things I am learning here. The blessings are a lot bigger than the difficulties. Sometimes our hardest challenges become our biggest blessings. 

That's all I have for this week. Love you all!


Elder Millard

P.S.  
Ela é Rosangela uma moça com muito fé! Ela recebeu uma resposta de Deus e está muito animado na igreja. Ela está lendo O Livro de Mórmon todos os dias e está sentindo o amor de Deus! Com certeza ela é uma eleita do Senhor! Sou muito grato de ter o privilegio para fazer essa jornada com ela.





August 2, 2016


Hey Family!
This week was super chill. We are having a hard time finding people to teach but we are really trying to get people to church. This week we had a zone conference that was pretty sweet, I felt the spirit way strong. My president is a sweet guy. He is so loving and always brings the spirit. 
Then on Friday we went to the temple with two recent converts that have been working on family history. I respect these two youths a lot because they are the only members in their family and have really been working to be able to go to the temple. We had an amazing experience at the temple!!! I really felt like crying as the president of the temple gave a message to our recent converts about temple work and then when I witnessed them being baptized for their family members. We all just felt really great about it and we all really felt that their ancestors had accepted our work and are extremely happy that they are doing this amazing work!

Our other investigator is progressing extremely well and is so excited to be baptized. She had already talked with the missionaries before but never wanted anything, when we convinced her to read the Book of Mormon and pray she received an answer and is just so happy that she can be cleaned from her sins and start a new life. She will be baptized this Sunday!

I know this church is true and I am loving life. I have so much happiness in my life because of the gospel. Everyone talks about how the mission is so amazing and it is, but nobody talks about all the hard times. I can assure you, that the mission has moments extremely hard, but it really is amazing. I can honestly say that I have gained an unbreakable testimony of this church. Gods plan is so perfect and it really is amazing!!!!
Love you, Have a great week.



Elder Millard.




July 26, 2106

Hey All,


I don't have a lot to write this week not a lot has happened. So I will just write fast and send some pics. 
It has been a solid week we had a great miracle this week. Last week we went to teach a new investigator with a member and it was a solid lesson, but I wasn't all that excited because she didn't seem very solid. However this week we went back and we asked if she read the chapter that we left for her in the BOM and she said that she read it and felt fireworks in her heart! We had a real smack down awesome lesson with her about the POS and she said that she wants to be baptized! That was a real light in the darkness for us because the work has been a little rough lately but I hope and pray that it all goes alright and she will be baptized on the 7th. 

The rest of the week was a lot of work and we are getting along. We should be going to the temple with some more recent converts this week so Ill let y'all know if it works out. 

I had a lot of awesome studies this week and I really Love the Book of Mormon more and more everyday. I know that it is true and I cannot deny the spirit that I feel when I read it. 

Life is great I am loving the mission and I cannot believe how fast time is flying!!!! 

Amo vocês 
Bom semana

Elder Millard






July 18, 2016- 1st trip to the Hospital!



We had a good week. We have been working a lot with this young woman, she is the sister of another recent convert. She loves the Book of Mormon and is really excited about the church. Her name is Rosangela and she is 15 years old. She is super excited and loved her baptism yesterday!!!!  I felt the spirit so strong when I was teaching her and I really am so proud to have witnessed this miracle!

She lives about two hours away from where we live and in this last week of preparation for her baptism we went there everyday and she lives at the top of this giant mountain so I definitely got some good hiking miles in this week. Its all good, I needed it! 

During this last two weeks of the transfer we are just really trying to find some new investigators. Everyone in our branch is saying that I am going to be transferred and my comp will stay. However there is this guy that is kind of famous in the mission for being able to guess what will happen with transfers and he says that I will stay one more hahaha. Things are going good with my greenie and he is different than I am but we are doing alright. 

The mission is going great and I don't ever want to forget all the amazing things I am learning here. The blessings are a lot bigger than the difficulties. Sometimes our hardest challenges become our biggest blessings. 

That's all I have for this week. Love you all!


Elder Millard

P.S.  
Ela é Rosangela uma moça com muito fé! Ela recebeu uma resposta de Deus e está muito animado na igreja. Ela está lendo O Livro de Mórmon todos os dias e está sentindo o amor de Deus! Com certeza ela é uma eleita do Senhor! Sou muito grato de ter o privilegio para fazer essa jornada com ela.










