May 15, 2017

We have had yet another busy week here in São Paulo Leste. All is going well, just a lot of meetings and running around our area. 

So our recent converts that were baptized 2 weeks ago are doing great. They have really shown great efforts of faith. She was baptized and on the same week she got a great job offer that seemed like a great blessing, however the job would require her to work on Sunday. She was very upset as she has been looking for a job as she has been passing through a lot of financial problems. However with her extreme faith of a recent convert she declined the job offer to be able to keep the Sabbath day. The next week she was confirmed, and on that same day she paid her tithing. We have been visiting her a lot and she continues inviting people over about everyday to  participate in our messages. She really is doing well and we are going to the temple with her on the 20th. 

This week we have 3 baptisms marked. Jodárvila, Andrea, and Josué. Jodárvila is a young woman that we have been teaching for a few weeks and is really excited to be baptized. 

Andrea is way sweet. I think the lessons we teach her have been some of the most spiritual lessons that I remember. She is really sweet and so ready to be baptized, she has helped my testimony a lot. 

It was a great week and throughout the week I challenged myself to ponder and think about my wonderful mother and how grateful I am for her. Each day I shared a spiritual message and my testimony about my wonderful mother. So mom.... thank you so much for all that you do. Sorry I didn't get much time to really talk with you yesterday, but just know that I really love you and I am so very grateful for you and all that you have done. I know that without you I would not be where I am today. 

This week are starting zone conferences so things will certainly get a little busier this week, so just keep me in your prayers so I can put fire in the eyes of these missionaries.

All is well

God Speed

Elder Millard

May 1, 2017

Well let me start off by trying to remember last week. As so much has happened these last two weeks it will be a little rough, but I will try and remember the basics.

I yet again can say that last week may have been one of the best weeks of my mission. As I told you we started out the week with a lot of potencial to reach our goals, but we were 2 people short of reaching our goal. So we started out the week with a zone fast to try and finish out the transfer strong. We visited deborah everyday trying to get her ready for the baptism, and allthough she really has a strong desire to be baptized it was not able to happen this week. Last week we had zone conference and it was way sweet! Pres and the assistants gave a pretty sweet training. After the conference was over we all sat together as a zone and had a little meeting to just talk about all the miracles that had happened and the little bit that we were missing. It was really good. As I was directing the meeting and talking with the zone I could honestly feel the spirit there with us. It was a feeling really good, it was as if the Lord were saying that he was happy with the work we were doing, but we could not let up!! We were still 5 baptisms short of hitting our goal, but the hardest part is that we only had 3 people marked. So on that Wednesday we marked yet another Emergency fast. 

Everday last week we were running around the zone trying to firm up a few baptisms and help the missionarys with interviews and lessons. When we got to the end of the week my comp and I did yet another fast to finish of strong and really just thank God for all that had happened. The whole week I had really been feeling like I would be transfered so I was kind of saying a slight goodbye to everyone. On sunday I talked in church and it was really good. First I was able to bless the sacrament with Kaique which was way special for me, then as I was speaking I could just feel the spirit filling the room and I think I ended up learning a lot more than I taught. When we were calling our zone to get the numbers we all really worried and just praying for good news. Miracles happened and we were able to hit our goal!!!!!!! We did it! Right there on the sidewalk I gave my comp a great big hug and right there we said a little prayer to thank God for all that we had done that transfer. Then after we went to the chapel and we got a call from the assistants to give us the transfer, I then knew that I would be transfered. Although I wanted to stay I could really feel like my work it the Penha zone had come to an end. I then was able to visit with grams and gramps which is always a great experience. 

Later that night I got a call from President Silcox. He called and we talked for a little bit about what had happened in the transfer and that Sunday. Then he told me that the Lord was calling me to be the new Assistant in the Brazil São Paulo East mission. So after talking a little bit I accepted the calling and I had to go home and get my bags ready to go the the mission office. So I had to run around trying to say goodbye to a few close members and Kaique. 

So now I am serving as the AP with my best buddy Chalampuento!! We are companions again! It has been way busy this week. Earlier in the week we had to give a few trainings to the greenies and trainers. A lot of meetings and planning. Our area is Mooca. I am really good and way happy. I feel very small before this calling, but I know the Lord is on my side. I have had a lot of spiritual moments this week, but I have got to run. So I will have to tell you next week, or I will see if I can sent an email later today, but I doubt I will have time. Love you mom and thanks for everything. Sorry for the crappy letter, I am late and my head is all mixed up.

Have a great week.

God Speed

Elder MILLARD

April 18, 2017-

Well one more week has gone. We had a good week, we have been working in almost all the areas of the zone trying to get some baptisms excited. We have really dedicated ourselves this transfer to help our zone reach our goals. We are on track as of now and if everything goes well we will hit our goal this last week of the transfer!! 