Tuesday, July 12, 2016

July 11, 2016

Sounds like the family had a great week! I would have loved to be a part of it but, duty calls. It is hard to believe that another week has already gone by, it seems like yesterday that I was here writing you. Time just flies by so fast! So transfers are tomorrow and I will be staying here with my greenie. 

Remember a few months ago when I was telling you about how God was testing us and when we passed the test we were extremely blessed and had a lot of baptisms? Well... its happening again.  We have been working hard but it just seems like everything we do has been failing. Everyone that we had has given up. We are really fighting to get people to church. We had a few good families but when we passed by this week one said that she doesn't want us going back there and isn't interested anymore. The other family said they are going to be baptized,...... but in a different church. So that was kind of a heart breaker, but what do you do..... its a part of the mission. 


I feel kind of bad because my comp is new in the mission and has to go through this, because I remember very well that mix of emotions. Its all a part of Gods plan, he knows our work, and I am sure in a few weeks this will pass. I am really loving our ward, and I hope they will remember me for a while. Yesterday we had meetings in the church all day so we got there at 8 in the morning and  we left at 8 at night. In sacrament meeting I was pretty proud and was just smiling from ear to ear. 1 recent convert blessing the sacrament 3 recent converts passing 1 recent convert giving a talk ah it was good. There were three people that gave talks and all three of them used a message that I had taught them and challenged our ward with the challenge that I gave them. Then in the priesthood meeting our bishop talked and used another message that I taught his family last week and thanked me for all my work in the ward. I wont lie, sometimes I get really upset and tired of this ward but I really feel God pushing me along telling me that I need to make a difference here and that I am yet to complete my work here. I just want to leave this ward better than I found it. Anyways I will keep working, and here in 6 weeks we will see if God is pleased with my work or not. 

Mom I doubt that the São Paulo were you remember is like the São Paulo here. You have to remember that I am in the EAST zone. It is the poorest place of São Paulo. It certainly isn't sky scrapers and clean streets. I took that picture when we were walking it the favela. There is a lot of mountains here but they are all invaded with people and full of trash. My mission is not a pretty one but it has the best people and I love it!!!! 

Anyways that's all for this week and I have to have more excited stuff to say next time. We are going to the temple with some recent converts this week so that should be good. Pray for my converts, they are really important to me and I hope we can find more people to teach.

Bom semana.
Amo vocês 

Elder Millard.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

June 27, 2016

We have had another good week and we have been extremely blessed yet again. We have been working a lot with out recent converts and one of the young men brought his friend to church and we have been teaching him for a while and we got him baptized yesterday!! I forgot my card in our house so I will have to send pictures next week. We have been teaching him for a while but his mom wouldn't let him be baptized, but after a great smack down lesson with the spirit carrying my words and testifying to her, she authorized it and he was baptized last night. I really gained a strong testimony about the gift of tongues and in the spirit that lesson. I really don't speak Portuguese that great, but I was able to talk to her in a way that the spirit carried my words and she understood it all the way I wanted her to. I know that God really helped us get this baptism done. I can see that the Lord is trying to strengthen our ward with Priesthood and has given us so many great blessings.


I love my recent converts and I am really happy with most of them. It is really important to me that they stay strong so we have been teaching them a lot! We are doing Family history with them and preparing everyone for a trip to the temple. Here in a few weeks we should be going to do some baptisms!

The Baptismal service last night was good, but it was almost a comedy show. After running all over the city to try and get everyone on their way to the church we get there, and our ward mission leader had forgotten the water was on, filling the font, and he was in another room playing piano so the room of the baptismal font, was pretty much flooded with water so we had to clean that up. Then when we were changing clothes the brother that we had do the baptism was so nervous that he couldn't tie his tie, so he called me in the bathroom to help so I went in to help him and he was practicing the baptismal prayer and could just not get it. After a while he got it down, but didn't know how to do the baptism, so I went in the stall and practiced with him for a while. Hahahaha anyways after a while he got it all figured out. Then when they entered the water,  the font had pretty much completely drained because he forgot to put the plug back in. For about 10 min the brother baptizing couldn't figure out where to put his hands. They both had to kneel down in the water then when he put him under he fell over and couldn't lift him up out of the water so it ended up with the two of them splashing around for a little bit and everyone dying laughing hahaha.  Then to top it off when they were walking up the stairs he fell, and straight up cannon balled it in the tiny bit of water that there was. 
In the end we got it done and it was a good night. hahaha

Anyways I am trying everyday to be a better missionary and everyday I am more sure that this church is true. I love the mission and I am way happy! Time is flying by,.... this week I will have 9 months!!! oh loco!! 
Until next week. 