I just wanted to let you know how happy I am with Kaíque. He is doing so good. He is way happy and just loving life. He received the priesthood and I had the opportunity to bless the sacrament with him this week. That was so awesome and I really just wanted to burst into tears the whole time. He also has a calling in the ward and is working a lot to help the ward. He is always call less actives to see if he can help or give them a ride to church. haha he is such a stud! This week we are going to go to the temple with him to do baptisms for his family. He also bought a new suit and shaved the beard, so is just a flippin stud now. I really like him, he is a great guy and I am so happy I have had the opportunity to help him and see the big change happen in his life. This week he bought a giant Easter egg for me to thank me for all that I have done. It was great, we both got all teary eyed as we talked about the gospel and all that is happening in his life.

I am really loving my mission during these last few months. I really can't believe that I am on the final stretch. I am just trying to enjoy every minute. Miracles are happening and I really feel like God is helping me prepare myself for these last 5 months and for the rest of my life. I am loving serving here in the Penha zone. I have come to love the people I am serving with and I really feel like we are a great big team working together. 

Here in my area we are having some hard times, as we don't have many people progressing. But I have learned that the success of others is what makes me really happy. We are working hard and I am sure that God will bless us with a miracle to finish off this transfer.

This week one of my real good mission buddies went home. We were able to see him before he went home, he was Elder Chalampuentos comp so it was way sweet to see him again, and Chalampuento who is my best buddy. He got a visa for business and he says he is going to work on the Pondi after the mish. haha

This week was really special for me as I challenged myself to think about the Savior each day of the week. As it was his last week on earth I tried to follow him and each day think about what he was doing on that specific day. I really felt myself get closer to him. As I studied his life and many testimonies about him throughout the Bible and Book of Mormon I really felt as if he was listening to me and comforting me to let me know that what I was feeling was true. My testimony has grown a lot this week and I really think its funny, because it seems like I say the same thing every week. I am so grateful to God for my many blessings and for my opportunity to be a representative of his Son and feel so close to him. I continue to be a humble servant, but some day I hope to be his true friend.

I really wish I could put my feelings in the email, but it just isn't possible. I hope and pray to never forget what I am feeling and the experiences I am having here. I hope we all came closer to Christ the last week as we celebrate that he lives. He as not left us here alone, the heavens are not closed. He loves us and if we do our part certainly he will do his. I hope we can all follow him with more and more assurance.

God Speed

Elder Millard  

April 4, 2017- Fear No Man

Well mom we did it again!! Week after week I recieve a strong testimony of the unimaginable love that God has for his children. I really feel very humbled amongst the many blessings that we recieve. 

This week we worked a lot to try and help the areas in our zone. As we had a lot of people marked for baptism this week we were running all over the stake trying to get everything prepared with interviews, lessons, activities and much more. 

We had a very spiritual week with the zone as we all fasted and prayed for one another. We all fasted and prayed for this conference weekend to be a weekend full of miracles. Although we were unable to accomplish the 12 baptisms I am sure that the Lord was with us this week. We accomplished 5 baptisms this week and it was a huge success. We did the baptisms inbetween the conference sessions. Although I was running around like a crazy man trying to get everything up and going, I could really feel the Lord with me. I really feel very small amongst all these miracles. I am sure that in the coming weeks we will have many more miracles according to our diligence. All is well and I am really happy. 

I feel like I really am involved in a great work.

God revealed many things to me this conference, and I really feel like I am becoming what he wants of me. These last 6 months are preparing me for the rest of my life.

Elder Millard

March 28, 2017

We had a great week, it seems like it has been so long since the last time that I wrote.  This week was transfers and E. Amâncio left, my new comp. is Elder Moraes. He is from Belem Para. On transfers I spent the whole day running around the subway stations again trying to get everyone in their places. 

This week we had a meeting with Bishop and I suggested a lot of ideas for us to try in the ward and he has been really happy about them, so we are working like dogs trying to get some sweet activities planned to get these people excited. 

Also we have been visiting Jennifer and Fernanda trying to get their baptisms worked out for this Sunday!! As a zone we have been fasting and praying a lot to have miracles this weekend with general conference. Right now the zone has 13!!!! people marked to be baptized this weekend. Here everyone watches general conference in the chapels, but our chapel here in Penha is the only one that has a satellite, so all the missionaries will baptize here in our chapel!!! I am really hoping this goes alright, it is going to be a great miracle. My mission has a goal of 100 baptisms this transfer. It is going to be really amazing when we achieve this goal. Everyone is excited about it and all is going well. I am sure I will have a lot of good news next week!! 

That's all for this week, but I will keep you updated. I am about out of time.

Elder Millard