Elder Millard


June 20, 2016



So this has been a great week! We had some really amazing blessings!!

I don't remember if I have told you a lot about Cainã, he is a man that I actually met last month when I was with Chalampuento. He was in the street and I felt like I should talk to him but last month we were so dang busy so we never talked to him, I just got his address and told him that someday we will pass by. However I had kind of forgotten about him, but a few weeks ago we ran into him again in the street and we taught him the first lesson and he was pretty interested but pretty closed off about the BOM and Joseph Smith however will a lot of blessings and little moments of the spirit he received an answer and was baptized yesterday!! It is amazing how the Lord works, he put somebody in my path but I ignored it at first, but he is so loving and patient that he put him in our path again and after just 3 weeks of lessons and church he got the response that he needed to put his faith into work and make a covenant with God. He is a great guy and we have already made a great friendship. He has invited us over for dinner a lot and is always giving us food, rides, hahaha he really is a good dude. Because it is my comp's first baptism I wanted him to be able to baptize him, but Cainã is pretty Massive so I was a little worried and after a stressful Saturday of running around the city to find clothes that would fit him we finally got it all figured out and we had a great baptism yesterday!
It was an amazing blessing and I am sure that God put him in our path. I don't have a doubt that God is always helping us even though we sometimes don't deserve it. 

I am doing great and loving the mission. I know that I am not the best missionary and I know that I am falling short of my potential. I know that I am nowhere close to perfect, but I know that God loves me. I know that he knows our work, he knows everything about us. Even though we all fall short of what he wants of us he will always bless us if we do what is right. I am always working to be better. 

My comp is still pretty quiet and doesn't like to joke around to much, but I sure love the kid. hahaha He is a good missionary with a great mindset. He is the only member in his family and he knows why he is here. We are doing great here in Cohab Juscelino and I have been so blessed here I think the members will remember our work here for a long time!! 

All is good and life is great, I hope everyone is doing good at home.  Anyways that's all for this week!

com amor,
Elder Millard

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

June 13, 2016


My dear mother,

This week was good. The highlight was that we had a mission conference. The whole mission was together and we got a few trainings and it was super spiritual, I learned a lot that I think will help me and got a lot of answers to prayers. I love my mission president he is awesome. I also got to see all my mission buddies so that was pretty sweet too.
We have been working hard all week and honestly it is a little more rough these weeks. Last transfer we just reaped all our rewards and had a lot of success, but I think the Lord had but me back in my place. We are being tested again, and I know if we keep working all the blessings will come rolling in just like last transfer. We are trying hard to find new people and finalize a few baptisms. We had a baptism marked for last Sunday but sadly it didn't happen. The day before his family talked him out of it, and he wasn't at church last week so I am sad about that, but we will pass by this week and I have faith that it will work out. 

On a better note, my recent converts are all great and I am so freaking proud of them. We are working with them doing family history and we have a date marked to go to the temple and do baptisms with them! Last week our convert Maria bore her testimony and cried a lot saying that she knows this is the only true church and she is so grateful to meet me. I am so proud of her she is awesome!! I got a little chocked up last Sunday because 2 of my baptisms were passing sacrament and Maria shared her testimony and the other convert showed up in a fresh suit all handsome, I was just so happy and grateful for all of them. I am so EXCITED to go to the temple with them, I cant event imagine how I will feel seeing them enter there. 
My comp is good, he is Brazilian and I like him. He is super quiet and doesn't like to joke around a lot, but he is good. It is pretty hard to train a new missionary, but I know that the Lord called me to do this so I will try hard to fulfill my calling. 
I am happy and life is good. Thanks so much for all the packages. Don't worry about me mom I am being taken care of. I love you!

Elder Millard


Tuesday, May 24, 2016

May 24, 2016



So we had another week full of miracles! We worked all week and had a lot of really special moments. We had two people marked for this week but one of them didn't go right so he is going to wait until next week. We spent a lot of time this week checking up on our baptisms for the next two weeks and our recent converts so we didn't find a lot of new people like we would have liked to, but the Lord is blessing us so much that are week is already full before we start it. We really don't have enough time to do everything that we need to, but with lot of help from God we are having a lot of success. 
We were able to baptize Irmã Maria yesterday in the stake conference. It was really crazy. A small chapel and a LOT of people! Then after everybody was leaving and we were changing clothes the stake president told us that we weren't going to baptize. He said that we didn't authorize it with him and that we weren't allowed to baptize her. But then after a little while a lot stress we got it all figured out and she was able to be baptized. 
She is really great! She has a lot of faith and a testimony but she is just having a lot of problems and there isn't anything we can do to help her, we just have to wait and keep praying. Her son,  his wife and their 3 kids were living in her apartment, but then they left her with the 3 little kids and they don't want anything to do with her or their children. She is already  pretty old and is having to take care of three little kids without help or money. She is super happy and always enthusiastic but she is just really needing some help in her life. Keep her in your prayers.

We had a member of the 70 speak in our stake conference and it was really great! I learned a lot and felt like God was really talking to our little ward. He talked a lot about missions and how important they are. He said that God had this plan for us long before we came to this earth. That we all have a very specific purpose in this life. He said that we have our right to choose, but God has already created a plan for us, So we can choose to follow that plan and serve a mission or we can choose to be disobedient. Its our choice. He also talked about being exactly obedient to Gods commandments and paying our tithing. He was really great and I learned a lot. 
Anyways I am super happy and loving life. tchau!

Elder Millard 




Monday, May 16, 2016

May 16, 2016


Hey Family!
We had another great week here in Cohab Juscelino. We were extremely blessed again! God blessed us and we were able to baptize again! Thanks to a lot of miracles we have now baptized 3 weeks in a row and have others marked for 22 and 29!! if all goes well we will baptize every sunday of the month!! It really is so incredible how we are so very blessed. The other guy the we baptized last week was confimed and we are working with him to do some family history so he can get a rocommend and we can go to the temple and baptize some of his names. He is really excited and loving the church. He also said that he would like to serve a mission. AHHH I cant event imagine the joy that I would feel if I got to see some of my converts going to the temple and serving missions!! I cant even imagine how sweet that would be. 
Anyways our week was great and I am extremly happy here working hard. When I got here I was a little upset with this area because it really is pretty ugly and our branch is a little week but it is growing little by little and I can honestly say that I am starting to love Cohab Juscelino. I just remember so well our first transfer here how we worked everyday all day, knocking doors, teaching everyone, but nothing ever came of it. Now I know that all those long unsuccessful days was what we needed to do to show God that we were willing to work and we werent going to give up. Now he is blessing us with so many miracles! We are really reaping the rewards of all our work. I am loving life and I hope that all these blessings continue. 
Next week will be a litte harder to baptize because we have stake conference so I dont know if it will work out, but I think we can baptize in the stake center. If not I think for sure we will baptize on the 29th in our chapel.

Thats great that everything went well with Ragnar, I really do miss the ranch and I cant wait to get back and see all the changes. Great the everyone is doing good. Give everybody a hug and a kiss for me. 
Thats crazy that Grandma and Grandpa might come to my ward on the 29th!!!! I have to give a talk that day. I would love to see them. Nobody even knows how much I love them ahhhahah. I cant imagine. 


Elder Millard
Tchau





Monday, May 2, 2016

May 2, 2016

Hey All!

So we had a great week full of little blessings. We were finally able to baptize John Lennon!!!!!!!  I really feel like we have been working hard for a long time but it has been so hard to finalize a baptism however I really feel like we are going to have lot of success in the next few weeks.
We have one invest. who's name is Sergio he is awesome. He's the guy who showed up at our house. He is really interested and he has received an answer, however we found our problem. Here, a lot of people live together and say they are married but they aren't legally married. So when we met him we asked if he was married and he said yes however after a long lesson on the law of chastity we discovered that he is not legally married. He said that he is not going to marry her and he is in fact thinking of separating. He really wants to be baptized and has asked several times if I can just baptize him but, who knows we will just have to wait and pray and I am sure it will all work out.

We also have another young man who has received an answer and wants to be baptized but we just have to wait a little bit. He came to church yesterday and the baptismal font was full and he thought it was the day of his baptism haha after I told him no we have to wait a little and talk with your parents he said that he is ready to be baptized next week. So we will see if it all works out. 

Anyways we have a lot of other people but I don't have enough time to tell the story of everyone. I am super happy with my comp and I think we are going to stay friends for a long time. I am loving life and wouldn't want to be in any other mission in the world. I really am starting to feel at home in this great big city. hahaha This week we had to go to the mission office to get a vaccine shot and interviews with President, I kept thinking about my first day when I was so nervous and didn't know anything. Now I am getting it all figured out. I feel comfortable running around the city with all the subways and buses and trains haha I am getting down. 

I can't believe I have 7 months in the mission!!! Time is flying by! I have not completed half of the things I would have liked to but I am working to get there. I am happy and always progressing. That's all for this week, I'll save some stories for our talk next Sunday. 

Bom semana,

Elder Millard




April 25, 2016

Hey Family! 

So we started off the first week of the transfer a little slow but I really feel like we are going to see a lot of miracles this transfer. We have a few people with a lot of potential. I learned a lot this week, I made a lot of mistakes but I think that I learned from them so that I wont make them again. Sadly our investigator was not baptized yesterday. I had my baptismal clothes, we filled the font, we told everyone, however after the first class ended he still hadn't showed up so I called and called and called and finally he answered the phone and said that he woke up sicker than a dog so he cant be baptized today. So that was a real bummer but last night we went over there and talked with him. He is firm for this Saturday. We have a little luncheon and everything planned so it will be great. 

We also have another future priesthood bearer who is likely to be baptized within the next 3 weeks. Cergio is really great, he is very interested and he said that he is seeing a lot of changes and blessings in his life after he started talking with us. 

I am happy and loving the mission. This really is Gods work and I am sure of that. There is nothing that could convince me otherwise. I love the people here in our branch they really are so great. They really take good care of us. They definitely feed us enough and one irmã sowed my pants .... they are great. I like it here but honestly this area needs a lot of help. There are so many people inactive because the church isn't close, and we struggle with getting referrals but I know with a lot of blessings we can leave this area better than we found it. 

I am loving the work and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world. Although it is not the most beautiful place, I sure do love São Paulo Leste!!!😁 We are working hard and I am growing up really fast. I can not believe that I almost have 7 months in the mission. that I absolutely crazy to me. I am getting old. 

Well I don't have anything else to say but just know that I am happy. I know that God loves me and has a very specific plan for me here in Cohab Juscelino. I know this church is true with all of my heart. I cannot deny that. This really is God's work. 

Te amo.

Elder Millard

Answers to questions:  (he finally answered some of them)

We live in an apartment. We walk all day in the hot sun. We talk, laugh, have fun moments, feel the spirit and mark baptisms. 

My area where I am at right now is really pretty ugly. Has a lot of favela here. We are not very close to the center of São Paulo. My mission doesn't cover the center of the city. 

My comps name is E. Chalampuento.

I am definitely going to need some more shirts and maybe some more black pants because mine ripped my they will be okay for a little while. I love peanut butter jerky, and some other stuff. 

April 18, 2016



Hey Family - 
Sorry but I don't have much time left. I have about 10 min because I used all my time entering numbers and writing a few people that I haven't for a while. 

So transfers are tomorrow. My comp. and I are staying together for another transfer so we are happy for that. It has been a good week and we saw a lot of miracles. John Lennon got back this week and he is super happy. He should be baptized this Sunday. We also have few new people that are interested. I really am sorry but I am out of time. We had a great week full of miracles and I am sure we have another great week coming up. I will tell you everything in details next week with some pics. 

Tell everybody I love  them and that life is great. 

Elder Millard

Monday, April 11, 2016

April 11, 2016



Sorry but I give up on sending photos. I just cant do it. 

This week was a solid week. We found a lot of new people and we are really praying for something to happen with some of them. I honestly don't even remember much of what happened this last week, so this will be short. 

Last Saturday we had the wedding of John Lennon and it was awesome we had a lot of people help and it was great the only bad thing is that they got a surprise vacation so they aren't coming back for a week and a half so his baptism will have to wait until the 23rd. We have transfers on the 19th so hopefully nobody leaves and we both stay for his baptism. 

We also talked with the guy who showed up at our house and his daughter, they have a lot of interest and a lot of doubts but that is a good thing because they are open to learn and we are resolving everything little by little and he has a goal to be baptized on the 24th. 

We also have 2 other families, with 4 kids that want really bad to be baptized but their parents wont let them, and unfortunately they are only 17, 1'6 14, and 12 so they cant without permission. However I am sure that the Lord with provide away and everything will go alright. We are working and really trying to help our branch, but it sure is hard.  All is going good and I am super happy and loving the work. We are seeing some real miracles and have a lot of potentials. 

Life is good and it is passing so fast. Tell everybody at home and in the town that I love them and am grateful for all they do. 

com amor, 

Elder Millard

Saturday, April 9, 2016

April 4, 2016


Hey All!
Time passes so fast it is crazy. This week has been full of miracles. The start of the week was pretty rough this investigator that we had taught, sent us a message and said that she doesn't want to talk to us anymore. So that was pretty upsetting, but we gave her a few days to calm down and I called her, spit a little bit of fire and told her that if she throws away the opportunity to hear the prophet and apostle of Jesus then she will really be throwing away a lot of blessings and would basically be deciding not to hear what God has to say. So after that, she was pretty interested and she liked it a lot and we are going there later this week to see what is happening. 

On Sunday morning we where doing our studies and someone knocked on our door. It was super strange because anybody who knows where we live wouldn't go there on Sunday. But I answered the door and some guy said that he had talked with the missionaries before us a few times and they always invited him to church.  He went to the chapel but nobody was there because of conference, so it didn't start until 1. So that was strange, but it was for sure a miracle, he liked it a lot and we will pass by his house this week as well. Remember that our chapel is outside of our area so you have to take 2 buses to get there, so for him to go to the chapel then try and find us and go back to church is pretty great. I still don't know how he knew where we lived. 


We sure do walk a LOT but we are starting to find some real miracles. The week overall was good. I love my comp, he is a real stud. I will remember these times forever. I cannot believe that time is flying by so fast.  It is really crazy that I left the house 6 Months ago! Not long until I will be in my last 6 months scared and excited to go back to real life. 

Today we marked futebol with lot of young men so we are going to play a little ball then we have a family night after. Don't worry about me mom, I am very well fed and life is great.

I learned a lot in conference and I really got a lot of responses to a lot of questions. I don't think that I ever really realized it like I do now, but those men are apostles and prophet of God. I have a strong testimony of that now. I really felt the spirit there and it was really pretty great, I felt like everyone of those talks was responding to my questions and questions of my investigators. I obviously really like Elder Holland, he just really knows how to give a great talk, although the translator for Portuguese was have a few problems hahaha. There was so many great talks about priesthood and potential which are the things that I have been studying a lot lately I loved all those so that was great. 

We have the wedding of John Lennon this week and the baptism the next so Ill let you know how that goes. 
That's all for this week, Love you!  Manda um abraço para tudo mundo.

Elder Millard

Monday, March 28, 2016

March 28, 2016


Hey Bom dia. 


This pic is of my old district in sapopemba I will try and send a few more pics but I dont have a ton of time.    
(He never sent any more - he never has enough time!)

Yes mom I never have very much time, I have to email Presidente enter all our numbers and our goals for this week, and see if we have any referrals so all that takes up a lot of time.

This week was great but pretty hard. Opening an area is really pretty rough. We sure do hike around a lot!! Not some leisure stroll in the park here, This area is basically a mountain full of favela so its not just walking but hiking. We got here with nothing, one progressing investigator and nobody marked for a baptism so it has been all week trying to meet new people. We were blessed enough to meet a woman with a lot of interest in the church. She is great and has a lot of questions. She has already been in a ton of other churches but she said that she hasn't ever found what shes looking for, and she is liking our message a lot. The problem is that she smokes 2 packs a day, drinks coffee non stop and on the weekends drinks. So we are working with the word of wisdom and it will for sure take a while, but I have faith in miracles. 

We also have another guy who lives with a less active member, but she is coming back to church, they are marked to get married on the 9th and soon after he should be baptized. 

A large part of this week was spent knocking doors. We knocked one house that is really awesome they love us and we have only known them for about two weeks an they are always inviting us over for dinner. The mom and dad a way strong into their church but the 3 kids said they only go because of their parents. The three kids are super interested and really want to go to church. However their parents wont allow it. Not even to play futebol during the week or go to church, nothing.  It is really sad and I am praying for a miracle with them, we will need it. 

It really is incredible how much I have learned on my mission. I feel like I have progressed so much mentally and spiritually. I have a testimony I have felt the spirit I know Gods plan for me and I know this is kingdom of God here on earth. I want nothing more than to share this with other people so they can have this same confidence. However I know that if this was easy I would have a line of people waiting to be baptized, Salvation isn't easy and it never was supposed to be. In the moments when I feel like we are have the most difficulties is the moment when I feel the strongest desire to work. I feel the power and love of atonement in my life and I just want so so so badly to have others feel that as well. 

I really am great and loving life. All is well, and I am progressing a little everyday. Brasil really is becoming home haha.  I love Utah but when I tell people about my life before the mission I almost feet like I am telling the story of another person.  I am loving the challenges and loving life. 

Te amo mãe

Elder Millard